Best Free CRM Software in 2026

The phrase "free CRM" should come with a warning label. Most platforms advertise a free plan, then lock every useful feature behind a paywall. After testing more than 20 tools over six months, we found eight that are actually worth your time — tools where the free tier is a real product, not a trial in disguise.

Whether you are a solo founder tracking deals in a spreadsheet or a small team that has outgrown your inbox, there is a free CRM here that fits. We will cover who each tool is best for, what you actually get for free, and where the hard limits kick in.

Not sure what a CRM is yet? Start with our complete CRM guide before diving into the comparison — it will help you evaluate these tools with the right criteria.

The #1 mistake teams make: choosing a free CRM based on the feature list, not the limits. Always check: contact cap, user cap, storage limit, and which features require a paid upgrade.

Our Top Picks: Best Free CRM Software

Here is a quick summary before we go deep on each option:

• HubSpot CRM — Best Overall Free CRM (unlimited users + contacts)
• Zoho CRM — Best Free CRM for Small Teams (up to 3 users)
• Freshsales — Best Free CRM for Sales Teams (built-in phone & email)
• Bitrix24 — Best Free CRM with Project Management (12 users, full suite)
• Agile CRM — Best Free CRM for Marketing (10 users, 50K contacts)
• Capsule CRM — Best Simple Free CRM (2 users, clean and fast)
• Really Simple Systems — Best Free CRM for B2B (2 users, account-focused)
• Streak — Best Free CRM for Gmail Users (lives inside your inbox)

1. HubSpot CRM — Best Overall Free CRM

Free plan limits: Unlimited users, up to 1,000,000 contacts, 15 minutes of calling/user/month

HubSpot CRM is the gold standard of free CRM software, and for good reason. The free tier is not a stripped-down demo — it is a fully functional CRM that thousands of businesses run on exclusively. You get unlimited users (rare), contact management for up to one million records, a visual sales pipeline, email tracking with open and click notifications, live chat, meeting scheduling, and a basic form builder.

The interface is polished, the onboarding is excellent, and the mobile app works reliably on iOS and Android. HubSpot also integrates natively with Gmail, Outlook, Slack, and hundreds of other tools through its App Marketplace.

What you get for free

• Unlimited users and up to 1,000,000 contacts
• Visual sales pipeline with drag-and-drop deal management
• Email tracking: open alerts, click tracking, notification center
• Meeting scheduler (Calendly-style, one link per user)
• Basic forms and pop-ups for lead capture
• Live chat widget for your website
• Mobile CRM app (iOS and Android)
• Gmail and Outlook integration
• Basic reporting dashboards (up to 3 dashboards)

Where the free plan falls short

• Workflow automation is locked — you need at least Starter ($20/user/month)
• Email sequences (automated follow-ups) require Marketing Hub
• Custom reporting is gated at the Professional tier ($800/month)
• The HubSpot branding appears on forms, chat widgets, and email footers
• Phone support is not available on the free plan

Best for

Teams of any size that want the most capable free CRM available and plan to scale with HubSpot as they grow. The free plan is genuinely useful; paid tiers unlock serious power.

Pricing to upgrade: Starter from $20/user/month, Professional from $800/month (bundle pricing).

"We ran on HubSpot free for 18 months and 3 salespeople before we needed to upgrade. The pipeline visibility alone was worth switching from spreadsheets." — Typical SMB user experience

2. Zoho CRM — Best Free CRM for Small Teams

Free plan limits: 3 users, up to 5,000 records, limited integrations

Zoho CRM's free tier is purpose-built for very small teams — think a founder plus two salespeople or a small partnership. Within that three-user limit, you get a surprisingly deep feature set: leads, contacts, accounts, and deals with standard fields; task management; event scheduling; basic workflow rules (limited); and Zoho's mobile app.

What makes Zoho stand out at the free tier is its mobile app, consistently rated among the best in the CRM category. Field sales teams who need reliable access on the road will appreciate its offline mode and location check-in features.

