22, May, 2024
At BestCRMSoftware.com, we prioritize transparency and honesty in all our content. In order to maintain the quality of our reviews and to keep providing valuable information to our audience at no cost, We earn commissions through clicks and affiliate purchases from select links in our articles.
Our commitment to unbiased content remains unwavering, despite our use of affiliate links. These links do not influence the opinions or recommendations provided by our editorial team. We prioritize integrity and objectivity in every piece of content we produce, ensuring that our readers receive unbiased and reliable information to inform their decisions effectively.
Hosted CRM Software – Find the best solutions
Biography
Sarah Cruz writes about customer relationship management solutions, bringing a deep understanding of the financial services industry. With a proven track record in wealth management and client relations, she provides helpful pointers on how CRMs can enhance client service, streamline workflows, and, ultimately, drive growth within the financial sector.
View Author Profile
Biography
Stephen Jones is a seasoned Customer Relationship Management (CRM) professional with over 7 years of experience in the field. Throughout his career, he has helped businesses of all sizes implement and optimize their CRM systems to drive sales growth, improve customer satisfaction, and streamline operations. Stephen is passionate about sharing his CRM expertise and insights through insightful blog posts and articles.
View Author Profile
Latest Update:
Sep 16, 2024, 8:45 am
As a technology enthusiast constantly looking for tools to enhance my work efficiency, I recently ventured into the world of hosted CRM solutions. In my quest to find the most suitable CRM software for my needs, I realized the importance of understanding what hosted CRM entails and the range of benefits it offers.Â
Top Hosted CRM Solutions – Shortlist
Here’s my pick of the 5 best software from the 5 tools reviewed.
1. Vtiger –Â Best for All-In-One Solution
2. Flowlu -Best as the Affordable All-In-One Solution
3. Zoho CRM – Best for Scaling Your Business
4. HubSpot – Best for Building a Content-Rich Business Website
5. Capsule – Best for Managing Projects
6. Freshsales – Best for sales companies
7. Folk – Best for Simple, Ultra-Personalized Emails
8. Kommo – Best for Multi-Channel Sales
9. Salesmate – Best for Phone & SMS outreach
10. Nethunt -Best for Gmail integration
Introduction
In this article, I aim to share my exploration and review of several hosted CRM solutions, providing insights into their pricing, features, and the unique advantages they bring to the table. So, if you’re searching for CRM software that can take your business to new heights, join me as we explore the world of hosted CRM and uncover the best options available.
Difference between a Hosted CRM and a Self Hosted CRM
A hosted CRM, or a cloud-based or SaaS (Software as a Service) CRM, is a system hosted and maintained by a third-party provider. With a hosted CRM, the software and data are stored on the provider’s servers, and users access the system via the internet through web browsers or dedicated applications. The provider is responsible for all maintenance, updates, security, and technical support, and users typically pay on a subscription basis.
On the other hand, a CRM self hosted system, also known as an on-premises CRM, involves the company installing the CRM software on its servers and managing it internally. This setup gives the company complete control over the software, data, and infrastructure and the ability to customize the system to meet specific requirements.
Key Features of a Hosted CRM
CRM hosted systems offer a range of key features designed to streamline customer relationship management and drive business growth. Here’s a detailed look at some of the primary features commonly found in a hosted CRM solution:
Contact Management
Hosted CRM systems provide comprehensive contact management functionalities, allowing businesses to store and organize customer information, interactions, and communication history in a centralized database. This enables easy access to customer data and helps in building and maintaining effective relationships with clients.
Workflow Automation
Workflow automation features facilitate the creation and management of automated processes, such as lead assignment, follow-up reminders, and task escalation. Automation streamlines repetitive tasks, ensures consistency, and improves productivity across sales, marketing, and customer service teams.
Marketing Automation
Hosted CRM platforms often include marketing automation capabilities that enable targeted marketing campaigns, lead nurturing, and personalized communication. These features help capture, nurture, and convert leads into customers while providing insights into campaign performance.
Feature Elimination
This feature enables businesses to customize the CRM system to their specific needs by adding or removing features, fields, and modules. Eliminating unnecessary clutter and focusing on essential functionalities allows for a more personalized and relevant user experience.
