Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software is essential for businesses of all sizes, but the cost can often be a barrier for smaller companies or startups. Fortunately, there are several high-quality free CRM options available that can help you manage your customer interactions effectively without straining your budget. At freetrials.co.uk, we’ve platforms based on features, ease of use, and scalability to ensure you find the perfect fit for your business needs. Whether you’re looking to streamline your sales process or improve customer service, our curated list has got you covered.
HubSpot CRM
HubSpot CRM offers a powerful free plan that’s suitable for businesses of all sizes. This customer relationship management tool provides a centralised hub for managing contacts, sales pipelines, and customer interactions. With HubSpot’s free CRM, users can enjoy unlimited contacts, users, and data storage, making it an excellent choice for growing businesses.
The platform’s user-friendly interface allows for easy navigation and quick adoption, even for those new to CRM systems. HubSpot’s free plan integrates seamlessly with other HubSpot tools and popular third-party applications, enhancing its functionality and allowing for a more streamlined workflow.
Key Features
- Contact management and organisation
- Deal tracking and sales pipeline visualisation
- Email tracking and notifications
- Meeting scheduling
- Live chat and chatbot functionality
- Basic reporting and analytics
- Mobile app for on-the-go access
HubSpot’s free CRM plan offers unlimited users and contacts, making it an attractive option for businesses of any size. While the free plan provides a solid foundation, paid plans starting from £38 per month offer additional features such as advanced reporting, automation, and customisation options.
Zoho CRM
Zoho CRM’s free plan is an excellent option for small businesses or startups looking to dip their toes into customer relationship management. This plan accommodates up to three users, making it ideal for small teams or solo entrepreneurs. Zoho CRM offers a clean, intuitive interface that allows users to manage leads, contacts, accounts, and deals efficiently.
The platform provides basic automation features, helping streamline workflows and increase productivity. With its mobile app, users can access and update customer information on the go, ensuring that important details are always at their fingertips.
Key Features
- Lead and contact management
- Custom fields and modules
- Basic workflow automation
- Standard reports and dashboards
- Mobile app access
- Integration with social media platforms
- Email templates and tracking
Zoho CRM’s free plan is limited to three users and includes basic features. For growing teams or those needing more advanced functionalities, paid plans start at £12 per user per month, offering additional features like advanced customisation, analytics, and multi-user portals.
Bitrix24
Bitrix24 offers a feature-rich free CRM plan that goes beyond basic customer relationship management. This all-in-one business tool combines CRM functionality with project management, communication, and collaboration features.
The free plan allows for unlimited users, making it an attractive option for businesses of various sizes. Bitrix24’s CRM capabilities include lead management, sales funnel visualisation, and basic automation. The platform also offers a unique visual pipeline management system, allowing users to drag and drop deals through different stages easily.
Key Features
- Unlimited users and 5GB storage
- Lead and deal management
- Task and project management
- Basic workflow automation
- Internal chat and video calls
- Time tracking and reporting
- Mobile app for iOS and Android
Bitrix24’s free plan offers a generous set of features with unlimited users. However, it has limitations on storage (5GB) and some advanced features. Paid plans start at £19 per month for 2 users, offering increased storage, advanced CRM features, and enhanced collaboration tools.
Freshsales
Freshsales, part of the Freshworks suite, provides a capable free CRM plan suitable for small businesses and startups. This plan offers core CRM functionalities with a focus on sales-oriented features.
Users can manage contacts, leads, and deals effectively through an intuitive interface. Freshsales stands out with its built-in phone and email, allowing users to communicate with customers directly from the CRM. The platform also includes AI-powered lead scoring, helping sales teams prioritise their efforts on the most promising leads.
Key Features
- Contact and lead management
- Built-in phone and email
- AI-powered lead scoring
- Basic workflow automation
- Mobile app for iOS and Android
- Limited customisation options
- Basic reporting
The Freshsales free plan includes core CRM features for unlimited users but with limitations on customisation and advanced functionalities. For businesses requiring more features, paid plans start at £12 per user per month, offering advanced automation, customisation, and analytics capabilities.
Insightly
Insightly’s free CRM plan is designed to cater to the needs of small businesses and individual users. This plan offers a solid foundation for managing customer relationships, with a particular emphasis on project management integration. Insightly allows users to track contacts, organisations, opportunities, and projects all in one place.
The platform’s user-friendly interface makes it easy for new users to get started quickly. One of Insightly’s strengths is its ability to link contacts, organisations, and projects, providing a holistic view of customer relationships and associated activities.
