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Customer relationship management

495 tools evaluated · 10 top picks · Updated September 2026

Key Takeaways
  • HubSpot is our overall pick for CRM in 2026. Apollo is our free pick.
  • We analyzed 495 CRM tools to create this ranking.
  • 6 tools offer free plans, perfect for getting started.

From the team behind Toolradar

Want a CRM tool in the next ChatGPT answer?

A CRM only matters if pipeline flows in. We build the content that fills it.

Editorial content for B2B SaaS

CRM choice is really an integration choice. Every modern CRM stores contacts, deals, and activities — what differs is how cleanly it plugs into your marketing automation, your support tool, your billing, and the email/calendar your reps actually live in. We've ranked the leading CRMs below by adoption (real review volume, real media coverage) and how each one trades flexibility for ease of use.

7 Top CRM Tools Compared

Starting price, average user rating, and our pick for each category.

ToolOur takeStarting priceRating
HubSpot logo
HubSpot
Best overall$15/mo3.9
Salesforce logo
Salesforce
Most reviewed$8.33/mo4.4
Monday Sales CRM logo
Monday Sales CRM
Solid pick$12/mo4.6
Apollo logo
Apollo
Highest ratedFree4.7
Close logo
Close
Solid pick$19/mo4.7
Brevo logo
Brevo
Solid pick$9/mo4.6
Apollo.io logo
Apollo.io
Solid pick$99/mo4.1

How the Top CRM Tools Compare

The CRM category is highly competitive in 2026, with HubSpot and Salesforce both ranking among the top choices on Toolradar's assessment, followed closely by Monday Sales CRM. The tight competition reflects how mature this market has become.

Pricing varies significantly among the top picks: HubSpot (freemium (free tier available)), Apollo (free) offer free access, while Salesforce and Monday Sales CRM require a paid subscription. Teams on a budget should start with HubSpot, which delivers strong value despite its free tier.

Computed from live tool ratings, review counts, and editorial scores.Editorial policy

Top CRM tools

01
HubSpot logo

CRM platform for scaling businesses

Freemium3.9/519,150 ratings · Sep 2026

HubSpot is an AI-powered customer platform that unifies marketing, sales, customer service, content management, and operations software in a single system. Built around a free CRM, it provides tools for email marketing, lead management, pipeline tracking, live chat, ticketing, website building, and workflow automation. HubSpot organizes its products into five Hubs, Marketing, Sales, Service, Content, and Operations, that share a common contact database and reporting layer. The platform serves a large number of customers across many countries, from startups using the free tools to enterprises running complex multi-touch attribution. Its App Marketplace offers numerous integrations with tools like Salesforce, Slack, and Shopify.

HubSpot screenshot
+Generous free tier with CRM, forms, email, live chat, and basic reporting at no cost
+Unified platform eliminates data silos between marketing, sales, and service teams
+Intuitive interface with short learning curve compared to Salesforce
Pricing escalates quickly, Professional and Enterprise tiers are expensive for SMBs
Marketing contacts model means you pay more as your database grows
Fair value

HubSpot's pricing is the most complex in SaaS, 7 Hubs, 4 tiers each, per-seat AND per-contact charges, plus mandatory onboarding fees.

Watch out

Mandatory onboarding fees: Marketing Pro $3,000, Marketing Enterprise $7,000, Sales Pro $1,500, Service Pro $1,500, Sales/Service Enterprise $3,500 each. A company buying Marketing Pro + Sales Pro pays $4,500 in one-time onboarding fees before day one

02
Salesforce logo

The CRM that defined the category for sales, service, and marketing

Paid4.4/544,685 ratings · Sep 2026

Salesforce is the world's leading CRM platform for sales, service, and marketing. Sales Cloud manages deals and pipelines. Service Cloud handles customer support at scale. Marketing Cloud automates customer journeys. AppExchange offers thousands of business apps. The CRM that defined the category and powers enterprise businesses worldwide.

Salesforce screenshot
+Industry standard
+Huge ecosystem
+Highly customizable
Expensive
Complex setup
Fair value

Salesforce is the most powerful CRM on the market, but the sticker price is a fraction of what you will actually pay.

