8 Best FREE Salesforce Alternatives & Competitors (2025)
Jules Verne
Struggling with Salesforce’s high costs and limited flexibility? Exploring Software as a service (SaaS) CRM alternatives can significantly enhance your business operations. I have evaluated leading FREE Salesforce alternatives and competitors, examining their strengths in managing customer relationships, affordability, and ease of deployment. Adopting a reliable alternative positions your business ahead, aligning seamlessly with emerging trends like AI-driven analytics integration.
Having devoted more than 105 hours assessing over 30 different CRM alternatives—both free and paid—I created this comprehensive, well-researched list providing professional, unbiased insights into Salesforce competitors. In my own experience, implementing certain advanced paid solutions proved unnecessarily complicated for small teams. My transparent breakdown highlights essential features, pricing clarity, and tested thoroughly pros and cons, ensuring credible advice for informed decisions. Read more…
Zoho is a Sales CRM tool that helps you improve teams’ productivity with designs that are precise solutions to business activities. It is one of the best CRM for start-ups, providing an easy way to monitor key metrics and manage monthly targets.
Best Salesforce Free Alternatives
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| Name | Zoho CRM | Monday CRM | Pipedrive | Quickbase |
| Features | ✔️ You can create an issue and track them as they get fixed and tested. ✔️ The team will always access the latest version of all project documents. |
✔️ Manage everything in one workspace ✔️ Set up in minutes |
✔️ It helps you to forecast your performance. ✔️ You can get deals from your web forms and chatbot. |
✔️ Dashboards & Reporting Tool ✔️ Team Collaboration & Management |
| Price | 15-Days Free Trial (No credit card required) | Free Forever Plan | 30 Day Free Trial (No Credit Card Required) | 30-Days Free Trial |
| Review/Rating |  4.7 |
4.5 |
4.5 |
4.6 |
| Link | Visit Website | Visit Website | Visit Website | Visit Website |
1) Zoho CRM
Zoho CRM delivers a robust and intuitive solution for businesses seeking to boost sales productivity. I evaluated its customizable dashboards and automation, which make it a great option for growing teams. Its freemium edition is ideal for startups looking to create strong customer relationships without heavy investment. As I carried out my evaluation, integration with over 1,000 apps made a real difference, helping users stay efficient. Typically, this platform allows you to automate tasks and gain valuable insights, making sales management easier for all. Marketing professionals often rely on Zoho CRM’s real-time analytics to identify trends, helping them optimize campaigns for better engagement.
Email Automation: Yes
Integration: Google, Zapier, GitHub, Dropbox.
Free Trial: 15 Day Free Trial
Features:
- Sales Force Automation: Automating the sales cycle in Zoho CRM reduces data entry significantly. I used it to design workflows that automatically assign leads, send follow-ups, and update deal stages. It helped remove manual redundancies and kept my pipeline clean. The tool lets you clone workflows, which saves time when setting up similar processes across teams.
- Lead Management: Zoho CRM does an excellent job of capturing leads from various channels, including web forms, email, and chat. The AI-powered lead scoring helped my team prioritize outreach effectively. While testing this feature, one thing I noticed is the lead enrichment tool works best when integrated with Zoho’s email parser. It saved hours by auto-populating contact data.
- Workflow Automation: The automation builder lets you create rule-based triggers that respond to updates in real time. I once configured it to send a task reminder every time a deal moved to the negotiation stage. This kept my team on track. There is also an option that lets you execute custom functions, which is great for complex business logic.
- Predictive Sales and Intelligence: Zia’s predictive insights are surprisingly useful for spotting missed opportunities. It flagged deals that were likely to go cold, allowing us to pivot early. I’ve personally seen it recommend follow-ups based on email sentiment. This felt like a step ahead of what most CRM competitors offer.
- Zia Voice & Macro Suggestions: Zia isn’t just voice-enabled—it learns your workflow. It suggested macros when I repeatedly updated similar records, which cut down task time. I suggest setting up voice notes for mobile—this made updating records on the go seamless. It’s a real productivity boost for field reps.