Key Features
- Contact and lead management
- Project management tools
- Custom fields and tags
- Basic task management
- Email tracking and templates
- Mobile app for iOS and Android
- Integration with Google Apps and Office 365
Insightly’s free plan is limited to two users and includes basic CRM features. While it provides good value for small teams, it has restrictions on storage (10MB file size limit) and some advanced features. Paid plans start at £23 per user per month, offering additional features like advanced reporting, workflow automation, and increased storage.
Agile CRM
Agile CRM offers a free plan that combines sales, marketing, and service automation in one platform, making it an attractive option for small businesses looking for an all-in-one solution. This plan caters to up to 10 users, providing a generous user limit compared to many other free CRM options.
Agile CRM’s interface is designed to be user-friendly, allowing for quick adoption and ease of use. The platform offers a range of features including contact management, deal tracking, and basic marketing automation, helping small teams streamline their customer relationship processes.
Key Features
- Contact and deal management
- Basic email marketing tools
- Limited automation capabilities
- Customisable data fields
- Basic reporting and analytics
- Two-way email integration
- Mobile app for on-the-go access
Agile CRM’s free plan supports up to 10 users and includes basic CRM and marketing features. However, it has limitations on contacts (1,000) and some advanced functionalities. For growing businesses needing more capabilities, paid plans start at £7 per user per month, offering advanced automation, increased contact limits, and more sophisticated marketing tools.
Apptivo
Apptivo’s free CRM plan offers a versatile solution for small businesses and startups. This plan provides a range of basic CRM functionalities, allowing users to manage contacts, leads, and opportunities effectively. Apptivo stands out with its modular approach, enabling users to add or remove features as needed, even in the free version.
The platform offers a clean, intuitive interface that’s easy to navigate, making it accessible for users new to CRM systems. While the free plan has limitations, it provides a solid foundation for businesses to organise their customer data and streamline their sales processes.
Key Features
- Contact and lead management
- Basic opportunity tracking
- Customisable fields and layouts
- Limited email templates
- Basic task management
- Mobile app for iOS and Android
- Integration with G Suite and Office 365
Apptivo’s free plan is limited to three users and includes basic CRM features with restrictions on storage and some advanced functionalities. For businesses requiring more comprehensive tools, paid plans start at £7 per user per month, offering additional features like advanced reporting, workflow automation, and increased storage capacity.
Really Simple Systems
Really Simple Systems lives up to its name by offering a straightforward, no-frills CRM solution in its free plan. This plan is particularly well-suited for small B2B companies looking for an uncomplicated way to manage their customer relationships. The platform focuses on core CRM functionalities, providing tools for contact and lead management, as well as basic sales pipeline tracking.
Really Simple Systems prides itself on its user-friendly interface, which allows for quick setup and easy adoption, even for those with limited technical expertise. The free plan offers a good balance of features and simplicity, making it an excellent starting point for businesses new to CRM.
Key Features
- Contact and account management
- Opportunity tracking
- Basic task management
- Simple dashboard and reports
- Custom fields
- Email integration
- Mobile-responsive design
The free plan from Really Simple Systems supports up to two users and includes core CRM features. It has limitations on storage (100MB) and some advanced functionalities. For businesses needing more capabilities, paid plans start at £12 per user per month, offering additional features like marketing automation, advanced reporting, and increased storage.
Capsule CRM
Capsule CRM offers a free plan that focuses on simplicity and ease of use, making it an excellent choice for small businesses and freelancers. This plan provides core CRM functionalities in a clean, intuitive interface that’s easy to navigate. Capsule excels in contact management, allowing users to store detailed information about customers and organisations, including communication history and custom fields.
The platform also offers basic task management and opportunity tracking, helping users stay on top of their sales activities. While the free plan has limitations, it provides a solid foundation for businesses to organise their customer data and manage relationships effectively.
Key Features
- Contact and organisation management
- Task and calendar management
- Basic opportunity tracking
- Custom fields and tags
- Integration with Google Workspace
- Mobile app for iOS and Android
- Basic reporting
Capsule’s free plan is limited to two users and 250 contacts, with 10MB storage. It includes essential CRM features but lacks some advanced functionalities. For growing businesses, paid plans start at £12 per user per month, offering unlimited contacts, increased storage, and additional features like sales reporting and workflow automation.
Flowlu
Flowlu’s free CRM plan offers a comprehensive solution that goes beyond basic customer relationship management. This plan combines CRM functionality with project management and collaboration tools, making it suitable for small businesses looking for an all-in-one platform. Flowlu allows users to manage contacts, leads, and deals while also handling tasks, projects, and team collaboration.
The platform’s interface is intuitive and customisable, allowing users to tailor their workspace to their specific needs. With its free plan, Flowlu provides a robust set of features that can help small teams streamline their operations and improve customer relationships.
