Startups … What can I say … Bringing an idea to life is hard. Starting a business even more so. Keeping it afloat, well, you get my drift.
It’s easy to say ‘yeah but Facebook, I mean Meta, did it’. Or ‘Yoco did it’. Or ‘SweepSouth made it’. But when it comes to launching a startup, the odds do not seem to be in everyone’s favour with reports indicating that about 90% of startups fail.
Launching a tech startup may seem like an even more insurmountable task when you read the definition of a tech startup:
‘a company working with a purpose of bringing technology products or services to market to solve a problem where the solution is not obvious and success may not be guaranteed’.
No obvious solution and no guarantee of success? It is easy to see why breathing life into a tech company is no easy feat.
And why a newbie tech startup may need all the help it can get, especially when it comes to attracting customers and making sales.
If your goal is to not only launch a tech or SaaS company but also grow and develop it into a successful business with a healthy financial outlook, a CRM can help you get to where you want to go smoothly - and a little faster.
Read more: Why you need a CRM for your business.
Yes, there will be a few bumps along the way but having a reliable system on your side to help with operational activities, data analysis, strat, marketing and sales campaign management, and customer care, will make the ride just a little bit more enjoyable.
Why invest in CRM systems for tech & SaaS startups?
The most valuable features a CRM can offer a small business or startup include:
- Contact management
- Pipeline management and sales forecasting
- Reporting and analytics
- Process standardisation
As well as
- Email integration
- Email tracking
- Call recording
- Interaction tracking
- Software integrations
- Data enrichment and collections
- Leaderboards
- Mobile CRM
Add to this the benefits of CRM systems for tech startups or small business, which include:
- Identifying new sales opportunities
- Improved customer service
- Collated information for better decision making and long-term strategic planning
- Shortened sales cycle. Using a CRM shortens the sales cycle between 8-14%.
- Increased efficiency. Stats show a whopping 34% increase in sales team productivity when using a CRM.
- Increased sales. HubSpot research shows a 29% increase in sales for businesses using a CRM.
And you’ll see why investing in a solid CRM system is clearly worth your time and money.
So without further ado, here’s our list of the 20 best CRM systems for tech or SaaS startups for 2022 based on the above criteria.
20 Best CRM Software Systems for Tech and SaaS Startups in 2022
1. Less Annoying CRM
GetApp score: 4.8 from 484 reviews
Less Annoying CRM is a low-code CRM specifically designed for startups or small businesses with an uncomplicated pricing structure, quick set up time and the hassle-free, user-friendly and intuitive UI.
Pros:
- Simple yet customisable dashboard.
- One of the most affordable AND flexible CRM solutions available.
Cons:
- Reporting features are basic.
- With limited features currently, Less Annoying CRM might not be able to scale with every business.
Pricing:
Less Annoying CRM has one pricing tier of $15 per user per month.
What clients say:
2. Monday.com
GetApp score: 4.6 from 2.4K reviews
Monday.com is a lightweight yet flexible CRM solution for SMBs with a focus on task organisation and project and sales management.
Pros:
- Monday.com now integrates with HubSpot, delivering simple-yet-robust automations, CRM templates and clear ROI dashboards for marketing teams.
- Card View allows users to see all relevant data pertaining to a project at a single glance. It can be customised so you only see what you want or need to see.
Cons:
- The entry-level plan is very limited.
- No live chat support.
Pricing:
Monday.com offers a free plan for up to 2 users.
There are 4 paid-for packages.
- Basic $10 per user per month
- Standard $12 per user per month
- Pro $20 per user per month
- Enterprise pricing depends on customer requirements
What clients say:
3. Freshsales
GetApp score: 4.6 from 481 reviews
Freshsales’ CRM system enables businesses to grow through context-driven sales on the back of personalised engagement with customers and high-tech CRM assistance.
Pros:
- Freddy, the AI, generates insights from data salespeople may have missed. Ultimately, this contributes to better-quality leads and customer engagement.