Watch out

Data storage overages: $125/month per 500 MB ($250/GB/month). Salesforce includes just 10 GB for your entire org, plus 20 MB per user. Compare that to AWS S3 at under $0.03/GB.

03
Monday Sales CRM logo

Customizable CRM for sales teams

Paid4.6/519,089 ratings · Sep 2026

Monday Sales CRM is a fully customizable CRM built on the monday.com platform. Track leads, manage pipelines, automate sales processes, and collaborate with your team.

Monday Sales CRM screenshot
+AI sales agents can source, qualify, prioritize leads, and book meetings 24/7 directly from the CRM.
+AI automates data entry and activity logging by pulling information from calls, emails, and files, and can auto-assign reps and set alerts.
+AI Notetaker summarizes calls, suggests next steps, and drafts follow-ups.
The information does not specify pricing tiers or feature limitations across different plans, which is crucial for evaluating cost-effectiveness.
Good value

Monday Sales CRM offers a fair pricing structure, especially with its generous Free tier for small teams.

Watch out

Higher tiers often require annual billing for listed prices.

04
Apollo logo

Unify sales data, outreach, and CRM to fill your calendar

Free4.7/59,826 ratings · Sep 2026

Apollo is an AI-powered sales platform that unifies lead data, engagement tools, and customer relationship management into a single solution. It helps B2B sales teams find and convert prospects by providing access to a vast database of contacts and companies, automated outreach sequences, a built-in dialer, and lead enrichment capabilities. The platform is designed to streamline both outbound prospecting and inbound lead conversion, enabling users to fill their calendars with qualified meetings and build pipeline efficiently. Apollo replaces multiple standalone tools, reducing complexity and cost for sales organizations of all sizes.

Apollo screenshot
+Replaces multiple sales tools, reducing cost and complexity.
+Large, searchable B2B contact database for prospecting.
+Automates repetitive outreach tasks to save time.
Free tier has limited credits and features.
Data accuracy can vary for some contacts.
Great value

The pricing is exceptionally generous as the entire platform is free, making it an unbeatable value for any budget.

Watch out

Overage fees for exceeding contact storage limits

05
Close logo

CRM for fast-moving sales teams to close more deals

Paid4.7/52,089 ratings · Sep 2026

Close is a CRM built specifically for sales teams focused on closing deals. Features include built-in calling, SMS, email sequences, and pipeline management. Designed for inside sales teams who need to move fast and stay organized.

+Excellent built-in communication tools
+Fast and intuitive interface
+Good for high-volume sales
Less suitable for complex sales cycles
Limited marketing features
Good value

Close's pricing is fair for small teams starting with the Starter plan at $19/month, offering essential CRM features.

Watch out

Per-user pricing for Professional/Enterprise tiers adds up quickly.

06
Brevo logo

All-in-one marketing platform for email, SMS, and customer engagement

Freemium4.6/56,219 ratings · Sep 2026

Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) is an all-in-one marketing platform offering email marketing, SMS campaigns, chat, CRM, and marketing automation. Founded in France in 2012, Brevo has grown to serve over 500,000 customers worldwide with a focus on affordability and ease of use. The platform is known for its generous free tier and competitive pricing compared to Mailchimp. Brevo offers transactional email services, landing pages, Facebook ads integration, and a sales CRM - making it a comprehensive solution for growing businesses.

+Very generous free tier (300 emails/day)
+Affordable paid plans
+All-in-one platform
Interface can be clunky
Limited templates
Good value

Brevo's pricing is quite competitive, especially at the entry level.

Watch out

Removing branding is an add-on

07
Apollo.io logo

Find leads, enrich data, and automate outreach

Freemium4.1/511,273 ratings · Sep 2026

Apollo.io is a sales intelligence and engagement platform with a database of 275M+ contacts. Find leads, enrich data, automate outreach sequences, and track engagement-all in one platform with AI-powered insights and CRM integrations.

+Massive B2B contact database with 275M+ contacts
+Generous free tier with 50 credits/month
+All-in-one prospecting and engagement platform
Data accuracy varies by region and industry
Credit system can be confusing
Good value

Apollo.io's pricing is quite generous, especially with the 'Free' tier offering 50 credits/month and the 'Professional' tier providing unlimited credits for $99/month.

