For a small business, your greatest advantage over the competition is the personal touch you offer. However, scaling that personal touch is one of the biggest challenges of growth. A powerful CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is the key to managing expanding customer relationships without losing the intimate connection that made you successful in the first place.
A quick search on Capterra shows there are over 2,000 products in the CRM software category. They range from solutions by major tech companies to tools developed by small, family-run businesses. With so many options claiming to be the best CRM software for small businesses, choosing the right one can be overwhelming. In this article, we'll explore these products and present factors that we consider important to determine whether a CRM solution is actually a good fit for your business.
What is CRM software for small businesses?
CRM software isn’t categorized by company size, so there’s no such thing as a CRM designed exclusively for small businesses. And every business is unique, so the key is to find a CRM that offers the features your business needs.
At its core, a CRM organizes and centralizes customer-related data while helping manage interactions and relationships. It acts as a hub for storing contact information, communication history, and transaction records, ensuring team members can access the information they need quickly and easily.
That said, some CRM solutions are better suited for small businesses due to specific characteristics. These tools are often designed to be user-friendly and simple to set up, making them ideal for teams with limited technical expertise. Affordable and commonly offered as cloud-based solutions, they provide an inexpensive way to track leads, manage sales pipelines, and document customer interactions.
Many CRMs also integrate seamlessly with tools like email platforms and calendars, helping small businesses stay organized and efficient without straining their budgets. This makes it easier for businesses to manage customer relationships with minimal hassle or cost.
Why trust our CRM reviews?
Selecting the best CRM tool for your small business is a crucial decision, and our team is dedicated to offering you the most trustworthy insights. To find the best products for small businesses, we focus on comprehensive research to ensure you can make well-informed choices. Our review process is clear and methodical, emphasizing:
User feedback and ratings
Performance benchmarks
Feature comparisons
Pricing plans
By sharing our findings, we aim to empower you to navigate the many options in the CRM landscape with confidence.
Benefits of CRM software for small business
CRM software provides numerous benefits, including:
Improved customer relationships: CRM software enables businesses to deliver personalized experiences by tracking customer interactions and preferences, fostering long-lasting relationships, and increasing customer loyalty.
Increased productivity: By automating routine sales tasks like data entry and follow-ups, CRMs allow sales teams to focus on high-value activities, leading to increased revenue and efficiency. In fact, CRM is reported to boost sales productivity by 34%.
Data-driven insights: CRMs collect and analyze data from various customer touchpoints, providing valuable insights that inform and enhance marketing and sales strategies, leading to better decision-making.
Enhanced collaboration: A centralized CRM database ensures that team members can easily access and share information, improving communication and teamwork to close deals more effectively.
Streamlined communication: CRMs organize customer communication in one place, ensuring timely and consistent follow-ups, which improves customer satisfaction and trust.
Customer segmentation: CRMs allow businesses to segment customers based on specific criteria, enabling targeted marketing campaigns and personalized interactions.
Improved customer retention: By monitoring customer interactions and feedback, CRMs help identify at-risk customers and implement strategies to improve retention. In fact, 61% of SMBs report higher retention rates from adopting a CRM solution.
What to look for when choosing CRM software
As a small business, your priorities will differ from those of larger organizations. With that in mind, focus on these key elements—ranked by importance—when selecting your CRM tool:
Cost: Evaluate your budget and look for CRM solutions that offer a good balance of features and affordability. Many CRM providers offer multiple pricing options, with many offering low-cost plans and some even offering free versions, so there will be a suitable CRM solution for you, whatever your budget.
All-in-one platforms are another way to lower the overall cost of your tech stack. Try our pricing calculator to see how much you can save.Ease of use: A user-friendly interface is crucial so that your team can quickly adapt and utilize the software without extensive training. Data input should also be easy to minimize maintenance friction and costs.
Scalability: Choose a CRM that can grow with your business. Look for features that can be added as your customer base expands.
Integration capabilities: Ensure the CRM software can integrate with other tools you already use, such as email marketing platforms or accounting software, to streamline workflows. In cases where integration is limited, businesses may involve a nearshore, offshore software development center to create solutions that link platforms between systems.
Customer support: Reliable customer support is essential, especially for small businesses that may not have an IT team. Look for providers that offer comprehensive support options.
Best CRM tools for small business at a glance
Top CRM for small businesses in 2025
1. Lark - Best for all-in-one solution for customer management
Lark offers a powerful and uniquely flexible CRM solution that is a great match for small businesses. At its core is Lark Base, a no-code data management tool that lets you build a fully customized CRM from scratch or a template that is optimized to your team's specific sales process and habits. The tool adapts to your workflow and way of working rather than the other way around. You can create everything from simple contact lists to visual sales pipelines, all without needing technical expertise.
