Capsule

Outlook has long been the standard for business email and scheduling. For millions of companies, it remains a reliable hub for daily communication and calendar management. And when paired with the right CRM, Outlook becomes much more than just an inbox.

On its own, Outlook keeps teams connected through email and meetings. What it doesn’t cover is customer relationship management.

CRM integrations close that gap. With the right setup, Outlook can log customer interactions automatically, turn emails into contacts, and link conversations directly to deals or projects. Calendar events sync into the CRM, so follow-ups and meetings sit alongside the customer record.

You just need the right CRM.

In this guide, we’ll explore the CRMs that work best with Outlook.

Capsule CRM software + Outlook

Outlook is a daily workspace for millions of professionals. But for businesses that rely on customer interactions and sales follow-ups, Microsoft Outlook alone doesn’t go far enough.

Capsule CRM helps here with a lightweight, effective add-in that brings customer data, tasks, and opportunities directly into the Outlook environment.

It’s a solution designed to feel natural, without the complexity often associated with larger CRM platforms.

Setup and availability of Outlook CRM integration

The Capsule Outlook Add-in can be installed directly from Microsoft AppSource. It’s available on all Capsule plans and works seamlessly across Outlook Web, Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android.

A key detail: the integration requires a Microsoft 365 Business or Commercial subscription.

Personal, Family, or on-prem Exchange accounts aren’t supported, which is an important limitation to note upfront. Once installed, connecting Capsule to Outlook is straightforward – users authenticate their Capsule account, grant permissions, and the add-in is ready to use within minutes.

The add-in can also be pinned to the Outlook sidebar, giving teams constant visibility of CRM records while they process emails. This eliminates the stop-start workflow of switching between the inbox and CRM tabs.

Core features, including calendar

• Email capture and storage: Save entire conversations from Outlook directly into Capsule, where they’re linked to the right contact. With the “conversation tracking” feature, future replies in the same thread are automatically stored.
• Contact management: Add new people or organizations to Capsule straight from incoming emails. Capsule even supports merging new email addresses with existing contacts, helping teams maintain clean records.
• Tasks, projects, and opportunities: Create follow-up tasks, open opportunities, or new projects without leaving the message view.
• Calendar sync: Capsule integrates with Outlook Calendar to display past and upcoming events within contact timelines. Meeting details – including descriptions, Teams links, and attendees – are logged as activities, keeping communication and scheduling aligned in one place. Attendees not yet in Capsule can be added instantly as contacts.
• Automatic email storing: On Growth, Advanced, and Ultimate plans, Capsule can auto-store all emails for a given contact. This feature gives teams a full history of communication without manual logging.

Together, these features turn Outlook into a live hub of customer insights.

What users say about the best Outlook CRM

User reviews highlight Capsule’s ease of use and reliability. One Marketplace reviewer described it as an “absolute game changer,” noting how emails and calendar events track against contacts “with very minimal effort.”

Another praised the add-in for being “far better than Salesforce’s Outlook add-in,” appreciating how diary records sync cleanly.

Other feedback emphasizes its intuitive flow: “Really easy to use, it just flows. Love the Outlook add-in feature for attaching emails,” one G2 user wrote.

Another described Capsule as the “perfect CRM for our needs in every respect,” citing the Outlook integration alongside FreeAgent support as indispensable.

The recurring theme is simplicity. Capsule’s Outlook add-in doesn’t overwhelm with unnecessary functions, but instead delivers exactly what small and mid-sized businesses need: a clean, functional way to align email, calendar, and CRM.

Beyond the basics

Capsule’s Outlook integration also supports customization.

Businesses can tailor fields, tags, and pipelines to match their processes, and those elements flow naturally into the Outlook add-in.

Combined with Capsule’s integrations with QuickBooks, Xero, Mailchimp, and other tools, Outlook becomes part of a wider connected ecosystem.

For mobile teams, the fact that the add-in works on Outlook for iOS and Android means customer interactions are captured no matter where the email arrives. Capsule’s 99.99% uptime and strong focus on data security add an extra layer of confidence for SMBs managing sensitive client communications.

Why Capsule stands out – more than affordable CRM solution

Many CRMs offer Outlook integrations, but Capsule’s approach stands out for three reasons:

1. Simplicity → Setup takes minutes, and the interface is intuitive enough that teams actually use it daily.
2. SMB focus → Unlike Salesforce or HubSpot, Capsule doesn’t overload smaller businesses with enterprise-grade complexity.
3. Value → With pricing starting at $18/user per month, Capsule offers a cost-effective way to connect Outlook with a powerful CRM system.

For SMBs looking for a CRM that feels like a natural extension of their inbox, Capsule remains the best choice.

Pipedrive

Pipedrive offers several ways to bring CRM directly into Outlook. The official “Pipedrive for Outlook” add-in lets users create new contacts and activities straight from their inbox, while third-party options such as Pipelook or SaySync expand functionality with task management features and opportunity management tools.

Beyond the add-in, Pipedrive also supports native email and calendar sync through Office 365 or IMAP, with Smart Bcc available as a fallback. This setup means customer emails and contact records flow smoothly into the CRM.

Teams benefit from access to pipeline management, email templates, and basic sales automation. The platform is often seen as an affordable CRM solution compared to enterprise systems like Microsoft Dynamics or SalesOutlook CRM, while still offering robust features for lead capturing, lead progression, and team collaboration.

The limitation is that feature depth varies by plan and sync setup – some advanced sales automation or reporting tools, like Excel reports or data analytics, require higher-tier paid plans. Still, for SMBs looking for a user-friendly Outlook CRM experience that saves time and supports everyday sales processes, Pipedrive remains one of the best Outlook CRM options.

HubSpot CRM

Not every business needs a heavyweight Outlook integration – but HubSpot’s add-in shows what a broader CRM software can deliver when email is only part of the workflow.

When installed inside Microsoft Office Outlook, it adds a sidebar where users can log emails, track opens and clicks, insert templates or snippets, and even schedule meetings. Sales teams also gain access to sequences and workflow automation, linking daily Outlook emails to larger email marketing and customer management strategies.

For companies already invested in Microsoft products and looking to tie Outlook into campaigns, lead nurturing, or analytics, HubSpot can fill the role of a complex CRM.

However, it’s worth noting that many of the more advanced capabilities – like sequences and detailed reporting – sit behind paid Sales Hub tiers, leaving the free plan with a more limited scope.

For organizations that need depth beyond Outlook but can handle the cost, HubSpot stands as a flexible option, even if lighter tools (like Capsule) may suit SMBs seeking simplicity.

Salesforce

Salesforce brings its CRM software into Outlook through the official add-in, which connects directly to records such as accounts and opportunities. From inside Outlook emails, users can log customer communication, track calendar events, create email templates, and manage tasks, giving both sales and support teams the context they need.

A key feature is Einstein Activity Capture, which automates the logging of emails and events – removing a lot of routine tasks and helping teams stay focused on selling. For larger organizations, the add-in also blends with broader Microsoft tools and products, aligning Outlook with Salesforce’s wider tech stack for marketing or lead scoring.

There are some caveats: Salesforce Inbox is a paid add-on, not included in all editions, and the older plugin is being phased out. Still, for enterprises already running Salesforce across departments, the integration makes Outlook part of a solid system that improves team productivity and ties email workflows into wider business processes.

Zoho CRM

What if your Outlook inbox could double as a gateway to full CRM software? With the Zoho CRM Outlook plugin – available across all plans – you can add contacts directly from emails, log conversations, and view engagement history. For small teams, it’s an affordable CRM solution that ties basic Outlook usage to lead management and light automation.

Because Zoho is a fully fledged CRM, users can expand beyond the plugin into pipeline management and reporting as their needs grow. The plugin is simple enough to start with, yet it plugs into a much larger ecosystem of features, from opportunity tracking to campaign tools.

The limitation is scalability: the free plan covers the essentials, but advanced workflow automation, analytics, and deeper integrations come with higher tiers. For SMBs needing a low-cost way to connect Outlook with CRM systems, Zoho remains a practical on-ramp.

Insightly

Insightly offers an Outlook sidebar plugin that brings CRM software features into the inbox. Users can view and manage contacts and log correspondence directly to customer records.

Project-driven organizations often value Insightly’s focus on combining contact management with opportunity management and project context, making it more than just an email logging tool. Teams can track leads, attach emails to opportunities, and maintain visibility across the sales process.

That said, setup details are less clearly documented compared to other Outlook CRM integrations, and many of the more advanced capabilities are tied to paid tiers. For businesses already invested in Insightly’s broader platform, the plugin extends Outlook into a practical workspace, but it may feel limited as a standalone add-in.

Conclusion

Outlook remains a trusted tool for email and scheduling, but it gains real power when paired with a CRM. From Salesforce and HubSpot with their enterprise-level automation to Zoho and Pipedrive offering affordable entry points, there’s no shortage of options. Each solution adds something extra to Outlook.

For many SMBs, though, the complexity of these platforms can outweigh the benefits.

Capsule CRM takes a different route: instead of overwhelming users with features, it makes the essentials – email logging, contact management, calendar sync – work smoothly inside Outlook. The result is less admin and a CRM system that teams actually want to use.

If Outlook is already central to your daily workflow, Capsule shows how a simple integration can turn it into a smarter, more connected space for managing customer relationships.

FAQ

What is CRM in Outlook?

CRM in Outlook refers to connecting customer relationship management software directly into your Outlook inbox and calendar. With an add-in, you can log emails and link messages or events to deals and projects without leaving Outlook.

Is Outlook a good CRM?

On its own, Outlook is not a CRM. It’s excellent for communication and scheduling, but it doesn’t offer sales pipeline management or customer data tracking. With the right integration – such as Capsule CRM – it can work as part of a complete CRM setup.

Can Outlook act as a CRM?

Outlook can support basic contact and email management, but it isn’t designed to be a fully fledged CRM. By connecting it to CRM software, Outlook emails and meetings become part of a wider system that manages leads and customer records.

What is the best CRM for Outlook?

The best CRM for Outlook depends on your team’s needs. Enterprise companies often turn to Salesforce or HubSpot for their advanced automation. Smaller businesses usually prefer Capsule CRM because it’s lightweight and integrates seamlessly with Outlook while still covering essential CRM functions.

First impressions start in the inbox.

That old free Gmail address might still work… but it’s quietly hurting your brand.

Still using a free Gmail account for your business? It’s time for an upgrade. A professional email address gives you credibility, security, and control: everything free inboxes lack.

We’ve rounded up the best email hosting providers for small businesses in September 2025, with clear pricing and key features to help you choose the right fit.

Why email hosting services are so important

Email hosting is all about building trust and keeping communication secure. And when you open your inbox right now, most professional messages you see come from hosted business domains. What are its benefits?

• Professional image: An address like john.doe@acme.com instantly looks credible, unlike johndoeacme@yahoo.com.
• Security and compliance: Paid plans include enterprise-grade spam filtering, malware protection, and encryption. For industries like healthcare, HIPAA-compliant hosting is non-negotiable.
• Reliability: Business hosting guarantees uptime and consistent access to your email, even during spikes in activity.
• Scalability and storage: As your team grows, you can add accounts and expand storage without managing servers yourself.
• Collaboration tools: Many providers bundle calendars, contacts, and file sharing to simplify teamwork.
• User management and support: You control access through admin tools and get responsive, human support when needed.

Most providers offer these basics, but the real difference lies in pricing, scalability, and performance, especially if you manage multiple mailboxes.

How to choose an email host

In 2025, business email hosting options range from simple IMAP mailboxes to full productivity suites with calendars, chat, and collaboration tools. Before you decide, review what really matters (and what’s just a bonus).

Must-haves (non-negotiables)

These are the essentials every small business should look for:

• Scalability. Affordable entry-level plans with the flexibility to add users or upgrade storage as your team grows.
• Security and privacy. Built-in spam filtering, malware protection, encryption, and two-factor authentication. Bonus points for providers operating under EU/Swiss privacy laws.
• Reliability and uptime guarantees. At least 99.9% uptime with clear SLAs so you can depend on consistent access.
• Support and ease of use. Responsive customer service and migration assistance if you’re switching from another host.
• Storage and attachments. At least 10 GB per user (preferably 30 GB+) if your business handles large files or frequent attachments.

Nice-to-haves (depends on your needs)

These features can enhance productivity but aren’t essential for everyone:

• Productivity suite integration. Calendars, file storage, and video calls.
• Shared inboxes or team collaboration tools: Useful for customer support or marketing teams.
• Advanced admin controls: Centralized account management, role-based permissions, and reporting dashboards.
• Regional data centers: Choose this if compliance or data residency is a priority.
• AI-powered tools: Some modern platforms include smart replies, email scheduling insights, or spam learning algorithms.

Once you’ve outlined your must-haves, compare plans side by side; not just for price, but for how they fit your current workflows and growth plans.

PS. If you need a way to sell and market, not just communicate, Transpond is a capable email marketing platform that integrates seamlessly with Capsule CRM.

Best email hosting solutions for small businesses

Google Workspace (Gmail for Business)

Google Workspace is one of the most popular options for small businesses thanks to its low entry price point and rich feature set.

Pricing plans (billed annually with a 16% discount):

• Starter, at $6.30 per user per month
• Standard, at $12.60 per user per month
• Plus, at $22 per user per month
• Enterprise with custom pricing

Every plan includes Gmail, Drive, Calendar, Chat, and Meet, with a 99.9% uptime guarantee.

Key features

• Professional email on your own domain with Gmail’s familiar interface
• Collaboration tools like Docs, Sheets, Calendar, and Meet, all accessible across devices
• Spam filtering, two-factor authentication, and strong admin controls
• 30 GB to 5 TB of storage per user, depending on the plan

Pros

• Smooth integration with Google’s productivity apps
• Simple onboarding for teams already using free Gmail accounts
• Robust security and centralized admin controls

Cons

• Subscription costs scale quickly as you add users
• Limited flexibility outside Google’s ecosystem

Best for:

Small businesses that value simplicity, collaboration, and familiarity. Ideal for teams that already rely on Google tools like Docs and Sheets and want a trusted all-in-one environment.

Hostinger

Hostinger’s business email hosting offers one of the best solutions for a competitive price in the market.

Pricing plans

• Business Starter, at $2.99 per user per month
• Business Premium, at $5.99 per user per month

Every plan includes a free domain for 1 year, 50 email aliases, and at least 1000 emails/day per inbox.

Key features

• Auto-replies for when you are away and want to respond
• Audit logs to track all mailbox activity
• End-to-end encryption to keep the data safe
• Catch emails sent to mistyped addresses
• Integration with Outlook, Gmail, CRM tools, and more

Pros

• Relatively cheap with a 30-day money-back guarantee
• Easy setup and migration
• Advanced security for your email
• 24/7 support to assist you

Cons

• Offers only two plans, which are not super flexible
• Storage per mailbox might be lacking for some users

Best for:

Individuals and small businesses that want a user-friendly platform and excellent value for the money spent.

Microsoft 365 (Exchange Online)

Looking for an email host that fits naturally into the Microsoft tools you already use? Microsoft 365 combines Exchange email with Office apps such as Outlook, Teams, Word, and Excel — making it a solid choice for many small and midsize businesses.

Pricing (per user/month):

• Exchange Online Plan 1: $4 50 GB mailbox
• Plan 2: $8; 100 GB mailbox and 150 MB attachments
• Business Standard: $12.50; everything from Plan 2 plus Office apps and Teams
• Business Standard (no Teams): $10.25

Key features

• Custom domain email via Exchange, accessible across web, desktop, and mobile
• Advanced security: anti-spam, anti-malware, encryption, and eDiscovery
• Tight integration with Microsoft Office apps and Teams
• 99.9% uptime SLA and 24/7 customer support

Pros

• Familiar Outlook experience with seamless Office integration
• Enterprise-grade security and compliance (GDPR, DLP, HIPAA)
• Generous mailbox sizes (50–100 GB)

Cons

• Higher learning curve for new users
• Licensing structure and plan names can be confusing

Best for

Businesses that already rely on Microsoft tools for daily operations or need strict compliance and strong data protection. A solid pick for B2B teams that want everything (email, meetings, and files) under one Microsoft roof.

Zoho Mail (Zoho Workplace)

Zoho is mainly known for its all-in-one business tools (CRM, invoicing, and help desk software), but it also offers Zoho Mail, a privacy-focused email hosting service that fits neatly into the same ecosystem.

It includes a forever-free plan for up to five users (5 GB per user), which works well for freelancers or very small teams. Paid tiers expand both mail and file storage:

• Mail Lite: €0.90/user/month,5 GB mail storage, unlimited seats
• Mail Premium: €3.60/user/month, 50 GB mail storage
• Workplace Standard: €2.70/user/month, 30 GB mail + 100 GB file storage
• Workplace Professional: €5.40/user/month, 100 GB mail + 1 TB file storage
• Workplace Enterprise: custom pricing with advanced identity management

All plans include Zoho WorkDrive, Calendar, and ToDo, while Directory and eProtect appear in higher tiers.

Key features

• Ad-free email hosting integrated with Zoho Workplace
• Built-in AI assistant to suggest replies and manage tasks
• Free plan for up to five users
• Multi-region data centers for performance and privacy

Pros

• Competitive pricing and flexible entry-level options
• Simple, intuitive interface that’s easy to onboard
• Integration with Zoho’s wider suite of business tools

Cons

• Some advanced features (like eDiscovery) are limited to higher tiers
• Occasional performance dips and smaller storage caps on free plans

Best for

Small businesses already using Zoho apps or looking for an affordable, ad-free email solution that covers the essentials.

Proton Mail (Proton Business)

When privacy tops your priority list, Proton Mail stands out as the go-to option. Built and hosted in Switzerland, it’s governed by some of the world’s strongest privacy laws and uses end-to-end encryption to secure every message.

Proton offers plans for individuals, families, and businesses, but only business plans include admin controls and multiple user management. There’s no free tier for Proton Business, though a 14-day trial is available.

Pricing (per user/month):

• Mail Essentials: €6.99, 15 GB mail storage, 10 addresses per user
• Mail Professional: €9.99, 50 GB mail storage, 15 addresses per user
• Proton Business Suite: €12.99, 1 TB storage, full productivity suite, Optional add-ons: Proton VPN (€6.99), Proton Pass (€1.99), Proton Drive (€7.99 for 1 TB).

Key features

• End-to-end encryption with open-source cryptography
• Self-destructing messages and metadata protection
• Swiss-based data centers under strict privacy regulation
• Bridge app for using Proton Mail with Outlook or Apple Mail

Pros

• Unmatched privacy and security credentials
• No ads, tracking, or data mining
• Anonymous sign-up option for extra discretion

Cons

• No free plan for business use
• Some encryption options (like subject-line protection) are not standard
• Requires the Bridge app for third-party mail clients

Best for

Businesses handling sensitive communications or operating in regulated industries that require airtight privacy, secure hosting, and multiple addresses per user.

IONOS Mail and Microsoft Exchange

Want a professional email address for just a few dollars a month? IONOS Mail delivers exactly that: affordable business email hosting with the flexibility to add Microsoft Exchange if you need more power later on.

Pricing (per account/month):

• Mail Basic 1: $1.10, 2 GB storage
• Mail Basic 25: $2 25 accounts, 2 GB storage each
• Mail Business: $3 — 50 GB storage per user (five users cost $22 total) These prices require a three-year contract.

Exchange users can access additional features such as Microsoft-preferred architecture, geo-redundant setup, and multiple domain controllers for $4.50 per user/month (one-year term). You can also bolt on Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace for just $1 per user/month.

Key features

• Custom domain with free registration included
• Spam and virus filtering, plus scheduling and email templates
• Shared calendars and contacts in Exchange plans
• 24/7 support and integration with the IONOS website builder

Pros

• Some of the lowest-priced business mailboxes available
• Easy upgrade path to Exchange or 365 without switching providers
• Domain hosting and email are bundled under one roof

Cons

• The control panel can feel dated and unintuitive
• Premium features require commitment to higher tiers or add-ons

Best for

Businesses that want cheap, reliable email hosting tied to their domain, with the option to expand into Exchange or Microsoft 365 when collaboration needs grow.