08
Zoho CRM logo

CRM for sales and marketing teams

Freemium4.2/59,945 ratings · Sep 2026

Zoho CRM manages customer relationships affordably. Sales and customer management from Zoho-CRM for cost-conscious organizations. The pricing is competitive. The features are comprehensive. The Zoho integration adds value. Organizations wanting affordable CRM choose Zoho CRM for cost-effective sales management.

+Affordable CRM
+Good features for price
+Zoho ecosystem
UI less polished
Learning curve
Great value

Zoho CRM is the best value in the CRM market, full-featured at a fraction of competitors' prices.

Watch out

Free plan is limited to 3 users with basic features, outgrown quickly

09
SendPulse logo

Multi-channel marketing automation platform for email, chatbots, CRM, and online courses.

Free4.6/54,303 ratings · Sep 2026

SendPulse is a comprehensive multi-channel marketing automation platform designed to help businesses of all sizes manage their customer communications and sales processes. It offers a suite of integrated tools including email marketing, chatbot builders, a CRM system, a website builder, and an online course creator. The platform enables users to automate personalized offers, manage sales pipelines, and engage with customers across various channels like email, web push, and chatbots. The platform is ideal for sales managers, eLearning businesses, industry experts, business owners, and marketers looking to streamline their marketing efforts without needing multiple integrations. It provides drag-and-drop editors, pre-made templates, and AI-powered tools to simplify content creation and campaign management. SendPulse aims to boost conversion rates, improve customer engagement, and provide detailed analytics to optimize marketing performance. Key benefits include saving time with pre-integrated tools, enhancing team collaboration, segmenting audiences for personalized communication, and monitoring marketing performance with built-in analytics. It also offers 24/7 multi-language support and a knowledge base to assist users.

SendPulse screenshot
+Comprehensive suite of integrated marketing tools on one platform.
+Offers a generous free plan with significant features.
+User-friendly drag-and-drop editors and pre-made templates.
Advanced features like unlimited emails and users are only available on higher-tier paid plans.
Pricing for larger subscriber lists can increase significantly.
Great value

SendPulse's Free tier is incredibly generous, offering a vast array of features including email, chatbots, CRM, and even an online course builder, which is rare for a free plan.

10
Pipedrive logo

Close more deals with AI-powered sales pipeline management

Paid4.4/56,213 ratings · Sep 2026

Pipedrive is a sales CRM platform designed for small teams with pipeline management, automation, AI reporting, and email integration to close more deals.

+Visual pipeline
+Easy to use
+Good mobile app
Limited free tier
Add-on costs
Good value

Pipedrive's pricing, starting at $14/user/month for Lite and scaling to $79/user/month for Ultimate, is generally fair for a dedicated sales CRM.

Why these CRM tools didn't make our top 10.

We evaluated 495 CRM tools and these 19 ranked 11 through 29. They're solid options that fell short on one or two axes (review depth, pricing transparency, feature parity), but worth a look if the leaders don't fit your stack or budget.

NetSuite logo
NetSuite
Unify financials, CRM, and ecommerce in one cloud ERP
Givebutter logo
Givebutter
All-in-one fundraising software for nonprofits with 0% fees and built-in rewards.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 logo
Microsoft Dynamics 365
Enterprise CRM and ERP cloud solution
Zendesk Sell logo
Zendesk Sell
Accelerate pipeline velocity with AI forecasting and unified customer views
Salesloft logo
Salesloft
Revenue orchestration platform
JobDiva logo
JobDiva
The all-in-one recruitment platform for staffing agencies to maximize business potential.
Outreach logo
Outreach
Hit quota consistently with AI-powered sales execution
Zoho Recruit logo
Zoho Recruit
An all-in-one talent acquisition solution with ATS and CRM capabilities for efficient hiring.
Nimble logo
Nimble
Your CRM for smarter AI email marketing, engagement, and growth, all from one simple AI-driven platform.
Sendinblue logo
Sendinblue
One AI-powered customer platform for all your marketing and sales needs.
Lever logo
Lever
All-in-one talent acquisition to build equitable hiring
ABC Trainerize logo
ABC Trainerize
The #1 coaching app to better engage your clients and streamline your fitness business.
Snov.io logo
Snov.io
Snov.io is a B2B lead generation and outreach automation tool for finding leads and automating email & LinkedIn campaigns.
SuiteDash logo
SuiteDash
The all-in-one white-label business software for client management, project collaboration, and automated workflows.
EngageBay logo
EngageBay
All-in-one marketing, sales, and support CRM
Bigin logo
Bigin
The simplest CRM for small businesses to close deals faster and streamline workflows.
HoneyBook logo
HoneyBook
Streamline your clientflow from inquiry to invoice with an all-in-one platform.
Freshsales logo
Freshsales
AI-powered Sales CRM to streamline sales, boost conversions, and grow your pipeline.
Planning Center logo
Planning Center
Integrated church management software designed to streamline operations and enhance congregant engagement.

