Your sales team is overwhelmed with a flood of leads, spreadsheets are multiplying at lightning speed, and no one remembers when a customer’s query didn’t slip through the cracks. Sound familiar?
It’s the chaos many businesses face when managing customer relationships without the right tools. 😵💫
That’s where a cloud-based CRM software swoops in like a superhero for your sales pipeline management. It makes all your customer data, contact management, and sales insights accessible anytime, anywhere—at the office or in an airport lounge.
This guide will explore what makes CRM software tick and the best cloud CRM tools to transform sales strategies. 🚀
Summarize this article for me please⏰ 60-Second Summary
The right CRM can be the difference between managing customers and building relationships. A great CRM organizes your data, streamlines workflows, boosts productivity, and ensures you never miss an opportunity. Here’s a quick look at the best web-based CRMs:
- ClickUp: Best for all-in-one projects and CRM solutions ✅
- Salesforce Sales Cloud: Best for AI-powered sales automation ✅
- Zoho CRM: Best for a scalable, feature-packed CRM solution ✅
- HubSpot CRM: Best for user-friendly CRM provider ✅
- Pipedrive: Best for deal-focused sales CRM with intuitive pipeline management ✅
- Freshsales: Best for AI-powered CRM software with seamless sales automation ✅
- Microsoft Dynamics 365: Best for advanced AI-driven CRM and ERP solutions ✅
- Insightly CRM: Tailored solutions for scaling businesses ✅
- Nimble: Best for relationship-focused CRM for streamlined communication ✅
- Zendesk Sell: Best for simple CRM with unified customer visibility ✅
- SugarCRM: Best for customizable CRM with advanced automation ✅
- Apptivo CRM: Best for budget-friendly, customizable CRM solutions ✅
Summarize this article for me pleaseWhat Should You Look for in a Cloud-Based CRM Software?
Choosing the right cloud CRM software is critical, but the traditional one-size-fits-all rules do not work for them. So, how do you select the right software?
Here’s what you must prioritize when evaluating cloud-based CRM systems:
- Real-time data accessibility: Access customer insights, sales data, and reports from any device, ensuring your team stays productive anywhere
- Automated workflows: Streamline repetitive tasks like follow-ups, data entry, and deal tracking, freeing up your team for high-value activities
- Sales pipeline visualization: Track deals at every stage of the sales cycle with easy-to-understand dashboards to maximize opportunities
- Customizable reporting: Tailor analytics to your business needs, helping you measure performance and make data-driven decisions
- Integration with existing tools: Connect with email platforms, marketing software, and other tools to create a seamless workflow for your team
- Advanced contact management: Store and manage all customer interactions in one place for better relationship-building and communication
🔍 Did You Know? When choosing a CRM solution, consider tools with AI-driven features. Businesses using generative AI-enabled CRM software are 83% more likely to exceed their sales goals.
Summarize this article for me pleaseThe 12 Best Cloud CRMs You Must Know
Finding the best cloud CRM software can feel overwhelming but worthwhile. A solid cloud-based CRM simplifies contact management and sales tracking, streamlines workflows, and empowers teams to exceed goals.
Let’s look at the 12 best cloud CRM solutions for your needs:
1. ClickUp (Best for all-in-one projects and CRM solutions)
ClickUp’s CRM Solution redefines customer relationship management by combining efficient sales pipeline tools with a scalable, all-in-one platform for work.
With 10+ flexible views, such as Kanban boards and List Views, businesses can effortlessly track sales pipelines, manage accounts, and oversee customer engagement in real time.
Its performance dashboards provide actionable insights into customer lifetime value and deal sizes, empowering teams to make data-driven decisions.
The platform integrates seamlessly with tools like Slack, HubSpot, Gmail, and more, centralizing customer communication and eliminating workflow silos.
Additionally, its automations simplify business processes, automatically triggering status updates, assigning tasks, and optimizing team priorities for maximum efficiency.
ClickUp’s CRM Template offers a centralized solution to streamline customer management. It helps track sales pipelines, organize contact details, and automate repetitive processes, saving teams time.
