Our selection of the 15 best CRM software for startups in 2024
Deploying a high-performance customer relationship management solution is an essential step in developing your business.
An indispensable tool for prospecting, acquiring and retaining customers, it is a cornerstone in the success of your marketing and sales teams.
Zoom in on the 15 best CRM software for startups 💻.
What is CRM software?
CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is a customer relationship management tool. Its main objective is to improve the relationship between the customer and the company.
The principle of CRM software is essentially based on the collection and interpretation of data from prospects and the customer database. What's more, CRM helps to streamline internal company processes, and ultimately contributes to increased profitability 💵.
What are the advantages of CRM software for start-ups?
There are many advantages to deploying CRM software within your company. They include
- better customer targeting;
- increased customer satisfaction;
- smoother internal processes;
- significant time savings;
- improved company management;
- improved sales performance.
☝️ But for your company to benefit from all these advantages, you need to opt for a comprehensive CRM software package. This means paying particular attention to the key functionalities offered.
What features do you need in a CRM for start-ups?
To develop its commercial activity and gain in attractiveness, a start-up must be able to rely on high-performance CRM software. In addition to being quick and easy to learn, the tool must offer the functionality needed to ensure effective customer relationship management.
These include
- contact management: centralizing all your contacts in one place makes your teams' work much easier;
- lead management: by tracking your prospects throughout the buying cycle, you greatly increase your chances of converting them into customers;
- sales funnel supervision: the more information you gather about your sales funnel, the better you can target which prospects and customers to entrust to your sales force, which to retarget, etc. ;
- creation of quotes and invoices: unless you already have dedicated software, this feature is a real plus for your sales teams;
- access to personalized dashboards: for an overview of the actions generated by your teams, or more generally of your sales performance;
- automation of time-consuming, repetitive tasks: managing a large portfolio of customers and prospects inevitably entails a high volume of work that should be automated as far as possible;
- integration with your software: always with a view to streamlining the work of your teams, integrating the CRM software with the applications you use on a daily basis is a real plus, saving time and increasing agility;
- access to the helpdesk: as a start-up, you generally don't have a very large IT team, so having the support of responsive technical assistance in the event of software failure is essential.
Comparison table of the 15 best CRMs for start-ups
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 monday CRM |  Agile CRM |  Close CRM |  Copper CRM |  Freshsales |  HubSpot CRM |  Odoo CRM |  Streak CRM |  SugarCRM |  Zoho Bigin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| For companies with 1 to 5000 employees | For all companies | For companies with more than 250 employees | For companies with more than 50 employees | For all companies | For companies with more than 1 employees | For all companies | For all companies | For companies with more than 1 employees | For all companies |
| See software | See software | See software | See software | See software | See software | See software | See software | See software | See software |
| Learn more about monday CRM | Learn more about Agile CRM | Learn more about Close CRM | Learn more about Copper CRM | Learn more about Freshsales | Learn more about HubSpot CRM | Learn more about Odoo CRM | Learn more about Streak CRM | Learn more about SugarCRM | Learn more about Zoho Bigin |
Agile CRM
Agile CRM is a customer relationship management software designed for small and medium-sized businesses. The publisher emphasizes its all-in-one nature (sales, marketing and customer service), its ease of use and the simplicity of deployment as SaaS software. Agile CRM is a scalable offering, with features that can be expanded as your startup grows.
In terms of tools, this CRM for startups offers :
- personalized marketing campaigns (e-mailing, SMS, newsletters, etc.) ;
- numerous functions to improve customer service (feedback, ticket system, etc.);
- integration of numerous software applications (social networks, e-mailing, telephony, billing, etc.);
- access to personalized reports;
- automation of numerous marketing tasks.
Generally speaking, customer feedback has been positive. However, many criticize the complexity of mastering the many functions on offer.
Agile CRM
Close CRM
Close CRM is a software package designed to help business owners grow their business. It has been designed to support the coaching and management of sales and marketing teams. Fast learning curve, KPI exploitation and increased revenues are the promises put forward by the publisher of this CRM for startups.
