
- Set up in minutes
- No credit card required or installation needed
- Acquire, sell-to & serve your customers
Check out our top accounting software pick:
What Is CRM Software and Why You Need It for Your Business
CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software is a digital solution designed to manage and analyze customer interactions and data throughout the customer lifecycle. It centralises contact details, automates routine sales and marketing tasks, and generates real‑time insights to help businesses grow. By organising customer information—across email, phone calls, meetings, and social media—a CRM platform gives sales, support, and marketing teams the tools they need to build stronger relationships and close more deals.
CRM software is now indispensable for businesses of all sizes, from startups to large enterprises. With growing customer expectations and increasingly digital engagement, companies need a single source of truth that enables personalised experiences and faster response times. In short, CRM software helps teams work smarter, not harder.
Key Insights
If the system is easy to use, your team will actually want to use it—and keep using it.
Cloud-based CRMs offer faster setup, lower costs, and automatic updates.
Integration with tools like Google Workspace enhances daily workflow.
Choose platforms that scale with your business growth and offer modular pricing.
What Are the Benefits of CRM Implementation
1. Driving More Sales
Centralised contact logs make follow‑ups more seamless and timely.
Automated task reminders prevent leads from going cold.
Collaborative tools and shared dashboards improve team alignment and close rates.
2. Boosting Customer Retention
CRM platforms enable teams to record and track feedback efficiently.
Access to a full view of the customer journey allows for more informed support.
Consistent communication fosters trust and long-term loyalty.
3. Streamlining Your Sales Funnel
Visual sales pipelines allow real-time tracking of deal progress.
Customisable stages let teams tailor funnels to different customer journeys.
Reporting features help identify bottlenecks and improve conversion rates.
4. Powering CRM Marketing
Built-in email marketing tools support segmentation and A/B testing.
Campaign metrics like open and click-through rates are readily available.
Aligning sales and marketing data enables targeted messaging and better ROI.
5. Enhancing Team Productivity
Automation of repetitive tasks like data entry or follow-ups frees up time.
Mobile CRM apps let reps update records on the go.
Integration with calendar and scheduling tools simplifies meeting planning.
6. Improving Forecast Accuracy
Predictive analytics provide data-backed sales forecasts.
Managers gain visibility into sales team activity and pipeline health.
Real-time dashboards support faster, better-informed decisions.
Compare With Top10.com, Choose the Best for You
At Top10.com, we recognize the importance of thorough and accurate product and service reviews in guiding your choices. Our team, comprising editors and industry experts, conducts extensive research to provide comprehensive insights. Our content is continually updated to reflect the latest market trends, offering current information.
We provide a range of services including comparison lists and in-depth reviews, all tailored to meet your specific needs. Our goal is to empower you to make confident and informed choices.
How to Choose the Right CRM for Your Business
Plan Ahead: Setup Time
Cloud-based CRMs are quick to set up—sometimes in just hours or days. They don’t need special hardware and often include guides and support to help you get started. Look for a vendor with helpful documentation and responsive customer support.Make Sure It’s Easy to Use
A CRM should make work easier, not harder. Pick one with a simple interface, drag-and-drop features, and a mobile app. If your team struggles to use it, they probably won’t.Stay Within Budget
Many CRMs offer free trials or basic free plans—great for small businesses or startups. As you grow, choose one with flexible pricing so you only pay for what you need.Check for Integrations
A good CRM should connect easily to your email, calendar, invoicing, and other apps. If you use tools like Google Workspace, make sure it syncs well with Gmail, Calendar, and Drive.Customer Support Matters
Pick a CRM that offers live chat, phone support, and online forums. Fast, helpful support saves time and makes getting started easier.Look at the Interface
A clean, organized interface helps your team manage tasks better. Features like drag-and-drop pipelines, color-coded calendars, and quick filters make daily work faster and simpler.