Third-Party Integrations
Hosted CRM solutions often offer integration with a variety of third-party applications and tools, such as email marketing software, accounting systems, and customer support platforms. This interoperability enhances the CRM’s capabilities and provides a unified view of customer interactions across different touchpoints.
Customer Service
CRM systems support customer service efforts by centralizing customer support requests, tracking cases, and managing service-level agreements. This ensures timely responses to customer inquiries, facilitates efficient issue resolution, and improves overall customer satisfaction.
Task Management
Task management features enable users to create, assign, and track tasks within the CRM system. This helps organize and prioritize activities, improve collaboration, and ensure that important tasks are not overlooked.
Hosted CRM Benefits
Hosted CRM (Customer Relationship Management) offers several benefits that can help businesses improve their overall operations. Here are some of the benefits in detail:
Enhance and Improve Your Brand
Hosted CRM can help enhance and improve your brand by providing a personalized experience to your customers. It allows you to manage customer interactions so that you can provide better customer service and improve customer satisfaction. With integrated tools for marketing and sales automation, you can increase customer engagement, build brand loyalty, and drive sales growth.
Helps To Manage Different Channels
Hosted CRM can help manage different channels through which customers may interact with your business, including social media platforms, email, and other communication channels. With a centralized platform, you can manage all customer data in one place and ensure that your team has access to the same information. This helps streamline customer interactions and eliminates communication gaps.
Helps To Save Time and Effort
Hosted CRM systems can help save time and effort by automating repetitive tasks, such as data entry, lead management, and reporting. This frees up your team to focus on high-value tasks, such as customer engagement and building relationships. With a better workflow and time management, you can focus on strategic objectives.
How to Choose a Hosted CRM Platform
Choosing the right hosted CRM platform is crucial for the success of your business. Here are some factors to consider when selecting a hosted CRM platform:
Tools Offered
Evaluate the tools provided by the CRM platform. Look for features such as contact management, lead management, sales automation, marketing automation, and customer service management. Assess if these tools align with your business needs and support your sales and marketing processes.
Service Provided
Consider the level of service provided by the CRM platform. Look for platforms that offer reliable and secure hosting services, regular data backups, and robust security features to protect sensitive customer information. Additionally, check if they provide training and support to help you and your team effectively use the CRM platform.
Integration Capabilities
Check the CRM platform’s integration capabilities with other systems and software used by your business. Ensure that it can integrate smoothly with your existing tools, such as email clients, marketing automation software, accounting systems, and customer support software. This will enable seamless data flow and process automation across different departments.
User Experience
User experience plays a critical role in the successful adoption and utilization of a CRM platform. Consider the platform’s ease of use, intuitiveness, and customization options. Look for a CRM platform that offers a user-friendly interface, allows customization to align with your business processes, and provides mobile accessibility for on-the-go access.
Best Hosted CRM: My Top 10 Picks
Starts at $12 per user per month
Why I Chose Vtiger
 Vtiger stands out as the best all-in-one CRM software for small businesses due to its ability to effectively organize contacts, deals, and various business processes. Despite its numerous features, Vtiger maintains a clean and organized user interface. Each major feature set has its own dedicated screen, and simple navigation makes it easy to switch between screens. The top-left hamburger icon opens a comprehensive menu, allowing users to quickly navigate to their desired area of focus.
Pricing
- One Growth plan: $12/month/user. Includes access to all business functions.Â
- One Professional plan: $30/month/user. Includes access to all business functions. The Single App User features allows access to one of the following: Sales, Marketing, Help Desk, Projects, Inventory. It also gives read-only access to modules in the other apps.
- One Enterprise plan: $42/month. Includes access to all business functions. The Single App User features allows access to one of the following: Sales, Marketing, Help Desk, Projects, Inventory. It also gives read-only access to modules in the other apps.Â
Features
Vtiger offers a range of key features that assist in managing various aspects of your business. Adding a new contact is quick and efficient, with a short form that can be filled during calls or emails. The sales screen includes a visual pipeline, providing a clear overview of your deals. Clicking on a deal provides access to detailed information and the next task associated with it. The help desk screen allows you to track open cases, engage in live chat, and even build a custom FAQ section for your support team.
