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The 7 Best CRM Apps for Your Business in 2024

When it comes to choosing a CRM app for your business, ask yourself questions like: What type of customer data do you need to track?

Colleen Christison March 2, 2023
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Are you looking for the best CRM apps for your business? You’re in luck! This blog post will highlight the top seven CRM apps that will help you manage your business like a pro.

Whether you’re looking for a CRM app to keep track of your customer data or one to help manage your sales pipeline, we’ve got you covered. So, without further ado, let’s get started!

Bonus: Get our free, fully customizable Customer Experience Strategy Template that will help you understand your customers and reach your business goals.

What is a CRM app?

A CRM app is a software program that helps businesses manage customer relationships. CRM stands for customer relationship management and is used to improve a business’s relationship with its customers.

By tracking customer data and interactions, CRM apps provide businesses with valuable insights into their customers’ needs and behavior. You can use CRM apps to manage customer contact information, sales opportunities, and marketing campaigns. They can show you where sales are won and lost, giving you insight into your strengths and weaknesses.

CRM apps can also help businesses track their performance against their customer relationship goals. They can assist you with staying connected to customers, streamlining your workflow, and improving your company’s profitability. As a result, CRM apps can be invaluable tools for businesses.

The three types of CRM systems

CRM apps come in all shapes and sizes. But when it comes down to it, they all stem from the three types of CRM systems: collaborative, analytical, and operational.

Collaborative

Collaborative CRM systems are all about bringing people together. They’re designed to help team members share information and work together more efficiently. Salesforce is an excellent example of a collaborative CRM system.

Analytical

Analytical CRM systems are focused on giving users insight into their data. They include features like reporting and data visualization tools that help users make sense of their customer data.

Operational

Operational CRM systems are designed to automate repetitive tasks and processes. They can help sales teams automate lead assignments, follow-up reminders, and quote generation. Zoho CRM is an operational CRM system.

Often, CRM apps can have more than one of these systems influence their end offering.

What to look for when choosing the best CRM app for your business

When it comes to choosing a CRM app for your business, there are a few key factors to keep in mind. First, consider the specific needs of your business. Here are a few questions you can ask yourself to get started:

  • What type of customer data do you need to track?
  • What features are most important to you?
  • Do you need certain reporting capabilities?
  • Do you need your CRM app to integrate with other software?
  • Do you have a tech-savvy sales team, or do you need to prioritize ease of use?

Once you have a good understanding of your needs, you’ll know which features in a CRM app you want to prioritize. Here are a few features to think about when deciding which CRM app is best for your business.

Multiple seats for your team

Having multiple seats for your team in a CRM app is an essential way to ensure that everyone can make the most of the app and contribute to the success of your business.

CRM apps are important for keeping track of customer interactions. They can help sales teams stay organized and provide valuable insights. However, CRM apps can also be used by other departments, such as marketing and customer service.

Having multiple seats for your team is essential so everyone can access the CRM app and use it to its full potential. Multi-user CRM apps can help teams work together more efficiently and better understand customer needs. They can also help to improve communication between team members.

Ease of use

CRM apps are designed to streamline the process of managing customer relationships, but if the app is difficult to use, it can actually have the opposite effect. A CRM app that is easy to use will make it simpler and faster for users to input data, which means that they will be more likely to actually use the app regularly.

In contrast, a CRM app that is difficult to use will quickly become a chore, and users will be less likely to input data regularly, resulting in an incomplete and inaccurate database. Therefore, ease of use is essential for ensuring that a CRM app is actually effective.

When considering different CRM apps, be sure to evaluate how user-friendly they are. CRM apps with a sleek and intuitive design are more likely to be used regularly, making them a better choice for businesses that want to improve their customer relations.

Allows for integrations

In order to be effective, CRM apps need to be integrated with other business systems, such as chatbots. This is because chatbots can provide valuable data that can be used to improve customer service and sales.

Heyday insights agent reactivity

Source: Heyday

Chatbots are a great resource, especially if you’ve chosen one that will help you achieve your business goals and communicate naturally with your customers. Our sister chatbot, Heyday, is a tried and trusted resource for businesses like yours.

Chatbots can be used to track customer inquiries and complaints. This data can then be fed into the CRM app, which can help to identify areas where you can improve the customer experience. And you can use chatbots to promote products and services to customers.

Besides chatbots, you’ll want your CRM app to be able to work with any other existing software you have to make the most of it.

Both desktop and mobile-friendly

A CRM app needs to be desktop and mobile-friendly. Sales teams, especially those in the field, increasingly use mobile devices to manage customer relationships.

A CRM app that’s not mobile-friendly is a huge obstacle to sales productivity because it requires salespeople to switch between devices to access the CRM data they need. It is also a missed opportunity to engage with customers and build relationships. Being tied to a desktop means that salespeople can’t naturally use the CRM app when they’re out meeting with customers.

A CRM app that’s not mobile-friendly compromises both customer engagement and sales productivity.

Reporting capabilities

With a CRM app that has robust reporting, you’ll be able to track your sales and marketing efforts. You’ll have insight into which ones are working and which need improvement. This lets you spot trends and clarify where you need to focus your energy. Reporting capabilities are essential for any CRM app that wants to be taken seriously.

