For small businesses and startups, a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system can be a game-changer. However, with limited budgets, free CRM subscriptions are often the starting point. This article summarises the key features of six popular free CRM offerings: HubSpot CRM, Zoho CRM, Bitrix24, Agile CRM, Freshsales, and Monday.com CRM.

What Functionality Does a Free CRM Provide?

We have carried out a feature-by-feature comparison so that you don’t have to!

	HubSpot CRM	Zoho CRM	Bitrix24	Agile CRM	Freshsales	Monday.com
Contact Management	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Deal Tracking	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Task Management	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Activity Tracking	Yes	Limited	Yes	Yes	Limited	Yes
Email Marketing	Basic	No	Yes	Basic	No	No
Marketing Automation	Basic	No	No	Basic	No	No
Sales Forecasting	No	No	No	No	No	No
Advanced Reporting	No	No	No	No	No	No
Customisable Dashboard	Yes	Limited	Yes	Yes	Limited	Yes
Mobile App	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Built-In Communication Tools	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Number of Users	1	3	Unlimited	10	Unlimited	2
Storage	Limited	Limited	Limited	Limited	Limited	Limited
Support	Community	Community	Community	Community	Community	Community

Core Functionality: A Common Ground

All six platforms offer the fundamental CRM features: contact management, deal tracking, and task management. This means you can effectively organise your customer data, track sales pipelines, and manage daily tasks without spending a dime. Activity tracking, while present in all, varies in depth, with Zoho CRM and Freshsales offering “limited” capabilities compared to the others.

Marketing and Automation: Where Differences Emerge

The realm of marketing and automation reveals the most significant variations. Email marketing is present in HubSpot CRM, Bitrix24, and Agile CRM, albeit in a basic form. Marketing automation, however, is limited to basic functionality in HubSpot and Agile CRM, and completely absent in the others. This highlights a crucial point: free versions often prioritise core sales features over advanced marketing capabilities.

Advanced Features: Reserved for Paid Plans

Features like sales forecasting and advanced reporting are consistently absent in all free subscriptions. These are typically the premium features that vendors reserve for their paid plans. Similarly, while customisable dashboards are available in most platforms, Zoho CRM and Freshsales offer “limited” customisation.

Collaboration and Communication: A Mixed Bag

Mobile app access is a standard offering across all platforms, ensuring you can manage your CRM on the go. Built-in communication tools vary, with HubSpot, Bitrix24, Freshsales, and monday.com integrating communication features, while Zoho and Agile do not. This reflects the vendors’ varying approaches to integrated communication.

User Limits and Support: Key Considerations

The number of users allowed in the free plans ranges from 1 (HubSpot) to unlimited (Bitrix24, Freshsales), with Zoho (3), Agile (10), and monday.com (2) falling in between. This is a crucial factor for growing teams. Storage is consistently “limited” across all free plans, and support is primarily community-based, highlighting the limitations of free offerings.

HubSpot: Free CRM Pros and Cons

HubSpot’s free CRM is a popular choice for many small businesses, but it’s important to weigh its pros and cons. Here’s a breakdown.

Pros:

• Ease of Use: HubSpot is known for its user-friendly interface, making it relatively easy to learn and navigate, even for those new to CRM software.
• Free Features: It offers a robust set of free features, including contact management, deal tracking, task management, and basic reporting. The fact that it is a “freemium” model allows for a business to test the software, and grow into it.
• Integration with Other HubSpot Tools: If you plan to use other HubSpot products (marketing, sales, service), the free CRM integrates seamlessly.
• Contact Management: Strong tools for organising and tracking contact information.
• Lead Capture: Tools to capture leads through forms and live chat.
• AI Sales Tools: The inclusion of Breeze AI features adds value to the free product.

Cons:

• Limited Features: The free version has limitations compared to paid plans, especially in areas like advanced automation, reporting, and customisation.
• Scalability Limitations: As your business grows, you may find the free version’s limitations restrictive, requiring you to upgrade to a paid plan.
• Limited Automation: Automation capabilities are basic in the free version, which can hinder efficiency for businesses with complex workflows.
• Reporting Limitations: The level of reporting that is available in the free version is less than that of the paid versions.
• Support Limitations: Free users have limited access to direct customer support, relying primarily on online resources and community forums.
• Upselling: HubSpot’s business model is designed to encourage users to upgrade to paid plans, so you may encounter frequent prompts to do so.
• Limitations on Customisation: While you can customise some fields, the level of customisation is much less than that of the paid versions.

Our Opinion: Is HubSpot a Good Free CRM?

HubSpot’s free CRM is a great starting point for small businesses that need basic CRM functionality. However, businesses with complex needs or those anticipating rapid growth should carefully consider the limitations of the free version.