Fastmail

If you want to move away from big ecosystems like Google or Microsoft but still expect reliability, Fastmail offers a clean, privacy-focused alternative. It combines custom domain email and strong security: all without ads, tracking, or unnecessary add-ons.

Fastmail supports business accounts with custom domains. Its privacy stance and minimalist design make it a favorite among teams that value simplicity.

Pricing (per user/month):

• Basic: $3, 5 GB email, 1 GB file storage
• Standard: $5, 50 GB email, 10 GB file storage
• Professional: $9, 100 GB email, 50 GB file storage

Only the Standard and Professional tiers allow integration with third-party apps like Outlook or Apple Mail. The Professional plan also includes email retention and compliance features.

Key features

• Custom domain support with modern web and mobile apps
• Advanced search and filtering with JMAP protocol support
• Masked email addresses to protect your primary identity
• Built-in calendar, contacts, and file storage tools

Pros

• Fast, intuitive interface with a strong focus on productivity
• Great privacy and no ad-tracking policies
• Reliable uptime and responsive customer support

Cons

• Pricier per user than budget-focused hosts
• No built-in office suite or deep collaboration features

Best for

Small teams and professionals who want a private, fast, and uncluttered email host with the essentials covered, and none of the ecosystem lock-in.

Rackspace Email

When uptime and real human support matter more than flashy features, Rackspace Email is a solid choice. It’s built for businesses that can’t afford downtime, with a 100% uptime guarantee and 24/7 support from real people, not bots. Despite being more enterprise-leaning, its entry price makes it accessible for small businesses, too.

Rackspace keeps things simple with one core plan and a couple of optional upgrades.

Pricing (per mailbox/month):

• Standard mailbox: $2.99 — 25 GB mailbox, 30 GB file storage
• ActiveSync add-on: +$1 — shared calendars, contacts, and Microsoft Office app compatibility
• Advanced security add-on: +$3 — attachment scanning, unlimited storage, and email retention for compliance-heavy sectors

Key features

• Business email hosting with optional shared calendar and contact tools
• Compliance with HIPAA and SOC 2 standards
• 100% uptime guarantee and 24/7/365 live support
• Optional archiving, retention, and Exchange add-ons

Pros

• Enterprise-grade reliability and security for a small-business price
• Generous storage allocation for base plans
• Excellent support and compliance coverage for regulated industries

Cons

• More complex setup compared with lighter hosts
• Tailored more toward mid-size businesses; it may be too robust for solo users

Best for

Small and mid-size businesses in regulated industries such as finance or healthcare that value compliance and hands-on support over extensive integrations or productivity add-ons.

Greatmail

When all you want is solid email hosting on US-based servers, Greatmail delivers exactly that. Founded in 2003, it’s one of the few providers that focus purely on email.

Pricing (per mailbox/month, minimum 5 users):

• Standard: $1.95 — 10 GB mailbox storage
• Groupware: $3.95 — 25 GB mailbox storage plus shared calendars and contact sync

Key features

• IMAP/POP email hosting with custom domain and multi-domain support
• Shared calendars and contact sync in the Groupware plan
• SPF, DKIM, and DMARC support for high deliverability
• Migration assistance and responsive admin support via phone or ticket

Pros

• Low entry price and flexible mailbox options
• Strong focus on email deliverability and security protocols
• US-based data centers for businesses that require domestic hosting

Cons

• Basic interface without collaboration tools or modern design
• A minimum five-seat purchase may not suit freelancers or very small teams

Best for

Small businesses that want reliable, inexpensive IMAP hosting without productivity suites: just dependable email that does what it’s supposed to.

Mailbox.org

When privacy and independence from big tech are non-negotiable, Mailbox.org stands out as a trustworthy choice. Based in Germany, it’s known for its commitment to data protection, transparency, and green infrastructure; without leaning on Google Workspace or Microsoft 365. Migration is straightforward, there are no ads, and every plan operates under strict German and EU privacy laws.

Pricing (per user/month):

• Light: €1, 2 GB of email storage
• Standard: €3, 10 GB of mail and 5 GB of file storage
• Premium: €9, 25 GB of mail and 50 GB of file storage

Key features

• Custom domain hosting with built-in office suite and video conferencing
• End-to-end PGP encryption and ISO 27001-certified data centers
• 100% renewable energy operations and GDPR-compliant policies

Pros

• Exceptional privacy standards and full data sovereignty within the EU
• Integrated productivity tools and collaboration features
• Transparent, ad-free environment focused on security

Cons

• Interface feels dated compared to slicker alternatives
• Pricing can add up for larger teams or heavy storage users

Best for

Privacy-conscious small businesses that value security and European data hosting, but with enough collaboration tools to replace mainstream ecosystems.

Conclusion

At first glance, most email hosting services look the same: similar prices, familiar promises, identical checklists of features. But once you dig in, real differences emerge: some prioritize privacy, others collaboration or scalability.

The best choice depends on what you value most, but one thing’s certain. Anything beats using a free, generic email address if you want customers and partners to take you seriously.

Once your communication is set up, it’s time to connect it to the bigger picture. Capsule CRM lets you link every email, contact, and interaction, so you can nurture leads, close deals, and run segmented campaigns… all in one place.

Start for free and give your communication the structure it deserves.

Small businesses have a lot of expenses to manage, so the idea of adding another monthly subscription for a CRM can feel like a luxury. Many owners worry about high fees, complicated features they’ll never use, or surprise costs hidden in the fine print.

At the same time, relying on old methods often makes it harder to stay on top of client conversations and opportunities.

That’s where low-cost CRMs step in. They strip away the bloat and give small firms just what they need: a clear view of contacts, deals, and ongoing relationships.

This article looks at 11 of the best affordable CRMs on the market today, starting with Capsule CRM, which consistently stands out as the most practical choice for small firms.

What makes a CRM “low-cost, high-value”?

For many small businesses, the decision to invest in software comes down to simple math: will this tool save enough time or win enough new business to justify the cost?

A low-cost CRM has to do more than carry an attractive price tag: it needs to deliver real value.

What “low-cost” really means for small businesses

Low-cost CRMs are built with the realities of small businesses in mind. Most firms don’t have the budget for enterprise licenses, training, or consultants to manage their systems. They need software that can be up and running quickly, without complex setup or hidden extras. A low-cost CRM, then, isn’t just about being cheaper but also about offering the right features at a fair, predictable price.

Criteria for low-cost, high-value CRMs

1. Free plans or affordable entry tiers that are genuinely usable

A free trial is helpful, but many small firms need a free or budget-friendly plan they can use long-term while they grow. “Free” should mean functional: the ability to add contacts, track a pipeline, edit a lead profile, or manage follow-ups. If a plan locks essential features behind expensive upgrades, it’s not truly low-cost.

2. Transparent pricing without forced onboarding fees

Hidden charges are one of the biggest frustrations small businesses face with software. A low-cost CRM should make pricing simple: a flat monthly fee, per-user pricing, a one-time payment, or simply a clear tier system. Predictability matters as much as affordability.

3. Core features that cover daily needs

The most valuable CRMs don’t overload small businesses with dozens of modules they’ll never touch. Instead, they focus on essentials like:

• Contact management → keeping all client details, emails, and notes in one place.
• Sales pipelines → visualizing where deals stand and what actions come next.
• Task reminders → staying on top of calls, meetings, and deadlines.
• Reporting –> simple insights into what’s working and what isn’t.

These features form the backbone of everyday client management, and they need to work well even in lower-cost tiers.

4. Flexibility to grow without cost spikes

A low-cost CRM shouldn’t trap you. As a business adds more clients, projects, or staff, the software should scale smoothly. That means affordable upgrades, not sudden leaps into enterprise pricing. A good system grows with you, instead of forcing a costly CRM migration just as your business grows.

Why value matters as much as cost

For small businesses, time is often more scarce than money. A low-cost CRM earns its keep if it saves hours of manual data entry or keeps your business up and running. That’s what “high-value” really means: not bells and whistles, but a system that makes daily work easier and more reliable at a price that makes sense.

Best cheap CRM software for small businesses

“Cheap” in this context doesn’t mean low quality: it means getting strong functionality without overpaying. The goal is a CRM that fits the budget of a small business while still handling real client work reliably.

Capsule CRM

Capsule CRM strips away the noise of enterprise tools, giving teams a lean, capable system that scales at a fair price.

Why it’s low-cost / high-value

• Generous free tier for small users. Up to 2 users can use Capsule free forever, giving small firms a no-risk entry point.
• Transparent, predictable pricing. Pricing is published clearly (Starter, Growth, Advanced, Ultimate) without hidden onboarding fees or surprise modules.
• No forced upsells on core features. Essential CRM tools like contact management, pipelines, tasks, and reporting are included; you don’t need to pay extra for features many consultancies rely on.

Standout features

• Customizable pipelines. Define stages and deal flows that match your sales or consulting process, not a rigid preset.
• Tracks automations. Create “tracks” (automated workflows) to trigger follow-ups or reminders when conditions are met.
• Task management/activity reminders. Associate tasks and follow-ups to contacts and deals.
• Gmail / Outlook integration. Log emails, link them to contacts, and keep communication connected without switching tools.
• Project boards. Once a deal is won, shift it into a project board to track deliverables visually (e.g., Kanban style).
• Dashboards & reporting. Built-in dashboards let you view pipeline health, business conversion metrics, and task performance.

Ideal for

Small consultancies, freelancers, and SMEs that want a CRM that stays out of the way while providing structure. If you want to avoid paying for every little add-on and just have a reliable CRM that grows with you, Capsule is a strong choice.

Reviews

Capsule has solid user feedback on G2 and other platforms.

One reviewer said:

“It’s easy to set up… the project boards are very handy too.”

Another:

“Customer support has always been absolutely first class … the learning curve was very quick.”

Critics do point out that reporting capabilities at the lowest tiers are somewhat limited, and the mobile app isn’t always as full-featured as the desktop.

Pricing

• Free. Up to 2 users, includes basic contact & pipeline features.
• Starter. ~$18/user/month. Adds more contacts, email templates, shared inbox, and basic reporting.
• Growth. ~$36/user/month. Includes automations, multiple pipelines, project boards, advanced reporting, and team permissions.
• Advanced & Ultimate. Higher tiers focused on larger teams, richer contact enrichment, higher limits, and priority support.

Start simple with the free version, then upgrade when you’re ready to see how Capsule scales with your work.

Zoho CRM

Zoho CRM offers flexible pricing that scales gradually, giving small consultancies room to grow. Its customization depth is useful, though setup may take time.

It works especially well when you want a CRM solution that grows, start simple and unlock extras later.

Standout features

• Contact management tools. Zoho helps you store, organize, and access all your contacts in one central system.
• Lead management. You can track leads from first touch all the way through to conversion.
• Track customer interactions. Every call, email, meeting, or note can be logged and tied back to the right record.
• Custom reports. Design dashboards and reports that align with your business goals (not just default charts).

Considerations

• The free tier is limited in users and functionality, so serious teams will likely move to a paid plan.
• Some advanced automation features and AI tools are only available in higher-priced editions.
• The interface and depth of customization can feel overwhelming initially, especially for small teams.
• While Zoho integrates well inside its ecosystem, connecting to some third-party tools may require extra paid modules or technical effort.

Pricing

Zoho CRM’s pricing starts with a Free Edition for up to 3 users. Paid tiers include:

• Standard: $20/user/month, for essential CRM functions.
• Professional: $35/user/month, with more automation and workspace flexibility.
• Enterprise: $50/user/month, includes AI and expanded customization.
• Ultimate: $65/user/month, for maximum scale, analytics, and support.

Zoho CRM brings strong capabilities to the table, though consultants who prefer simplicity might find its depth more distracting than helpful.

Less Annoying CRM (LACRM)

Less Annoying CRM is aimed at small teams that value practicality and clear organization above customization.

That simplicity means fewer barriers to entry, and fewer headaches down the road.

Standout features

• Contact and customer data history. Every call, note, file, or interaction is tied to the same record.
• Pipeline management. Supports basic pipelines that help you track where prospects are in your process.
• Task reminders & calendar sync. Set reminders, sync with Google/Outlook calendars, and never miss follow-ups.
• Unlimited custom fields & reporting. Let you shape the tool to your business and pull basic reports on contacts, activity, and pipeline health.

Considerations

• It is not built for large sales teams or complex sales organizations; advanced workflows or team-level automation are largely absent.
• It lacks automated lead scoring or more sophisticated predictive tools, which some growing firms will want.
• Integration options are limited compared to more extensible CRM systems; connecting to niche tools may require custom work.
• Advanced analytics and in-depth dashboards are minimal; reporting is basic by design.

Pricing

One flat plan: $15/user/month, no tiers, no hidden fees. Like many “cheap” CRM offerings, the power comes in knowing exactly what you’re getting without unexpected costs.

Less Annoying CRM delivers what many small businesses need – predictable pricing and core functionality – but for firms that need advanced features or deep team tools, it may feel limiting.

HubSpot CRM (Free Sales Hub)

With its free tier for unlimited users, HubSpot CRM provides a low-barrier entry for small firms getting their first system in place. Its close link to HubSpot’s marketing tools helps when outreach becomes a bigger focus.

HubSpot CRM lowers the entry barrier for small firms by offering a free CRM plan that scales with new users.

Standout features

• Contact database. Manage and segment all your contacts with rich contextual data.
• Pipelines & deal management. Track deals through stages to help you close deals more predictably.
• Email tracking & templates. Send and monitor emails directly from the CRM with notifications.
• Basic automation. Build simple workflows and triggers to reduce repetitive work.

Considerations

• The free plan handles the basics, but advanced business features live in paid “hubs.”
• Deep automation or custom logic is locked behind higher tiers.
• As your list of high-value customers grows, you may hit limits in free tools.
• Reporting and analytics are more restricted compared to paid plans.

Pricing

HubSpot offers its core CRM for free, letting teams add capabilities later through the Sales, Marketing, or Service Hubs.

HubSpot CRM works well as an entry point for small teams, but its advanced tools can feel excessive before your processes mature.

Pipedrive

With clear pricing and a sharp focus on deal flow, Pipedrive gives sales-first teams structure without the distractions of complex CRM suites.

That focus makes it practical for teams that value efficiency over customization.

Standout features

• Visual pipelines. See deals as cards in stages, making it easier to prioritize and move opportunities.
• Workflow automation. Automate repetitive tasks like status changes, notifications, and simple follow-ups.
• Communication capabilities. Integrated tools make it easy to send and track emails directly within the CRM.
• Contact & customer information sync. All client details, history, and interactions live in one place.

Considerations

• Reporting in the entry plans covers only the basics; meaningful insights and customization appear once you move to the upper tiers.
• More advanced automations sit behind higher-tier plans or paid extensions.
• Pipedrive stays firmly sales-focused, so anyone expecting full marketing capabilities will need separate tools.
• Handling client relationships after a deal closes often requires creative workarounds or integrations with customer success platforms.

Pricing

Pipedrive doesn’t offer a free plan, but there is a 14-day free trial. Plans start at about $24/user/month for the Essential tier, with higher tiers adding automation and team features.

Pipedrive gives sales-focused small teams a clear, efficient CRM setup, though firms that rely on advanced marketing or analytics may find noticeable gaps.

BIGContacts

BIGContacts offers a simple path into CRM use through a capped free plan and affordable paid options. It’s practical for small teams that want structure for their client data but don’t require complex integrations.

You won’t get every advanced module, but it includes more than just the bare minimum.

Standout features

• Contact management. Consolidate names, email histories, notes, files, and custom fields in unified records.
• Email workflows. Automate reminders, drip-style follow-ups, or alerts tied to contact stages.
• Visual sales pipeline. A drag-and-drop board makes it easy to shift deals between stages as your sales cycle progresses.
• Project tie-ins/opportunity linking. Tie tasks, activities, and follow-ups directly to deals and contacts, helping with account management post-sale.

Considerations

• As a CRM provider aimed at small businesses, it may lack the depth or modularity found in larger suites.
• The CRM setup is generally straightforward, but some integrations or custom workflows may require manual tweaking.
• It doesn’t aim to replace full enterprise software; big firms with heavy needs for reporting, security, or scale may find it lacking.
• It includes basic service tools, but more advanced customer support capabilities will require add-ons or complementary tools.

Pricing

• Free / Forever Free allows up to 100 contacts with core features.
• Business plan starts around $9.99/month for 1,000 contacts, with more users and premium features.

BIGContacts delivers strong basic CRM and pipeline capabilities for micro-businesses, but if your team demands advanced analytics or deep support, it may not take you all the way.

Nimble CRM

Nimble takes a people-first approach to CRM, emphasizing quality interactions and lasting connections.

It’s best suited for consultants and small firms that build business through relationships, not high-volume selling.

Standout features

• Unified inbox/communications history. All emails, social messages, and notes are centralized so you see the full context per contact.
• Social profile data enrichment. Pulls in public social and web data to build richer contact profiles.
• Visual pipelines. Track deals with drag-and-drop interfaces, clearly showing where each opportunity stands.
• Workflow automations & reminders. Automate simple follow-ups or moves in your deal flow to reduce repetitive tasks.

Considerations

• It’s less suited for teams that depend heavily on rigorous data management and complex operations.
• Some features that support business strategy (e.g., advanced forecasting) are limited or only available in higher tiers.
• Integration with external tools is solid, but customizing deep business processes may require workarounds.
• As contact volumes and deal complexity grow, you may find gaps in analytics or scalability for small business teams.

Pricing

Nimble doesn’t offer a free tier, but it provides a 14-day trial. Paid Nimble plans start at $29.90/user/month.

Nimble CRM works well for firms that grow through relationships and personal service, though it can feel limited for operations that depend on heavier systems.

Salesflare

Salesflare is an automation-led CRM designed for small B2B teams. It minimizes manual data entry so teams can focus on conversations and deal flow rather than upkeep.

It’s particularly useful for firms aiming to scale sales processes without expanding operations staff.

Standout features

• Email sync & auto-logging. Captures email activity and links it to the correct contact without manual input.
• Lead tracking & enrichment. Surfaces signals about promising prospects by pulling in extra data and interaction history.
• Pipeline automation. Tasks, reminders, and stage transitions can trigger automatically, smoothing your sales flow.
• Mobile access & inbox sidebars. Use the CRM from your phone or directly inside Gmail/Outlook, making it easier to stay on top of activity.

Considerations

• For deep customer relationships work (like support tickets or customer success), it’s not as full-featured as some larger platforms.
• Customization of dashboards and reports is decent, but not as flexible as in enterprise CRMs.
• Because it automates much of the tracking, mapping logic must be set up correctly.
• It focuses heavily on sales workflows, so teams needing heavy post-sale modules or service tools may find gaps.

Pricing

Salesflare offers a free trial. Plans begin at $29/user/month (Growth), move to $49/user/month (Pro), and top out at $99/user/month (Enterprise) with added features like custom dashboards, team permissions, CRM training, and migration services.

Salesflare provides helpful automation for teams that want a streamlined CRM experience. It’s best suited for sales-focused workflows rather than end-to-end operational needs.

Folk CRM

Folk CRM offers a modern, lightweight setup for teams that need more structure than a simple contact list but don’t want the weight of a full enterprise platform.

Because it centralizes both contacts and activity, small firms can view client interactions as part of an ongoing relationship rather than one-off touchpoints.

Standout features

• Centralized platform across tools. Bring together your communications and schedules by syncing email, calendar, and LinkedIn data into a single, organized view.
• Customizable pipelines. Shape your pipeline to match your actual sales instead of adjusting your work to legacy structures.
• Built-in email marketing & templates. Run email campaigns or outreach from within the CRM using templates and scheduling.
• Historical data & enrichment. Logs past interactions and uses tools like folkX to enrich contacts automatically.

Considerations

• Reporting and analytics are fairly basic; deep dashboarding is not Folk’s strongest suit.
• Because it emphasizes simplicity, you won’t find advanced admin controls or enterprise-grade modules.
• While integrations exist, some niche tool connectivity may require using Zapier or custom workarounds.
• The mobile experience is improving, but some users report limitations compared to the desktop interface.

Pricing

Folk offers a free trial for new users. Its entry-level paid plan starts at $25/user/month, scaling upward for more contacts and features.

