{"id":1915,"date":"2023-01-11T16:12:56","date_gmt":"2023-01-11T16:12:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/?p=1915"},"modified":"2025-06-25T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2025-06-25T00:00:00","slug":"best-sales-management-software","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/best-sales-management-software\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Best Sales Management Software to Maximize Sales in 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Picture this: you\u2019re juggling multiple rings while someone keeps tossing in more. If you drop anything, the entire act might fall through.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Well, that\u2019s what managing sales goals, leads, and follow-ups can feel like, especially if you rely on endless spreadsheets and memory alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In contrast, <strong>using a sales management tool helps you keep things organized and moving <\/strong>\u2014 you just have to find one that\u2019s intuitive and cost-effective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To save you the time and effort, I rolled up my sleeves and tested a range of popular sales management platforms. Read on to see what I discovered!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Best-Sales-Management-Software-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Best Sales Management Software - cover\" class=\"wp-image-13230\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Best-Sales-Management-Software-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Best-Sales-Management-Software-600x300.jpg 600w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Best-Sales-Management-Software-1110x555.jpg 1110w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Best-Sales-Management-Software-768x384.jpg 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Best-Sales-Management-Software-1536x768.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Best-Sales-Management-Software-2048x1024.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Best-Sales-Management-Software-18x9.jpg 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-background\" style=\"background-color:#e5f6fe\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p><strong>WHY TRUST US?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The apps we talk about are selected, tested, and written about by human reviewers who follow strict review and editorial guidelines. We pick solutions that are practical, purposeful, and can offer real value for the specific use case or business context we\u2019re covering \u2014 while also being justified in their pricing. Our methodology is transparent, clear, and available to everyone:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/cake.com\/our-software-review-methodology\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Learn more about our review methodology here \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"criteria-for-choosing-sales-management-software\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Criteria for choosing sales management software<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>First of all, I knew I had to simulate sales processes well, so I crafted mock workflows and looked for respectable platforms I could test the way a real user would.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I specifically picked those that offer <strong>either a free version or a free trial<\/strong> \u2014 note that it\u2019s always a good idea to explore features before committing to a paid plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Along the way, I primarily considered these aspects:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Ease of use <\/strong>\u2014 Is the tool intuitive for new users and how visually appealing is the layout?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Scalability<\/strong> \u2014 Will the tool still work if your team grows?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Customization<\/strong> \u2014 Can you tailor fields and pipelines to meet unique sales needs?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Automation<\/strong> \u2014 How well can the tool simplify repetitive work?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>It wasn\u2019t just about ticking boxes, though \u2014 I tried to get a feel for how these apps <em>actually<\/em> work in real-life sales situations. So, let\u2019s dive into the reviews.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"top-10-best-sales-management-software\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Top 10 best sales management software<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s a quick glance at all the tools I tested and reviewed. My detailed impressions, including pros and cons, are in the following sections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table aligncenter\"><table><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Tool<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Best for<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Free trial<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Free plan<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Lowest price<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Plaky by CAKE.com<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Small sales teams<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">\u2714<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">\u2714<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$3.99\/seat\/month<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Pipedrive<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Beginner sales teams<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">\u2714<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">\u274c<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$14\/seat\/month<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Zoho CRM<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">B2B sales cycles<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">\u2714<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">\u2714<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$14\/user\/month<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">HubSpot Sales Hub<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Aligning sales and marketing teams<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">\u2714<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">\u2714<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$9\/seat\/month<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Salesforce<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Large enterprises<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">\u2714<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">\u274c<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$25\/user\/month<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">monday CRM<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Automating sales tasks<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">\u2714<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">\u274c<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$12\/seat\/month<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Freshsales<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Service-based businesses<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">\u2714<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">\u2714<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$9\/user\/month<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Copper<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Google-centric teams<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">\u2714<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">\u274c<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$9\/seat\/month<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Bitrix24<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">E-commerce operations<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">\u2714<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">\u2714<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$30\/user\/month<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Act! CRM<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Offline environments<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">\u2714<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">\u274c<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$49\/organization\/month<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"1-plaky-by-cake-com-best-for-small-sales-teams\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">#1 <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Plaky<\/a> by <a href=\"https:\/\/cake.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CAKE.com<\/a> \u2014 best for small sales teams<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Plaky is a simple yet powerful tool that simplifies planning and monitoring sales operations, as well as team communication and collaboration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"why-choose-plaky\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why choose Plaky?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Plaky is a <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/sales\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">sales management platform<\/a> that blends customization, clean design, and affordability to offer a reliable user experience, which is essential for small teams with streamlined, personalized processes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Pros<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Cons<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">&#8211; Flexibility without overwhelm<br>&#8211; Great free plan + affordable paid tiers<br>&#8211; Polished UI<br>&#8211; Free sales and CRM templates<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">&#8211; Dashboards yet to come<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>My team uses Plaky every day, so I\u2019m well aware of how it can transform to track and optimize virtually any business aspect \u2014 and <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/sales-project-management\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">sales project management<\/a> is no exception.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"custom-btn\"><a href=\"https:\/\/app.plaky.com\/signup\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Simplify sales with Plaky by CAKE.