18 tools to consider instead of HubSpot, with who each one suits, where it falls short and a source for every price. No scores or star ratings.
Updated 27 Sep 2026 · Next review 26 Dec 202618 tools · 25 min read
Disclosure: We make startbuddi, so we've put it first and been upfront about where it falls short. There are no scores or star ratings here. Every price and feature below comes from the tool's own website or our own test account, and each one links to its source.
TL;DRThe short answer
Small businesses that want a CRM, inbox, marketing and invoicing without enterprise pricing?startbuddi.
Teams leaving HubSpot for a lower per-user CRM price?Zoho CRM.
Sales teams that want a pipeline-first CRM without a marketing suite?Pipedrive.
Teams that want a Salesforce CRM at a small-business price?Salesforce Starter.
Sales teams wanting a CRM with calling and email built in?Freshsales.
Teams already on monday.com who want deals and contacts on the same boards?monday CRM.
Find your fit · 2 questions
Which alternative suits you?
1. Do you need a free plan?
2. Which sounds most like you?
Answer both to see a suggestion. It only uses the facts on this page.
Small businesses that mainly need email marketing with a free plan
$13 USD, per month (Essentials, 500 contacts)
Yes
Prices are list prices as each company publishes them, never converted. startbuddi's price is shown in your currency where we can.
The alternatives
01
startbuddi
Our productBest for small businesses that want a CRM, inbox, marketing and invoicing without enterprise pricing
Best for
Small businesses that want a CRM, inbox, marketing and invoicing without enterprise pricing
Starting price
Free plan. Paid from $29 a month Starter plan, our pricing
Free plan
Yes
Platforms
Web
startbuddi covers the CRM, shared inbox, email and WhatsApp marketing, pages and forms, bookings and invoicing in one workspace, priced for small teams, with a free plan.
Strengths
CRM, inbox, marketing, pages and invoicing together
WhatsApp built in, with Paystack and Stripe for payments
Best for teams leaving HubSpot for a lower per-user CRM price
Best for
Teams leaving HubSpot for a lower per-user CRM price
Starting price
₹800 per user per month, billed annually (Standard)
Free plan
Yes
Platforms
Web, mobile apps
Zoho CRM offers a free edition for 3 users and paid editions priced per user, with workflows, pipelines and forecasting from the Standard edition. It suits teams that want CRM without HubSpot's marketing suite bundled in.
Strengths
Free forever for 3 users, with workflow automation, standard reports and mobile apps
Standard adds mass email, built-in calling, multiple sales pipelines and forecasting
No contracts; billed monthly or yearly, with up to 34% off yearly
Free trial on paid editions
Limitations
The Free edition is limited to 3 users
AI agents, CPQ and unlimited reports start on the Professional edition
Approval processes and custom functions are on the Enterprise edition
Best for sales teams that want a pipeline-first CRM without a marketing suite
Best for
Sales teams that want a pipeline-first CRM without a marketing suite
Starting price
$14 USD, per seat per month, billed annually (Lite)
Free plan
Trial only
Platforms
Web, iOS, Android
Pipedrive focuses on sales: a visual deal pipeline, activities, reports and, from Growth, email sync and automations. Email campaigns are a separate add-on rather than a built-in marketing hub.
Strengths
14-day free trial with full access and no credit card
Native Android and iOS apps
Add-ons for lead capture, projects, email campaigns and documents
500+ integrations in the marketplace
Limitations
No free plan
Lite has no automations and no two-way email sync; both start on Growth ($39 per seat)
Lite is capped at 2,500 leads and deals per seat and 30 custom fields
Best for teams that want a Salesforce CRM at a small-business price
Best for
Teams that want a Salesforce CRM at a small-business price
Starting price
$25 USD, per user per month, billed monthly or annually (Starter Suite)
Free plan
Yes
Platforms
Web
Starter Suite gives small teams Salesforce's contact, lead and opportunity management with email marketing built in, at $25 per user per month. Larger editions add forecasting and customisation.
