{"id":43125,"date":"2025-01-29T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-01-29T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/?p=43125"},"modified":"2025-08-08T04:47:14","modified_gmt":"2025-08-08T11:47:14","slug":"crm-alternatives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/crm-alternatives\/","title":{"rendered":"Top 8 CRM Alternatives to Improve Your Business [year]"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>There\u2019s a frequent visitor on your to-do list: <em>Find a better way to manage clients.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p>After all the free and paid trials you\u2019ve gone through for the umpteenth time, you haven\u2019t found a CRM (<a href=\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/tag\/crm\/\">customer relationship management<\/a>) software that sticks. Many <a href=\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/crm-features\/\">dedicated CRM software like Zoho CRM<\/a> are great tools, but they\u2019re high maintenance and expensive.\u00a0\ud83d\udcb8<\/p>\n<p>Have you considered a <a href=\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/crm-and-project-management\/\">CRM<\/a> alternative? It\u2019s a <strong>purpose-built platform to manage contacts<\/strong> while organizing administrative projects so you have the bandwidth to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.oracle.com\/cx\/what-is-crm\/why-crm-is-important\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">nurture client relationships<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>CRM alternatives make <a href=\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/contact-management-software\/\">contact management<\/a> frictionless so you don\u2019t have to keep modifying your business processes to accommodate a piece of tech. Instead, you\u2019re able to freely customize based on the way you work\u2014without the added costs.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019ve put together an on-tap source of the best (and some familiar) CRM alternatives to help you <strong>prioritize sales activities and revenue goals<\/strong>. We also included ClickUp templates for you to get a competitive advantage and get started today! \u26a1\ufe0f<\/p>\n<div id=\"ub_table-of-contents-1954d9ce-743c-4f41-85a4-e3e22db345d2\" class=\"ub_table-of-contents\" data-hidetext=\"hide\" data-initiallyhideonmobile=\"false\" data-initiallyshow=\"true\" data-scrolltype=\"auto\" data-showtext=\"show\">\n<div class=\"ub_table-of-contents-header-container\">\n<div class=\"ub_table-of-contents-header\">\n<div class=\"ub_table-of-contents-title\">8 CRM Alternatives to Improve Your Business 2022<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ub_table-of-contents-extra-container\">\n<div class=\"ub_table-of-contents-container ub_table-of-contents-1-column\">\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/crm-alternatives\/#1-1-kanban-boards\">1. Kanban boards<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/crm-alternatives\/#2-2-email\">2. Email<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/crm-alternatives\/#3-3-documents\">3. Documents<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/crm-alternatives\/#4-4-digital-whiteboards\">4. Digital whiteboards<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/crm-alternatives\/#5-5-lists\">5. Lists<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/crm-alternatives\/#6-6-spreadsheets\">6. Spreadsheets<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/crm-alternatives\/#7-7-directory\">7. Directory<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/crm-alternatives\/#8-8-customer-maps\">8. Customer maps<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"0-8-crm-alternatives-to-manage-contacts-and-processes-with-free-templates\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">8 CRM Alternatives to Manage Contacts and Processes (With Free Templates)<\/h2>\n<h3 id=\"1-1-kanban-boards\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Kanban boards<\/h3>\n<p>Sales managers: If you\u2019re looking for the best approach to simplify oversight in <a href=\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/crm-workflow\/\">CRM workflows<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/customer-database-software\/\">contact databases<\/a>, a Kanban board is the best agile CRM alternative. A <a href=\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/kanban-board-examples\/\">Kanban board<\/a> is a no-code workflow visualization tool for consolidating information.<\/p>\n<p>Unlike a spreadsheet with large amounts of data, a <strong>Kanban board narrows the focus to view only the most important information at a glance<\/strong>.\u00a0There are many internal and external Kanban board use cases for sales teams, including:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Sales Playbook Board<\/li>\n<li>Daily\/Weekly\/Monthly Priorities Board<\/li>\n<li>Accounts &amp; Opportunities Board<\/li>\n<li>Key Meetings Board<\/li>\n<li>Idea Bank Board<\/li>\n<li>Sales Pipeline Board<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-43140\" src=\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/client-success-tracking-in-a-clickup-kanban-board-for-sales-reps-1400x585.png\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/client-success-tracking-in-a-clickup-kanban-board-for-sales-reps-1400x585.png 1400w, https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/client-success-tracking-in-a-clickup-kanban-board-for-sales-reps-300x125.png 300w, https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/client-success-tracking-in-a-clickup-kanban-board-for-sales-reps-768x321.png 768w, https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/client-success-tracking-in-a-clickup-kanban-board-for-sales-reps-1536x642.png 1536w, https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/client-success-tracking-in-a-clickup-kanban-board-for-sales-reps-700x292.png 700w, https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/client-success-tracking-in-a-clickup-kanban-board-for-sales-reps.png 