Popular crm comparisons

See how the leading crm tools stack up head-to-head.

CRM pricing, compared

Real plans and the hidden costs for each tool.

Browse all CRM tools

495 tools
Freshsales logo
Freshsales
Close deals faster with AI-powered lead scoring and integrated communication
freemium· Web
Gainsight logo
Gainsight
Unify customer data, predict churn, and automate success
paid· Web
Donorbox logo
Donorbox
The #1 donation software and nonprofit fundraising suite, powered by AI for maximum impact.
freemium· Web
Folk logo
Folk
Lightweight CRM for relationships
freemium· Web, macOS, Chrome
Copper logo
Copper
CRM for Google Workspace that lives in Gmail and Calendar
paid· Web, iOS, Android, Chrome
Acumatica logo
Acumatica
An intuitive Cloud ERP solution to power your whole business with AI-powered automation and insights.
paid· Web
Zeffy logo
Zeffy
All-in-one free fundraising and CRM for nonprofits
free· Web
Reply.io logo
Reply.io
Sales engagement and automation platform
paid· Web, Chrome
SharpSpring logo
SharpSpring
Marketing automation for agencies
paid· Web
ServiceTitan logo
ServiceTitan
The #1 software for commercial and residential trades businesses to manage operations and drive growth.
paid· Web
Bloomerang logo
Bloomerang
All-in-one nonprofit software for fundraising, donor management, and volunteer engagement.
paid· Web
SimplyBook.me logo
SimplyBook.me
24/7 booking, payments, and client management for service businesses
freemium· Web
Applied Epic logo
Applied Epic
Specialized insurance software leveraging AI to automate workflows and connect the digital insurance ecosystem.
paid· Web, iOS, Android
Bitrix24 logo
Bitrix24
All-in-one CRM, projects, and team communication
freemium· Web, iOS, Android
Housecall Pro logo
Housecall Pro
Everything to run and grow your home services business, from scheduling to payments and marketing.
paid· Web, iOS, Android
Less Annoying CRM logo
Less Annoying CRM
Simple Contact Management for Small Businesses
paid· Web
Gladly logo
Gladly
Customer service platform focused on people
paid· Web
Cirrus Insight logo
Cirrus Insight
Salesforce integration for Gmail and Outlook
paid· Web
Mindbody logo
Mindbody
Unlock growth for fitness, beauty, and wellness businesses with an all-in-one management platform.
paid· Web, iOS, Android
LeanData logo
LeanData
Intelligent Go-To-Market orchestration to turn buyer signals into revenue-driving actions.
paid· Web
AutoLeap logo
AutoLeap
All-in-one shop management software designed to help auto repair businesses grow and operate efficiently.
paid· Web
Nutshell logo
Nutshell
Simple Pipeline & Contact Management CRM to empower teams, drive deals, and close faster.
paid· Web
Odoo logo
Odoo
All-in-one open-source business management software with a vast app ecosystem.
freemium· Web
HubSpot Service logo
HubSpot Service
Customer service that connects with sales and marketing
freemium· Web

Showing the top 24 of 495. Filter to narrow down.

