# Best Small Business CRM Software - 2026 Reviews & Pricing > Find the best Small Business CRM Software for your organization. Compare top Small Business CRM Software systems with customer reviews, pricing, and free demos. Source: https://www.softwareadvice.com/category/489-small-business-crm --- [Home](https://www.softwareadvice.com/) / Small Business CRM Software Software Advice offers objective insights based on verified user reviews and independent product and market research. When our advisors match you to a software provider, we may earn a referral fee. # Best Small Business CRM Software of 2026 Updated June 10, 2026 On this page 1. FrontRunners 2. Popular Comparisons 3. Buyers Guide 4. Related Software Filter products 228 results ### Compare Products Showing 1 - 25 of 228 products #### Company Size - Self-Employed - 2-10 - 11-50 - 51-200 - 201-500 - 501-1000 - 1000+ #### Pricing Options - $$$$$ - $$$$$ - $$$$$ - $$$$$ - $$$$$ ### Compare Products Sort by **Recommendations**: Sorts listings by the number of recommendations our advisors have made over the past 30 days. Our advisors assess buyers’ needs for free and only recommend products that meet buyers’ needs. Vendors pay Software Advice for these referrals. **Reviews**: Sorts listings by the number of user reviews we have published, greatest to least. **Average Rating**: Sorts listings by overall star rating based on user reviews, highest to lowest. **Alphabetically (A-Z)**: Sorts listings by product name from A to Z. [Salesforce Sales Cloud](https://www.softwareadvice.com/product/2764-Salesforce/) Sales Cloud is equipped with customer relationship management (CRM) functionality that encompasses lead management, marketing au...[Read more about Salesforce Sales Cloud](https://www.softwareadvice.com/product/2764-Salesforce/) **4.4** ([18785 reviews](https://www.softwareadvice.com/product/2764-Salesforce/reviews/)) **143** recommendations Free trial Free version Integrations Integrations Google Drive Slack +35 more +34 more +33 more Salesforce Sales Cloud's Best Rated Features 4.88AI/Machine Learning See All Salesforce Sales Cloud's Worst Rated Features 3.71For AEC Industry See All [Claritysoft CRM](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/claritysoft-profile/) Claritysoft is a cloud-based customer relationship management (CRM) solution designed for midsize and large enterprise businesse...[Read more about Claritysoft CRM](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/claritysoft-profile/) **4.5** ([243 reviews](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/claritysoft-profile/reviews/)) **138** recommendations Free trial Free version Integrations Integrations Microsoft 365 Gmail +5 more +4 more +3 more Claritysoft CRM's Best Rated Features 4.80Client Management See All Claritysoft CRM's Worst Rated Features 2.67Marketing Automation See All [HubSpot Sales Hub](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/hubspot-sales-profile/) Supercharge your sales process with Sales Hub, a powerful and easy-to-use sales CRM that includes sales engagement tools, config...[Read more about HubSpot Sales Hub](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/hubspot-sales-profile/) **4.5** ([501 reviews](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/hubspot-sales-profile/reviews/)) **95** recommendations Free trial Free version Integrations Integrations Google Workspace Microsoft 365 +5 more +4 more +3 more HubSpot Sales Hub's Best Rated Features 4.84CRM See All HubSpot Sales Hub's Worst Rated Features 3.50Real-Time Reporting See All [Thryv](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/thryv-profile/) Thryv is an AI-powered marketing and sales platform built specifically for small businesses, helping you market smarter, sell mo...[Read more about Thryv](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/thryv-profile/) **4.2** ([526 reviews](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/thryv-profile/reviews/)) **59** recommendations Free trial Free version Integrations Integrations Google Docs PayPal +56 more +55 more +54 more Thryv's Best Rated Features 4.94Booking Management See All Thryv's Worst Rated Features 3.0Landing Pages/Web Forms See All [Topline OS](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/topline-profile/) Topline OS gives small sales teams everything they need to generate and close pipeline — without stitching together a dozen tool...[Read more about Topline OS](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/topline-profile/) **5.0** ([12 reviews](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/topline-profile/reviews/)) **57** recommendations Free trial Free version Integrations Integrations PayPal WordPress +16 more +15 more +14 more Topline OS's Best Rated Features 5.0Lead Management See All Topline OS's Worst Rated Features 5.0Lead Management See All [LeadSquared](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/leadsquared-profile/) LeadSquared is an AI-powered platform that unites sales, marketing, field, and service teams to automate workflows and drive out...