Last Updated: Apr 2026
Why Your Business Needs Live Chat Software
- Increasing Sales
∙ Streamlined client contact boosts sales.
∙ Collaborative tools helps salespeople close the deal. - Improving Customer Retention
∙ Effective feedback logging keeps customers around longer.
∙ Integrated “360 degree” views of customer data help you serve them more effectively. - Streamlining Your Sales Funnel
∙ A CRM makes it easy to visualize your funnel.
∙ Granular reporting helps identify pipeline weak points. - Easy Online Marketing Tools
∙ CRMs help marketers plan and track email campaigns.
∙ Easily integrate sales and marketing data for better results and a higher conversion rate.
How to Choose the Right Live Chat Software for Your Business
- Setup Time
∙ Cloud-hosted solutions can be deployed faster than on-premises ones.
∙ Look for a CRM with good support and a large user community to easily resolve setup difficulties. - Ease of Use
∙ Many CRMs put a strong emphasis on ease of use.
∙ Find a tool with good data visualization and that provides streamlined apps to help your salespeople enter and access data on the go. - Price
∙ Most CRMs offer a free trial, to help your team evaluate the tool at no cost. CRMs range in price from “free” to “high-ticket enterprise sales”; find one that works within your budget. - Add-ons
∙ What does the CRM offer besides lead capture and outreach? Consider looking for a tool with a rich integration library to take advantage of connections with other services you may use. - Customer Service
∙ What hours is the support team available? Look for a support team accessible in your time zone and which provides more than simple ticket support. - Interface
∙ Is the CRM you’re considering visually pleasing? Opt for a tool that makes it easy for your salespeople to visualize their diary and priority appointments.
Our Top 3 Picks
- 1
Exceptional9.7
Customizable CRM option for businesses
Free TrialRead monday CRM ReviewGreat for - Visual thinkers
Price - $8 per seat per month (3 seat minimum)
Free trial - 14 days
Monday sales CRM manages to provide a wealth of CRM features without overloading the user. Its visually stunning interface is remarkably accessible, with automated workflows and easy-to-use collaboration features. But there’s more underneath the surface, making it surprisingly capable both for those who only utilize its core features as well as those who need more advanced tools.
From small businesses to enterprise organizations, monday sales CRM offers an approachable, scalable CRM that can adapt to almost every user’s needs.
monday CRM Pros & Cons
PROS
Team tracking and insightsCustomizable featuresUnlimited contactsCONS
Plans require you to pay for a minimum number of seatsTraining on CRM implementation may be inadequate - 2
Exceptional9.8
Free CRM for startups and small businessesFree CRM for startups and small businessesRead HubSpot ReviewHubSpot’s CRM software is free and therefore best suited to small businesses that only need the core essentials. That said, it’s earned high reviews and offers a solid line-up of tools that make it worth considering for SMBs looking to increase sales.
HubSpot CRM has a clean dashboard that lets you sort deals and track all pertinent information which can be sorted by lead status, name, amount, or by custom filters, all so businesses can view their sales funnel in real-time. The software syncs up with Gmail and Outlook and includes tons of free communications tools such as live chat, cross-team emails, and a central inbox for sales, marketing, and customer service teams to manage conversations.
Most notably, HubSpot allows an unlimited amount of users and storage that can reach up to a million contacts. While limited for clients with advanced needs, HubSpot exceeds what you’d expect for free software and is a capable solution for small businesses looking to improve organization and productivity.
HubSpot Pros & Cons
PROS
Free CRMUnlimited users1160 app integrationsCONS
Advanced features only in the premium versionsCostly premium options - 3
Good8.2
End-to-end customer management toolsEnd-to-end customer management toolsHoneyBook Pros & Cons
PROS
Unlimited team membersProject management, invoicing, and payment featuresEasy to useCONS
Lack of 3rd party integrationsNo phone support options
