In the modern business world, customer relationship management (CRM) has evolved into a vital tool for businesses of all sizes. However, small businesses, in particular, need CRM systems that are not only effective but also cost-efficient and easy to implement. With a wide array of CRM software options available, it can be overwhelming to choose the right one.

In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the best CRM systems for small businesses in the UK. These CRMs are affordable, user-friendly, and come packed with the features necessary to streamline your sales processes, enhance customer relationships, and grow your business.

1. HubSpot CRM

Best For: Beginners, Free Plan

Why Choose HubSpot CRM? HubSpot CRM is a popular choice for small businesses, particularly for those just starting out with customer relationship management. One of its strongest features is its free plan, which includes all the basic CRM tools you need to get started, such as contact management, deal tracking, task management, and email templates.

Additionally, HubSpot’s interface is incredibly intuitive, making it easy for non-technical users to pick up. The system integrates well with email, Google apps, social media, and many other third-party tools. If your business grows, you can scale your usage by upgrading to one of HubSpot’s premium plans for added functionality, including advanced reporting, marketing automation, and additional integrations.

Key Features:

Free plan with essential CRM features
Contact and lead management
Email tracking and notifications
Sales pipeline management
Reporting and analytics
Integration with many third-party apps

Pricing: Free; paid plans start at £41/month

2. Zoho CRM

Best For: Customisation, Automation

Why Choose Zoho CRM? Zoho CRM is an excellent choice for small businesses that need a customizable solution. It offers a wide variety of features that can be tailored to your business needs, including sales automation, marketing automation, analytics, and more. With Zoho CRM, you can create custom workflows, set up automated email campaigns, and even integrate AI-powered chatbots to interact with customers.

Another strength of Zoho CRM is its scalability. It’s not only affordable for smaller businesses but also capable of growing with you as your business expands. Whether you’re a small team or a growing enterprise, Zoho CRM offers flexible pricing options that are designed to cater to a wide range of business sizes.

Key Features:

Customisable modules and workflows
Sales forecasting and analytics
Marketing automation tools
AI-powered sales assistant
Mobile app and email integration
Multichannel support (email, social media, etc.)

Pricing: Free for up to 3 users; paid plans start at £12/month per user

3. Pipedrive

Best For: Sales-Focused Businesses

Why Choose Pipedrive? If your small business is focused on driving sales, Pipedrive is one of the best CRM systems for managing and tracking sales pipelines. It’s highly visual and makes it easy for teams to keep track of leads, deals, and tasks at every stage of the sales funnel.

Pipedrive’s intuitive interface allows for drag-and-drop deal management, giving you a clear overview of where every deal stands. This helps you ensure that no opportunity falls through the cracks. Additionally, Pipedrive offers a variety of useful integrations with other tools, such as Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, and many more.

Key Features:

Visual sales pipeline
Customizable pipelines and workflows
Activity reminders and task management
Sales reporting and forecasting
Integration with email, calendar, and third-party apps

Pricing: Paid plans start at £15/month per user

4. Salesforce Essentials

Best For: Growing Small Businesses, Scalability

Why Choose Salesforce Essentials? Salesforce is often regarded as the gold standard of CRM software, and their “Essentials” plan is designed specifically for small businesses. This version offers many of the powerful features that Salesforce is known for but at a more affordable price. It includes contact management, opportunity tracking, customer support, and integrations with over 3,000 other apps.

Salesforce Essentials also provides a robust set of reporting tools, giving you valuable insights into your sales performance, customer behaviour, and more. While it may take some time to get familiar with the platform, the long-term benefits are significant, especially as your business grows and needs more advanced CRM capabilities.

Key Features:

Customizable dashboards and reports
Contact and opportunity management
Email integration and templates
Task automation
Mobile access
Integration with third-party apps

Pricing: Starts at £20/month per user

5. Freshsales

Best For: Simple, All-in-One CRM Solution

Why Choose Freshsales? Freshsales, by Freshworks, is a powerful yet simple CRM that is ideal for small businesses that want a straightforward solution without compromising on functionality. It’s designed with sales teams in mind, helping you manage leads, contacts, deals, and tasks with ease.

Freshsales offers built-in email tracking, call logging, and a visual sales pipeline, making it easy to manage and move prospects through your sales funnel. The platform also includes automation tools that help you reduce manual work, along with AI-based insights to improve your sales processes.

Key Features:

Sales pipeline management
Email and phone integration
Lead scoring and tracking
Workflow automation
AI-based sales assistant
Mobile app

Pricing: Free for up to 10 users; paid plans start at £12/month per user

6. Agile CRM

Best For: Affordable, Lightweight CRM

Why Choose Agile CRM? Agile CRM offers an easy-to-use, affordable solution for small businesses that need a lightweight CRM system with a good set of features. It is particularly suited for businesses looking for an entry-level CRM to manage contacts, sales pipelines, and marketing campaigns.

With Agile CRM, you get basic CRM features like contact management, task management, email marketing, and reporting. While the feature set is less extensive than some of the more advanced CRM systems, it provides good value for smaller businesses with basic needs.

Key Features:

Contact and deal management
Email tracking and marketing automation
Task and calendar management
Social media integrations
Reporting and analytics

Pricing: Free for up to 10 users; paid plans start at £8.50/month per user

Conclusion

Choosing the right CRM system for your small business in the UK largely depends on your specific needs, budget, and business goals.

If you’re just starting out or looking for a budget-friendly option, HubSpot CRM is a great place to begin, especially with its free plan.
For businesses needing more customization and automation, Zoho CRM provides robust features and flexibility.
If your focus is sales, Pipedrive is ideal with its simple, visual sales pipeline.
Salesforce Essentials is a great choice for businesses planning to scale quickly and need a powerful, enterprise-grade CRM solution.
Freshsales offers a simple and effective all-in-one solution for small businesses.
For a more budget-friendly, lightweight CRM, Agile CRM could be the perfect match.

Ultimately, it’s about finding a CRM system that integrates seamlessly into your operations and helps you build stronger relationships with your customers. Start by taking advantage of free trials and demos, so you can see which platform works best for your business.