Best Simple CRM: Basic, Easy-To-Use Platforms

Freshsales is the best simple CRM on the US market, according to our 2024 research and testing. It not only scored highest in our best CRM usability tests, but fit our definitions of ‘simple’ in multiple other ways too, including how it helps users learn the platform, how efficiently tools on the interface work, plus the wide extent and quality of its features.

In essence, it’s the most well-rounded option to make CRM users’ lives easier. But there are plenty of other choices if you want to hone in on a particular aspect of simplicity, from CRMs with ready-to-go templates for streamlined setup, to those with simple pricing structures.

What is the simplest CRM to one team, will inevitably be different to another – especially those working in completely different industries. Read on for our deep dive into the best simple CRM software.

The Simplest CRMs for US Businesses in 2024

Below is a breakdown of the six best CRM software providers in 2024, ordered by their usability testing scores and overall simplicity. To cut to the chase and find your business a CRM suited to them, however, try out our CRM comparison tool which will match you with suitable CRM platforms based on the information you provide.

1. Freshsales: Best Simple CRM for Overall Ease of Use

If you want an easy-to-use CRM that also offers a comprehensive package out of the box (without extensive integration or add-on requirements) then Freshsales is a standout option. Simply put, it is the best simple CRM when you consider all the needs of a CRM user.

It reflects the definition of ‘simple’ in more ways than the other CRMs we tested. Namely in efficiency (ease of using core CRM features, with Freshsales leading the way in our usability testing), learnability (ease of learning how to set up and use features), satisfaction (how enjoyable the software is to use and the extent of CRM features it offers to address user needs) and lack of errors (how many errors were made by users during testing).

What makes Freshsales a simple CRM to use?

Freshsales scored the highest in our usability testing of different CRMs, offering a clean, intuitive interface with speedy data imports, allowing us to set up our CRM in under one minute. You are offered templates for ‘Sales’, ‘Marketing’, and ‘Customer Service’, adding a few contacts and teammates before being launched into your chosen CRM.

It doesn’t have a steep learning curve, especially given its signposted onboarding, which walks you through various tasks, including importing data, connecting emails, and adding users, when you first use the system.

Freshsales also provides a vast library of ready-made dashboards, so you can start tracking metrics immediately without building them from scratch. Meanwhile, the inclusion of Freddy AI, an AI-powered assistant, offers automated lead scoring and insightful analytics, further streamlining your sales process.

Who is Freshsales suited to?

Businesses that need both sales and marketing functionalities in one platform will find that Freshsales meets a lot of their needs. It’s ideal for users new to CRM software who require an easy-to-use system to manage customer relationships and drive growth.

Businesses that value integrated tools like landing pages, visual email builders, and conversion rate optimization will find Freshsales comprehensive, too.

What could be simpler about Freshsales?

Freshsales does offer fewer custom field options compared to some competitors, potentially limiting the ability to tailor the CRM to specific business needs.

Elsewhere, its integrations are primarily focused on Freshworks’ suite of products, and API access is only available as an add-on, both of which can be restrictive for businesses already using a diverse set of tools. In other words, integrating with a wide range of third-party tools could be simpler elsewhere.

Still, you’ll be able to integrate with some likes of Xero, HubSpot, QuickBooks, Shopify, and Mailchimp so your mileage will inevitably vary depending on what other software you need.

And it’s worth mentioning that certain plans cap marketing actions at 1,000 per month, which may constrain larger businesses with extensive marketing requirements. Though, you can always upgrade if

What do competitor CRMs do more simply than Freshsales?

If your business relies heavily on third-party integrations or requires extensive customization, you might find Freshsales somewhat limiting (depending on your needs).

Competitors like Monday CRM and Zoho CRM offer more extensive customization options, allowing users to tailor fields, dashboards, and workflows to a greater degree. Monday CRM, for instance, provides a flexible system adaptable to unique business processes with lots of custom field options.

In a similar vein, Zoho CRM offers a wider range of third-party integrations. Some competitors also present more straightforward pricing models without caps on features like marketing actions, offering simplicity in scalability as your business grows.

2. Zoho CRM: Best Value Simple CRM

Looking to have a CRM that won’t cost the earth both now and as your business needs grow? Zoho CRM is our pick as the best value simple CRM because it offers a vast network of features and integrations at a relatively low price, starting at $14 per user per month.

