The 5 Best Free CRMs for Small Businesses

Having a free CRM is one of the smartest ways for micro and small businesses to start digitizing customer management. Without the need for major investments, these tools allow you to organize contacts, track interactions, and improve the customer experience.

Although free versions come with some limitations, they are more than enough to get started, replacing inefficient Excel spreadsheets with systems that centralize information and provide clear reports.

What should you consider when choosing a free CRM?

Before selecting a platform, evaluate three key aspects:

• Number of users allowed
  
• Number of contacts/records available
  
• Contact management and tracking features
  

It’s also essential to check whether the CRM integrates with other tools already used in your company (such as Mailchimp, Gmail, or Outlook) and whether it offers a smooth upgrade path to paid versions, avoiding complex data migrations later.

The 5 Best Free CRMs

1. HubSpot CRM

• Users: Unlimited
  
• Contacts: Up to 1 million
  
• Highlights: Contact and deal management, email marketing, landing pages, live chat, website activity tracking, Gmail & Outlook integrations.
  👉 One of the most complete options on the market, with intuitive dashboards and advanced features, even in the free version.
  

2. Zoho CRM

• Users: Up to 3
  
• Contacts: 5,000 records
  
• Highlights: Lead and opportunity management, email marketing (10 templates), workflows, website tracking.
  👉 Ideal for small sales teams who want to better organize their pipeline.
  

3. Zoho Bigin

• Users: 1
  
• Contacts: 500 records
  
• Highlights: Kanban-style interface, lead and deal management, reminders, email marketing (5 templates).
  👉 Simple, visual, and affordable — perfect for freelancers or very small businesses.
  

4. Bitrix24

• Users: Unlimited
  
• Storage: 5GB
  
• Highlights: Contact and deal management, internal chat, email marketing, project management.
  👉 A strong option for teams who, beyond CRM, also need collaboration tools.
  

5. Agile CRM

• Users: Up to 10
  
• Contacts: 1,000
  
• Highlights: Custom fields, lead scoring, helpdesk, email marketing, landing pages.
  👉 Recommended for small businesses that value customization and customer support features.
  

Choosing a free CRM is a strategic step to improve customer management, increase efficiency, and prepare your business for growth. More than just storing contacts, these platforms help build stronger relationships and make data-driven decisions.

💡 If you’re just getting started, test one of these free CRMs and see which one best fits your business. And when the time comes, upgrade to a paid version without losing data or processes.

📧 Want to know how to implement a CRM in your business? Contact us: comercial@theventurebuilder.pt