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Best Free CRMs of 2026

Updated · 4 picks · live pricing · affiliate disclosure

The mainstream free CRM pick shipping unlimited users plus the broadest integration catalog in the category.

BEST OVERALL6.0/10$10,668/yr more

HubSpot CRM

The mainstream free CRM pick shipping unlimited users plus the broadest integration catalog in the category.

Free forever unlimited users; 14-day Pro trial
Try HubSpot CRMSee full review

How it stacks up

  • Free unlimited users and 1K contacts

    vs Free 5K contacts Zoho 3-user

  • Starter $20/mo

    vs Free 100 contacts folk

  • Pro $890/mo upgrade typical

    vs Free 250 contacts Capsule 2-user

#2
Zoho CRM5.5/10

From $14/mo

View
#3
Capsule4.4/10

From $18/mo

View

All picks at a glance

#PickBest forStartingScore
1HubSpot CRMBest free CRM for mainstream brand-recognition$20.00/mo6.0/10
2Zoho CRMBest free CRM for suite-bundled three-user$14.00/mo5.5/10
3CapsuleBest free CRM for UK indie two-user budget$18.00/mo4.4/10
4folkBest free CRM for modern lightweight contact-led workflow$20.00/mo4.2/10

Quick pick by use case

If you only have thirty seconds, find your situation below and skip to that pick.

If you want unlimited team seats with brand recognitionHubSpot CRMFree unlimited users and 1,000 contacts and 1,000+ app integration catalog and Starter $20 upgrade.If you have a 3-or-fewer-person team and want higher contact capZoho CRMFree 3 users and 5,000 contacts and workflow automation on free and Standard $14/user upgrade.If you want a modern contact-led UI with LinkedIn enrichmentfolkFree 100 contacts and Chrome extension enriches LinkedIn and Standard $20 unlimited contacts.If you have a 2-person team and want a UK indie bootstrap-friendly providerCapsuleFree 2 users and 250 contacts and Starter $18 covers 30K contacts and UK Manchester provider.

Compare all 4 picks

Top spec
#1HubSpot CRM6.0/10$890.00/mo—$10,668/yr moreFree unlimited users and 1K contacts
#2Zoho CRM5.5/10$14.00/mo—$156/yr moreFree 3 users and 5K contacts
#3Capsule4.4/10$36.00/mo—$420/yr moreFree 2 users and 250 contacts
#4folk4.2/10$20.00/mo—$228/yr moreFree 100 contacts and Chrome
#1

HubSpot CRM

6.0/10$10,668/yr more

Best free CRM for mainstream brand-recognition

Try HubSpot CRMSee HubSpot CRM alternatives

The mainstream free CRM pick shipping unlimited users plus the broadest integration catalog in the category.

PlanMonthlyWhat you get
FreeFreeContact management, deal pipeline, email tracking, and meeting scheduler with no seat limit; the most generous free CRM in this guide
Starter$20.00/moAdds email marketing, ad management, and landing pages for solo founders and small teams
Professional$890.00/moUnlocks workflow automation, custom reporting, and sequences for marketing-heavy mid-market teams
Enterprise$3,600.00/moAdds custom objects, predictive lead scoring, and sandbox environments for complex sales orgs

HubSpot CRM is the right free CRM pick when brand recognition plus broad integration catalog drive the choice. The wedge against Zoho and folk is recognition: HubSpot is the most-recognized free CRM brand, has the broadest integration catalog (one thousand-plus apps), and ships native Google Workspace plus Microsoft 365 connectors on every tier. Founded 2006 in Cambridge, Massachusetts; public on NYSE since 2014.

The Free tier covers unlimited users plus one thousand contacts plus deal pipeline plus email tracking plus meeting scheduler. Starter at twenty dollars monthly adds email marketing plus ad management plus landing pages. Professional at eight hundred ninety dollars unlocks workflow automation plus custom reporting plus sequences. Enterprise at three thousand six hundred adds custom objects.

The trade-off is the one-thousand-contact cap on free triggers Starter upgrade fast (Zoho Free covers five thousand contacts on three users), and workflow automation locked behind Professional at eight hundred ninety dollars. For mainstream brand-recognition free: HubSpot wins. For suite-bundled free: Zoho. For modern lightweight: folk. For UK indie: Capsule.

