The 8 Best AI CRM Tools in 2024
With a deep dive into their AI capabilities
Written by
Yuliya Lelyakh
April 16th, 2024
Last updated
AI CRM tool use cases are:
Personalized Customer Experiences
Predictive Analytics for Sales
Automated Customer Service
Accurate Sales Forecasts
Routine Process Automation
Customer Needs Prediction
When it comes to picking a CRM for your business, there are no “one size fits all” solutions. I’d recommend trialling several systems that offer the features you need within the budget that works for you. Before committing to a CRM, be sure to check the list of available integrations and consider your potential future requirements to ensure that the CRM is scalable and could grow with your business.
Pro tip: If 3 hours of your time cost more than a monthly plan of the CRM AI that satisfies your feature needs, getting it will be a worthwhile investment, even if you are a solopreneur.
Yuliya Lelyakh
CRM Development & Implementation Consultant, COO at Inceptly
My takeaways from reviewing the AI CRM tools and their AI capabilities:
I can’t say that any CRMs I’ve tested have AI assistants powerful enough to really wow the users (unfortunately, I was unable to test Salesforce’s Einstein Copilot). That said, the AI functionalities offered by many CRMs on the market today have made massive leaps in quality and actual usability over the last year alone, so I’m certain we’ll see them become a standard across CRM systems very soon, with sales managers relying on their in-CRM AI assistants more and more as they get smarter and more powerful.
Zoho One gives competitors a run for their money with the best value-to-price ratio and AI capabilities that are actually useful rather than just gimmicky (full disclosure: I didn't think much of Zia last year). Zoho CRM is also a worthwhile solution, but I strongly prefer Zoho One for the extra set of tools it offers without having to pay that much more. Zoho can work for a business of any size, in any niche, but would be best for companies that need something as close to custom-built as possible, but at a fraction of the cost of a custom system.
Freshworks’s Freshsales Suite impressed me with a robust set of features coupled with a wide array of customization options and great usability. It's worth checking out for most businesses looking for something powerful, but also quick and easy to set up and run with.
ActiveCampaign truly shines when it comes to marketing automation and would be the best option for companies in the e-commerce space and those that rely heavily on email marketing.
Spoiler Alert
The AI CRM Tool Comparison
Winner: Freshsales from Freshworks
1
Setup/Onboarding
5/5
User Experience
5/5
Tool Performance
5/5
AI capabilities
Freddy AI: generates sales emails and SMS content. Summarizes, enhances, and rewrites articles. Resolves duplicate contacts and scores contacts. Provides deal and forecasting insights. Suggests the next best action and offers out-of-office detection for optimal email deliverability.
Support
various
Key Features
- List Management
- Marketing Automation
- Lead Scoring
- Contact Management
- Call Logging
- Lead Scoring
- Product Catalog
- Referral Tracking
- Project Management
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- very smooth, well-designed onboarding and setup
- best I’ve seen in a while
- abundance of workflow templates that make it easy to get started with automating repetitive processes
- possibility to enhance the ecosystem with a whole suite of marketing and support tools
- built-in phone calling capabilities Very user friendly
- Quick & uncomplicated data integration
Cons:
- limited number of marketing contacts included in the plan
- not suitable for serious mass email marketing without paying for extra contacts
- AI functionality mostly focused on chatbots and user support, might not be very relevant to some businesses
- abundance of plans and services available makes it difficult to understand the differences and pick a suitable plan without additional help
Price Point
If you sign up to the newsletter now
you get free access to the video course
‘Boost your productivity - AI Toolkit for SMEs and AI Beginners’
ActiveCampaign
2
Setup/Onboarding
5/5
User Experience
5/5
Tool Performance
5/5
AI capabilities
generates content for emails, SMS messages, landing pages, and even forms, recommends/designs automations, suggests the best time to contact prospects with predictive sending, offers AI-powered A/B testing, performs lead scoring, conducts sentiment analysis and predicts win probability
Support
various
Key Features
- Data Import & Export Tools
- Building and Personalizing Emails
- Manage Email Deliverability
- Sending Outbound Emails