Folk CRM gives small firms a well-rounded system that stays simple to use. Teams needing deeper reporting or enterprise-level oversight, however, may find its scope limited.

Monday CRM

Monday CRM combines customer management with everyday project tracking, offering small teams a visual, board-based workspace. It works well for firms that prefer one adaptable system instead of switching between multiple tools.

The platform’s customizable templates make it easy to shape workflows around how your team actually operates.

Standout features

• Customizable boards. Create boards for your pipeline and adjust each column to fit your process, from first contact to close.
• Automation rules. Take care of routine updates and notifications, helping work move forward automatically.
• Dashboards & reporting. Pull data into visual dashboards to monitor performance.
• Web forms & lead capture. Embed forms to collect lead info directly into your pipeline.

Considerations

• To use Monday CRM beyond a basic use case, you’ll need at least three users, which raises the entry cost for solo consultants.
• Some advanced automations or reporting features are reserved for higher-cost tiers.
• Because it blends project and CRM features, it may feel more complex than a lean budget-friendly CRM built only for sales.
• As your workflow grows more complex, you might hit limits in how far boards and automations can scale.

Pricing

• Basic: ~$12/seat/month, includes unlimited contacts, pipelines, and boards.
• Standard: ~$17/seat/month, adds 2-way email sync, account/deal management.
• Pro: ~$28/seat/month, adds advanced analytics and automation.

Monday CRM provides a mix of sales and project tools, ideal for teams that manage both pipelines and delivery. Firms looking for a lighter, sales-only setup may find it more expansive than required.

Insightly

Insightly ties sales tracking and project coordination together, helping teams move from deal to delivery with less handoff.

It’s often used by small businesses that want a unified system.

Standout features

• Projects linked to deals. Convert won opportunities into project tasks and milestones.
• Workflow automation. Set rules to send follow-ups, update fields, or trigger actions when deal stages change.
• Centralized contact data. Have a unified view of each client, where all communication and records sit together for quick reference.
• Customizable dashboards. Build reports and views that align with how your business tracks progress and performance.

Considerations

• The free trial is limited; there isn’t a permanent free tier for up to three users under the newer pricing structure.
• While it handles contact, project, and sales workflows, it’s less focused on customer support or post-sale service modules out of the box.
• Some users note performance lags or complexity in setup when customizing for larger datasets or workflows.
• Because of its breadth, there’s a steeper onboarding curve; getting the entire team aligned on how to use both CRM and project tools may take time.

Pricing

• Insightly offers a free 14-day trial.
• Paid plans start at $29/user/month (Plus), with a Professional tier at ~$49/user/month and Enterprise at ~$99/user/month.

Insightly combines sales tracking and project management in a single system, offering a structure where many tools separate the two. It can, however, feel a bit heavy for firms that prefer minimal setups or focus mainly on client support.

Take care of customer relationship management today!

Your CRM should feel like a silent teammate, not another expense to manage. The right CRM improves client service by giving every team member visibility into the sales process.

The best CRM is one you’ll actually use: simple where possible, powerful where needed. Capsule nails that balance: it’s built for small firms that want clarity.

Working with Google Workspace or Microsoft 365? Good news. You can connect your inbox and calendar with Capsule CRM to see everything you need in one place.

The Capsule connections with both workspaces are nothing new. But we realized we could do more, make our customers’ work lives even easier.

We’ve expanded what you can do through the Outlook and Gmail connections, including automatic email logging and a much more functional calendar. Today, we’ll unpack these updates and explore the benefits of keeping your business emails and meetings connected to your CRM system.

New: Automatically log your Gmail and Outlook emails

Keep your conversations in Capsule without lifting a finger.

With the new update, Capsule can now automatically store the emails you send and receive in Gmail or Outlook directly against the right contact record. No more copy-pasting, forwarding, or flicking between inbox and CRM: your email history is captured seamlessly as you work.

Here’s what that means in practice:

Complete conversation history

Each email you send or receive is automatically linked to the relevant contact or organization in Capsule. You’ll always know what’s been said, when, and by whom.

Shared visibility for your team

Your teammates can instantly see the latest communication, even if they weren’t cc’d on the thread. That means smoother handovers, faster responses, and no “who said what?” confusion.

Work where you are

Whether you’re replying in Gmail, drafting in Outlook, or reviewing records inside Capsule, your conversations stay in sync across both tools.

Set it and forget it

Once connected, Capsule quietly does the heavy lifting in the background, keeping your records fresh without you needing to think about it.

Looking for help setting it up? Follow our guidance to automatically log emails with your Gmail account or follow this guide to instantly log correspondence from your Outlook workspace.

You can still choose to manually store only the emails you want, but for busy teams who want a full audit trail without extra admin, automatic logging is a real game-changer.

New: Connect and manage your calendar in Capsule

Whether you use Outlook or the Google workspace, you can now do even more when you connect your email and calendar with Capsule CRM.

1) Using Gmail? Connect your calendar to Capsule CRM

Like Outlook users, businesses that utilize Google Workspace can also sync up their calendars with Capsule CRM. Stay in one app; stay focused.

2) Bring your daily to-dos together

Until recently, the in-app calendar focused on scheduled and imminent Tasks.

Now, you’ll find all your Gmail or Outlook calendar events alongside your upcoming Tasks, so you can see your working day at a glance. Drag and drop Tasks to balance your capacity with ease.

3) Create new events inside the Capsule calendar

I guess you could open a new tab, access your workspace calendar, head back to Capsule to find, copy and paste your chosen contact’s email address, head back to the calendar to create an event…

…Or you could make it simple. Since you’re already working away in Capsule, you might as well create a call right there.

There are two very easy ways to do this. Just make sure you’ve already connected Outlook or Gmail before you begin!

1. If you’re already looking at a contact record and want to schedule a call, head to the right-hand sidebar where you’ll find the Gmail or Outlook app. Click ‘Add event’ at the top. A new tab will open with your contact’s information readily filled in. Just choose a time, date, and name for your meeting and fire it over.
2. Open the Capsule calendar from the top navigation bar. In the calendar view, just tap ‘Add event’. Here you can fill out the details of your meeting.

4) Add new contacts to Capsule from your calendar

Does your scheduled call have a number of new faces? Or maybe you use appointment-booking tools like Calend.ly, so you’re often meeting new prospects? No stress.

Now you can capture new contacts and update details without leaving the calendar. Simply select the meeting, hover over new email addresses, and click the + button. Sweet and simple.

5) Join scheduled events directly from Capsule

No need to rifle around your calendar for imminent meetings: just click into the event in Capsule and tap to join. Easy peasy. Your biggest challenge is just remembering when to mute yourself.

How do I connect Capsule CRM to Outlook or Gmail?

It’s easy. Once logged into Capsule, head to the calendar icon in the navigation bar (the very top-left corner in Capsule).

You’ll see a button to Connect Calendar right next to Calendar & Tasks. Click the button and you’ll be taken to your integration settings in Capsule, where you can choose to connect to Outlook or Google Calendar.

Next, you’ll be asked to log in to your Outlook or Gmail account – even if you’re already logged in on your device.

After providing your credentials, you’ll be dropped back in your Capsule CRM settings. You’ll just need to select the exact calendar you want to use in Capsule.

And that’s it: the connection’s ready. You may need to wait a few minutes before all your events appear in Capsule, but you’ll be ready to go in no time.

Don’t worry if you’re not confident with technology. Our customer support team created guides to help you connect your Outlook Calendar or Gmail Calendar.

The benefits of connecting your workspace to Capsule CRM

1. Centralize your workday

Whether you’re focusing on outreach or checking in with customers, line up your outreach tasks in Capsule and then… continue in Capsule. You can draft up and send emails from contact and organization records.

You’ll find your email thread stored against the record without scrolling through your inbox and copy-pasting it back into Capsule.

Seeing your upcoming tasks and calls in your CRM calendar gives you a clear view of exactly what’s on your plate for the day.

2. Get instant context for your customer relationships

No need to scramble through spreadsheets, old notebooks, and Slack channels. Every detail and every conversation is stored in your contact records. You can easily see how your last conversation ended, so you can quickly decide on a course of action.

Once you’ve got the latest, you can set up new meetings and join calls directly from your records. With context close by, you can tailor each call to suit your guest, making your sales slicker and keeping your customers happy.

3. Improve team collaboration

Whether you’re revisiting old leads that once belonged to another sales rep, or the customer has been picked up by your customer success team, it’s important to provide a smooth service.

And to do so, having all your customer details and historical correspondence at hand is a must. With former emails, meeting notes, and plans of action stored directly in the record, it’s easy for your colleagues to establish the contact’s wants and needs …and get straight down to work.

Keeping context close helps you and your team provide bespoke service. In the long term, you’ll see this reduces churn, prolongs customer lifetime value, and helps motivate your customers to encourage their network to use your services.

Customer relationship management made easy

No matter your workspace preferences, Capsule helps you bring your Gmail and Outlook calendars and inboxes straight into your CRM.

Schedule and join calls from Capsule’s calendar, add new contacts in a couple of clicks, and see your working day as soon as you start the day.

With all your pipelines, contact records, and more in one app, you can get straight down to work stress-free.

Try any Capsule CRM plan free for 14 days, or get straight into it with our free plan. Sign up today.

With more than 2.5 billion active users worldwide and a 27% global market share in 2025, Gmail is the email platform most professionals open every morning. In the U.S., nearly nine out of ten startups run their business communications through Gmail, valuing its reach and reliability.

Yet the inbox alone can only take a business so far. Customer relationships grow across many emails, follow-ups, and deals; without structure, those interactions are easy to lose. That’s why many companies connect Gmail with a CRM.

The right Gmail CRM integration clarifies what’s happening with every client. In this guide, we’ll look at the platforms that do it best.

Why connect Gmail with a CRM?

Gmail is where most business relationships start. A client reaches out, a lead replies to a proposal, a customer follows up with a question: it all often happens in the inbox. But as those threads pile up, the bigger picture gets harder to see.

A Gmail CRM integration changes that. Every email becomes part of a living customer record, complete with context about past conversations, open opportunities, and upcoming tasks. Instead of digging through old threads, your team can see what’s been said, what’s next, and who’s responsible.

The benefits are clear:

• For sales teams, this means less time copying and pasting into spreadsheets and more time focusing on deals.
• For managers, it means cleaner data and a reliable way to track how relationships are moving through the sales funnel.
• And even solo users benefit, since follow-ups and reminders can be automated straight from the Gmail interface.

The real advantage is perspective. Gmail on its own shows you the last email. A CRM with Gmail shows you the relationship behind it.

Capsule CRM + Gmail: the seamless choice

Capsule CRM was designed to be simple, effective, and easy to adapt to the way small and midsize businesses actually work.

Its Gmail integration takes that same philosophy into the inbox, giving teams a way to capture customer conversations, manage contacts, and link emails to opportunities without ever leaving Gmail.

Setup and integration

Installing Capsule in Gmail takes just a few clicks. The official add-on is available in the Google Workspace Marketplace, and once installed, it works across both web and mobile Gmail. Individual users can add it themselves, or Google Workspace admins can enable it for the entire domain.

After a quick one-time authorization, Capsule appears in the Gmail sidebar, ready to connect directly to your Capsule account. There’s no complex configuration or IT overhead – just a lightweight, practical extension that immediately improves everyday workflows.

Key features inside Gmail

The add-on focuses on the tasks that matter most:

• Save emails directly into Capsule so entire conversations, not just single messages, are logged against the right contact record.
• Add new contacts straight from Gmail instead of copy-pasting details into another system. Capsule lets you add individuals or organizations and attach the full conversation history.
• Access Capsule data while reading or composing emails. Notes, tasks, and sales opportunities appear in the sidebar, giving full context before you reply.
• Create tasks, opportunities, and projects as soon as an email comes in, so nothing gets lost between the inbox and your CRM.

Once a conversation is stored, Capsule automatically tracks all future messages in that thread.

What users say

Capsule’s Gmail integration is praised by small businesses that rely on it to keep communication organized. One G2 reviewer highlighted how easy it was to set up:

Another described Capsule as “a simple yet powerful tool” that makes managing customer relationships effortless, with the Gmail add-on ensuring every conversation is logged and tied back to the sales pipeline.

Reviews consistently point to the same strengths: Capsule keeps teams organized without overwhelming them, and its Gmail integration works exactly as expected.

Why Capsule stands out

While Gmail integrations exist across many CRM platforms, Capsule’s advantage lies in its balance of simplicity and depth. It doesn’t overwhelm small businesses with unnecessary features, yet it delivers the essentials – automatic email capture, contact management, and sales pipeline visibility – where teams spend most of their time.

HubSpot CRM

What if your Gmail account could do more than send and receive emails? With HubSpot CRM, the Gmail inbox becomes a workspace where teams can track leads and log every customer interaction.

The integration works through a Chrome extension and Gmail add-on. Once installed, sales reps can schedule messages, use snippets or templates, and rely on email tracking to see when a prospect opens or clicks.

Replies and threads are logged automatically, creating detailed customer profiles inside HubSpot. Account managers gain CRM access right from the Gmail environment, with contact details and past activity available as they draft new messages.

The setup gives larger teams valuable insights and workflow automation, but the most advanced features are only available on paid tiers of HubSpot Sales Hub.

Salesforce CRM

One platform, thousands of enterprises. Salesforce brings its weight into Gmail through Salesforce Inbox, a paid add-on that connects email communication with the wider sales CRM.

With the add-on, teams can log emails and calendar events directly from their Gmail inbox for consistent customer information across CRM systems. Users can pull up Salesforce records – leads, accounts, and opportunities – and keep the sales process visible while responding to customer emails.

AI-powered tools like Einstein Activity Capture handle call logs and help account managers track potential deals with minimal manual effort.

For enterprises, the benefit is clear: automated workflows and detailed reporting. But Salesforce Inbox is not included in all editions, so businesses should factor in the extra cost when comparing the best CRM tools. For companies needing scale, though, it’s a user-friendly way to merge Gmail emails with enterprise-grade sales management.

Streak CRM

Imagine if your Gmail inbox could become the CRM instead of just connecting to one. That’s exactly what Streak CRM offers: a Gmail-native system that turns emails into deals.

Because it lives inside Gmail, Streak feels less like an add-on and more like an upgrade. You can build customizable pipelines, track deals as they move through stages, and see when emails are opened thanks to click tracking.

Tasks can be assigned directly in the inbox. For microbusinesses and solo founders, this means lead management and sales visibility are all available in the same place you already spend most of your workday.

The trade-off is scope. While Streak shines for Gmail users who want core features wrapped into a user-friendly experience, its integrations rarely extend beyond Google Workspace. That makes it a good fit for businesses that run entirely on Gmail, but limiting for those that need broader connections to other CRM systems or accounting platforms.

Zoho CRM

Zoho CRM’s Gmail add-on is built to reduce the friction of moving between inbox and CRM. From inside Gmail, users can add email senders as new leads or contacts, saving the entire thread as a record in Zoho CRM with just a couple of clicks.

The sidebar integration provides a quick snapshot of customer context while replying to customer emails. For sales teams, this makes it easier to update leads and keep records current without interrupting their workflow. It’s especially useful for teams already invested in the Zoho ecosystem, where the Gmail experience feels like an extension of the wider platform.

That said, the add-on leans heavily toward capture and logging rather than deeper functionality.

Features like email templates, automated follow-ups, or advanced email automation are available in Zoho CRM itself, but not directly inside the Gmail interface. For many, the integration delivers the essential features needed to keep conversations organized, though its limited scope may feel basic compared to other Gmail CRM tools.

Copper CRM

Copper positions itself as the “Google-first” CRM, and its Gmail integration shows why. Instead of bolting features on, Copper CRM feels like a natural part of the Gmail sidebar. When you open an email, you’ll see the full CRM profile of the contact right alongside the message.

The integration goes beyond email. Calendar events and files stored in Google Drive sync automatically, creating a solid integration across the Workspace environment. Sales reps can add leads, track emails, and even set tasks with an expiration date, all without breaking the flow of their Gmail experience.

For teams already invested in Google Chrome and Workspace apps, the easy interface helps teams manage customer data. But Copper comes with challenges too. Some advanced options sit behind paid plans, and outside of Google’s ecosystem, the tool has limited features.

It’s best suited for businesses that live entirely inside Google tools and want their CRM to feel like an extension of Gmail.

Pipedrive CRM

For sales reps, timing often makes the difference between a deal won and a deal lost. Pipedrive’s Gmail integration is built to keep that momentum going. When an email lands, the sidebar shows deal progress, contact details, and the latest activity, giving reps immediate information before they hit reply.

The integration also supports two-way syncing on paid plans, so Gmail emails automatically update Pipedrive records. Free users rely on the Smart Bcc option, which works but requires more manual effort. From the inbox, it’s easy to add leads, create deals, or update an opportunity, helping salespeople stay focused on moving conversations forward.

Pipedrive works best for teams where Gmail is the launchpad for the sales process. It’s a practical tool for keeping opportunities visible, though its Gmail integration feels narrower once you move beyond direct deal management or automatic contact creation.

Choosing the right CRM for your Gmail inbox

• Capsule → Best for SMBs that want a simple, reliable Gmail CRM integration. Affordable, easy to use, and praised for keeping customer data clean.
• HubSpot → Suited to larger teams that need automation, email templates, and marketing alignment. Powerful, but often more than smaller businesses require.
• Pipedrive → A strong choice for sales-heavy teams focused on pipeline CRM and tracking deals. Practical, but narrower in scope.
• Zoho → Works well inside the wider Zoho ecosystem. A fit for companies already using Zoho’s apps and services.
• Salesforce → Enterprise-grade CRM system with deep reporting and AI tools. Overkill for most SMBs.
• Streak → Lives directly inside Gmail. Great for solopreneurs or microbusinesses working entirely in the Gmail environment.
• Copper → Google-native CRM with tight Workspace integration. A polished option for companies already committed to Google tools.

✅ For most Gmail users, Capsule CRM is the natural choice. It’s straightforward, affordable, and effective.

👉 Try Capsule CRM free plan with Gmail and see how seamless integration can be.

AI has already found its way into accounting, from automated reporting tools to email assistants that save you hours of typing. But in a field built on trust, privacy, and compliance, speed alone isn’t enough. The question isn’t if accountants should use AI, but how to use it without crossing any red lines.

This guide helps you better understand the role of AI in accounting. You’ll see where AI can safely lighten your workload today, and where caution (and the right systems) is non-negotiable. You’ll discover some quick wins you can grab right now, plus advanced use cases you can explore once your vendors tick the boxes for security and compliance.

👉 By the end, you’ll know exactly which AI shortcuts are safe to take, and which ones need a ‘proceed with care’ sign.

Key considerations for AI in accounting

Many firms get overwhelmed with AI. Some go all-in so fast that they forget about the practicalities. In plenty of industries, that overuse is mostly harmless. In accounting, it isn’t. AI still isn’t fully harmonized in law, and the wrong tool or sloppy workflow can leak confidential data or mislead clients.

At the same time, the profession is clearly moving: in a 2025 survey, 46% of accountants reported using AI daily, 81% said it improved productivity, and two-thirds admitted they feel overwhelmed by tech complexity at least weekly.

Translation: adoption is up, governance is lagging.

Security

Client ledgers, payroll files, bank feeds: this is high-value data.

Attackers know it, and the costs of mistakes are real. IBM’s 2024 breach study put the global average breach at $4.88M, and financial-industry breaches were even higher at $6.08M on average.

For firms, ‘move fast and break things’ is not a strategy. You should insist on strong encryption (in transit and at rest), granular access controls, and vendors with SOC 2 attestation and/or ISO/IEC 27001 certification. SOC 2 evaluates controls across security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy; ISO 27001 sets requirements for running a robust information security management system. Ask for current reports/certificates, scope, and any exceptions.

To protect sensitive data while still leveraging AI, use tools built for compliance. For example, Maxio’s subscription billing software provides secure handling of recurring revenue streams.

Data privacy

Accounting records often bundle PII with financial identifiers, and many client relationships sit under NDAs.

That creates two immediate rules of thumb: don’t paste sensitive client data into consumer AI and minimize data you share, even with enterprise tools.