Customizable statuses, fields, and views enable businesses to prioritize tasks and analyze customer information.
ClickUp best features
- Visualize customer lifetime value, deal sizes, and team performance with over 50 customizable widgets
- Tailor sales processes with stages, lead scoring, and detailed tracking fields
- Save time with automatic task creation, status changes, and reminders
- Use 10+ views to manage accounts, pipelines, and tasks effortlessly
- Collaborate with teams or clients on shared documents in real-time
ClickUp limitations
- Slightly steep learning curve for new users due to its extensive features
ClickUp pricing
- Free forever
- Unlimited: $7/month per user
- Business: $12/month per user
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
- ClickUp Brain: Add on for $7/month per user
ClickUp ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.7/5.0 (9,000+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.6/5.0 (4,000+ reviews)
One user highlights,
💡 Pro Tip: ClickUp Brain helps sales teams work smarter with instant answers, automated updates, and personalized follow-ups. Seamlessly integrate with tools like Salesforce to streamline workflows and focus on enhancing customer satisfaction rates.
2. Salesforce Sales Cloud (Best for AI-powered sales automation)
Salesforce Sales Cloud is a powerhouse for automating sales processes and scaling revenue growth.
Its AI-driven insights, such as Einstein Analytics, guide sellers through deal stages and offer real-time forecasting and pipeline management.
Features such as workflow automation, quoting tools, and activity tracking provide a centralized source of truth for managing customer relationships.
Salesforce Sales Cloud best features
- Generate real-time and accurate forecasts with AI insights aligned to specific business goals
- Track deals and spot bottlenecks with intuitive pipeline management tools
- Automate processes like lead assignment with drag-and-drop workflow builders
- Log emails, events, and engagements automatically to maintain a unified CRM view
Salesforce Sales Cloud limitations
- UI can be difficult to navigate, especially for new users
- Low-code tools may not fully meet advanced business needs without custom coding
Salesforce Sales Cloud pricing
- Starter suite: $25/month per user
- Pro suite: $100/month per user
- Enterprise: $165/month per user
- Unlimited: $330/month per user
- Einstein 1 sales: $500/month per user
Salesforce Sales Cloud ratings and reviews
- Capterra: 4.4/5.0 (18k+ reviews)
- G2: 4.4/5.0 (23k+ reviews)
🔍 Did You Know? On average, a CRM solution saves employees 5-10 hours per week by automating mundane tasks like follow-ups and data entry. Imagine what your team could do with that extra time!
3. Zoho CRM (Best for a scalable, feature-packed CRM solution)
Zoho CRM is a cost-effective yet feature-rich solution, ideal for businesses of all sizes. It offers a range of tools, including sales forecasting, AI-powered assistance with Zia, multi-channel communication, and advanced process automation.
It improves collaboration and data management through seamless integration across Zoho’s ecosystem and third-party tools.
Its Blueprint feature stands out for process automation, enabling teams to capture data and streamline workflows effectively.
Zoho CRM best features
- Use Zia’s AI tools to get predictive analytics, manage tasks, and engage with customers through conversational AI
- Communicate with customers across email, social media, and phone channels from one centralized platform
- Streamline sales workflows by automating routine processes like lead assignment, follow-ups, and data updates
Zoho CRM limitations
- Limited availability of some third-party application integrations
Zoho CRM pricing
- Free forever
- Standard: $14/month per user
- Professional: $23/month per user
- Enterprise: $40/month per user
- Ultimate: $52/month per user
Zoho CRM ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.1/5.0 (2,700+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.3/5.0 (6,800+ reviews)
Talking about the overall use case of Zoho CRM, a user on G2 says,
💡 Pro Tip: Want to see how top-performing businesses make the most of their CRM tools? Dive into real-life CRM examples and use cases to discover new ways to provide reliable customer support.
4. HubSpot CRM (Best for a user-friendly CRM provider)
HubSpot CRM stands out for its simplicity and advanced free features, making it ideal for growing businesses.
