We have prepared a ranking of CRM systems. This is another time when we put more time and work into it than before. In line with user requests, we lifted the price limit for solutions this year and tested a wider range of solutions. Thanks to this, the most popular ranking of crm systems will help you choose the best CRM for your company even better. We proudly present the new: Ranking of cloud CRM systems for small and medium-sized enterprises.
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Premise of the test
The more popular our ranking is, the more closely all manufacturers look at it. Our production premise for this ranking is still the same. We check which CRM systems best meet the needs of SMEs. This is very important because the systems that fit our specificity win this ranking, and our results do not have to coincide with rankings conducted, for example, in the United States. For this year’s edition, we tested several dozen systems, and based on our experience, we prepared an upgrade of the criteria we take into account. Our team tested each system, and we did not give credence to any marketing information – we tested all functionalities personally.
The premise of the test has changed. Free solutions entered the ranking and we removed the requirement that the cheapest paid version cost less than 20 USD. As a result, Hubspot and Salesforce, which users have been asking for so long, entered the ranking.
we selected the manufacturers and started the tests based on the prepared criteria.
Traditionally, each CRM system that is included in our ranking had to meet basic assumptions:
- Ability to set up and maintain a customer card;
- Monitoring of customer event history;
- Responsive version (use on a mobile phone);
- Possibility to set merchant/manager rights;
- Reporting module;
- Sales opportunity management module.
Livespace
Livespace takes the top spot in our ranking. The system faces big changes ahead in the next few years, but despite this, it is still the CRM System that, in our opinion, best meets the needs of SME companies that want to lay out processes. Thanks to the functionality of the non-linear sales process, it is easy to ensure and implement the process in your company. This is a functionality that almost no other CRM system offers. Livespace also stood out this year for its exceptionally good customer service and attractive price compared to the solution’s capabilities. This is very valuable information for potential buyers!
We encourage you to test this year’s winner.
Advantages
- A dashboard to keep track of company events;
- Great user support;
- Non-linear sales process;
- Integration with Zapier;
- Extensive statistics module.
Disadvantages
- Lack of a quoting module.
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Pipedrive
Pipedrive is the system that most often competes with Livespace. We are making the decision more difficult this year because Pipedrive, together with Livespace, is the winner of this year’s ranking. Pipedrive is a very mature and extensive solution. It has a huge number of integrations and additional functionalities. The extra paid LeadBooster, which you can see on our website (a simple chatbot), deserves special mention. The differences between the two winners are subtle – Pipedrive lacks a wallet summarising company events and a non-linear sales process. Nor can you see the effectiveness of sales through the lens of products. For what it’s worth, Pipedrive’s interface is much clearer for some.
For those who find it difficult to choose, I recommend testing both systems and comparing them in our table.
Advantages
- Pipedrive is a very mature CRM system (no bugs or other issues);
- Leadbooster – a simple chatbot that gives you the ability to collect leads from your website automatically;
- Very many integrations available;
- Refined mobile app.
Disadvantages
- Lack of an offer module;
- There is no possibility to make customized changes in Pipedrive.
Freshworks
The Freshworks system is huge. Apart from the ease of use, the most important argument for choosing it is the very large ecosystem of other solutions. These include Freshdesk, Freshcaller, Freshchat, Freshservice and others. The system offers user support and, thanks to other solutions, is a great choice for teams that need a bit more functionality from their CRM system.
Advantages
- As many as 34 language versions;
- Many different add-ons – Freshdesk, Freshcaller, Freshchat and others;
- Integration with Zapier;
- 24/7 support.
Disadvantages
- No bidding module.
HubSpot
This is Hubspot’s debut in our ranking, which is very impressive, as the system immediately takes second place on par with Freshworks. Hubspot is known to all sales and marketing veterans. It is one of the most professional systems combining the efforts of sales and marketing departments. The most common argument that makes customers choose other systems is the price. Apart from it, Hubspot has almost no disadvantages. Hubspot is almost the only choice for those who want to combine marketing automation with a CRM system in one place.
Advantages
- It best combines sales and marketing;
- Despite its large size, integrates with Zapier;
- Huge number of educational materials.
Disadvantages
- High price of the solution;
- Complicated interface compared to other solutions.
Salesforce
Many may be surprised by Salesforce’s position in our ranking, so we are already rushing to explain. Salesforce is more expensive than the most popular solutions. In our assessment, it works well for large companies. In SMEs, the lack of even an integration with Zapier eliminates it from use in many cases (thus we cannot carry out many simple and cheap integrations). Salesforce deserves attention especially among large companies with high budgets.
Advantages
- Best CRM in the world (magic quadrant);
- Very broad functionality.
Disadvantages
- High implementation and operating costs;
- Complicated interface at times.