If you do use AI with client information, document your lawful basis, data-minimize, anonymize/pseudonymize where possible, and control cross-border transfers. Under GDPR, organizations must collect, store, and process personal data with clear purposes and safeguards; the UK ICO’s guidance adds detailed expectations around transparency and accuracy for AI systems.

Build prompts that avoid IDs, names, and amounts unless your platform is contractually ‘no-train,’ encrypted, and access-restricted.

Compliance & standards

AI doesn’t replace GAAP/IFRS discipline; it sits beside it. Any AI-assisted conclusion should remain explainable and reconcilable to source documents, with no ‘black box’ numbers. Keep an audit trail that shows the underlying data, the prompt/parameters, the model version, and your review notes.

In the EU, the AI Act is phasing in: it entered into force on 1 Aug 2024; prohibitions and AI-literacy duties applied from 2 Feb 2025; governance rules and obligations for general-purpose AI models became applicable 2 Aug 2025; most obligations become fully applicable 2 Aug 2026 (with extended transition for certain high-risk systems). Even if the tool you want to use isn’t ‘high-risk,’ the direction of travel is clear: more documentation, testing, and transparency.

Human oversight

AI is a powerful tool, but it’s not foolproof. Models still hallucinate or misread context, especially when prompts bundle edge cases.

Keep a qualified professional in the loop for any client-facing output and for every material judgment.

Maintain a two-step review for numbers:

• source check (tie back to the ledger)
• and sanity check (does the result make business sense?).

On disclosure, U.S. CPAs don’t currently face a specific federal rule that mandates telling clients when gen-AI is used, but guidance points to a patchwork – meaning firms should decide, document, and communicate a consistent stance (for example: ‘We may use AI to draft communications; humans review all outputs; we never feed confidential data into public models’).

Secure the stack, minimize data exposure, keep outputs explainable, and never skip human review.

With those guardrails, you get the upside – speed and clarity – but without trading away trust.

6 AI practices that accountants can safely use today

Not every AI tool needs to come with a disclaimer or a legal review. In fact, there’s a whole set of uses that are completely safe because they don’t touch client records or cross compliance lines. They can make your day lighter without raising privacy flags. Better yet, many of these can be done with free tools you already have on your desk, or features tucked into platforms you’re using anyway, like Capsule CRM.

Here’s where you can start experimenting with AI today, risk-free.

#1 Drafting client emails with AI assistants

Email is the accountant’s never-ending task. AI can take the edge off by helping you draft messages faster, while you stay in full control of what gets sent. The golden rule: never feed in sensitive client data. Keep prompts generic, then add the details yourself before hitting send.

Here are five safe ways to use AI for email drafting:

• Gentle payment reminders – friendly nudges without awkward phrasing.
• Scheduling or rescheduling appointments – clear, polite coordination emails.
• Welcoming a new client – a warm onboarding message with next steps.

Capsule’s AI Content Assistant makes this painless. It helps you unblock writer’s block by generating quick, relevant email drafts in seconds.

You set the tone and topic, the AI drafts the copy, and you polish it as needed. Simple as that. And, it’s built right into Capsule CRM, so you don’t need extra tools or technical know-how.

👉 Safe, fast, and human-checked — that’s how AI belongs in your inbox.

#2 Summarizing public regulations or standards

For many in the accounting profession, the real challenge isn’t finding new tax laws or IFRS updates – it’s turning them into something clients can actually understand. These documents are public, which means there’s no data security risk in asking AI to process them.

With generative AI tools, you can feed in a new tax bracket update, tax return preparation, and implications for cash flow, or regulatory notice and get a clear, client-friendly summary in seconds.

This is especially useful when clients flood your inbox with questions. Instead of sending them a link full of technical language, you can prepare a concise explanation of what changed and why it matters. That saves your accounting team hours of manual data entry or repetitive tasks, while improving the overall quality of business communication.

#3 Automating meeting agendas and notes

Meetings eat into time that could be spent on client service or analyzing accounting data. AI can help lighten the load by generating agendas from discussion topics or summarizing transcripts. Tools like Fireflies, Otter.ai, or built-in assistants in collaboration platforms can capture the conversation and turn it into structured action points.

This is a low-risk use of accounting AI, as long as you keep sensitive numbers or confidential details out of the transcripts.

There’s one important yet often overlooked aspect to that, though. You should always get explicit consent from clients, stakeholders, or employees before recording. A simple ‘this call is being recorded for notes’ protects trust and keeps you compliant with privacy standards.

For modern accounting firms, automating this routine task reduces manual note-taking and improves accuracy – especially if you take a lot of calls daily, or need to pass the info to more people in your team.

#4 Internal knowledge search and FAQ drafting

Every accounting practice develops a ton of know-how, from categorizing financial transactions to preparing financial reports. The problem? It’s usually buried in thousands of emails or siloed in someone’s head. AI can help you turn this chaos into clear internal guides and FAQs without ever touching client data.

Here’s a simple 5-step way to do it safely:

1. Collect your unstructured data. Gather notes, checklists, or process docs (e.g., how to process expense reports).
2. Feed the AI only safe content. Upload internal guidance, never confidential client records or financial statements.
3. Ask AI to organize the material. Example prompt: ‘Turn these notes into a step-by-step guide for invoice processing.’
4. Review and validate with human expertise. Make sure outputs align with your actual accounting processes and remove mistakes.
5. Publish as an internal FAQ or guide. Store it in your knowledge base or document management system so your accounting team can access it anytime.

This approach reduces repetitive questions and helps both large and small accounting firms keep their accounting data organized. AI handles the clustering of structured data while you provide the oversight. Win-win.

#5 Creating training materials for staff

Once you’ve organized your internal knowledge base and FAQs, the next step is making that content actionable for your team. Many firms have strong client processes but stumble on staff training. New hires face steep learning curves, and experienced accountants need refreshers as standards evolve.

AI support can bridge this gap by transforming your structured know-how into consistent, easy-to-use training materials.

Here are six safe ways to put AI to work in training:

• Onboarding playbooks with structured introductions to firm culture, tools, and workflows.
• Compliance checklists with tailored guides for financial audits and regulatory requirements.
• Interactive quizzes with quick tests that help spot knowledge gaps and prevent human error.
• Practice datasets with anonymized historical data that staff can use for mock analyses.
• Policy breakdowns with simplified versions of dense HR or compliance docs.
• Trend updates with bite-sized lessons on future trends shaping the accounting profession.

Unlike client-facing tasks, this is a no-risk zone: you’re not exposing accurate financial records, just repurposing internal knowledge into formats that make continuous training far less of a burden.

#6 Improving client communication tone

Accounting professionals know the struggle: you draft a perfectly accurate message, only to realize it sounds like it was written for an audit committee instead of a client. AI can help smooth out the tone by rephrasing complex accounting jargon into plain English.

This is also useful when emotions run high. Say you’re dealing with a very upset client. While you might feel like firing back defensively, AI can help you reframe the message using nonviolent communication (NVC) principles, turning a tense exchange into constructive dialogue.

Here’s how that looks in practice:

Without NVC (raw draft):

‘Your delayed payment is holding up the audit process. If this continues, we won’t be able to finalize your financial statements on time.’

With NVC (AI-assisted tone):

‘I understand the delay may be challenging on your end. To keep the audit process on track and deliver your financial statements as scheduled, we’ll need to receive the payment soon. Please let me know if there’s anything blocking this on your side.’

AI can also be a ‘tone pacifier’ for handling sales objections or following up without sounding robotic.

For accountants who don’t want to spend half an hour rewording a sensitive email, this is one of the safest, most impactful applications of AI technology in client communication.

7 accounting AI practices under consideration

Not every AI use case is safe to try out with free tools. Some applications touch highly sensitive accounting data, meaning they should only be explored in a regulated environment with secure, compliant systems. AI is powerful enough to help with all of the practices below, but it comes with responsibility. Usually, these solutions are only available inside enterprise-level platforms, not in consumer-grade apps.

If you experiment outside of that environment, you do so at your own risk.

Invoice scanning and categorization

AI can automate routine bookkeeping by scanning invoices, extracting line items, categorizing, and tagging expenses. This naturally reduces manual data entry, but it should only happen inside a platform with end-to-end encryption and SOC 2 / ISO 27001 certification. Feeding invoices into general-purpose tools can expose too much sensitive data.

Bank reconciliation and transaction matching

With secure API integrations, AI can compare bank feeds against financial statements to flag discrepancies. Done right, this cuts down hours, if not weeks, of repetitive work. But without protected integrations and audit trails, it’s risky: banking data is a prime target for attackers.

Fraud detection and anomaly spotting

Machine learning algorithms excel at identifying unusual patterns that humans might miss, from duplicate payments to suspicious vendor activity. However, building this safely requires strict privacy safeguards and enterprise-scale data analysis tools. Free AI assistants can’t deliver this level of protection.

Financial forecasting and scenario planning

AI can analyze historical data and generate predictive models for cash flow or budgeting. In enterprise systems, this can be transformative. With free tools, the safe approach is to run dummy forecasts using anonymized numbers or non-existent client names. This way, you can test AI’s potential without risking exposure.

Tax preparation support

AI can pre-fill tax forms or suggest entries, eliminating repetitive tasks for tax professionals. But because tax data equals money, it’s not safe to use tools like ChatGPT for actual client returns.

Enterprise-grade AI-powered tools with compliance features are the only safe environment here. And even then, human review is non-negotiable.

Audit support

AI can sift through large volumes of structured documents, highlight missing data, and speed up the audit process. To use this responsibly, every flagged item needs an audit trail: showing what AI spotted, how it was reviewed, and who signed off.

Client advisory insights from financial data

For advisory work, AI agents for business automation can generate dashboards, run predictive analytics, and provide valuable insights into potential expense management scenarios. But because this involves sensitive accounting data, it should only be done in trusted, enterprise-grade accounting software. Free tools can’t guarantee compliance or data security.

And further, platforms like Luzmo IQ allows accountants to explore these insights interactively, turning raw numbers into visual intelligence that clients can easily understand.

Checklist: How to use AI in accounting

Before embedding AI into your workflows, set a few ground rules. These practices keep your firm compliant and make sure you’re getting real value from artificial intelligence.

• Always anonymize client data before AI use, even on ‘safe’ platforms. Scrubbing names and identifiers doesn’t cost you anything but buys peace of mind.
• Stick to enterprise-grade, compliant systems when handling confidential data. Consumer-grade apps aren’t designed for secure accounting processes.
• Keep a human in the loop for validation. AI can automate repetitive tasks and even identify patterns in relevant data, but only professional review guarantees a reliable outcome.
• Document all AI-assisted outputs. If AI drafts a report or flags anomalies, keep a record of what was generated and how it was reviewed. This helps during audits or client disputes.
• Train teams on acceptable use. Many firms face a skills gap as staff experiment with tools without understanding compliance risks. Clear training reduces mistakes.
• Update governance policies regularly. As AI trends evolve, your rules for implementing AI and integrating AI into accounting must evolve too.

With clear policies in place, AI becomes a reliable partner for accountants for years to come.

Will AI replace accountants?

No, AI won’t replace accountants. It helps by automating routine tasks, but the profession still relies on human judgment and client trust.

We explored this question in detail on our blog, where we asked accountants and business professionals how they feel about AI’s role.

Read more here: Will accounting be replaced by AI?

Conclusion

AI isn’t here to replace accountants. Its role is to assist by taking on routine work through tools like robotic process automation and natural language processing, leaving more space for client service and deeper analysis. Used responsibly, it strengthens trust while delivering measurable financial outcomes and tangible cost savings.

AI can highlight patterns in accounting data, surface insights, and support strategic analysis that would otherwise be time-consuming. But technology alone isn’t enough. Accountants who combine professional judgment with growing AI expertise will be the ones ready for tomorrow’s tools and for clients who expect smarter ways of working.

Mailchimp has long been the go-to platform for email marketing, giving small businesses the tools to design campaigns and personalize outreach. In recent years, it’s also branded itself as a ‘marketing CRM,’ offering analytics that help teams understand who they’re talking to.

But outside of marketing, its features are very limited, and additional features can quickly add up, making it very expensive for smaller organizations.. For businesses that want more than just campaign data, connecting Mailchimp with a dedicated CRM is what turns audience insights into real customer management.

In this guide, we’ll look at CRMs that integrate directly with Mailchimp, showing how they extend its marketing strengths into sales, customer support, and everyday operations.

Mailchimp’s built-in CRM: strong but limited

Mailchimp isn’t just an email marketing platform anymore. With its built-in CRM features, it gives small businesses a way to centralize customer data and run more targeted campaigns. For teams that don’t want to use multiple tools, this setup can be a helpful first step into customer relationship management (CRM).

What Mailchimp already offers

With a Mailchimp account, you gain access to a lightweight set of customer management tools:

• Audience dashboard that pulls together contact data organized by location, behavior, and growth trends.
• Customer segmentation and tags that help tailor marketing campaigns to the right target audience.
• Analytics features show how people interact with email campaigns, landing pages, or ads, so you get valuable insights into customer behavior.
• Marketing automation for repetitive activities, like sending a welcome series or reminders.

Where it falls short

Yet Mailchimp’s CRM solution isn’t the same as dedicated CRM software.

It doesn’t track the sales process or provide a full view of customer interactions beyond marketing efforts. For businesses that want better control of their operations, the limitations show up fast:

• No holistic view of all customer information – campaign engagement is there, but not deals or tasks.
• Minimal contact management beyond audience data.
• No way to log calls, meetings, or the kind of day-to-day CRM work needed for sales and service teams.

On its own, Mailchimp helps handle email marketing tasks. Paired with the right CRM platforms, it becomes part of a bigger system that manages the entire customer experience: from the first click to repeat business.

Best CRM for Mailchimp in 2025

Capsule CRM + Mailchimp

Capsule’s Mailchimp integration is built for teams that want their email marketing campaigns and customer relationship management to operate in sync without creating double the work.

Instead of exporting CSVs or using hundreds of lists, Capsule CRM pushes your contact data directly into Mailchimp audiences. At the same time, campaign activity flows back into Capsule – so sales and account managers see when a contact has opened, clicked, or unsubscribed.

Setup options

The integration comes in two flavors:

• Standard integration (available on all plans): export lists or individual contacts from Capsule to Mailchimp, with support for mapping custom fields and tags.
• Webhook integration (available on paid plans): adds more automation, such as automatically creating new Capsule contacts from Mailchimp sign-ups, logging updates as notes, and tagging unsubscribes in real time.

This flexibility means small teams can start simple, then layer on automation when needed.

Key features

• Add Capsule contacts to Mailchimp audiences with list filters.
• Sync tags and custom fields from Capsule into Mailchimp for better customer segmentation.
• Record campaign activity inside Capsule, keeping audience data tied to the right contact record.
• Use webhooks to turn unsubscribes into Capsule tasks for sales or support follow-up.

What users like

Users consistently mention how straightforward the setup is and how valuable the Mailchimp link becomes in daily use. One reviewer said they ‘like the fact that I can use a CC to drop all emails directly in Capsule’ and praised the Mailchimp integration for being seamless.

Another highlighted that Capsule ‘integrates smoothly with apps like Gmail, Xero, and Mailchimp, so everything works together seamlessly.’

For many small business owners, this pairing has been a long-term companion. As one user put it: ‘I discovered Capsule in 2012 and haven’t questioned switching since! … It integrates great with my accounting software and Mailchimp.’

Unlike more complex CRM platforms, Capsule focuses on keeping things lightweight.

For SMBs, that’s an advantage: you still get the benefits of Mailchimp CRM integration: clean CRM data and less risk of manual errors. Capsule’s design makes it a practical bridge between everyday marketing efforts and ongoing sales or service conversations.

Pipedrive + Mailchimp

Pipedrive is one of the most sales-oriented CRM tools, and when integrated with Mailchimp, it creates a strong connection between sales and marketing strategy. Instead of running campaigns separately, you can combine the two systems and market smarter by using pipeline progress to trigger email activity.

How the integration works

The native sync lets you export contacts and add them directly to Mailchimp audiences. With tools like Outfunnel or Unito, you can create audience-based workflows that feed campaign engagement back into Pipedrive, so your sales team knows exactly who opened or clicked. Segmentation options and tagging make it easier to enhance targeting without manual updates.

Why teams use it

Salespeople save time because repetitive activities like updating lists or chasing cold leads are automated. Support teams benefit from clear customer interactions tied to campaigns. Managers gain valuable insights into lead progression on the spot.

For sales-driven organizations looking for more leads, this pairing is a straightforward way to manage campaigns and turn potential customers into paying ones.

HubSpot + Mailchimp

HubSpot is a fully fledged CRM marketing software platform, but its Mailchimp connection is often used when companies want to keep Mailchimp as their main email marketing tool.

The two can sync in real time, which means new contacts added through Mailchimp automatically show up in HubSpot, and engagement data (opens, clicks, and bounces) appears inside detailed customer profiles.

How the integration works

HubSpot Data Sync provides a two-way link between systems, including custom field mapping and historical imports. That makes it easier to integrate Mailchimp campaigns into your existing sales process and improve segmentation options.

Why teams use it

Marketing and sales teams can manage their activities more smoothly, using insights from email marketing campaigns to build personalized experiences. Managers get a clearer view of pain points across the customer base, while sales teams can follow up with potential customers who have already shown interest.

While powerful, HubSpot can feel heavy and expensive if Mailchimp remains the central marketing platform. It’s best suited for companies where CRM tools play a pivotal role across departments and advanced automation justifies the cost.

Zoho CRM + Mailchimp

Zoho CRM offers a dedicated marketplace extension to integrate Mailchimp, giving teams the flexibility of two-way synchronization between contacts, campaigns, and subscribers. For companies already using Zoho’s broader ecosystem of apps, this integration fits naturally and helps them market smarter with less effort.

How the integration works

Once connected, new contacts in Mailchimp are synced into Zoho, and updates to customer information is shown in both systems. Email activity from campaigns can be viewed alongside CRM records, offering deeper audience insights.

Why teams use it

For marketing teams, this pairing enhances targeting by allowing segmentation options that pull directly from CRM data. Campaign results can trigger follow-ups or tasks in Zoho. With CRM data feeding back into Mailchimp, companies get more leads and can refine their marketing strategy around actual customer behavior.

Zoho’s strength lies in affordability and breadth, but feature depth scales with paid plans. For SMBs already tied into Zoho’s suite, it’s a cost-effective way to manage campaigns and align your strategy.

Insightly + Mailchimp

Insightly combines CRM tools with project management, and its Mailchimp connection builds a bridge between campaign activity and ongoing client work. However, this integration is only unlocked on paid tiers, which makes it more relevant for growing businesses rather than startups.

How the integration works

Once enabled, Mailchimp accounts can be connected to Insightly to import or export subscriber lists. Scheduled imports keep audience data updated over time. With third-party apps like Outfunnel or Zapier, you can also sync campaign activity back into Insightly projects, creating notes or tasks tied to customer interactions.

Why teams use it

This setup helps teams manage marketing efforts in context, ensuring customer emails and campaign updates are linked to the right projects. Managers save time by automating various activities, while support teams can spot pain points faster with activity records in one place.

The integration isn’t as seamless as with some other CRM platforms, but for companies already using Insightly for sales and project tracking, adding Mailchimp can play a key role in keeping both marketing campaigns and delivery work aligned.

Copper + Mailchimp

Copper is built for Google Workspace users, and its Mailchimp integration reflects that same simplicity and ease of use. With native two-way syncing, teams can update leads in one system and see those changes instantly in the other, creating better control over audience data.

How the integration works

Copper supports automatic contact creation, custom field mapping, and activity logging. That means Mailchimp campaign activity can feed back into Copper, enriching customer information for account managers and sales teams. More advanced workflows are possible with n8n or Zapier, which allow you to streamline mundane activities or create personalized experiences based on segmentation options.

Why teams use it

For small businesses living in Google Workspace, this integration helps them manage campaigns efficiently. The ability to sync new contacts and track engagement ensures potential customers are always visible in the CRM.

Compared to heavier CRM software, Copper offers a user-friendly way to integrate Mailchimp, making it easier to save time and focus on growing the customer base.

