Best small-business CRM software in 2025: Inexpensive customer relationship solutions

If you’re looking for a way to implement a CRM as the next stage of your growing business, many people will recommend HubSpot. 

Why we like it: This CRM starts you off with a free plan, and when we say free, this means you don’t have to hand over any payment card details. Just enter an email address, go through the verification process, and let HubSpot know if you’re new to CRM software, and away you go.

What I particularly like about this CRM is that it’ll tailor your learning experience based on your priorities — whether you want to automate marketing schemes, generate sales leads, build a website, or improve your customer support system.

You’ll find that the basic, free CRM can be used for tasks such as contact management and email marketing. 

Who it’s for: HubSpot is a good option if you’re just entering the CRM world, with many smaller outfits reporting that they’re happy with the system. However, some also note that the costs can quickly escalate if you want advanced features.

Who should look elsewhere: You’ll need to pay to access the sales dashboard, help desk suite, surveys, or customer portal, so the free option won’t be suitable for you if you need these features. In that case, consider upgrading, or check out our other recommendations. 

Paid plans begin at $15 per user per month for starter plans. However, subscription to the next level can leap to more than $1,000 per month, depending on what bolt-ons you want, such as marketing, sales, or service.

HubSpot features: Different workspaces | Website help | Dashboards | Contact sync | Tutorials | App marketplace | Free plan, 14-day Pro trial

Zoho is another excellent option. It offers affordable plans for small businesses looking to explore the benefits of CRM software.

Why we like it: Zoho not only provides users with an extensive range of functions and customization options but also places automation and orchestration at the heart of its software. Users can easily capture leads and automate sales and support tasks, not to mention that predictive analytics is also available. 

Prices start at $14 per seat per month. The entry-level Zoho CRM plan includes email campaigns, forecasting, and workflow management features. Professional, Enterprise, and Ultimate subscriptions — priced at $23, $40, and $52 per seat per month, respectively — offer advanced tools including the Zia AI assistant, orchestration, custom functions, analytics, and business insights. There’s also a limited free plan available.

Who it’s for: Zoho CRM reviews are overwhelmingly positive, with many small-business owners considering it a game-changer. 

If you want a sales-focused option for your small business, you should consider Zoho CRM. By using CommandCenter, you can track customer journeys and sales processes, giving you insight into any issues or sticking points and allowing you to improve customer experiences and outcomes.

Who should look elsewhere: Though a free plan is available, this option is best if you’re willing to subscribe. Furthermore, if you’re completely new to the CRM world, you might want to explore a solution that’s focused on being user friendly, such as Less Annoying CRM.

Zoho CRM features: Sales automation | Orchestration | User portals | Customization | Microsoft 365 integration | Analytics | Forecasting | AI assistant | Free plan, 15-day trial

Monday.com could be the right CRM software for you if your focus is on workflow organization and management. 

Why we like it: I’ve used Monday previously as a contractor, and I’ve found that it’s very easy to learn and useful for daily task organization. The platform uses “boards” to manage tasks and assignments, making tracking of employee activities easy. 

I like this option, as small businesses can start with workflows and then adopt the full CRM if they choose. They can expand board usage and dive into sales and lead generation, customer onboarding, marketing activities, outreach programs, and sales forecasting. 

You can also purchase AI “credits” that let you assign AI to complete tasks for you, including assigning employee projects, analyzing risks, creating summaries, and performing data capture.

Who it’s for: Individuals who want a free, limited option for workflow management, or emerging businesses that want a starter CRM. 

If you’re interested, you can use Monday.com’s workflow management setup for free, as long as you don’t need more than two seats. If, however, you’d like to use it to handle team collaboration and assignments, prices start at $9 per seat per month if you just want boards, or $12 and up per user per month for the full CRM.

Who should look elsewhere: Customers say Monday.com provides excellent management features but that customer support is lackluster. If you think you’ll need ongoing support, consider Salesmate instead.

Monday.com features: Workflow dashboards | Task assignment | AI | Automation | Sales forecasting | Lead capture | Free plan

Yes, the name is a bit strange at first glance — but Less Annoying CRM is a product that’s exactly what it says on the tin. 

Why we like it: It’s clean and clutter-free, and as the name says, some customers find it “less annoying” than other CRM solutions, especially when it’s used on a daily basis. Less Annoying CRM doesn’t limit its customers based on plan. Thus, from the beginning, you’ll have access to unlimited contact and sales pipeline field entry, task assignments, agendas, calendars, event handling, lead data, and more. 

The CRM supports third-party integrations with popular software, including Google Calendar, Mailchimp, JustCall, and Xapp.ai. 

Who it’s for: Less Annoying CRM is best suited for small businesses that need a clean CRM experience for daily tasks and sales management. 

This vendor has adopted an interesting pricing structure — and one many small businesses will appreciate. You pay a fixed $15 per user per month (plus tax) for unlimited pipelines, 25GB of storage per user, and full access to the software suite. However, once you need more than 10 seats, you’ll need to contact the company to discuss an upgrade.

Who should look elsewhere: Customers of Less Annoying CRM say it’s an excellent platform for simplifying management, but some note that businesses may outgrow it rather quickly. If you predict that your business will scale rapidly, check out our other recommendations, including Salesmate or Zoho CRM. 

Less Annoying CRM features: Daily task management | Pipeline entry | Team management | Mobile support | 2FA | Third-party integration | Free trial

Salesmate CRM is another top choice for small businesses, especially if you’re focused on analytics and data analysis. 

Why we like it: Used by more than 8,500 organizations worldwide, Salesmate CRM offers a range of CRM services, but it shines when it comes to data management and analysis. Teams can create their own custom dashboards and use hundreds of widgets to display information relevant to their projects. Custom modules can also be implemented to generate reports based on business datasets.

You have three tiers to choose from: Basic, Pro, and Business. Though the Basic plan ($23 per seat per month) comes with features such as deal pipeline management, email sync, and contact management, the Pro plan is a better choice for emerging businesses. It’s more expensive, at $39 per seat per month, but you’ll have access to quote management, tickets, team inboxes, management functions, and custom dashboards.

Who it’s for: Anyone focused on data and analytics. Salesmate CRM customers like the platform for small and medium-size businesses, but some say formatting functions could be improved. It might not be the best option for larger organizations or companies that want to focus on business aspects outside of data analysis.

Who should look elsewhere: The Business plan, priced at $63 per user per month, offers advanced features such as service level agreement creation, SSO, and advanced goal management. If this is beyond your current budget, consider one of our less expensive recommendations. 

Salesmate CRM features: Advanced analytics | Team management | Third-party integrations | Mobile support | Sales, marketing automation | Sandy AI | Free trial