Pros

  • Free unlimited users and 1,000 contacts
  • Most-recognized free CRM brand in category
  • Broadest integration catalog (1,000+ apps)
  • Native Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 on every tier
  • AI assistant available on paid tiers (Breeze)

Cons

  • 1,000-contact cap triggers Starter upgrade fast
  • Workflow automation locked behind Professional $890
Free unlimited users and 1K contactsStarter $20/moPro $890/mo upgrade typicalFree forever unlimited users; 14-day Pro trial

Best for: Mainstream small businesses wanting the most-recognized free CRM with broadest integration catalog and unlimited team seats on free.

Compliance
7
Engagement
8
Daily UI
9
Value
7
Support
9
Try HubSpot CRM
#2

Zoho CRM

5.5/10$156/yr more

Best free CRM for suite-bundled three-user

Try Zoho CRMSee Zoho CRM alternatives

The suite-bundled free CRM pick shipping three users plus five thousand contacts plus the Zoho One ecosystem path.

PlanMonthlyWhat you get
FreeFree3 users with leads, contacts, and deals across 5,000 contacts for evaluation
Standard$14.00/moAdds scoring rules, workflows, and multiple pipelines; the realistic-buyer tier and the cheapest credible full-feature CRM
Professional$23.00/moUnlocks Blueprints process governance, inventory management, and web forms
Enterprise$40.00/moAdds Zia AI assistant, Custom Modules, and multi-user portals for established mid-market teams

Zoho CRM is the right free CRM pick when suite-bundled workflow plus higher contact caps drive the choice. The wedge against HubSpot is contact cap: Zoho Free covers five thousand contacts (five times HubSpot Free at one thousand), at the cost of a three-user limit. Zoho is part of the broader Zoho One suite (Mail, Books, Projects, Desk), which becomes the editorial reason to default here when the buyer needs the surrounding tools too. India HQ sits outside the fourteen Eyes alliance.

The Free tier covers three users plus five thousand contacts plus lead management plus deal tracking plus workflow automation plus multichannel marketing tools. Standard at fourteen dollars per user covers scoring rules plus workflows plus multiple pipelines. Professional at twenty-three unlocks Blueprints process governance plus inventory management. Enterprise at forty unlocks Zia AI plus Custom Modules.

The trade-off is the three-user cap on free pushes to Standard upgrade once a fourth team member needs CRM access, and the UI feels dated next to folk or Monday. For suite-bundled free with higher contact cap: Zoho wins. For mainstream brand: HubSpot. For modern lightweight: folk. For UK indie: Capsule.

Pros

  • Free 3 users and 5,000 contacts (5x HubSpot Free)
  • Lead management and deal tracking and workflow automation on free
  • Part of broader Zoho One business app suite
  • India provider sits outside 14 Eyes alliance
  • Cheapest credible full-feature paid tier in the category

Cons

  • 3-user cap on free (HubSpot Free is unlimited users)
  • UI feels dated next to folk or Monday in lightweight lane
Free 3 users and 5K contactsStandard $14/userEnterprise $40 with Zia AIFree forever 3 users; 15-day paid trial

Best for: Small business teams under three users who want higher contact cap on free plus the broader Zoho One suite of business apps.

Compliance
8
Engagement
8
Daily UI
7
Value
10
Support
8
Try Zoho CRM
#3

Capsule

4.4/10$420/yr more

Best free CRM for UK indie two-user budget

Try CapsuleSee Capsule alternatives

The UK indie free CRM pick shipping two users plus two hundred fifty contacts from a bootstrap-friendly UK provider.

PlanMonthlyWhat you get
FreeFreeUp to 2 users with 250 contacts and basic pipeline; the most generous indie free tier in the lightweight lane
Starter$18.00/mo30K contacts with 10GB storage, sales analytics, and activity reporting for indie agencies
Growth$36.00/mo60K contacts with 20GB storage, workflow automation, and email templates
Advanced$54.00/mo120K contacts with 50GB storage, custom roles, and custom training for established teams
Ultimate$72.00/mo240K contacts with 100GB storage, a dedicated account manager, and priority support

Capsule CRM is the right free CRM pick when UK indie provider plus two-user free shape match the team. The wedge against HubSpot and Zoho is the two-user free tier (most CRMs have one-user or unlimited-but-capped-by-contacts; Capsule Free covers two users plus two hundred fifty contacts). Capsule is bootstrap-friendly without venture-capital pressure. Founded 2009 in Manchester, UK.