[Read more about LeadSquared](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/leadsquared-profile/) **4.3** ([167 reviews](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/leadsquared-profile/reviews/)) **55** recommendations Free trial Free version Integrations Integrations Salesforce Sales Cloud WordPress +20 more +19 more +18 more LeadSquared's Best Rated Features 5.0Lead Distribution See All LeadSquared's Worst Rated Features 3.36Reporting & Statistics See All [Rolldog](https://www.softwareadvice.com/marketing/rolldog-complete-profile/) Rolldog is a customer relationship management (CRM) solution, with the perks of sales enablement all rolled into one. Rolldog he...[Read more about Rolldog](https://www.softwareadvice.com/marketing/rolldog-complete-profile/) **4.9** ([33 reviews](https://www.softwareadvice.com/marketing/rolldog-complete-profile/reviews/)) **50** recommendations Free trial Free version Integrations Integrations Mailchimp Gmail +5 more +4 more +3 more Rolldog's Best Rated Features 5.0Calendar/Reminder System See All Rolldog's Worst Rated Features 4.77Reporting/Analytics See All [Coevera](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/pipeliner-crm-profile/) Coevera is the AI-native CRM built on a radical idea: your software should make your salespeople better, not just track what the...[Read more about Coevera](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/pipeliner-crm-profile/) **4.6** ([216 reviews](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/pipeliner-crm-profile/reviews/)) **48** recommendations Free trial Free version Integrations Integrations Google Drive Dropbox Business +38 more +37 more +36 more Coevera's Best Rated Features 4.83Interaction Tracking See All Coevera's Worst Rated Features 3.33Data Import/Export See All [Zoho CRM](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/zoho-crm-profile/) Zoho CRM is a cloud-based business management platform that caters to businesses of all sizes. It offers sales and marketing aut...[Read more about Zoho CRM](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/zoho-crm-profile/) **4.3** ([6977 reviews](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/zoho-crm-profile/reviews/)) **33** recommendations Free trial Free version Integrations Integrations Google Drive PayPal +68 more +67 more +66 more Zoho CRM's Best Rated Features 4.93Real-Time Notifications See All Zoho CRM's Worst Rated Features 3.0Social Marketing See All [SalesOutlook CRM](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/salesoutlook-crm-profile/) SalesOutlook CRM is a comprehensive customer relationship management (CRM) and email marketing system that embeds into Microsoft...[Read more about SalesOutlook CRM](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/salesoutlook-crm-profile/) **4.3** ([71 reviews](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/salesoutlook-crm-profile/reviews/)) **28** recommendations Free trial Free version Integrations Integrations Microsoft Excel Mailchimp +8 more +7 more +6 more SalesOutlook CRM's Best Rated Features 4.75Sales Pipeline Management See All SalesOutlook CRM's Worst Rated Features 4.22Quotes/Estimates See All [NetSuite](https://www.softwareadvice.com/accounting/netsuite-financials-accounting-software-profile/) NetSuite is an AI-powered cloud-based business management suite that incorporates ERP, financial management, CRM and eCommerce f...[Read more about NetSuite](https://www.softwareadvice.com/accounting/netsuite-financials-accounting-software-profile/) **4.2** ([2044 reviews](https://www.softwareadvice.com/accounting/netsuite-financials-accounting-software-profile/reviews/)) **3** recommendations Free trial Free version Integrations Integrations Salesforce Sales Cloud Docusign +18 more +17 more +16 more NetSuite's Best Rated Features 4.75Check Writing See All NetSuite's Worst Rated Features 2.71Dashboard See All [Less Annoying CRM](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/less-annoying-crm-profile/) We built Less Annoying CRM 17 years ago for the thousands of independent consultants, agents, and small business owners who are ...[Read more about Less Annoying CRM](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/less-annoying-crm-profile/) **4.8** ([653 reviews](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/less-annoying-crm-profile/reviews/)) Free trial Free version Integrations Integrations Mailchimp Google Forms +12 more +11 more +10 more Less Annoying CRM's Best Rated Features 5.0Web-based Deployment See All Less Annoying CRM's Worst Rated Features 4.09Lead Qualification See All [Bigin by Zoho CRM](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/bigin-by-zoho-crm-profile/) Bigin by Zoho CRM is a pipeline-centric CRM that is built and priced for small businesses. Minimal by design and focused on grea...[Read more about Bigin by Zoho CRM](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/bigin-by-zoho-crm-profile/) **4.7** ([731 reviews](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/bigin-by-zoho-crm-profile/reviews/)) Free trial Free version Integrations Integrations Mailchimp Google Workspace +71 more +70 more +69 more Bigin by Zoho CRM's Best Rated Features 4.83For Startups See All Bigin by Zoho CRM's Worst Rated Features 3.95Social Media Integration See All [HoneyBook](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/honeybook-profile/) HoneyBook is a client relationship platform designed to help small businesses manage proposals, contracts, invoices, payments, a...