- Automated Email Responses
- Dynamic Content
- Marketing Lead Database
- Data Quality Management
- Automated Alerts and Tasks
- Lead Nurturing
- Online Behavior Tracking
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- built to encompass the whole customer lifecycle to enable CXA - customer experience automation, which shows through thoughtful selection and design of features; feels comprehensive, but not overwhelming
- focus on marketing and nurturing leads every step of the way - from built-in landing page builder to the presentation of contact interactions in the record and integration with Facebook Custom Audiences & Lead Ads
- Automations Map is a neat feature that allows you to see how various automations connect into one unified ecosystem, providing a bird’s eye view of all the cogs of your CRM machine
- free migration service - a very nice touch that you don’t really see at this price point
Cons:
- CRM functionalities are rather basic compared to competitors, this could present issues when it comes to scaling your business
- limited reporting functionality
Price Point
Zoho CRM
3
Setup/Onboarding
4/5
User Experience
5/5
Tool Performance
5/5
AI capabilities
Zia, Zoho Intelligent Assistant,enriches lead and contact data,suggests best time to contact based on comms history,suggests workflows (automations) and macros (shortcuts allowing one to complete multiple actions with one click),recommends upsells and follow ups based on lead data/history,generates reports and charts,creates and updates records via conversational interface,analyzes email intent and summarizes mail comms,Plus, other features available across non-CRM tools of the Zoho One Suite
Support
Email, hotline, chat; premium plans with personalised onboarding
Key Features
- Process management
- Contact, deal and lead management
- Sales automation
- Analytics and reporting
- Workflow automation
- Journey orchestration
- Predictive Sales
- Marketing Automation
- Performance management
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- extremely flexible and customizable, enabling you to create custom modules and write your own code/functions if needed
- comes with powerful automation features for sales and marketing, even with more affordable plans
- Zia AI integrates with ChatGPT to throw even more AI power behind the CRM
- wide array of native integrations (even wider with Zoho Flow within Zoho One) coupled with access to an extensive ecosystem of tools covering all aspects of business - from invoicing and inventory to website activity tracking and support
- easy to set up, pay-as-you-go telephony at a very affordable price
Cons:
- might be overwhelming to set up initially, especially for businesses with complex processes and no prior experience with CRMs or no dedicated employee/consultant to assist
- adoption might take a while as most novice users experience a significant learning curve due to the abundance of features and options (which might be distracting at times)
- support can be slow to respond sometimes
Price Point
Pipedrive
4
Setup/Onboarding
4/5
User Experience
5/5
Tool Performance
4/5
AI capabilities
Sales Assistant,predicts deal closure probability,provides basic performance analytics,summarizes email content,generates emails,Only available in Beta for now and only for plans starting with Professional and higher; must apply to test it
Support
Chatbot & Email support
Key Features
- Sales automation
- AI-powered Sales Assistant
- AI-powered Marketplace search
- AI smart app recommendations
- AI email writer and summarization
- Insights and reports
- fully customisable
- Email builder with analytics
- 400+ Integrations
- Contact and lead management
- Sales pipeline management
- Email automation
- Mobile app for sales on the go
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- clean and intuitive interface, easy to pick up even for a novice
- straightforward setup across modules, automations, and integrations, very DIY-friendly
- built-in meeting scheduler, e-docs functionality, and invoicing
- project management and email campaign add-ons available for an extra fee
- multiple email accounts sync - not a given for most competitors
Cons:
- basic array of options for customization and automation could present issues if your processes become more complex as your business scales
- very limited AI capabilities and only available on request, in Beta
Price Point
folk
5
Setup/Onboarding
4/5
User Experience
4/5
Tool Performance
4/5
AI capabilities
Comprehensive CRM Command Center,AI-driven Tools,Auto-sync and Import
Support
Very responsive and helpful chat
Key Features
- Linkedin comment exporter Chrome Extension
- Pipelines
- All-in-one emailing tool
