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7 Best Freshsales Alternatives & Competitors

Name: Zoho CRM
Item: Zoho CRM
Rating: 4.2
Author: Alison Barretta

Written By

Alison Barretta

Apr 28, 2023

2 minute read

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Freshsales is a favorite among companies that want AI-powered sales tools, customizable elements, and built-in phone and chat clients at an affordable cost. However, businesses looking for more in-depth analytics, extensive app integrations, and quality customer support will want to explore other options. In our independent review, we rank the top seven Freshsales alternatives and competitors to help you find the best CRM for your sales needs.

Here are the seven best Freshsales alternatives for salespeople:

Zoho CRM: Best Freshsales alternative overall for AI sales features (free starting price)
EngageBay CRM: Best free alternative for sales and marketing tools (free starting price)
HubSpot CRM: Best alternative for building a complete tech stack (free starting price)
Salesforce: Best Freshsales alternative for complex sales cycles (30-day free trial)
Salesflare: Best Freshsales alternative for B2B sales prospecting (30-day free trial)
monday sales CRM: Best Freshsales alternative for ease of use (14-day free trial)
Pipedrive: Best Freshsales alternative for robust add-on upgrades (14-day free trial)

Read our independent Freshsales review if you’re curious to learn more about this CRM’s key features and best use cases. Otherwise, scroll down for our list of top Freshsales alternatives.

How We Evaluated the Best Freshsales Alternatives

To find the best Freshsales alternatives, we made a scoring rubric featuring six weighted categories, each with its own set of subcriteria. After ranking all options against what Freshsales has to offer, we selected the CRMs with an average of 3.7 or higher to feature on our list. We picked an overall winner and assigned use cases to the six runners-up based on their performance in specific categories. Our evaluation criteria is below:

Evaluation Criteria

We assigned the most weight to cost, core features, and ease of use, as we believe these are the three most crucial factors to consider when choosing a CRM. Additionally, we evaluated each CRM's level of customization (including third-party integrations), availability of advanced CRM features, and quality of user support.

Methodology weights

Cost 25%

Core Features 25%

Ease of Use 20%

Customization 10%

Advanced Features 10%

Customer Support 10%

Note: All per-user prices are with a one-year commitment unless noted.

Salesforce earned three category wins: core features, customization, and advanced features. Despite this, we determined that Zoho CRM is the best Freshsales alternative overall because it’s the most well-rounded platform of the bunch — it didn’t score below four points in any category. However, if you prioritize top-notch user support or an intuitive UI, other software on this list may be a better fit. Below is a detailed breakdown of how each CRM scored.

Zoho CRM: Best Freshsales Alternative Overall

Zoho CRM is a versatile platform with an AI sales assistant plus various online marketing tools.

Price Range: Free to $52 per user, per month (15- to 30-day trial)

Overall Rating

4.2

Cost

4.0

Core Features

4.5

Ease of Use

4.1

Customization

4.2

Advanced Features

4.1

Customer Support

4.0

Pros

Zia AI sales assistant
Includes native marketing tools
Lots of ways to customize

Cons

Lower plans lack AI
Only 3 seats with free plan
Set-up will take some time

Zoho CRM is the best Freshsales alternative overall. Both CRMs are similarly priced and offer a deep set of core sales tools, including an AI-powered sales assistant. (Zoho CRM's Zia AI can respond to commands and answer queries via text or voice.) However, Zoho CRM is a more versatile option for sales and marketing teams that want to attract and engage with leads through multiple channels including email, chatbots, telephony, web forms, and social media.

Zoho CRM is robust sales and marketing software, but Salesforce may be a better fit for enterprises that require complex sales analytics and more flexible automations.

