Who doesn't love free stuff? Free samples at the grocery store, free Wi-Fi at the coffee shop, and free refills at your favorite restaurant.
But when it comes to finding a free CRM for your small business or startup, it can be quite a challenge. No worries — we've done the digging for you.
We've rounded up the top 10 best free CRMs that will keep your business organized without costing you a single penny. So, get ready to explore!
When Is Using a Free CRM a Smart Move?
Yet, the question remains: Is choosing a free CRM a clever strategy or a risky move? Fortunately, it’s undoubtedly advantageous. But in what situations? Here’s when using a free CRM is a good idea:
You’re Just Starting Out
If you’re new to freelancing or running a small business, your client list is probably short. You might not have a lot of money to spend on tools.
A free CRM can help you manage your contacts and tasks without any cost. It’s a great way to get started without financial stress.
A free CRM usually provides basic features that cover essential needs. As you grow, you can decide if you need more advanced features. This approach allows you to focus on building your business rather than worrying about upfront costs. Additionally, starting with a free CRM helps you learn how to use such tools before investing in more complex systems.
You’re on a Tight Budget
Managing finances can be challenging, especially when your business is in its growth phase. Free CRMs offer many features that can help you stay organized and manage your clients. You get the benefits of a CRM without having to spend money, which is important when every dollar counts.
Free CRMs also free up resources that you can invest in other areas of your business, like product development. Over time, as your budget increases, you can consider upgrading to paid options if needed.
You Want to Try Different Options
Using a free CRM offers the flexibility to explore different systems without financial risk. You can experiment with various features and find the one that works best for you. This way, you can make an informed decision if you decide to invest in a paid CRM later.
Free versions often come with limitations that encourage you to explore multiple options before settling on one. Testing different CRMs also helps you understand what specific features are most beneficial for your business. This experience can guide you in choosing the right paid CRM when you're ready. Additionally, exploring different tools helps you avoid making a costly mistake by choosing a CRM that doesn’t fit your needs.
Limitations of Free CRMs
While free CRMs can be an excellent starting point for managing client relationships and business operations, they come with certain limitations. Understanding these limitations can help you make an informed decision.
Here are some common limitations of free CRMs:
Limited Features
Free CRMs typically offer a basic set of features to cover fundamental needs like contact and task management, email integration, and basic reports.
However, they often lack advanced functionalities such as advanced automation, customizable workflows, and in-depth analytics. As your business expands and your requirements become more sophisticated, the free version might not be enough.
Contact Limits
Free CRMs usually have a limit on how many contacts you can store. If your business deals with many clients or prospects, this limit can be a big problem. Once you reach the contact limit, you’ll have to either pay for an upgrade or switch to a different CRM.
Data Storage Limitations
Free CRMs often restrict the amount of data you can store, including the number of contacts or records. Additionally, they may have limitations on file storage or restrict the size of attachments. This can be problematic if you need to store large files or documents.
Insufficient Customization
Free CRM versions often come with minimal customization options. You might not be able to adjust the CRM’s layout or features to a great extent to fit your specific needs. This lack of flexibility can make the CRM less effective for your unique business processes and might lead to a less streamlined workflow.
Inability to Handle Growth
Free CRMs are built for small businesses. As your company grows, you'll likely need more features, more storage, and the ability to handle more customers.
Free CRMs simply can't keep up with the demands of a growing business. You'll likely hit limitations quickly and need to upgrade to a paid plan.
10 Best CRMs with Free Plans
1. Agile CRM
Key Features Included in the Free Plan:
- 10 Users
- 1000 Contacts
- 5k Emails
- 1 Campaign Workflow
- Email Template Builder
- Custom Data Fields
- Lead Scoring
- Unlimited Deals, Tasks & Documents
- Appointment Scheduling
- Custom Deal Milestones
- Email Campaigns
- Contact Level Analytics
- 1 Plugin/Integration
- Form Builder
- Landing Page Builder
- Helpdesk
Advantages and Limitations of the Free Plan
Advantages | Limitations |
Generous Free Plan for Teams: Supports up to 10 users, which makes it ideal for small teams needing collaboration without added costs. | Only 1 campaign workflow is available, which may limit more complex marketing automation needs. |
Robust Email Capabilities: Supports up to 5,000 email sends. This provides substantial reach for marketing campaigns. | Only 1 plugin or integration is supported. This restricts the ability to connect with multiple external tools. |
Tailored messaging: Email template builder and custom data fields allow for personalized and consistent communication. | The helpdesk feature may lack the advanced capabilities needed for comprehensive customer support. |
Effective lead management: Lead scoring and unlimited deals, tasks, and documents ensure efficient lead prioritization and workload management. | |
Streamlined scheduling and deal tracking: Appointment scheduling and custom deal milestones support organized sales and client management. | |