Setup and ease of implementation

A CRM app is only as good as its ability to be quickly and easily set up by users. If an app is too complicated or time-consuming to implement, users will likely give up and move on to something else. That’s why many CRM apps focus on being simple and straightforward, with clear instructions that make it easy for even the most tech-phobic user to get started.

Customization and automation features

A key feature you should look for in a CRM app is being able to customize the app to meet the specific needs of your business. For example, you might want to add fields for tracking customer preferences or include features that make it easy to segment customers by location.

Automation features are also important for CRM apps. This feature can help your business save time by automatically performing tasks. You’ll be able to automate mundane work like sending follow-up emails or generating reports. Automation can also help to ensure your data is always up-to-date, which is essential for making accurate decisions about customer relationships.

Sales pipeline management

Your sales pipeline is one of the most important aspects of managing your customer relationships. Make it easy for customers to get what they need in whatever stage of the funnel, and you will make the process much more enjoyable. Plus, you’ll be helping out your bottom line.

By tracking every stage of the sales process, CRM apps can help you close more deals and increase your overall revenue. In addition, CRM apps can provide valuable insights into where deals fall through, allowing businesses to make necessary changes to their sales strategy. Look for CRM apps that have excellent sales pipeline management capabilities.

Dashboards and reporting

One of the most important aspects of any CRM app is its dashboard and reporting feature. A CRM dashboard provides a clear overview of all the important data related to customer relationships, while CRM reporting gives businesses the ability to track performance and identify trends.

Dashboards and reports are essential for helping your business understand your customer relationships and make the most of your CRM app. Without these features, a CRM app would be little more than a glorified address book. With dashboards and reports, CRM apps provide valuable insights that can help businesses to improve their customer service, sales, and marketing efforts.

Price

While it’s important to find an app that has all the features you need, it’s also important to consider the price. After all, you don’t want to spend more than you have to on features you won’t use.

Fortunately, there are CRM apps available at a variety of price points, from free to hundreds of dollars. So, you should be able to find an app that fits your needs.

The 7 best CRM apps for your business

There are a lot of CRM apps out there; we’re talking literally hundreds. So how do you know which ones are the best for your business? You trust someone (like your old pals at Hootsuite) to recommend some to you!

Here are seven of the best CRM apps for your business.

1. Salesforce Sales Cloud

Salesforce is a great CRM app for businesses of all sizes but especially enterprise-level businesses. It is one of the most popular CRMs on the market. Salesforce offers a variety of features, including contact management, opportunity tracking, and lead management. It also has a robust customer support system.

Salesforce uses artificial intelligence (AI) to automate processes with their Flow Orchestration making it easy to take care of multi-user processes. The detailed data tracking gives you custom reports that break down sales performance so you can see just how well your CRM is performing.

One useful aspect of Salesforce is its integration abilities. You can seamlessly integrate chatbots like Heyday with your CRM.

If your company needs to be able to customize your CRM app, Salesforce might be right for you. You’ll be able to use its customization options, internal ecosystem, and third-party integration capabilities to create a tailored platform that’s as individual as your business is.

The downside to Salesforce? The user interface isn’t as modern as today’s users expect with a SaaS giant like Salesforce. It can require quite a bit of customization for it to work efficiently and effectively. So, if your team is looking forward to customizing their CRM app, then great! But if you want a plug-and-go app, you may want to look elsewhere.

Price: starting at $25 a month per user

Key features:

  • Customizability
  • Contact management
  • Opportunity tracking
  • Lead management

Salesforce integrations with other platforms like Slack and Tableau

Source: Salesforce

Psstt: If you already use Salesforce Social Studio and are looking for a replacement, we can help!

2. Zoho CRM

Zoho is a favorite CRM app for small and mid-sized businesses. Zoho has a full suite of office software, so you can do everything in one place. And it’s free to start, so if you’re looking to try some platforms out risk-free, this is a good place to start.

Zoho’s marketing automation is included in the cost, so you know there won’t be any hidden fees or add-cost features. You can run email marketing campaigns and then map the leads they capture. And you can segment customers to target them better.

They also have a robust set of sales tools that can help you to contact, capture, nurture, and convert leads. The Zoho CRM mobile app is designed for salespeople on the move. You can use it for business card scanning and voice-to-text notes, so you can quickly capture and track lead information.

With Zoho’s SalesSignals tool, you can get notified of every action a lead takes. When they interact with one of your emails or social accounts, you’ll be sent an alert so you can respond immediately.

The downside to Zoho is that its user interface is a bit clunky and awkward to use.

Price: Free to start

Key features:

  • Automation for sales and marketing
  • Lead prediction and gamification
  • Birds-eye-view style dashboard

Zoho CRM with woman on phone and text conversation

Source: Zoho CRM

3. Insightly

Insightly is the right CRM app if you often have sales teams in the field. It’s also often chosen by small businesses. The user interface is simple to use and easy to understand by either someone new to CRM apps or an agent on the go.

Insightly can create a map of your contacts. This will show anyone being onboarded to your sales team the informal connections and network of your clients and organization. They also have business card scanning capabilities, so your agents won’t have to manually input contact details.