Key features of Close CRM include :
- automation of marketing tasks (SMS, e-mailing, etc.) ;
- access to integrated, customizable dashboards for informed decision-making;
- assignment of specific objectives and tasks to your team members;
- a wide range of integrated communication tools;
- integration and synchronization with the most useful applications (Zapier, Zoom, ChatGPT, etc.).
In terms of user experience, Close CRM's offering appears to be satisfactory. However, some customers point to a pricing policy that is too high for small structures.
Close CRM
Copper CRM
Aimed at start-ups in need of a simple, fast-to-deploy tool, Copper CRM stands out for its offering organized around Google Workspace. The idea is to make the integration of a customer relationship management solution as simple as possible for small businesses previously limited to Google tools.
Copper CRM's key functionalities include :
- optimized management of your leads and customers (all contacts and actions carried out are centralized for a complete view of the customer relationship history) ;
- automation of repetitive tasks;
- support for the creation of targeted marketing campaigns (e-mailing, follow-ups, etc.);
- access to ready-to-use or customizable reports;
- integration with a wide variety of applications (Mailchimp, LinkedIn, etc.).
However, there is a certain lack of customization.
Copper CRM
Folk
Folk is an all-in-one CRM software for start-ups, distinguished by its ability to handle all types of relationship: prospecting and sales, of course, but also recruitment, partnerships, investment, etc. It's easy to access and use. Extremely easy to access and use, it's the ideal solution for small and medium-sized businesses looking to boost productivity and streamline processes between teams.
Folk's practical and useful features include
- Pipeline creation and interaction tracking in just a few clicks;
- synchronize all your contacts in one place, exported from various sources (LinkedIn, email, etc.);
- mass e-mailing, personalized with AI;
- integration with the most popular applications and a Google Chrome extension;
- access to numerous predefined templates to help you manage your business (sales pipeline, lead follow-up, etc.).
Folk is a complete package, perfectly suited to the needs of start-ups. On the other hand, it seems less suited to complex processes and organizations with more than 100 employees.
Freshsales
Published by Freshworks, Freshsales CRM software for startups is the ideal tool to support you in your sales follow-up. This solution, which specializes in sales tunnel management, relies heavily on AI and process automation to boost sales activity.
In terms of functionalities, Freshsales offers :
- access to a 360° view of all your leads and customers (conversation history, latest activities on your site, etc.) ;
- integration of numerous communication tools (SMS, phone calls, e-mail, etc.);
- easier management of workflow and sales sequences thanks to automation;
- access to personalized, in-depth sales reports and dashboards thanks to AI ;
- access to a comprehensive mobile application, ideal for tracking your sales and managing your teams remotely.
Customer reviews - while very positive - nevertheless agree on the support service's lack of responsiveness.
Freshsales
HubSpot
Simple and effective. That's how you could describe HubSpot and its customer relationship management solution. Designed for small and medium-sized businesses, is positioned as a vector for growth in your sales activity. The functionalities of this CRM for start-ups are designed to support your sales, marketing and customer service teams.
With HubSpot, you benefit from a number of advantages:
- optimized management of your customer database (centralization of contacts, tracking of interactions, etc.) ;
- tracking of KPIs essential to your business development (detailed reports, segmentation by department, etc.);
- sales pipeline management (sales forecasting tool, sales team performance monitoring, etc.);
- creation of targeted, personalized marketing campaigns;
- integration with over 1,250 applications (Gmail, Zapier, Slack, etc.).
While HubSpot's free offer is ideal for getting started in customer relationship management, many users point to high prices for subscribing to the more advanced functionalities required to develop their business.
HubSpot CRM
Monday Sales CRM
Monday Sales CRM is a platform that lets you manage leads, prospects and customers all in one place. The solution stands out for its modularity, allowing you to choose from several major fields of action (contact management, sales pipeline, customer integration, etc.). It's a CRM that can be adapted to both start-ups and large corporations.