Insightful client behavior analysis: Contact-level analytics provide valuable insights into client engagement and behavior. | |
2. Doplac CRM
Key Features Included in the Free Plan:
- 1 User
- 500 Contacts
- 3k Email Sends
- Email Sequence Automation
- Email Templates
- Email Verifier
- LinkedIn Automation
- 5 Projects
- Unlimited Task Management
- 50 Meeting Bookings
- Social Media Management
- Live Chat
- 1 GB Media Storage
Advantages and Limitations of the Free Plan
Advantages | Limitations |
Ideal for solo users: Supports one user, making it perfect for freelancers or small businesses starting out. | The 1 GB storage capacity might not suffice for businesses with large media or file storage needs. |
Substantial email send capacity: Allows sending up to 3,000 emails, which ensures regular communication with clients | Not much suitable for teams, as only one user can access the CRM. |
Streamlined email communication: Email sequence automation and templates simplify follow-ups and maintain consistent messaging. | No client portal is available. |
Reduced email bounce rates: The email verifier improves email deliverability by ensuring that email addresses are valid. | |
Efficient project and task management: 5 projects and unlimited tasks ensure organized work processes. | |
Convenient meeting scheduling: Allows booking up to 50 meetings for facilitating smooth client interactions. | |
Comprehensive social media management: Allows monitoring and managing social media activities from a single platform. | |
3. Hubspot
Key Features Included in the Free Plan:
- 5 Users
- 2k Email Sends
- 10 Custom Properties
- Email automation
- Email Templates
- Email health reporting
- 100-Product Library
- Facebook Messenger integration
- Cookie Management
- Ad retargeting
- Marketing events object
- Basic SEO Recommendations
- Ad management
- Forms
- Live Chat
Advantages and Limitations of the Free Plan
Advantages | Limitations |
Comprehensive Email Tools: Email automation, templates, and health reporting enable efficient and effective email marketing. | No custom reporting features. |
Customizable CRM: 10 custom properties allow businesses to tailor the CRM to their specific needs and data requirements. | Includes HubSpot branding. |
Insightful email performance tracking: Email health reporting provides valuable insights into the effectiveness of email campaigns. | Limited customer support. |
Product management capability: The 100-product library helps manage and showcase a variety of products efficiently. | |
Product management capability: The 100-product library helps manage and showcase a variety of products efficiently. | |
Effective visitor tracking and retargeting: Cookie management and ad retargeting help track visitor behavior and reconnect with potential customers. | |
4. Engagebay
Key Features Included in the Free Plan:
- 250 Contacts
- 1,000 Emails
- Email Sequences
- Auto Responders
- Predictive Lead Score
- Email Templates
- Custom Fields
- Deals
- Tasks
- Appointment Scheduling
- Live Chat
- 500 MB File Storage
- Embed Forms
- Web Pop-ups
- Landing Pages
- Integrations
Advantages and Limitations of the Free Plan
Advantages | Limitations |
Ideal for small teams: Manages up to 250 contacts and sends up to 1,000 emails, which cater to small businesses or startups effectively. | 500 MB storage may be insufficient for businesses with substantial document and media storage needs. |
Automated communication: Includes email sequences and autoresponders to streamline follow-ups and improve engagement. | Some users find the email editor to be too simplistic. |
Effective lead prioritization: Predictive lead score helps identify and focus on high-potential leads and enhances sales efforts. | Limited integrations. |
Quick and consistent communication: Email templates enable fast messaging and ensure efficient communication. | |
Customizable data capture: Custom fields allow for capturing specific information tailored to your business requirements. | |
Organized sales and task management: Tools for managing deals and tasks support effective sales tracking and project management. | |
Enhanced visitor engagement: Live chat, embed forms, web pop-ups, and landing pages help capture leads and engage website visitors. | |
5. Vtiger
Key Features Included in the Free Plan:
- 10 Users
- 3,000 Max records
- 1000 Emails/month
- Email Sequences
- Contact Management
- Profile Scoring
- Autoresponders
- Email Template Builder
- Sales Pipeline
- Project Management
- Web to Lead Forms
- 3 GB Storage
Advantages and Limitations of the Free Plan
Advantages | Limitations |
Collaborative environment for small teams: Supports up to 10 users. This enables effective teamwork without additional costs. | Basic scoring options - Profile scoring may not be as detailed or customizable as in premium plans. |
Ample data management: The 3,000 records feature provides sufficient capacity to manage a significant amount of customer information. | Comes with a demanding learning curve. |
Automated communication: Includes email sequences and autoresponders to automate responses and follow-ups. | Some users find it lacking in user-friendliness. |
Effective contact organization: Robust contact management features help organize and retrieve customer data efficiently. | |
Clear sales and project management: Features like sales pipeline and project management tools help in tracking and managing sales processes and projects effectively. | |
Lead capture from the website: Web-to-lead forms facilitate direct lead capture from your website, which helps in lead generation. | |
6. Zoho CRM
Key Features Included in the Free Plan:
- 3 Users
- Contact Management
- Email Campaigns
- 10 Automation Workflow Rules
- 10 Email Templates
- Task Reminders
- Deals
- Sales Forecasting
- 1 Form
- 1 GB File Storage
Advantages and Limitations of the Free Plan
Advantages | Limitations |
