Free CRMs, customer relationship management software tools, can be part of executing a well-developed customer experience (CX) strategy. These systems help businesses manage interactions with current and potential customers. Designed to help improve CX and boost sales, this software enables users to organize, automate and synchronize sales, technical support, marketing and interactions with customers. It's a platform that puts everything in one place for those trying to solve problems and reach customers.
The global CRM market was valued at US$101.41 billion in 2024, and it is projected to reach US$262.74 billion by 2032 with a CAGR of 12.8 percent, according to Fortune Business Insights.
The good news is that there are many free CRMs available to businesses. In fact, some have called it a "freemium model" because many makers of CRMs offer free versions of their software with basic, core functionality. As companies scale, they must pay to use the more sophisticated version of the tool. This benefits users because they can test before they invest.
Choosing the right free CRMs
Choosing the right CRM requires some research and an assessment of the needs of the business versus the functionality of the software. Knowing about experiences of others is useful, too. Almost all the freebies offer the option to get a free demo on the more advanced version of the software. Also, there are case studies and reviews available online.
"For many businesses, CRM software now serves as a crucial element in enhancing customer experience," writes Elie Katz, CEO of National Retail Solutions in Forbes. "As part of this evolution, I believe that understanding the significance of CRM software as well as the best practices for integrating, adopting and implementing this tool becomes paramount."
Katz writes that the best CRMs should provide:
- Seamless information sharing across teams to reduce response times.
- Help predict and address customer issues early, rediscovering frustration.
- Offer smooth communication across channels.
- Provide actionable business insights, metrics to track business performance.
- Enable integrations with other systems, like enterprise resource planning or marketing platforms.
Discover this breakdown of five popular, free CRMs:
HubSpot CRM
Hands down the most popular system, HubSpot CRM, repeatedly comes in first when searching free CRMs across different browsers and AI search. Numerous write-ups of the system applaud its intuitiveness and all-in-one sales and marketing functionality. Powered by artificial intelligence (AI), HubSpot promises to help users identify high-intent leads, tailor CX and launch cross-channel campaigns.
Zoho CRM
Another system that gets mentioned repeatedly in searches of free CRMs is Zoho. The free Zoho system promises to be fully featured with sales and marketing components, integrations and cloud storage that is secure. The claim is that it is, "Built for small businesses with big dreams!" The free version supports up to three users and includes leads, deals and contact management, tasks and events, multichannel marketing and integrations to other Zoho apps. Compared to the paid versions of the software, it is missing sales forecasting, forecasting based on territories, macros, SalesSignals, calendar booking, multiple currencies, social, social tab, scoring rules, multiple scoring rules and Motivator for Zoho CRM.
Agile CRM
Agile CRM offers a fairly comprehensive version of its platform for free. Companies that sign up can have up to 10 users and include up to 1,000 contacts. They can access marketing automation, web forms and pop-ups for messaging and surveys, email marketing, and deals and sales automation. In addition, the free version includes an online appointment calendar, free plugin of choice and Google apps sync, including Gmail.
Bitrix24
CX Network signed up for the free version of Bitrix24 to see what was available. The messaging about the free version is confusing because there is a button that suggests starting a free trial, which is different from having a free version. In any case, Bitrix24 does have a free version that is fairly elaborate. It includes the ability to track deals, customer contacts, sales and inventory. The sales tools feature AI speech analytics and sales scripts, as well as the ability to import from third-party CRMs. Real-time analytics, smart process automation and the contact center for outreach are among the other freebies.
Freshsales
The free version of Freshsales is located at the bottom of the page that describes the paid versions, so it is somewhat hidden. It is for truly small businesses because it only covers up to three users. One of its most promoted features is the "powerful Kanban views," which are visual ways to manage work. In addition, the free version includes email templates, built-in phone and live chat.
Honorable mentions should go to EngageBay and Capsule, which also appear on popular lists and searches of free CRMs. Finding the right CRM can put all customer interactions, sales and marketing efforts in one place and help connect different teams in the organization. The right CRM for an organization's unique objectives can help improve CX and drive sales in addition to making work more efficient by providing convenience to employees and customers alike.
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