It offers tools like real-time pipeline tracking, AI-driven email writing, meeting schedulers, and live chat software, all of which enhance team productivity.
HubSpot’s Smart CRM unifies data across sales, marketing, and customer service, providing a comprehensive view of customer interactions.
HubSpot CRM best features
- Track and manage your sales pipeline with real-time visual CRM dashboards
- Use AI-driven email tools to craft personalized communication and follow up at the right time
- Engage prospects with live chat software for instant communication
- Access detailed reports on sales activity, productivity, and team performance
HubSpot CRM limitations
- Some advanced features like automation workflows are available only in paid tiers
- Reports on custom properties may require additional customization and learning
HubSpot CRM pricing
- Sales Hub Starter: $20/month per seat
- Starter Customer Platform: $16/month per seat
- Sales Hub Professional: $890/month (includes three seats)
- Sales Hub Enterprise: $3,600/month (includes five seats)
Hubspot ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.4/5.0 (2,000+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.5/5.0 (2,000+ reviews)
💡 Pro Tip: Choosing the right enterprise CRM software transforms your organization’s efficiency. Get the inside scoop on the best CRM tools for large-scale operations to streamline communication and keep everyone on the same page.
5. Pipedrive (Best for deal-focused sales CRM with intuitive pipeline management)
Pipedrive is designed to help sales teams organize, track, and close deals effectively. Its Kanban-style dashboard allows users to improve sales productivity, customize deal stages, and automate follow-ups.
With real-time sales insights, AI-driven suggestions, and customizable fields, Pipedrive allows sales reps to focus on the right opportunities at the right time.
It also supports automated lead nurturing, email tracking, and integrations with popular apps.
Pipedrive best features
- Visualize sales pipelines and customize deal stages with a Kanban-style dashboard
- Automate lead nurturing and follow-ups with AI-driven insights and prompts
- Create custom fields and automate calculations for tailored CRM functionality
- Access real-time sales reports and metrics to optimize team performance
Pipedrive limitations
- Lacks some advanced automation features compared to higher-priced CRMs
- Reporting tools, while useful, may require additional customization for in-depth analysis
Pipedrive pricing
- Essential: $14/month per user
- Advanced: $29/month per user
- Professional: $59/month per user
- Power: $69/month per user
- Enterprise: $99/month per user
Pipedrive ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.2/5.0 (1,700+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.5/5.0 (2,900+ reviews)
One user aptly summarized it as a
🔍 Did You Know? Most businesses see their sales increase by 29% after implementing a CRM provider.
6. Freshsales (Best for AI-powered CRM software with seamless sales automation)
Freshsales combines AI-powered features with an easy-to-use interface, enabling sales teams to streamline processes and close deals faster.
Freddy AI offers advanced insights like deal recommendations, intent scores, and automated email writing to help teams focus on high-value tasks.
The Kanban-style view lets users organize leads, accounts, and deals visually. The built-in communication tools like live chat, email, and phone ensure smooth customer interactions.
Freshsales best features
- Organize and track deals with Kanban-style views for accounts, contacts, and pipelines
- Automate repetitive tasks like lead scoring, email sequences, and activity assignments using Freddy AI
- Gain actionable insights with deal recommendations, intent scoring, and forecasting from Freddy AI
Freshsales limitations
- Numerous configuration settings can make setup overwhelming for new users
- Developing apps for Freshsales can be challenging due to inconsistencies in data structures between local and live environments
Freshsales pricing
- Free
- Growth: $11/month per user
- Pro: $47/month per user
- Enterprise: $71/month per user
Freshsales ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.5/5.0 (1,200+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.5/5.0 (600+ reviews)
📚 Bonus Read: Building a customer-first culture is key to retention and growth. Explore actionable tips to make your business more customer-oriented.
7. Microsoft Dynamics 365 (Best for advanced AI-driven CRM and ERP solutions)
Microsoft Dynamics 365 combines powerful AI tools with an integrated CRM and ERP platform to deliver end-to-end business management.