[Read more about HoneyBook](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/honeybook-profile/) **4.7** ([681 reviews](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/honeybook-profile/reviews/)) Free trial Free version Integrations Integrations Google Docs Google Drive +81 more +80 more +79 more HoneyBook's Best Rated Features 4.90Contract Drafting See All HoneyBook's Worst Rated Features 3.67Third-Party Integrations See All [EngageBay CRM](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/engagebay-profile/) EngageBay is an AI-powered all-in-one CRM that helps small businesses and startups manage marketing, sales, and customer service...[Read more about EngageBay CRM](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/engagebay-profile/) **4.7** ([908 reviews](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/engagebay-profile/reviews/)) Free trial Free version Integrations Integrations Google Drive Mailchimp +30 more +29 more +28 more EngageBay CRM's Best Rated Features 4.89Real-time Consumer-facing Chat See All EngageBay CRM's Worst Rated Features 3.83Email Templates See All [noCRM](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/you-dont-need-a-crm-profile/) Turning sales actions into connections. noCRM helps salespeople focus on selling, not reporting. Capture leads anywhere, cut ad...[Read more about noCRM](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/you-dont-need-a-crm-profile/) **4.6** ([491 reviews](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/you-dont-need-a-crm-profile/reviews/)) Free trial Free version Integrations Integrations Slack Trello +28 more +27 more +26 more noCRM's Best Rated Features 5.0Sales Activity Management See All noCRM's Worst Rated Features 4.08Lead Nurturing See All [VipeCloud](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/vipecloud-profile/) 98% of customers rate VipeCloud's Value For Money at 4 stars and above! VipeCloud is the Sales CRM with Marketing Suite that bui...[Read more about VipeCloud](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/vipecloud-profile/) **4.9** ([163 reviews](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/vipecloud-profile/reviews/)) Free trial Free version Integrations Integrations Trello Dropbox Business +11 more +10 more +9 more VipeCloud's Best Rated Features 5.0Marketing Automation See All VipeCloud's Worst Rated Features 4.0CRM See All [monday CRM](https://www.softwareadvice.com/marketing/monday-crm-profile/) monday CRM is a sales platform that helps businesses streamline sales cycle. The platform caters to a range of industries, such ...[Read more about monday CRM](https://www.softwareadvice.com/marketing/monday-crm-profile/) **4.7** ([462 reviews](https://www.softwareadvice.com/marketing/monday-crm-profile/reviews/)) Free trial Free version Integrations Integrations Google Drive Slack +25 more +24 more +23 more monday CRM's Best Rated Features 4.88Reminders See All monday CRM's Worst Rated Features 3.74Territory Management See All [Teamgate](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/teamgate-profile/) Teamgate is a user-friendly, yet extremely powerful CRM for Sales and SaaS teams of all sizes. We pride ourselves on empowering...[Read more about Teamgate](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/teamgate-profile/) **4.8** ([155 reviews](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/teamgate-profile/reviews/)) Free trial Free version Integrations Integrations Google Drive Slack +20 more +19 more +18 more Teamgate's Best Rated Features 5.0CRM See All Teamgate's Worst Rated Features 4.43Data Import/Export See All [OnePageCRM](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/onepagecrm-profile/) OnePageCRM is a simple contact management tool. While it has all the usual features of a customer relationship management (CRM) ...[Read more about OnePageCRM](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/onepagecrm-profile/) **4.8** ([101 reviews](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/onepagecrm-profile/reviews/)) Free trial Free version Integrations Integrations Google Drive Dropbox Business +16 more +15 more +14 more OnePageCRM's Best Rated Features 4.89Contact Management See All OnePageCRM's Worst Rated Features 4.17Reporting/Analytics See All [Sage Sales Management](https://www.softwareadvice.com/field-service/forcemanager-mobile-profile/) Sage Sales Management CRM, tailored for any-sized business with a field sales force, now integrates cutting-edge AI and Timeline...[Read more about Sage Sales Management](https://www.softwareadvice.com/field-service/forcemanager-mobile-profile/) **4.6** ([167 reviews](https://www.softwareadvice.com/field-service/forcemanager-mobile-profile/reviews/)) Free trial Free version Integrations Integrations Google Drive Mailchimp +30 more +29 more +28 more Sage Sales Management's Best Rated Features 4.89Search/Filter See All Sage Sales Management's Worst Rated Features 3.68Customizable Reports See All [Daylite for Mac](https://www.softwareadvice.com/project-management/daylite-for-mac-profile/) Running a service-based business means balancing clients, projects, and relationships while still finding time to grow. Too ofte...