# CRM

> “Find a CRM for my business”. Ranked by expert consensus and what people use now; affiliate links never change the order.

A CRM is worth paying for when it shows you which deals need a nudge today. Pipedrive suits teams that sell by stage, HubSpot starts free and grows into marketing, and Attio lets you shape records like a database. If most of your day is phone and email outreach, Close keeps calls on the lead's record. Agencies reselling software to clients should look at HighLevel, which takes more setup.

Last checked: 2026-10-01

## Ranking

1. **[Pipedrive](https://suiteintent.com/t/pipedrive?m=GB)**: Sales CRM built around a visual pipeline. · Easiest for small sales teams · From $14/mo · 14 days ([Deals](https://suiteintent.com/deals/pipedrive))
2. **[HubSpot](https://suiteintent.com/t/hubspot?m=GB)**: CRM with marketing, sales and service hubs. · Best free CRM to grow into · Free plan · 90% ([Deals](https://suiteintent.com/deals/hubspot))
3. **[Attio](https://suiteintent.com/t/attio?m=GB)**: CRM you shape like a database. · Best for: Startups replacing a spreadsheet of contacts · Free plan
4. **[folk](https://suiteintent.com/t/folk?m=GB)**: Lightweight CRM for managing relationships. · Best for: Teams who find a sales CRM too heavy · Pricing on request
5. **[Close](https://suiteintent.com/t/close?m=GB)**: Sales CRM with calling, SMS and email built in. · Best for: Sales reps who live on the phone · Pricing on request
6. **[HighLevel](https://suiteintent.com/t/highlevel?m=GB)**: Marketing CRM that agencies resell. · Best for agencies · From $97/mo · 14 days ([Deals](https://suiteintent.com/deals/highlevel))

## Side by side

| Tool | Price | Ease of use (1-5) | Team size |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Pipedrive | From $14/mo, 14-day free trial | 5 | solo, small team, growing team |
| HubSpot | Free plan, 90% off year one for startups | 4 | small team, growing team, large team |
| Attio | Pricing on request | 4 | solo, small team, growing team |
| folk | Pricing on request | 5 | solo, small team |
| Close | Pricing on request | 4 | solo, small team, growing team |
| HighLevel | From $97/mo, 14-day free trial | 2 | small team, growing team |

## Why these picks

- Independent reviews: [Zapier](https://zapier.com/blog/best-crm-app/), [TechRadar](https://www.techradar.com/best/best-crm-for-small-business), [ZDNET](https://www.zdnet.com/article/best-crm-software/), [Business News Daily](https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/7839-best-crm-software.html) (Last checked: 2026-10-02)
- Prices last checked: 2026-10-01
- Ranked by expert consensus and what people use now; affiliate links never change the order.

## Head to head

- [Attio vs folk: CRM for founders and small teams](https://suiteintent.com/compare/attio-vs-folk)
- [HubSpot vs Salesforce: a CRM your AI can use](https://suiteintent.com/compare/hubspot-vs-salesforce)
- [Pipedrive vs HubSpot: which CRM for a small team](https://suiteintent.com/compare/pipedrive-vs-hubspot)

## MCP setups

- [Connect AI to HubSpot](https://suiteintent.com/mcp/claude-read-update-crm)

## Questions

### Do I need a CRM if I already track clients in Gmail and a spreadsheet?

Once you lose track of follow-ups, a spreadsheet stops helping. Pipedrive and folk both connect to Gmail, so emails land next to each contact without copying. Attio builds the CRM from your email and calendar and enriches contacts on its own. A free plan from HubSpot or Attio lets you test this before paying.

### Can I run a CRM for free with a two-person team?

Yes: HubSpot and Attio each offer a free tier. HubSpot's free CRM keeps contacts, deals and emails on one shared record, and you pay only when you add hubs. Attio's free plan gives you its flexible objects and pipelines. Pipedrive skips the free tier: its plans begin at $14 a month.

### Pipedrive or HubSpot for a small sales team?

Pipedrive is the narrower pick: a visual deal pipeline a small team can adopt in an afternoon. HubSpot adds paid hubs for marketing, service and content on the same customer record. Pick Pipedrive if selling is the whole job. Pick HubSpot if marketing and support also need to see each customer's history.

### Which CRM suits a team that sells mostly by phone?

Close puts calling, SMS and email sequences inside the app. Reps call and follow up without switching tools, and every call lands on the lead's record. That saves a separate phone system for outbound teams. If your sales happen through meetings and email, Pipedrive covers the job with less.

### Is a CRM hosted outside the EU a GDPR problem?

A CRM holds personal data, so you need a data processing agreement with the vendor. Under GDPR you also record why you keep each contact and delete people who ask. The picks here all sell across Europe, including Spain, Germany, France and Italy. Check each vendor's agreement and data location before importing your contact list.