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s start with some general features that make Plaky indispensable for any sales team:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Neat design and hierarchy<\/strong> \u2014 Organize your projects\/tasks into spaces, boards, and items with clear menus and layouts. Switch between different board views (table, <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/kanban-tool\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Kanban<\/a>, or <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/features\/gantt-chart\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Gantt chart<\/a>) based on your preference.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Flexible boards for sales pipelines and accounts <\/strong>\u2014 Specify sales stages, budgets, account owners, and more by using <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/features\/fields\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">custom fields<\/a> for your unique approach.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sales and CRM templates<\/strong> \u2014 If building boards from scratch seems like a hassle, visit Plaky\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/templates\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">template center<\/a> and choose one of the pre-built boards (e.g., <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/templates\/contacts\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">contact list template<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/templates\/deals\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">deals template<\/a>) to guarantee standardized workflows. You can also use one of our <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/learn\/work-tools-and-templates\/sales-plan-templates\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">7 sales plan templates<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Task tracking<\/strong> \u2014 Assign and track tasks related to specific clients\/deals so that everyone, both new hires and existing team members, knows their responsibilities, due dates, and more.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Centralized information <\/strong>\u2014 Keep all contacts, <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/features\/files\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">files<\/a>, links, etc. in one place to avoid messy spreadsheets and scattered tools.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Board automations<\/strong> \u2014 Set up rules to automatically update deal stages, assign leads to reps, and trigger other necessary actions, boosting consistency and precision.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"751\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Plakys-polished-design-ensures-clarity-and-inspired-UX.png\" alt=\"Deals project board shown in Plaky sales project management software\" class=\"wp-image-13180\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Plakys-polished-design-ensures-clarity-and-inspired-UX.png 1200w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Plakys-polished-design-ensures-clarity-and-inspired-UX-479x300.png 479w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Plakys-polished-design-ensures-clarity-and-inspired-UX-1110x695.png 1110w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Plakys-polished-design-ensures-clarity-and-inspired-UX-768x481.png 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Plakys-polished-design-ensures-clarity-and-inspired-UX-18x12.png 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Plaky&#8217;s polished design ensures clarity and inspired UX<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Of course, teams of all sizes use Plaky effectively, but here\u2019s why I think it could be especially useful for <strong>small sales teams<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Affordability <\/strong>\u2014 Plaky has an excellent free plan, plus its highest pricing tier is cheaper than what most other platforms on this list have to offer.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Scalability<\/strong> \u2014 Plaky can grow with you without forcing a disruptive switch later on should your team expand.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Strong collaboration features<\/strong> \u2014 You can add <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/features\/comments\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">comments<\/a> and @mention colleagues to avoid scattered emails and quickly share updates\/feedback.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Good mobile app<\/strong> \u2014 Apart from browser use, you can enjoy Plaky via a <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">mobile app<\/a>, which is ideal for small sales teams working with high mobility and overlapping roles.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The only thing that would make Plaky even better is dashboards, but that\u2019s on the <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/roadmap\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Plaky roadmap<\/a>, so stay tuned!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group pro-tip\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p><strong>\ud83d\udca1 Plaky Pro Tip<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Our platform is also useful for streamlining customer and client onboarding processes \u2014 try one of Plaky\u2019s onboarding templates:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/templates\/pre-onboarding-customers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Pre-onboarding customers template<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/templates\/new-client\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Template for onboarding new clients<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"whats-new-in-plaky\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What\u2019s new in Plaky?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Besides the new board automations, Plaky has been working on fixing minor bugs and streamlining security measures (like removing permanent OTP lockouts while introducing temporary blocks and usage limits). Check out all the updates in <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/help\/whats-new\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Plaky\u2019s changelog<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Available for: <\/strong>web, iOS, Android<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Plan<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/pricing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Price<\/strong><\/a><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Free<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$0<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Pro<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$3.99\/seat\/month*<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Enterprise<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$8.99\/seat\/month*<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>*billed annually<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"container plaky-gradient-default pt-5 ps-lg-5 z-0 mb-5 pb-lg-4 pr-0\" >\n    <div class=\"d-flex flex-column flex-lg-row align-items-center justify-content-center justify-content-lg-between gap-1 gap-lg-5\">\n        <div class=\"banner-text text-center text-lg-start text-white\">\n            <span class=\"translation-block lh-1 fs-16 text-white\">\n                Free sales management software            <\/span>\n            <p class=\"translation-block mw-300 fs-12 mb-2\">Want smooth sales management and seamless worfklows? Try Plaky by CAKE.com now!<\/p>\n            <div class=\"cta-btns pt-4 d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center justify-content-lg-start gap-4 mb-4 mb-lg-0\">\n                <a aria-label=\"Sign up\" href=\"https:\/\/app.plaky.com\/signup\" class=\"btn rounded py-1 px-2 fs-12 btn-light\">\n                    Sign up                <\/a>\n                                <a aria-label=\"Learn more\" class=\"text-white px-2 fs-12\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/sales\">\n                    Learn more                <\/a>\n                            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <picture>\n            <source srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/default@2x.png 2x\" alt=\"Plaky logo\" media=\"(min-width: 998px)\" \/>\n            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"max-w-350 img-fluid px-lg-0\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/default.png\" alt=\"Plaky screenshot\" \/>\n        <\/picture>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n    \n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"2-pipedrive-best-for-beginner-sales-teams\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">#2 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pipedrive.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Pipedrive<\/a> \u2014 best for beginner sales teams<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Pipedrive is sales-focused CRM software designed to help users organize leads, manage pipelines, and close deals faster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"why-choose-pipedrive\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why choose Pipedrive?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This tool is favored by startups and beginner teams due to its ease of use and simple visual interface. However, the simplicity doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s lacking in functionality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Pros<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Cons<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">&#8211; User-friendly<br>&#8211; 500+ integrations<br>&#8211; Activity-based selling<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">&#8211; No free plan<br>&#8211; Not practical for complex workflows<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Even as someone who isn\u2019t a sales management expert, I found Pipedrive\u2019s interface neat and straightforward. Here\u2019s what makes this app so effective:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Visual sales pipeline<\/strong> \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/learn\/project-management\/kanban-project-management\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Kanban<\/a>-style, drag-and-drop pipelines let you track deals through customizable stages and see where everything stands at a glance.