Zoho CRM Pricing

Free Forever: Supports up to 3 users
Standard: $14 per user, per month
Professional: $23 per user, per month
Enterprise: $40 per user, per month
Ultimate: $52 per user, per month
Free Trial: 15 days; 30 days for Ultimate tier
Integration with Zoho’s suite of products
Access to Zoho Marketplace

Zoho CRM Key Features

Zia AI: Ask this AI-powered virtual sales assistant for help by typing or speaking to it.
Social Media Management: Publish social media posts and track mentions in the CRM.
Customization: This CRM can be tailored to almost any industry in nearly every region.
Reporting: Includes 40 templates; most paid plans allow for unlimited custom reports.

EngageBay CRM: Best Free Alternative

EngageBay's free CRM boasts ample sales and marketing features plus 24/7 user support.

Price Range: Free to $73.59 per user, per month

Overall Rating

4.0

Cost

4.3

Core Features

3.9

Ease of Use

4.0

Customization

4.1

Advanced Features

3.0

Customer Support

4.4

Pros

Free plan has a lot to offer
24/7 chat and phone support
Discounts with 2-year plans

Cons

Not as many native integrations
Lacking advanced features
Custom reporting with Pro only

EngageBay is a free CRM that’ll suit small businesses seeking an affordable, accessible platform. It supports up to 15 users (versus three for Freshsales' free version) and has predictive lead scoring, live chat, native social media integration, and 24/7 support (live chat and phone). Upgrade to one of EngageBay’s paid plans to add custom reporting, sales automation, and gamification tools; purchase a two-year subscription for the lowest monthly per-user rates.

If your team exceeds the 15-user max for EngageBay's free CRM, consider HubSpot's free CRM since it has unlimited seats plus a variety of sales and inbound marketing tools.

EngageBay Pricing

Free Version: Supports up to 15 users
CRM & Sales Bay Basic: From $11.95 per user, per month
CRM & Sales Bay Growth: From $45.99 per user, per month
CRM & Sales Bay Pro: From $73.59 per user, per month
Integration with EngageBay Marketing Bay and Service Bay
Access to EngageBay integrations library

EngageBay Key Features

Free CRM: Comes with predictive lead scoring, social media tools, and live chat.
Social Media Marketing: Integrates with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Upgrades: Paid features include gamification, sales automation, and custom reporting.
User Support: Both free and paid users receive 24/7 email and live chat support.

HubSpot CRM: Best for a Comprehensive Tech Stack

HubSpot CRM’s 1,000+ integrations allows companies to tailor the platform to meet their needs.

Price Range: Free to $1,200 per month (Sales Hub)

Overall Rating

4.0

Cost

3.1

Core Features

4.3

Ease of Use

4.4

Customization

4.2

Advanced Features

3.9

Customer Support

4.2

Pros

1,000+ app integrations
Unlimited users with free CRM
Flush with inbound tools

Cons

Paid plans can be costly
No AI sales assistant
UI itself somewhat rigid

HubSpot CRM is a platform with a range of sales, marketing, service, and operations features in both its free and paid plans. While the UI itself may lack flexibility, the HubSpot App Marketplace offers over 1,300 integrations with tools such as Slack, Trello, and Mailchimp, and much more. (By comparison, the Freshworks Marketplace has around 650 integrations.) This makes it easy for companies to customize HubSpot CRM to fit the needs of different areas of their business.

HubSpot CRM's premium upgrades can be expensive for smaller companies; Pipedrive is a more cost-effective option to scale your CRM with enhanced features.

HubSpot CRM Pricing

Free-for-Life: Supports unlimited users
Sales Hub Starter: Starts at $45 for up to 2 paid users
Sales Hub Professional: Starts at $450 for up to 5 paid users
Sales Hub Enterprise: Starts at $1,200 for up to 10 paid users
Integrates with HubSpot's marketing, service, and ops platforms
Access to HubSpot App Marketplace

HubSpot Key Features

App Marketplace: Integrate Shopify, WordPress, DocuSign, and 1,000+ other apps.
Free CRM: Unlimited seats plus sales, marketing, service, and operations.
Lead Nurturing: Engage with leads through live chat, phone, and online meetings.
HubSpot Academy: Find hundreds of self-paced courses and earn certifications.