- The Freshdesk integration combines sales and support functionalities for better client management and support.
Cons:
- There is a sizeable learning curve for the more complex features.
- Advanced features are only available in the paid-for packages.
Pricing:
There is a free limited-functionality plan.
There are 3 paid options.
- Growth $18 per user per month
- Pro $47 per user per month
- Enterprise $83 per user per month
What clients say:
4. Daylite for MAC
GetApp score: 4.6 from 338 reviews
Daylite, by Marketcircle, is an all-in-one CRM system for individuals or small teams (100 members or less) working exclusively on Macs, iPads and iPhones.
Pros:
- Daylite offers a feature-rich platform with CRM, project management and lead management features that’s built exclusively for Mac and iOS products.
- The Daylite app allows you to access the system on your iPhone or iPad even when offline, and will automatically sync all data once you are back online.
Cons:
- Daylite does not allow you ‘to monitor your customers’ social activities or your company’s social interaction with leads’.
- Nor is it set up for sending bulk emails.
Pricing:
There is an all-inclusive free version and 1 paid package for $39.99 per user per month.
What clients say:
5. EngageBay
GetApp score: 4.6 from 128 reviews
EngageBay is a unified sales, marketing and customer-service software system, specifically designed for startups and SMBs to help them scale faster.
Pros:
- EngageBay’s call feature allows you to call customers directly from the platform without the need for additional soft- or hardware. Calls are also recorded and stored by the system.
- It sports multi-channel marketing functionality, allowing users to market via different channels, including site messages, push notifications and SMS, simultaneously.
Cons:
- The pre-designed templates are limited and outdated.
- The interface is not user-friendly and there is quite a steep learning curve.
Pricing:
EngageBay is free for up to 15 users.
There are 3 paid-for options.
- Basic $14.99 per user per month
- Growth $49.99 per user per month
- Pro $79.99 per user per month
What clients say: “A full-featured marketing platform. With this, you have all you need to get started and succeed. Having all in one platform make any marketer job much easier” - Santiago B, Southern Europe Director, Triptease
6. HubSpot CRM
GetApp score: 4.5 from 2.8K reviews
HubSpot is known for its comprehensive, scaleable CRM software that connects marketing, sales, content management and service hubs. The ‘HubSpot CRM is a cloud-based customer CRM software solution specialising in sales automation. With HubSpot CRM, users can control content, channels and marketing performance in one place. HubSpot's lead scoring functionality also allows users to track the people who are most important to their businesses’ success’.
The company also offers a bespoke package exclusively for startups, HubSpot Startup. Learn more about it here.
Pros:
- HubSpot is fully customisable and can be tailored to your specific business needs.
- It provides a comprehensive two-way sync so you can create a new contact in your CRM, access email templates, and log sales activities without leaving Gmail or Outlook.
Cons:
- HubSpot offers a comprehensive package with loads of great functionalities and tools BUT if you do not have the time or resources to use it all, it may not be worth the price tag.
- If your entire team does not buy into it, it won’t work optimally.
Pricing:
HubSpot offers a free comprehensive plan for unlimited team members.
There are 3 paid-for Sales CRM packages.
- Starter $50 per month for 2 users. Additional users can be added at $25 per user per month.
- Professional $500 per month for 5 users. Additional users can be added for $100 per user per month.
- Enterprise $1 200 per month for 10 users. Additional users can be added for $120 per user per month.
What client’s say:
7. Pipedrive
GetApp score: 4.5 from 2.3K reviews
Pipedrive is a robust yet flexible sales-centric CRM system that helps startups get organised, and drive sales via their sales pipeline with tools to track and analyse customer and sales data.
Pros:
- Custom chatbots and web forms allow you to manage sales and deals in your pipeline 24/7.
- With Pipedrive you can construct multiple sales pipelines with customisable stages for a specific product or service.
Cons:
- It lacks an email platform.
- Limited functionality, especially when it comes to campaign planning and reporting functionality.