From sales automation tools to advanced analytics, Dynamics 365 connects teams, processes, and data for seamless customer interactions. With Microsoft Copilot, users benefit from contextual AI insights for lead prioritization, opportunity summaries, and workflow automation.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 features
- Use AI-powered Copilot to generate natural language insights, draft emails, and prepare for meetings
- Automate lead and opportunity management to streamline your sales process
- Integrate seamlessly with Microsoft 365, Power Platform, and Teams to centralize collaboration
Microsoft Dynamics 365 limitations
- Separation of core functionalities (sales, service, marketing) may complicate adoption for certain organizations
Microsoft Dynamics 365 pricing
- Sales Professional: $65/month per user
- Sales Enterprise: $105/month per user
- Sales Premium: $150/month per user
- Microsoft Relationship Sales: Custom pricing
Microsoft Dynamics 365 ratings and reviews
- G2: 3.8/5.0 (1,500+ reviews)
- Capterra: Not enough reviews
A realtor using Microsoft 365 says on G2,
🔍 Did You Know? 71% of small businesses rely on cloud CRM solutions to streamline customer communication and track sales pipelines.
8. Insightly CRM (Tailored solutions for scaling businesses)
Insightly CRM offers a versatile platform to centralize customer data, streamline sales processes, and promote deeper client relationships.
Teams can manage leads, automate workflows, create personalized marketing campaigns, and track projects from one intuitive interface.
Its advanced tools, such as knowledge management, SLA tracking, and enterprise-grade segmentation, make it a great fit for growing organizations in diverse industries.
Insightly best features
- Manage and track leads with a centralized database to boost conversion rates
- Automate workflows to eliminate repetitive tasks and free up time for strategic work
- Build advanced reports and access pre-built dashboards for data-driven decisions
- Run personalized marketing campaigns with A/B testing and customizable email templates
Insightly limitations
- Lower-tier plans restrict access to critical features like product management, which is only available in the top-tier plan
- The orange-themed interface lacks customization options, limiting branding flexibility
Insightly pricing
- Plus: $29/month per user
- Professional: $49/month per user
- Enterprise: $99/month per user
Insightly ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.2/5.0 (900+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.0/5.0 (650+ reviews)
9. Nimble (Best for relationship-focused CRM for streamlined communication)
Nimble is a relationship-centered CRM that empowers teams to manage customer interactions and enhance sales processes easily. It can seamlessly integrate with Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and social platforms.
Nimble also consolidates contact information, tracks communication history, and automates workflows. Its intuitive design enables users to unify and enrich contacts while automating personalized outreach.
Nimble best features
- Consolidate customer information with unified contact records enriched with social and business insights
- Automate email sequences and group messaging for personalized outreach at scale
- Manage workflows with customizable templates for lead tracking and deal management
- Generate leads directly from your website using built-in web forms
Nimble limitations
- Integration with other CRM solutions like Salesforce or Microsoft Dynamics is limited, making data transfer difficult
- Unrelated emails may occasionally link to the wrong contact or workflow when dealing with shared email addresses across multiple deals
Nimble pricing
- Team plan: $10/month per user
- Business plan: $26/month per user
- Enterprise plan: Custom pricing
Nimble ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.5/5.0 (1,000+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.4/5.0 (1,800+ reviews)
Speaking of Nimble’s transformational capabilities, a user on G2 says,
💡 Pro Tip: CRM software is only as good as your strategy. Explore 10 expert-approved CRM strategies to align teams and drive customer success.
10. Zendesk Sell (Best for simple CRM with unified customer visibility)
Zendesk Sell is designed to help sales teams increase productivity, manage pipelines effectively, and provide a better customer experience. Its unified platform lets teams view the full customer journey, combining sales and service insights.
Features like automated task setting, email tracking, and customizable pipelines make organizing leads and closing deals easier. With advanced analytics and forecasting, teams can make data-driven decisions to optimize performance.