Conclusion

Mailchimp has added light CRM features over the years, but it still shines brightest as an email marketing platform. The real advantage comes when you connect it with a dedicated CRM solution.

That’s when audience data turns into a full picture of customer interactions, campaigns fuel the sales process, and repetitive marketing tasks can be automated instead of patched together.

The ‘best’ integration depends on your setup. But for most small and mid-sized businesses, Capsule strikes the right balance. Pairing Capsule with Mailchimp simply creates a smoother path from first email to repeat business.

Small businesses often feel that AI is only for the “big players” with huge budgets and tech teams. The truth is, you don’t need either. AI can save you hours every week, and a lot of tools are free or cost less than your daily coffee. AI can feel overwhelming, and something you don’t have time to figure out. But it doesn’t need to be that way!

This guide is built with you in mind: practical, bite-sized ideas you can try today. Forget about complicated setups or expensive software. All you need to get started is a bit of curiosity and the willingness to test one idea at a time.

Before you start: AI basics, copyright & safe use

Before diving into AI tools, it’s worth clearing up a few common concerns:

Copyright and usage

Most AI platforms let you use the text, images, audio, or video they generate for commercial purposes. That means you can put them on your website or on social media without breaking the rules. Still, every tool has its own terms, so take two minutes to check the policy before you publish something important.

Trademarks and brands

What you shouldn’t do is ask AI to create content using other companies’ protected names or logos. Generating a “Nike-style swoosh” or writing copy pretending to be another brand could land you in legal trouble. Stick to your own brand voice and visuals.

Privacy and data

Free tools are great, but be extremely careful what information you put into them. Never paste customer emails, passwords, payment details, or sensitive business data into an AI box. Treat AI like a public space: safe for ideas, not for private records.

The human touch

Finally, remember that AI is a helper, not a replacement. The best results come when you edit, polish, and add your personal voice on top. That way, the content is both safe and truly yours.

Best AI use cases for small businesses

Draft emails faster

Emails are a daily chore for small business owners: from following up on leads to answering customer questions. Capsule CRM’s AI Content Assistant takes the pain out of writing by generating polished drafts or quick replies in seconds.

Simply open a contact record, click the AI assistant, and type in what you need; for example: “Follow up after yesterday’s meeting in a friendly, professional tone.” The assistant produces a ready-to-use draft that you can edit before sending. No more staring at a blank screen – keep conversations moving while staying personal.

Want to try it out?

Explore Capsule CRM’s AI Content Assistant and see how much time you save.

Get blog topics from customer questions

Instead of guessing what to write about, use your customers’ own words. FAQs and reviews are a goldmine for blog content.

Below, you’ll find a simple way to turn them into ready-to-go topics with AI-powered tools.

• Step 1: Collect questions. Grab the most common ones from your FAQ page, support inbox, or even external reviews. Example: “How do I improve email open rates?”
• Step 2: Clean them up. Remove any sensitive data like names or order numbers.
• Step 3: Ask AI for topics. Paste the list into ChatGPT or Claude and prompt: “Suggest 10 blog content ideas that answer these questions for [your target audience].”
• Step 4: Add SEO focus. Follow up with: “For each topic, give me one primary keyword and a meta title for search engine optimization.”
• Step 5: Pick and plan. Choose 3–5 topics and repurpose them into social media posts, email marketing campaigns, or even short videos.

Say you run a digital marketing agency and clients often ask, “How to get more foot traffic to my shop in Manhattan?”. Now, use our prompt: “Suggest 10 blog content ideas that answer this question: [question] for our audience: [audience].”

Your AI tool could generate topics like “From Clicks to Bricks: Turning Online Engagement into In-Store Visits” or “Creating an Unforgettable In-Store Experience: How to Keep Customers Coming Back” – along with some guidelines and outlines to follow.

Those posts can then feed your blog, your next LinkedIn article, and your email newsletter: all from just one customer question. This way, you save time and create content that solves real problems for your audience.

Generate ad copy variations

Writing one version of an ad is easy. Knowing which headline or CTA will actually convert is tougher, though. With Gemini, ChatGPT, or Claude, you can instantly generate dozens of ad variations to test across multiple channels. Just paste in your product description and prompt:

“Write 10 Facebook ad headlines and 5 CTA lines for consultants selling online workshops. Keep them under 8 words and use a confident tone.”

For more specialized output, platforms like AdCreative.ai go further. They generate headlines, CTAs, and even visuals while ranking which versions are most likely to perform best:

Create branded visuals quickly

Strong visuals make your business look more professional, but design work can drain time and budget. Tools like Canva now come with AI-powered solutions that make it easy for startups and medium-sized businesses to create branded graphics in minutes.

With built-in artificial intelligence and machine learning, Canva handles repetitive tasks like background removal, resizing for different platforms, and even text-to-image generation. That means you can design once and instantly adapt your graphics to any channel of your choice, so your graphics stay consistent while you track campaign performance.

For example, if you:

• Need to launch in new markets? Translate text and keep the design intact.
• Run influencer marketing campaigns? Quickly spin out co-branded assets.
• Prepare an email marketing campaign? Auto-generate header graphics that match your brand style.
• Host a virtual event or webinar? Create promo visuals, slides, and recap posts in minutes.

It’s a simple way to cut costs and stay competitive.

Create music backgrounds

Adding sound to your marketing can set you apart: whether it’s background music for a promo video, a podcast intro, or a jingle for social media clips. With Suno, you don’t need instruments or a studio.

Just type a prompt like “upbeat house track for a consulting webinar intro” or “calm background music for explainer video”, and the platform generates a custom track instantly.

On the free version, you get 10 songs per day: and that’s more than enough for small projects. You can also edit and remix. Upload your own audio, rewrite lyrics, reorder sections, and shape the sound to fit your brand. If you upgrade, you unlock up to 500 custom songs a month with full commercial rights, plus advanced options like splitting tracks into vocal and instrumental stems that work seamlessly in any editing software.

For example, if you’re launching a video course, you can generate a calm, professional theme track, use it as an intro across all modules and even repurpose it for LinkedIn promo reels.

💡 Tip: Use one recurring theme song across videos, podcasts, and ads to create a “sound identity” for your brand, just like big companies do.

Add voiceovers to product videos

When you want to add narration to a product demo or explainer, AI voice tools let you skip the microphone and still sound polished. ElevenLabs offers remarkably natural-sounding voiceovers with a free tier that includes 10,000 characters (about 10 minutes) of text-to-speech per month – though it’s limited to non-commercial use.

If your business content needs a license, the Starter plan at $5/month lets you use voiceovers commercially and gives you 30,000 characters (around 30 minutes).

For an alternative that’s just as beginner-friendly, Listen2It is another solid choice. It offers a free tier with 300-word credits and access to 900+ voices in 145+ languages. The Starter plan starts at $19/month and includes unlimited use plus commercial rights: a good fit if you’re producing videos more regularly.

Let’s say you need to create a short product walkthrough video but don’t feel confident recording the narration yourself. Now, you can simply paste in your 200-word script, choose from a range of professional voices, and download the audio. In just a few minutes, you’ll have a polished voiceover that makes your video feel more credible, without the expense of hiring a voice actor.

Answer FAQs with an AI chatbot

Handling customer questions manually can slow your business processes. That’s where AI-powered solutions like Lyro AI assistant can step in. As a cloud-based service, it merges live chat with automated responses to answer common questions 24/7.

You drop in your FAQ content, and the AI algorithms handle initial replies while you oversee more complex conversations. It’s a smart blend of automating tasks and human intelligence that improves customer interactions.

Free Forever plan includes up to 50 AI-powered chatbot conversations and basic integrations – enough for a lean startup testing the waters. Once you’re ready to grow, the Starter tier at about $29/month adds more conversations.

Do fast competitor sweeps

Keeping tabs on competitors is essential, yet scrolling through endless websites and social feeds takes time. Do you know that tools like Perplexity AI with browsing can give you a quick overview of your competitors’ messaging and recent content in just a few minutes?

They scan online sources, summarize recurring themes, and highlight how competitors are positioning themselves, so you don’t start from scratch.

This, naturally, isn’t a replacement for proper research or strategic analysis. AI won’t show you everything (like ad spend, performance data, or real customer sentiment), and it can miss important details. It’s more of a first pass: you get an overview quickly, and then decide where deeper human research is needed.

A consultant exploring a new niche might ask Perplexity, “What topics is [Competitor X] publishing about this quarter?” Within minutes, they get a snapshot of recent blog headlines, social angles, or press mentions. Armed with that, they can hand off to a researcher or strategist for detailed data analysis and informed decision-making.

💡 Tip: Always use competitor sweeps as a springboard, not a finished product. AI can speed up the grunt work, but human intelligence is still critical for strategy.

Create certificates with AI

If you run online courses, host webinars, or want to recognize employee milestones, you don’t have to waste hours in Canva or Word templates. With AI tools like Certifier’s AI Certificate Generator, you can turn a short text prompt into a professional, print-ready PDF in seconds.

Just type what you need:

“Create a certificate of completion for Julius Powers, who actively engaged in Youth Business Bootcamp during June 14–19, 2025.”

Within seconds, you’ll see multiple polished certificate designs with pre-written text. Pick the one you like, tweak the wording, add your logo or brand colors, and hit download.

Imagine running a training program for 50 participants. Instead of creating certificates one by one, you save your design as a template in Certifier, upload a CSV of names, and bulk-issue all 50 certificates at once. Each participant gets a personalized, professional document — and you save hours of manual work.

Repurpose videos into social posts

If you run webinars, record client calls, or share tutorials, you don’t need to stop at uploading the replay. With AI tools like Descript, a single long video can be chopped into dozens of short clips with captions ready to post across multiple channels.

But even without video-editing software, you can use ChatGPT for quick content repurposing. Upload your transcript, then try a prompt like:

“From this transcript: [transcript] create 5 LinkedIn posts, 5 tweets, and 3 Instagram captions in a professional but approachable tone for small business owners.”

Suddenly, one 45-minute webinar turns into weeks of content marketing fuel.

Imagine you’re a consultant who hosts a webinar on “AI solutions for client onboarding.” Instead of promoting only the replay, you break it into a reel on “3 onboarding mistakes,” a LinkedIn post on “AI workflows that save significant time,” and an email teaser linking back to the full session. One piece of content now drives visibility across video, social, and email.

💡 Tip: When prompting, experiment with tone of voice. Ask GPT to rewrite your captions as confident, conversational, or even tongue-in-cheek to match your brand personality.

Plan your marketing week with AI assistance

Marketing tasks often get deprioritized when client work piles up. That’s where AI-powered scheduling tools like Reclaim.ai can help you make the most of your working day.

What Reclaim.ai offers:

• It’s an AI calendar assistant that analyzes your existing Google or Outlook calendar and auto-schedules tasks, focus time, breaks, and habits around your commitments.
• The free “Lite” plan includes features like auto-blocking for focus time, tasks, smart meetings, and buffer time.
• If something urgent arises, Reclaim’s AI reschedules lower-priority blocks automatically, helping you stay flexible and productive.

Let’s say you’re a consultant with scattered marketing tasks like writing social posts or reviewing campaign performance. You tell Reclaim: “Block two hours every Wednesday afternoon for content creation.” It finds that window, protects it on your calendar, and adjusts on the fly if client meetings pop up. This way, your marketing gets the attention it deserves—without the manual juggling.

💡 Alternative without extra tools:

If you don’t want to add another app, you can still use ChatGPT as a lightweight planner. Paste a text version or screenshot of your weekly calendar and ask something like:

“Suggest 3 time slots for deep work and marketing tasks this week, avoiding meetings and deadlines. Base it on how intense each day looks and my expected energy levels.”

ChatGPT will scan your schedule, weigh busy vs. lighter days, and highlight gaps you might miss. You can then manually block those windows in Google Calendar. It’s not as automated as a dedicated scheduling app, but it’s a practical way to work smarter.

Conclusion

AI doesn’t have to be complicated to be useful. You don’t need to go into context engineering or use expensive tools. For small businesses, it’s about picking the right moments to implement AI. The benefits go beyond saving hours. AI can help you improve customer service, uncover fresh customer insights, and even spot trends through simple sentiment analysis or predictive analytics.

Of course, every new technology comes with concerns. You have to use AI technology with care: respect privacy, apply ethical use standards, and remember that human intervention is always needed for nuance and creativity.

With so many accessible tools now integrated into everyday computer systems and apps, you can start small, test what works, and gradually build AI into your workflows. Done right, you’ll unlock many benefits and truly work smarter in your marketing.

Good luck!

Frequently Asked Questions

What AI tools can small businesses use to improve email marketing and search engine optimization?

How do artificial intelligence and machine learning support content optimization in small business marketing?

What are some affordable AI-powered solutions to implement AI in everyday marketing tasks?

Can AI solutions help with influencer marketing and automating tasks for small teams?

What ethical use guidelines should businesses follow when adopting AI tools for marketing?

Xero makes small business accounting less of a headache. Invoices, expenses, payroll, taxes… It’s all there. But while Xero tells you who owes what and when, it doesn’t explain the bigger picture.

You need to know how your customers are doing, what your sales team is working on, or where new opportunities lie.

That’s where a CRM comes in. By linking Xero with a CRM, you give sales and finance a shared view of every customer with no more “your system says one thing, mine says another.”

In this guide, we’ll look at the best CRMs that connect with Xero.

Why pair Xero with a CRM?

Keep customer data consistent

Xero handles accounting data, while a CRM system manages contact details and customer interactions. Without a connection, those records drift apart. Someone updates an address in Xero but not in the CRM, or sales changes a phone number while finance never receives the update. A proper Xero CRM integration keeps both sides aligned.

Unlock opportunities from customer insights

Bringing accounting data into CRM records helps reveal trends you’d otherwise miss. You can see which customers pay reliably, who need frequent reminders, and which segments respond best to marketing campaigns. Those insights guide sales efforts toward the right opportunities instead of guesswork.

Add context to financial data

An invoice shows what was billed and when it’s due, but it doesn’t explain the relationship behind it. Was the client promised a discount? Are they waiting on a proposal? With CRM software linked to Xero, that context is visible. Sales teams can see overdue payments before calling, while finance understands the deals driving upcoming revenue.

Create smoother collaboration

When finance and sales operate in isolation, errors creep in. A connected CRM solution puts sales pipeline management next to invoice history so both teams know what’s happening. Automation also reduces human mistakes.

Tipalti, a major Xero integrator, reports that businesses using Xero integrations see a 66% reduction in errors (including invoicing errors) thanks to improved workflows.

That kind of efficiency can’t be matched with manual processes.

Improve the customer experience

Clients don’t care which software solution you’re using, but they do notice when messages clash or invoices get handled twice. With a seamless integration between Xero and your CRM, customer communication feels coordinated. Customers aren’t asked to repeat details, overdue payments are handled tactfully, and the overall experience feels way more professional.

Best CRM software for Xero

Capsule CRM + Xero: best Xero CRM integration

Capsule is a CRM platform designed for small and growing businesses. It helps teams stay on top of client communication without overwhelming them with complexity. The system is customer-focused rather than deal-focused, which makes it easy to build long-term relationships while keeping sales pipelines moving.

How the Xero integration works

When you connect Capsule with your Xero account, you bring financial data and customer interactions into one place. The integration is straightforward to set up from the Capsule settings. Once connected, Capsule becomes the source of truth for customer records.

Capsule’s automated workflows push contact updates and invoice data from Xero, which reduces the risk of duplication or errors.

The integration also imports invoice history from Xero into each customer record in Capsule. You can view payment due dates, see if invoices are paid, and identify overdue accounts – all within the CRM. When new contacts are created in Capsule, they can be exported to Xero at the point of invoicing for a smooth workflow from lead to payment.

Benefits for teams

• Sales teams have enhanced financial visibility before they reach out to a customer. Seeing overdue payments alongside recent emails or opportunities helps them plan the right approach.
• Finance teams save time by avoiding duplicate entry. Contact details entered in Capsule flow straight into Xero, cutting down on admin work.
• Managers see both customer relationships and accounting data in one place, giving them a clearer picture of business operations to improve customer satisfaction.

Real-world feedback

Capsule’s approach resonates with Xero users.

One review summed it up as “a great CRM tool that integrates with Xero seamlessly,” highlighting its value for accountants and bookkeepers.

Another reviewer noted that after moving from another CRM, “the Xero integration works seamlessly and we have true two-way availability of our financial information in the CRM.”

Other users praise its simplicity, noting it’s easy to use and quick to integrate with Xero: “really easy to use and master at your own pace… if you want it to shoot straight over to Xero it’s simple to integrate.”

Why it stands out for Xero users

Capsule’s Xero integration is available on all paid plans and doesn’t require third-party tools to work.

It combines contact management and invoice history in a single view, making it a practical choice for businesses that want accuracy and efficiency without complexity.

Discover the best Xero CRM integration with Capsule CRM today.

Pipedrive + Xero

Pipedrive is a sales CRM designed around pipeline management. Through the Xero App Marketplace, businesses can convert deals directly into invoices, giving sales teams a straightforward way to link their sales processes with accounting software. This built-in Xero integration is useful for keeping revenue data connected to ongoing opportunities, but it only covers basic functionality.

For companies that want more advanced workflows, Pipedrive relies on third-party tools such as SyncQ or Unito. These add-ons expand the integration process to include invoice visibility, payment updates, and customer information synced between systems. Zapier is also often used to automate tasks like creating invoices in Xero when a deal is marked as won.

While this flexibility is valuable, it means businesses need to choose between multiple connectors and manage the additional setup. For some, this adds administrative tasks that reduce the efficiency gains of automation.

Still, once the data is in place, Pipedrive offers a lot for companies that want a deal-focused CRM but are comfortable layering on other business tools to handle accounting processes.

HubSpot CRM

HubSpot CRM integrates with Xero through both official and partner-built apps. The native integration allows for one-way contact connection from Xero to HubSpot and, in selected regions such as the UK and Australia, invoice creation from within the CRM. Sales teams can see customer data alongside marketing efforts, and automated workflows can be triggered based on invoice status.

Third-party connectors like Cloudify or InvoiceStack extend the integration process further, bringing more accounting data into HubSpot and supporting detailed reports. These additions can align customer relationship management with financial transactions, giving teams better insight into customer communication and sales opportunities.

HubSpot is often chosen for its automation features and advanced analytics, but it is more complex than lighter CRMs. The setup requires decisions about field mapping and conflict resolution, which adds configuration work during implementation.

As a result, HubSpot suits larger teams that already use its platform for marketing campaigns. For small businesses, the administrative tasks and costs may outweigh the benefits.

Zoho CRM

Zoho CRM offers a Xero integration through its marketplace extension. The extension brings contacts, invoices, products, and accounts into the CRM, helping users store contact data and manage invoices without switching systems. For companies on Zoho’s enterprise or ultimate plans, the integration expands to full bidirectional sync, which includes suppliers and purchase orders.

Zoho’s integration works well for organizations that want to bring accounting processes and customer relationship management into one ecosystem. It supports automated workflows and can reduce manual data entry, which improves data accuracy across sales and finance teams. Additional integration tools, such as Skyvia, allow for data transformation and advanced analytics, making Zoho flexible for complex operations.

That flexibility can also be a drawback. The range of features and integrations may be overwhelming for smaller teams that want a straightforward software solution.

The integration tab in Zoho requires more configuration than simpler CRMs, and businesses need to manage user access carefully when dealing with accounting data. Zoho remains a strong option for companies already committed to its suite of business tools and looking for operational efficiency across departments.

Insightly

Insightly provides a built-in connector with Xero that adds an integration tab to contacts, organizations, projects, and opportunities. Through this, users can view invoice history and create draft invoices without leaving the CRM. Contacts created in Insightly can also be added to Xero directly.

However, the connector does not provide continuous synchronization. Most actions are manual or one-off, so teams looking for automated workflows will need to use third-party services such as Zapier or HexaSync. This limits the ability to automate tasks and means administrative oversight is still required.

For project-based businesses, Insightly’s setup can be useful. Sales opportunities, project milestones, and financial transactions are visible within the same system, giving managers improved customer management and better alignment between work delivered and invoices issued. Still, the integration process is lighter than some competitors, making it best suited for businesses that want basic invoice overview without deep accounting integration.

