By Editor namerole, years running sales ops · Last verified
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A CRM is the system your reps will open more than any other tool, so a bad pick shows up as missing activity data, unreliable forecasts and reps keeping deals in spreadsheets. We built this shortlist for sales and RevOps leaders choosing a CRM for a team of 5 to 500 reps.
Each tool below was scored against six weighted criteria, listed in How we scored. For each one we say who it's for and, just as important, who should skip it.
Screenshot from our test account goes here (pipeline view, captioned)
HubSpot's CRM pairs a free contact and deal database with paid Sales Hub tiers that add sequences, forecasting and custom reporting.
Who it's best for
Inbound-led teams of roughly 5 to 100 reps who already use, or plan to use, HubSpot for marketing.
Why it made the shortlist
It removes the hand-off gap between marketing and sales: lifecycle stages, attribution and deal records live in the same objects, so RevOps does not maintain a sync.
Hands-on notes
tester's notes from the trial: setup time, one workflow tested, one surprise
Strengths
Shared database with marketing removes most sync work
Free CRM tier makes a low-risk start
Large integration marketplace
Watch-outs
Costs rise steeply between tiers and with seat count
Advanced reporting and custom objects sit in upper tiers
Skip it if: Teams with complex territory rules or heavy CPQ needs may outgrow the mid tiers.
Screenshot from our test account goes here (pipeline view, captioned)
folk is a lightweight CRM for managing relationships and outreach, with contact enrichment and simple pipelines.
Who it's best for
Founders, agencies and partnership teams that manage relationships more than high-volume pipelines.
Why it made the shortlist
It keeps the overhead near zero, which matters for teams where nobody's full-time job is CRM hygiene.
Hands-on notes
tester's notes from the trial: setup time, one workflow tested, one surprise
Strengths
Very low setup and maintenance overhead
Easy contact import and enrichment
Simple outreach from the CRM
Watch-outs
Not built for large sales teams
Limited forecasting and reporting
Skip it if: Teams above about 10 quota-carrying reps will likely outgrow it.
More on folk:full reviewalternatives
How we scored CRM software
Each tool gets a 0 to 5 rating on every criterion. We weight the ratings below, convert the total to a percentage, and only include tools that score 70% or higher. Full process on our methodology page.
Pipeline & deal management25%
Automation & workflows20%
Reporting & forecasting20%
Integrations & data quality15%
Usability & rep adoption10%
Price & value10%
How to choose a CRM
Map your motion first. Inbound, outbound, partner-led and product-led sales need different objects and automation. Write down the stages a deal passes through before you open a trial.
Count every seat that will touch it. Managers, SDRs, CS and finance often need access. Per-seat pricing changes fast when you include them.
Test your three hardest workflows. Lead routing, multi-contact deals and forecast roll-ups expose limits quickly. Run them with your own data during the trial.
Check the data exit. Confirm you can export activity history and custom fields, not only contacts.
Price the whole first year. Add implementation, migration, integrations and admin time to the license.
What CRM software costs
Plan type
Typical price
What you usually get
Best for
Free
$0
Contacts, deals, basic pipeline, limited users or features
Founders and very small teams
Entry
$7–25 /seat/mo
Pipelines, email sync, basic automation
SMB teams under 10 reps
Growth
$35–100 /seat/mo
Sequences, forecasting, custom reports
Scaling teams with RevOps
Enterprise
$59–195+ /seat/mo
Custom objects, territories, advanced permissions
Complex, multi-team orgs
Ratings in the table and cards are G2 averages as of Oct 2, 2026. Ranges are list prices for the CRMs on this page, billed annually, in USD, as published on each vendor's pricing page on Oct 2, 2026. Monthly billing usually costs 20–40% more. Some vendors add one-time onboarding fees on upper tiers; HubSpot, for example, charges $1,500 for Sales Hub Professional onboarding.
CRM software FAQ
What is the best CRM for a small sales team?
For teams under about 10 reps, ease of adoption usually matters more than feature depth. Pipedrive and HubSpot's entry tiers are the most common starting points; folk and Attio suit founder-led and relationship-led teams. Start a trial with your real pipeline before deciding.
How much does CRM software cost?
Most CRMs price per seat per month, with free or entry tiers for small teams and steep jumps for automation, forecasting and custom objects. Budget for implementation, data migration and integrations too, which can exceed license cost at enterprise scale.
Should sales and marketing share one CRM?
Sharing one database removes sync work and makes attribution easier. It matters most for inbound-led motions. Outbound-heavy teams with separate marketing tools can run well with a sales-first CRM and a clean integration.
How long does a CRM migration take?
Small teams can move in days. Mid-market migrations with custom fields, historical activity and integrations commonly take several weeks. Plan field mapping and deduplication before the cutover.
How does Vettlo choose which CRMs to include?
We start from a long list of CRMs used by sales teams, score each against the six weighted criteria on this page, and include tools that clear our threshold. Vendors cannot pay for inclusion or position.
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Editor name
2–3 sentence bio: years in sales or RevOps, teams led, CRMs administered.