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Over 500 integrations<\/strong> \u2014 Numerous integrations (for communication, payments, project management, etc.) mean additional flexibility and savings.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Automation features<\/strong> \u2014 You save time by automating repetitive tasks, like assigning leads, triggering follow-up emails, and creating new tasks when deals move stages.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>I was just disappointed to learn that these automations aren\u2019t included in the lowest tier, and even in the next plan they come with a limit (30 automations per seat).<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"613\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Pipedrives-simple-interface.png\" alt=\"Pipedrive's interface\" class=\"wp-image-13181\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Pipedrives-simple-interface.png 1200w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Pipedrives-simple-interface-587x300.png 587w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Pipedrives-simple-interface-1110x567.png 1110w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Pipedrives-simple-interface-768x392.png 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Pipedrives-simple-interface-18x9.png 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Pipedrive\u2019s simple interface<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>As for why I consider Pipedrive a reasonable choice for <strong>beginner sales teams<\/strong>, here\u2019s what stands out:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Quick and easy setup<\/strong> \u2014 You don\u2019t need a tech background or a consulting team to get started. Customize the platform without code and start using it right away.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Polished UI <\/strong>\u2014 There are no complex menus, hidden features, or unnecessary jargon, which means no overwhelm.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Insights feature <\/strong>\u2014 There are 3 sections to make data analysis easier \u2014 reports, dashboards, and goals \u2014 letting you conclude what works well and what needs improvement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Activities<\/strong> \u2014 Pipedrive encourages you to focus on actions through the activities feature, reminding you of any scheduled action toward the closing of a deal (meetings, emails, phone calls, and so on).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>While there\u2019s no free plan, Pipedrive is still more affordable than some options on this list. However, it has limited advanced features and basic reporting compared to those other options, so I\u2019d say Pipedrive isn\u2019t ideal for large enterprises or complex workflows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"whats-new-in-pipedrive\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What\u2019s new in Pipedrive?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Some of the latest Pipedrive updates include calendar and email sync improvements, a dark theme in the web version, and the Team Inbox feature graduating from beta to roll out on the Power and Enterprise plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Available for: <\/strong>web, iOS, Android<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Plan<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Price<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Essential<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$14\/seat\/month*<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Advanced<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$39\/seat\/month*<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Professional<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$49\/seat\/month*<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Power<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$64\/seat\/month*<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Enterprise<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$99\/seat\/month*<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>*billed annually<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"3-zoho-crm-best-for-b2b-sales-cycles\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">#3 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zoho.com\/crm\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Zoho CRM<\/a> \u2014 best for B2B sales cycles<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Zoho CRM is a tool built to facilitate and monitor all sales operations. It\u2019s part of the broader Zoho system, a suite of 40+ business applications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"why-choose-zoho-crm\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why choose Zoho CRM?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This software caters to a wide range of industries and team sizes. It\u2019s highly useful in B2B environments, particularly those with longer, multi-touch sales processes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Pros<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Cons<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">&#8211; Solid automations<br>&#8211; Affordable<br>&#8211; Dynamic reports and dashboards<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">&#8211; Uninspired design<br>&#8211; Free plan allows only 3 users<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>After testing all Zoho CRM features, I can highlight several benefits, especially for teams with longer sales cycles:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Customizable sales pipelines<\/strong> \u2014 Customize stages, rules, and scoring for each pipeline for a greater level of control.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Effective contact and lead management<\/strong> \u2014 Store contact details and interactions in one place and automate lead capture from emails, social media, and web forms for neat organization.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>AI-powered sales predictions <\/strong>\u2014 Use the built-in AI (Zia) if you can afford Zoho\u2019s higher tiers to forecast customer behavior and spot anomalies in sales trends.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Tight integration with the Zoho ecosystem<\/strong> \u2014 Use other Zoho apps (Zoho Books for accounting, Zoho Campaigns for email marketing, Zoho Meeting for online meetings, etc.) to ensure all your processes work seamlessly together.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Note that the bundled Zoho One package is more cost-effective than getting multiple Zoho apps separately since costs can stack up fast that way. On the other hand, you might not need the whole package, so it can be a tricky decision.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"604\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Leads-overview-in-Zoho-CRM.png\" alt=\"Leads overview in Zoho CRM software\" class=\"wp-image-13182\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Leads-overview-in-Zoho-CRM.png 1200w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Leads-overview-in-Zoho-CRM-596x300.png 596w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Leads-overview-in-Zoho-CRM-1110x559.png 1110w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Leads-overview-in-Zoho-CRM-768x387.png 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Leads-overview-in-Zoho-CRM-18x9.png 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Leads overview in Zoho CRM<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Another thing I learned through my experience with Zoho CRM is that it can shine in<strong> B2B environments<\/strong> thanks to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Account-based sales structure<\/strong> \u2014 Contacts are tied to accounts (companies), and deals can be tracked at either the contact or account level, which is useful when you&#8217;re selling to teams, not individuals.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Workflow rules <\/strong>\u2014 You can automate tasks and nudges to make routine tasks easier and avoid human error. This takes some time to set up but can be very practical and rewarding.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Reports and dashboards<\/strong> \u2014 Zoho CRM offers a notable range of report types and pre-built reports. Dashboards also let you sum up reports into a single page for quick insights. All of this is great for B2B teams in need of regular check-ins.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>As for Zoho CRM\u2019s design, I found it fairly intuitive, but it does feel dull and outdated. It\u2019s full of small fonts and dense data layouts, which can cause visual fatigue and even hurt productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another minus is that the free plan allows only 3 users, which kills teamwork for small organizations on a budget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"whats-new-in-zoho-crm\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What\u2019s new in Zoho CRM?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>There are new team modules in the mobile version and a new integration with the messaging app LINE. Also, Zoho CRM now supports rich text fields in the Standard and Professional plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Available for: <\/strong>web, iOS, Android<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Plan<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Price<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Free<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$0 (up to 3 users)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Standard<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$14\/user\/month*<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Professional<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$23\/user\/month*<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Enterprise<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$40\/user\/month*<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Ultimate<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$52\/user\/month*<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>*billed annually<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"container plaky-gradient-features pt-5 ps-lg-5 z-0 mb-5 pb-lg-4 \" >\n    <div class=\"d-flex flex-column flex-lg-row align-items-center justify-content-center justify-content-lg-between gap-1 gap-lg-5\">\n        <div class=\"banner-text text-center text-lg-start text-white\">\n            <span class=\"translation-block lh-1 fs-16 text-white\">\n                Top-notch CRM tool            <\/span>\n            <p class=\"translation-block mw-300 fs-12 mb-2\">Enjoy smooth CRM with unlimited projects and users. Try Plaky by CAKE.com now!