Copper

Copper CRM, designed for Google Workspace users, includes a native integration with Xero that displays invoice details on customer records. Sales and account managers can see invoice status, issuer, due date, and totals while reviewing contact data.

The native integration is display-only. Users cannot create or edit invoices from within Copper, and there is no built-in two-way sync. To automate tasks such as creating invoices or consolidating customer information, companies typically use Zapier, Appy Pie, or other workflow automation tools.

For teams that already rely on Google Sheets or want a CRM that aligns with it, it brings invoice visibility. It improves customer engagement by bringing accounting data closer to the sales process, but the limited functionality means finance teams will still need to manage invoices directly in Xero. Copper works well for smaller teams that value simplicity.

Agile CRM

Agile CRM integrates with Xero through the Xero App Marketplace and third-party connectors. The integration helps synchronize contact details and invoice history with the CRM. Users can manage invoices, track payment status, and align accounting processes with sales automation features.

The platform includes tools for marketing campaigns, customer communication, and storing contact data, which makes it a broader solution than some other CRMs. Automated workflows can be set up to give teams improved operational efficiency.

Agile CRM is best suited for businesses that want to integrate Xero alongside other business tools, particularly when marketing and sales processes are closely linked. Its breadth of features can be appealing, but the integration process requires configuration, and not all functions are built in.

This may add to administrative tasks, while larger businesses may value the ability to combine customer relationship management with accounting data and advanced analytics.

Final thoughts: Which CRM is best for Xero?

Plenty of CRMs integrate with Xero accounting software, but they’re not all built with the same audience in mind.

• Pipedrive works for sales-heavy teams that just want to push deals into invoices, but advanced syncing depends on third-party apps.
• HubSpot is powerful if you already live in its ecosystem, though it can feel heavy and expensive for smaller businesses.
• Zoho CRM brings depth and advanced reporting, but its complexity often outweighs the benefits unless you’re an enterprise running business operations.
• Insightly, Copper, and Agile CRM each have their niches (project visibility, invoice display, or broad marketing features) but the integrations are lighter and often need extra tools for improved data accuracy.

Capsule takes a different approach. The integration with Xero is built-in, simple to set up, and available across all paid plans. Contacts sync automatically, invoices are visible inside customer records, and new clients flow from Capsule to Xero without extra admin.

For most small and mid-sized businesses, Capsule is the best balance of simplicity, depth, and affordability. If you’re looking for a tool that integrates sales with accounting, Capsule should be your pick.

Ready to connect your customer relationships with your accounting data?

Try Capsule CRM free with Xero and see how smooth the integration can be.

QuickBooks is a trusted tool for keeping the financial side of a business in order. It shows what’s been billed, what’s overdue, and what’s been paid, making it essential for day-to-day accounting. But customers aren’t defined by invoices alone. They have ongoing conversations with your team, open sales opportunities, and a history that rarely shows up in accounting data.

That’s where CRM software adds real value. When QuickBooks integrates with a CRM, you can start understanding the customer behind the numbers..

In this post, we’ll look at the best CRM options for QuickBooks.

Real benefits of integrating QuickBooks with a CRM

Improved data accuracy

Manual data entry leaves room for mistakes and duplicate records. With a QuickBooks CRM integration, customer information flows automatically between systems. Businesses typically cut manual entry by 25%.

Higher productivity

Switching between platforms slows teams down. Integrating QuickBooks with a CRM eliminates that back-and-forth. Companies that connect the two report an increase in productivity by removing repetitive admin and keeping everything in one place.

Financial visibility for sales teams

It’s easier to close a deal when you know where a customer stands financially. With QuickBooks invoices and payment status displayed inside the CRM, sales reps get context before every call. Instead of walking in blind, they know if an account is overdue or ready for an upsell.

Better customer management

Customers want quick answers. When QuickBooks data and CRM records are linked, support teams see the full picture: recent communication, outstanding invoices, bottlenecks, and upcoming renewals.

Best CRM software for QuickBooks

Capsule CRM + QuickBooks: the seamless choice

Capsule is a simple yet powerful CRM platform designed for small and growing businesses.

With Capsule, customer relationship management and sales pipeline tracking are combined in one user-friendly CRM system.

Set up and sync

Connecting Capsule with QuickBooks Online takes only a few steps.

From Capsule’s integration tab, you enable the QuickBooks connector, log in, and let the initial sync run.

Capsule pulls in customers and, if you choose, vendor data from QuickBooks. From then on, Capsule acts as the “source of truth” for customer information. Updates made in Capsule automatically sync back to QuickBooks, so there’s no risk of double data entry or mismatched records.

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Regular hourly syncs keep everything up to date in both systems.

Features that matter

The Capsule QuickBooks integration gives users financial visibility without leaving the CRM. On each customer record, you’ll see:

• Invoice history with due dates and payment terms.
• Payment status, including which invoices are settled and which are overdue.
• Outstanding balances to help teams prioritize follow-ups.
• Estimates linked to customer accounts.
• Vendor bills, displayed on the relevant record.

All of this information is available both on desktop and the Capsule mobile app, so teams can check invoice details while working remotely or on the go.

Real-world scenarios

• For a consultancy, Capsule makes it easy to review client invoices alongside ongoing opportunities.
• A manager can see which clients are overdue before approving a new project proposal.
• For a service business working with multiple vendors, Capsule surfaces bills from QuickBooks on the vendor’s record, keeping financial processes tied directly to operations.

In both cases, the integration cuts out manual admin and improves accuracy.

What users say

Capsule’s QuickBooks integration doesn’t just look good on paper, but it’s praised by real users across review platforms. On G2, Capsule is rated 4.7/5, with many small business owners calling out the simplicity of setup and the way financial data is surfaced directly inside the CRM:

The feedback on the QuickBooks Marketplace, where Capsule is rated a full 5.0/5, highlights the same strengths. Users describe the integration as “perfect” and “seamless”, noting how it removes the need to switch back and forth between systems, and point to the impact on daily work.

This consistency – strong ratings and enthusiastic reviews across multiple platforms – reinforces Capsule’s position as the most practical and reliable QuickBooks CRM integration for SMBs.

Why Capsule stands out

Plenty of CRM software tools connect with QuickBooks, but Capsule offers the right balance of simplicity and depth for SMBs. The integration is native, available on all plans, and doesn’t require middleware or complex setup.

Pricing is straightforward, with plans starting at $18/user/month, and the platform remains flexible with customizable fields and even more integrations with other business tools.

For businesses already relying on QuickBooks accounting software, Capsule provides a great way to connect financial data with customer management. It helps sales and accounting teams work in sync, and delivers one complete picture of every customer relationship – all in an easy-to-use CRM platform.

HubSpot CRM

HubSpot CRM is one of the more advanced options for businesses that want a comprehensive solution combining sales process management and financial management.

With its bi-directional sync, customer data, products, and invoices flow automatically between systems, keeping transaction data accurate. Business solution specialists often highlight the dedicated invoice dashboard, where teams can manage sales invoices and start tracking communication histories without leaving the CRM.

Through workflow actions, HubSpot lets you create receipts or even automate follow-ups, turning CRM and accounting software into a single engine for business processes. While the platform integrates with QuickBooks, its complexity, higher costs, and focus on enterprise features may feel heavy for SMBs simply looking to improve customer interactions and day-to-day business performance.

Zoho CRM

Not every business needs a lightweight CRM with QuickBooks integration. Some need the opposite. Zoho CRM is built for larger teams that want a feature-rich platform for customer data management.

Through its marketplace extension, Zoho offers full bi-directional sync of contacts, invoices, and products with QuickBooks, along with advanced options like multi-currency support or regional tax mapping.

Automation is another strength. With Zoho Flow, Tray.io, or Zapier, companies can set up automatic data sync, connect QuickBooks transaction data, and even link customer portals or project management workflows. This makes it a strong fit for enterprises where business operations are complex and customer support teams need deep visibility.

For smaller businesses, however, the learning curve and scale may feel like overkill compared to simpler QuickBooks CRM software options.

Copper CRM

What if your team doesn’t need to create invoices inside the CRM, but simply wants visibility into customer financials? Copper CRM offers exactly that.

Designed with Google Workspace users in mind, it integrates with QuickBooks to display invoices and estimates directly in customer records. The information appears in the “Related” section, giving sales teams quick access to payment status and outstanding balances.

While Copper doesn’t allow invoice creation or editing, businesses can extend functionality through Zapier, Make, or other automation tools. You can still connect QuickBooks transaction data to workflows or update contact management automatically.

For teams already working heavily in Gmail and Google Workspace, Copper provides a clean, user-friendly way to pair QuickBooks CRM software with day-to-day operations. However, it’s lighter on features compared to various CRM platforms built for more complex business processes.

Pipedrive

75% of sales reps say they waste time on admin instead of selling, and Pipedrive aims to change that. With its native QuickBooks Online integration, sales teams can create invoices straight from deals and see invoice status without leaving the pipeline CRM.

It’s a practical option for businesses that want to link their sales process directly with accounting and improve customer satisfaction through faster follow-ups.

For automation, Pipedrive connects with Skyvia or Make, enabling workflows like turning won deals into QuickBooks invoices or scheduling reminders to accept payments.

While the integration with QuickBooks helps streamline business processes, product sync remains one-way: updates in QuickBooks won’t automatically reflect in Pipedrive.

Insightly

Insightly approaches QuickBooks integration with a focus on visibility rather than automation. Within each customer record, a dedicated QuickBooks tab displays financial summaries, including contact details and linked invoices.

From inside the CRM, teams can also create QuickBooks customers directly, reducing the need to retype information across systems.

The limitation is that the connection doesn’t provide continuous sync. Updates must be managed manually, and sales receipts aren’t displayed within Insightly. For businesses that want deeper automation, third-party tools like AppConnect or Zapier can extend functionality, enabling automatic data sync.

As a CRM integration with QuickBooks, Insightly works best for project-based businesses where customer data and financial summaries need to be viewed together. It’s not as seamless as some QuickBooks CRM software options, but it gives managers enough visibility to align project milestones with financial processes.

Agile CRM

Agile CRM positions itself as an all-in-one platform, and its integration with QuickBooks reflects that approach. The system combines contact data and invoice history, giving sales and accounting teams a shared view of customer information.

Agile CRM goes beyond simple visibility by offering sales automation features alongside QuickBooks data. Automated workflows can trigger actions such as reminders, invoice updates, or follow-ups.

However, setup isn’t always straightforward. The integration requires configuration, and some functions may demand third-party tools to get the most value.

For companies that want to connect marketing campaigns with accounting data, Agile CRM offers a flexible option, though it’s more complex than lighter QuickBooks CRM software choices.

Checklist: What is the best QuickBooks CRM software for you?

Choosing the right QuickBooks CRM software depends on your business size, goals, and how much complexity you’re willing to manage. Here’s how the main options compare:

• Capsule CRM → The best balance of affordability and reliability. Capsule integrates with QuickBooks seamlessly, syncing customer data, invoices, and vendor information. It gives sales and accounting teams one shared record without the overhead of enterprise tools. For most SMBs, Capsule is the natural choice!
• HubSpot CRM → Strong for larger teams that want automation and marketing alignment. It integrates deeply with QuickBooks, but its higher costs and complexity make it better suited to companies with established business processes.
• Zoho CRM → Packed with features like multi-currency and full bi-directional sync. Its scale makes it a fit for enterprises, but it can overwhelm smaller businesses.
• Pipedrive → Useful for sales-driven teams that want pipeline CRM tools with QuickBooks invoice creation. Product sync is one-way, though, so it’s more fragmented than some alternatives.
• Copper, Insightly, and Agile CRM → Each serves niche cases. Copper is ideal for Google Workspace users, Insightly works for project-based businesses, and Agile CRM links marketing with financial data. Their QuickBooks integrations are lighter and less seamless overall.

For most QuickBooks users, Capsule stands out for its simplicity and effectiveness. It connects financial data with customer interactions in a way that genuinely improves business performance.

👉 Try Capsule CRM free with QuickBooks and see how easy it is to integrate.

Conclusion

QuickBooks focuses on financial management, and for many businesses, it’s the backbone of accounting. On its own, it handles payments and reporting with ease. But where it really flourishes is when paired with the right integrations.

A CRM adds the customer lens that QuickBooks Desktop or Online doesn’t cover, helping teams manage relationships at all times.

Combine strong accounting software with customer insight to create a system that supports growth end to end.

👉 Start with Capsule CRM today

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

What CRM works with QuickBooks?

What is CRM in QuickBooks?

Does Intuit offer a CRM?

Is QuickBooks ERP or CRM?

Consultants often have to deal with multiple moving parts at once: dozens of client conversations, overlapping projects, tens of calls, and endless task lists.

When you’re managing five, ten, or fifty clients at once, sticky notes won’t cut it, and scaling becomes impossible without the right systems. That’s why the smartest consulting firms lean on software and automation to keep everything on track.

Before we discover the best consulting tools for 2025, let’s look at why choosing the right stack is often more complicated than it seems.

Why choosing consulting software is such a challenge

Consulting firms aren’t like traditional businesses selling products off the shelf. Their value lies in expertise, flexibility, agility, and close client collaboration. That means that no two projects look the same. Every engagement is different, every client has their own preferences, and consultants often run several projects at once.

That uniqueness makes picking the right software trickier than it first appears.

With so many tools claiming to “do it all,” the real challenge is finding solutions that actually fit your workflows and scale with you. Below are some of the main hurdles consulting firms run into when evaluating software, along with practical ways to overcome them.

Highly personalized workflows

Every client expects a tailored approach, but most tools are built with rigid processes in mind. Getting them to fit often means heavy customization or clunky workarounds. The fix? Prioritize platforms that let you adapt and trial them to see if they actually bend to your needs.

Balancing cost and long-term value

Consulting is cyclical. Subscriptions that feel fine in busy months can sting during lean ones. And tools that look affordable early on may become limiting as you grow. Capterra reports 60% of businesses regret a software purchase within 12–18 months.

The sweet spot is software that scales: flexible pricing when you need to cut back, and advanced features you can unlock later without migrating your entire toolkit. Always weigh costs against the billable hours or new revenue a tool helps you generate.

Too many choices, too much overlap

With so many platforms offering near-identical features, evaluating tools can quickly turn into decision fatigue. A project management app might include time tracking, but you already use a dedicated tracker – so which stays? Slack’s research shows 68% of workers spend over 30 minutes a day switching between apps, and more than half say it directly gets in the way of essential work.

To avoid this, audit your stack and define non-negotiables. A smaller, connected toolkit beats a bloated one that fragments your work.

The most important consulting business software you need in 2025

Running a consultancy means switching between clients, projects, tasks, deadlines, and finances; often all at once. Without the right tools, it can quickly spiral out of control. Below, you’ll find the best tools for consultants for 2025 – and beyond.

Capsule CRM: the foundation of your consulting business

Consulting is a relationship-driven business. Every meeting, proposal, project, or deal done depends on how well you track conversations and follow up at the right time. A CRM gives you that visibility, and for consultants, it should be simple, flexible, and built to scale.

👉 Capsule CRM has been trusted by over 40,000 users since 2009, and it’s consistently rated 4.7 on G2. Consultants choose it because it’s powerful enough to run complex workflows, yet lightweight enough to adopt without weeks of setup.

Key features consultants love:

• Centralized client information. Every contact, file, email, and note in one timeline. If you’re a solo consultant, this keeps things tidy, but in a team, you instantly see its power. Everyone stays aligned without asking “Who last spoke to this client?”
• Sales pipeline dashboard. Visibility is everything in consulting sales, and consulting sales are everything to your revenue. Capsule’s drag-and-drop pipeline shows you exactly where each opportunity stands and which needs follow-up before it slips away.
• Project boards. Once a client signs, the work begins. Capsule’s project boards help you deliver without jumping to another platform. Tasks and deadlines live in one place, so you don’t need a separate project management tool just to keep client work moving.

• Task & calendar management. Consulting means constant conversations. Capsule lets you schedule meetings, set reminders, and track progress in one view. You’ll never miss a call or let a message go unanswered, and that consistency is what builds trust with clients.
• Custom fields & tags. No two consulting practices look the same. Capsule lets you tailor fields and tags to fit your niche. Running an online consultancy? Track virtual session notes and digital deliverables. Working out of a brick-and-mortar office? Use tags for walk-in clients or in-person meetings.
• Reporting & analytics. Consultants live and die on measurable results. Capsule helps you keep track of hard metrics: conversion rates, project progress, and even team activity. Instead of guessing where your business is heading, you can see how to adjust for better outcomes.

• Integrations that matter. Capsule connects natively with over 70 popular tools (from QuickBooks to Slack to Xero). Through Zapier, it links to 2,000+ more apps. That means you don’t have to rebuild your stack: you plug Capsule into what you already use and keep your consultancy up and running.
• Workflow automation. Every consultancy has its “rinse and repeat” moments. Capsule turns those into background processes that run without you nudging them along. Instead of babysitting admin, you spend your time advising clients while Capsule quietly keeps the wheels turning.

• Mobile CRM. Consulting rarely fits a 9–5 schedule. Capsule’s mobile app gives you the freedom to manage relationships and deadlines wherever you are.

Great consulting looks effortless, but behind the scenes, it’s a web of repeatable steps. Instead of testing and using disconnected tools, Capsule becomes the system of record where all client work flows… together.

Try Capsule free for 14 days and see how it can simplify your consultancy.

Other tools you may need in your consulting business

Wondering: “If a CRM like Capsule covers so much, why even mention other tools?”?

Fair enough.

Here’s the answer: some consultancies need advanced, niche features beyond what any all-in-one can realistically provide. That’s why we’re highlighting a few other categories worth considering.

The good news is that you don’t have to leave Capsule behind. Every tool we’ll mention integrates seamlessly with Capsule, so even if you expand your stack, you’re still working in one connected environment.

Asana: for project management

Capsule CRM already includes project boards. In many consultancies, that’s more than enough to deliver client work without adding another tool. You can set up tasks and hand-offs directly inside Capsule, keeping everything connected to your client records.

Asana, on the other hand, was built as a standalone project management platform. It’s simple and beginner-friendly, but it lacks CRM functionality and context about your clients (we covered this in detail in our Asana vs. Monday CRM comparison).

That said, if your consultancy runs highly complex projects and you want Asana’s interface for managing them, you don’t have to choose one over the other. Capsule integrates with Asana through Zapier, so updates flow between the two.

For example, you can:

• Create Asana projects when new opportunities are added in Capsule.
• Add Asana tasks when new Capsule contacts are created.
• Sync tasks between Capsule and Asana to keep both tools aligned.

With this setup, you get the best of both worlds: Capsule as your client hub, and Asana as your advanced project board.

Xero: for invoicing

If you’re running a boutique consultancy with one or two clients, you might not feel the need for accounting software right away. But it’s only a matter of time before invoicing and chasing payments becomes a time-sink. As soon as you add a few more projects to your plate, you’ll want those processes streamlined.

Xero is built for invoicing and accounting, but it can’t work in a vacuum. It needs accurate client data to function properly. That’s where the Capsule + Xero integration comes in. Together, they give you a complete view of your consultancy: from capturing the first lead to closing the project and getting paid.

You can:

• Create clients in Capsule and sync them instantly to Xero with no double data entry.
• See invoices, due dates, and overdue amounts directly on your Capsule contact records.
• Prioritize your workload with payment info right next to your client conversations.
• keep customer and supplier data automatically updated in both systems.

This way, you can work from Capsule as your source of truth while Xero handles the financial side. The integration gives you a clear picture of your client relationships and cash flow in one place.

Clockify: for time tracking

Time is money – literally, in consulting. Yet many consultancies start billing for it too late, often because they don’t have the right system in place. Without accurate logs, projects are underbilled, and profitability quietly erodes.

Clockify solves this with a simple, free-to-use platform that’s surprisingly powerful even on its basic plan. For consultants just getting serious about time tracking, it’s an easy entry point. When paired with Capsule, it becomes even more valuable.

