Best CRM for small business
Kahu team·Updated 2 Oct 2026·7 min read
There is no single best CRM. HubSpot and Zoho CRM have free plans and grow with you, Bigin and Capsule are simple steps up from a spreadsheet, Pipedrive suits pipeline-driven selling, and Salesforce Starter Suite suits businesses that expect to grow into a bigger system. Choose by how you sell and where your enquiries arrive, then trial before you commit.
Start with how you sell
Most CRM comparisons start with features. Start with your business instead. A café, a builder and a consultant all need a CRM for different reasons. Answer these first and the shortlist almost writes itself.
- Where do enquiries arrive: website form, email, WhatsApp, phone?
- Do you sell through quotes and deals, or through bookings and repeat visits?
- How many people will use it now, and in two years?
- Which tools must it connect to, such as accounting, email and your website?
Six well-known options
| CRM | Good for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| HubSpot | A free CRM with contacts, deal pipelines, tasks and email tracking, plus marketing and service tools you can add later | The free plan has user and contact limits, and the paid tiers step up quickly |
| Zoho CRM | A free edition for a small team, and room to grow into a large, configurable system | Plenty of settings, so setup takes longer than simpler tools |
| Bigin by Zoho | Small teams moving off spreadsheets, with pipelines and email, calls and WhatsApp in one place | Lighter than full Zoho CRM if you need deep customisation |
| Pipedrive | Sales-led businesses that live in their pipeline of deals | Check its current plans and trial on its own site |
| Capsule | Simple contact and opportunity tracking with a small free plan | AI features and automations need a paid plan |
| Salesforce Starter Suite | Businesses that expect to grow into a larger platform | More than a very small business usually needs at the start |
Plans and limits change often, so check each vendor’s own pricing page for what is included today and what it costs in your currency.
Where Kahu fits
Asked for a valuation · 2h ago
Website form · quote sent Mon
Email · quiet 6 daysHow to choose in an afternoon
- 1Shortlist twoPick two from the table that match how you sell. More than two and you will not test either properly.
- 2Import a real sampleLoad 20 real customers and five open leads from your spreadsheet.
- 3Connect one channelPoint your website form or email at it and send a test enquiry.
- 4Run a normal dayMove a deal, set a follow-up, send a reply. Notice what feels slow.
- 5Check the exitMake sure you can export everything as a CSV file if you leave.
What matters more than the brand
The CRM that wins is the one your team actually uses. A simple tool that fills itself from your enquiries beats a powerful one nobody updates. If you also want AI to read messages and draft follow-ups, see our guide to AI CRMs for small business.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free CRM for a small business?
HubSpot, Zoho CRM and Capsule all offer free plans, each with limits on users or records. Compare the limits against your team size.
Should I pay for a CRM?
Pay when the free plan’s limits get in the way or when you need automation. Start free if you are unsure.
How hard is it to switch CRM later?
Moving contacts is usually easy with a CSV export. Moving history, automations and integrations takes more work, so choose carefully.