Your CRM won't work in isolation either, thanks to Lark's all-in-one design. Unlike standalone CRMs, Lark integrates your CRM data directly with the collaboration tools your team uses every day—like Messenger, Calendar, Docs, and Approval. Team members won't have to constantly switch between different apps, ensuring all communication and activities are tracked in one place and boosting team productivity.
Key features
Small businesses should prioritize features that help them manage relationships, track sales, and save time. Here’s how Lark CRM delivers on the most critical needs:
Fully customizable: The foundation of any good CRM is its ability to manage contacts, leads, and deals. With Lark Base, you can create a system perfectly tailored to your sales process. You can build dedicated tables for contacts, companies, and deals, and use visual Kanban boards as visual sales pipeiples to track opportunities with a simple drag-and-drop interface. Pre-built templates, like this CRM template, are also available to get you started immediately.
Superior mobile support: Sales doesn't just happen at a desk. Lark’s mobile app is optimized for a complete experience, allowing teams to manage sales processes, access critical data, and collaborate effectively while on the go. Sales reps can input new customer information or make status updates using mobile-friendly forms.
No-code database powered by AI: Small businesses need a CRM that is easy to use and set up. Lark Base meets this need: Any user can create a custom database or workflow without writing a single line of code. You can easily add fields, design unique workflows, and modify your CRM on the fly to match your evolving business needs. Built-in artificial intelligence (AI) features help you uncover actionable insights and boost efficiency.
For example, AI can be of great help for lead management. It can automatically categorize lead data, assign leads to dedicated sales reps, suggest next steps, generate pitch or call scripts, and so much more. The result is a more efficient sales cycle, empowering teams to close deals faster.
Embedded workflow automation: One of the biggest benefits of a CRM is automating repetitive tasks. Automation in Lark is directly embedded in its communication tools and is easy to set up. For example, you can set up rules to automatically assign new leads to sales reps, send follow-up reminders through chat when a deal is about to close, or notify the customer success team when a deal is won.
Real-time reporting and data visualization: Making data-driven decisions is key to growth. Lark allows you to create fully customizable, real-time dashboards to monitor your sales pipeline, track team performance, visualize key metrics, and create custom reports. With over 20 chart types, from funnel charts to bar graphs, you can gain actionable insights without paying for higher-tier plans. Data can also be visualized in different ways, with views such as Kanban, Gantt, and Calendar, with just one click
Integrated collaboration tools: The seamless connection between the CRM and tools like Messenger, Docs, Calendar, Meetings, and Approvals eliminates information silos. Teams can collaborate on proposals, discuss deal strategy, and schedule client meetings all within the same environment where their customer data lives, ensuring everyone is aligned and working with the most up-to-date information. Approvals for special pricing, contract signing, urgent requests, and more can also be quickly handled on the same platform.
Limitations:
Users need to invest some time to get familiar with all the product's features.
Starter plan: Free forever plan that includes 11 powerful tools for up to 20 users. It also comes with 100GB of storage, 1000 automation runs, AI translations, and more.
Pro plan: $12/user/month (billed annually) for up to 500 users. It includes everything in Starter plus group calling for up to 500 attendees, 15TB of storage, 50,000 automation runs, and more.
Enterprise plan: Contact sales for custom pricing. Supports unlimited users and includes even more automation runs and advanced security, compliance, and management features.
These plans are great options for both small businesses and enterprises. Unlike other competitors, the free forever plan comes with abundant storage and a wide range of tools. For paid plans, businesses can save big by simplifying their tech stack. For example, a team of 100 using Slack, Google Workspace, and Zoom can $25,200 by switching to Lark.
2. HubSpot CRM - Best for teams that need a specialized and scalable CRM platform
HubSpot CRM offers a comprehensive set of features designed to help small businesses manage customer interactions efficiently. It's renowned for its easy integration with other HubSpot tools, providing a seamless experience for customer service, sales, and marketing teams. The intuitive interface and a free plan make it a popular choice for businesses just starting with CRM.
Image source: hubspot.com
Key features:
Contact and lead management: Store contacts, organize them with custom properties and lists, and track leads through a visual deal pipeline.
Sales and communication tools: Track email opens and clicks, use email templates, schedule meetings, and engage website visitors with live chat and chatbots.
Marketing and automation: Build landing pages and web forms to capture leads, and create automated email sequences and workflows with if/then logic.