Zoho also offers a free plan for up to three users, providing access to its suite of business apps. This does lack advanced forecasting tools and extensive customization but is worth checking out to assess if its interface is for you.

What makes Zoho CRM a simple CRM to use?

Zoho CRM combines a user-friendly design with extensive customization, making it both simple and powerful. The platform offers an intuitive onboarding tour to guide you through setup, including data import and dashboard customization.

Users can tailor deal tracking and sales pipeline boards to their specific needs, creating a personalized CRM experience. Integration with other Zoho services creates a cohesive ecosystem, especially beneficial if you’re already using Zoho products.

Despite its rich feature set, Zoho CRM maintains simplicity in navigation too, through a clean interface and straightforward interface featuring a top navigation bar that covers ‘Leads’, ‘Contacts’, ‘Accounts’, ‘Deals’, ‘Tasks’, ‘Meetings’, ‘Calls’, ‘Reports’, ‘Projects’ and even more besides that.

Who is Zoho CRM suited to?

Businesses seeking an affordable, customizable CRM focused on sales will find Zoho CRM a worthy choice. It offers an easy way to organize contacts and customize pipelines without losing essential features. The free plan is a great starting point for budget-conscious businesses too, and scalable pricing accommodates future business growth.

What could be simpler about Zoho CRM?

The extensive customization in Zoho CRM can introduce a slight learning curve, potentially overwhelming new users to CRM software compared to streamlined choices like Less Annoying CRM.

The setup process may take a little longer due to the wealth of options too, and some advanced features to help this, like the AI-powered Zia Assistant, are only available on higher-tier plans. Relatedly, if you require customer service or marketing functionalities, you’ll need to integrate additional Zoho products like Zoho Desk or Zoho Campaigns, which is another tool to learn and set up inside Zoho CRM.

The mobile app is also limited compared to the desktop version, which might affect users needing robust mobile capabilities, albeit that isn’t unheard of for any CRM software.

What do competitor CRMs do more simply than Zoho CRM?

Competitors like Freshsales provide a slightly more streamlined onboarding experience (arguably because it has fewer features) with faster data uploads and clearer guidance, making initial setup quicker and scoring higher in our usability testing. Freshsales also offers seamless email integration on its cheapest pain plan, unlike Zoho CRM which has it on its Professional package.

Additionally, CRMs like Less Annoying CRM focus on essential features without overwhelming users with customization options, making them easier to adopt for businesses preferring an out-of-the-box solution.

3. Pipedrive: Best Simple CRM for Visual Sales Pipelines

Pipedrive’s visual sales pipeline management is its unique selling point. It provides uncomplicated and unlimited customizable pipelines in its easy-to-read Kanban viewing style.

The platform includes 30 preset workflow automations tailored for sales teams and an AI sales assistant that guides you in things like responding to current deals effectively or automatic assignment of leads to team members based on your custom criteria. Keep in mind, however, that many of these attractive features are only available starting from the Professional plan at $49 per user per month.

What makes Pipedrive a simple CRM to use?

Pipedrive features a visual, drag-and-drop sales pipeline, allowing teams to manage deals intuitively. Setup is guided by helpful templates and suggestions, enabling quick creation of your sales process.

I’d argue that it isn’t quite as helpful for onboarding as Freshsales and Zoho CRM which fully guide you through the process. With Pipedrive, as the below images show, you are helped somewhat but largely directed to separate tutorial pages. Still, said tutorials do allow you to see what a fully finished CRM might look like and easily guide you through the steps to get there.

The platform itself offers robust contact management with detailed customer profiles and activity timelines to track all your interactions. It also has strong data security credentials, providing user permissions and multi-factor authentication to protect sensitive information.

Who is Pipedrive suited to?

Pipedrive is particularly suited for sales professionals and teams new to CRM systems who need a straightforward platform to manage sales activities. Its visual pipeline management provides a clear, customizable way to track deals from start to finish. We also think companies dealing with sensitive customer data will benefit from Pipedrive’s strong security features.

What could be simpler about Pipedrive?

While user-friendly, Pipedrive’s lower-tier plans offer limited reporting and forecasting features, requiring upgrades for advanced analytics. Extra costs for features like web form creation, marketing campaigns, and lead generation add-ons can complicate the user experience and increase expenses.