1999w\" alt=\"a kanban board is a a customer relationship management alternative for sales reps\" width=\"1400\" height=\"585\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Track a customer\u2019s latest activity, contacts, account renewals, and risks in ClickUp<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"ub-button-f058e06e-e310-4086-bf84-660911407060\" class=\"ub-buttons align-button-center\">\n<div class=\"ub-button-container\">\n<div class=\"ub-button-content-holder\"><span class=\"ub-button-block-btn\">Learn About Kanban Boards in ClickUp<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong><em>Bonus: <a href=\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/crm-software-examples\/\">CRM Use Cases<\/a> <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"2-2-email\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Email<\/h3>\n<p>For organizations using Google Workspace or Microsoft Outlook, managing contacts typically happen in inboxes. The Google Workspace Marketplace alone has a trove of integrations to optimize Gmail inboxes.<\/p>\n<p>Combined with Gmail features like labels, categories, and filters, salespeople are able to semi-customize their inboxes.<\/p>\n<p>However, there is a dark side to email in business communication: <em>Notifications overload. Response stress. Longer hours. <\/em>These are productivity blockers, especially for remote-first sales organizations.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-43141\" src=\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/email-checking-survey-by-adobe.png\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1284px) 100vw, 1284px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/email-checking-survey-by-adobe.png 1284w, https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/email-checking-survey-by-adobe-300x223.png 300w, https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/email-checking-survey-by-adobe-768x572.png 768w, https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/email-checking-survey-by-adobe-700x521.png 700w\" alt=\"adobe survey explaining how often people check their work and personal emails\" width=\"1284\" height=\"956\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.adobe.com\/en\/publish\/2021\/10\/13\/need-to-reach-friends-family-or-colleagues-try-email\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Adobe<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>All to say, if you <em>do<\/em> decide to use <a href=\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/best-email-alternatives\/\">email as a CRM alternativ<\/a>e, make sure you make it work for you and not the other way around! <strong>Adopt <a href=\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/email-productivity-tools\/\">best practices for email<\/a> response times, automation, reminders, and templates<\/strong> so you\u2019re not drowning in busy work.<\/p>\n<p>So for our productivity enthusiasts who cannot stand to open and close 40+ email threads, we have a solution for you: Email in ClickUp! Create email signatures, manage email accounts, and link emails to related work items\u2014without opening new tabs. \ud83e\udd29<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-43142\" src=\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/email-templates-in-clickup.gif\" alt=\"email in clickup is a better crm solution for sales reps for lead management\" width=\"864\" height=\"540\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Send quick saved responses in ClickUp\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"ub-button-e1726475-3f84-4ada-8a8d-236bfe81420e\" class=\"ub-buttons align-button-center\">\n<div class=\"ub-button-container\">\n<div class=\"ub-button-content-holder\"><span class=\"ub-button-block-btn\">Manage Emails in ClickUp<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3 id=\"3-3-documents\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Documents<\/h3>\n<p>Somewhere in a salesperson\u2019s inbox, there\u2019s a worn-out \u201cv12_Final_FINAL\u201d proposal file\u2014so this one\u2019s for you!<\/p>\n<p>If you have repeatable proposals, contracts, or guides, get them into an online shared document editor. <strong>Create as many versions as needed for specific salespeople or client types<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>The important thing is, you\u2019ll have all your data in one place. For example, in <a href=\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/features\/docs\">ClickUp Docs<\/a>, you\u2019re able to build Doc templates with branding and preset formatting so all documents look uniform.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s everything you need to know to create, customize, and connect your Docs to your tasks and plan effectively! \u2b07\ufe0f<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"ClickUp Docs Tutorial\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/9nCngjFyWMQ?feature=oembed\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<h3 id=\"4-4-digital-whiteboards\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Digital whiteboards<\/h3>\n<p>If you want to engage with your contact database in new ways, you\u2019ll enjoy digital whiteboards!<\/p>\n<p>On an infinite canvas, salespeople get a visual snapshot of where a prospect or client stands without the limitations of a traditional dry-erase board.<\/p>\n<p>The evolution of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.computerworld.com\/article\/3673092\/digital-whiteboards-next-must-have-tool-for-hybrid-teams.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">workplace collaboration tools<\/a> has made it possible for digital whiteboards to be <strong>user-friendly and mobile<\/strong>. So everyone on your team is able to access the most up-to-date information at any time!<\/p>\n<p>The key to maximizing the <strong>value of digital whiteboards for contact management is effective navigation<\/strong>. When your objects, images, ideas, and tasks are strategically placed, it unlocks a productive flow state so you\u2019re able to continually build as you grow.