AI-powered assistant: Use the "Breeze AI" assistant to help with tasks like creating content, prospecting for new leads, and summarizing customer data.
Limitations:
HubSpot's free CRM lacks some advanced CRM features like reporting and automation are only accessible in paid tiers. Businesses seeking extensive customization may find these limitations restrictive.
Pricing:
Free tools: Free, offering basic features for small businesses.
Starter: $15 per user/month
Professional: $90 per user/month
3. Zoho CRM - Best for customization
Zoho CRM provides a versatile platform that integrates sales, marketing, and customer support functions. It's highly customizable, allowing businesses to tailor the system to their specific needs. Zoho's AI-driven insights help businesses make informed decisions, and its vast array of integrations makes it a flexible choice for growing companies. With its seamless integration with Zoho Books, you can create a comprehensive CRM accounting software solution to manage not just customer relationships but also your business finances.
Image source: zoho.com
Key features:
Sales force automation: Automate routine sales tasks, manage leads and deals, and create workflows to guide your sales process.
Omnichannel communication: Engage with customers across email, phone, social media, and live chat, with all interactions tracked in one place.
Deep customization: Use low-code tools like Canvas to redesign the user interface and Blueprint to enforce specific, rigid sales processes.
AI-powered analytics (Zia): Get predictive sales forecasts, identify anomalies in sales trends, and receive suggestions on the best times to contact leads.
Limitations:
The extensive customization options of Zoho CRM can be overwhelming for new users.
Pricing:
Free for up to 3 users
Standard: $14 per user/month
Professional: $23 per user/month
Enterprise: $40 per user/month
Ultimate: $52 per user/month
4. Less Annoying CRM: Best for teams that want a simple and easy-to-use interface
Overview:
As the name implies, Less Annoying CRM is crafted specifically for users seeking simplicity in managing customer relationships. Its straightforward interface and essential features make it easy for teams to adopt without extensive training. With its simple tools and focus on contact management and tasks, it also acts as a client management software for small business owners and teams.
Image source: lessannoyingcrm.com
Key features:
Simple contact management: Easily manage all your contacts and their communication history in one straightforward, uncluttered workspace.
Integrated calendar and tasks: Schedule appointments and manage your to-do list directly within the CRM, with daily agenda emails to keep you on track.
Basic lead and pipeline tracking: Create simple, customizable pipelines to track potential deals and see a clear report of your leads.
Straightforward and affordable: Features a single, transparent price of $15 per user per month with no hidden fees, contracts, or complicated tiers.
Limitations:
The simplicity of Less Annoying CRM means it lacks some advanced CRM features that larger businesses or those with complex needs might require, such as deep analytics or extensive automation.
Pricing:
$15 per user/month
5. Salesforce: Best for larger organizations with higher requirements
Salesforce is a powerhouse in the CRM industry, offering a comprehensive suite of tools that cover all aspects of customer relationship management. Its scalability and customization options make it suitable for businesses of all sizes. Salesforce's robust ecosystem and AppExchange marketplace provide endless possibilities for enhancing CRM functionality.
Image source: salesforce.com
Key features:
Lead and pipeline management: Capture leads from various sources, track them through a visual Kanban-style pipeline, and manage deals effectively.
AI-powered sales tools (Einstein): Use artificial intelligence to automatically capture activities, score leads, forecast sales, and get recommendations on next steps.
Workflow automation: Eliminate repetitive tasks by creating custom workflows and macros to automate processes like email follow-ups and task assignments.
Limitless customization and integration: Tailor the platform with custom fields and objects, and extend its functionality with over 5,000 apps from the AppExchange.
Limitations:
The extensive features and customization options can be overwhelming and costly for small businesses. Implementation and setup can be complex, often requiring dedicated resources or professional services.
Pricing:
Starter Suite: $25 per user/month
Pro Suite: $100 per user/month
6. Agile CRM: Best for contact management and web engagement
Agile CRM offers an integrated suite of sales, marketing, and service automation tools, making it a versatile choice for small businesses. Its user-friendly interface and strong automation capabilities help streamline operations and enhance customer experiences. Agile CRM provides a holistic approach to managing customer relationships.
Image source: agilecrm.com
Key features:
Comprehensive functionality: Combines sales, marketing, and customer service tools, including contact management, deal tracking, and a helpdesk, in one platform.
Marketing automation: Create automated marketing campaigns, build landing pages and web forms, and send email newsletters.
Sales enablement tools: Use features like appointment scheduling, deal tracking with milestones, and integrated telephony for one-click calling.