What you get for free

• Up to 3 users (hard limit — no workaround)
• Leads, contacts, accounts, and deals modules
• Standard fields and custom views
• Task and event management
• Basic workflow rules (1 rule per module, limited actions)
• Mobile app with offline access and GPS check-in
• Integration with Zoho Mail

Where the free plan falls short

• Hard 3-user cap with no exceptions
• 5,000 record limit (contacts + leads combined)
• No email integration with Gmail or Outlook (paid only)
• Sales forecasting and AI assistant (Zia) require paid plans
• No phone or live chat support

Best for

Solo founders, freelancers with an assistant, or micro-teams that need a structured CRM without paying. If you hit 3 users, you need to upgrade — Zoho's Standard plan is $20/user/month and unlocks mass email, scoring rules, and better integrations.

3. Freshsales — Best Free CRM for Sales Teams

Free plan limits: Unlimited users, unlimited contacts, limited to core CRM features

Freshsales (formerly Freshworks CRM) offers a genuinely free forever plan called Growth Free. It is built for sales teams that need communication tools baked in — not bolted on. The free plan includes a built-in phone system (with a Freshcaller number), email integration, live chat via Freshchat, and basic contact and deal management.

The unified inbox is a standout feature: calls, emails, and chats all appear in a single activity feed per contact. For sales teams juggling multiple outreach channels, this alone can save 30-45 minutes per rep per day.

What you get for free

• Unlimited users and unlimited contacts
• Built-in phone system (Freshcaller integration, pay-per-minute calling)
• Email sync with two-way Gmail and Outlook integration
• Live chat widget via Freshchat
• Contact and deal management with activity timeline
• Mobile app (iOS and Android)
• Basic reporting (pre-built dashboards)

Where the free plan falls short

• AI-powered lead scoring is locked behind the Pro plan ($39/user/month)
• Sales sequences and automated workflows require paid upgrade
• Advanced reporting and custom dashboards need Pro or Enterprise
• The built-in phone uses Freshcaller — per-minute charges apply even on the free plan

Best for

Sales-heavy teams that want phone, email, and chat in one interface without paying. Ideal for agencies, recruiters, or inside sales teams that make high-volume outreach.

4. Bitrix24 — Best Free CRM with Project Management

Free plan limits: Up to 12 users, unlimited contacts, 5 GB storage

Bitrix24 is in a category of its own: a free CRM that also includes full project management, team messaging, video calls, and a cloud drive — all at no cost for up to 12 users. If HubSpot is the specialist, Bitrix24 is the generalist. You get a lot, but the interface takes some getting used to.

The CRM module includes unlimited contacts and companies, deal pipelines, quotes, and basic invoicing. The project management tools let you create tasks, Kanban boards, Gantt charts, and time tracking. Add in the group chat (similar to Slack) and HD video calls, and Bitrix24 replaces multiple tools for small teams.

What you get for free

• Up to 12 users (most generous free plan user limit in this list)
• Unlimited CRM contacts and companies
• Deal pipelines, quotes, and basic invoicing
• Project management: tasks, Kanban, Gantt charts, time tracking
• Group chat and direct messaging (Slack alternative)
• HD video conferencing for up to 48 users
• 5 GB cloud storage (Bitrix24 Drive)
• Website builder with basic CRM forms

Where the free plan falls short

• Interface is complex — expect a 2-4 week onboarding curve
• Advanced CRM automation requires paid plans ($61/month for 6 users)
• Marketing email and SMS are metered features with per-message costs even on paid plans
• 5 GB storage fills up quickly if your team shares files regularly
• Customer support is community-forum only on the free plan

Best for

Small teams (up to 12 people) that need CRM plus project management plus team communication without subscribing to three separate tools. Also great for businesses that want to consolidate costs.

5. Agile CRM — Best Free CRM for Marketing

Free plan limits: Up to 10 users, 50,000 contacts, 5,000 emails/day

Agile CRM punches well above its free tier weight when it comes to marketing features. Most free CRMs strip out email campaigns, landing pages, and lead scoring entirely. Agile CRM includes all three. For 10 users and up to 50,000 contacts — an astonishing limit — you get email marketing campaigns, a drag-and-drop landing page builder, web engagement tracking, and basic lead scoring.

The trade-off is the interface. Agile CRM has not had a major UI refresh in several years, and it shows. The tool works, but it is not as polished as HubSpot or Freshsales. If you prioritize functionality over aesthetics, the free tier is hard to beat.