- Blueprint Process Management: I worked with a SaaS client to set up a custom Blueprint that mirrored their sales onboarding flow. It ensured every rep followed the same protocol. Each stage had automated actions, like sending NDAs or scheduling demos. This reduced errors and improved consistency in customer handoff.
Pros
Cons
👉 How to Get Zoho CRM for Free?
- Visit the official website of Zoho CRM
- Click on the “GET STARTED” button to register your account and immediately unlock access to the 15-day free trial of all premium features.
- You will be granted instant access to all premium tools that are part of the Zoho CRM suite without requiring payment information upfront.
15-Day Free Trial
2) Monday CRM
Monday CRM is a powerful platform that I tested for its flexibility and ease of use. It is perfect for businesses that want to organize all their sales tasks in one place. I particularly liked how the tool lets you customize pipelines to fit your team’s workflow. In my opinion, this CRM is one of the most engaging alternatives for those who aim to improve collaboration. Nonprofits usually find Monday CRM helpful to manage donor information, ensuring every interaction is recorded and easy to access.
Email Automation: Yes
Integration: Microsoft Teams, Dropbox, Slack, Zapier, Google Drive, etc.
Free Trial: Free Forever Plan
Features:
- Sequences for email nurturing and task reminders: Monday CRM’s automation sequences remove the need for constant follow-ups. I set up sequences to remind reps about key tasks and to send timed emails to warm leads. Engagement stayed steady without extra effort. While using this feature one thing I noticed is that delays between steps can be customized, which helps align emails with user behavior.
- AI‑assisted email composition: The built-in AI makes writing outreach emails feel effortless. It suggests subject lines and body content tailored to your lead’s stage and industry. I used it during a product launch and found the rephrasing tool especially handy. I recommend saving your best-performing email versions as templates to scale successful outreach faster.
- Mass email campaigns: This feature allows you to send personalized bulk emails while tracking who clicked what. I launched a campaign to over 1,000 leads with segmentation, and the click-through insights helped refine future targeting. There is also an option that lets you A/B test email subject lines, which I found valuable for improving open rates.
- Activity tracking: Everything your team does—emails, calls, or meetings—appears in a single timeline view. It gave me immediate clarity on which leads were warming up and which needed attention. I’ve used similar tools, but Monday CRM’s real-time updates felt faster and more reliable than some paid CRMs I’ve tried.
- Custom dashboards: You can build dashboards to track every metric that matters. I built one for a startup client using Kanban and Gantt widgets to show conversion funnels and sales targets. You will notice the dashboards are highly interactive, letting you filter by team member, time frame, or deal status for deeper insights.
- Sales forecasting: Assigning deal values and likelihoods to project revenue was straightforward. I used it to compare monthly goals vs. actuals for a remote sales team. The visual reports made it easier to spot underperforming reps early. This level of clarity is often missing in many free CRM alternatives.
Pros
Cons
👉 How to Get Monday CRM for Free?
- Visit the official Monday CRM website
- Click the “Get Started” button to claim the free basic plan that includes up to 2 seats without needing a credit card.
- You will gain immediate access to core features and can explore the platform without providing any payment details at signup.
Free Forever Plan
3) Pipedrive
Pipedrive gives you a powerful platform to manage deals and stay on top of targets. I reviewed its features, and the customizable dashboard made it possible for me to track progress at a glance. As per my research, Pipedrive helps you avoid confusion by keeping everything organized in one place. The tool made a real difference in how quickly I could respond to new leads. Consultants typically benefit from Pipedrive’s visual pipeline, allowing them to prioritize deals more effectively.
Email Automation: Yes
Integration: Zapier, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Pipechat, HubSpot, etc.
Free Trial: 30 Day Free Trial (No Credit Card Required)
Features:
- Visual Sales Pipeline: Pipedrive’s kanban-style pipeline lets you visually manage every deal with ease. I’ve used it to restructure sales stages for a SaaS product, and the drag-and-drop interface made onboarding new reps faster. While using this feature one thing I noticed is that setting automated actions per stage can eliminate missed follow-ups. It’s simple yet powerful.