Its navigation isn’t as helpful as the likes of HubSpot, which lets you hover to see what subtools are in each section, or better yet, Less Annoying CRM which shows you tangible data upon hover. But it looks and acts nearly identical to Freshworks navbar and both still work well (with a few extra steps).

What do competitor CRMs do more simply than Pipedrive?

Competitors like Zoho CRM and Freshsales offer more comprehensive features at lower price points, including built-in marketing and communication tools. Zoho CRM provides extensive customization without heavy reliance on third-party integrations like Pipedrive, too.

If you need extensive marketing or customer service functionalities, Pipedrive’s sales-centric focus might be limiting, too. Freshsales offers inclusive plans with sales and marketing functionalities bundled, reducing the need for sometimes costly add-ons. Meanwhile, some competitors provide 24/7 support on all plans, whereas Pipedrive reserves this for higher-tier subscriptions.

4. Less Annoying CRM: Best Simple CRM for Small Teams and Streamlined Needs

It might not be the most feature-rich provider on this page, but Less Annoying CRM is one of the most user-friendly out of the box. Navigating from feature to feature is effortless, with the platform focusing on essential functionalities like contact management, task tracking, and calendar integration without overwhelming you with unnecessary complexities. It even has a simple pricing structure with only one plan.

This minimalist approach ensures that small teams can stay organized and efficient without a steep learning curve. However, if you need advanced functionalities like sales pipeline visualization, in-depth reporting, and extensive customization options, you might need to look elsewhere.

What makes Less Annoying CRM a simple CRM to use?

Less Annoying CRM is designed for simplicity, focusing on essential CRM features without unnecessary complexity. The platform offers an intuitive interface with straightforward contact management, task tracking, and calendar integration. The implementation process is streamlined too, with helpful tips and videos to assist in quick setup.

Its main dashboard provides a clear overview of tasks and appointments, helping users stay organized. I really enjoy how you can hover over each section on the right-hand sidebar to get a glimpse at tasks you need to complete, items in the calendar, and more without having to drop into those sections themselves. This speeds up your workflow when jumping around different aspects of the software and is incredibly simple and intuitive to use as a result.

Perhaps best of all, unlimited contacts, companies, pipelines, and custom fields offer flexibility within a simple framework that you’ll never need to upgrade: this is Less Annoying CRM’s only plan you can get.

Who is Less Annoying CRM suited to?

This CRM is ideal for small sales teams, startups, or businesses transitioning from spreadsheets to a more organized system. It’s perfect for those who want a hassle-free CRM covering the basics without a steep learning curve or high cost.

With a single affordable pricing plan of $15 per user per month, it’s accessible for budget-conscious businesses. And if you don’t want to ever face the annoying predicament of needing to pay more to access certain features, then Less Annoying CRM’s ‘single-tier for full access‘ should be massively appealing.

What could be simpler about Less Annoying CRM?

While simplicity is its strength, the platform lacks some advanced functionalities like sales pipeline visualization, reporting, and marketing tools. The absence of visual sales pipelines may make tracking progress and identifying bottlenecks harder, for instance.

Elsewhere, limited customer support options – phone and email during business hours – could hinder users needing immediate assistance outside of these hours. And it does lack a mobile app, though Less Annoying is clear that its web app is “designed to work with mobile devices” and it does seem to work well according to our research.

What do competitor CRMs do more simply than Less Annoying CRM?

Competitors like Pipedrive and Zoho CRM offer advanced features with intuitive interfaces, including visual sales pipelines and comprehensive reporting, while maintaining ease of use. Pipedrive provides a drag-and-drop pipeline system, and Zoho CRM offers scalability and customization, simplifying complex processes more effectively than Less Annoying CRM.

5. HubSpot: Best Simple CRM with a Comprehensive Free Plan

HubSpot is something of a trojan horse of a CRM. It provides a vast range of features, some beyond your usual CRM capabilities, and many available on its free plan including sales, marketing, and customer service tools.

What makes HubSpot a simple CRM to use?

HubSpot provides an intuitive and easy-to-navigate CRM platform, making it accessible for beginners and small teams. The interface is tidy with clear menus (in a similar manner to Less Annoying CRM), simplifying sales pipeline tracking and contact management.

