Our picks · 2027
Best Free CRM
Only three CRMs we ranked have a real free plan with no time limit. Here's what each one lets you do for $0, and where the free plan stops.
AWBy Austin Witherow · Updated Nov 12, 2026 · 5 min read · How we review
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Quick answer
- Best overall: HubSpot, starting free, then growing into paid tools (from $0)
- #2: Zoho CRM, the most features for the money (from $0)
- #3: Capsule, small teams that want it simple (from $0)
Compared
CRMs compared (USD, checked Nov 12, 2026)| CRM | Best for | Starts at | Our score | Link |
|---|
| HubSpot | Starting free, then growing into paid tools | $0 | 8.9 | Visit |
|---|
| Zoho CRM | The most features for the money | $0 | 8.8 | Visit |
|---|
| Capsule | Small teams that want it simple | $0 | 8.5 | Visit |
|---|
HubSpot
Starting free, then growing into paid tools8.9/10Very goodHubSpot has the most useful free CRM here (2 users, 1,000 contacts) and a cheap Starter plan. The catch is the jump to Professional: $90 to $100 per seat, an annual commitment and a required $1,500 onboarding fee.
$0 free for 2 users; Starter $20/seat/mo list price
Pros
- Free plan with no time limit: 2 users and 1,000 contacts
- Starter is $20/seat/month at list price, with new-customer discounts to $7 (annual) or $10 (monthly)
- Starter already includes up to 15 pipelines and 50 workflows
- Sales, marketing and service tools on one contact record
- 4.4/5 on G2 from 14,393 reviews
Cons
- Professional costs $90/seat/month billed annually, or $100 paid monthly, and both require an annual commitment
- Professional adds a required one-time onboarding fee of $1,500 (Enterprise: $3,500)
- Sequences and lead scoring are only on Professional and Enterprise
- The $7 and $10 Starter prices are new-customer discounts; list price is $20
Zoho CRM
The most features for the money8.8/10Very goodZoho CRM gives you the most features per dollar: a free plan for 3 users, then $14 per user billed annually for Standard with multiple pipelines, workflows and mass email. There's no contract. It takes more setup than Pipedrive or HubSpot.
$0 free for 3 users; Standard $14/user/mo annually
Pros
- Free plan for 3 users with workflow automation and 5,000 records
- Standard is $14/user/mo billed annually ($20 monthly) with 5 pipelines and workflow rules
- No contracts: pay monthly or yearly
- Free onboarding listed on the pricing page
Cons
- 4.1/5 on G2, the lowest rating among the big names here
- Standard caps mass email at 250 a day per organization
- Faster support (Premium, 24x5) costs 20% of your subscription
- More settings to learn than simpler tools such as Capsule or Pipedrive
Capsule
Small teams that want it simple8.5/10Very goodCapsule is a plain, tidy contact manager with a pipeline. It's free for 2 users and 250 contacts. Starter is $18 per user a month billed annually. Workflows, email sync and multiple pipelines start on Growth at $36.
$0 free for 2 users; Starter $18/user/mo annually
Pros
- Free plan for 2 users and 250 contacts
- No setup fee and no onboarding fee; cancel any time
- Starter includes 30,000 contacts
- 14-day free trial, no card
- 4.7/5 on G2 from 529 reviews
Cons
- Workflow automation, email sync and multiple pipelines start on Growth ($36/$40)
- Support is by email (Ultimate adds an account manager)
- No refund for partial periods
What "free" means here
Of the CRMs we ranked, only HubSpot, Zoho CRM and Capsule have a free plan with stated limits and no time limit. The others offer a free trial instead. Salesforce lists a Free Suite at $0, but its pricing page doesn't state the limits, so we left it out.
The free plans differ in the limits that matter most: how many users, how many contacts or records, and what the first paid plan costs. Here's how they compare.
| Free plan |
Users |
Contacts or records |
First paid plan |
| HubSpot |
2 |
1,000 contacts |
Starter: $20/seat/mo list ($7 annual or $10 monthly for new customers) |
| Zoho CRM |
3 |
5,000 records (basic workflows included) |
Standard: $14/user/mo annual, $20 monthly |
| Capsule |
2 |
250 contacts, 1 pipeline |
Starter: $18/user/mo annual, $22 monthly |
Why the picks are in this order
Why HubSpot is first
HubSpot's free plan gives 2 users and 1,000 contacts with no time limit and no credit card. It puts sales, marketing and service tools on one contact record.
It's first because the first paid step is small and the plan you move to is strong. Starter is $20 per seat a month at list price, $7 billed annually or $10 monthly for new customers, and it includes up to 15 pipelines and 50 workflows, per HubSpot's sales pricing. Free plan support is the community and knowledge base only.
Why Zoho CRM is second
On paper, Zoho CRM's free plan is the most generous: 3 users, 5,000 records and basic workflows. If you need a third user or more than 1,000 contacts, it beats HubSpot's free tier.
It's second because it takes more setup than HubSpot and scores lower on G2, 4.1/5 from 2,960 reviews. The first paid step, Standard, is $14 per user a month billed annually or $20 monthly, with no contracts.
Why Capsule is third
Capsule's free plan is the simplest of the three: 2 users, 250 contacts and 1 pipeline. It suits someone who wants a tidy contact list and nothing else.
It's third because 250 contacts runs out fast. The first paid step, Starter, is $18 per user a month billed annually ($22 monthly) and raises the cap to 30,000 contacts. Workflows, email sync and multiple pipelines start on Growth at $36 annually or $40 monthly.
Where the free plans stop
Each free plan has one limit you'll hit first. On HubSpot it's 1,000 contacts or a third user. On Zoho CRM it's a fourth user or 5,000 records. On Capsule it's 250 contacts.
For 5 users on the plan a growing team needs, year-one costs are $840 on Zoho CRM Standard, $1,200 on HubSpot Starter at list price ($420 at the $7 new-customer price) and $2,160 on Capsule Growth.
HubSpot's lower Starter prices are for new customers, and list price is $20. Capsule's terms say there's no refund for partial periods, so pick monthly billing if you're unsure.
How we chose
We read each vendor's pricing and terms pages and its G2 reviews, checked on Nov 12, 2026. This page is research-based: we did not run these CRMs ourselves. We ranked the free plans by what they include, how far they stretch, and what the first paid step costs.