- Smart Email Integration: The two-way email sync is seamless across multiple accounts. I connected Gmail and Outlook to test engagement tracking, and both delivered accurate open and click metrics. I recommend saving frequently used emails as templates and linking them to stages—this saves hours every week. The tracking of attachments also adds clarity during long deal cycles.
- AI-Powered Insights: The AI Sales Assistant in Pipedrive actively monitors your pipeline and recommends next steps. I once got a deal suggestion that led to a timely discount offer, which closed the sale. The insights grow more accurate as your data increases. It’s a valuable tool if you’re managing a fast-moving pipeline.
- Reporting & Forecasting: Pipedrive offers real-time dashboards that adapt to your reporting needs. I created a forecast view for a team of five that broke down monthly revenue by deal stage and rep. You will notice the forecast accuracy improves when you consistently update deal probabilities. It becomes a reliable tool for leadership reporting.
- Smart Docs & Proposals: With Smart Docs, I generated proposals using templates and sent them directly from the CRM. It was easy to see when prospects opened or interacted with a file. This helped me prioritize outreach more effectively. For startups, this beats switching between separate tools like PandaDoc or DocuSign.
- LeadBooster & Web Forms: I implemented LeadBooster on a client’s landing page to test lead quality over two weeks. The chatbot captured key info, and the live chat led to three demos. There is also an option that lets you qualify leads automatically before assigning them, which saves sales reps a ton of filtering time. It’s a solid entry point for top-of-funnel automation.
Pros
Cons
👉 How to Get Pipedrive for Free?
- Visit the official Pipedrive website
- Click on the “Try it free” button to register your account and get full access to a 30-day trial without providing payment information.
- You can explore every feature and tool available in the premium version without needing to enter your credit card details.
30-Day Free Trial (No Credit Card Required)
4) Quickbase
Quickbase is a reputable platform that I personally recommend for managing CRM and projects in one place. Its no-code environment allowed me to customize every aspect of the workflow. While conducting my evaluation, I found that Quickbase lets you set up multi-stakeholder permissions, which is helpful to teams that need strict data access control. Pay attention to its fast report creation—it is a great way to keep everyone aligned. Educational groups often depend on Quickbase for tracking student progress and organizing academic schedules.
Email Automation: Yes
Integration: Amazon S3, Asana, Autodesk, Box, Dropbox, Gmail etc.
Free Trial: 30 Days Free Trial
Features:
- No-code Visual App Builder: Quickbase makes it easy to create CRM apps without writing a single line of code. I’ve helped a nonprofit team set up a lead-tracking system in under an hour using its drag-and-drop tools. While testing this feature, I suggest exploring the formula fields—it adds logic to your app without needing custom scripts. It’s perfect for business users who want agility.
- Centralized Data Hub: This feature brings all your customer and sales data into one place, which is essential for data integrity. I used it to unify multiple spreadsheets and forms from three departments into a single CRM dashboard. It reduced duplication and made reporting faster. The cross-functional visibility it creates really improves decision-making.
- Drag‑and‑Drop Pipelines: The visual pipelines are ideal for customizing stages to match your exact sales flow. I used this feature during a consulting project to help a logistics company highlight stuck deals. You will notice that each stage can trigger workflow actions, which is a smart way to keep deals moving without micromanaging. It’s both flexible and effective.
- Mobile App with Voice Support: The mobile app is powerful—perfect for remote and field teams. I tried the voice-to-text feature during a client visit and used it to update records hands-free. It even let me upload contract images right from my phone. This feature gives Quickbase an edge over many CRM apps that limit mobile functionality.
- Role‑Based Permissions: Quickbase offers granular control over what each user can view or modify. This helps prevent accidental edits and supports audit trails for compliance. I recommend setting custom roles based on team function to keep things secure but still flexible. It works well for both small teams and large enterprises with strict data policies.
- Real‑Time Collaboration: Teams can co-edit records, leave notes, and get live notifications as updates happen. I once worked with a sales and support team that used this to triage customer issues directly from the CRM. It kept communication fluid and fast. This kind of built-in collaboration tool means fewer emails and faster decisions.