Comprehensive contact management:Helps organize and maintain detailed customer profiles. Makes it easier to track interactions and manage information. | 1 GB of storage might be insufficient for businesses with extensive document management needs. |
Efficient email marketing:Enables sending targeted marketing messages, which helps in maintaining consistent communication with customers. | No social media integrations are available. |
Streamlined task automation: 10 automation workflow rules reduce manual work and improve efficiency in repetitive tasks. | The availability of only 1 form may limit lead capture flexibility. |
Consistent communication:10 email templates ensure quick, consistent, and professional communication with customers. | |
Effective sales management:The deals feature helps in managing and tracking sales opportunities through different stages. | |
Insightful sales forecasting: Provides insights into future sales trends, which help in better planning and decision-making. | |
7. Capsule
Key Features Included in the Free Plan:
- 2 users
- 250 contacts
- Email Campaigns
- Sales Pipeline
- Business Forecasting
- 50MB storage per account
- Integrations
Advantages and Limitations of the Free Plan
Advantages | Limitations |
Simple collaboration for small teams: Allows two users to manage the CRM, which is suitable for small teams. | The 50MB storage limit is quite low, potentially requiring external storage solutions. |
Organized contact management: Supports up to 250 contacts. It helps to keep track of client information in an organized manner. | Does not offer reporting features. |
Streamlined email marketing: Enables sending email campaigns to make it easier to manage marketing efforts and updates directly from the CRM. | Limited selection of integrations |
Clear sales process tracking: The sales pipeline tool offers a visual overview of deals. This helps in effective sales process management. | |
Insightful business forecasting: Tools for forecasting future sales help in more informed planning and decision-making. | |
Integrated workflow: Integrations allow the CRM to connect with existing tools and improve overall efficiency. | |
8. Bitrix24
Key Features Included in the Free Plan:
- Unlimited users
- Unlimited records
- 5 GB of online storage
- Email marketing
- Customizable fields
- Quotes and invoices
- Integrations (RestAPI)
Advantages and Limitations of the Free Plan
Advantages | Limitations |
Scalable team collaboration: Supports unlimited users, which allows any number of team members to access the CRM without additional costs. | While it offers core CRM functionalities, advanced features like custom fields, lead scoring, and automation are missing. |
Extensive data management: Unlimited records enable limitless customer data storage without the need for an upgrade. | Uploading and storing large files frequently gets interrupted, which can create a frustrating experience for users. |
Substantial online storage: Provides 5 GB of online storage for files and documents, sufficient for small to medium-sized operations. | Bitrix24 comes with a demanding learning curve, which is challenging for beginners. |
Built-in email marketing: Facilitates the creation and sending of marketing campaigns directly from the CRM, which enhances outreach efforts. | |
Flexible customization: Customizable fields allow tailoring the CRM to specific business needs and making it adaptable to various workflows. | |
Integrated billing management: Creating quotes and invoices streamlines the billing process and client communication. | |
Seamless software integration: RestAPI integration allows easy connection with other tools and systems. | |
9. Insightly
Key Features Included in the Free Plan:
- 2 users
- 2,500 records
- 10 emails per day
- 5 email templates
- 2 custom fields
- Custom page layouts
Advantages and Limitations of the Free Plan
10. Freshsales
Key Features Included in the Free Plan:
- 3 users
- Contact, Account, and Deal Management
- Contact Scoring
- Email templates
- Kanban views
- Live Chat
Advantages and Limitations of the Free Plan
Advantages | Limitations |
Cost-effective collaboration for small teams: Supports up to 3 users without any cost, which makes it ideal for small teams. | Lacks advanced features: Does not include more sophisticated tools like automation or in-depth analytics. |
Streamlined customer and sales management: Offers essential tools to effectively manage customer data and sales opportunities. | No custom reports: You cannot create custom reports to analyze your sales data in detail. |
Efficient lead prioritization: Helps identify and focus on the most promising prospects. | Limited support: You may have limited access to customer support compared to paid plans. |
Time-saving communication: Pre-written templates help maintain consistency and speed up email creation. | |
Enhanced task and deal organization: Visual workflows make it easier to track progress and manage tasks. | |
Real-time customer engagement: Allows for immediate interaction with potential customers through live chat. | |
Closing Remarks
Choosing the right free CRM involves balancing features and limitations. Each CRM on our list offers unique advantages tailored to different needs.
For example, HubSpot provides extensive tools and integrations, while Bitrix24 stands out with its unlimited users and records. Agile CRM is great for small teams needing advanced marketing tools, and Zoho CRM offers a solid set of features for small businesses with limited users.
Doplac CRM stands out for its broad range of features in the free plan. It supports up to 500 contacts, 3,000 email sends, and includes automation tools, sales tools, and so on.
These features make it an excellent choice for startups needing both comprehensive functionality and scalability.
When choosing a free CRM, consider factors like the number of users, contact limits, and the range of features you need. Each business has unique requirements, so selecting a CRM that aligns with your specific needs will help you make the most of these free tools.