Integrations
Vtiger offers integrations with popular tools and platforms, including Google Workspace, Microsoft Teams, WhatsApp, Gmail, Zapier, and Microsoft Outlook. This enables seamless connectivity and data exchange with other applications you use in your business operations.
Don’t Choose Vtiger if
Avoid choosing Vtiger if ongoing usage of its services is crucial for non-admin users. Some limitations may arise, such as non-admin users not being able to load the contents and JavaScript of a module completely.
Summary
Vtiger provides an interconnected system where all modules are seamlessly connected. For instance, closing a deal can be converted into a project with just a click. Additionally, if there’s a critical feature that Vtiger doesn’t have, it can be integrated via Zapier to cover your specific use case. Despite a slight learning curve and navigation complexity, Vtiger’s customizability, all-in-one features, and pricing flexibility make it an excellent choice for small businesses seeking a comprehensive CRM solution.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Learning Curve: The learning curve for Vtiger can be slightly steep, especially for users who are new to CRM software. Familiarizing yourself and your team with the different modules and their functionalities might require some initial effort.
- Navigation and Menu System: The navigation and menu system in Vtiger can feel convoluted at times. It may require opening multiple tabs and pages to access different features and settings. This can potentially slow down the workflow and make it less intuitive for users.
Cons
- Customizability: Vtiger allows high customization for each module, making it adaptable to the specific needs of your business. You can tailor the CRM to align with your unique processes and workflows.
- Two-Tier Pricing: Vtiger offers a flexible pricing structure based on user access needs. The One Growth plan starts at $12 per user per month, and as your business grows, higher plans provide two pricing tiers based on user privileges. This allows you to scale your CRM usage and costs according to your requirements.
Free Plan: Yes
starting at $29
Why I Chose Flowlu
Flowlu is a compelling choice due to its blend of functionality, affordability, and a user-friendly interface. It caters to businesses with a team size of at least eight members and provides a comprehensive set of features, including sales and project management, financial tools, collaboration capabilities, client portals, and knowledge bases.
Pricing
- Free: Unlimited projects,tasks, contacts, CRM automation, invoicing, online payments, expense tracking, and one project templateÂ
- Team: $29/month for 8 users. Includes above features, with more expense tracking options, more project templates, task automation, API, client portal, webhooks,and email tracking.
- Business: $59/month for 16 users. Includes features of Team plan, with field customization.
- Professional: $119/month for 25 users. Includes features of Business plan with a custom logo, unlimited knowledge bases, and advanced reports.Â
- Enterprise: $199/month for unlimited users. Includes features of Professional plan with IP Whitelist and custom domain.Â
Features
The CRM encompasses contact and sales management features alongside a filterable list view for all activities. Automation capabilities within the sales pipeline streamline the management of sales tasks.
Integrations
Flowlu offers integrations with various platforms, including Gmail, Slack, Calendly, Stripe, Square, PayPal, Google Calendar, and Skrill.Â
Don’t Choose Flowlu If
Avoid selecting Flowlu if extensive integrations and language translations are critical requirements for your business operations.Â
Summary
Flowlu excels as an all-in-one CRM solution with a strong emphasis on project management. It facilitates the seamless connection of projects with associated contacts while consolidating comprehensive information in one accessible location. Despite some limitations in integrations and translations, Flowlu’s affordable pricing and robust feature set make it an attractive option for businesses seeking an integrated CRM and project management solution.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Limited Sales-Focused Reports
- Limited Integrations
Cons
- Invoicing and Finance Features
- Agile Framework
Starts at $16 per user per month
Why I Chose Zoho CRM
I opted for Zoho CRM mainly due to its cost-effectiveness. With a free plan and reasonable pricing tiers, Zoho CRM remains affordable while offering advanced functionalities.
Pricing
- Standard: Starting at $20/user/month, the Standard plan provides basic features.
- Professional: Priced at $35/user/month, the Professional plan offers enhanced automation and process management capabilities.
- Enterprise: The Enterprise plan, priced at $50/user/month, provides advanced data analytics and customization options.
- Ultimate: At $65/user/month, the Ultimate plan unlocks Zoho CRM’s AI model, Zia.
Features
Zoho CRM offers robust features like email marketing, company activity feeds, self-service portals, help desk support, and automatic lead scoring.