[Read more about Daylite for Mac](https://www.softwareadvice.com/project-management/daylite-for-mac-profile/) **4.6** ([361 reviews](https://www.softwareadvice.com/project-management/daylite-for-mac-profile/reviews/)) Free trial Free version Integrations Integrations Mailchimp Google Calendar +3 more +2 more +1 more Daylite for Mac's Best Rated Features 5.0For Mac Devices See All Daylite for Mac's Worst Rated Features 2.83Reporting/Analytics See All [AutoRaptor CRM](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/autoraptor-crm-profile/) Rev up your dealership's sales with AutoRaptor, the easiest yet most powerful automotive CRM on the market. AutoRaptor empowers ...[Read more about AutoRaptor CRM](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/autoraptor-crm-profile/) **4.6** ([273 reviews](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/autoraptor-crm-profile/reviews/)) Free trial Free version Integrations Integrations Carsforsale.com Autosoft DMS +1 more +0 more +0 more AutoRaptor CRM's Best Rated Features 4.88Email Management See All AutoRaptor CRM's Worst Rated Features 3.88Lead Management See All [Close](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/close-io-profile/) Close is a conversation-first CRM (customer relationship management) solution built for founders and small, scaling sales teams ...[Read more about Close](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/close-io-profile/) **4.7** ([164 reviews](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/close-io-profile/reviews/)) Free trial Free version Integrations Integrations Slack Mailchimp +72 more +71 more +70 more Close's Best Rated Features 4.86Email Management See All Close's Worst Rated Features 3.70Reporting/Analytics See All [Salesflare](https://www.softwareadvice.com/marketing/salesflare-profile/) Salesflare is an intelligent CRM and email outreach platform used by thousands of small and medium-sized B2B businesses, who wan...[Read more about Salesflare](https://www.softwareadvice.com/marketing/salesflare-profile/) **4.7** ([139 reviews](https://www.softwareadvice.com/marketing/salesflare-profile/reviews/)) Free trial Free version Integrations Integrations Google Drive PayPal +37 more +36 more +35 more Salesflare's Best Rated Features 4.90Sales Pipeline Management See All Salesflare's Worst Rated Features 4.14Reporting/Analytics See All 1 [2](https://www.softwareadvice.com/category/489-small-business-crm/?page=2)[3](https://www.softwareadvice.com/category/489-small-business-crm/?page=3)[4](https://www.softwareadvice.com/category/489-small-business-crm/?page=4)[5](https://www.softwareadvice.com/category/489-small-business-crm/?page=5) ... [10](https://www.softwareadvice.com/category/489-small-business-crm/?page=10) ## Popular Comparisons [ HubSpot CRM vs Salesforce Sales Cloud ](https://www.softwareadvice.com/compare/1854-HubSpot-CRM/vs/2764-Salesforce/)[ EngageBay CRM vs Mailchimp ](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/engagebay-profile/vs/mailchimp/)[ Bigin by Zoho CRM vs Zoho CRM ](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/bigin-by-zoho-crm-profile/vs/zoho-crm/)[ eWay-CRM vs Pipedrive ](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/eway-profile/vs/pipedrive/)[ Odoo vs NetSuite ](https://www.softwareadvice.com/accounting/netsuite-financials-accounting-software-profile/vs/odoo/) ## Your Guide to Top Small Business CRM Software, August 2022 Software Advice uses reviews from real software users to highlight the top-rated Small Business CRM products in North America. [Learn how products are chosen](https://www.softwareadvice.com/legal-page/frontrunners-methodology/) #### Explore FrontRunners - [Less Annoying CRM](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/less-annoying-crm-profile/) - [EngageBay CRM](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/engagebay-profile/) - [monday CRM](https://www.softwareadvice.com/marketing/monday-crm-profile/) - [VipeCloud](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/vipecloud-profile/) - [Bigin by Zoho CRM](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/bigin-by-zoho-crm-profile/) - [noCRM.io](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/you-dont-need-a-crm-profile/) - [Gold-Vision CRM](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/gold-vision-crm-profile/) - [Capsule](https://www.softwareadvice.com/product/27508-Capsule/) - [Salesflare](https://www.softwareadvice.com/marketing/salesflare-profile/) - [Claritysoft CRM](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/claritysoft-profile/) - [Spotler CRM](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/really-simple-systems-profile/) - [vtenext](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/vtenext-profile/) - [servis.ai](https://www.softwareadvice.com/product/113880-FreeAgent-Network/) - [HubSpot Sales Hub](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/hubspot-sales-profile/) - [Pipeliner CRM](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/pipeliner-crm-profile/) - [Nimble](https://www.softwareadvice.com/help-desk/nimble-profile/) - [Daylite for Mac](https://www.softwareadvice.com/project-management/daylite-for-mac-profile/) - [Copper](https://www.softwareadvice.com/product/63221-Copper/) - [Zoho CRM](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/zoho-crm-profile/) - [Vtiger