Limitations:
The free version of Agile CRM is limited in terms of user count and some advanced features. Businesses may need to upgrade to paid plans to access the full range of capabilities.
Pricing:
Free for up to 10 users
Starter: $8.99 per user/month
Regular: $29.99 per user/month
Enterprise: $47.99 per user/month
7. Pipedrive: Best for pipeline management
Pipedrive is designed to help sales teams manage their pipelines effectively. Its visually appealing interface allows users to easily track deals and progress, making it a favorite among sales-driven organizations. Pipedrive emphasizes simplicity and effectiveness in managing sales activities.
Image source: pipedrive.com
Key features:
Visual sales pipeline: Manage deals using a clear, Kanban-style drag-and-drop interface that visualizes your entire sales process.
Activity-based selling: Schedule and track sales activities like calls, emails, and meetings, with smart reminders to ensure no follow-ups are missed.
Email and communication tracking: Sync your email to track conversations, use customizable templates, and get notifications for email opens and clicks.
AI sales assistant: Get AI-powered tips, performance updates, and predictions on which deals are most likely to close to help prioritize your efforts.
Limitations:
While excellent for sales, Pipedrive offers fewer features for marketing and customer service, which may require integration with other tools for a complete solution.
Pricing:
Essential: $14 per user/month
Advanced: $34 per user/month
Professional: $49 per user/month
Power: $64 per user/month
Enterprise: $99 per user/month
8. Keap: Best for marketing automation and email campaigns
Keap, formerly known as Infusionsoft, combines CRM with marketing automation to support small business growth. It offers a comprehensive set of tools to manage contacts, automate marketing campaigns, and streamline sales processes. Keap aims to simplify the complexities of customer management for small businesses.
Image source: g2.com
Key features:
Automation builder: Create complex, multi-step marketing and sales campaigns using a visual, drag-and-drop workflow builder.
Integrated sales and marketing: Manage contacts, segment lists, and send automated email and text message sequences all from one platform.
Appointment and payment tools: Automate appointment scheduling, send invoices, and process payments directly within the CRM.
Sales pipeline management: Track leads and opportunities through a visual pipeline, with tools for lead scoring to prioritize your focus.
Limitations:
The interface can be initially overwhelming due to its extensive features, and it might require some time for users to fully leverage its capabilities.
Pricing:
$249 for two users and 1,500 contacts
9. Vtiger: Best for teams that prefer open-source software
Vtiger provides a unified platform for managing sales, marketing, and customer support, making it one of the best CRMs for small companies. Its comprehensive feature set allows businesses to manage their entire customer lifecycle from a single platform. Vtiger's flexibility and integration options make it a strong contender in the CRM space.
Image source: g2.com
Key features:
Full feature coverage: Combines sales, marketing, and customer support modules into a single, integrated platform for a 360-degree customer view.
Sales and pipeline management: Manage deals, generate complex quotes (CPQ), and get sales insights and forecasts.
Help desk and customer portal: Includes a support ticketing system, SLAs, and a customer self-service portal for accessing FAQs, invoices, and support tickets.
Project and inventory management: Offers built-in tools for managing projects, tasks, and even inventory, making it a comprehensive business hub.
Limitations:
Vtiger can be complex for those without prior CRM experience, and users may need time to familiarize themselves with its extensive features.
Pricing:
Free for up to 10 users
Growth: $12 per user/month
Professional: $30 per user/month
Enterprise: $42 per user/month
AI: $50 per user/month
10. Freshsales: Best for lead-scoring and management
Freshsales by Freshworks is designed for sales teams that require a high-velocity CRM tool. It offers robust features like AI-driven lead scoring and built-in communication tools, helping businesses close deals more effectively. Freshsales integrates seamlessly with other Freshworks products for a comprehensive experience.
Image source: freshworks.com
Key features:
Built-in communication channels: Make calls, send emails, and chat with website visitors directly from the CRM without needing separate tools.
AI-powered sales assistant (Freddy AI): Automatically score leads based on engagement, get predictive insights on deals, and automate repetitive tasks.
Visual sales pipeline: Track deals through customizable stages using a drag-and-drop Kanban view for a clear overview of your sales process.
Automated sales sequences: Create and automate outreach campaigns with a series of emails, calls, and SMS messages to nurture leads.
Limitations:
Customization options are limited compared to some competitors, which might be restrictive for businesses with unique requirements.
Pricing:
Free for up to 3 users
Growth: $9 per user/month
Pro: $39 per user/month
Enterprise: $59 per user/month
Get started with a highly customizable CRM solution at no cost
Small businesses need flexible CRMs, not rigid, expensive software with superfluous features. The right tool must integrate with how your team already collaborates. As a unified collaboration app, Lark empowers you to build your own custom systems. You can create a CRM tailored to your workflow, automate repetitive tasks, and visualize data with configurable dashboards, all within a single, mobile-friendly platform.
