Best CRM Software of 2021

13 min read
Bitrix24 Team
February 6, 2020
Last updated: March 11, 2024
Best CRM Software of 2021


Table of content


What Is CRM Software?

The sales system is much more complicated than it might seem. Even though it might seem like closed deals are of the biggest importance, working in sales also means you collect information about clients and aim at maintaining the relationships you built with customers.

Even though there are other ways you can perform the same functions, the best CRM software makes everything much easier and more accessible. There is no need to come up with the perfect structure or use various tools and documents to store the information - everything can be kept in the same place using CRM. All emails, documents, and vital details can be easily accessed which simplifies managing relationships a lot.

Both bigger and smaller businesses can benefit from using a CRM system. As all the information about the deals is available for each worker of the company, it can be used to improve statistics. At the same time, smaller enterprises can get done much more using a common CRM system with the lowest expenditures possible.

Why Use Sales CRM?

Several benefits can be seen in the use of the best online CRM software:

  • Contact storage. With CRM systems, you can easily organize your customers’ contacts as well as other important information to keep everything at hand and have communications going smoothly;

  • Sales tracking. It includes much more than just tracking deals. You can also store important details such as calls, emails, meetings schedules, and others;

  • Predicting sales. Data analysis can give you a great forecast. With CRM systems, there is no need to use charts and formulas as sales forecasting can be done automatically;

  • Detecting flaws. Sales strategies might not always be successful, but you can easily detect the flaws by looking through the data you have in your CRM;

  • Inter-team transparency. It is extremely easy to find out which customers have already been reached out to and avoid repetition and unnecessary work from your team members.

CRM systems are used to manage company relationships with the already existing customers as well as with those who can potentially become ones. All activities connected to communication, sales, contracts, and other features can be stored here and used respectively.

Basic Features of a Sales CRM

There are also several features that you should look out for when searching for a CRM system:

  • Customizable interface. Every business is special so the software you use should be customizable depending on the needs of your particular team or project;

  • Simplicity. This trait can be vital for implementing a tool into the work process. A modern tool with easy-to-understand features and an appealing yet simple interface has much more chances of being used by workers than those developed decades ago;

  • Integrations. This feature is so important because every business already has some kind of storage, be it a simple chart or a well-developed software. But if you are looking for a new CRM system, you might be also interested in the possibility of transferring the data you already have into a new workspace. The fastest way to achieve this is through integrating the software you already used with the newer tool;

  • Pricing. It is important to choose the best option price-wise. In the case of big corporations and enterprises, this might not be the issue, but smaller businesses will be interested in software that offers the biggest potential with the lowest expenses possible.

If you believe you need a CRM system, the main issue you are going to face is having too many options on the market. Choosing the best one to work with is extremely important, so we selected some of the best CRM software.

Bitrix24 CRM software

Bitrix24 free crm software

If you are looking for both a CRM system and a communication and management platform, Bitrix24 is the perfect choice for you. Everything you might need and even more can be found in the same place.

The CRM itself consists of several features. The visualization of the sales process is achieved through using a simple Kanban-style board that allows to track the stages of deal completion as well as see the people who are responsible for it. Prices and expenses can be seen in the system as well.

Every deal includes its own card that contains all the details of the process starting from the very first communication with a customer. Here, you can find messages and emails, call records as well as all the details regarding a particular stage of working with a client.

Sometimes situations happen when clients initiate communication through various sources and that can lead to a situation when two identical deals can appear. Bitrix24 CRM system analyzes cases and deals and offers you to merge them. You can also choose settings to go through the deals yourself and solve such issues manually.

If you need to discuss a particular deal, there are several options you can use. First of all, comments on the deal card are available. As for other sides of communication, if your client has a chat on the website where all of the messages will be automatically transferred to Bitrix24 and stored in the same place as well.

Bitrix24 also offers the possibility to automate sales processes. In case you need to send emails or show advertisements, you can choose the corresponding settings in the CRM system and everything will be done for you. It is possible to use templates from the website or create your own as well as choose different settings for various sections of your clients.

Repeated tasks can be assigned automatically as well. You can use ready-made scripts and plans to optimize work and make it simpler for your sales reps. Reports and analytics are available as well, which can be used to improve the work of the sales department as well as for detecting flaws and coming up with solutions.