The Free tier covers two users plus two hundred fifty contacts plus contact management plus task tracking plus simple sales pipeline. Starter at eighteen dollars per user adds 30,000 contacts plus advanced sales pipeline plus email integration. Growth at thirty-six dollars adds 60,000 contacts plus workflow automation plus AI assistant. Advanced at fifty-four dollars unlocks 120,000 contacts plus custom roles plus advanced reporting.

The trade-off is feature surface trails Zoho at the same paid price point (Zoho Standard at fourteen dollars covers similar scope), the AI assistant requires Growth at thirty-six dollars (Zoho Enterprise Zia at forty includes deeper AI), and the UK two-person bootstrap is a niche fit. For UK indie two-user free: Capsule wins. For mainstream brand: HubSpot. For suite-bundled: Zoho. For modern lightweight: folk.

Pros

  • Free 2 users and 250 contacts (rare two-user free shape)
  • UK indie provider, bootstrap-friendly
  • Starter $18 covers 30,000 contacts
  • Growth $36 adds workflow automation and AI assistant
  • Founded 2009 in Manchester with stable indie ownership

Cons

  • Feature surface trails Zoho at same paid price point
  • AI assistant requires Growth $36 (Zoho Enterprise has Zia at $40)
Free 2 users and 250 contactsStarter $18/user 30KGrowth $36/user 60KFree forever 2 users; 14-day paid trial

Best for: Two-person small business teams who want a UK indie provider with the cleanest two-user free tier shape in the category.

Compliance
8
Engagement
7
Daily UI
8
Value
8
Support
7
Try Capsule
#4

folk

4.2/10$228/yr more

Best free CRM for modern lightweight contact-led workflow

Try folkSee folk alternatives

The modern lightweight free CRM pick shipping 100 contacts plus a Chrome extension enriching LinkedIn into folk.

PlanMonthlyWhat you get
FreeFree100 contacts plus the Chrome extension that enriches LinkedIn profiles into folk in one click
Standard$20.00/moUnlimited contacts with email campaigns and enrichment credits; the realistic-buyer tier for indie users
Premium$40.00/moAdds advanced analytics, priority support, and API access for agencies running structured workflows

folk is the right free CRM pick when modern UI plus LinkedIn enrichment drive the choice. The wedge against HubSpot and Zoho is the daily UI: folk feels closer to a modern note-taking app than a traditional CRM, and the Chrome extension lets you save a LinkedIn profile to a folk group in one click. France-based provider operating under EU GDPR. Founded 2020.

The Free tier covers one hundred contacts plus the Chrome extension plus contact management plus basic email integration. Standard at twenty dollars per user is the realistic-buyer tier that unlocks unlimited contacts plus email campaigns plus enrichment credits. Premium at forty adds advanced analytics plus priority support plus API access for agencies running structured workflows.

The trade-off is the one-hundred-contact cap on free is the smallest among credible free CRMs (Capsule Free at two hundred fifty, Zoho Free at five thousand), no built-in calling, no workflow automation, and no custom objects. For modern lightweight contact-led workflow: folk wins. For mainstream brand: HubSpot. For suite-bundled higher cap: Zoho. For UK indie: Capsule.

Pros

  • Chrome extension enriches LinkedIn profiles into folk in one click
  • Modern UI feels closer to a note-taking app than a CRM
  • France provider operating under EU GDPR
  • Free 100 contacts plus Chrome extension
  • Standard $20 unlocks unlimited contacts plus email campaigns

Cons

  • 100-contact cap smallest among credible free CRMs
  • No built-in calling, no workflow automation, no custom objects
Free 100 contacts and ChromeStandard $20/userPremium $40/user analyticsFree forever 100 contacts; 14-day Standard trial

Best for: Individuals, freelancers, and small agencies who want a contact-led CRM with LinkedIn enrichment without platform-suite weight.

Compliance
8
Engagement
9
Daily UI
10
Value
8
Support
7
Try folk

How we picked

Each pick gets a transparent composite score from price, features, free-tier availability, and editor fit. Pricing flows from our live database, so when a vendor changes prices the score updates here too.

Composite weights: price 40%, features 30%, free tier 15%, fit 15%. Four picks subset to CRM tools with credible permanent free tiers. Pipedrive and Salesforce Essentials and Monday and Close excluded (no free tier; trial only). Capsule promoted from honorable mention in parent because the free tier qualifies. See parent /best/crm-sales for the full lineup.