<\/p>\n            <div class=\"cta-btns pt-4 d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center justify-content-lg-start gap-4 mb-4 mb-lg-0\">\n                <a aria-label=\"Sign up\" href=\"https:\/\/app.plaky.com\/signup\" class=\"btn rounded py-1 px-2 fs-12 btn-light\">\n                    Sign up                <\/a>\n                                <a aria-label=\"Learn more\" class=\"text-white px-2 fs-12\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/crm\">\n                    Learn more                <\/a>\n                            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <picture>\n            <source srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/features@2x.png 2x\" alt=\"Plaky logo\" media=\"(min-width: 998px)\" \/>\n            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"max-w-350 img-fluid \" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/features.png\" alt=\"Plaky screenshot\" \/>\n        <\/picture>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n    \n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"4-hubspot-sales-hub-best-for-aligning-sales-and-marketing-teams\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">#4 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hubspot.com\/products\/sales\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">HubSpot Sales Hub<\/a> \u2014 best for aligning sales and marketing teams<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>HubSpot Sales Hub is a sales-focused tool within the HubSpot ecosystem that helps teams manage prospects, close deals, and automate repetitive tasks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"why-choose-hubspot-sales-hub\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why choose HubSpot Sales Hub?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This platform balances ease of use with automation quite well, which is especially appealing to teams that care about clean data and tight collaboration between departments, like sales and marketing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Pros<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Cons<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">&#8211; All-in-one sales solution<br>&#8211; Intuitive design<br>&#8211; Versatile branded content<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">&#8211; Expensive pricing tiers<br>&#8211; Not worth it unless used as an all-in-one solution<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>HubSpot offers a visually balanced look. The menu on the far left is neat and logical, presenting all the hubs, some of which are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>CRM <\/strong>\u2014 Manage contacts, leads, and tickets in one place in incredible detail.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Marketing<\/strong> \u2014 Create and track campaigns, ads, events, marketing emails, etc. (manually or via templates), as well as different <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/kpi-project-management\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">project KPIs<\/a> for precise business insights.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Content<\/strong> \u2014 Create web pages, blog posts, podcasts, and more directly on the platform, with the ability to manage and update content with ease.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Commerce<\/strong> \u2014 Use different features and integrations to manage payments in HubSpot for full accuracy and transparency.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sales<\/strong> \u2014 Monitor all your tasks, actions, leads, and deals, and use the forecasting tool to ensure you\u2019re on the right track toward your goals.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Unfortunately, I\u2019d say the Sales Hub is the most limited in the free plan compared to all these other hubs. For full access and functionality, you\u2019d need the Professional tier, which comes at a steep $90\/seat per month.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"604\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Selection-of-email-templates-in-HubSpot.png\" alt=\"Email templates in HubSpot sales project management software\" class=\"wp-image-13183\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Selection-of-email-templates-in-HubSpot.png 1200w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Selection-of-email-templates-in-HubSpot-596x300.png 596w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Selection-of-email-templates-in-HubSpot-1110x559.png 1110w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Selection-of-email-templates-in-HubSpot-768x387.png 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Selection-of-email-templates-in-HubSpot-18x9.png 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Selection of email templates in HubSpot<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Back to the positives: HubSpot is good at<strong> aligning sales and marketing<\/strong>, letting the departments work from the exact same database and share dashboards. This means better collaboration and clarity since:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>There are no syncing issues between separate tools.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Both sales and marketing use branded content (consistent and effective).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Everyone can track the full life cycle, from lead to closed deal.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Both teams can track where leads come from, what content drives conversion, which campaigns bring the most revenue, etc.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>One final remark: although I usually like all-in-one solutions, I understand this isn\u2019t the best fit for organizations that require specialized tools. You might have unique needs that the HubSpot suite can\u2019t fully support, making many of its sections redundant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"whats-new-in-hubspot-sales-hub\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What\u2019s new in HubSpot Sales Hub?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>There have been various improvements and fixes in HubSpot lately. Additionally, the Google Calendar integration now lets HubSpot users log meeting outcomes, prep for events, and follow up within the calendar (Pro+ users only).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There have also been minor enhancements to revenue reporting and HubSpot\u2019s AI tool Breeze.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Available for: <\/strong>web, iOS, Android<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Plan<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Price<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Free<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$0 (up to 2 users)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Starter<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$9\/seat\/month*<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Professional<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$90\/seat\/month*<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Enterprise<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$150\/seat\/month*<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>*billed annually<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"5-salesforce-best-for-large-sales-enterprises\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">#5 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/crm\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Salesforce<\/a> \u2014 best for large sales enterprises<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Salesforce is a cloud-based CRM platform that helps businesses manage sales, marketing, customer service, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"why-choose-salesforce\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why choose Salesforce?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Established in 1999, Salesforce is one of the most popular tools in the field, especially among large companies, thanks to its robust features and cross-team workflows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Pros<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Cons<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">&#8211; Comprehensive tool<br>&#8211; Deep customization<br>&#8211; Advanced reporting and dashboards<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">&#8211; Learning curve<br>&#8211; Expensive tiers and no free plan<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The first thing I noticed when exploring Salesforce was its comprehensive approach. This tool provides:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Detailed lead and opportunity management<\/strong> \u2014 Organize work by capturing leads (through email campaigns, web forms, or manually), converting them into opportunities, and tracking progress.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sales pipeline transparency <\/strong>\u2014 Visualize deals at every stage, forecast revenue, and spot potential roadblocks for better precision.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Handy automations <\/strong>\u2014 Set triggers to automatically assign leads, send task reminders, schedule emails, etc. \u2014 and save time.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>High flexibility<\/strong> \u2014 Add custom fields, design sales stages, and create new modules to tailor the platform to your needs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Admittedly, new users may find the interface overwhelming at first because of the multiple navigation menus and terminology, but it gets easier with practice.