Benefits

  • Easily scalable

  • Features enhanced sales automation

  • Free plan with unlimited users

Drawbacks

  • Excessive functionality

  • Unclear tutorials

  • Mobile app lacks certain CRM features

Pricing

Bitrix24 has a free plan with an unlimited number of users. However, certain CRM features are not present in this plan. If you need a comprehensive CRM solution, go with a plan called CRM+ that features all you need and costs $55/mo for up to 6 users.

Zoho CRM software

Zoho crm software

Zoho CRM system is another great tool used by businesses worldwide. In addition to being simple and convenient, it also features a pleasant and minimalistic interface.

Communication with customers gets a lot of attention in Zoho CRM. It is possible to keep in touch using any tools you prefer: from phone calls and emails to social media. Some chats can be used directly on the platform.

Regardless of the communication method, you choose the information about the deal that can be stored here as well. Stages, updates, and expenses discussed with a client can be seen here. Depending on the communication data you have, you can also adjust it by choosing the most effective way to contact a client.

Another valuable tool Zoho CRM offers is data analysis. Anytime you want to estimate your company performance, you can use reports and insights offered by Zoho to see how the business is going.

You can check how the general activities are going, how successful the sales were this month or quarter. It is also possible to get predictions for the future performance according to your current situation and improve the plan respectively.

Automation also comes in handy when it comes to sales. There is no need to invest your time into assigning the same tasks over and over as the mechanism can easily do it for you.

Your employees get assignments timely and the work can be distributed evenly so no important details will be forgotten. Automation also works for customers as emails and other repeated information can be sent without personal involvement.

Zoho also offers AI called Zia that can gather and analyze data from the CRM system. Apart from finding the information fast, Zia can also predict leads and deals, generate reports, and do other things.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive analytics

  • Gamification

  • Remarkable email marketing capabilities

Drawbacks

  • Automation only available on higher-tier plans

  • Zia assistant is still a bit raw

  • Per user pricing

Pricing

The free version is limited to 3 users while the paid plans range from $18/mo per user on the Standard plan to $40/mo per user on the Enterprise plan.

Capsule CRM software

Capsule crm software

All of the features you might need in a CRM enhanced by a simplistic design can be found in Capsule CRM. It allows you to nurture customer relationships, have a full and transparent overview of your current work situation, and become successful at winning deals.

Communication with customers and leads becomes easier with the Capsule CRM contact management system. Customer cards contain all the information you might need about a particular person you are working with, from emails and telephone numbers to specific notes. You can also sort the clients using tags and get easier access to certain categories of customers.

Tracking sales also gets simplified with the help of Capsule CRM. The system is visual but still contains important details such as deal stages, deal values, and the person responsible for the deal. The drag-and-drop system allows making quick updates on the situation.

It is also possible to get a better insight into the work process with sales reports from Capsule CRM. Chosen activities and data are turned into visual charts that allow you to get a clear overview of the situation and detect issues timely. You can use them to adjust processes and streamline workflows. At the same time, reports can be used to do sales forecasts.

Capsule features the possibility to customize the work environment as well, depending on the needs of your particular team. Even if you are lacking the fields to fill in the client card, you can simply create your own version so that no details are lost.

The pipeline can be customized as well, with a focus on the stages and tasks relevant to your business. Even the interface of Capsule CRM can be customized in accordance with your brand color scheme and logo.

Benefits

  • Awesome reminder system

  • Outstanding note-taking and sharing capabilities

  • Plenty of useful integrations

Drawbacks

  • Lacks in the analytics department

  • Clunky UI

  • Not all basic features are available on the starter plan

Pricing

Capsule CRM is completely free for 2 users. Anything more than that will require a paid plan - Professional or Team. These range from $18 per user per month to $36 per user per month.

Copper CRM software

Copper crm softwre

Copper is a simple yet convenient CRM software that can be integrated with any of the G-suite apps. In case you and your sales team use Gmail while working with deals actively, it is especially convenient since you can get suggestions on new leads and updates on the older ones based on your emails.

This CRM system is extremely easy to implement into the working process because of its intuitively understandable interface. It is also adaptable and doesn’t require a long customization process to meet the needs of your team.

The information about leads and customers can be sorted and filtered in various ways, which allows you to attain the necessary details faster. You can use suggested filters to find what you need or create your own hashtag system.

Having easy access to details allows you to build successful communications and relationships leading to closing the deals. The data is also automatically distributed among workers to provide clients with the necessary attention as fast as possible.

Automation offer by Copper includes email templates suitable for various stages of working on a deal as well for different communication situations. You can use them as a greeting you send your new customers or if you have a list of frequently asked questions that have a simple solution. Use the templates or create your own and save them for later.