In-depth: why these tools made the cut

HubSpot logo

HubSpot's free CRM is the strongest free product in the category, which is most of why it dominates SMB adoption — you can run a real sales pipeline indefinitely without paying. The paid tiers (Sales Hub, Service Hub, Marketing Hub) lock in further because the underlying contact database is shared, and most SMBs eventually buy at least two of them. UX is consistently rated the best in the category.

The trade-off shows up at scale and pricing. Once you're a 50+ person sales org with custom processes, HubSpot's flexibility lags behind Salesforce. And the gap between free and Pro tiers is steep: most teams that grow past 5 reps find themselves on Pro or Enterprise plans that no longer feel like a deal.

Salesforce logo

Salesforce is the answer when you need a CRM that bends to your process rather than the other way around. Multi-region territory rules, complex deal approvals, custom objects, and AppExchange integrations to every enterprise tool make it the only realistic option for large sales organizations. The ecosystem of consultants and developers around it is also unmatched.

The cost is real — both in seat pricing and the implementation cycle (typically months, often with a partner). For teams under 30 reps without dedicated CRM admin headcount, Salesforce is usually overkill; HubSpot or Pipedrive will close faster than Salesforce will finish onboarding.

Close logo

Close is opinionated CRM for inside-sales teams that live on the phone and email. Calling is built in (not bolted on), the inbox/outbox is the primary UI, and the design encourages reps to actually log activity rather than fighting the tool. It's the rare CRM where adoption is genuinely high without admin coercion.

Close isn't built for marketing-led pipelines or complex enterprise sales processes — it punts on advanced reporting, custom objects, and broad integration coverage. If your sales motion looks like 'reps make calls and send emails all day,' Close is excellent. If it looks like 'we manage 12 deal stages across 3 territories with manager approvals,' look at HubSpot Pro or Salesforce instead.

Apollo.io logo

Apollo bundles a B2B contact database (~275M+ contacts), an outbound sequencing tool, and a lightweight CRM into one product. For sales teams whose primary motion is cold outreach, this consolidation kills the seat costs of running ZoomInfo + Outreach + a separate CRM. Pricing is also dramatically lower than the incumbents.

The weakness is the CRM side proper — pipeline management, reporting, and admin controls are less mature than HubSpot or Salesforce. Many outbound-heavy teams use Apollo for sourcing and sequencing, then sync qualified deals into a heavier CRM for the closing motion. Few teams use Apollo's CRM standalone past a certain scale.

How to choose CRM software

The default mistake is buying for the sales team's wishlist instead of the reality of who'll log into it daily. A great CRM that nobody updates is a worse outcome than a basic CRM that everyone keeps current. Optimize for adoption first.

  1. Define what the CRM actually replaces

    Is it replacing spreadsheets, a legacy CRM, or three disconnected tools (lead capture, deal pipeline, customer success)? The answer changes whether you want a flexible platform you'll configure (Salesforce, HubSpot Pro) or an opinionated product you can adopt fast (HubSpot Free/Starter, Pipedrive, Close).

  2. Audit your email and calendar reality

    Reps spend more time in Gmail/Outlook than in the CRM. Whichever CRM has the cleanest two-way sync with your email provider — including auto-logging of conversations and calendar events — wins adoption. Test the sync extension with one real rep before committing.

  3. Plan for marketing + support integration on day one

    A CRM that can't share contacts cleanly with your email marketing tool and your help desk will fragment your customer view inside a year. Either commit to a stack-style suite (HubSpot's marketing/sales/service trio, Zoho One) or verify the native integrations into your existing stack before signing.

  4. Buy for usage, not the wishlist

    AI sales agents, forecasting models, and deal-room features are impressive in a demo. They're useless if reps don't log calls. Run a pilot with the cheapest tier that includes core pipeline + email sync. Upgrade once reps actually log activities consistently — not before.

Honorable mentions

Tools that didn't crack the headline list but deserve a look depending on what you optimize for.

  • NetSuite logo
    NetSuiteBest for ERP-led businesses

    NetSuite's CRM module makes sense as part of the broader NetSuite suite — accounting, inventory, ERP. As a standalone CRM it's overpriced and inflexible; as part of a unified NetSuite deployment it's the obvious choice.