Pricing:
There are 4 paid-for packages.
- Essential $15 per user per month
- Advanced $29 per user per month
- Professional $59 per user per month
- Enterprise $119 per user per month
What clients say:
8. Streak
GetApp score: 4.5 from 407 reviews
Streak offers CRM software that sits on top of your Gmail (whether desktop or mobile) with G Suite integrations included (Sheets, Chat, Drive, etc) to help you access and gather data quickly and efficiently, and manage teams, projects and sales directly from your inbox.
Pros:
- Built into Gmail, training time is almost zero as users already know how to use Gmail and the additional features and functions are intuitive and user friendly. Plus, to get started all you have to do is download the extension.
- Custom workflows and sales pipelines.
Cons:
- Prices escalate quickly across paid-for packages.
- Limited marketing functionality.
Pricing:
Streak offers a limited free version for unlimited users.
There are 3 paid-for options.
- Solo $19 per user per month
- Pro $59 per user per month
- Enterprise $159 per user per month
What customers say:
9. Capsule
GetApp score: 4.5 from 136 reviews
Capsule is a simple yet smart online CRM designed for small businesses who want to manage time, customer data and sales efficiently.
Pros:
- The new email templates and email send functionality allows you to draft an email once yet send it multiple times from within Capsule via Gmail or Outlook.
- Capsule can be segmented into Teams so you can have a clear view of what different teams or departments are doing and monitor their progress.
Cons:
- Built-in email marketing functionality is limited.
- G Suite integration is more or less limited to email, contacts and calendars.
Pricing:
Capsule offers a free Starter package for up to 2 users.
There are 3 paid plans available.
- Professional $18 per user per month
- Teams $36 per user per month
- Enterprise $54 per user per month
What clients say:
10. Zendesk Sell
GetApp score: 4.4 from 2.7K reviews
Zendesk Sell is a mobile CRM system with sales-force automation and multiple tools for maximising team collabs. Small businesses with a deep customer-service focus due to the nature of their products or services will do very well with this software.
Pros:
- The Smart Lists feature allows for real-time segmentation and filtration of leads and deals.
- Zendesk Sell provides open APIs to plug into your tech stack with ease, including Mailchimp and Pandadoc. You can also build your own apps using the Zendesk Apps framework.
Cons:
- There is no free plan available.
- The interface and Answer Bot can do with upgrades.
Pricing:
There are 3 paid-for Zendesk Sell packages.
- Sell Team $19 per user per month with a limit of 3 paid users.
- Sell Professional $49 per user per month.
- Sell Enterprise $99 per user per month.
What clients say: “We are using Zendesk Sell and Support to make it easier for the entire organisation to surface and act on relevant information. By giving our sales and support teams everything they need in one platform, they are able to effectively and efficiently collaborate and improve the customer experience” – Simon Rodriguez, Senior Vice President and Chief Digital Officer, Staples Canada
11. Salesforce Sales Cloud
GetApp score: 4.4 from 16.3K reviews
Salesforce offers customer-centric, scaleable CRM software that provides businesses with ‘a 360-degree customer view — from pipeline and opportunity management to marketing automation and help-desk solutions’.
Pros:
- Multiple advanced features, including advanced marketing automation, 24/7 customer support and advanced account and contact management.
- Salesforce offers a product discount for incubator, accelerator or VC firms through their Salesforce for Startups programme.
Cons:
- Multiple functionalities and tools can be overwhelming for small or startup teams who will most probably not use all the features but will still have to pay for it.
- You will have to sign a year contract to get started and billing is annual.
Pricing:
There are 4 paid CRM options for small businesses.
- Essentials $25 per user per month
- Sales Professional $75 per user per month
- Service Professional $75 per user per month
- Pardot Growth $1 250 per month for unlimited users
What clients say: “We turned to Salesforce because we want to build even stronger and longer lasting relationships with customers, and connect our employees. We aren’t measuring ourselves by the traditional service metrics of call volume or resolution times. We care about customer happiness, satisfaction, and long term relationships” – Hilda Fontana, Global VP of Digital Technologies, Toms
12. Apptivo
GetApp score: 4.4 from 575 reviews
Apptivo provides SaaS business management software for SMBs, including a well-automated CRM system.