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"604\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Adding-a-new-contact-in-Salesforce.png\" alt=\"Adding a new contact in Salesforce sales project management software\" class=\"wp-image-13184\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Adding-a-new-contact-in-Salesforce.png 1200w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Adding-a-new-contact-in-Salesforce-596x300.png 596w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Adding-a-new-contact-in-Salesforce-1110x559.png 1110w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Adding-a-new-contact-in-Salesforce-768x387.png 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Adding-a-new-contact-in-Salesforce-18x9.png 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Adding a new contact in Salesforce<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>As for why I see Salesforce as a solid fit for <strong>large sales enterprises<\/strong>, consider the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Scalability<\/strong> \u2014 This tool handles scaling with ease since its infrastructure can support multiple teams and millions of customer records.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Global collaboration capabilities<\/strong> \u2014 Along with collaborating in real time, Salesforce lets users route leads based on geography\/time zones and use translation and localization tools.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Advanced reporting and dashboards<\/strong> \u2014 You can visualize and analyze data according to your needs thanks to hierarchical reporting and multi-layer dashboards.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Enterprise-level onboarding and support <\/strong>\u2014 Salesforce offers 24\/7 support and personalized training programs to large clients.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Given all this, I\u2019d say Salesforce is too complex for small teams. Plus, there\u2019s no free plan, and monthly user licenses are quite pricey, which is a problem for developing or budget-conscious teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>My final complaint: I wasn\u2019t a fan of Salesforce\u2019s approach to new users, in this case me. While I appreciate proactive support, being contacted via emails and phone calls without requesting help felt slightly intrusive.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"whats-new-in-salesforce\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What\u2019s new in Salesforce?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Salesforce has recently enhanced its AI agents, with Agentforce Sales Coach offering deal-specific feedback to reps regarding their messaging and customer communication. Also, the forecasting tools have been revamped to be more accurate and flexible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Available for: <\/strong>web, iOS, Android<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Plan<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Price<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Starter Suite<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$25\/user\/month*<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Pro Suite<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$100\/user\/month*<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Enterprise<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$165\/user\/month*<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Unlimited<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$330\/user\/month*<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Einstein 1 Sales<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$500\/user\/month*<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>*billed annually<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"6-freshsales-best-for-service-based-businesses\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">#6 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.freshworks.com\/crm\/sales\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Freshsales<\/a> \u2014 best for service-based businesses<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Freshsales is a cloud-based CRM tool developed by Freshworks to manage sales workflows and give sales teams a better insight into customer relationships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"why-choose-freshsales\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why choose Freshsales?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Freshsales caters to service businesses by providing features for relationship building and personalized follow-ups, not just high-volume sales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Pros<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Cons<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">&#8211; Built-in email, chat, and phone<br>&#8211; Sales forecasting<br>&#8211; Solid automations<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">&#8211; Best features locked behind a paywall<br>&#8211; Difficulty in report customization<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>I found Freshsales simple enough to use without training, primarily for these segments:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Contact and deal management<\/strong> \u2014 All information about customers\/leads is in one place, which is handy when multiple team members are involved.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Visual sales pipelines<\/strong> \u2014Drag-and-drop pipelines are customizable to fit your unique sales process.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Workflow automation <\/strong>\u2014 Even non-technical users can quickly learn to define triggers, conditions, and actions to create tasks, send text messages or emails, update records, and more.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sales forecasting<\/strong> \u2014 This tool helps you predict future sales to improve strategies, target setting, and <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/resource-allocation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">resource allocation<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>I must note that while Freshsales offers robust analytics, I found report customization quite complex and difficult to navigate.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"622\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Freshsales-interface.png\" alt=\"Freshsales' interface\" class=\"wp-image-13185\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Freshsales-interface.png 1200w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Freshsales-interface-579x300.png 579w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Freshsales-interface-1110x575.png 1110w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Freshsales-interface-768x398.png 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Freshsales-interface-18x9.png 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Freshsales&#8217; interface<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>As for what made me think Freshsales is a decent option for <strong>service-based businesses<\/strong>, I\u2019d highlight the following features:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Built-in customer communication<\/strong> \u2014 You can send\/receive emails and make calls directly from the platform, which is handy for agents and consultants.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Lead scoring based on engagement<\/strong> \u2014 The scoring system assigns numbers to leads based on website visits, email opens, or call activity, helping you prioritize leads.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Integration with Freshdesk<\/strong> \u2014 You can also use Freshdesk (another Freshworks product) for customer support and tie support tickets to CRM contacts. This allows for high-quality service even after the sale.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s important to underline that some of the most helpful features aren\u2019t available in the free plan (such as custom fields and built-in chat, email, and phone) or the Growth plan (e.g., advanced workflows, custom reports).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>AI features are also locked behind higher tiers, so basic plan users will miss out on deal insights and predictive scoring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>My final remark is that the UI could be more inspiring, but it\u2019s certainly functional and neat enough as is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"whats-new-in-freshsales\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What\u2019s new in Freshsales?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Freshsales\u2019 Freddy AI now automatically offers concise summaries of your accounts and contacts. In addition, the Freshsales-LinkedIn Sales Navigator integration was introduced earlier, allowing for embedded LinkedIn insights and the inclusion of LinkedIn steps in your CRM-built sales sequences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Available for: <\/strong>web, iOS, Android<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Plan<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Price<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Free<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$0 (up to 3 users)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Growth<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$9\/user\/month*<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Pro<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$39\/seat\/month*<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Enterprise<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$59\/seat\/month*<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>*billed annually<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"7-monday-crm-best-for-automating-sales-tasks\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">#7 <a href=\"https:\/\/monday.com\/crm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">monday CRM<\/a> \u2014 best for automating sales tasks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As a product built on top of monday.com\u2019s Work OS, monday CRM is tailored for <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/lead-tracking\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">tracking leads<\/a>, managing pipelines, and tackling post-sales processes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"why-choose-monday-crm\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why choose monday CRM?