We don't claim "30,000 hours of testing." Our methodology is the formula above plus the editor's published verdict for each pick. Verifiable, auditable, and updated when the underlying data changes.

Why trust Subrupt

We're a subscription tracker first, a buying guide second. Every claim on this page is something you can check.

By use case

Best free CRM tier

HubSpot CRM

Read the full review →

Try HubSpot CRM

Cheapest paid free upgrade

Zoho CRM

Read the full review →

Try Zoho CRM

Best free pipeline CRM

folk

Read the full review →

Try folk

Best free inside sales CRM

HubSpot CRM

Read the full review →

Try HubSpot CRM

Best free enterprise tier

Zoho CRM

Read the full review →

Try Zoho CRM

How to choose your Free CRM

Free CRM tiers by contact cap and user cap

Free CRM reduces to two metrics: contact cap and user cap. HubSpot Free at one thousand contacts plus unlimited users is the broadest by team scope. Zoho Free at five thousand contacts plus three users is the broadest by contact cap. Capsule Free at two hundred fifty contacts plus two users is the cleanest two-user shape. folk Free at one hundred contacts plus one user is the smallest but ships the modern UI plus Chrome LinkedIn enrichment. For unlimited team seats with brand recognition, HubSpot wins; for higher contact cap with three-user team, Zoho wins; for UK indie two-user, Capsule wins; for modern lightweight contact-led, folk wins. For full coverage including paid Pipedrive plus Salesforce plus Monday plus Close, see [our /best/crm-sales guide](/best/crm-sales).

When the upgrade pressure kicks in

Free CRM tiers handle initial customer relationship management but cap at scope ceilings most teams cross within months. HubSpot Free at one thousand contacts triggers Starter upgrade once contacts cross the cap (typical for any active SMB within a year). Zoho Free at five thousand contacts plus three users triggers Standard upgrade once a fourth team member needs CRM access or contacts cross five thousand. folk Free at one hundred contacts triggers Standard upgrade fast (most active users cross one hundred contacts within months). Capsule Free at two hundred fifty contacts plus two users triggers Starter upgrade similar to folk. The honest framing: HubSpot Free and Zoho Free are permanent operating tiers for many small teams; folk Free is more of an evaluation path; Capsule Free fits very small two-person teams permanently.

Workflow automation differs across free tiers

Workflow automation (rules that auto-assign deals, send emails on stage change, update fields) is the load-bearing CRM feature for sales teams beyond hand-tracking. Zoho Free includes basic workflow automation (rules, scheduled tasks, lead routing). Capsule Free includes simple task automation. HubSpot Free does not include workflow automation (locked behind Professional at eight hundred ninety dollars, the most expensive paid upgrade in this guide). folk Free has no workflow automation. For free CRM with workflow automation: Zoho or Capsule win; HubSpot Free is great for free contact management but workflow needs require an upgrade path planned upfront.

When to skip the dedicated CRM entirely

Solo founders with under fifty contacts should default to Notion or Airtable, not a CRM. The activity volume does not justify the data-entry overhead. Agencies that primarily serve a small client roster should look at folk Free or Capsule Free; both work for under-one-hundred-contact lists without paying. Once you cross two hundred contacts or hire a second salesperson, the dedicated CRM becomes worth the friction. For under-fifty-contact users: Notion or Airtable. For fifty-to-two-hundred contacts: folk Free or Capsule Free. For two hundred-plus contacts: HubSpot Free or Zoho Free.

Frequently asked questions

Why is HubSpot ranked above Zoho if Zoho has 5x the contact cap?

Brand recognition plus integration catalog. HubSpot Free covers unlimited team seats which matters for any team larger than 3 people; Zoho Free caps at 3 users. HubSpot has the broadest integration catalog in the category (1,000+ apps including native Google Workspace and Microsoft 365). Zoho wins on contact cap (5,000 vs 1,000) plus suite-bundled workflow but loses on team scale. For most SMBs, the unlimited-user wedge plus brand recognition tilts HubSpot to #1.

Is HubSpot Free really enough for ongoing CRM use?

