Folk CRM Reviews: Is This Lightweight CRM Worth It?

Folk CRM has been gaining traction as a "next-gen CRM" that promises simplicity over complexity. With a 4.5/5 rating on G2 from over 280 reviews and a clean, spreadsheet-like interface, it's positioned itself as the anti-Salesforce for solopreneurs and small teams.

But here's the thing: simple doesn't always mean better. After digging through hundreds of user reviews and testing the platform, I'll break down exactly what Folk does well, where it falls short, and whether it's the right fit for your business.

What Is Folk CRM?

Folk CRM is a lightweight customer relationship management tool built for relationship-focused professionals—think freelancers, recruiters, agencies, and small sales teams. Unlike traditional CRMs packed with features you'll never use, Folk strips things down to the essentials: contact management, email outreach, and pipeline tracking.

The platform connects with Gmail, Outlook, WhatsApp, LinkedIn, and Instagram. You can import contacts from pretty much anywhere using their Chrome extension (folkX), and the system automatically de-duplicates and enriches profiles. If you've ever tried using Notion or Google Sheets as a makeshift CRM, Folk is essentially the upgrade you've been looking for.

Folk CRM Pricing Breakdown

Folk offers three pricing tiers with a 14-day free trial:

Annual billing saves you roughly two months (paying for 10 months instead of 12). There's no free plan, just the trial.

Here's the catch most reviews don't mention: The Standard plan lacks deal management and dashboards. If you need those features (and most businesses do), you're looking at $40/user/month minimum. For a team of five, that's $200/month—not exactly "budget CRM" territory.

What Users Actually Like About Folk

Dead Simple Interface

The most consistent praise across reviews is Folk's ease of use. Users compare it to "if Notion and a CRM had a baby." The spreadsheet-like layout feels familiar if you've managed contacts in Excel or Airtable before. You can edit data inline, bulk update fields, and customize pipeline views without watching tutorials or hiring a consultant.

One G2 reviewer put it well: "I was able to dive right in and start using folk without watching any tutorials." That's rare for CRM software.

LinkedIn Integration That Actually Works

The folkX Chrome extension is a standout feature. One click imports a LinkedIn profile directly into your CRM with all the relevant data—name, company, role, email—automatically populated. For anyone doing outbound prospecting or recruitment, this alone saves hours of manual data entry.

The extension also works on Gmail, Twitter/X, Instagram, and TikTok, though LinkedIn is where it really shines.

Contact Enrichment Built In

Folk's 1-click enrichment pulls in additional data like phone numbers, company details, and social profiles. It integrates with data providers like Clearbit, Apollo, and People Data Labs. Unlike tools where enrichment is a separate add-on cost, Folk includes a generous enrichment allowance in the pricing.

Responsive Customer Support

Multiple reviewers highlight Folk's support team as genuinely helpful. One Capterra user noted: "From our initial call with the sales agent to our recent feature requests, everyone at Folk has been incredibly kind and genuinely focused on helping." For a relatively new tool, this level of support is refreshing.

What Users Don't Like About Folk

Missing Features That Feel Essential

Folk's biggest weakness is feature depth. The platform lacks:

As one reviewer noted: "It's not as fully featured for email marketing as some others and doesn't have functionality for things like landing pages, website activity tracking or rich HTML email campaigns."

Deal Management Behind a Paywall

This is a frustration I see repeatedly: deal/pipeline management requires the Premium plan ($40/user/month). On the Standard plan, you're essentially getting a glorified contact database. Many competing CRMs include basic deal tracking at their entry-level price point.

Price Escalation for Teams

While Folk is cheaper than Salesforce or HubSpot's paid tiers, costs add up fast. A five-person team on Premium runs $200/month. Add the Custom tier if you need unlimited contacts, and you're at $400+/month. At that point, you should also consider more full-featured alternatives.

Limited API and Integrations

Folk connects to 6,000+ apps through Zapier, but native integrations are limited. The REST API exists but is fairly basic compared to mature CRMs. Power users who want to build complex automations may find the platform constraining.

Who Folk CRM Is Actually For

Based on my research, Folk works best for:

Folk is NOT the right choice if you:

Folk CRM vs. Alternatives

If you're comparing options, here's how Folk stacks up:

Folk vs. HubSpot

HubSpot's free CRM includes features Folk charges extra for (deal management, basic automation). But HubSpot's learning curve is steeper, and paid tiers get expensive fast. Folk wins on simplicity; HubSpot wins on features.

Folk vs. Pipedrive

Pipedrive scores higher on opportunity and pipeline management (8.8 vs. 8.4 on G2). However, Folk edges out Pipedrive on ease of use (9.0 vs. 8.9) and quality of support (9.1 vs. 8.4). If sales pipeline is your priority, lean toward Pipedrive. For contact relationship management, Folk holds its own.

Folk vs. Close CRM

For sales-focused teams doing serious outbound, Close CRM offers more robust calling, email sequences, and sales automation. Folk is better for relationship nurturing; Close is built for closing deals. Check out our Close CRM pricing breakdown if you need a sales-first tool.

Folk vs. Monday CRM

Monday's CRM is more customizable with workflow automations that Folk lacks. But Monday can become overwhelming with options. If you want a no-frills contact manager, Folk wins. For project-CRM hybrid needs, explore Monday.com instead.

The Verdict: Should You Use Folk CRM?

Folk CRM is excellent at what it's designed to do: simple contact management for individuals and tiny teams. The interface is genuinely pleasant, LinkedIn integration saves real time, and support is responsive.

But "simple" comes with trade-offs. No mobile app. Basic reporting. Key features locked behind higher tiers. If your business needs are straightforward—track contacts, send emails, manage a basic pipeline—Folk delivers. If you need serious sales automation or plan to scale, you'll outgrow it.

My recommendation: Take the 14-day trial. Import your contacts, test the LinkedIn extension, build a pipeline. You'll know within a week if it fits your workflow. Just be aware that the trial gives you Premium features—make sure what you need is actually included in the plan you'd pay for.

Looking for more robust options? Check out our best CRM software roundup or explore CRM options specifically for small businesses. If budget is tight, we also cover free CRM software that might fit your needs.