Benefits

  • Excellent, full integration with Google services

  • Transfer new leads directly from emails

  • Enhanced automation

Drawbacks

  • Too many alerts

  • No qualified leads in pipelines

  • Per user pricing

Pricing

Copper features three plans: Basic, Professional, and Business. Prices range from $24 per user monthly on Basic to $119 per user monthly on Business.

Insightly CRM software

Insightly crm software

Insightly is one of the best CRM solutions that allows you to create great relationships with customers and go beyond closing deals. It improves communication with customers by allowing you to learn more about the bonds and links within the company you are working with.

When you know how workers are linked, you have more chances for better communications and achieve success faster because you always know which person to address with certain issues and suggestions.

Again, workflow automation is also offered by Insightly as it is an important part of work management. Repeated tasks can be reassigned without the personal involvement of a manager, timely notifications and alerts won’t let the workers forget about upcoming activities and the things they need to do to lead deals to success.

At the same time, email marketing and advertising can also be automated with Insightly. In case you want to send emails to a group of people, you can use templates and select the desired number of recipients just in several clicks. Insightly will also collect data connected to your emails and offer a general overview - even such things as the time emails are opened won’t be missed.

Another feature Insightly offers as an online CRM software is the ability to integrate other tools and platforms. If some features you need are lacking in Insightly or you just want a smooth transition from the software you are already using it can be solved just by integrating the tools. This way, you can create a comprehensive environment that allows sales managers to have all necessary features all in the same place.

Benefits

  • Greater focus on client communications

  • Plenty of useful integrations

  • Comprehensive workflow automation

Drawbacks

  • The cost might be a bit too high for small businesses

  • Per user pricing

  • Data is deleted after the end of your free trial

Pricing

Insightly features three plans: Plus, Professional, and Enterprise. The pricing starts at $29 per user monthly on the Plus plan and up to $99 on the Enterprise plan.

Freshsales CRM software

Freshsales crm software

Freshworks is a convenient system to use for those who are just started transitioning to CRM management software. It has a simple interface that won’t cause any trouble even for inexperienced sales workers. And if your team wants a guideline on how to operate a CRM system, Freshworks offers tutorials and support.

The software allows to visualize the sales pipeline and generally sort the deals most conveniently. It also breaks down working on a deal into stages, which allows you to see how well the processes are going. This also allows real-time updates that keep all of the workers integrated and informed.

Sales analytics and forecasting are also available in Freshworks. You can have a look at suggested reports or customize them to pay attention to the most important details. The visual overview of the deals and work success will allow you to detect the flaws and optimize the work process responsively. If you want to get reports from the system regularly, it is possible to choose the preferred date or day of the week and set regular control.

Automation of the work process allows minimizing the involvement in mechanical tasks. You can use email templates or create your own ones that will be sent to customers. It is also possible to automate task settings as repeated tasks can be rescheduled and assigned to particular workers.

Conversations and the whole communication process can also be tracked through Freshworks CRM. It allows you to make calls, store the recordings you need to get back to as well as get phone activity reports. It also allows redirecting calls in case you have a particular worker responsible for a certain kind of work.The final word

Having a system to optimize the work is very important in businesses nowadays. And tracking and storing the information about sales is not an exception. We hope to help you achieve best results with the best sales CRM software we suggested as even the simplest tool can be extremely beneficial.

Benefits

  • Integrates with Google Drive and Dropbox

  • Comes with a full-featured mobile app

  • Features automation and data deduplication

Drawbacks

  • A bit pricey

  • Takes some to get used to the UI

  • Lacks certain advanced CRM features

Pricing

  • Freshworks offers you a choice of three plans:

  • Growth ($35/mo per user) - for small and fast-growing businesses that need an all-in-one CRM

  • Pro ($85/mo per user) - for larger teams that want to scale and build efficiency

  • Enterprise ($149/mo per user) - for enterprises that need customization and control

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Table of Content
What Is CRM Software? Why Use Sales CRM? Basic Features of a Sales CRM Bitrix24 CRM software [ /tools/ ] Benefits Drawbacks Pricing Zoho CRM software Benefits Drawbacks Pricing Capsule CRM software Benefits Drawbacks Pricing Copper CRM software Benefits Drawbacks Pricing Insightly CRM software Benefits Drawbacks Pricing Freshsales CRM software Benefits Drawbacks Pricing
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