Key Features
- Contact and lead management
- Deal tracking and sales pipeline
- Project management tools
- Task management and team collaboration
- Basic workflow automation
- Custom fields and tags
- Mobile app for iOS and Android
Flowlu’s free plan supports up to two users and includes a wide range of features across CRM, project management, and collaboration. However, it has limitations on storage (1GB) and some advanced functionalities. For businesses requiring more capabilities, paid plans start at £23 per month for 5 users, offering additional features like advanced reporting, time tracking, and increased storage capacity.
How to choose the best free CRM software for you
Assess your business needs and goals
Start by evaluating your company’s specific requirements. Consider factors such as the size of your customer base, the complexity of your sales process, and the features you need most. Some free CRM solutions excel at contact management, while others offer robust sales pipeline tracking. Identify your priorities to narrow down your options effectively.
Compare feature sets and limitations
Free CRM software often comes with restrictions on user numbers, storage capacity, or advanced features. Carefully review the offerings of each platform, paying attention to limitations that might affect your business operations. Look for essential features like lead management, email integration, and reporting capabilities. Be sure to consider potential scalability as your business grows.
Test drive multiple options
Take advantage of free trials or demos offered by CRM providers. This hands-on experience will give you valuable insights into each platform’s user interface, ease of use, and overall functionality. Involve key team members in the testing process to gather diverse perspectives and ensure the chosen CRM aligns with your team’s workflow and preferences.
Which Free CRM Software Is Best?
HubSpot CRM is an excellent choice for small businesses and startups. Its free plan offers a wide-ranging set of features, including contact management, deal tracking, and email integration. HubSpot’s user-friendly interface and powerful marketing tools make it an ideal option if you’re looking to grow your customer base without incurring additional costs. We recommend HubSpot CRM if you prioritise ease of use and scalability.
When it comes to collaborative features, Bitrix24 offers a free plan that includes CRM functionality alongside project management and communication tools. This all-in-one solution is particularly useful if you want to streamline your operations and keep all customer-related activities in one place. Bitrix24 is our top pick for remote teams and companies with diverse departmental needs.
If you need advanced sales features, Freshsales provides a free tier that includes AI-powered lead scoring, built-in phone and email, and customisable sales pipelines. This makes it a strong contender if you’re aiming to optimise your processes and boost conversion rates. We recommend Freshsales for businesses with a strong emphasis on sales automation and data-driven decision making.
Frequently Asked Questions about Free CRM Software
What is CRM software?
CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software is a tool that helps businesses manage their interactions with current and potential customers. It stores contact information, tracks communication history, and often includes features for sales, marketing, and customer service.
Why should I consider using free CRM software?
Free CRM software can be an excellent starting point for small businesses or startups with limited budgets. It allows you to organise customer data, improve communication, and streamline processes without financial commitment. As your business grows, you can evaluate if you need to upgrade to a paid version.
Are free CRM tools as good as paid versions?
While free CRM tools often have limitations compared to paid versions, many offer robust features that can adequately serve small businesses. However, as your business grows, you might find that you need more advanced features or user capacity offered in paid plans.
What features can I expect in free CRM software?
Common features in free CRM software include contact management, basic sales pipeline tracking, email integration, and task management. Some may also offer limited marketing tools, reporting capabilities, or mobile apps.
How many users can typically use a free CRM?
User limits vary among free CRM plans. Some, like Zoho CRM and Flowlu, offer free plans for up to 2-3 users, while others like HubSpot CRM don’t have user limits. Always check the specific terms of each platform.
Is my data safe in a free CRM?
Reputable CRM providers prioritise data security, even in their free plans. However, it’s always wise to read the privacy policy and understand how your data will be stored and used. Some free plans may have fewer security features than paid versions.
Can I upgrade to a paid plan later if I need more features?
Yes, most CRM providers offer a seamless upgrade path from their free plans to paid versions. This allows you to scale your CRM usage as your business grows and your needs become more complex.
Do free CRMs offer customer support?
Customer support for free CRM plans is often limited. Many providers offer community forums, knowledge bases, or email support for free users. More direct support options like phone or chat support are typically reserved for paid plans.
Can I integrate free CRM software with other tools I use?
Many free CRM plans offer some level of integration with other tools, particularly email clients and popular business applications. However, the range of integrations is usually more limited compared to paid plans.
How do I choose the right free CRM for my business?
Consider your specific needs, such as the number of users, required features, and potential for growth. Try out a few options to see which interface you prefer. Also, look at the upgrade path to ensure the CRM can grow with your business if needed.