For mainstream small businesses with under 1,000 contacts, yes. HubSpot Free covers contact management plus deal pipeline plus email tracking plus meeting scheduler with unlimited team seats. The upgrade pressure kicks in once contacts cross 1,000 (Starter at $20/mo unlocks 1,000-15,000 range with email marketing) or once you need workflow automation (Professional at $890 unlocks). For SMBs under 1,000 contacts without automation needs, HubSpot Free is permanent.

What about Salesforce Free Suite?

Salesforce Free Suite covers 2 users with no credit card, tracks accounts/contacts/leads/opportunities and Gmail and Calendar integration and 100 email sends/mo. We exclude because the free tier is intentionally limited (2-user cap, no workflow automation, no custom objects); for teams growing into Salesforce, Free Suite is evaluation only with paid migration to Starter at $25 within months.

Can I run multiple free CRMs in parallel to stretch beyond caps?

Technically yes; practically the workflow friction outweighs the saving. Splitting one customer database across HubSpot and Zoho and folk and Capsule Free gives roughly 6,350 combined contacts but you would manage four accounts, four data syncs, four pipelines, and four reporting surfaces. Most small businesses pick one and either stay free or upgrade. The combinatorial path fits one-time launches rather than ongoing CRM.

How does folk Free compare to OnePageCRM as a lightweight alternative?

OnePageCRM (not in our catalog) offers a 21-day trial with no credit card; folk Free is permanent at 100 contacts. OnePageCRM ships an action-list-driven UI similar to Pipedrive activity flow; folk ships a contact-led UI closer to a note-taking app. For permanent free lightweight CRM: folk wins. For 21-day evaluation of action-led workflow: OnePageCRM. For longer-term lightweight free, folk plus eventual Standard upgrade at $20 is the cleanest path.

Will my free CRM data transfer cleanly when I upgrade or switch?

Mostly yes for contact data plus deal data plus notes. Each pick exports CSV plus most ship API access for programmatic export. Email integration history (logged emails, open tracking) does not always export cleanly across services. Workflow automations and custom fields require manual rebuild in the new service. Plan a 1-week migration window: export contacts and deals and notes from old service, import to new service, manually rebuild automations and custom fields.

Do these free CRMs support email integration?

HubSpot Free includes Gmail and Outlook integration plus email tracking. Zoho Free includes basic email integration via Zoho Mail. folk Free includes email integration via Gmail. Capsule Free includes email integration via Mailchain. All four cover the email-logging baseline that mainstream CRM workflows depend on. For deeper email sequences (drip campaigns, sequences with branching logic), paid tiers are required across all four picks.

How do these free CRMs compare on AI assistance?

HubSpot Breeze (formerly ChatSpot) is available on paid Starter+. Zoho Zia is on Enterprise at $40/user. folk ships AI on Standard at $20. Capsule AI assistant is on Growth at $36. None of the four ship AI on free tier. For free CRM with AI assistance: none. For paid AI in CRM: folk Standard at $20 is the cheapest entry; Zoho Enterprise at $40 is the deepest; HubSpot Breeze on Starter is the most polished.

Will my contacts sync from LinkedIn or other sources?

folk has the deepest LinkedIn integration (Chrome extension enriches profiles directly into folk). HubSpot has Sales Navigator integration on paid tiers. Zoho has LinkedIn Sales Navigator integration on Enterprise. Capsule has LinkedIn integration via Mailchain. For LinkedIn-centric workflow on free: folk wins decisively. For paid LinkedIn integration depth: HubSpot Sales Navigator is strongest; Zoho Enterprise is next.

Does Subrupt earn a commission on these free CRM picks?

On the paid-tier links across HubSpot Starter, Zoho Standard, folk Standard, and Capsule Starter where the affiliate programs route through. Composite scoring weights price 40%, features 30%, free tier 15%, fit 15%, none tuned by affiliate rate. The rationales lead with which-shape-fits-the-team math rather than affiliate-friendly framing. The composite math is on the page so you can recompute the order yourself.

Subrupt Editorial

The team behind subrupt.com. We track subscriptions, surface cheaper alternatives, and publish buying guides where the score formula is on the page so you can recompute it yourself. We do not claim 30,000 hours of testing. What we claim is live pricing from our database, a transparent composite score, and honest savings math against a category baseline.

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Affiliate disclosure: Subrupt earns a commission when you switch to a service through our recommendation links. This never changes the price you pay. We only recommend services where there's a real cost or feature advantage for you, and our picks are based on the data on this page, not on which programs pay the most.

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