CRM](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/vtiger-profile/) - [Salesforce Sales Cloud](https://www.softwareadvice.com/product/2764-Salesforce/) - [Pipedrive](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/pipedrive-profile/) - [Salesforce Starter](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/salesforceiq-profile/) - [Insightly](https://www.softwareadvice.com/product/2667-Insightly/) - [SugarCRM](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/sugarcrm-profile/) “Usability” includes user ratings for Functionality and Ease of Use. “Customer Satisfaction” includes user ratings for Customer Support, Likelihood to Recommend and Value for Money. Reviews analysis period: The reviews analysis period spans two years and ends the 15th of the month prior to publication. ## Send me a copy of this list to my inbox ### Get a copy of this list with pricing info sent to your inbox so you can pick up where you left off when convenient to you. ## What is Small Business CRM Software? Small Business CRM software is a tool for small businesses who need to manage interactions with both current and prospective customers. CRM systems offer tools for sales, marketing and customer support. With the growing number of affordable, Web-based products on the market, more and more small businesses are looking for customer relationship management (CRM) software to manage interactions with both current and prospective customers. Many are seeking to upgrade from basic email marketing or contact management systems. However, the capabilities of CRM systems can range widely, with varying levels of functionality for sales, marketing and customer support. We developed this guide to help buyers understand exactly what these products can offer, so they can select the solution that best meets their needs. Here's what we'll cover: [What is Small Business CRM Software?](#WhatisSmallBusinessCRMSoftware) [A Comparison of Top Small Business CRM Solutions](#AComparisonofTopSmallBusinessCRMSolutions) [Common Reasons Small Businesses Shop for a CRM Solution](#CommonReasonsSmallBusinessesShopforaCRMSolution) [Common Features of Small Business CRM Software](#CommonFeaturesofSmallBusinessCRMSoftware) [Pricing: Web-Based vs. On-Premise](#PricingWebBasedvsOnPremise) [Key Considerations for Small Businesses](#KeyConsiderationsforSmallBusinesses) ## A Comparison of Top Small Business CRM Solutions There are many popular small business CRM solutions on the market, and it can be hard to know what distinguishes one product from another and which is right for you. To help you better understand how the top small business CRM systems stack up against one another, we created a series of side-by-side product comparison pages that break down the details of what each solution offers in terms of pricing, applications, ease of use, support and more: **Top Insightly Comparisons** **Top Zoho CRM Comparisons** Insightly vs. Base [Insightly vs. Nimble](https://www.softwareadvice.com/compare/2667-Insightly/vs/4225-nimble/) Insightly vs. Zoho CRM Insightly vs. Zoho CRM SugarCRM vs. Zoho CRM ## Common Reasons Small Businesses Shop for a CRM Solution Thousands of small businesses contact us every year, looking for advice to help them select the CRM solution best suited to their company. Some are just getting started, while others are looking to replace an outdated or problematic system. Startups may have their own needs, in some cases related to but unique from the needs of small businesses in general. If you're a startup, check out our guide to CRM for startups [here](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/startup-comparison/#buyers-guide). Small businesses most commonly look to purchase a CRM system because they are: - Hoping to consolidate customer records and reduce double-entry. - Seeking to automate functions (alerts, follow-up emails etc.). - Looking to generate, track and manage leads more efficiently. - Needing specific features (e.g., trouble ticket management). - Frustrated with current CRM software (too complicated or not enough features). - Experiencing transition or company growth. _Live dashboard in_ [Pipedrive](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/pipedrive-profile/) ## Core CRM Applications for Small Businesses **Application** **Function** **Best for...** **Contact management** The core component of any CRM solution, contact management systems consolidate critical customer data (e.g., names, addresses and company info) into a single database, as opposed to scattering it across many individual inboxes or address books. Most small businesses; any business that needs to organize contact information or associate notifications, tasks, notes, files etc. with specific customers. **Sales management** Basic sales management applications allow businesses to track deals at different stages of the sales pipeline, integrating sales activities and appointments with the general contact database. Some may also include limited automation (e.g., automatically sending follow-up emails or setting up reminders) and reporting. Any small business with a dedicated sales team, or that needs to organize a high volume of leads and automate follow-up (e.g., real estate agencies). **Marketing