Strengths
Lead, account, contact and opportunity management
Built-in sales flows and lead routing
Email, events and contacts synced automatically
Upgrade path to larger Sales Cloud editions
Limitations
Quoting and forecasting need Pro Suite ($100 per user per month, billed annually)
Pro Suite and above are billed annually only
Agentforce AI is sold as an add-on from $125 per user per month
Best for sales teams wanting a CRM with calling and email built in
Best for
Sales teams wanting a CRM with calling and email built in
Starting price
$9 USD, per user per month, billed annually (Growth)
Free plan
Trial only
Platforms
Web, mobile app
Freshsales covers contacts, deals, pipelines and workflows with built-in email, phone and chat. Plans start at $9 per user per month billed annually, with AI scoring and sequences on Pro.
Strengths
Built-in email, phone, chat, WhatsApp and SMS
Multiple sales pipelines, product catalogue and forecasting
Growth includes Kanban view, lifecycle stages, custom fields and basic workflows
21-day trial with no credit card
Limitations
Contact scoring, deal insights and sales sequences start on Pro ($39 per user per month billed annually)
Custom modules, sandbox and audit logs are only on Enterprise ($59 per user per month billed annually)
The Freddy AI Agent is a paid add-on at $49 per 100 sessions
Best for teams already on monday.com who want deals and contacts on the same boards
Best for
Teams already on monday.com who want deals and contacts on the same boards
Starting price
$12 USD, per seat per month, billed annually (Basic; minimum 3 seats)
Free plan
Trial only
Platforms
Web; mobile apps
monday CRM is a sales CRM built on monday.com boards, with contacts, deals, dashboards, quotes and invoices, automations and AI agents. Plans are sold per seat with a three-seat minimum and a 14-day trial.
Strengths
Customisable boards for contacts and deals
Quotes and invoices included from Basic (20 a month)
Standard adds AI agents and 250 custom automations a month
Pro adds mass emails and email sequences
Limitations
No free plan and a minimum of 3 seats
Basic is limited to 1,000 active contacts and deals, 1 dashboard and 5 columns per board
Mass email and sequences start on Pro ($28 per seat a month billed annually)
Best for teams that want HubSpot-style email automation priced by contacts
Best for
Teams that want HubSpot-style email automation priced by contacts
Starting price
$15 USD, per month, billed annually (Starter, 1,000 contacts)
Free plan
Trial only
Platforms
Web
ActiveCampaign covers email campaigns, automation and segmentation, with a CRM available as an add-on. Pricing is set by contact count, starting at the Starter plan, and every plan has a 14-day free trial.
Strengths
Multi-step marketing automation on every email plan
Separate WhatsApp plans and an Email + WhatsApp bundle
14-day free trial with no credit card
More than 1,000 integrations listed, including Shopify, WordPress and Stripe
Limitations
No free plan
Starter is limited to 1 user, limited segmentation and 15 active goals
Deal pipelines are a CRM add-on rather than part of the email plans
Best for small teams wanting email marketing plus a light CRM for less money
Best for
Small teams wanting email marketing plus a light CRM for less money
Starting price
$9 USD, per month (Starter, billed monthly; $96.96 per year billed annually)
Free plan
Yes
Platforms
Web
Brevo offers email, SMS and WhatsApp marketing plus a sales CRM with deal pipelines. Its free plan sends up to 300 emails a day and paid plans are priced by email volume rather than by contacts.
Strengths
Free plan with up to 300 emails per day
Starter includes a drag-and-drop editor, templates, segmentation and forms
Standard adds unlimited automated workflows, A/B testing and landing pages
Sales Essentials CRM features such as sales automation and deal pipelines are listed
Limitations
Marketing automation is not in Starter; it starts on Standard
SMS credits are sold separately
WhatsApp, pop-ups and push channels are listed on the Professional plan, which starts at $499 per month
Best for small service firms that want CRM and automation without HubSpot's tiers
Best for
Small service firms that want CRM and automation without HubSpot's tiers
Starting price
$299 USD, per month, billed monthly
Free plan
Trial only
Platforms
Web, mobile app
Keap puts CRM, automation, email, landing pages and payments into a single plan instead of feature tiers. It starts at $299 per month and requires paid implementation.