Best CRM for

How we ranked these CRM tools

We rank by real-world signal: verified user ratings aggregated from G2, Capterra, and our own community, the volume and recency of media coverage, and hands-on editorial review for the tools we cover in depth. Pricing is re-checked and the ranking refreshed monthly. We do not sell placement in this list.

Tools reviewed
495
With free tier
27%
Last updated
September 2026

Toolradar Research

The data behind crm

First-party analyses built from our full catalog, methodology published.

All Toolradar research

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best CRM tool in 2026?

Based on our analysis of 495 CRM tools, HubSpot is our overall pick. The next tools on the list are Salesforce, Monday Sales CRM, Apollo. Rankings use G2/Capterra review strength, media mentions, and editor-featured picks — the same verdict as /best/free/crm and our comparison pages.

What are the top 3 CRM tools?

The top 3 CRM tools in 2026, ranked by Toolradar, are: 1) HubSpot, CRM platform for scaling businesses. 2) Salesforce, The CRM that defined the category for sales, service, and marketing. 3) Monday Sales CRM, Customizable CRM for sales teams. Our named overall pick is HubSpot.

Are there free CRM tools?

Yes. Apollo is our free pick (100% free, no paid upgrade path). 6 of the tools on this page offer a free or freemium plan.

How do I choose the right CRM tool?

Start by defining your team size, budget, and must-have features. HubSpot is our overall pick. Apollo is our free pick. Compare all 495 options side-by-side on Toolradar.
CRM statisticscatalog size, ratings and pricing data, updated monthly

What is CRM Software?

CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software is where sales teams manage their entire pipeline, from first contact to closed deal and beyond. The best CRM software in 2026 does more than store contact records. It tracks every interaction, automates follow-ups, forecasts revenue, and gives managers visibility into team performance.

The CRM market is massive and crowded, which means options exist for every budget and team size. But that also means it's easy to pick the wrong tool. A CRM that's too complex for your team won't get used. One that's too simple won't scale. The right choice depends on your sales process, team size, and how much customization you need.

Modern CRMs have expanded into marketing automation, customer success, and support. All-in-one platforms like HubSpot bundle everything together. Best-of-breed tools like Pipedrive focus on doing sales CRM exceptionally well. Both approaches work, the question is which fits your workflow.

Editor's Take

“After evaluating 10 crm software tools, HubSpot stands out as our top pick, ahead of Salesforce. For budget-conscious teams, HubSpot (free tier available) delivers strong value. The competition is fierce, the gap between top tools is narrower than ever, so the best choice comes down to your team's specific workflow and priorities.”

Key Data Points

10+
Tools analyzed on Toolradar
6
Offer free or freemium plans
2026
Last updated

According to Toolradar's analysis across 10+ products, 60% offer free or freemium plans. HubSpot leads the category based on features, user reviews, and overall value.

Essential Features in CRM Software

Pipeline Management

Visual deal pipelines with drag-and-drop stages. Customize stages to match your actual sales process, not a generic template.

Contact & Company Records

Centralized profiles with full interaction history, emails, calls, meetings, notes. Every rep should see the complete picture without asking around.

Email Integration

Two-way sync with Gmail or Outlook. Log emails automatically, send sequences, and track opens/clicks without leaving your inbox.

Automation & Workflows

Auto-assign leads, trigger follow-up tasks, update deal stages, and send notifications. Automation prevents deals from slipping through cracks.

Reporting & Forecasting

Pipeline value, win rates, sales velocity, and revenue forecasts. Managers need data to coach reps and predict revenue accurately.

Mobile CRM

Full functionality on mobile for field sales teams. Log calls, update deals, and check contact details between meetings.

Who Uses CRM Software?

CRM tools are used across the revenue organization, though sales teams are the primary users:

Sales teams: Managing pipelines, tracking deals, logging activities, and hitting quota. The CRM is their daily workspace.
Sales managers: Forecasting revenue, coaching reps, and identifying pipeline bottlenecks. Reporting capabilities matter most here.
Small business owners: Tracking customers and deals without a dedicated sales team. Need simple, affordable tools that don't require an admin to manage.
Marketing teams: Tracking lead sources, measuring campaign ROI, and ensuring smooth lead-to-sales handoffs.

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