automation** Entry-level marketing automation applications allow small businesses to quickly set up landing pages, Web forms and email templates that inspire potential customers to take action. They may also offer some degree of automation to send targeted, personalized messages based on prospects’ behavior. Small businesses with a dedicated marketing team, and/or looking to attract potential customers through email marketing or Web traffic. **Customer service management** Simpler customer service applications typically focus on basic trouble ticket management, which allows small businesses to document, track and resolve customer issues. Small businesses with a dedicated customer service team, or any business that needs to resolve a high volume of customer inquiries and/or complaints (e.g., software companies). ## Pricing: Web-Based vs. On-Premise CRM Most small businesses should consider hosted, cloud-based CRM solutions. Because these systems are hosted by the vendor, they eliminate the need for you to have a dedicated IT team for managing and maintaining your own server. They also drastically reduce upfront investment and installation costs. In addition, they typically offer monthly subscription pricing, which makes them scale well for fast-growing companies that need to add additional user licenses or features down the road. However, small businesses with sufficient IT resources and capital may still benefit from on-premise CRM systems. These solutions usually require purchasing an expensive perpetual license up front, but they may become the cheaper option if you use the same system over an extended period of time. You can see how pricing for these two models compares to figure out what works best for you using this tool. However, keep in mind that with on-premise solutions, you might also pay additionally for upgrades, customizations or maintenance. ## Key Considerations for Small Businesses With so many options and feature sets to choose from, selecting the right CRM for your small business can quickly become an overwhelming task. To narrow things down, here are four key factors for small businesses in particular to keep in mind as they evaluate different products: **Which Applications to Prioritize?** Because CRM encompasses so many functions (e.g., sales, marketing and customer service), many entry-level products are actually “best-of-breed” solutions. This means they focus on only one of the core applications listed above (although all CRM systems will provide some level of contact management functionality). “Integrated suites,” meaning solutions combining multiple applications in one software package (often billed as “professional” or “enterprise” editions) are much more expensive. So before you begin shopping, start with a clear assessment of exactly which functions you need. The “Best for...” column in the chart above provides recommendations as to which types of companies may need which applications. **System Complexity and Ease-of-Use** Many small businesses we speak with say they’re replacing their CRM system because it’s too complicated or difficult to use. And if your employees find it too burdensome to input data into your program, you’ll wind up with a spotty, incomplete customer database, which defeats the entire purpose of having a system in place. As a result, small businesses should pay particular attention to ease-of-use as they evaluate CRM software options. Consider solutions with smart, intuitive interfaces. Also, take advantage of the demos and trials offered by many companies to get a real sense of how user-friendly a system is. **Integration Considerations** While small businesses may not have as many integration requirements as larger companies, you should still consider CRM solutions that integrate with programs that you and your employees already use, such as email clients, calendars and accounting software. For instance, integration with email clients such as Outlook and Gmail will make it much easier to import contacts and conversations into your new system. It also allows your employees to continue using the programs they’re comfortable with, while ensuring your contact database remains comprehensive and up-to-date. ### Related Small Business CRM Software - [Business Management Software](https://www.softwareadvice.com/business-management/) - [CRM Software](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/) - [Construction CRM Software](https://www.softwareadvice.com/construction/homebuilder-crm-software-comparison/) - [Customer Communications Management Software](https://www.softwareadvice.com/customer-communications-mngt/) - [Financial CRM Software](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/financial-comparison/) - [Healthcare CRM Software](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/healthcare-crm-comparison/) - [Mac CRM Software](https://www.softwareadvice.com/category/431-mac-crm/) - [Nonprofit CRM Software](https://www.softwareadvice.com/category/4788-nonprofit-crm/) - [Online CRM Software](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/online-crm-comparison/) - [Real Estate CRM Software](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/real-estate-crm-comparison/) - [Social CRM Tools Software](https://www.softwareadvice.com/crm/social-crm-comparison/)