Its feature-rich free plan offers sales, marketing, and CRM functionalities without initial costs, too. It’s worth stating some of its free core features at a glance, for clarities sake:

• Seats: 2 free seats
• Contacts, tasks, and deals: Up to 1,000,000
• Tracking: Page visits, HubSpot form submissions, and sales activity.
• Forms: Yes (with HubSpot branding).
• Landing pages: Limited to 20 (with HubSpot branding)
• Meeting scheduling: Limited to 1 meeting at a time.
• Email marketing: Up to 2,000 emails sent per month (with HubSpot branding).
• Integrations: Access to all 3rd-party apps from the HubSpot app marketplace; 1-to-1 emails (connect Gmail or Outlook and send emails directly from HubSpot).
• Mobile app: Yes

Tools like shared team inboxes streamline communication and lead management. HubSpot also includes AI and automation features to enhance productivity without adding complexity.

Who is HubSpot suited to?

HubSpot is suited for small businesses and startups seeking a comprehensive CRM that can grow with them. The robust free plan is ideal for tight budgets, offering tools across sales, marketing, and customer service.

It’s also great for businesses planning to scale, with paid plans providing advanced features like workflow automation and plentiful integration possibilities linking up with other software you might want (or already be using) as part of your operations. Companies valuing an all-in-one platform with flexibility will find HubSpot a strong fit.

What could be simpler about HubSpot?

Despite its user-friendly design, HubSpot’s free plan has limitations like minimal customer support and a file storage cap of five documents, ten custom properties, and just one automated action. Previously you had unlimited user numbers with this plan too, but now that is limited to just two seats per account.

Still, the variety of overarching feature areas is extensive, and this may even present a learning curve for CRM novices or businesses with a much tighter focus on their operations. Given its onboarding fees are reportedly extremely high – between $1,500 and $7,000 directly from HubSpot – that could be a concern when introducing new staff to the platform.

What do competitor CRMs do more simply than HubSpot?

Competitors like Freshsales offer more detailed onboarding and faster data imports, simplifying initial setup. Some provide more generous support options on free or lower-tier plans.

Less Annoying CRM, focusing on essential features, might be easier for those preferring a straightforward CRM without extensive functionalities that can complicate HubSpot’s experience.

6. Monday CRM: Best Simple CRM for Customization

Resembling Monday’s Project Management tool, Monday CRM is as customizable as CRMs can get. Allowing you to design workflows and dashboards that match your needs, those with a creative eye should enjoy the ease with which you can organize your contacts, leads, and more.

What makes Monday CRM a simple CRM to use?

Monday CRM is acclaimed for its highly customizable and user-friendly interface based on boards. It allows extensive tailoring with boards for contacts, deals, and tasks listed as tabs on the right-hand side. When you are setting, it asks what sub-sections and columns you want to include for these boards and you are left with a page like the following to add different items to.

The intuitive design uses a clean layout with color-coded labels, making navigation straightforward. Users can start from scratch or use templates to set up sales pipelines, offering flexibility. Multiple views like charts, lists, tables, and Kanban boards enable visualization of the sales pipeline in preferred formats.

Who is Monday CRM suited to?

Monday CRM is ideal for businesses with unique needs requiring high customization. It’s perfect for sales professionals who want to manage contacts and tasks per their preferences. Beginners will appreciate its intuitive interface and easy setup.

The competitive pricing starting at $12 per user per month makes it attractive for budget-conscious businesses too, though each plan requires a minimum of three users.

What could be simpler about Monday CRM?

While customization is a strength, it can lead to complexity, especially with large contact lists that may become overwhelming and difficult to navigate. Sometimes the multiple views lead you down the wrong rabbit hole if you are new to the interface.

Elsewhere, limited functionality in managing extensive databases might hinder larger sales teams, for instance. Essential features like mass emailing aren’t included in all plans, complicating communication efforts. Similarly, a lack of marketing and lead generation features may require additional tools for a complete CRM solution.

What do competitor CRMs do more simply than Monday CRM?