Zoho: Free CRM Pros and Cons

Zoho CRM’s free version offers a starting point for small businesses, but it’s crucial to understand its limitations. Here’s a breakdown of the pros and cons:

Pros:

• Free for Up to Three Users: This is a significant advantage for very small businesses or startups.
• Essential CRM Features: It provides core CRM functionalities like lead and contact management, deal tracking, and task management.
• Mobile App: Accessing your CRM data on the go is valuable.
• Document Management: Basic document storage and organisation.
• Potential for Scalability: Zoho CRM is part of a larger suite of Zoho applications, making it easier to scale up to paid plans and integrate with other Zoho tools as your business grows.

Cons:

• Limited Features: The free version lacks advanced features like sales forecasting, advanced reporting, and marketing automation.
• Limited Customisation: Customisation options are restricted compared to paid plans.
• Reporting Limitations: The reporting capabilities are basic, which may not be sufficient for in-depth analysis.
• Limited Integrations: The free version has limitations on how many integrations it can utilise.
• Customer Support Limitations: Free users typically have limited access to direct customer support.
• Feature Restrictions: Features like sales forcasting, and many automation features are locked behind paywalls.
• User Interface Complexity: Some users report that the UI can be less intuitive than other CRM’s.

Our Opinion: Is Zoho a Good Free CRM?

Zoho CRM’s free version is a suitable option for very small teams that need basic CRM functionality. However, businesses with growing needs or those requiring advanced features should consider upgrading to a paid plan.

Bitrix 24: Free CRM Pros and Cons

Bitrix24 is a comprehensive platform that offers a wide array of business tools, including CRM, project management, and communication features. This breadth of functionality is a key characteristic that influences its pros and cons.

Pros:

• All-in-One Platform: Bitrix24 provides a vast suite of tools beyond just CRM, including project management, task management, and communication features. This can be very beneficial for businesses looking to consolidate their tools.
• Unlimited Users (in the Free Plan): A significant advantage is that the free plan allows for an unlimited number of users, which is excellent for growing teams.
• Communication Tools: Strong built-in communication features like chat, video conferencing, and internal social networking enhance team collaboration.
• Variety of Features: It includes a wide range of features, from CRM functionalities to website building, which makes it a very versatile tool.
• Mobile Apps: Bitrix24 has mobile apps that allow for work to be done on the go.

Cons:

• Complexity and Learning Curve: The sheer number of features can make Bitrix24 overwhelming for new users. It has a steeper learning curve compared to simpler CRM systems.
• Storage Limitations: The free plan has limited storage space, which can become a constraint for businesses with large amounts of data.
• Feature Limitations: While it offers many features, advanced functionalities, such as advanced automation and reporting, are reserved for paid plans.
• User Interface: Some users find the user interface to be cluttered or not as intuitive as other CRM platforms.
• Customer Support: Free users typically have limited access to customer support, which can be an issue when encountering problems.

Our Opinion: Is Bitrix24 a Good Free CRM?

Bitrix24’s free plan is a powerful option for businesses that need a comprehensive suite of tools and have a team that is willing to invest time in learning the platform. However, businesses with simple CRM needs or those that prioritise ease of use may find other options more suitable.

Agile: Free CRM Pros and Cons

Agile CRM’s free subscription aims to provide a comprehensive suite of CRM tools for small businesses. However, like any free offering, it comes with its own set of advantages and disadvantages. Here’s a breakdown.

Pros:

• All-in-One Functionality: Agile CRM attempts to consolidate sales, marketing, and service features into a single platform, which can be very appealing for small businesses looking for a unified solution.
• Free for Up to 10 Users: This is a relatively generous offering, allowing small teams to utilise the CRM without immediate financial investment.
• Core CRM Features: It provides essential CRM functionalities like contact management, deal tracking, and task management.
• Marketing Automation: Even in the free version, there are some basic marketing automation capabilities, which can be valuable for lead nurturing.
• Sales and Service Features: It also includes basic sales and customer service tools.

Cons:

• Feature Limitations: The free version naturally has limitations compared to paid plans. Advanced features, such as more in-depth reporting and advanced automation, are typically restricted.
• Potential for Bugs: Some users have reported experiencing bugs or glitches within the software.
• Customer Support Limitations: Free users often have limited access to customer support, which can be problematic when encountering issues.
• User Interface: We have found the UI to be less intuitive than other CRM platforms.
• Scalability Concerns: As your business grows, you’ll likely encounter the limitations of the free plan, prompting the need to upgrade.
• Complexity: Because Agile CRM tries to provide so many features, it can be a little complex to learn.