What you get for free

• Up to 10 users and 50,000 contacts (extremely generous)
• Email marketing campaigns with templates
• Landing page builder (drag-and-drop)
• Web engagement and pop-up builder
• Basic lead scoring
• Deal pipeline and contact management
• Appointment scheduling
• Chrome extension for Gmail

Where the free plan falls short

• Outdated interface that can feel clunky compared to modern alternatives
• Limited customer support — email only, slow response times
• Marketing automation workflows are limited on the free tier
• No A/B testing on email campaigns without upgrading
• Reliability has had reported uptime issues for some users

Best for

Small marketing teams or content businesses that want email marketing and CRM in one tool without paying. The 50,000-contact free limit is unmatched in this category.

6. Capsule CRM — Best Simple Free CRM

Free plan limits: 2 users, 250 contacts, 10 MB storage

Capsule CRM earns its place on this list not by sheer quantity of features, but by being the best-designed simple CRM available for free. If you are a solo operator, a freelancer, or a two-person shop that needs a clean, fast place to track relationships and deals, Capsule is your answer.

The 250-contact limit is the most restrictive on this list — but for its target audience, that is fine. You get a beautiful pipeline view, full contact history, task management, Gmail and Outlook integration, and a solid mobile app. Everything is where you expect it to be, and the learning curve is measured in minutes, not days.

What you get for free

• Up to 2 users and 250 contacts
• Sales pipeline with deal stages
• Full contact history and activity notes
• Task and calendar management
• Gmail and Outlook integration
• Mobile app (iOS and Android)
• Basic integrations: Mailchimp, Xero, Zapier

Where the free plan falls short

• 250-contact cap is the lowest on this list — outgrown quickly
• 2-user limit means no team collaboration beyond a pair
• No email tracking or sequence automation on free
• Limited reporting — just a basic activity summary

Best for

Freelancers and two-person teams who want the simplest possible CRM with no learning curve. When you hit 250 contacts, Capsule's Starter plan is $18/user/month — very reasonable.

7. Really Simple Systems — Best Free CRM for B2B

Free plan limits: 2 users, 100 accounts, unlimited contacts per account

Really Simple Systems (RSS) is built specifically for B2B businesses that sell to companies rather than individuals. The data model reflects this: your primary objects are Accounts (companies), not contacts. This makes it a natural fit for agency sales, SaaS B2B, and any business where the relationship is with an organization.

The 100-account limit sounds restrictive, but if you are a two-person team working a focused target list, it is workable. Each account can have unlimited contacts, so you can map entire buying committees without hitting a wall.

What you get for free

• Up to 2 users and 100 company accounts
• Unlimited contacts linked to accounts
• Sales pipeline and opportunity tracking
• Task and activity management
• Email integration (send and log from Gmail/Outlook)
• Basic reporting

Where the free plan falls short

• 100-account cap — switch to Starter ($17/user/month) when needed
• No marketing email features on free
• Limited customization on the free tier
• Interface feels dated compared to HubSpot or Freshsales

Best for

B2B teams with a focused account list who think in terms of companies first, contacts second. Ideal for consultancies, agencies, and B2B SaaS with a tight target market.

8. Streak — Best Free CRM for Gmail Users

Free plan limits: 1 user (personal plan), 500 contacts, basic pipeline

Streak is the only CRM on this list that lives entirely inside Gmail. If you spend your workday in your inbox and the idea of switching tabs to a separate CRM tool sounds exhausting, Streak is the solution. Install the Chrome extension, and your Gmail inbox gains CRM superpowers: a pipeline view built from email threads, contact enrichment, mail merge, email tracking, and snooze reminders.

The free personal plan supports one user with unlimited pipelines and 500 tracked contacts. Mail merge for up to 50 recipients per day is included — a surprisingly capable outreach tool for a free tier.