You can:

• create clients and projects in Clockify directly from Capsule records,
• log time entries linked to Capsule contacts or projects,
• see how much time each client or project is really consuming,

Those are just a few examples. As the list below shows, there are many ready-made workflows to choose from, plus the option to create your own with Zapier:

The result: your consultancy captures billable hours accurately, ties them back to client records, and finally knows how time translates into revenue.

Slack: for internal communication

Many consulting teams already use Slack as their virtual office – a place for quick updates, questions, and file sharing. By connecting Slack with Capsule, you can bring client updates directly into those conversations, so your team is always on track.

You can:

• Get instant Slack notifications when an Opportunity progresses in Capsule.
• Celebrate wins together as deals move through the pipeline.
• trigger alerts for new leads, project milestones, or other Capsule activities.
• Choose whether updates go to specific Slack channels or individual team members.

Your team gets instant context in Slack, while Capsule quietly logs the full record.

Calendly: for scheduling meetings

Few things waste more time in consulting than endless email threads trying to lock in a meeting slot. Calendly eliminates that friction by letting clients book directly into your calendar.

When connected to Capsule, it goes a step further: every new booking automatically creates an Opportunity in your Sales Pipeline. That means you’re not just filling your calendar but also your pipeline.

The benefits are multiple:

• Leads book calls instantly, no back-and-forth required.
• New Opportunities are created in Capsule as soon as a meeting is scheduled.
• You save hours of manual data entry and keep your focus on winning business.

With Capsule and Calendly working together, scheduling becomes a natural way to feed and grow your consultancy pipeline.

Dropbox: for file sharing

For many consultancies – especially those working online – the volume of documents is overwhelming. Client deliverables, contracts, research, proposals, internal notes, partner agreements… the flow never stops. Managing it all by email is a surefire way to lose track and waste time.

Dropbox helps you organize and secure those files, and when connected with Capsule, it keeps everything tied to the right client. That way, documents are not only stored but contextualized as well. You can:

• Create shared Dropbox links automatically for new Opportunities in Capsule.
• Generate client or project folders in Dropbox as soon as new records are added to Capsule.
• Save text files, resumes, or notes in Dropbox and sync them back to Capsule contacts.
• Keep all client-related documents visible from Capsule, without searching across drives.

The integration options are broad: from prebuilt workflows to custom Zaps, you can shape how Dropbox and Capsule work together:

Better Proposals: for creating proposals

Consultants often lose deals not because of bad proposals, but because proposals get lost in the noise. Every new engagement starts with a proposal, and existing work often requires updates or extensions. Yet too often, these crucial documents get lost in email threads.

Better Proposals helps you create sharp, consistent, cloud-based documents with built-in templates and e-signature support. You’ll see exactly when a client opens your proposal and how they interact with it, so you can act at the right moment instead of chasing in the dark.

And with the Capsule integration, it gets even better. You can:

• Pull client details directly from Capsule into your proposal without copy-paste.
• Sync proposals with Capsule Opportunities so Capsule automatically shows preview links, open status, and signatures.
• Keep client history complete with conversations, opportunities, and proposals all connected in one place.

That means a higher chance of winning work.

Quick tip: If Better Proposals feels like overkill for your setup, you can also connect Capsule to Google Slides to generate branded proposal decks directly from your Opportunities:

Over to you

In consulting, every tool should orbit around one core: your client relationships.

Capsule gives you a single place to anchor client work, while integrations let you expand in any direction you need, without losing control. The smartest consultants don’t chase tools. They build around one system that scales with them.

Start simple, learn as you go, grow confidently, and keep your entire consulting universe connected at the same time.

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If you’re in B2B sales, chances are you’re already using LinkedIn as a sales tool. It’s a pretty unique social platform, with plenty of thought-leadership, hot takes, and humblebrag posts (usually accompanied by a totally unrelated selfie). However, it’s also the perfect place to connect with CEOs, executives, and other decision-makers. For many high-performing sales teams, it’s the first stop when building a prospect list.

Still, there’s a big gap between browsing profiles and actually turning them into happy customers. Copying details from LinkedIn into your CRM takes time, and when you multiply that across dozens of prospects per week, the admin quickly adds up.

To get around this, you need a reliable way to connect your CRM with LinkedIn.

Capsule provides the foundation for managing your opportunities and customer relationships, but when you integrate it with the Magical browser extension, the whole process becomes effortless and, well, magical.

With one click, a LinkedIn profile becomes a contact in Capsule, ready to be contacted, qualified, and nurtured.

In this post, you’ll get to see the full sales process, from finding new prospects on LinkedIn to closing opportunities in Capsule. Along the way, you’ll see how Magical’s integration cuts down on manual work, so you can spend more time selling.

1. Prospecting efficiently with Magical and Capsule

Prospecting often starts with a single profile. You spot someone on LinkedIn who fits your ideal customer profile (ICP). So, how do you get all their relevant details into your CRM without wasting ten minutes copy-pasting?

Magical is an extension for Chrome and Edge that sits right on top of LinkedIn. When you land on a prospect’s profile, you can trigger Magical to pull key information automatically, including:

• Full name
• Job title
• Company
• LinkedIn profile link.

In just one click, you have a clean, structured contact with all the key details created in Capsule. If there’s more data available, like an email address, Magical can often enrich the record using third-party data sources.

Here’s how it works in practice:

1. You find Daniel, a Head of Marketing at an awesome SaaS company.
2. Instead of jotting down his details or copying them into Capsule manually, you hit the Magical button and select the “LinkedIn Profile to Capsule” automation.
3. Daniel’s details instantly appear in Capsule as a new contact, complete with a link back to his LinkedIn profile.

The difference seems small at first, saving a few minutes here and there. But when prospecting is a daily activity, those minutes add up quickly. More importantly, you reduce the risk of errors or missing information, which makes your database far more reliable in the long run.

2. Scaling outreach with Sales Navigator and Google Sheets

Finding one good prospect is helpful. Finding fifty in the same niche is where LinkedIn really shines, especially if you’re using Sales Navigator. The challenge, of course, is moving that list into your CRM without drowning in manual admin.

Magical makes this much easier by working with Sales Navigator searches. Instead of copying names one by one, you can transfer a page of results directly into a Google Sheet. From there, it’s a simple export and import into Capsule.

Let’s run through that now:

1. You run a Sales Navigator search for “UK-based SaaS CMOs” and get several pages of results.
2. With Magical, you use the “Add to a new spreadsheet” automation and move details from the first page straight into a Google Sheet, with every profile neatly listed, including name, company, title, and LinkedIn URL.
3. You then export the sheet as a CSV and import it into Capsule.

Within minutes, you’ve got 50 new leads in your Capsule account.

This bulk workflow is a huge time saver. What used to take an hour of copying and pasting now takes a couple of clicks. Even better, you can import the data into Capsule with Tags or Custom Fields that show exactly where it came from, making reporting and segmentation easy later on.

3. Organizing leads inside Capsule

Once you’ve got your leads into Capsule, you need to start organizing them in a way that makes future outreach simple. With Capsule’s tools, LinkedIn-sourced leads become a set of opportunities you can act on.

Let’s see how we can use those leads we found in the first steps and get them ready for qualification:

1. After adding Daniel, the SaaS Marketing Director, to Capsule with Magical, you tag his record with “LinkedIn lead”.
2. You also create a Custom Field called “Industry focus” and fill this in for Daniel as “SaaS marketing”.
3. Capsule’s built-in Enrichment fills in additional company details based on the company domain like website, size, and industry.

Now, when you filter your database, you can quickly build lists like “SaaS CMOs in the UK” or “LinkedIn-sourced marketing leaders”.

Instead of sending the same message to everyone, you can tailor your approach. For example, SaaS CMOs might get a case study on improving MRR, while agency owners get a guide on winning more clients. By tagging LinkedIn leads, you can also then run reports to see exactly how much pipeline and revenue you’ve generated prospecting on LinkedIn.

By combining Magical’s autofill features with Capsule’s segmentation, you get a database that you can actually use to make more sales. You know where each lead came from and how they fit into your overall sales strategy.

4. Streamlining outreach with templates and text expansion

Now that your leads are nicely organized, you can start reaching out to them. However, sending connection requests, first messages, and follow-ups can eat up a huge chunk of your day if you’re retyping them every time.

Magical can save time here, too. Along with saving information from LinkedIn profiles, it also acts as a text expander and template tool. That means you can create short snippets for common messages and expand them instantly while you’re typing on LinkedIn or in Capsule.

Let’s see how we can use this with our new prospects:

1. You send Daniel a connection request. Instead of typing from scratch, you use a Magical trigger to drop in a short, friendly intro template you’d created earlier, “Hi {First Name}, I work with SaaS companies like {Company Name}. Would love to connect and share ideas.”
2. When Daniel accepts, you follow up with a saved Magical template that introduces your service in more detail.
3. Later, when you email him via Capsule, you pull in one of your pre-written Capsule email templates, which automatically personalizes with his name and company.

You can also use Capsule’s AI Content Assistant to quickly draft up messages in your chosen tone of voice.

What used to take minutes per message now takes seconds, freeing up time for actual conversations. Every prospect gets a professional, polished message, personalized with the information you found with Magical and Capsule’s enrichment features.

Whether you’re messaging on LinkedIn or emailing through Capsule, templates give you a consistent voice across channels.

5. Managing the sales process in Capsule

We’ve now reached out to our prospect and have started the ball rolling. To actually win the business though, you’ll need to move each LinkedIn-sourced lead through a structured sales process. Capsule makes this simple by letting you track every stage and set clear tasks along the way.

After Daniel replies positively to your LinkedIn message, you create a new opportunity in your Sales Pipeline. You can then use Capsule’s Tracks (a templated to-do list) and Workflow Automation to automate the follow-up process and keep it consistent.

For example, you could create a Track called “LinkedIn outreach,” which includes tasks like:

• Day 1: Send LinkedIn connection request
• Day 5: Follow up if no response
• Day 10: Share a relevant case study
• Day 15: Schedule a call.

Each task appears in Capsule at the right time, ensuring nothing’s forgotten about and left to ‘go cold’.

Every rep follows the same structured process, which means prospects get a uniform, professional experience. By logging LinkedIn messages and email touchpoints in Capsule, you create a single record of the entire relationship for everyone involved.

Going from profile to pipeline

LinkedIn is where business conversations start, but without the right tools, those conversations don’t always make it into your pipeline. Capsule and Magical change that by connecting the dots between prospecting, outreach, and deal management.

When you zoom out, the real power of Capsule and Magical is how seamlessly the whole process flows. Instead of juggling LinkedIn tabs, spreadsheets, and hastily-handwritten notes, you’ve got one streamlined workflow that takes you from first click to closed deal.

With Magical, you can capture LinkedIn contacts in seconds and use templates to speed up your outreach. With Capsule, you can organize those leads, track every touchpoint, and move opportunities through a structured sales process.

Together, they remove the friction from LinkedIn selling, so you can focus on building relationships and closing deals.

Ready to see how much smoother your sales process can be? Try any Capsule plan free for 14 days or sign up for our free plan to get started with a simple yet powerful CRM.

Looking after your customers is business management 101, but finding the right customer relationship management (CRM) software can feel overwhelming. On the one hand, you have dedicated CRM platforms focused on managing contacts and sales. Alternatively, you’ve got integrated platforms that bundle in a CRM alongside various marketing and communication tools.

Capsule and HighLevel (also known as GoHighLevel) are two very different options. Capsule is a simple yet powerful CRM designed for small to medium-sized businesses, helping teams stay organized and build stronger customer relationships.

HighLevel takes a different approach, providing an all-in-one platform built primarily for marketing agencies that combines basic CRM features with a wide variety of sales and marketing tools.

In this guide, you’ll get to see how Capsule and HighLevel compare across all the most important areas, from the features on offer to how easy they are to use. By the end, you’ll have a clearer picture of which platform is the better fit for your organization.

Capsule and HighLevel plans compared

For small businesses, having access to a free or affordable plan is a low-risk way to try new software and see how it fits into your workflow.

Capsule offers a free plan that includes:

• Up to 2 users
• 250 contacts
• 1 sales pipeline
• 5 custom fields
• Contact history & activity log
• Gmail & Outlook add-ons
• Android & iOS mobile app

HighLevel doesn’t currently provide a free plan, but you can try it out with a 14-day trial.

When you’re ready to grow, both Capsule and HighLevel offer paid plans. Here’s how their entry-level plans compare:

Capsule’s Starter plan is designed for growing small businesses. It expands the free plan’s contact limits, adds more customization options, and introduces project boards to help you manage post-sales work. Pricing is predictable because it scales with your team size.

HighLevel’s Starter plan is built for agencies that want more than a CRM. It bundles websites, funnels, and communication tools, while the flat monthly fee means you’ll pay the same whether you��’re a team of two or twenty. However, messaging and calling costs are billed separately, which can make total costs less predictable.

As your business grows and your needs increase, you can take advantage of one of the more advanced plans. Capsule has three additional plan levels, scaling with your business requirements:

HighLevel’s Unlimited plan ($297/month) gives you unlimited sub-accounts, API access, and a branded desktop app

For most SMBs, Capsule offers a clearer and more affordable way to get started, with the flexibility to scale as your needs grow. HighLevel’s pricing makes sense if you’re running a marketing agency and want to manage multiple clients under one roof, but for individual businesses, it’s often more expensive and complex than necessary.

What features and functionality do Capsule CRM and HighLevel offer?

While Capsule and HighLevel both have many similar CRM features, they are very different platforms.

Capsule focuses on being a simple, effective CRM that small and medium-sized businesses can start using right away. You get all of the essential CRM tools you’d need, alongside useful features that help improve your daily work.

Capsule’s core features include:

While Capsule and HighLevel both have many similar CRM features, they are very different platforms.

Capsule focuses on being a simple, effective CRM that small and medium-sized businesses can start using right away. You get all of the essential CRM tools you’d need, alongside useful features that help improve your daily work.

Capsule’s core features include:

HighLevel takes a very different approach. It’s an all-in-one marketing and sales platform that bundles CRM functionality alongside a full suite of digital tools. Its features include:

• CRM and pipeline management. Track customer activity and keep sales opportunities moving forward.
• Funnel and website builders. Create landing pages and sales funnels to capture and convert leads.
• Form and survey tools. Collect customer feedback and lead information to understand prospects better and improve campaigns.
• Booking calendars and appointment scheduling. Enable clients to book meetings online, reducing back-and-forth emails and saving time.
• Built-in email, SMS, and voicemail. Run campaigns across multiple channels from the same platform (additional fees apply).
• Competitor analysis and reputation management. Benchmark clients’ online reputation against competitors using real-time review data.
• White-label branding. Rebrand the platform with your logo and domain.

The key difference between the two platforms is scope. Capsule focuses on being the best CRM it can be, while integrating smoothly with your existing stack. HighLevel packs a wide range of tools into one system, reducing the need for separate apps, but that also means there’s much more to learn and manage.

Which CRM connects best with your existing software?

A CRM is often just one part of your workflow, so how well it connects with the rest of your tools can make a big difference.

Capsule is designed to fit neatly alongside the apps that many small businesses already use. Its App Marketplace offers over 70 integrations, including:

These integrations make Capsule easy to slot into your current setup without having to rethink your existing work processes. The integration with Transpond’s marketing platform is especially useful, keeping your CRM and campaigns in sync so you can manage sign-up forms, run email and social campaigns, and build automations with confidence that you’re always using the most up-to-date contact data.

Capsule also connects with thousands of other apps through Zapier and Make, or you can use the API to build your own unique integrations.

HighLevel builds many tools directly into its platform, from email and SMS marketing to funnel and website builders. However, it also offers integrations with other apps, from social media to ecommerce platforms.

For SMBs who already have preferred tools in place, Capsule’s broad selection of integrations makes it easy to plug in without disruption. HighLevel’s strength is in replacing multiple tools altogether, but that generally means committing to its ecosystem.

Which CRM is best for ease of use?

Ease of use can make the difference between a CRM your team adopts and one that gathers dust.

Capsule is designed with simplicity in mind. Its clean, intuitive layout means you can get started quickly without needing technical expertise. Teams can easily navigate contacts, pipelines, and projects.

One feature that Capsule customers particularly appreciate is how easy it is to import data, whether from spreadsheets or from another CRM using Import2, making setup faster and less stressful.

HighLevel, by contrast, offers more features but also comes with a steeper learning curve. Because it combines so many different tools, new users may find the platform overwhelming at first. To get the most out of HighLevel, you’ll need well-defined processes and the time to set up its many modules properly.

For small businesses that want to get up and running quickly, Capsule is the more straightforward option. For teams willing to invest time and energy into mastering a powerful all-in-one platform, HighLevel has lots to offer, but that investment isn’t necessary for many SMBs.

Which CRM offers more customization and flexibility?

Every business has its own way of working, so it’s important to choose a CRM that can adapt to your processes, rather than forcing you to change the way you work.

Capsule offers users flexibility without complexity. You can tailor Sales Pipelines, create Custom Fields, apply Tags, and set up Workflow Automation to take care of repetitive tasks. The end result is a CRM that you can personalize to your business without requiring a full-time administrator to manage it.

HighLevel offers deeper customization, particularly for agencies. You can build complex automation workflows, brand the platform as your own, and even create a custom app for clients. This makes it highly flexible, but also more demanding. Setting up and managing these customizations requires significant upfront effort.

For most SMBs, Capsule strikes the right balance: enough customization to fit your workflow, but simple enough that you can start seeing results straight away. HighLevel is best suited for agencies that need all the features with white-label flexibility.

Which platform is best for support and security?

When customers trust you with their details, it’s your responsibility to look after that data. As a result, strong support and reliable security are must-haves when choosing a CRM.

Capsule is known for its friendly and responsive support. All customers can access 24/7 AI support, world-class human support, and an extensive knowledge base. The Ultimate plan offers even more help, with priority support, a dedicated account manager, and custom training. Capsule customers regularly highlight how approachable and helpful the support team is, with around 96% of tickets answered within 24 hours.

On the security side, Capsule is SOC 2 Type II certified, encrypts data in transit and at rest, and offers role-based permissions. It’s also GDPR compliant and maintains an uptime record of 99.99%, giving businesses confidence that their data is both secure and accessible.

HighLevel offers 24/7 support through live chat, email, and phone calls. The platform also provides community resources and training for new users.

In terms of security, HighLevel is EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework certified. However, it does not currently publish its own SOC 2 certification (instead relying on AWS services’ certification), which some businesses may require.

For SMBs, Capsule provides trusted compliance and a responsive support experience that customers genuinely value. HighLevel offers broader availability and resources, but with a focus on agency use cases.

Which CRM is best for my business?

Choosing between Capsule and HighLevel largely depends on the type of business you run and what you need from your software.

Capsule is built for small and medium-sized businesses that want a straightforward CRM to manage contacts, pipelines, and projects without unnecessary complexity. It integrates smoothly with the tools you already use, is easy to set up, and scales affordably as your team grows.

HighLevel is designed primarily for sales and marketing agencies. Its strength lies in providing an all-in-one platform that combines CRM, outreach, websites, funnels, forms, and more. For agencies managing multiple clients, that breadth can be powerful, but for the average business, it often introduces more features and costs than you really need.

For most SMBs, Capsule is the more accessible and cost-effective choice. It delivers the essential CRM features you need without the heavy overhead of an all-in-one platform.

Try any Capsule plan free for 14 days or sign up for our free plan to get started with a simple yet powerful CRM.

Whatever kind of business you’re in, strong customer relationships are vital if you want to enjoy long-term success.

Unfortunately, choosing the right customer relationship management (CRM) software isn’t always so straightforward. For small businesses in particular, the ideal CRM needs to balance value with ease of use, while still offering the features that help you grow and stay organized.

Capsule CRM and Folk CRM are two popular options, both offering ways to manage your contacts and sales pipelines, but they also have some significant differences that can impact your results.

In this guide, you’ll get to see how Capsule and Folk compare across key areas like pricing, features, integrations, ease of use, and customer support. By the end, you’ll have a clearer picture of which CRM will work best for your business.

Capsule and Folk plans compared

For most small businesses, getting the right balance between affordability and features is crucial. A CRM that’s too costly or complicated to scale can quickly become more of a burden than a benefit.