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This platform has notable customization capabilities, drag-and-drop widgets, and automations, which is practical for teams that want maximum control over how their sales system works.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Pros<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Cons<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">&#8211; High flexibility<br>&#8211; Versatile board views<br>&#8211; Strong automation builder<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">&#8211; Overwhelming for beginners<br>&#8211; Impractical pricing structure and no free plan<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>These are the monday CRM features that caught my eye:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Custom fields<\/strong> \u2014 Match your sales needs by choosing which columns you need to describe contacts, deals, leads, and activities.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Multiple boards views<\/strong> \u2014 Switch between different views (table, Kanban, calendar, hierarchy, timeline, and more) to visualize data in a way that\u2019s intuitive to you.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Built-in communication and collaboration<\/strong> \u2014 Add comments, assign tasks, and share documents on the platform for smooth teamwork.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Integrations<\/strong> \u2014 Connect monday CRM with tools for marketing, finance and invoicing, email and calendar, etc. to centralize data further and avoid having to copy\/paste information between tools.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>While some users like this level of flexibility, others may find it overwhelming at first and prefer structured fields and classic contact\/lead\/account modules like those in Salesforce.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"615\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Contacts-in-monday-CRM.png\" alt=\"Contacts in monday CRM sales project management software\" class=\"wp-image-13186\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Contacts-in-monday-CRM.png 1200w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Contacts-in-monday-CRM-585x300.png 585w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Contacts-in-monday-CRM-1110x569.png 1110w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Contacts-in-monday-CRM-768x394.png 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Contacts-in-monday-CRM-18x9.png 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Contacts in monday CRM<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Another standout feature is <strong>automation<\/strong>, enabling you to save time and minimize errors. Without coding or special training, you can:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Use the drag-and-drop automation generator<\/strong> \u2014 Select triggers, conditions, and resulting actions to automatically create tasks, archive them after completion, activate follow-ups after ticket resolution, etc.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Automate repetitive work<\/strong> \u2014 Simplify routine tasks by automatically scheduling calls, sending emails, updating deal stages, and so on.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Build automations for unique workflows<\/strong> \u2014&nbsp; Run multiple lead-gen channels by assigning different workflows to each source.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If I had to point out some downsides, I\u2019d say the mobile experience is okay but not as polished as in HubSpot or Plaky, for instance. The monday CRM Android app lagged a few times for me when loading larger boards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also, the pricing structure is impractical \u2014 you pay for fixed seat bundles (3, 5, 10, 15, 20, etc.) even if your team has fewer people. For example, if there are 6 users, you\u2019re forced to pay for 10, wasting money on seats you don\u2019t use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"whats-new-in-monday-crm\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What\u2019s new in monday CRM?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Several recent monday CRM updates have to do with AI (e.g., you can now get AI-made summaries of the last 15 activities in one concise overview). Also, the platform has upgraded its email sequences with new triggers and additional sequence automations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Available for: <\/strong>web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Plan<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Price<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Basic<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$12\/seat\/month*<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Standard<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$17\/seat\/month*<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Pro<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$28\/seat\/month*<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Enterprise<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">POA<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>*billed annually<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"container plaky-gradient-landing-1 pt-5 ps-lg-5 z-0 mb-5  \" >\n    <div class=\"d-flex flex-column flex-lg-row align-items-center justify-content-center justify-content-lg-between gap-1 gap-lg-5\">\n        <div class=\"banner-text text-center text-lg-start text-white\">\n            <span class=\"translation-block lh-1 fs-16 text-white\">\n                Free monday.com alternative            <\/span>\n            <p class=\"translation-block mw-300 fs-12 mb-2\">Get a versatile tool that lets you manage deals, tasks, budgets, and more in a single place. Try Plaky by CAKE.com!<\/p>\n            <div class=\"cta-btns pt-4 d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center justify-content-lg-start gap-4 mb-4 mb-lg-0\">\n                <a aria-label=\"Sign up\" href=\"https:\/\/app.plaky.com\/signup\" class=\"btn rounded py-1 px-2 fs-12 btn-light\">\n                    Sign up                <\/a>\n                                <a aria-label=\"Learn more\" class=\"text-white px-2 fs-12\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/compare\/monday-alternative\">\n                    Learn more                <\/a>\n                            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <picture>\n            <source srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/landing-1@2x.png 2x\" alt=\"Plaky logo\" media=\"(min-width: 998px)\" \/>\n            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"max-w-350 img-fluid \" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/cake-blog\/theme\/images\/banners\/landing-1.png\" alt=\"Plaky screenshot\" \/>\n        <\/picture>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n    \n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"8-copper-best-for-google-centric-teams\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">#8 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.copper.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Copper<\/a> \u2014 best for Google-centric teams<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Copper is a platform for managing clients, prospects, and deals, built to work seamlessly with Google Workspace (formerly G Suite).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"why-choose-copper\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why choose Copper?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This tool is made for Google Workspace users who practically live in their inbox because Copper acts like a natural extension of Gmail and can blend into their existing workflow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Pros<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Cons<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">&#8211; Deep integration with Google Workspace<br>&#8211; Clean UI<br>&#8211; Task management tab<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">&#8211; Not useful outside Google<br>&#8211; Limited advanced features and no free plan<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Like many other platforms on this list, Copper has features for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Contact management <\/strong>\u2014 Specify contact details (name, title, address, and more) and companies you work with (name, contact info, interactions, etc.) in one place for better coordination.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Customizable pipelines<\/strong> \u2014 Let Copper meet your needs by building pipelines from scratch or using editable templates \u2014 both options are intuitive.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Automation<\/strong> \u2014 Boost accuracy and save time by automating emails, task creation, and record creation\/updates.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Custom reports<\/strong> \u2014 Get an overview of your key metrics with graphs, charts, and tables.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Another perk is a section for tasks, where you can list your to-dos, prioritize them, and set deadlines. However, <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/what-is-task-management\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">task management<\/a> in Copper isn\u2019t as detailed and practical as in Plaky, for example.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also, Copper\u2019s automations are quite basic \u2014 good for simple status changes or follow-ups, but not so much for multi-step processes or deeply conditional workflows.