Strengths
One plan includes the full feature set
Automation builder with 52+ ready-made automations
Invoices, quotes and payment processing built in
Text marketing tiers with a toll-free number
Limitations
No free plan and a high entry price
Implementation services are required on top of the subscription
Text marketing is available in the US, Australia, Canada, the UK and New Zealand
Best for google Workspace users who want a CRM that works inside Gmail
Best for
Google Workspace users who want a CRM that works inside Gmail
Starting price
$23 USD, per seat per month, paid annually ($29 billed monthly)
Free plan
Trial only
Platforms
Web, iOS, Android, Gmail (Chrome extension)
Copper is a CRM for service businesses that is recommended for Google Workspace and works inside Gmail. It covers contacts, deals, pipelines and project delivery. Every plan has a free trial with no credit card needed.
Strengths
Works inside Gmail through a Chrome extension
Pipelines, task automation and project management on the Basic plan
Mobile apps log calls and SMS
Free trial with no credit card required
Limitations
No free plan
Basic plan caps contacts at 2,500
Workflow automation, bulk email and reporting start on Professional ($59 per seat per month paid annually)
Best for sales teams that want calling and SMS built in, without marketing extras
Best for
Sales teams that want calling and SMS built in, without marketing extras
Starting price
$9 USD, per user per month, billed annually (Solo plan)
Free plan
Trial only
Platforms
Web, iOS, Android
Close is a sales-focused CRM with calling, email and SMS in one inbox and an AI sales agent, Chloe. Unlike an all-in-one marketing suite, it concentrates on outreach and follow-up, with workflows and a power dialer from the Growth plan.
Strengths
Built-in calling, email and SMS from the Essentials plan
Power dialer on Growth and a predictive dialer on Scale
Every plan includes monthly AI credits for Chloe
iOS and Android apps for calls, texts and reports
Limitations
No free plan, only a 14-day trial
Automated workflows are not included on Solo or Essentials; they start on Growth ($99 per user per month, billed annually)
Solo is limited to 1 user and 10,000 leads
Calling and SMS are charged by usage on top of the plan price
Best for small teams that want CRM, tasks, chat and calls in one account
Best for
Small teams that want CRM, tasks, chat and calls in one account
Starting price
$49 USD, per month for 5 users, billed annually ($69 billed monthly)
Free plan
Yes
Platforms
Web, mobile app, desktop app
Bitrix24 combines a CRM, tasks and projects, chat and video calls, and online documents in one account. Plans are priced per organisation with a set user count, from 5 users on Basic to 100 on Professional.
Strengths
Free plan for up to 2 users with basic CRM, tasks, calendars, chat and video calls
Basic plan adds sales pipelines, online payments and email, WhatsApp and telephony connections
Standard adds web forms, invoices, e-signature and unlimited projects for 50 users
Mobile and desktop apps
Limitations
Free plan has no sales pipelines, automation or email integration
Sales automation, email marketing and booking start on Professional ($199 per month billed annually)
Best for small businesses wanting CRM, email marketing and helpdesk in one tool
Best for
Small businesses wanting CRM, email marketing and helpdesk in one tool
Starting price
$14.99 USD, per user per month, billed monthly ($13.79 billed annually, $12.74 billed every two years)
Free plan
Yes
Platforms
Web
EngageBay is an all-in-one suite with CRM, email marketing, landing pages, live chat and a helpdesk. A free plan covers teams of up to 15 members with 250 contacts, and paid plans raise contact and email limits.
Strengths
Free plan for up to 15 members with CRM, email, live chat and helpdesk
Basic plan adds SMS marketing, web pop-ups and a social suite
Email and chat support plus onboarding sessions on the free plan
Monthly, annual and two-year billing
Limitations
Free plan is capped at 250 contacts and 1,000 branded emails
Marketing automation starts on Growth ($64.99 per user per month)
Basic plan allows 500 contacts and 10 landing pages
Best for small teams wanting CRM, email marketing and a helpdesk on a tight budget
Best for
Small teams wanting CRM, email marketing and a helpdesk on a tight budget
Starting price
$8.99 USD, per user per month, billed every 2 years (Starter)
Free plan
Yes
Platforms
Web, Chrome extension
Agile CRM puts contacts, deals, email campaigns, marketing automation and a helpdesk in one product, with a free plan for up to 10 users. Paid plans start at $8.99 per user per month on a 2-year term and raise contact, workflow and API limits.