Building this CRM system isn't complicated either. You just need to learn a few key steps to get started:
Sign up to Lark with your email for free. You get 100 GB of storage and can invite up to 19 users to join your organization.
Create a new Base from the Lark Docs homepage.
Add and customize fields depending on what you want to track. For example you can add these field types:
Text: For names, notes, and descriptions. For example, the name of leads.
Single/Multiple Option: For creating dropdowns to track status or priority. For example, the leads progress.
Person: To assign tasks or ownership to team members. For example, this field can be used to assign the sale's rep responsible for the lead.
Date: To set deadlines and reminders. For example, the next follow-up date.
Attachment: To add files, such as contracts or images directly to a record.
Phone number: To add phone numbers, making it easy for sales reps to make phone calls.
Visualize your data with views and live dashboards. Once your table is populated with data, you can see it from different angles without changing the underlying table.
Kanban view: Turn your data into a board with cards you can drag and drop between stages, perfect for managing sales pipelines or project tasks.
Gantt view: Visualize project timelines, track dependencies, and manage deadlines effectively.
Dashboard: Create high-level overviews with charts and graphs to monitor key metrics and make informed decisions.
Automate your workflow by selecting a trigger and the actions you want to perform. For example, when a lead's follow-up date is approaching, send a reminder message to the responsible team member.
For more details on building a base, see Get started with Base.
Want to start from a template instead? You've plenty of options with Lark's library of free ready-made templates that can kickstart your CRM journey. Here are a few featured templates that you may find useful:
Basic CRM template
You don't have to start building your CRM from scratch. Lark offers free ready-made templates to kickstart your CRM journey. Here are a few featured templates that you may find useful:
Sales CRM template
A CRM optimized for sales, with comprehensive recording of client information, opportunity tracking, and sales team management. It also features a client visit log to ensure critical follow-ups are not missed. Perfect for teams that are customer-facing and sales focused.
Comprehensive CRM template
This template allows you to manage your entire sales cycle and customer journey with dedicated tables for everything from leads and activities to products and quotations. All of this information feeds directly into a dynamic dashboard that gives you at-a-glance view of your key metrics in real time. This comprehensive overview makes it easy to monitor team performance and make smarter, data-driven decisions to grow your business.
Final thoughts on the best CRM for small business
So, what is the best CRM system for small businesses? While the answer isn’t the same for all businesses, we’re confident that the tools we’ve listed offer excellent value for startups, solopreneurs, and growing teams.
Still, no amount of research can replace real-world experience. That’s why we recommend testing your options before making a commitment. A great place to start is Lark. Its generous free plan gives you access to 11 powerful tools designed to streamline CRM and collaboration. Plus, with a wide range of free templates, Lark makes it easy to hit the ground running. You won't have to keep shopping for other sales tools and project management software either since you get it all in one package.
Frequently asked questions
Are there any CRM solutions I can use for free forever?
Yes, there are CRM solutions you can adopt at no cost. Some good options include HubSpot, free for up to 2 users; Agile CRM, free for up to 10 users; and Lark, free for up to 20 users.
Are there any differences between CRM for small businesses vs bigger enterprises?
There are some CRM apps that are more focused on smaller teams, such as Less Annoying CRM, and some that specialize in serving enterprise customers, such as Salesforce. As every business is different, what works great for one may not work well for others. In general, CRMs that offer simplicity and affordability are better suited for small businesses. On the other hand, CRMs that provide advanced functionalities and customization, which may require more training and support, are better suited for large enterprises.
What is the best customer relationship management software for small businesses?
The best customer management software for small business depends on your business needs, budget, and team preference. If cost is your biggest concern or you simply want to test the waters first before, you can check out these cheap CRM options. If you’re looking for free open-source software, Vtiger is a top choice. For more mainstream choices, HubSpot CRM and Salesforce top the list and Less Annoying CRM stands out for being a no-nonsense option. If you prefer a less trodden path, you can also opt for an all-in-one collaboration platform like Lark, which offers all the essential tools for customizing CRM the way you want and more.
What are some budget friendly crm platforms for small businesses?
There are many affordable CRM options covered in this blog. If you want a basic CRM software for small business, HubSpot's free CRM and Zoho CRM are both good options. For more customization and all the features and tools you need on one platform, Lark's generous free plan and affordable paid plans offer unbeatable value.
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