Competitors like Pipedrive offer quicker setups with less emphasis on customization, providing ready-to-use templates that streamline configuration. Zoho CRM provides robust functionalities in marketing and communication, allowing a more integrated approach without extra tools. Freshsales has built-in marketing features and AI tools, reducing the need for integrations or customised approaches to Monday CRM’s interface, while delivering a comprehensive CRM.

Buying Guide: How To Choose A Simple CRM For You

While a simple CRM may seem self-explanatory initially, what is ‘simple’ to a user in one industry may be completely detached from a person’s definition of ‘simple’ in another. Likewise, if you are completely new to CRM interfaces, you may find some features overly complex that more experienced users find intuitive.

We recommend asking yourself a few questions to determine what type of ‘simple CRM’ will work best for you.

What is ‘simple’ to you? Questions to ask yourself

Ultimately, different CRMs have different specialties – even if they are all ‘simple’ in some sense, in others they may be complex. And as noted, that what is simple is different for everyone. Ask yourself the following questions to get to the bottom of this:

1. Why do you need a CRM?

Understanding your primary motivation for wanting or needing a CRM will help you focus on CRMs that perform best in those areas. Here are some examples of reasons why a CRM may be helpful for your business:

• Organize customer data: Are you looking to centralize customer information for easy access?
• Boost sales efforts: Are you aiming to track leads and manage your sales pipeline more effectively?
• Integrate communication: Do you need a system to streamline emails, calls, and meetings? Do you want to link emails to certain job tasks?
• Improve customer service: Do you want to improve follow-ups and customer satisfaction?

2. What industry are you in?

• E-commerce: Could benefit from inventory management and order tracking.
• Freelancing: May need time tracking and invoicing features.
• Hospitality: Integrate with reservation systems, keeping records of guest preferences and past stays, and feedback collection possibilities to improve service.

Your industry can dictate specific features that are essential for your operations.

3. Do you plan to scale your business?

If you’re a startup or small business with small numbers of staff, a basic CRM might suffice for now.

But should expansion be on the horizon, consider a CRM that can scale with you, offering advanced features as you grow. You’ll also want to consider the cost of those additional tools, as some CRM software entices users with more developed free plans before ramping up the cost when it’s time to upgrade.

What might a simple CRM look like?

You know roughly what sort of CRM you are looking for, it’s worth briefly considering what that might look like in practice.

Core features

• Contact management: Centralize customer information, including names, contact details, and interaction history.
• Task and reminder settings: Schedule follow-ups and set reminders for important dates or actions.
• Call logging and note-taking: Record phone calls and jot down notes directly within the CRM.
• File uploads: Attach relevant documents like contracts, proposals, or images to customer profiles.
• Email integration: Send and receive emails directly from the CRM to keep all communications in one place.
• Mobile app access: Use the CRM on the go to log calls or update information in real time.
• Basic reporting: Generate simple reports to track performance metrics.
• Exporting data: Ability to export contacts and reports for external use or backups.

User numbers

Generally, simple CRMs will have more streamlined user limits to match their less extensive features.

• Individual users: Some CRMs are designed for single users, ideal for freelancers or solo entrepreneurs.
• Small teams: Others support up to 10 users, suitable for small businesses or departments.

This will inevitably vary by provider and between different plans each provider offers.

Price

Related to both features and user numbers is the total cost of your simple CRM.

• Free plans: Many simple CRMs offer free versions with limited features, perfect for testing the waters as to whether its interface and features are simple enough for you.
• Paid plans: Monthly subscriptions usually range from $10 to $50 per user, depending on the features and number of users.

4 takeaway tips for choosing the right simple CRM

1. Try before you buy: Make use of free plans, free trials, demos, and tutorials. This way you can actually test out whether a CRM suits you and your team’s needs.
2. Read reviews: We’ve tested and researched plenty of CRMs so our reviews on this page are a good place to start. However, you should also engage with user reviews to get a tighter grip on where people feel a CRM is a top performer or could be improved.
3. Evaluate customer support: You could (rightly) be tempted to dive into a slightly more complicated CRM that offers better value for money if a provider has strong customer support options and availability, since they may be able to advise you on any issues you face.
4. Consider future needs: If you want to avoid the hassle of changing CRM providers down the line, then looking into the features and costs of upgraded plans is also worthwhile. You’ll need to assess whether these options would make sense for your potential needs down the line.

Methodology: How We Research and Test CRM Systems