Best Sales CRM Software for Sales Teams

If you're running a sales team, you need a CRM that helps you close deals, not drown in features you'll never use. The problem? Most CRM reviews are written by people who've never made a cold call in their life.

I've tested these tools with actual sales teams. Here's what actually matters: pipeline visibility, contact management that doesn't suck, email integration that works, and reporting you can use without a PhD. Let's get into it.

Close: Best for Outbound Sales Teams

Close is built specifically for sales teams that make calls and send emails all day. If you're doing outbound, this is the one.

The interface is clean. You can call directly from the CRM, log emails automatically, and see your entire pipeline at a glance. The Power Dialer lets you burn through a call list without clicking around like an idiot. Predictive Dialer automatically moves you to the next call. SMS is built-in, not bolted on.

Pricing starts at $49/user/month for the Startup plan with basic features. Professional is $99/user/month and includes workflows, reporting, and the Power Dialer. Business at $149/user/month adds custom activities and advanced permissions. There's also an Enterprise plan with custom pricing.

What's good: The calling experience is smooth. Email sequences work well. The mobile app doesn't feel like an afterthought. Pipeline reports actually show you where deals are stuck.

What sucks: It's expensive if you have a big team. The learning curve is steeper than simpler CRMs. Customization is limited compared to something like Salesforce.

Best for: Outbound B2B sales teams with 5-50 reps who live on the phone and need actual sales tools, not marketing automation dressed up as CRM.

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HubSpot Sales Hub: Best Free Option

HubSpot's free tier is legitimately good if you're just starting out or running a small team. You get contact management, deal tracking, email integration, and basic reporting without paying a dime.

The free plan includes unlimited users and up to 1 million contacts. You can track deals, log activities, and use email templates. It integrates with Gmail and Outlook cleanly.

Paid plans start at $15/user/month for Sales Hub Starter, which adds calling, payments, and some automation. Professional is $90/user/month with sequences, workflows, and better reporting. Enterprise is $150/user/month with predictive lead scoring and custom objects.

What's good: The free tier is actually functional, not a trial in disguise. Easy to set up. Works well with HubSpot's marketing tools if you use those. The UI is intuitive.

What sucks: The free version has limited reporting. Sequences require a paid plan. It tries to upsell you constantly. Some features are locked behind expensive tiers.

Best for: Small teams or startups that need basic CRM functionality without upfront cost. Also good if you're already using HubSpot Marketing.

Pipedrive: Best Pipeline Visualization

Pipedrive does one thing really well: showing you exactly where every deal is in your pipeline. The visual interface makes it obvious what needs attention.

You drag deals between stages. It's simple but effective. Email integration works smoothly. Activity reminders keep your team moving. The mobile app is solid for checking pipeline on the go.

Essential plan is $14/user/month with basic pipeline management and contact history. Advanced at $29/user/month adds email sync, workflows, and scheduling. Professional is $49/user/month with better reporting and revenue forecasting. Enterprise at $99/user/month includes unlimited customization and dedicated support.

What's good: Pipeline view is the best I've used. Easy for new reps to learn. Good mobile experience. Affordable for small teams.

What sucks: Calling features are weak compared to Close. Reporting is basic on lower tiers. Email sequences aren't as powerful as dedicated outbound tools.

Best for: Sales teams that want visual pipeline management without complexity. Works well for SMBs with deal cycles that need tracking but not heavy automation.

Salesforce Sales Cloud: Best for Enterprise

Salesforce is the 800-pound gorilla. It can do everything, which is both good and bad. If you have complex sales processes, multiple teams, and need deep customization, it's the standard.

The platform is incredibly flexible. You can customize everything. Integrations exist for every tool you can think of. AppExchange has thousands of add-ons. Reporting can get as complex as you need.

Essentials starts at $25/user/month for up to 10 users with basic CRM features. Professional is $75/user/month with full customization and API access. Enterprise at $150/user/month adds advanced automation and analytics. Unlimited is $300/user/month with 24/7 support and unlimited CRM power.

What's good: Does literally everything. Scales to thousands of users. Deep customization options. Extensive app ecosystem. Enterprise-grade security and support.

What sucks: Expensive. Requires an admin or consultant to set up properly. Overwhelming for small teams. The UI feels dated. Training takes time.

Best for: Enterprise sales organizations with 50+ reps, complex processes, and budget for implementation. Overkill for most small businesses.

Zoho CRM: Best Budget Option

Zoho gives you a ton of features for not much money. It's not the prettiest or easiest to use, but if budget is tight and you need functionality, it delivers.

Standard plan is $14/user/month with sales automation, workflows, and custom fields. Professional at $23/user/month adds inventory management and validation rules. Enterprise is $40/user/month with advanced customization and analytics. Ultimate at $52/user/month includes enhanced storage and premium support.

What's good: Cheap. Lots of features even on lower tiers. Decent automation. Good integration with other Zoho products. AI assistant is surprisingly useful.

What sucks: UI is clunky. Setup is confusing. Customer support is hit or miss. The learning curve is steep for something that should be simple.

Best for: Budget-conscious teams that need advanced features and are willing to deal with a less polished interface.

Freshsales: Best AI Features

Freshsales (part of Freshworks) focuses on AI-powered insights and lead scoring. If you want a CRM that helps prioritize who to call, this is worth looking at.

The AI scores leads based on behavior and fit. It suggests next actions. Email tracking shows you who's engaged. Phone and email are built-in. The interface is modern and clean.

Free plan includes basic contact management for up to 3 users. Growth at $15/user/month adds AI scoring and workflows. Pro is $39/user/month with sales sequences and multiple pipelines. Enterprise at $69/user/month includes advanced customization and dedicated support.

What's good: AI features actually help prioritize leads. Clean UI. Good mobile app. Built-in calling and texting. Reasonable pricing.

What sucks: AI is useful but not magic. Advanced features require higher tiers. Reporting could be better. Integration options are limited compared to bigger players.

Best for: Mid-sized B2B teams that want AI-assisted prioritization without enterprise complexity or cost.

What to Look for in Sales CRM Software

Here's what actually matters when choosing a sales CRM:

Pipeline management: Can you see every deal and where it's stuck? Visual pipelines beat spreadsheet views every time.

Contact management: Can you track communication history, log notes, and see everything about a prospect in one place? If you're clicking through multiple screens, it's poorly designed.

Email integration: Does it sync with Gmail/Outlook automatically? Can you send emails from the CRM? Are templates easy to use? Bad email integration kills productivity.

Calling features: If your team makes calls, you need built-in calling. Power dialers and call recording are worth paying for if you're doing volume outbound.

Reporting: Can you see conversion rates by rep, stage, or source? If reporting requires an analyst, it's too complicated.

Mobile app: Your reps will use their phones. If the mobile app sucks, they won't update the CRM.

Price: Multiply per-user costs by your team size. Add implementation and training time. CRMs get expensive fast at scale.

Which Sales CRM Should You Choose?

If you're doing outbound B2B sales and live on the phone: Close. It's built for this.

If you're a startup with no budget: HubSpot's free tier. You can always upgrade later.

If you want the best pipeline visualization: Pipedrive. Dead simple, works well.

If you're enterprise with complex needs: Salesforce. Expensive but powerful.

If budget is tight but you need features: Zoho CRM. You'll fight the UI but save money.

If you want AI-powered lead scoring: Freshsales. The AI actually helps.

Most sales teams will be happiest with Close or Pipedrive. They're designed for actual selling, not drowning in features. Start with what matches your process, not what has the longest feature list.

For more CRM options, check out our full CRM comparison or CRMs for small business.