Best Zoho CRM Alternatives in 2026
Zoho CRM is affordable, but the UX can feel dated and the learning curve steeper than competitors. If you're outgrowing it or want something more modern, here are the options.
At a Glance
| Tool | Price | Best For | Key Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| HubSpot | Free-$150/user/mo | Teams that want a modern UX with marketing and sales combined | Intuitive interface with built-in marketing automation and a free CRM tier |
| Pipedrive | $14-$99/user/mo | Sales-focused teams that want a clean, visual pipeline | Purpose-built for salespeople with the simplest pipeline UX in the category |
| Freshsales | $9-$59/user/mo | Teams wanting Zoho-level affordability with a better interface | Modern UI with built-in phone dialer and AI lead scoring at similar price points |
| Salesforce | $25-$330/user/mo | Growing teams that need enterprise-grade customization and reporting | Unmatched customization, 4,000+ integrations, and the deepest reporting in the category |
| Nutshell | $13-$79/user/mo | Small teams that want simplicity over customization | Clean, opinionated CRM with built-in email marketing and minimal setup time |
| monday Sales CRM | $12-$28/seat/mo | Teams that want CRM + project management in one visual workspace | Built on monday.com's work OS with drag-and-drop boards and cross-team collaboration |
1. HubSpot
Coverage & Capabilities
HubSpot's interface is one of the most polished in the CRM space. It covers contact management, deal pipelines, email tracking, and reporting out of the box. The free tier supports unlimited users. Marketing Hub adds email campaigns, landing pages, and lead nurturing workflows. Where it pulls ahead of Zoho: the user experience. Onboarding takes hours, not weeks. The downside is cost at scale. Once you need custom reporting or advanced automation, you're looking at Professional ($90/user/mo) or Enterprise tiers.
The best Zoho CRM alternative for teams that value ease of use. You'll trade Zoho's low cost for a cleaner interface and stronger marketing tools.
2. Pipedrive
Coverage & Capabilities
Pipedrive focuses on one thing: helping salespeople close deals. The visual pipeline is drag-and-drop, activity reminders keep reps on track, and the mobile app is well-designed. It includes email integration, basic automation, and deal forecasting. What it doesn't have: marketing tools, a help desk, or the 45-app ecosystem that Zoho offers. If you need more than sales pipeline management, you'll be adding third-party tools.
Pick Pipedrive if your main frustration with Zoho is the interface. It's faster to set up and easier to use, but narrower in scope.
3. Freshsales
Coverage & Capabilities
Freshsales matches Zoho on price but delivers a more modern experience. It includes a built-in phone dialer, Freddy AI for lead scoring and deal insights, and visual sales pipelines. Email tracking, workflow automation, and territory management are available on higher tiers. The Freshworks ecosystem (Freshdesk, Freshmarketer) provides cross-platform functionality, though it's smaller than Zoho's 45-app suite. Reporting is solid but not as deeply customizable as Zoho's.
The closest competitor to Zoho on price, with a noticeably better user experience. A strong fit if you want affordability without the dated interface.
4. Salesforce
Coverage & Capabilities
Salesforce is the upgrade path for teams that have outgrown Zoho's customization limits. Custom objects, formula fields, Apex code, and Flow Builder give you control over every detail. Einstein AI adds predictive forecasting and opportunity scoring. The AppExchange marketplace has 4,000+ integrations. The trade-off is complexity and cost. You'll need an admin for anything beyond basic setup, and realistic costs land at $80-$165/user/mo for most teams.
The right move if you've hit Zoho's ceiling on customization or reporting. Just be prepared for a longer implementation and higher ongoing costs.
5. Nutshell
Coverage & Capabilities
Nutshell takes the opposite approach from Zoho. Instead of giving you dozens of customization options, it provides a streamlined experience that works out of the box. Pipeline management, email sequences, and reporting are included. Built-in email marketing means you don't need a separate tool for newsletters and drip campaigns. The limitation is flexibility. Power users who loved Zoho's custom modules and scripting will find Nutshell restrictive.
Best for small teams under 30 users who want a CRM that just works. If Zoho felt overwhelming, Nutshell will feel like a relief.
6. monday Sales CRM
Coverage & Capabilities
monday Sales CRM brings a fresh approach to CRM. Instead of rigid deal stages, you get customizable boards that flex to your workflow. It includes contact management, email tracking, deal pipelines, and automation. The real strength is collaboration. Sales, marketing, and customer success teams can work in the same platform. What's missing: advanced CRM features like territory management, CPQ, and the deep customization Zoho offers through scripting.
A good Zoho alternative if you value visual workflows and cross-team collaboration over CRM depth. Less suited for complex sales processes.
How We Chose These Alternatives
We evaluated these alternatives based on ease of use, pricing, customization depth, reporting capabilities, integration ecosystems, and job market demand from our database of 23,000+ job postings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the easiest Zoho CRM alternative to use?
Pipedrive and Nutshell are the easiest to set up and use. Pipedrive focuses purely on sales pipeline management with a drag-and-drop interface. Nutshell offers a clean, opinionated experience with built-in email marketing. Both can be fully configured in under a day.
Which Zoho CRM alternative offers the most features for the price?
Freshsales comes closest to Zoho's value proposition. Starting at $9/user/mo, it includes AI lead scoring, a built-in phone dialer, and visual pipelines. HubSpot's free tier is also worth considering if you don't need advanced features right away.
Can I keep using Zoho's other apps if I switch CRMs?
Yes. Zoho's apps like Zoho Books, Zoho Projects, and Zoho Desk can integrate with other CRMs through Zapier, native integrations, or API connections. HubSpot and Salesforce have the broadest third-party integration support if you need to connect to Zoho's ecosystem.