Salesforce: Best Alternative for Complex Sales Processes

Salesforce offers a wealth of advanced sales tools plus myriad customization options.

Price Range: $25 to $330 per user, per month (30-day trial)

Overall Rating

3.9

Cost

2.7

Core Features

4.5

Ease of Use

4.0

Customization

5.0

Advanced Features

4.7

Customer Support

3.8

Pros

High-level sales features
Many ways to customize
Robust CRM reporting

Cons

May be cost-prohibitive
Difficult to learn at first
Einstein AI sold separately

Salesforce is a comprehensive CRM designed to handle complex, enterprise-level sales processes. Compared to Freshsales, Salesforce offers greater flexibility in customization, supports a wider range of native and custom integrations, and provides more options for in-depth reporting and custom workflows. Salesforce’s Einstein AI provides more accurate forecasts and deeper analytics; however, it costs an extra $50 per user, per month.

Salesforce is great for large organizations, but it could overwhelm solopreneurs and startups. monday sales CRM is a more affordable and user-friendly option that can be easily customized to fit almost any sales process.

Salesforce Pricing

Starter: $25 per user, per month
Professional: $80 per user, per month
Enterprise: $165 per user, per month
Unlimited: $330 per user, per month
Free Trial: 30 days
Access to Salesforce AppExchange

Salesforce Key Features

Real-Time Insights: Score leads, analyze client interactions, and forecast deal closings.
Customization: Add an array of industry-specific elements and custom app integrations.
Sales Automation: Create automated workflows for every stage of the sales process.
CRM Reporting: Custom reports with all plans, plus deeper analytics with higher tiers.

Salesflare: Best for B2B Sales Prospecting

Salesflare simplifies B2B prospecting through consolidating data from various public outlets.

Price Range: $29 to $99 per user, per month (30-day free trial)

Overall Rating

3.9

Cost

3.7

Core Features

4.2

Ease of Use

4.0

Customization

4.2

Advanced Features

3.7

Customer Support

3.8

Pros

Tight LinkedIn integration
Fully-automated data entry
Excellent mobile app

Cons

No entry level tier
Limited live support window
Base tier lacks custom tools

Salesflare is a CRM with more of a focus on B2B prospecting than Freshsales. Its data consolidation capabilities extend beyond email and social media sources to include other publicly available information, ensuring sales professionals have access to the most up-to-date and relevant customer data. Meanwhile, its LinkedIn sidebar allows for quick and easy lead data management, reducing the need to toggle windows and limiting the risk of duplicate contacts.

Although Salesflare is known for its user-friendly interface, finding live support can be challenging if you're not based in Central Europe. EngageBay, on the other hand, provides around-the-clock phone and chat support for prompt assistance wherever you are.

Salesflare Pricing

Growth: $29 per user, per month
Pro: $49 per user, per month
Enterprise: $99 per user, per month

Salesflare Key Features

Data Entry: Extract contact data from email signatures, social media handles, and more.
LinkedIn Sidebar: Connect with LinkedIn prospects, then add their info to the CRM.
Mobile App: Enjoy full functionality of the Salesflare CRM on your phone or tablet.
Google Cloud Framework: Salesflare integrates with nearly any Google product.

monday sales CRM: Best for Ease of Use

monday sales CRM is a highly-customizable and intuitive system with excellent user support.