monday sales CRM
Comparing the Top CRM Software
| CRM Platform | Most Recommended For |
|---|---|
HubSpot | Best CRM software overall — great all-in-one platform for sales, marketing, and service |
Pipedrive | Best for salespeople who want a clean pipeline, automation, and deal tracking |
monday sales CRM | Best for teams needing full customizability in workflows, dashboards, and integrations |
Salesforce US | Best for relationship management and enterprise-grade customer service features |
HoneyBook | Best for freelancers and solo entrepreneurs managing bookings, invoices, and clients |
ClickUp | Best for integrating CRM and project management in one visual platform |
Capsule | Best for users seeking a simple, lightweight CRM with strong contact management |
After conducting a thorough comparison of today’s top CRMs, we identified Monday Sales CRM, Salesforce, and HubSpot as the front-runners. Each brings a unique approach—whether you're seeking flexible workflow customization, enterprise‑grade customer management, or an all-in-one growth platform. Use this quick comparison to decide which CRM system fits your business best.
monday vs Salesforce
In the monday vs Salesforce comparison, monday shines for its intuitive, drag-and-drop customization, making it ideal for startups and growing teams who want full control over pipelines, dashboards, and tasks without complex setup. Salesforce is better suited for large organizations needing scalable CRM architecture, advanced automation, and powerful integrations with deep customer relationship capabilities.
Best for:
monday: Teams needing flexible workflows and visual project management
Salesforce: Enterprises needing deep CRM automation and customer service tools
monday vs HubSpot
The monday vs HubSpot matchup focuses on customization vs ecosystem. monday is ideal for users who want to build custom sales processes, combining CRM and project tracking in one visual platform. HubSpot offers a fully integrated suite for sales, marketing, and customer service—with robust free tools, automation, and reporting baked in.
Best for:
monday: Teams who want CRM + project management in one platform
HubSpot: Businesses seeking a unified marketing + sales ecosystem with built-in growth tools
Salesforce vs HubSpot
Salesforce vs HubSpot is a battle between enterprise power and scalable simplicity. Salesforce offers unmatched CRM depth, especially for larger sales teams and support operations. HubSpot provides a more accessible entry point with a free CRM, plus seamless marketing and service features that scale with your business.
Best for:
Salesforce: Enterprise sales organizations with complex data and service needs
HubSpot: SMBs and growing teams looking for an all-in-one platform that’s easy to adopt
To compare features, pricing, and best-fit use cases in more detail, scroll down to explore our Top 3 CRM Software Picks, where we break down the platforms side by side.
*AI was used in the creation of this content, along with human validation and proofreading.
Our Top 3 Picks
- 1Exceptional9.7
Customizable CRM option for businessesFree TrialRead monday sales CRM ReviewGreat for - No-code fully-customizable CRM
Price - $8 per seat per month (3 seat minimum)
Free trial - 14 days
It's easy and intuitive to get set up with monday sales CRM. You can customize almost anything to your needs–no IT needed. The seamless Gmail/Outlook integration means you can communicate with clients in one place, as well as log and track all your activities with them. 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.
The platform is super intuitive but also capable of handling complex sales processes. You can manage your post-sales too, like client onboarding and client projects. monday sales CRM saves you time by automating manual work.
monday sales CRM Pros & Cons
PROS
Integrates with most tools you already useAutomations eliminate manual workHandles post-sales processes & projectsCONS
Price can be an obstacle - 2Excellent9.2
All-purpose CRM to support businessesFree TrialRead Pipedrive ReviewGreat for - First-time CRM users
Price - Starting at $14.90
Free trial - 14 days
Another accessible CRM tool, Pipedrive fills in the gaps left by Monday and other competitors in its field, namely with lead-tracking and other sales-based reporting tools.
Pipedrive offers a simple yet sophisticated interface that more than makes up for it with its ability to represent the sales process in graphic form. It is a worthy tool for keeping track of contacts, improving communication both within and outside of the team, and keeping close tabs on sales and possible deals. Add in automated call tracking, a popular chatbot feature, and a ready-to-use platform, and you have a CRM tool that offers a solution to most of the needs of small- to medium-sized businesses.
Pipedrive Pros & Cons
PROS
Great for lead trackingPopular chatbot toolStrong mobile capabilitiesCONS
Not ideal for larger businessesNo native helpdesk creator - 3

Excellent9.1
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 softwareUp to 1 million contactsUnlimited usersCONS
Basic softwareNo statistics or forecasting tools