Strengths
Free plan for up to 10 users, no credit card required
Sales, marketing and service (helpdesk) tools in one product
Appointment scheduling, email tracking and two-way telephony listed on the pricing grid
Starter includes 10,000 contacts, 5 campaign workflows and 5 automation rules
Limitations
The free plan allows 1,000 contacts, 1 campaign workflow, 1 automation rule and 1 integration
The lowest Starter price ($8.99) needs a 2-year commitment; monthly billing is $14.99 per user
Unlimited contacts, workflows and automation rules only come with Enterprise ($47.99 per user per month on the 2-year rate)
Best for small teams wanting a simple CRM that works inside their inbox and browser
Best for
Small teams wanting a simple CRM that works inside their inbox and browser
Starting price
$24.90 USD, per licence per month, billed annually
Free plan
Trial only
Platforms
Web, iOS, Android; browser extension
Nimble is a CRM for small teams with contact lists, a Today dashboard, deals and reports, workflow boards, email tracking, sequences and email marketing. The Prospector browser extension lets you capture contacts while browsing.
Strengths
One plan, so every licence gets the same features
Group email tracking, sequences, templates and email campaigns
Web forms and web chat for collecting leads
Apps for iOS and Android and a browser extension
Limitations
No free plan; 14-day free trial only
Only one plan, with no cheaper tier for very small needs
Best for teams that want CRM with built-in project delivery at a per-user price
Best for
Teams that want CRM with built-in project delivery at a per-user price
Starting price
$29 USD, per user per month, billed annually (CRM Plus)
Free plan
Trial only
Platforms
Web, iOS, Android
Insightly offers CRM, marketing automation and service tools sold as separate products, much like HubSpot's hubs. The CRM links deals to post-sale projects, and plans are priced per user and billed annually.
Strengths
Won opportunities can be converted to projects inside the CRM
Two-way email sync and native iOS and Android apps
Plus plan allows 100,000 records
Integrations with Microsoft, Shopify and DocuSign are listed
Limitations
No free plan
Workflow automation starts on Professional ($49 per user per month billed annually)
Custom objects are Enterprise only ($99 per user per month); prices are billed annually
Best for agencies wanting CRM, funnels and messaging for clients at a flat monthly fee
Best for
Agencies wanting CRM, funnels and messaging for clients at a flat monthly fee
Starting price
$97 USD, per month (Starter; $970 per year)
Free plan
Trial only
Platforms
Web, mobile app
HighLevel bundles CRM, pipelines, funnels, email and SMS, booking and reputation tools in one account, priced per agency rather than per contact. Phone, SMS, email and AI usage are charged on top.
Strengths
CRM, funnels, websites, booking, invoicing and courses in one platform
Email, SMS, WhatsApp, Messenger and live chat in one inbox
Unlimited sub-accounts from the $297 Unlimited plan
SaaS mode for reselling the platform on Agency Pro
Limitations
No free plan, only a 14-day trial
Phone, SMS, email and AI are charged on usage on top of the plan
Starter is limited to 3 sub-accounts; white-label mobile app is a $497 per month add-on
Best for small businesses that mainly need email marketing with a free plan
Best for
Small businesses that mainly need email marketing with a free plan
Starting price
$13 USD, per month (Essentials, 500 contacts)
Free plan
Yes
Platforms
Web
Mailchimp covers email campaigns and automation flows priced by contact count, with a free plan for up to 250 contacts. It is an option when email, not a full CRM, is the main need.
Strengths
Free plan for up to 250 contacts
300+ integrations on every plan
Up to 200 automation flows on Standard
24/7 email and chat support on paid plans
Limitations
Free plan sends a maximum of 500 emails a month or 250 a day
Essentials automation flows are limited to 4 steps
Overages apply if you exceed contact or send limits
Built for or usable by small businesses and small teams
A published product page and pricing page we could check
Actively maintained, with a working sign-up or trial
Covers the core job this list is about, not just a feature of it
A mix of free, low-cost and established options
About this list
Where the facts come from
Every price, plan and feature comes from the tool's own website, pricing page or docs, or from our own test account. Each tool links to its sources and shows the date we checked them.
What we leave out
No scores, star ratings or review counts. If we can't confirm a fact from an official source, we leave it out and mark it "not published".
When it's reviewed
Last updated 27 Sep 2026. Next review due 26 Dec 2026. We review every list at least every 90 days.
Spotted something out of date?
Prices and plans change. Tell us and we'll check it again.
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