Pros
Cons
👉 How to Get Quickbase for Free?
- Visit the official Quickbase website
- Click on the “Start free trial” button to register your account and get full access to a 30-day trial
- Explore all available features and functionalities for an entire month without the need to provide any payment details
30-Day Free Trial
5) Freshsales
Freshsales is a remarkable CRM solution that I checked for its ability to bring sales and support into a single dashboard. I could access automation tools and insightful reporting, which are great for businesses wanting real-time data. During my analysis, Freshsales helped me organize contacts and follow-ups, making the workflow more effective. Financial planners often rely on Freshsales to handle inquiries and client portfolios, ensuring nothing slips through the cracks.
Email Automation: Yes
Integration: Mailchimp, Trello, Freshchat, QuickBooks, HubSpot, etc.
Free Trial: 21 Day Free Trial
Features:
- Lead Scoring & Segmentation: Freshsales makes lead prioritization effortless with customizable scoring rules based on activity and demographics. I configured rules to highlight leads opening emails and booking demos, which brought top prospects into focus. I suggest revisiting scoring models monthly to reflect updated buyer behavior. This keeps your sales funnel sharp and aligned.
- Built‑in Phone & Email: With Freshsales, I handled all calls and emails without leaving the platform. Features like call recording, email templates, and sync with Gmail saved me from switching tabs constantly. While testing this feature, I recommend setting up voicemail drop for missed calls—it saves time and keeps engagement smooth. It outperforms many third-party dialers.
- Sales Sequences & Workflows: Setting up automated follow-up sequences has helped me stay consistent with outreach. I once built a 5-step email and call workflow that doubled meeting bookings over two weeks. Sequences auto-triggered tasks and alerts, making sure no lead went cold. It also kept my team on the same page without micromanaging.
- Freddy AI Assistant: Freddy does more than just automation—it actually suggests actions that increase close rates. I received nudges to re-engage leads based on behavior patterns I’d overlooked. The AI also flagged deals at risk. You will notice that the assistant improves with use, especially as your CRM data becomes richer and more structured.
- Contextual Collaboration: I’ve used Freshsales with cross-functional teams to keep deal conversations transparent. The timeline and note tagging features made it easy to loop in marketing or product without disrupting the sales flow. Everyone stayed aligned on deal status. This has been especially helpful in remote team environments.
- AI‑Powered Reporting & Forecasting: The reporting tools in Freshsales deliver insights fast. I used them to create pipeline snapshots segmented by stage and rep, which helped in quarterly reviews. The forecasts updated in real time as deals moved. There is also an option that lets you visualize forecasts against targets, which helped my team track monthly goals more clearly.
Pros
Cons
👉 How to Get Freshsales for Free?
- Visit the official Freshsales website
- Click on the “Try it Free” button to register your account and get full access to a 21-day trial No credit card required.
- Gain instant access to all professional features without needing to provide billing information or make any financial commitment.
21-Day Free Trial
6) PipelineDeals
PipelineDeals delivers a powerful yet simple approach to customer management. I analyzed its features and found it is perfect for teams seeking a solution that allows you to close more deals with less effort. During my research, I could access automated reminders, helping sales reps stay on top of tasks. It might be helpful to use PipelineDeals to maintain consistency across your sales process. Manufacturing companies often use PipelineDeals for tracking distributor relationships and improving response times.
Features:
- Bulk Emails & AI Assistant: PipelineDeals streamlines outreach with bulk email tools and built-in AI support via ChatGPT. I created a 4-email drip campaign that included personalized suggestions for subject lines and tone. Open and click tracking helped fine-tune performance. While testing this feature, I suggest using merge tags with conditional fallback text to avoid awkward placeholders.
- Native eSign & Contract Management: Closing deals is faster with eSign tools baked right into the CRM. I generated and sent contracts from within a contact record, then tracked views and signatures in real time. This removed the back-and-forth of PDF editing. There is also an option that lets you set default templates, which speeds up repetitive paperwork.