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"624\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Custom-sales-pipeline-in-Copper.png\" alt=\"Custom sales pipeline in Copper sales project management software\" class=\"wp-image-13187\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Custom-sales-pipeline-in-Copper.png 1200w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Custom-sales-pipeline-in-Copper-577x300.png 577w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Custom-sales-pipeline-in-Copper-1110x577.png 1110w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Custom-sales-pipeline-in-Copper-768x399.png 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Custom-sales-pipeline-in-Copper-18x9.png 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Custom sales pipeline in Copper<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>As mentioned, Copper is practical <strong>for Google Workspace users<\/strong> \u2014 here\u2019s exactly why:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Deep integration<\/strong> \u2014 Unlike CRM tools that simply connect with Google, Copper is designed around it, so everything syncs effortlessly (e.g., events from Google Calendar, files from Drive).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Google-like UX<\/strong> \u2014 To me, Copper feels like Google created it. The layout, menus, fonts, responsiveness \u2014 it\u2019s all very much in line with Google\u2019s ecosystem.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>No need for a separate CRM tab <\/strong>\u2014 You get your CRM sidebar right inside Gmail, letting you handle most of your sales work directly from your inbox (e.g., update contact status, schedule follow-ups, assign tasks \u2014 all without ever leaving Gmail).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Obviously, if you\u2019re not fully on Google, Copper\u2019s biggest advantage quickly fades away. Non-Google email clients would probably feel out of place in Copper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another minus: Copper isn\u2019t cheap, especially if you want advanced features like task automation, custom reports, and unlimited contacts. For small startups or teams on a budget, the cost might feel steep compared to alternatives such as Plaky or Zoho CRM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"whats-new-in-copper\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What\u2019s new in Copper?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Copper has a new look across its email surfaces, ensuring a more polished experience. Another novelty is the AI email rewriter, which can touch up or completely rewrite your emails. The <em>Group By<\/em> button is new as well, letting you sort and filter tasks more easily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Available for: <\/strong>web, iOS, Android<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Plan<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Price<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Starter<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$9\/seat\/month*<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Basic<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$23\/seat\/month*<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Professional<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$59\/seat\/month*<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Business<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$99\/seat\/month*<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>*billed annually<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"9-bitrix24-best-for-e-commerce-operations\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">#9 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bitrix24.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Bitrix24<\/a> \u2014 best for e-commerce operations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Bitrix24 is a business platform that combines CRM, project management, and communication tools. It\u2019s available as a cloud-based platform or self-hosted on your own server.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"why-choose-bitrix24\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why choose Bitrix24?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Bitrix24 is made for e-commerce operations that need an affordable all-in-one platform. It\u2019s a decent choice if you want to connect your team, store, and CRM in a single place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Pros<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Cons<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">&#8211; Multi-channel support<br>&#8211; Storefront integration<br>&#8211; Sales automation<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">&#8211; Cluttered UI<br>&#8211; Slow performance on larger accounts<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Bitrix24 offers several advantages as a sales management tool:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Free tier with full CRM features <\/strong>\u2014 Unlimited contacts, sales pipelines, product catalogs, etc. are available even in the free plan.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Automations<\/strong> \u2014 Setting automation rules and triggers can optimize workflows (e.g., assigning tasks, updating fields). I didn\u2019t find this feature as intuitive as in, let\u2019s say, Pipedrive, but it\u2019s useful once configured.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Pipeline customization<\/strong> \u2014 You can build pipelines with different stages and rules to cover all your service types, product lines, or regions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Analytics<\/strong> \u2014 Bitrix24 offers reports on conversion rates, leads and deals, sales forecasting, and more to help you make informed decisions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"621\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Overview-of-deals-in-Bitrix24-1.png\" alt=\"Overview of deals in Bitrix24 sales project management software\" class=\"wp-image-13190\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Overview-of-deals-in-Bitrix24-1.png 1200w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Overview-of-deals-in-Bitrix24-1-580x300.png 580w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Overview-of-deals-in-Bitrix24-1-1110x574.png 1110w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Overview-of-deals-in-Bitrix24-1-768x397.png 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Overview-of-deals-in-Bitrix24-1-18x9.png 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Overview of deals in Bitrix24<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Furthermore, I saw how Bitrix24 could be used as a full <strong>e-commerce<\/strong> <strong>tool kit<\/strong>. Anyone running an online store knows how important it is to keep sales, <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/types-of-inventory-management\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">inventory management<\/a>, and order tracking in sync \u2014 here\u2019s how Bitrix24 can help with that:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Multi-channel sales support <\/strong>\u2014 This platform supports communication via email, chat, phone, and social media, which could be crucial for effective customer communication.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Product catalog support <\/strong>\u2014 The inventory tab offers a product catalog, letting you store info about available stock, prices, and images \u2014 perfect for managing an online shop\u2019s backend.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Online store builder<\/strong> \u2014 Bitrix24\u2019s drag-and-drop store builder helps you design and launch your online store, and when someone places an order, it\u2019ll show up automatically on the platform.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Order tracking and payment integration<\/strong> \u2014 You can define order statuses (e.g., pending, shipped, delivered) and integrate with payment systems (like Stripe or PayPal) to collect payments and settle invoices easily.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Evidently, Bitrix24 has quite a few useful features, but I feel like it\u2019s trying to be everything \u2014 CRM, HR, task manager, store builder \u2014 resulting in complex UI and slower onboarding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, ironically, Bitrix24\u2019s main strength (its all-in-one nature) can also be its weakness, especially for small teams that want a lean and fast sales management tool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What\u2019s more, the platform can become laggy when processing a lot of data, especially when using the cloud version.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"whats-new-in-bitrix24\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What\u2019s new in Bitrix24?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Bitrix24 recently introduced Martha, an AI assistant that helps you set up your CRM, customize it, and even detect opportunities for repeat sales. This virtual assistant offers help in several languages (English, Spanish, German, and more).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Available for: <\/strong>web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Plan<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Price<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Free<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$0<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Basic<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$49\/organization\/month* (5 users)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Standard<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$99\/organization\/month* (50 users)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Professional<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$199\/organization\/month* (100 users)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Enterprise<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$399\/organization\/month* (250 users; for larger organizations, check the website)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>*billed annually<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"10-act-crm-best-for-offline-environments\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">#10 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.act.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Act! CRM<\/a> \u2014 best for offline environments<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Act! CRM is one of the oldest names in the industry and has evolved into a tool that blends contact and opportunity management with marketing automation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"why-choose-act-crm\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why choose Act! CRM?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Unlike many modern CRM solutions, Act! gives you the option to run everything locally on your own server or machine. This makes it valuable in environments where internet access is inconsistent or limited.