Integrations
Zoho CRM offers seamless integrations with other Zoho apps, such as Zoho Projects, to streamline project tracking processes. With numerous integration options available, businesses can easily expand their CRM capabilities.
Don’t Choose Zoho CRM If
Despite its user-friendly interface, Zoho CRM may be perceived as complex by businesses with limited technical expertise, potentially posing challenges in terms of implementation and utilization.
Summary
Zoho CRM is a versatile solution suitable for businesses of all sizes, offering essential features like AI sales assistant (Zia), sales pipeline management, marketing automation, analytics, and more to help businesses build and nurture strong customer relationships efficiently.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Cluttered User Interface
- Learning Curve
Cons
- Powerful AI (Zia): Zoho CRM boasts a powerful AI assistant, Zia.
- Wide range of features
Starts at $45 per user per month
Why I Chose HubSpot
I selected HubSpot primarily due to its reputation as a prominent CRM platform. It offers an all-in-one solution with tools covering sales, marketing, customer service, operations, and B2B commerce. Additionally, the ability to build and manage a business website along with content marketing workflows in the CMS Hub sets it apart from other alternatives.
Pricing
- Free: Generate email leads
- Marketing Hub Starter: $15/month/users. Includes email marketing, live chat, and forms
- Marketing Hub Profesional: $800/month for 8 users. Includes Social media, Dynamic personalization, Omni-channel marketing automation, Teams, Campaign and Custom reporting.
Features
Users can explore layouts and templates to find the perfect design for their website. They can swiftly implement different pages such as the Home, About, and Pricing pages.Â
Integrations
HubSpot offers integrations with various tools and services, including:
- Email Campaigns
- ChatSpot
- Schedule Meetings
Don’t Choose HubSpot If
While HubSpot provides a robust suite of software tools, it is most effective when aligned with the inbound marketing methodology. Businesses that do not adopt this approach may not fully realize the potential benefits of using HubSpot, making the cost potentially unfeasible.
Summary
HubSpot CRM is a cloud-based platform that assists businesses in managing customer relationships across sales, marketing, content management, and customer service. With its comprehensive features and capabilities, HubSpot is a versatile solution for businesses looking to enhance their online presence.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Complex Pricing Structure
- Annual Contracts: HubSpot requires annual contracts with no provision for early termination, which may not be convenient for all users.
Cons
- Advanced Growth Features
- Abundant Help Content
Starts at $18 per user per month
Why I Chose Capsule
I chose Capsule because it combines a robust CRM system with a reliable and user-friendly project management application. It understands the importance of user experience and provides an intuitive interface and an organized dashboard to facilitate efficient workflow management. Capsule helps users maintain productivity and avoid burnout or overwhelming workloads.
Pricing
Capsule offers multiple pricing plans to cater to different needs. The Starter plan starts at $21 per user per month and includes all core features and 30,000 contacts. The Growth plan, priced at $38 per user per month, increases the contact limit and adds automation, advanced analytics, and user roles. The Advanced plan, at $60 per user per month, further increases the contact limits and storage but does not introduce any significant additional features within the app.
Features
Capsule’s Projects screen offers three views: calendar, Kanban, and list. Users can add tasks, assign them to the relevant team members, and attach all necessary files for execution. The dashboard displays all tasks in an organized list, enabling users to easily track and tackle their assigned tasks. Additionally, the dashboard provides a stream of completed tasks, calls, and deal updates to keep the team informed and up to date.
Don’t Choose Capsule If
If you heavily rely on extensive integrations with various tools and services, Capsule may not offer the range of integrations that other competitors provide.
Summary
Capsule CRM provides a simple and user-friendly platform for managing projects. It allows for collaboration and independent work, empowering users to build meaningful relationships with their contacts while efficiently managing tasks and projects.
Starts at $15 per user per month
Why I Chose Freshsales
I chose Freshsales for its user-friendly interface and logical navigation, striking a balance between simplicity and functionality. The platform presents a relatively low learning curve while retaining its usefulness, making it an attractive option for businesses seeking an accessible yet powerful CRM solution.