Our Opinion: Is Agile a Good Free CRM?

Agile CRM’s free subscription can be a good starting point for very small businesses that want an all-in-one CRM solution. However, it’s essential to be aware of the limitations and potential for bugs. If your business anticipates rapid growth or requires advanced CRM functionalities, you should consider exploring their paid plans.

Freshsales: Free CRM Pros and Cons

Freshsales CRM offers a free plan designed to get small teams started. Here’s a breakdown of the pros and cons to help you decide if it’s right for your business.

Pros:

• User-Friendly Interface: Freshsales is generally known for its intuitive design, making it relatively easy to learn and use.
• Built-in Communication Tools: The inclusion of built-in phone and email functionality within the CRM can streamline communication.
• Essential CRM Features: It covers core CRM needs, including contact management, deal tracking, and basic sales functionalities.
• Mobile Apps: Mobile accessibility allows for on-the-go management of sales activities.
• Free for Small Teams: It is a good option for very small businesses that need to get started.

Cons:

• Limited Features in Free Plan: As expected, the free version has significant limitations compared to paid plans. Advanced features like sales forecasting, advanced reporting, and sophisticated automation are typically unavailable.
• Reporting Limitations: The reporting capabilities in the free plan are quite basic, which can hinder in-depth sales analysis.
• Scalability Concerns: As your business expands, you’ll likely outgrow the free plan’s capabilities, necessitating an upgrade.
• Integration Limitations: While it has integrations, the amount of 3rd party integrations are less than some of its competitors.
• Limitations on Customisation: The free plan will have limitations on the amount of customisation that can be done.

Our Opinion: Is Freshsales a Good Free CRM?

Freshsales’ free plan is a good option for very small businesses or startups that need basic CRM functionality. If your business requires advanced features or anticipates rapid growth, you should carefully evaluate the paid plans.

Monday.com: Free CRM Pros and Cons

It’s important to clarify that monday.com doesn’t offer a strictly “free CRM subscription” in the traditional sense. Instead, they provide a free plan for their work OS, which includes CRM functionalities. This distinction is crucial for understanding its pros and cons.

Pros:

• Highly Visual and Customisable: Monday.com excels in its visual, drag-and-drop interface, making it easy to customise workflows and dashboards. This is a significant advantage for those who prefer a visual CRM.
• Versatile Work OS: It’s not just a CRM; it’s a work OS that can be used for various business processes, including project management, task tracking, and team collaboration.
• Collaboration Features: Excellent collaboration tools, including commenting, file sharing, and team communication features.
• Flexibility: It is very flexible, and can be adapted to many different sales processes.
• Base Automations: Even the free version allows for some basic automations.

Cons:

• Limited CRM-Specific Features: While you can build a CRM workflow, it might lack some of the advanced features found in dedicated CRM software, such as sophisticated sales forecasting or in-depth sales analytics.
• Learning Curve: The platform’s versatility can also lead to a steeper learning curve, especially for users who are only interested in basic CRM functionalities.
• Feature Limitations: The free plan has limitations on the amount of boards that can be created, and the amount of automations that can be created.
• Reporting Limitations: The reporting features are limited on the free plan.
• Not a Dedicated CRM: Because it is a work OS, and not a dedicated CRM, some of the more niche CRM features may be missing.
• Storage Limitations: The free plan has storage limitations.

Our Opinion: Is Monday.com a Good Free CRM?

Monday.com’s free plan is a good option for businesses that need a flexible work OS with basic CRM capabilities and prioritise visual workflows and collaboration. However, businesses that require advanced, dedicated CRM features may need to consider a paid plan or a dedicated CRM solution. If you are already using monday.com for other business functions, adding CRM functionality to it can be very efficient.

Our Analysis of the Best Free CRMs

• HubSpot CRM: Ideal for businesses focused on basic sales and marketing integration, with a user-friendly interface.
• Zoho CRM: Suitable for very small teams (up to 3 users) needing core CRM features.
• Bitrix24: A comprehensive platform for teams needing a wide range of tools beyond CRM, with unlimited users.
• Agile CRM: Caters to small teams (up to 10 users) seeking an all-in-one sales, marketing, and service solution.
• Freshsales: Good for teams prioritising built-in communication and ease of use, with unlimited users.
• Monday.com CRM: Excellent for visual workflows and collaboration, adaptable to various business processes, but less of a dedicated CRM.

Ultimately, the best free CRM depends on your specific needs and priorities. Evaluate your requirements, consider the limitations of each free plan, and choose the platform that aligns best with your business goals.

Remember that as your business grows, you may need to upgrade to a paid plan to access advanced features and support. Explore our analysis of the top 10 CRMs.