- Integrations & API Access: PipelineDeals plays well with a wide ecosystem. I connected QuickBooks and Mailchimp to sync invoices and campaign data without manual exports. The open API gave our dev team flexibility to build custom triggers. Compared to CRMs that limit integration behind paywalls, this was refreshingly open.
- Custom Fields & Conditional Layouts: This feature lets you shape the CRM around your business, not the other way around. I created grouped layouts by sales stage and added conditional logic to hide fields that weren’t relevant. You will notice that color-coded fields help reps quickly spot priority items during fast-paced calls. It keeps the interface clean and effective.
- Reporting & Forecasting: The dashboard and reports in PipelineDeals offer clarity at a glance. I used the forecasting tools to compare pipeline progress vs. monthly targets, and it flagged gaps early. Real-time updates were helpful during exec reviews. The commission-tracking feature added extra motivation for my team to push deals forward.
- Team Management & Challenges: I assigned roles and tracked updates with audit logs to maintain accountability. What stood out was the gamification element—I ran a leaderboard challenge and saw a spike in outbound activities. I recommend enabling weekly progress recaps—it keeps reps motivated without needing extra meetings. It brings fun and focus into team performance.
Pros
Cons
👉 How to Get PipelineDeals for Free?
- Visit the PipelineDeals website
- Click on the “Start a trial” button to register your account and get full access to a 14-day trial
- The trial includes all premium features so you can test the CRM capabilities thoroughly before making a purchase decision.
7) Capsule
Capsule is a reputable CRM tool that I would recommend to any business looking for an easy way to manage contacts. During my research, it offered me practical templates and smart search features, making it one of the most popular solutions in its category. I particularly liked how Capsule allows you to adapt to your workflow and avoid unnecessary steps. Legal professionals often rely on Capsule to store client notes and deadlines securely.
Features:
- Sales pipelines with Kanban and drag‑and‑drop interface: Capsule’s pipeline view makes it easy to track deals visually across custom stages. I built multiple pipelines for a client’s B2B and B2C segments, each with different currencies and success criteria. While using this feature one thing I noticed is that color-coded tags help highlight high-value deals at a glance. It really streamlines prioritization.
- Tracks automation: Capsule’s track feature lets you build a sequence of dependent tasks. I used it to standardize onboarding steps for new clients—each task triggered only after the previous was marked done. This helped ensure nothing was missed during handoff. The automation flow is ideal for keeping multi-step processes tight and predictable.
- Flexible task management: The task system is more powerful than it looks. I set up recurring reminders for contract renewals and synced them with my calendar. I recommend enabling email alerts for key tasks—it adds a layer of accountability when your day gets busy. It’s a reliable tool to stay on top of your pipeline.
- Deep contact management: Capsule organizes contact details in a way that feels intuitive. I imported a messy CSV file once, and the tagging system made cleanup easy. Social enrichment pulled in LinkedIn bios and profile pictures automatically. The tool lets you use DataTags to group by product type or lead source, which makes segmentation a breeze.
- Email tools: Capsule integrates natively with Gmail and Outlook, letting you send and receive emails directly from the contact record. I tested the mail-dropbox feature and loved how it centralized external replies into the CRM. There is also an option that lets you track opens and clicks, which helped refine our email subject lines. This brought more clarity into our campaigns.
- Sales automation: I connected Capsule with Transpond to create marketing sequences that activated as deals moved stages. I once ran a campaign where new leads received welcome emails, case studies, and demo booking reminders—all triggered without lifting a finger. It made follow-ups consistent and scalable. This integration adds real power to an already lean CRM.
Pros
Cons
👉 How to Get Capsule for Free?
- Visit the Capsule official website
- Click on the “Try Free” button and “Get started” to sign up and start basic free plan
- You can begin exploring essential CRM tools without needing to enter credit card details or commit to a subscription.
8) OnePageCRM
OnePageCRM is a comprehensive CRM solution that I suggest for companies wanting to boost organization and sales. I found that its uncluttered interface makes it one of the easiest tools to adopt. Over the course of my evaluation, I noticed how fast I could access and update customer details. It might be helpful to leverage OnePageCRM’s pipeline view for managing ongoing deals. Design studios often use it to coordinate client projects and keep deliverables on schedule.