Price Range: $10 to $24+ per user, per month (14-day free trial)

Overall Rating

3.8

Cost

3.3

Core Features

3.8

Ease of Use

4.5

Customization

4.2

Advanced Features

3.1

Customer Support

3.6

Pros

Easy to set up and use
Drag-and-drop visual UI
Unlimited custom pipelines

Cons

No free-for-life version
Can only buy seats in bulk
Sparse in advanced tools

monday sales CRM is an easy-to-use platform with a colorful drag-and-drop UI that allows for extensive personalization without much coding needed. Unlike Freshsales, monday sales CRM offers unlimited custom pipelines on all plans, giving teams more flexibility to organize their sales process. Plus, monday sales CRM has an excellent reputation for quality user support, offering 24/7 access to help via live chat, email, phone, and a vast self-service knowledge base.

monday sales CRM is affordable, accessible, and highly customizable — but its reporting features are limited. For businesses seeking advanced reporting and AI insights at a reasonable cost, consider Zoho CRM.

monday sales CRM Pricing

Basic: From $10 per user, per month for 3 users
Standard: From $14 per user, per month for 3 users
Pro: From $24 per user, per month for 3 users
Enterprise: Contact for quote
Access to monday.com Apps Marketplace

monday sales CRM Key Features

Visual UI: Track progress throughout the sales cycle with colorful kanban-style boards.
24/7 Support: Includes live chat, email, phone, and a vast self-serve knowledge base.
Customization: Personalize workflows, layouts, and more with minimal coding required.
Unlimited Elements: All plans have unlimited contacts, kanban boards, and pipelines.

Pipedrive: Best for Add-On Upgrades

Pipedrive enables teams to add sales, marketing, and productivity tools as they see fit.

Price Range: $14.90 to $99 per user, per month (14-day trial)

Overall Rating

3.7

Cost

3.2

Core Features

3.7

Ease of Use

4.5

Customization

3.3

Advanced Features

3.3

Customer Support

4.3

Pros

Intuitive visual design
Around-the-clock support
Relatively low-cost upgrades

Cons

No free-for-life version
Too basic for bigger orgs
AI assistant is modest

Pipedrive is a straightforward CRM with a range of extras for sales teams who want to add more functionality as needed without upgrading to a new plan. Add-ons include tools for lead generation, email marketing, project management, document management, and activity tracking. Pipedrive's simple kanban-style interface will especially appeal to new CRM users, along with 24/7 email and chat support. (By comparison, Freshsales only offers 24/5 support.)

Pipedrive’s add-ons are fairly inexpensive, costing between $6.40 and $41 per month – however, that can all add up. If you're looking for a CRM with native sales and marketing tools, Zoho CRM may be a more suitable alternative.

Pipedrive Pricing

Essential: $14.90 per user, per month
Advanced: $27.90 per user, per month
Professional: $49.90 per user, per month
Power: $64.90 per user, per month
Enterprise: $99.00 per user, per month
Free Trial: 14 days
Pay for a la carte add-on features for sales, marketing, and more
Access to Pipedrive Marketplace

Pipedrive Key Features

Paid Extras: Add-ons for prospecting, project management, email marketing, and more.
Visual Pipeline: Pipedrive’s drag-and-drop UI is made for salespeople, by salespeople.
24/7 Support: Every plan comes with all-hours access to live chat and email support.
AI Sales Assistant: Analyzes past activity to offer tailored feedback to sales reps.

Bottom Line: Best Freshsales Alternative

Freshsales is among the popular CRM software for its AI-powered sales tools, superb pipeline management, and high-level of customization at lower costs than many of its competitors. However, for businesses that need a mix of sales and marketing tools, advanced reporting and analytics, or a robust freemium CRM, there are better options. The Freshsales alternatives we’ve highlighted here will ensure that you find the best CRM for your needs.

Alison Barretta

Alison is a Philadelphia-based technology writer for Selling Signals. She has 15 years of experience in the digital space, and her specialties include comparison guides and reviews across CRM, ecommerce, and various SaaS products. In her free time, Alison has received two HubSpot certifications plus a TEFL certification, as well as leads an online martial arts learning program.

7 Best Freshsales Alternatives & Competitors

How We Evaluated the Best Freshsales Alternatives

Evaluation Criteria

Bottom Line: Best Freshsales Alternative

Alison Barretta

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