Top 10 CRM Software Solutions, Free and Paid

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Customer Relationship Management, CRM Software Solutions, refers to the principles, practices, and guidelines that an organization follows when interacting with its customers 1. It encompasses direct interactions with customers, such as sales and service-related processes, forecasting, and the analysis of customer trends and behaviors. Ultimately, CRM serves to enhance the customer’s…

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March 22, 2024

Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

Customer Relationship Management, CRM Software Solutions, refers to the principles, practices, and guidelines that an organization follows when interacting with its customers ¹. It encompasses direct interactions with customers, such as sales and service-related processes, forecasting, and the analysis of customer trends and behaviors. Ultimately, CRM serves to enhance the customer’s overall experience ¹.

CRM Software Solutions is often used to refer to technology companies and systems that help manage external interactions with customers. Major areas of growth in CRM technology include software, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence ¹. CRM technology is widely cited as the fastest-growing enterprise-software category, which largely encompasses the broader software-as-a-service (SaaS) market ¹. Five of the largest players in the CRM market today include cloud computing giant Salesforce, Microsoft, SAP, Oracle, and Adobe Systems ¹.

CRM Software Solutions include all aspects in which a company interacts with customers, but more commonly refer to the technology used to manage these relationships. A CRM system helps businesses organize and centralize their information on customers, allowing for easier access and customer support. Businesses use CRM systems to optimize sales and marketing and improve customer retention. Data analytics is also much easier, where businesses can track the success of various projects or campaigns, identify trends, infer associations, and create visually intuitive data dashboards. Customers enjoy better service and are more likely to report higher satisfaction as a result. Customer interactions including complaints are stored and can be easily recalled so that customers do not have to constantly repeat themselves ¹.

Types of CRM Software Solutions

Today, many comprehensive CRM platforms integrate all parts of the customer relationship the business may have. However, some CRMs are still designed to target a specific aspect of it:

Sales CRM: to drive sales and increase the pipeline of new customers and prospects. Emphasis is placed on the sales cycle from tracking leads to closing deals.
Marketing CRM: to build, automate, and track marketing campaigns (especially online or via email), including identifying targeted customer segments. These CRMs provide real-time statistics and can use A/B testing to optimize strategies.
Service CRM: integrated dedicated customer service support with sales and marketing. Often features multiple contact points including responsive online chat, mobile, email, and social media.
Collaborative CRM: encourages the sharing of customer data across business segments and among teams to improve efficiency and communication and work seamlessly together.
Small Business CRM: optimized for smaller businesses with fewer customers to give those customers the best possible experience. These systems are often much simpler, intuitive, and less expensive to implement than enterprise CRM.

Examples of CRM Software Solutions

There are several popular CRM software available in the market. Here are some of the top-rated CRM software according to PCMag ¹:

Salesforce Sales Cloud Lightning Professional: Best for small businesses.
Zoho CRM: Best for Zoho platform customers.
HubSpot CRM: Easiest to use.
Freshsales CRM: Best basic CRM.
Zendesk Sell: Best for integration with Zendesk products.
Less Annoying CRM: Best for start-ups.
Creatio CRM: Best for large sales teams.
SugarCRM Sugar Sell: Best customization.
Apptivo CRM: Best for small businesses.
Insightly CRM: Best for growth-stage businesses.

There will be more brief about each one of the first 8 in the next section below. Forbes Advisor also has a list of the best CRM software of 2023. Some of the top-rated CRM software according to Forbes Advisor are:

Microsoft Dynamics 365
Pipedrive
Nimble
Agile CRM

Here are some other examples of CRM Software Solutions:

Oracle CX Cloud Suite: Offers a range of CRM applications, including sales, marketing, and service automation ².
SAP Sales Cloud: Provides a range of CRM features, including lead and opportunity management, sales forecasting, and analytics ³.
Salesflare: Offers a CRM platform that integrates with email, social media, and other communication channels .
Capsule CRM: Offers a simple and intuitive CRM platform that is ideal for small businesses .

List of Top 8 CRM Software Solutions & Tools

Salesforce Sales Cloud Lightning Professional is a CRM software offered by Salesforce, which is best suited for small businesses. It is deployed as a cloud service and includes Salesforce Lightning technology, which allows for deeper customization around each customer’s unique workflows ²³. The software offers a range of features, including lead and opportunity management, forecasting, and analytics ¹. The pricing for Salesforce Sales Cloud Lightning Professional starts at $80 per user per month ¹.
Zoho CRM is a fast, easy-to-use, and customizable CRM platform that helps you build better customer relationships, automate workflows, and grow your business ¹². It offers features like lead management, workflow automation, omnichannel communication, analytics, and AI assistant to boost your revenue and efficiency ¹². The software is best suited for Zoho platform customers ¹. Zoho CRM is deployed as a cloud service and offers a 15-day free trial ¹.
HubSpot CRM is a cloud-based CRM platform that offers a range of features, including lead management, workflow automation, omnichannel communication, analytics, and AI assistant to boost your revenue and efficiency. It is the easiest to use CRM software according to PCMag 1. HubSpot CRM is free to use and offers a range of integrations with other software.
Freshsales CRM is a cloud-based CRM platform that offers a range of features, including lead management, workflow automation, omnichannel communication, analytics, and AI assistant to boost your revenue and efficiency ¹. It is best suited for small businesses ¹. Freshsales CRM is free for up to 3 users and offers a 21-day free trial ¹.
Zendesk Sell is a cloud-based CRM platform that offers a range of features, including lead management, workflow automation, omnichannel communication, analytics, and AI assistant to boost your revenue and efficiency. It is best suited for integration with Zendesk products 1. Zendesk Sell is deployed as a cloud service and offers a 14-day free trial 1.
Less Annoying CRM is a self-funded, U.S. News & World Report’s #1 CRM of 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 ¹. It offers a simple and easy-to-use contact management system for small businesses, with no predatory pricing, no enterprise-focused features, and no frustrating support ¹. The software helps businesses manage their contacts, calendars, tasks, workflows, and team collaboration with none of the complexity of other CRMs ². Less Annoying CRM is deployed as a cloud service and offers a 30-day free trial ¹².
Creatio CRM is a global vendor of a no-code platform to automate workflows and CRM with a maximum degree of freedom ¹². The platform offers a range of features, including lead management, workflow automation, omnichannel communication, analytics, and AI assistant to boost your revenue and efficiency ¹. It is best suited for large sales teams ¹. Creatio CRM is deployed as a cloud service and offers a 14-day free trial ¹.
Sugar Sell is a cloud-based CRM platform that offers a range of features, including lead management, workflow automation, omnichannel communication, analytics, and AI assistant to boost your revenue and efficiency. It is best suited for small to medium-sized businesses ³. Sugar Sell is deployed as a cloud service and offers a 7-day free trial ¹.