Pricing
Freshsales offers different pricing tiers to cater to varying business needs. The Growth plan starts at $18 per user per month and includes essential sales features, telephone, chat, and AI contact scoring. The Pro plan, priced at $47 per user per month, introduces time-based workflows, AI deal insights, and next best action capabilities. The Enterprise plan, the top-tier offering at $83 per user per month, unlocks advanced AI sales forecasting features.
Features
Upon completing the onboarding process, Freshsales prompts users to immediately add leads, tasks, and appointments. Each page includes helpful tooltips to guide users through the platform’s features. The platform strives to ensure smooth business operations and offers direct phone support, a feature not commonly available in comparable CRM options.
Don’t Choose Freshsales If
Some users find that Freshsales may lack certain features essential for small businesses, such as comprehensive automation and advanced analytics, which can be a drawback for those with highly specific workflow requirements.
Summary
Freshsales is a cloud-based customer relationship management (CRM) solution designed to assist businesses in managing customer interactions. With its user-friendly interface and AI-powered features, Freshsales offers a compelling option for small businesses seeking to streamline their sales and customer management processes.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Occasional Sluggish Performance
- Lack of Mobile-Friendliness
Cons
- Part of Freshworks Suite: Integrated with the Freshworks software suite, Freshsales provides seamless connectivity with other Freshworks applications.
- Robust AI Features: Freshsales incorporates advanced AI capabilities for lead scoring and predictions.
Free Plan: No
Starting at $18
Why I Chose Folk
Folk stands out from other options on the list by offering a unique approach. It focuses on simplifying contact management and sending highly personalized emails at scale. Instead of complex analytics, Folk emphasizes genuine human connection, making your emails more engaging and authentic.
Pricing
- Standard Plan: Starts at $24 per user per month, offering 100 enrichments and 500 messages monthly.
- Premium Plan: Priced at $39 per user per month, it increases the limits to 500 enrichments and 2,000 messages.
Features
Despite lacking advanced analytics, Folk makes up for it with its simplicity and robust personalization tools. It serves as a practical tool for daily contact management and personalized communication, focusing on individual relationships rather than high-level data analysis.
Don’t Choose Folk If
If you are seeking a cloud-based system, Folk might not be the best fit for your requirements.
Summary
Folk offers a familiar spreadsheet-like interface, providing a user-friendly solution for managing contacts and crucial information effectively. Its emphasis on simplicity and personalization makes it a valuable tool for nurturing authentic connections through email communication.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- No mobile apps: Lack of mobile applications limits accessibility on the go.
- Not cloud-based: Being non-cloud-based can restrict flexibility and remote access.
Cons
- Supports multiple pipelines
- AI available for personalization
-150x102.png)
Starts at $15 per user per month
Why I Chose Kommo
Kommo sets itself apart by providing the ability to reach and engage with leads across various platforms, including major social channels like Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, as well as messaging apps like Viber, Skype, and Telegram, along with SMS and Slack.
Pricing
- Free trial available
- Base Plan: Starts at $15 per user per month, aimed at unifying all sales channels, including email, on a single platform.
- Advanced Plan: Priced at $25 per user per month, offering salesbots and automation features.
- Enterprise Plan: Available at $45 per user per month, unlocking lead scoring and expanding limits on metered features.
Features
The feature set predominantly revolves around facilitating multi-channel sales. The dashboard provides comprehensive statistics, such as median reply times and active conversation counts. Additionally, in-depth sales reports, win-loss analysis, and call reports can be accessed through the Stats tab.
Don’t Choose Kommo If
If you prioritize prompt customer service, Kommo may not meet your expectations, as the website’s customer service is reported to be slow.
Summary
Kommo acts as a conversational CRM, enabling businesses to enhance their sales effectiveness. It stands out as the first messaging-powered CRM, providing users with the convenience of conversing through messengers, emails, and calls within a single application.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Limited task management tools: Kommo’s task management capabilities are limited in comparison to other CRM platforms.
- Built-in mail client works slow: The built-in mail client within Kommo may experience slower performance, affecting overall productivity.
Cons
- Supports multiple configurable pipelines: Kommo allows for the flexibility of configuring and managing multiple sales pipelines.
- AI keyword detection to automate conversations: The integration of AI technology enables automated detection of keywords, enhancing the efficiency of conversations.
