The 8 Best AI CRM Software
Let AI do the annoying tasks for you (why would you not automate them?)
Why you can trust us: Testing Methodology & Editorial policy
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SPOILER ALERT by Yuliya Lelyakh (CRM Development & Implementation Consultant, COO at Inceptly)
My takeaways from reviewing the AI CRM software and their AI capabilities:
Geared towards lead nurturing, email marketing and campaign automation, ActiveCampaign seems like a great fit for e-commerce businesses that are looking for a powerful marketing suite of tools but don’t need their CRM to do anything too complicated.
For years now, Zoho has offered the best value for money on the market, and they continue to push the envelope by constantly releasing new features. Zoho CRM is perfect for businesses that want a solid foundation for managing sales and other processes in one centralized hub, and prioritize a flexible system that can easily scale with the business. While it doesn’t have the most powerful AI functionalities on the market yet, the AI features come with an affordable price tag and are quite useful for day-to-day sales operations.If your business requires a lot of custom solutions for its CRM, you might be wise to hire a consultant/partner to lead the setup of your system - budget money and time accordingly.
An impressive array of features coupled with a very intuitive interface make Freshsales Suite a flexible, powerful CRM system that will be the perfect fit for businesses of all sizes and niches. I’d recommend definitely trying it out if you’re on the market for a CRM.
Accessible,and user-friendly, Pipedrive is a great choice for SMEs focused primarily on sales. It would work best for businesses that don’t need robust customization and automation functionality and don’t prioritize possible integration with ERP/inventory, shipping, support, and other business functions.
If you are working with Hubspot already and pay for it already, even the oldish UI must not scare you off enough to go work with a nicer and more modern tool.
Powerful and sophisticated, Salesforce might not be the best choice for startups or small businesses that haven’t found their footing yet, as competitor’s products offer better value for money with a more intuitive setup. This CRM is best for bigger, already established companies with complex processes and complicated approval hierarchies - provided your business has a healthy margin to justify the expense, and, ideally, a tech pro/IT team to manage the setup and maintenance of the system.
When I tested Nutshell, I found it to be a solid customer relationship management solution that strikes a good balance between functionality and ease of use. Nutshell stands out for its intuitive interface that doesn't overwhelm users with unnecessary complexity. The platform offers essential CRM features, including contact management, sales pipeline tracking, and reporting tools that help businesses stay organized.
What impressed me most about Nutshell is how quickly you can get up and running. The setup process is straightforward, and the learning curve is relatively gentle compared to more complex CRM systems. I was quite struggling with Zoho CRM, for example, Nutshell is a walk in the park compared.
Very basic tool, Notion users and fans will like it. The Linkedin Plugin seems practical, but then the categorisation isn't so convenient because you can not enter companies directly, but only a person.
About the Author
Yuliya Lelyakh, CRM Development & Implementation Consultant, COO at Inceptly
As a person who liked to play with spreadsheets as a child and built her first Excel-based CRM from scratch at age 16 while working a summer job at her dad’s office, Yuliya was obsessed with efficiency and order from an early age. Armed with a degree in Business Administration, she worked in several marketing-adjacent roles and startups before re-discovering her true passion.
For the last five years, Yuliya has been helping SMEs ditch their busy work and embrace efficiency through custom CRM solutions and process automation. Coming from a family of small business owners and having worked with multiple SMEs from various niches, she knows all about the day-to-day struggles and concerns that her clients deal with and finds fulfilment in helping them set up custom CRM solutions and back office systems to fuel their growth and become leaner.
Full disclosure: Yuliya is a Zoho Authorized Consulting Partner. But that doesn’t mean that she recommends Zoho to anyone who asks her for a suitable solution to their business needs, as it all depends on your specific needs and requirements as a business.