You can also create custom dashboards from scratch. Adjusting the interface is easy; you don’t even need to open the app on your desktop. You can add, delete, and move objects on your dashboard as the need arises.

The simple drag-and-drop architecture also allows you to create charts, graphs, and other useful visualizations you can share with your team.

Unfortunately, Insightly lacks advanced features found with some of the other CRM apps, like custom workflows. And the higher-tier pricing is pretty steep.

Price: Starts at $29 a month per user

Key features:

  • Drag and drop dashboards
  • Cloud-based architecture
  • Simple user interface

Insightly CRM sales leadership dashboard

Source: Insightly

4. Freshsales

Freshsales CRM is great for companies that get a lot of leads, both qualified and unqualified. The CRM can track the engagement of your leads and group and assign them accordingly. You can then direct your team to where they are most needed.

Freshales is known for its lovely interface and ease of use. It has built-in phone and email, lead scoring, and a visual sales pipeline. You can easily import your leads, have multiple pipelines, and share your reports and dashboards with your teammates. Plus, you can easily configure, price, and quote within the platform. Your invoices, quotes, and onboarding documents can all be customized directly in Freshsales.

One thing to note is that to get the most out of Freshsales you’ll want to buy into their entire suite of products. And for many, that’s just not a feasible option. It lacks integration with other SaaS products and can be an issue for many. And the interface is complex for people who are not tech-savvy.

Price: Free to start, then starts at $15 a month

Key features:

  • Built-in communication features
  • Lead engagement tracking and sorting
  • Customizable forms and data input

Freshsales CRM sales qualified lead

Source: Freshsales

5. Pipedrive

Do you want straightforward, easy-to-use CRM software? Then Pipedrive might be for you. This CRM app’s singular goal is to assist your salespeople with selling. There are no bells and whistles or potential distractions.

Pipedrive automatically tracks emails and calls, noting the progress of the sale as you go. Your dashboard has a single, streamlined view of your sales process. You can set up automatic alerts and reminders to keep all of your active deals on track. And you’ll have a sales forecast update when you move a deal down your funnel.

Pipedrive’s singular sales focus makes it easy for anyone to use.

Pipedrive’s cons are a necessary evil to its pros. While the CRM app’s pure focus on helping salespeople sell is its strength, it’s also its weakness. There are no marketing or other features in the app. That being said, Pipedrive’s integration capabilities are pretty comprehensive.

Price: Starting at $14.90 a month per user per month

Key features:

  • Sales tools like customizable web forms and segmentation
  • Customizable pipeline
  • Visual pipeline
  • Integration capabilities

Pipedrive dashboard sales process

Source: Pipedrive

6. Nimble

Nimble describes itself as “the only CRM that builds itself for you,” which is great for users who don’t want to set their CRM up themselves.

Integrating your email inboxes and calendars allows Nimble to set itself up in your digital life. For onboarding new users, Nimble provides many useful, relevant instructions. Those already adept at CRM may find this a little overbearing.

For prospecting, Nimble has an efficient Prospector engine, contact action lists, and a social tracking feature to help you stay organized. Nimble’s other organizational capabilities include unifying your inboxes (including Twitter), syncing your team’s calendars, and robust contact management.

Nimble also helps your sales team with creating profiles of your contacts. It automates data entry of contacts with information like:

  • who they are,
  • where they are from,
  • which company they are working for,
  • what their current role is,
  • which year the company was founded,
  • company revenue, social profiles, and contact details.

All of this information makes prospecting a breeze.

Price: Starts at $19 a month per user

Key features:

  • Prospecting tools like the Prospector engine
  • Robust contact management
  • Email and calendar syncing

Jon Ferrera profile CEO of Nimble

Source: Nimble

7. Copper

Copper is a CRM built specifically for G Suite users. If you’re a lover of Google Drive and Gmail, then this CRM might be for you.

After integrating with your G Suite, Copper can automatically update your data depending on your Gmail communications. It will also record and synchronize meetings and sort your Google Drive files according to your accounts and deals. And Copper finds relevant information about your client online for you.

Many companies love how it can track growth. Copper records your sales and revenue per person and tracks missed opportunities. You can use it to see areas where you win and lose leads. The CRM also offers a leaderboard where you can see how well individuals on your sales team are performing.

One of the things we love about Copper is that it has specific CRM offerings per industry. It allows you to specify who you are and your needs, sorting offerings by:

  • Agency CRM
  • Technology CRM
  • Consulting CRM
  • Real Estate CRM
  • Small Businesses
  • Mid-Market
  • Enterprise

Price: Starts at $23 per user per month (when paid annually)

Key features:

  • G Suite integration
  • Ease-of-use

Copper Gmail conversation brief review

Source: Copper

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By Colleen Christison

Colleen Christison is a freelance copywriter, copy editor, and brand communications specialist. She spent the first six years of her career in award-winning agencies like Major Tom, writing for social media and websites and developing branding campaigns. Following her agency career, Colleen built her own writing practice, working with brands like Mission Hill Winery, The Prevail Project, and AntiSocial Media.

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