Zendesk Sell best features
- Customize and track sales pipelines for better visibility across deals and leads
- Automate routine tasks like follow-ups, deal assignments, and activity scheduling
- Gain real-time insights with advanced reporting, analytics, and forecasting tools
- Manage data with custom fields, tags, and filters to tailor the CRM software to your business
Zendesk Sell limitations
- Bugs in key features, such as search not querying custom fields and broken merge functionality for leads, contacts, and deals
- Permission issues where restricted users can edit others’ tasks, causing confusion
Zendesk Sell pricing
- Team: $19/month per user
- Growth: $55/month per user
- Professional: $115/month per user
- Enterprise: $169/month per user
Zendesk Sell ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.2/5.0 (400+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.3/5.0 (100+ reviews)
🧠 Fun Fact: Though there is a lot of debate about who invented the CRM software, Robert and Kate Kestnbaum, who started ACT (Automated Contact Tracking), are often given the crown for it!
11. SugarCRM (Best for customizable CRM with advanced automation)
SugarCRM provides CRM software that empowers businesses to gain full control over their customer data and sales processes.
Users can create 360-degree customer profiles, consolidating activities, history, and insights into a single view for easier decision-making.
Its AI-driven tools help prioritize leads, forecast revenue, and guide sales reps with actionable insights. Teams can design custom workflows, automate repetitive tasks like case management and email follow-ups, and use sentiment analysis to gauge customer interactions.
SugarCRM best features
- Consolidate all customer data in one place with 360-degree customer views for a comprehensive understanding of your clients
- Use AI-driven insights for predictive analytics and guided selling to prioritize opportunities effectively
- Use advanced forecasting tools to predict revenue and sales trends for better planning accurately
SugarCRM limitations
- No straightforward option to restore deleted data in the standard cloud edition
- Backend customization requires familiarity with programming, and built-in examples for calculated fields are limited
SugarCRM pricing
- Essentials: 19/month per user (3-user minimum)
- Standard: 59/month per user (10-user minimum)
- Advanced: 85/month per user (10-user minimum)
- Premier: 135/month per user (10-user minimum)
SugarCRM ratings and reviews
- G2: 3.9/5.0 (1,000+ reviews)
- Capterra: 3.8/5.0 (400+ reviews)
A user talking about SugarCRM says,
⚡ Bonus Tip: Managing your sales pipeline like a project? Learn proven strategies to streamline processes and keep your sales team on track .Learn how.
12. Apptivo CRM (Best for budget-friendly, customizable CRM system)
Apptivo CRM offers an affordable and highly customizable solution, making it a perfect fit for businesses of all sizes. It supports advanced sales automation, marketing, and customer relationship management with lead management, email sequencing, and workflow automation tools.
The platform’s scalability, from small sales teams to enterprise-level organizations, is bolstered by features like CPQ (Configure, Price, and Quote) tools, multi-pipeline management, and custom branding.
Apptivo CRM best features
- Manage and monitor multiple sales pipelines simultaneously to close deals faster
- Streamline communication and eliminate repetitive tasks with automated workflows
- Use email templates, sequences, and two-way email sync to track opens, clicks, and follow-ups
- Generate accurate quotes and manage pricing efficiently with CPQ tools
Apptivo CRM limitations
- Limited advanced reporting capabilities in lower-tier plans
- Some users report occasional lag in the mobile app
Apptivo CRM pricing
- Lite: $20/month per user
- Premium: $30/month per user
- Ultimate: $50/month per user
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
Apptivo CRM ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.7/5.0 (2,000+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.7/5.0 (2,000+ reviews)
Summarize this article for me pleaseCentralize All Your Customer Data with ClickUp
Choosing a CRM service business isn’t just about features and pricing—it’s about alignment with your business goals and adaptability to your team’s workflows. Consider how intuitive the CRM system is for your team to adopt, the customer support, and its scalability.
When exploring these factors, ClickUp stands out with its all-in-one project management and CRM platform, offering unparalleled flexibility and a highly customizable interface.
Its seamless integration capabilities and automation tools ensure you manage relationships while driving actionable insights that power growth.
Don’t wait—Sign up for ClickUp today and transform how you manage your sales and customer relationships!
Everything you need to stay organized and get work done.