Starts at $23 per user per month
Why I Chose Salesmate
Salesmate stood out to me because, in addition to standard email communication, it offers robust features to connect with leads and customers through phone calls and SMS. This allows for a more holistic approach to customer engagement and provides an opportunity to maximize the benefits of these channels.
Pricing
- Basic Plan: Priced at $29/user/month, the basic plan already includes built-in calling, text messaging, and workflow automation.
- Pro Plan: Available at $49/user/month, the Pro plan unlocks additional features such as team management capabilities and customizable reports.
- Boost Plan: Costing $50/user/month, the Boost plan provides access to advanced phone features like the Power Dialer for automated voice calls and Voicemail Drop, allowing you to leave pre-recorded messages on voicemail.
- Enterprise Plan: For those seeking unlimited features and personalized support, the Enterprise plan is for you. Pricing is available on request.
Features
Salesmate offers an appealing user interface, accompanied by a seamless onboarding sequence and helpful mini-tutorials on each page. It effectively caters to phone calls, SMS, and email communication by consolidating emails in a Team Inbox. Users can route incoming emails from their business domain to the Team Inbox, facilitating collaborative work among team members.
Don’t Choose Salesmate If
If you prioritize a lower cost per user, Salesmate might not be the most budget-friendly option. The pricing structure may accumulate costs quickly, especially when considering multiple users.
Summary
Salesmate is a cloud-based CRM platform designed to boost sales productivity and help businesses secure more deals. Its focus on phone and SMS outreach, in addition to email communication, sets it apart in the market. With customizable features, Salesmate enables businesses to streamline their sales processes and enhance customer engagement.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Call costs could be better: Some users have reported that the call costs of Salesmate could be more cost-effective.
- Problem with importing contacts: There have been reported issues with importing contacts into the Salesmate CRM system.
Cons
- AI chatbot assistant included: Salesmate provides an AI chatbot assistant to enhance customer interactions and automate certain tasks.
- Customizable screen layouts: Users have the flexibility to customize screen layouts according to their preferences and specific business needs.
Starts at $24 per user per month
Why I Chose NetHunt
I was drawn to NetHunt because it integrates seamlessly with Gmail, allowing users to manage CRM activities directly within their inbox. Unlike conventional CRMs for Gmail, NetHunt provides a dedicated dashboard for making strategic decisions and fine-tuning controls, offering a comprehensive CRM experience.
Pricing
NetHunt revamped its pricing structure this year, introducing additional tiers to cater to varying needs and budgets. The pricing tiers include:
- Basic Plan: Starting at $30/user/month, the Basic plan offers essential CRM features integrated into Gmail.
- Tiered Plans: Priced at $42, $60, $84, and $120 per user per month, the tiered plans progressively unlock integrations with other messaging channels, enhanced reporting capabilities, and automation features.
Features
Setting up NetHunt is straightforward: users can sign up using their Gmail account and seamlessly access the CRM within their inbox. By installing the browser extension and accessing the web app, users can navigate through a user-friendly interface reminiscent of Gmail. Key features include managing deals, contacts, running email campaigns, and creating automation workflows to streamline repetitive tasks.
Don’t Choose NetHunt If
If you seek straightforward and easy-to-set-up software, NetHunt may not be the ideal choice due to potential complexities during the initial setup and syncing process.
Summary
NetHunt CRM is a powerful sales automation tool embedded within Gmail and Google Workspace apps. It empowers businesses to manage contacts, deals, and pipelines efficiently, while automating sales processes. Additionally, NetHunt CRM aids in team collaboration, customer relationship management, and tracking sales progress, providing a comprehensive solution for business growth and productivity.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Steep price scaling from plan to plan
- Syncing with Google is a little confusing at first
Cons
- Connects to LinkedIn
- Supports chatting on multiple channels: Users can engage with customers and leads on various messaging platforms like WhatsApp or Telegram, enhancing communication flexibility and accessibility.
The Bottom Line
And there you have it – my detailed analysis of various hosted CRM software options, highlighting their key features and benefits. I hope this article helped you understand the different factors to consider when selecting a CRM software. By implementing a reliable hosted CRM system, you can streamline customer interactions, improve efficiency, and ultimately drive growth for your business.
Explore our other blogs as well! Our CRM experts publish helpful content daily, covering everything from how-to guides to advice on selecting the right CRM.