\u00a0\ud83c\udf31<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-43143\" src=\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/convert-ideas-into-tasks-on-a-clickup-whiteboard.gif\" alt=\"clickup whiteboards help teams collaborate on new ideas and business processes\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Create ClickUp tasks directly from your Whiteboard<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>If you\u2019re new to <a href=\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/features\/whiteboards\">ClickUp Whiteboards<\/a> or if a blank canvas feels intimidating, try the free <a href=\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/templates\/customer-journey-map-t-193358579\">Customer Journey Map template by ClickUp<\/a>!<\/p>\n<div id=\"ub-button-fb962798-7b99-418b-a2f3-cb03884fdf26\" class=\"ub-buttons align-button-center\">\n<div class=\"ub-button-container\">\n<div class=\"ub-button-content-holder\"><span class=\"ub-button-block-btn\">Download This Template<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong><em>Bonus: <a href=\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/crm-saas\/\">SaaS CRM software<\/a>! <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"5-5-lists\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">5. Lists<\/h3>\n<p>Similar to a directory, lists are \u201cliving\u201d databases to manage contacts and track interactions. Account managers use lists to <strong>centralize information from different types of sources<\/strong>, so it becomes their single source of truth.<\/p>\n<p>You\u2019re most likely using lists right now, but if you want an upgrade (at no cost) try Lists in ClickUp! Download the free <a href=\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/templates\/client-success-t-109300739\">Client Success Tracking template by ClickUp<\/a> with mock tasks and information to explore how you can manage Lists your way.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-43148\" style=\"width: 840px; height: 421px;\" src=\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/accounts-contact-list-in-clickup-1400x702.png\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/accounts-contact-list-in-clickup-1400x702.png 1400w, https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/accounts-contact-list-in-clickup-300x150.png 300w, https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/accounts-contact-list-in-clickup-768x385.png 768w, https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/accounts-contact-list-in-clickup-1536x770.png 1536w, https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/accounts-contact-list-in-clickup-700x351.png 700w, https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/accounts-contact-list-in-clickup.png 1999w\" alt=\"clickup client success template \" width=\"1400\" height=\"702\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Create multiple databases for fail-proof account management in ClickUp<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"ub-button-4a429393-e912-49f9-9c4f-a27b24ea7f07\" class=\"ub-buttons align-button-center\">\n<div class=\"ub-button-container\">\n<div class=\"ub-button-content-holder\"><span class=\"ub-button-block-btn\">Download This Template<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3 id=\"6-6-spreadsheets\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">6. Spreadsheets<\/h3>\n<p>When you\u2019re organizing the same information type from one client to another, it\u2019s useful to have a simple, well-organized table. Unlike digital whiteboards, <a href=\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/project-management-spreadsheet\/\">spreadsheets have a structure<\/a> to serve <a href=\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/data-entry-software\/\">smooth data entry<\/a>. Along with grouping, filtering, and sorting options; a contact spreadsheet becomes the go-to work tool.<\/p>\n<p>Compared to other CRM alternatives on this list, will this tool still work for you as you scale? The short answer: Not by itself.<\/p>\n<p>Spreadsheets from legacy apps aren\u2019t designed to house conversations, files, or personal notes; things you regularly need for sales productivity. But don\u2019t let this discourage you! If you\u2019re more comfortable in spreadsheets, you\u2019ll enjoy the <a href=\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/features\/table-view\">Table view in ClickUp<\/a> because it\u2019s a <strong>superpowered spreadsheet built for organizing any type of work<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Bonus: <a href=\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/crm-software-for-mac\/\">CRM software for Mac<\/a>! <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s an inside look at how to create your perfect database in ClickUp! \u2b07\ufe0f<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"ClickUp Table View Tutorial\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/6RFnRKGn4n8?feature=oembed\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<h3 id=\"7-7-directory\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">7. Directory<\/h3>\n<p>We covered why standalone spreadsheets aren\u2019t designed for communication and collaboration, so the antidote is a directory.\u00a0 A directory is similar to a spreadsheet with columns and rows, but its performance with the right <a href=\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/free-project-management-software\/\">project management software<\/a> defeats a simple spreadsheet.