#1
Gong
Top Pick4.7
(12000 reviews)Revenue intelligence platform
Gong has a generous free tier to get started and scales pricing as your team grows.
Free12000 reviews
2026 Picks20 tools compared
Best CRM & Sales Software for Startups in 2026
Startups need flexible, scalable tools that grow with the team. Affordable pricing, quick onboarding, and strong integrations matter more than an exhaustive feature list. We ranked 20 crm & sales tools by user rating, pricing, and feature fit to help you choose.
#2
Mixmax
4.5
(3200 reviews)Email productivity and sales engagement platform
Mixmax has a generous free tier to get started and scales pricing as your team grows.
Free3200 reviews
#3
Clari
4.5
(5800 reviews)Revenue platform for full-funnel accuracy
Clari has a generous free tier to get started and scales pricing as your team grows.
Free5800 reviews
#4
Seismic
4.4
(4800 reviews)Sales enablement and content management platform
Seismic has a generous free tier to get started and scales pricing as your team grows.
Free4800 reviews
#5
Clearbit
4.4
(4200 reviews)B2B data enrichment and intelligence
Clearbit has a generous free tier to get started and scales pricing as your team grows.
Free4200 reviews
#6
Outreach
4.4
(8500 reviews)Sales execution platform for revenue teams
Outreach scales pricing as your team grows and integrates with popular startup tools.
From $100/month8500 reviews
#7
Affinity
4.4
(58000 reviews)Relationship intelligence platform for professionals
Affinity scales pricing as your team grows and integrates with popular startup tools.
From $49/month58000 reviews
#8
Apollo.io
4.3
(85000 reviews)Revenue intelligence platform
Apollo.io scales pricing as your team grows and integrates with popular startup tools.
From $49/month85000 reviews
#9
Clay
4.2
(22000 reviews)Data platform for sales teams
Clay scales pricing as your team grows and integrates with popular startup tools.
custom22000 reviews
#10
Lusha
4.1
(65000 reviews)B2B contact and company intelligence
Lusha scales pricing as your team grows and integrates with popular startup tools.
From $99/month65000 reviews
#11
Cloze
4.1
(42000 reviews)Relationship management for professionals
Cloze scales pricing as your team grows and integrates with popular startup tools.
From $50/month42000 reviews
#12
SharpSpring
4.1
(65000 reviews)Marketing automation for agencies
SharpSpring scales pricing as your team grows and integrates with popular startup tools.
From $50/month65000 reviews
#13
Nimble
4.0
(78000 reviews)Social CRM for teams
Nimble scales pricing as your team grows and integrates with popular startup tools.
From $19/month78000 reviews
#14
SugarCRM
4.0
(180000 reviews)Customer relationship software for your business
SugarCRM scales pricing as your team grows and integrates with popular startup tools.
From $40/month180000 reviews
#15
Keap
3.9
(125000 reviews)CRM and marketing automation for small business
Keap scales pricing as your team grows and integrates with popular startup tools.
From $29/month125000 reviews
#16
Really Simple Systems
3.9
(85000 reviews)Easy CRM for small businesses
Really Simple Systems scales pricing as your team grows and integrates with popular startup tools.
From $15/month85000 reviews
#17
Agile CRM
3.9
(140000 reviews)All-in-one CRM, Marketing, and Service Software
Agile CRM scales pricing as your team grows and integrates with popular startup tools.
From $9/month140000 reviews
#18
Ontraport
3.8
(85000 reviews)All-in-one CRM and marketing automation
Ontraport scales pricing as your team grows and integrates with popular startup tools.
From $24/month85000 reviews
#19
Bitrix24
3.8
(95000 reviews)All-in-one CRM and business automation platform
Bitrix24 scales pricing as your team grows and integrates with popular startup tools.
From $39/month95000 reviews
#20
Vtiger
3.8
(120000 reviews)Open source CRM for growing businesses
Vtiger scales pricing as your team grows and integrates with popular startup tools.
From $10/month120000 reviews
How We Ranked These Tools
User Ratings
Tools are sorted by average user rating collected from verified reviews on Softwr. Higher-rated software appears first.
Audience Relevance
We evaluate pricing models, onboarding complexity, and feature depth to determine how well each tool fits startups.
Feature Breadth
We consider the number and quality of features, integrations, and platform availability to assess overall value.
Pricing
Transparent pricing, free tiers, and value-for-money are factored in — especially important for budget-conscious startups.
Editorial Review
The Softwr editorial team verifies listings and periodically re-evaluates rankings to keep recommendations current.
Community Trust
Review volume and recency are weighted so popular, actively-reviewed tools rank higher than abandoned ones.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best free CRM & Sales software for startups?
The top free crm & sales options for startups include Gong, Mixmax, Clari. These tools offer robust free plans that cover core features. As your needs expand, most provide paid upgrades with advanced functionality, making them great starting points.
How to choose crm & sales software as a startup?
Start by identifying which features matter most for your workflow as a startup. Compare ratings and reviews from similar users on Softwr, paying attention to ease of use, customer support quality, and integration options. Narrow your list to 2-3 finalists and take advantage of free trials before committing. Budget, team size, and long-term scalability should also influence your decision.
Explore all CRM & Sales software or browse more “Best X for Y” lists.