Features:
- Action-focused CRM: OnePageCRM uses a streamlined Action Stream that prioritizes what to do next for every contact. I found this especially helpful during busy sales weeks, where the system queued up urgent follow-ups by due date. While using this feature one thing I noticed is that assigning Next Actions creates a habit of always moving deals forward. It’s a simple but powerful system for consistency.
- One-page client profiles: Everything about a contact lives on one scrollable page—notes, emails, calls, deals, and tasks. I used this layout to prep for a demo call in under two minutes. No switching tabs or digging through CRM records. It feels natural and keeps your attention where it matters: on the client.
- Follow-up reminders: The platform sends out daily email digests with urgent tasks and overdue actions. I’ve relied on Focus Mode during prospecting sprints to block out distractions and work only on that day’s tasks. I recommend using color-coded flags to instantly spot deals requiring immediate attention—this keeps your task load realistic and productive.
- Sales automation: OnePageCRM simplifies automation with features like Saved Actions and Autoflows. I once built an onboarding workflow where each task—welcome email, call, check-in—triggered the next automatically. There is also an option that lets you share workflows across teammates, which keeps the process consistent across accounts. It removes a lot of manual effort.
- Speed Dialer & route planner: When I was managing field reps, the mobile Speed Dialer made outbound calls smoother with just one tap. The AI-powered route planner saved time by optimizing visit paths. It was especially useful during trade shows or regional sales runs. It’s rare to see a CRM prioritize mobility this well.
- Business card scanner: I tested the business card scanner at a startup expo and was impressed with its accuracy. It pulled names, emails, and company info into contact records within seconds. I suggest reviewing and tagging new contacts immediately after scanning—it helps keep your database clean and searchable later. It’s a smart tool for real-world networking.
Pros
Cons
👉 How to Get OnePageCRM for Free?
- Go to the OnePageCRM website
- Click on the “Try Free” button to sign up and start 21 day free trial No credit card required
- This free trial allows you to test premium features fully without entering any credit card data or setting up payments.
Feature Comparison Table
How Did We Choose Best FREE Salesforce Alternatives?
At Guru99, we are committed to delivering trustworthy, relevant, and accurate information that supports informed decision-making. With over 105 hours dedicated to evaluating more than 30 CRM solutions—both free and paid—we created this guide to provide unbiased insights into Salesforce alternatives. Our experts identified that certain advanced platforms were too complex for small teams, so we prioritized tools that offer essential CRM features, clarity in pricing, and user-friendly interfaces. These free CRM platforms are reliable, efficient, and tailored to meet real business needs, especially for startups or small businesses. We focus on the following factors while reviewing a tool based on
- Pricing and Limitations: We chose based on completely free plans with no forced upgrades for core CRM features.
- Ease of Use: Our team chose platforms that are user-centric and allow rapid setup with hassle-free onboarding processes.
- Core Features: We shortlisted tools offering essential CRM capabilities like lead tracking, task automation, and contact management.
- Integrations: Experts in our team selected platforms that integrate smoothly with marketing tools, email, and productivity apps.
- Scalability: We made sure to shortlist options that grow with you and are adaptable to your future business needs.
- Support and Community: The tools selected offer active support or documentation to help users solve issues with ease.
Verdict
I often compare CRM platforms for businesses looking to streamline their sales and client management without the complexity or pricing of Salesforce. When I need robust automation, lead tracking, or workflow integration, I rely on reliable alternatives. If you are deciding on one, check my verdict for trusted Salesforce replacements.
- Zoho CRM: A powerful and customizable solution with impressive analytics, live chat-to-lead features, and excellent workflow automation capabilities.
- Monday CRM: A user-friendly and colorful platform that simplifies sales pipeline tracking, team collaboration, and real-time task updates.
- Pipedrive: A top-rated sales-focused CRM ideal for visual deal management and automating repetitive sales admin with over 150 app integrations.