<\/p>\n<p>Directories are useful in many ways: <strong>Salespeople are better equipped to store large amounts of contact data, managers have clear visibility into work progress, or teams <a href=\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/crm-strategy\/\">build internal strategic partnerships<\/a> to close deals faster<\/strong>. Because directories are made to work for any use case, here are a few to start with:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Testimonial and <a href=\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/customer-journey-templates\/\">Customer Journey Examples<\/a> directory<\/li>\n<li>Weekly\/Monthly\/Quarterly Sales Meetings directory<\/li>\n<li>Employee and Internal Contributors directory<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/sales-enablement-tools\/\">Sales Enablement<\/a> Content directory<\/li>\n<li>Vendor Contacts directory<\/li>\n<li>Product Demos directory<\/li>\n<li>Sales Playbook directory<\/li>\n<li>Company SOP directory<\/li>\n<li>Team Events directory<\/li>\n<li>Accounts directory<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>And the list goes on!<\/p>\n<p>If you want to test a powerful directory, download the free <a href=\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/templates\/employee-directory-t-182413139\">Employee Directory template by ClickUp<\/a>! This template includes mock information to spark inspiration for your custom directory.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-43146\" src=\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/clickup-employee-directory-template-1400x614.png\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/clickup-employee-directory-template-1400x614.png 1400w, https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/clickup-employee-directory-template-300x132.png 300w, https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/clickup-employee-directory-template-768x337.png 768w, https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/clickup-employee-directory-template-1536x674.png 1536w, https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/clickup-employee-directory-template-700x307.png 700w, https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/clickup-employee-directory-template.png 1999w\" alt=\"clickup employee directory template\" width=\"1400\" height=\"614\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Keep contacts organized and easily accessible in ClickUp<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"ub-button-bc632d7d-673b-4b89-872c-dc248c850d27\" class=\"ub-buttons align-button-center\">\n<div class=\"ub-button-container\">\n<div class=\"ub-button-content-holder\"><span class=\"ub-button-block-btn\">Download This Template<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong><em><a href=\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/sales-apps\/\">Check out these sales apps<\/a>! <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"8-8-customer-maps\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">8. Customer maps<\/h3>\n<p>Perhaps the most exciting CRM alternative on this list is using a map for managing contacts! <strong>Plotting contacts by their addresses takes organization to a new level <\/strong>if you have location-based work. And in ClickUp, you don\u2019t sacrifice project data because addresses added to the Location Custom Field are linked to the contact task.<\/p>\n<p>Check out <a href=\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/features\/map-view\">ClickUp\u2019s Map View<\/a>!<\/p>\n<p>Not ready for a CRM alternatives? Learn how to build a <a href=\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/crm-in-clickup\/\">CRM in ClickUp<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"9-whats-next-\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What\u2019s Next?<\/h2>\n<p>If you\u2019ve ever been curious about ClickUp, here\u2019s how you can get started for free:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Level up your skills to increase your productivity and save time inside <a href=\"https:\/\/university.clickup.com\/?_ga=2.235648258.287382501.1665342059-2131108594.1665341296\">ClickUp University<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Watch live and on-demand ClickUp webinars to get familiar with the platform faster<\/li>\n<li>Download ready-to-use <a href=\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/templates\/sales-and-crm\">Sales templates<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/crm-templates\/\">CRM templates<\/a> in the free ClickUp Template Center<\/li>\n<li>Import your data from a CSV\/Excel file or other software<\/li>\n<li>Explore what\u2019s possible with the <a href=\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/api\/?_ga=2.264951180.287382501.1665342059-2131108594.1665341296\">ClickUp API<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>With ClickUp, you\u2019ll pile up wins to start and end your day with unshakable confidence in your contact management system! \ud83c\udfc6<\/p>\n<div id=\"ub-button-5892b5f7-66d8-42d0-b66b-c1c73594f533\" class=\"ub-buttons align-button-center\">\n<div class=\"ub-button-container\">\n<div class=\"ub-button-content-holder\"><span class=\"ub-button-block-btn\">Create a Free ClickUp Account Today<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>There\u2019s a frequent visitor on your to-do list: Find a better way to manage clients.\u00a0 After all the free and paid trials you\u2019ve gone through for the umpteenth time, you haven\u2019t found a CRM (customer relationship management) software that sticks. Many dedicated CRM software like Zoho CRM are great tools, but they\u2019re high maintenance and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":49,"featured_media":43176,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ub_ctt_via":"","cu_sticky_sidebar_cta_is_visible":true,"cu_sticky_sidebar_cta_title":"Start using ClickUp today","cu_sticky_sidebar_cta_bullet_1":"Manage all your work in one place","cu_sticky_sidebar_cta_bullet_2":"Collaborate with your team","cu_sticky_sidebar_cta_bullet_3":"Use ClickUp for FREE\u2014forever","cu_sticky_sidebar_cta_button_text":"Get Started","cu_sticky_sidebar_cta_button_link":"","_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[981,766],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-43125","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-crm","category-manage"],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/CRM-alternatives-feature-image-in-clickup-blog.png","author_info":{"display_name":"Erica Golightly","author_link":"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/author\/egolightly\/"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Top 8 CRM Alternatives to Improve Your Business 2026 | ClickUp<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn 8 different CRM alternatives to manage contacts and why ClickUp is the No. 1 platform to organize all your work.