Pros:
- The app structure is highly customisable with scaleable functionality.
- Top-rated vendor support.
Cons:
- Limited third-party integrations.
- Performance can be sluggish.
Pricing:
Apptivo offers a free starter CRM plan for small businesses.
There are 4 paid-for plans.
- Lite $10 per user per month
- Premium $15 per user per month
- Ultimate $25 per user per month
- Enterprise costs are based on individual needs.
What clients say:
13. Zoho CRM
GetApp score: 4.3 from 5.1K reviews
Zoho CRM is a prime example of a classic, full-stack CRM. It is ideal for small or large teams, especially those working remotely, that are looking to increase sales.
Pros:
- Users can redesign their interface with Canvas Studio for a truly bespoke CRM experience.
- Zia, your AI-powered sales assistant, will help you sell smarter and faster with advanced lead and deal predictions, task reminders, and suggestions for the best times to contact your leads based on your past successful interactions.
Cons:
- The top-tier packages might be overkill for startups and/or SMEs.
- The waiting period for vendor support/technical support can be long.
Pricing:
There are 4 paid-for CRM plans.
- Standard $12 per user per month
- Professional $20 per user per month
- Enterprise $35 per user per month
- Ultimate $45 per user per month
What clients say:
14. Vtiger
GetApp score: 4.3 from 305 reviews
Vtiger is a user-friendly, all-in-one CRM software system for all businesses, from startups to enterprises, built around an open-source core.
Pros:
- The intuitive and fast UI ensures quick adoption.
- One View offers a 360-degree view of each customer, eliminating barriers between departments.
Cons:
- Not the best choice for businesses with multiple sales pipelines.
- Many tasks require the user to open multiple tabs.
Pricing:
Vtiger offers 1 free CRM plan for a maximum of 10 users.
There are two paid options.
- One Professional $42 per user per month
- One Enterprise $58 per user per month
What clients say: “Vtiger provides us with more functionalities than what Salesforce CRM did but at just half the price. Vtiger is easy to configure to our constantly evolving business requirements. It has an intuitive UI and is easy to use. And when we face any difficulties we always get an amazing support” – Ankith, Head of Sales, HackerEarth
15. BigContacts
GetApp score: 4.3 from 200 reviews
BigContacts offers a highly effective CRM system with email and contact management capabilities for small businesses who want to focus on nurturing leads.
Pros:
- Automated email functionality and email campaigns that automatically adjust and send emails based on days passed or key events like when a contact enters a new sales stage.
- Custom sales pipelines and sales processes.
Cons:
- No free trial available for paid-for packages.
- No live chat function.
Pricing:
There are 4 paid-for CRM packages.
- Big $10 per user per month
- Bigger $20 per user per month
- Biggest $30 per user per month
- Enterprise This custom option is priced according to a business’s needs.
What clients say: “BigContacts is simple to use and has all the important functionality we need without a lot of unnecessary functions that make other applications more complicated and expensive” - John, Sales Director, Leisure, Travel and Tourism Industry
16. Bigin by Zoho CRM
GetApp score: 4.1 from 416 reviews
Bigin by Zoho CRM is a newly launched pipeline-centric CRM for small businesses and startups looking for a lightweight CRM. Bigin’s product offering is simple, straightforward and easy on the pocket.
Pros:
- Fully customisable pipelines with drag-and-drop functionality.
- Built-in telephony features.
Cons:
- One-click integrations are limited but you can connect to many more providers via Zapier. It does, however, not integrate with Zoho Books.
- There are no email templates.
Pricing:
Begin offers a free package for 1 user.
There are two paid-for options.