Monday Sales CRM offers a comprehensive range of functions:
- optimized management of your e-mailing communications (synchronization with Gmail and Outlook, automated letter writing, etc.) ;
- tracking of your sales performance (sales forecasts, team objectives, etc.);
- centralize all your contacts on a single platform (automatic transfer from Excel, your website's contact form, etc.);
- programming of automated tasks to save precious time;
- integration with numerous applications to streamline your teams' workflows.
On the weak side, the software's invoicing component is not very well developed, and its pricing policy can be dissuasive for smaller structures.
monday CRM
Odoo CRM
Odoo is an open source CRM software. It offers great flexibility in terms of customization. It gives your sales teams the means to attract new leads and turn them into customers. In terms of interface, Odoo stands out for its card-based operation, which enables efficient, easy-to-read organization and segmentation.
The solution's main functionalities include :
- active search for new leads and prospects (lead nurturing, predictive lead scoring, etc.) ;
- opportunity and customer management (call scheduling, conversation and sales action history, sales script creation, etc.);
- effective communication tools (pre-configured e-mailing templates, call recording, etc.);
- access to detailed reports (real-time activity monitoring, sales pipeline analysis, etc.);
- ready-to-use integrations (billing, social networks, etc.).
It should be noted that users report some difficulties in getting to grips with Odoo, which can be a hindrance for teams who are not very comfortable with digital technology.
Odoo CRM
Pipedrive
Pipedrive is CRM software for startups and small businesses looking for a simple-to-deploy solution. Pipedrive is designed by salespeople, for salespeople. In other words, Pipedrive is an intuitive CRM that helps sales teams become more efficient. Its operation follows a three-step model: pipeline configuration, progress monitoring and growth automation.
Pipedrive's features include :
- pre-configured templates to help you build your sales pipeline;
- easy management of prospects and customers (contact history, segmentation, etc.);
- the creation of web forms to be hosted on your website to help you generate quality leads;
- real-time revenue forecasting based on the evolution of your business;
- personalized dashboards to guide you in adjusting your marketing and sales actions.
Despite generally positive reviews, the downside of Pipedrive's offering remains its e-mail marketing shortcomings.
Salesforce Starter
Salesforce, world leader in the CRM market, has recently released a solution designed exclusively to meet the needs of VSEs, SMEs and startups. CRM Starter is a simplified, more intuitive version of its predecessor. However, the software can count on powerful tools that have been widely proven in terms of acquiring new customers and increasing productivity.
In terms of functionalities, Salesforce CRM Starter offers :
- qualified lead acquisition (pre-configured marketing campaigns, effective e-mail paths with the help of AI, etc.) ;
- intelligent segmentation of prospects and customers to send targeted content;
- optimized sales management (creation of quotations, advice on actions to take thanks to AI analysis, integrated payment solutions, etc.);
- automation of numerous customer service tasks (FAQs, escalation of problems to the relevant managers, etc.);
- access to a daily summary of your activity (leads, contacts, opportunities, sales, etc.) to help you make strategic decisions.
A complete all-in-one CRM (marketing, sales and customer service), Salesforce Starter is nevertheless more limited than other Salesforce offerings when it comes to personalization.
Sellsy
Sellsy's CRM software is equally suited to start-ups and large corporations. The publisher emphasizes the all-in-one nature of its solution, since it enables you to manage your marketing, sales, cash flow and invoicing in one place. To deliver on its commitments to save time, target customers and increase sales, Sellsy offers essential functionalities:
- the creation of personalized, effective marketing campaigns (e-mailing, SMS, etc.) ;
- use of marketing automation and A/B testing to boost performance;
- centralization of customer data and interactions on a single interface (e-mails, calls, SMS, etc.);
- access to a complete invoicing tool (quotes, invoices, reminders, integrated payment solutions, etc.);
- real-time cash flow monitoring (budget forecasts, analytical expense tracking, etc.).
In their opinions, managers of small structures point to the high price of the solution and the absence of an offer adapted to more modest needs.
Streak
Streak is a special kind of CRM. In fact, it takes the form of an extension for Google Chrome, as well as an application for Android and iOS. This easy-to-deploy, easy-to-use solution is a basic CRM for start-ups. It transforms your inbox into an operational CMS tool.