- Easy integrations
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- simple dashboard
- ease of use
- Integration for Linkedin and Chrome Extension save time
Cons:
- not 100% intuitive
Price Point
Hubspot
6
Setup/Onboarding
4/5
User Experience
3/5
Tool Performance
5/5
AI capabilities
Automating tasks and revealing insights across the customer journey
Support
Very responsive and chat function
Key Features
- Contact and lead management
- Marketing automation integration
- Sales analytics
- Email tracking and scheduling
- List segmentation
- Tasks and activities
- Marketing events object
- User management
- Company insights
- Email reply tracking
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- wide variety of features
- great customer support
Cons:
- UI a bit outdated
Price Point
Salesforce Sales Cloud / Einstein AI
7
Setup/Onboarding
4/5
User Experience
3/5
Tool Performance
4/5
AI capabilities
Einstein AI,In Starter Suite:,- only Activity Capture features are available,Truly useful features are only available starting with Enterprise plan:,- relationship and conversation/email insights,- lead and opportunity scoring,- deal insights and sales forecasting,Einstein Copilot looks impressive, but is prohibitively expensive for most SMEs
Support
Online support, training for standard plan 24/7 hotline, expert coaching sessions for premium plan
Key Features
- Smart Segmentation
- Email Templates
- Deal management
- Sales Insights
- Case Management
- Knowledge Management
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- very powerful and customizable
- extensive ecosystem of add-on services and integrations covering all aspects of business
- impressive AI capabilities (however, they require investment in higher-tier plans)
Cons:
- cluttered interface
- might be overwhelming to set up without professional help
- truly powerful customization, automation, and integration features are only available on more expensive tiers
- add-on services you’ll need to purchase to cover other business functions will add up quickly
- only the cheapest and most limited plan has a monthly billing option forced to commit to a yearly plan (i.e. big investment upfront, especially with many users/employees)
Price Point
Vtiger
8
Setup/Onboarding
4/5
User Experience
3/5
Tool Performance
4/5
AI capabilities
Calculus AI + GPT,with GPT features, allows to do research and brainstorming right within the CRM,conducts deal scoring and forecasting,conducts engagement and sentiment analysis, call quality scoring,generates and rewrites email content,summarizes support chat conversations,recommends the next best action and best time to contact leads,As of March 2024, only 3 months of AI use are included in One Professional or One Enterprise Editions, then the add-on becomes paid
Support
via email, phone, and live chat
Key Features
- Sales Automation
- Sales Enablement
- Pipeline Management
- Sales Engagement
- Analytics & Intelligence
- Communication & Collaboration
- Helpdesk Automation
- Marketing Automation
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- has a steep learning curve when it comes to initial setup and customization - I struggled to figure out where to find certain settings
- the interface feels a bit clunky and complicated to get a hang of, so user adoption might suffer if you choose to go with this option
Cons:
- includes marketing, inventory, project management, support features, bringing all key business functions together in one hub
- similar to Pipedrive, comes with a built-in appointment scheduler
- the Vtiger Application Platform (VTAP) feature offers a low-code platform for building custom apps and solutions compatible with your CRM (similar to Zoho Creator)
- interesting licensing option with Single App vs Standard access, allowing you to save costs as your team grows
Price Point
Yuliya Lelyakh
CRM Development & Implementation Consultant, COO at Inceptly
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.
FAQ CRM AI
What are CRM tools?
CRM tools help you keep an overview of everything client-related and enhance customer relationships, streamline processes, and with that, grow business. The best CRM finds the balance between an abundance of features and a tiny toolbox, not easy to find at the moment. The newest CRM tools are AI-based and are able to help you get the most out of your system.
AI CRM tool use cases are:
Personalized Customer Experiences
Predictive Analytics for Sales
Automated Customer Service
Accurate Sales Forecasts
Routine Process Automation
Customer Needs Prediction
People often ask me “What type of businesses will benefit from an CRM tools and for whom is a simple Excel sheet good enough?” My answer is straightforward.