- Express $9 per user per month
- Premier $15 per user per month
What clients say: “We were so impressed by Bigin’s ‘perfect fit’ for small organizations and we have now consolidated all information about our clients and projects in Bigin. It's impressive to see that such an affordable product helps in managing duplication of records, customizing fields specific to our processes, providing dashboards to manage the performance of emails, and even linking up with the Twitter accounts of our clients” - Luison Lassala, General Manager, Bedrock Success Consulting
17. Agile CRM
GetApp score: 4.1 from 416 reviews
Agile CRM is an all-in-one CRM suite with marketing, sales and customer-service automation capabilities.
Pros:
- The cloud-based SaaS service is mobile-ready, fast, and simple to use.
- Techy features such as single page contact management, one-click calling, call scripts, voicemail automation and sales gamification.
Cons:
- Significant price jumps between paid packages can make it expensive to scale with Agile CRM as your company grows.
- Limited customisation options.
Pricing:
Agile CRM offers a limited free CRM package for up to 10 users.
There are 3 paid-for packages available.
- Starter $14.99 per user per month
- Regular $49.99 per user per month
- Enterprise $79.99 per user per month
What clients say:
18. Keap
GetApp score: 4.1 from 1.1K reviews
Keap is a powerful CRM solution, specifically for businesses with a large online sales focus as it is one of a handful of CRM systems with its own built-in e-commerce tools.
Pros:
- Keap offers automation tools with a drag-and-drop function for quickly and easily building custom automations. For instance, “you can use triggers to initiate specific email-marketing campaigns for specific types of leads”.
- Powerful sales-automation tools, including the ability to create and share custom quotes for clients, and a sales pipeline management feature.
Cons:
- It’s expensive, especially if you factor in training at around $1,999 per user.
- There is no auto-save function.
Pricing:
There are 3 CRM packages available.
- Lite $79 per month per user
- Pro $85 per month per user
- Max $100 per month per user
(Additional users can be added at $30 each per month.)
19. Insightly
GetApp score: 3.9 from 496 reviews
Insightly’s power lies in its ability to not only help businesses track marketing and sales efforts but foster lasting relationships with customers.
Pros:
- Insightly’s contact-management tool not only manages your contacts and their data but also shows you the relationship links between contacts.
- The system automatically route leads to the correct salesperson in real time.
Cons:
- Limited reporting capabilities.
- Limited storage capabilities means it might not be able to scale to your business’s needs over the long run.
Pricing:
There are 3 CRM packages.
- Plus $29 per user per month.
- Professional $49 per user per month.
- Enterprises $99 per user per month.
What clients say: “We wanted one system that could do everything that we were doing with three separate systems, so we went with Insightly. Insightly’s price point was also very appealing and allowed us to reduce our costs by 40%.” - Jamie Paton, Director of SEO, PCG Digital
20. SugarCRM
GetApp score: 3.8 from 352 reviews
SugarCRM offers various sales, marketing and customer-service tools which spans the entire cycle of each customer’s buyer’s journey for a bespoke, memorable brand experience.
Pros:
- SugarCRM offers a multi-channel marketing platform with inbound and outbound email marketing tools, social-media management capabilities, AI-driven predictive analytics and Google Ads management tools.
- You can create landing pages, bulk emails and conversion forms quickly and easily using mobile responsive drag-and-drop builders or preset templates.
Cons:
- A minimum user limit applies.
- There’s quite a steep learning curve and integrations are cumbersome.
Pricing:
Prices for Sugar Professional, which is the CRM package, start at around $55 per user per month for a minimum of 3 users.
What clients say:
Key Takeaway
When it comes to launching a tech or SaaS startup, or any business for that matter, asking for help is not a weakness. The best thing you can do is focus on what you know best - the idea and product, sales - and rope in a solid service provider and systems to take care of the day-to-day nitty-gritty. This is why investing in CRM systems for tech startups is never a bad idea.
Ready to talk? Let’s schedule a call and take a closer look at your business’s unique needs and how Uku can help you grow.