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/crm-alternatives\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Top 8 CRM Alternatives to Improve Your Business 2026 | ClickUp\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Learn 8 different CRM alternatives to manage contacts and why ClickUp is the No. 1 platform to organize all your work.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/crm-alternatives\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"ClickUp\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/clickupprojectmanagement\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-01-29T08:00:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-08-08T11:47:14+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/CRM-alternatives-feature-image-in-clickup-blog.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1400\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1050\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Erica Golightly\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@clickup\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@clickup\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Erica Golightly\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/crm-alternatives\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/crm-alternatives\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Erica Golightly\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/ddd9f314ab0ab3b5eef845af4837db84\"},\"headline\":\"Top 8 CRM Alternatives to Improve Your Business [year]\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-01-29T08:00:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-08-08T11:47:14+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/crm-alternatives\/\"},\"wordCount\":1360,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/crm-alternatives\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/CRM-alternatives-feature-image-in-clickup-blog.png\",\"articleSection\":[\"CRM\",\"Manage\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/crm-alternatives\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/crm-alternatives\/\",\"name\":\"Top 8 CRM Alternatives to Improve Your Business [year] | ClickUp\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/crm-alternatives\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/crm-alternatives\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/CRM-alternatives-feature-image-in-clickup-blog.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-01-29T08:00:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-08-08T11:47:14+00:00\",\"description\":\"Learn 8 different CRM alternatives to manage contacts and why ClickUp is the No. 1 platform to organize all your work.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/crm-alternatives\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/crm-alternatives\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/crm-alternatives\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/CRM-alternatives-feature-image-in-clickup-blog.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/CRM-alternatives-feature-image-in-clickup-blog.png\",\"width\":1400,\"height\":1050,\"caption\":\"CRM alternatives feature image in clickup blog\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/crm-alternatives\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"CRM\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/crm\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Top 8 CRM Alternatives to Improve Your Business [year]\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"ClickUp\",\"description\":\"The ClickUp Blog\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/#organization\",\"name\":\"ClickUp\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/logo-v3-clickup-light.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/logo-v3-clickup-light.jpg\",\"width\":503,\"height\":125,\"caption\":\"ClickUp\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/clickupprojectmanagement\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/clickup\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/clickup-app\",\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/ClickUp\",\"https:\/\/tiktok.com\/@clickup\",\"https:\/\/instagram.com\/clickup\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@ClickUpProductivity\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/ddd9f314ab0ab3b5eef845af4837db84\",\"name\":\"Erica Golightly\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/a631034bc9632468332789dbeb9a9f8997c46113d6677faf5985662be7d50981?s=96&d=retro&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/a631034bc9632468332789dbeb9a9f8997c46113d6677faf5985662be7d50981?s=96&d=retro&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Erica Golightly\"},\"description\":\"Golightly is a Senior Writer at ClickUp who leaves no feature unproven to recommend the best platforms for your work. With 5+ years of developing team processes, she will guide you through actionable tips to keep your productivity well flowing with ideas! She aspires to take naps, but there\u2019s always a corgi around asking for attention.\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/ericagolightly\/\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/author\/egolightly\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Top 8 CRM Alternatives to Improve Your Business 2026 | ClickUp","description":"Learn 8 different CRM alternatives to manage contacts and why ClickUp is the No. 1 platform to organize all your work.