You need a CRM system if :
you feel overwhelmed by the number of tasks and requests you need to complete and messages to reply to daily; the admin tasks are keeping you from working on scaling your business
your employees (if you have them) have been dropping the ball on client projects or deals; things have been slipping through the cracks more and more lately
you spend more time searching for and reviewing client history/data than talking to your clients or working on service/product delivery
you constantly have to apply two or more filters to your spreadsheet to zoom in on the data you’re looking for
you have at least one email follow-up or welcome sequence that could be automated (and save you several working hours per week)
you’re tired of switching between spreadsheets, email, telephony, internal team chat, contract generation, invoicing, analytics, and other tools, and wish there was a single source of truth for you and your team (ideally, with all the data flowing in automatically, the templates and checklists of actions you need to complete at each step of the sales process set up, and follow up actions and reminders automated for you)
Why use AI CRM tools?
In today's competitive business environment, (small) businesses face the constant challenge of managing customer relationships effectively. This is where AI CRM tools come into play, as the new players learn on the go and improve processes which save time and brain power.
Benefits of AI based CRM tools for small businesses
Automate Routine Tasks: AI can handle repetitive tasks such as email follow-ups, scheduling appointments, and data entry.
Benefit: Freeing up employees time to focus on more value-added activities such as customer interaction and relationship building.
Personalize Customer Experiences: AI can analyze customer data and preferences to create personalized marketing campaigns, product recommendations, and customer service interactions.
Benefit: Improving customer engagement and loyalty.
Predict Customer Behavior: AI can analyze customer data to predict customer behaviour.
Benefit: Businesses can proactively address potential issues, cross-sell relevant products and services, and optimize marketing strategies.
Gain Real-Time Insights: AI can analyze real-time data from various sources and give businesses valuable insights into customer behaviour, sales trends, and market dynamics.
Benefit: This enables them to make informed decisions and adapt to changing market conditions.
Improve Customer Satisfaction: By automating tasks, personalizing interactions, and providing real-time insights, AI CRM tools can significantly improve customer satisfaction,
Benefit: Increased customer loyalty and retention.
How to Leverage AI CRM tools for small businesses
To effectively leverage AI CRM tools, small businesses should:
Identify areas for automation: Assess the current CRM processes and identify repetitive tasks that can be automated using AI. (looking for ideas? In my free video course I show some excellent examples, sign up here for free or click the banner below!)
Choose the right AI CRM solution: Evaluate different AI CRM tools based on their features, pricing, and integration capabilities. The AI CRM review above will be your best helper.
Implement and Integrate AI Tools: Carefully implement AI tools into the CRM system, ensuring seamless integration with existing workflows.
Count on approx. 2-4 weeks of adaption time: Do not start big projects during the adaption process and think about how to integrate the tool into your daily tasks.
All AI Tool Comparisons
-
Large Language Models (LLMs)
That Love To Do Your Work For You. ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot, Llama 3
-
Image generator
We tested 14 image generators and gave all the same prompt.
-
Video Generators
With Amazing Features Like Easy Editing, Free Video Libraries And Quick Text To Video
-
CRM
Streamline To Success With Your Customers and AI
-
Presentation AI
Meet The One Prompt Magicians That Kick Powerpoint From The Throne
-
Accounting Software
Let Software Transform Your Finances And Gain Invaluable Insights Today
-
Text Generators
The Best 7 Best AI Writing Tools To Supercharge Your Content Creation With
-
Data Analytics
Leverage These New Players Beyond The Usual Suspects
-
Chatbot AI
Your 24/7 Customer Support Heroes For Every Channel And Company Size
-
Virtual Assistants
You Will Love These 3 Free Virtual Assistant AIs (They Even Take Over Boring Tasks For You!).
-
Logo Makers
Which Logo Generators actually create a design you’d be more than happy to put on you business card