What you get for free

• Full Gmail CRM integration (Chrome extension)
• Unlimited pipelines (deals, recruiting, projects, support — any workflow)
• 500 tracked contacts with email open and click tracking
• Mail merge for up to 50 recipients per day
• Snooze and reminders for follow-ups
• Mobile app for Gmail on iOS and Android

Where the free plan falls short

• Solo-only on the free plan — team sharing requires paid ($19/user/month)
• Only works in Gmail — no Outlook support
• 500-contact limit for email tracking
• Reporting is minimal on the free tier
• Chrome-only desktop experience — no standalone web app

Best for

Solo Gmail users — freelancers, consultants, and one-person sales teams — who want CRM without leaving their inbox. Teams that collaborate in Gmail should look at Streak's paid plans, which are very affordable.

What to Look For in a Free CRM

Not all free CRM plans are created equal. Here are the six criteria we used to evaluate every tool in this roundup — and what you should examine before committing to any platform.

1. Contact and User Limits

The two most common free-plan restrictions are the number of contacts you can store and the number of users who can log in. Understand both before you sign up. HubSpot offers unlimited on both (rare). Capsule caps at 250 contacts and 2 users. If you are growing fast, favor tools with higher contact limits even if you don't need them today.

2. Core CRM Features Included (Not Just Listed)

Some platforms list features on their free plan page but limit them so severely they are functionally useless. Check: Can you actually send emails from the CRM? Can you create custom pipeline stages? Can you log calls? We tested these specifically — not just what the marketing page says.

3. Automation

Workflow automation — automatically assigning leads, sending follow-up emails, updating deal stages — is where most free plans draw the line. HubSpot, Freshsales, and Bitrix24 all restrict automation to paid tiers. If automation is critical for you, budget for it from day one rather than discovering the limitation after you are invested in a platform.

Read more about what to expect in our CRM features guide.

4. Integrations

A CRM that does not talk to your other tools — your email, calendar, accounting software, or customer support platform — creates data silos. Check which integrations are available on the free tier. HubSpot has the deepest free integration library. Zoho and Freshsales restrict many integrations to paid plans.

5. Data Portability

Can you export your data if you want to leave? This is non-negotiable. Every tool on this list supports CSV export. Look for this before you commit. Getting locked in to a free CRM with no exit path is a real risk.

Wondering if you're ready to graduate from spreadsheets? Our CRM vs spreadsheet comparison answers that question definitively.

6. Path to Paid

If your business grows, you will likely outgrow a free plan. Evaluate the paid tiers before you start — not when you need to upgrade urgently. Some tools have reasonable upgrade paths (Capsule at $18/user/month, Freshsales at $18/user/month). Others make significant price jumps (HubSpot Professional starts at $800/month for bundles).

For a broader view of the market, see our best CRM software roundup which covers paid plans across all budgets.

How We Tested These Free CRMs

Over six months, our team created accounts on 22 free CRM platforms and put each through a structured testing protocol. We did not rely on vendor marketing materials — we used each tool hands-on with realistic business scenarios: importing a contact list of 200 records, building a three-stage sales pipeline, logging calls and emails, and attempting to run an automated follow-up sequence.

Our evaluation framework:

1. Setup time: How long to go from signup to a configured, usable CRM?
2. Feature completeness: Do the advertised free features actually work as described?
3. Limit testing: We verified every contact cap, user cap, and storage limit empirically.
4. Integration testing: We connected each CRM to Gmail, Outlook, and Slack where possible.
5. Mobile app: We used each mobile app for one week of daily tasks.
6. Support quality: We submitted a test support ticket to each platform and measured response time.
7. Upgrade pricing: We compared what you get vs. what you pay when you outgrow the free plan.

Tools that failed basic functionality tests, had deceptive free-plan limits, or showed significant reliability issues were excluded from the final list. The eight tools above passed every test.

For context on how these tools fit into broader CRM categories, see our CRM examples guide.

Our Recommendation

For most teams, the answer is clear: start with HubSpot CRM. The combination of unlimited users, unlimited contacts, a polished interface, and a deep integration library makes it the best free CRM available by a significant margin. The only scenario where we recommend otherwise:

• You live in Gmail: Use Streak.
• You are a team of 3 or fewer who want deep Zoho ecosystem integration: Use Zoho CRM Free.
• You need CRM + project management + team chat in one: Use Bitrix24.
• You are solo and want zero learning curve: Use Capsule.

Whichever tool you choose, get your data structured properly from day one. A well-configured CRM compounds in value over time — your future self will thank you. See our CRM strategy guide for how to set one up for long-term success.