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Pros<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Cons<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">&#8211; Full local functionality<br>&#8211; Rich contact management<br>&#8211; Offline access to contact and deal history<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">&#8211; No free plan<br>&#8211; Outdated and clunky design<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Having thoroughly explored this platform, I can confirm it provides:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Robust contact and opportunity management <\/strong>\u2014 You can store just about anything related to your contacts and opportunities (history, documents, call notes, etc.)&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Solid reporting<\/strong> \u2014 There are 5 types of reports, which you can export to Excel, Word, or PDF for easy sharing.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Integrated marketing tools<\/strong> \u2014 Act! offers built-in marketing tools, such as landing pages and email campaigns \u2014 perhaps not on par with standalone marketing software but convenient for small teams in need of an all-in-one solution.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>While I like how Act! feels like classic software, its UI feels stuck in time. It\u2019s functional but not as intuitive or sleek compared to other apps on this list.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"555\" src=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Act-CRMs-interface.png\" alt=\"Act! CRM's interface\" class=\"wp-image-13189\" srcset=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Act-CRMs-interface.png 1200w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Act-CRMs-interface-649x300.png 649w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Act-CRMs-interface-1110x513.png 1110w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Act-CRMs-interface-768x355.png 768w, https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Act-CRMs-interface-18x8.png 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Act! CRM&#8217;s interface<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>That said, here is why Act! stood out to me as a decent tool for sales teams operating in <strong>offline or low-connectivity environments<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Functional desktop version<\/strong> \u2014 Act! lets you work locally on your desktop even without an internet connection and syncs changes later when you\u2019re back online. The only bad news is that there\u2019s a native desktop app for Windows only (Mac and Linux users can still use the cloud version).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Local server deployment <\/strong>\u2014 You can install this software directly on your company computers, which, once again, allows you to work offline. Plus, data stays in-house, meaning extra security.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Offline access to contact and deal history<\/strong> \u2014 Unlike tools whose screens become unresponsive without the internet, Act! still lets you access tasks, sales pipelines, and documents.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Knowing all this, I was surprised when the Act! home tab in my browser kept lagging since my database was small. To be frank, having to refresh the page several times was frustrating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, all in all, Act! CRM can be a smart choice for some teams, but it\u2019s not the prettiest or the fastest tool on the market. Plus, it isn\u2019t the cheapest either, and there\u2019s no free plan for budget-minded users.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"whats-new-in-act-crm\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What\u2019s new in Act! CRM?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Act! CRM has introduced an integration that brings its functionalities directly to your Outlook interface. It means users can automatically record email exchanges, add\/edit contacts, and create new activities (meetings or tasks) directly from Outlook.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Available for: <\/strong>web, Windows, iOS, Android<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Plan<\/strong><\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Price<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Act! Advantage Standard (Cloud)<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$30\/user\/month*<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Act! Advantage Professional (Cloud)<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$45\/user\/month*<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Act! Advantage Ultimate (Cloud)<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$60\/user\/month*<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Act! Premium Desktop<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$39\/user\/month*<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>*billed annually<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"who-uses-sales-management-software-and-why\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Who uses sales management software and why?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A sales management tool is useful to <strong>anyone involved in selling, tracking customer relationships, or managing sales teams<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The goal here is to work smarter, not harder. That\u2019s why sales management software is designed to help you:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Centralize everything for easy yet controlled access,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Focus on high-priority leads,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Automate repetitive activities,&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Forecast sales more accurately, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Maintain customer satisfaction.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>To sum up, whether you work solo or in a team, <strong>sales management software provides structure and clarity<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group pro-tip\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p><strong>\ud83d\udca1 Plaky Pro Tip<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A high level of customer satisfaction means customer retention and long-term success. If you\u2019re still trying to figure out your customer experience philosophy, our collection of famous sayings on the topic may help:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/customer-satisfaction-quotes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">150 Inspiring Customer Satisfaction Quotes to Motivate Your Team<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"make-your-sales-management-a-success-with-plaky\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Make your sales management a success with Plaky<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As you can see from the reviews, a sales management tool can hardly be 100% perfect, but a lot of it actually comes down to what <em>you<\/em> need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And pretty much every sales team needs <strong>reliability, customization, and affordability<\/strong> \u2014 exactly what <a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/sales\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Plaky<\/a> stands for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition to everything mentioned in Plaky\u2019s review, our platform attracts users thanks to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>24\/7 customer support<\/strong> \u2014 Get top-notch customer service, whenever and wherever you need it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Unlimited users and boards <\/strong>\u2014 Add your whole team with no extra fees and build as many boards as you wish.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Real-time updates<\/strong> \u2014 Get instant notifications and stay up-to-date with the latest info.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/plaky.com\/features\/activity-log\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Activity log<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 Access the record of all changes made on the platform for full transparency and monitoring without micromanaging.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>World-class security <\/strong>\u2014 Never worry about your data safety since Plaky follows internationally recognized security standards.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>As a cherry on top, once you win a deal, you can use Plaky to further organize your client onboarding process and all deal-related tasks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Plaky Demo Video\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/aHoyPj77TFg?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Unlimited users, maximum productivity, zero chaos \u2014 get a free Plaky account right now!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"custom-btn\"><a href=\"https:\/\/app.plaky.com\/signup\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Get started with Plaky by CAKE.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Compare the top 10 sales management tools, including Plaky, Pipedrive, Zoho CRM, and more. Explore essential features and how to find your best match!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":13234,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1915","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-comparisons"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1915","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1915"}],"version-history":[{"count":55,"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1915\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17078,"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1915\/revisions\/17078"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13234"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1915"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1915"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/plaky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1915"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}