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/crm-alternatives\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Top 8 CRM Alternatives to Improve Your Business 2026 | ClickUp","og_description":"Learn 8 different CRM alternatives to manage contacts and why ClickUp is the No. 1 platform to organize all your work.","og_url":"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/crm-alternatives\/","og_site_name":"ClickUp","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/clickupprojectmanagement","article_published_time":"2025-01-29T08:00:00+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-08-08T11:47:14+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1400,"height":1050,"url":"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/CRM-alternatives-feature-image-in-clickup-blog.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Erica Golightly","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@clickup","twitter_site":"@clickup","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Erica Golightly","Est. reading time":"7 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/crm-alternatives\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/crm-alternatives\/"},"author":{"name":"Erica Golightly","@id":"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/ddd9f314ab0ab3b5eef845af4837db84"},"headline":"Top 8 CRM Alternatives to Improve Your Business [year]","datePublished":"2025-01-29T08:00:00+00:00","dateModified":"2025-08-08T11:47:14+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/crm-alternatives\/"},"wordCount":1360,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/crm-alternatives\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/CRM-alternatives-feature-image-in-clickup-blog.png","articleSection":["CRM","Manage"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/crm-alternatives\/","url":"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/crm-alternatives\/","name":"Top 8 CRM Alternatives to Improve Your Business [year] | ClickUp","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/crm-alternatives\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/crm-alternatives\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/CRM-alternatives-feature-image-in-clickup-blog.png","datePublished":"2025-01-29T08:00:00+00:00","dateModified":"2025-08-08T11:47:14+00:00","description":"Learn 8 different CRM alternatives to manage contacts and why ClickUp is the No. 1 platform to organize all your work.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/crm-alternatives\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/crm-alternatives\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/crm-alternatives\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/CRM-alternatives-feature-image-in-clickup-blog.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/CRM-alternatives-feature-image-in-clickup-blog.png","width":1400,"height":1050,"caption":"CRM alternatives feature image in clickup blog"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/crm-alternatives\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"CRM","item":"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/crm\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Top 8 CRM Alternatives to Improve Your Business [year]"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/","name":"ClickUp","description":"The ClickUp Blog","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"ClickUp","url":"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/logo-v3-clickup-light.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/logo-v3-clickup-light.jpg","width":503,"height":125,"caption":"ClickUp"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/clickupprojectmanagement","https:\/\/x.com\/clickup","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/clickup-app","https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/ClickUp","https:\/\/tiktok.com\/@clickup","https:\/\/instagram.com\/clickup","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@ClickUpProductivity"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/ddd9f314ab0ab3b5eef845af4837db84","name":"Erica Golightly","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/a631034bc9632468332789dbeb9a9f8997c46113d6677faf5985662be7d50981?s=96&d=retro&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/a631034bc9632468332789dbeb9a9f8997c46113d6677faf5985662be7d50981?s=96&d=retro&r=g","caption":"Erica Golightly"},"description":"Golightly is a Senior Writer at ClickUp who leaves no feature unproven to recommend the best platforms for your work. With 5+ years of developing team processes, she will guide you through actionable tips to keep your productivity well flowing with ideas! She aspires to take naps, but there\u2019s always a corgi around asking for attention.","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/ericagolightly\/"],"url":"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/author\/egolightly\/"}]}},"reading":["6"],"keywords":[["CRM","crm",981],["Manage","manage",766]],"redirect_params":{"product":"","department":""},"is_translated":"true","author_data":{"name":"Erica Golightly","link":"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/author\/egolightly\/","image":"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Golightly.png","position":"Senior Writer"},"category_data":{"name":"CRM","slug":"crm","term_id":981,"url":"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/crm\/"},"hero_data":{"media_url":"","media_alt_text":"Top 8 CRM Alternatives to Improve Your Business 2025","button":"","template_id":"","youtube_thumbnail_url":"","custom_button_text":"","custom_button_url":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43125","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/49"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=43125"}],"version-history":[{"count":54,"href":"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43125\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":509770,"href":"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43125\/revisions\/509770"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/43176"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=43125"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=43125"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clickup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=43125"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}