In terms of functionality, Streak is comparable to the majority of customer relationship management software. As such, the solution enables :
- manage your sales pipeline ;
- segment and track your prospects and customers;
- visualize your teams' progress via integrated reporting tools;
- optimized management of your messaging system (e-mail scheduling, direct mail, tracking, etc.);
- integration with all Google Workspace tools.
While Streak's promise is largely based on its mobile use, many users point to the presence of bugs and an English-only interface.
Streak CRM
Sugar CRM
Anticipation, automation, acceleration. These are the promises that the Sugar CRM platform has been promoting for several years now. This tool offers three solutions focused on marketing, sales and customer service, making it an ultra-complete software package. Among the many functionalities offered by CRM are :
- AI-assisted creation of targeted marketing campaigns ;
- predictive scoring of your most qualified leads before focusing your efforts on opportunities with the highest success rate;
- access to predefined templates to help you create your marketing materials (landing page, e-mailing, etc.);
- the generation of dashboards and detailed analysis reports to visualize the strengths and areas for improvement in your overall customer acquisition strategy;
- integration of the most powerful software on the market to facilitate your teams' day-to-day work (Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, etc.).
Despite all its advantages, Sugar CRM is considered by its users to be a particularly costly solution.
SugarCRM
Zendesk
Zendesk is CRM software for every type of business. A highly customizable solution, it helps you boost sales and improve customer service on a daily basis. Zendesk has an exclusive offer for startups, giving them free access to the product for six months.
In terms of functionalities, the platform stands out for :
- access to a messaging service and a call center to maintain a privileged relationship with your prospects and customers;
- centralization of your customer data within a single interface accessible to all your teams;
- a customer ticket management system for rapid resolution of customer issues;
- the use of AI and automation to help you better target your prospects and customers, while improving the productivity and efficiency of your teams;
- access to detailed, customizable reports thanks to data harvesting.
In terms of user reviews, there are a few reservations about the difficulty of deploying and getting to grips with the tool, as well as a pricing policy deemed rather high.
Zoho Bigin
Zoho, a well-known player in the CRM software market, offers Bigin, a solution tailored to the needs and budgets of small businesses. This CRM offering for startups stands out for its ease of use, affordable rates and intuitive interface.
Bigin by Zoho offers essential functionalities to help you optimize your customer relations:
- pipeline and customer management (pooling of customer data on a single platform, tracking of tasks assigned to different teams, etc.) ;
- multi-channel communication (social networks, e-mailing, telephone calls, messaging services, etc.);
- automation of repetitive, time-consuming tasks;
- access to detailed dashboards and reports to assess and improve your marketing and sales performance;
- integration with the most popular business applications (Zapier, Mailchimp, etc.).
There are, however, a few comments from users on the responsiveness of the Zoho helpdesk.
Zoho Bigin
How to choose your startup CRM?
As a start-up, choosing your CRM is not something to be taken lightly. To start with, it's a good idea to draw up a list of your needs, based on the difficulties encountered by your teams in their day-to-day work. This will enable you to target the essential functionalities you need to integrate into your workflow.
Next, it's essential to establish how much your startup can afford to invest in CRM software. Note that some solutions offer scalable packages, often favored by smaller structures.
Ease of deployment and familiarity with the software are also key criteria when choosing a CRM solution for a start-up. The more quickly and efficiently your teams can use the software, the more profitable and stress-free you'll be.
Finally, don't hesitate to ask your staff for feedback. They are the first to be affected, so their opinion is crucial to the adoption and validation of high-performance CRM software. Most software publishers offer trial packages that generally last several weeks or even months. Full feedback from your teams and the first results observed is an essential step before making the final choice of CRM for your startup.
CRM for startups: what you need to know
In short, choosing a CRM for your startup requires a great deal of thought and team involvement.
Deploying the software should make your staff's work easier and more fluid, while significantly improving your sales performance and customer satisfaction.
Article translated from French