Capsule’s Free plan gives you access to all the essentials, making it easy for small teams to get started with a new CRM. The plan includes:

• 2 users
• 250 contacts
• 25 custom fields
• 1 sales pipeline
• Project management
• Gmail and Outlook integrations
• Android and iOS mobile app.

Folk, by contrast, doesn’t have a free plan. Instead, you can sign up for a 14-day trial of any paid plan. Once the trial ends, you’ll need to upgrade to continue using the platform.

Here’s how the entry-level paid plans compare:

As you compare the paid plans, it becomes clear that Capsule and Folk take different approaches to CRM software. We’ll dive into the specific features in more detail in the next section, but for now, let’s focus on how the plans are structured.

Capsule is designed to help you manage every aspect of your customer relationships, with different ways to manage your contacts and Sales Pipelines. The Starter plan provides generous contact and field limits, alongside reporting and a Project Board to help manage work after you close the deal. At a slightly lower price point, it’s designed to grow with your business.

Folk places more emphasis on customer engagement, with plans based around contact enrichment and email outreach. The Standard plan includes unlimited contacts, and each member can reach out to those contacts with up to 2,000 messages. However, certain features you might expect to see as standard (such as deal tracking or measuring performance with dashboards) require a more expensive plan.

At the higher tiers, both platforms expand in different ways. Capsule’s Growth plan and above add on Workflow Automation, multiple Pipelines and Project Boards, advanced Sales Analytics, and hands-on Customer Support. The top-tier Ultimate plan adds a dedicated account manager and custom training, all at a predictable cost per user.

Folk’s Premium and Custom plans increase campaign and enrichment limits, add dashboards, WhatsApp sync, and advanced user roles. The Custom tier is priced from $80 per user/month, targeting teams that need heavy-duty outreach capacity and dedicated support.

For budget-conscious small businesses, Capsule’s free plan and affordable entry point make it the safer, longer-term option. Folk’s trial is useful for testing advanced outreach features, but ongoing access requires a paid subscription from the outset.

What features and functionality do Capsule and Folk offer?

While both Capsule and Folk are CRMs, the way they approach customer management is quite different.

Capsule focuses on giving small and medium-sized businesses a simple but powerful toolkit for managing relationships across the entire customer journey. Folk is more specialized, leaning toward agencies and outbound teams that need to capture leads quickly and run coordinated campaigns.

Capsule’s key features include:

Folk’s standout features include:

• FolkX Chrome extension. Capture leads directly from LinkedIn and other websites in one click
• Sequences and campaign tools. Create personalized outreach sequences using templates, variables, and AI-generated follow-ups
• Multi-channel syncs. Connect Gmail or Outlook and sync WhatsApp messages directly into the CRM
• Data enrichment and AI fields. Automatically enrich contacts with external data and generate “magic fields” for quick insights
• Dashboards. Available on Premium and above to help visualize team outreach performance.

For SMBs, Capsule covers a broader range of business needs, from sales pipelines through to project delivery and marketing, without requiring extra setup.

Folk shines when a team’s main priority is outbound prospecting, with tools like sequences and enrichment designed to boost outreach efficiency. However, the lack of project management features or a dedicated mobile app may put off some users.

Which CRM connects best with your existing software?

A CRM is one of the most valuable tools you can use in your business, but you can only really enjoy the benefits when it connects with your other software. Whether it’s email, accounting, marketing, or any other kind of software you use regularly, integrations save time and reduce the chance of errors.

Capsule integrates smoothly with the tools most small businesses already rely on. Its App Marketplace lets you connect with over 70 popular apps, including:

Transpond’s email marketing integration is particularly valuable, with all your information shared seamlessly between your CRM and your marketing campaigns. You can confidently run advanced email campaigns, manage sign-up forms, and build automations, knowing you’re using the very latest contact details.

If you need something more specific, Capsule connects to thousands of apps through Zapier and Make, or you can build custom integrations with its API.

Transpond’s email marketing integration is particularly valuable, with all your information shared seamlessly between your CRM and your marketing campaigns. You can confidently run advanced email campaigns, manage sign-up forms, and build automations, knowing you’re using the very latest contact details.

If you need something more specific, Capsule connects to thousands of apps through Zapier and Make, or you can build custom integrations with its API.

Folk also offers several integrations. It connects directly to Gmail and Outlook for email sync, and higher plans add WhatsApp sync so conversations can flow into your contact timelines.

Folk’s Chrome extension (FolkX) is a handy way to capture leads from LinkedIn and other sites, and it offers enrichment integrations to automatically add more context to your contacts. For broader connectivity, Folk also supports Zapier, Make, and its own API.

For SMBs, Capsule’s integration ecosystem is wider and more practical, covering finance, productivity, support, and marketing in one place. Folk’s integrations are strongest for sales outreach and enrichment, particularly if your team is already set up for multi-channel prospecting.

Which CRM is easiest to use?

When choosing a CRM, user-friendliness is critical. After all, even the most advanced features won’t do your business any good if they’re too complex to use. A CRM that feels intuitive and easy to set up will be adopted faster and deliver value sooner.

Capsule is designed with simplicity front and center. Its clean, uncluttered interface means even non-technical users can get up and running quickly. Whether you’re starting from a spreadsheet or migrating from another CRM, Capsule makes it simple with options including CSV imports and a one-click migration tool via Import2.

Folk also has a modern, user-friendly interface, and signing up is quick. However, while the interface itself is easy to use, its features work best when processes are clearly defined upfront. For example, setting up structured outreach sequences and workflows requires teams to plan their approach. As a result, Folk could feel more complex to implement for small businesses without an established sales playbook.

Both CRMs are user-friendly in their own ways, but for SMBs looking for fast time-to-value, Capsule’s ease of setup, smooth import options, and accessible mobile app make it the quicker, lower-risk choice.

Which CRM offers more customization and flexibility?

Every business works a little differently, so your CRM should be flexible enough to adapt to your workflows rather than forcing you to change the way you sell.

Capsule strikes a strong balance between simplicity and adaptability. Custom Fields, Tags, and DataTags let you track the client and company information that matters most to your business. You can then create multiple customizable sales pipelines to reflect your different sales processes.

These features let you shape Capsule around your business without all the admin and headaches that come with more complex CRMs.

Folk offers a different model of customization. Its group-based structure allows you to create distinct groups (for example, clients, investors, or partners), each with its own custom fields and views. You can switch between table view and pipeline view depending on what makes sense for the group.

While Folk’s customization options are powerful for teams running structured outreach strategies, they can feel more complex to set up and maintain. Capsule, by contrast, makes customization accessible to any small business, giving you enough flexibility without it getting complicated.

Which platform is best for support and security?

No matter which CRM you choose, reliable support and strong security are essential. You need to know your data is safe and that help is available whenever you need it.

With Capsule, all users get access to 24/7 AI support alongside world-class human support and an extensive online help center. Capsule’s customers consistently praise the support team for being friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful. On the Ultimate plan, you’ll also receive priority support, a dedicated account manager, and personalized training to help your team get the most from the system.

On the security side, Capsule delivers enterprise-grade safeguards, including SOC 2 Type II certification, encrypted data (in transit and at rest), role-based permissions and secure data storage. The company also complies with GDPR, so you can be confident that your customers’ data is safe.

Folk is also known for good customer support, with priority access available on Premium and Custom plans. Security-wise, Folk is currently SOC 2 Type I certified and GDPR-compliant, with data protection measures that meet industry standards.

Both CRMs take support and security seriously, but Capsule goes that bit further with its SOC 2 Type II certification. For small businesses, that combination of reassurance and responsiveness makes it a particularly dependable choice.

Which marketing platform is better for your business?

Capsule and Folk both deliver useful features, but they’re designed with different audiences in mind.

Folk’s strengths lie in helping sales and agency teams enrich their customer data and run structured, outbound campaigns. If your team already has a clear playbook for outreach and the resources to set up your processes, Folk could be a strong fit.

Capsule, on the other hand, is built for small to medium-sized businesses that need a CRM to cover all the essentials, without unnecessary complexity or costs.

From customized Sales Pipelines and Project Boards to Workflow Automations and Dashboards, Capsule provides a complete CRM experience that works straight out of the box. Customers especially value its intuitive design, responsive support team, and powerful mobile app.

If you’re looking for a CRM that helps your business build stronger customer relationships while keeping things simple, Capsule is the clear choice.

Try any Capsule plan free for 14 days or sign up for our free plan to get started with a simple yet powerful CRM.

If you want your business to grow, you need a way to create and manage customer relationships. As a result, your customer relationship management (CRM) software is one of the most important tools in your arsenal.

Choosing the best CRM software isn’t always so straightforward. Many seem to offer similar features and pricing, but the actual experience of using the software can be vastly different. Rather than just going with the most popular choice, it’s important to take the time to compare the different options and find a system with the right features that your team will actually enjoy using every day.In this guide, we compare Capsule CRM and Deals (ActiveCampaign’s CRM). Both tools can help you track opportunities, manage pipelines, and keep on top of follow-ups, but they also have some key differences that you need to be aware of.

By the end of this guide, you’ll have a better understanding of what both CRMs have to offer and which one will be the right fit for your team.

Capsule and Deals plans compared

For most small businesses and startups, a CRM that offers good value while scaling with your needs is a priority. A pricing model that’s hard to budget, or a plan you outgrow too quickly, can become more hassle than it’s worth.

If you’re just getting started, Capsule’s free plan is a helpful way to try out a dedicated CRM. You get access to all the essential features you need, including:

• Up to 2 users
• 250 contacts
• 1 sales pipeline
• 5 custom fields
• Contact history & activity log
• Gmail & Outlook add-ons
• Android & iOS mobile app

Deals is available as part of ActiveCampaign’s marketing platform. ActiveCampaign doesn’t offer a free plan, but you can try it (and its CRM capabilities) on a 14-day free trial.

Capsule and Deals (through ActiveCampaign) both offer affordable entry-level plans.

Capsule’s Starter plan gives you an affordable, predictable way to run your pipeline without paying for a full marketing suite. ActiveCampaign Plus is compelling if you’re primarily buying marketing automation and want a basic CRM in the same platform.

Both platforms also have higher-tier plans with additional features. Here’s what you get with Capsule’s premium plans:

• The Growth plan adds useful features like workflow automations, multiple pipelines, multiple project boards, advanced sales reporting, and more
• The Advanced plan includes up to 120,000 contacts, contact enrichment, and 50 project boards
• The Ultimate plan layers on premium onboarding, dedicated account management, and priority support for larger rollouts.

Meanwhile, ActiveCampaign’s Plus, Pro, and Enterprise plans expand the email marketing, automation, and reporting features. However, as your email contact list grows, so does the cost.

For example, if you had 50,000 email contacts, the cheapest option is ActiveCampaign’s Plus plan at $609/mo (compared to $36/mo for Capsule’s Growth plan with 60,000 contacts).

In addition, if you want to upgrade ActiveCampaign’s Deals CRM features, you’ll need to purchase separate add-ons ($68/mo for the Pipelines enhanced CRM add-on and $111/mo for the Sales engagement enhanced CRM add-on), significantly pushing up the price.

What features and functionality do Capsule CRM and Deals offer?

When you’re comparing Capsule with Deals and looking at their different features, it quickly becomes obvious that they’re two very different platforms.

Capsule is 100% a CRM and, as a result, all its features naturally revolve around managing customer relationships. It gives you all the essential CRM tools you’d expect, like contact and pipeline management, alongside flexible features that adapt to your workflow.

For example, with Capsule’s Tracks feature, you can easily create task templates for repeatable processes, such as running product demos or onboarding new customers. The built-in Project Boards help manage your work post-sale, helping you deliver better customer experiences.

Capsule also comes with an AI Content Assistant to support your communication, while the Sales Analytics tools give you comprehensive insights into your team’s performance.

Deals, in contrast, is part of ActiveCampaign’s all-in-one marketing platform. You get your standard CRM functionality, but the focus is firmly on the marketing side of things. You can capture lead data and manage your contact details, but if you want to take things further, you’ll need to purchase one or more additional add-ons (available on the Plus plan and above).

For example, ActiveCampaign’s Pipelines enhanced CRM add-on unlocks features like enhanced pipeline management, deal records, account records, and lead scoring. The Sales engagement enhanced CRM add-on includes all of those features, plus automated 1:1 email and win probability.

For businesses focused on managing customer relationships, Capsule offers a streamlined experience with practical, easy-to-use features. If you’re primarily looking for a marketing platform with basic CRM capabilities, Deals makes sense.

Which CRM connects best with your existing software?

Even the smallest business uses a variety of different apps every day, from calendars to spreadsheets. The right CRM should slot into your stack with minimal fuss.

Capsule plugs neatly into the day‑to‑day tools most small teams already use, including:

These integrations make it easy to keep all your data connected, enabling you to share vital information between your CRM, inbox, and email marketing. Capsule also connects with thousands of other apps through Zapier, or you can use the API to build custom integrations.

Deals lives inside ActiveCampaign’s marketing suite, allowing for deep integrations between your CRM and marketing (as long as you don’t mind using the same platform for both). It offers over 900 integrations, with more available through Zapier.

If you prefer to keep marketing tools interchangeable, Capsule offers the cleanest fit with minimal setup. If you’re campaign‑led and want CRM actions driven by marketing data, Deals benefits from ActiveCampaign’s wider marketing ecosystem.

Which CRM is best for ease of use?

One of the primary things to look for in any CRM is ease of use. After all, it doesn’t matter how amazing the features are or how cheap it is; if it’s too complicated to use, you may as well go back to using a Rolodex.

If you want a CRM your team can pick up quickly and maintain without hours of admin, Capsule is the simpler choice. The CRM is designed from the ground up to get you productive fast: set up a pipeline, create a contact, and add a deal.

With Capsule, reps can add notes, create tasks, and move deals with minimal effort. You can save even more time with Tracks for repeatable work, and Workflow Automations handle the more menial tasks. It’s also easy to get started by transferring your existing data from spreadsheets or other apps and CRMs using Import2.

If you’re already running complex marketing automations and want CRM actions woven into those flows, Deals will feel familiar, but just expect a bit more setup. For example, you can set up automated deal creation based on criteria such as lead score.

Deals offers extensive options because it sits alongside email and marketing tools; the extra power is there when you need it, but it can take longer to dial in the right flows.

Which CRM offers more customization and flexibility?

Every business has its own way of working, whether it’s how you move deals through the pipeline, what data you need to track, or how you organise your tasks.

Capsule gives you the freedom to shape your CRM around the way your business works. You can adjust Sales Pipelines to reflect your process, add Custom Fields to capture the details that matter most, and organize information using Tags and DataTags.

Deals also offers plenty of ways to customize your data, including custom fields, custom objects, and AI-suggested segments. ActiveCampaign’s personalization particularly shines when used for marketing campaigns, with advanced personalization fields and dynamic content.

You can also tailor the CRM aspect with segmented contact lists and pipelines tailored to match your sales process. The automation builder is powerful, but setting up these flows and rules often requires more time and marketing know-how, particularly for teams that haven’t used automation tools before.

In short, both CRMs provide strong customization options, but Capsule keeps it straightforward and accessible, making it easier for growing teams to tailor their setup without technical expertise. Deals is better suited if your priority is advanced automation tied closely to marketing activity and you’re comfortable investing more time in setup and ongoing management.

Which platform is best for support and security?

Customer relationships are built on customer information. When you’re handling your customers’ valuable data, you need a platform that keeps it secure, offers straightforward filtering, and makes core details and history readily available when you need them.

Capsule provides reliable support for every plan. All users can access email support backed by a comprehensive online help center. Teams on the Ultimate plan receive extra assistance, including a dedicated account manager, tailored onboarding, and priority response to make sure they get the most from the platform.

On the security side, Capsule is SOC 2 Type II certified, which means that its systems and processes meet rigorous standards for safeguarding data. The platform also uses encryption in transit and at rest, role-based access permissions, and routine backups to keep information protected and accessible. The company also complies with GDPR, so you can be confident that your customers’ data is safe.

ActiveCampaign is a large US-based provider that offers support through email, live chat, and community forums. The level of service you receive depends on your plan: Pro users and above get priority support, while Enterprise customers benefit from a dedicated account team and an uptime SLA.

However, some customers outside US time zones have noted that response times can be less consistent, which may be a consideration if your team works elsewhere.

From a security perspective, ActiveCampaign is SOC 2 certified and GDPR compliant. The platform carries out daily vulnerability scans and ongoing penetration testing to maintain strong protection. In short, ActiveCampaign’s size allows it to deliver enterprise-grade infrastructure and compliance, though support can sometimes feel less personal compared with smaller vendors.

Which CRM is best for my business?

Both Capsule CRM and Deals will help you track deals and manage your customer relationships, but they start from very different places. Capsule is a dedicated CRM designed to stay simple as you grow. Deals is part of a marketing platform with CRM built in.

If you want a focused CRM that your team can pick up quickly, with predictable per‑user pricing and a free plan to get started, then Capsule ticks all the boxes. You can manage your contacts, deals, pipelines, and projects without any complicated setup.

On the other hand, if you’re primarily looking for a marketing platform and the CRM is secondary, then ActiveCampaign’s built-in CRM might be enough for your needs.

For most SMB and startup teams that value a user-friendly CRM with predictable costs, Capsule is the safer choice. If your sales motion lives inside complex marketing journeys, and you’ll fully use those capabilities, Deals can be a strong fit.

Try any Capsule plan free for 14 days or sign up to our free plan to get started with a simple yet powerful CRM.

Hopefully, your summer brought you some time to have some fun, see loved ones, and get a well-earned break. As the season draws to a close, we wanted to give you a rundown of everything that’s landed in your Capsule account since May – and boy, has there been a lot! Buckle up, we’re going in.

All your meetings and events, now in Capsule’s Calendar

We’ve tightened up our integrations with Microsoft and Google Workspace tools. Now you can view your calendar events inside Capsule. Get an instant snapshot of your day without switching tabs: find all your sales meetings, customer calls, Tasks, and Reminders in the Capsule calendar.

The updated calendar integrations are even smarter:

• Autopopulate any Google Calendar meeting invite when you create an Event from a Capsule contact record
• Join Zoom or Google Meet calls directly from the Capsule calendar
• Attending calls with contacts not saved in Capsule? Add them to your CRM with the new connection.

Admin: now easier, faster, and smarter.
Available on all plans.

Connect your work calendar here.

Take a quick peek with preview panels

Click on a contact and see a handy preview panel pop up. Instantly see the next task, recent activity, and all the key info you need—no extra clicks, no switching screens.

No need to navigate away from the list: call, follow up, or log new activity right from the preview. Perfect for quick check-ins, managing call lists, and keeping your contacts moving forward. The same preview panel is also available for peeking into your Projects and Opportunities too!

Faster insight. Fewer clicks.

Available on Growth, Advanced, and Ultimate plans.

Check it out.

Get even more insight with Pipeline forecasting

Use the new and improved Pipeline Forecast report to get better visibility into your money inflow so you can make smarter business decisions.

Your reporting keeps getting better.

• Find the new forecasting report in the Pipeline dashboard, under the Reports tab.
• See when and how much you’ll earn over the upcoming months – not just when you won your Opportunity. 
• Identify which Pipelines are earning the most in any given month, and be able to click into Opportunities straight from the dashboard.

Available on Growth, Advanced, and Ultimate.

Log in to analyze your Pipeline.

Even less admin with even more automation options

You now have a bunch of new automation options, helping reduce manual input. Here are a few ways you can use them:

• Upselling and cross-selling: When one Opportunity closes, an automation will create a new one for the same organization.
• Closing an Opportunity (won): Create a new Opportunity to renew subscriptions and recurring sales after you mark the initial Opportunity as won.
• Closing an Opportunity (lost): When an Opportunity is moved to lost, create a new Opportunity to follow up after a given period of time.
• When a Project is closed: Create another Project. Perfect for managing your repeating work.

You can also configure the automation to customize the name for the newly created Opportunity.

Available on Growth, Advanced, and Ultimate.

Let Capsule do the dog work: set up workflow automations in-app.

Never miss a follow-up with Save and Add

We’re speeding things up for you. When you’re logging an activity, tap the dropdown arrow next to the ‘Save’ button to instantly create a Task, Opportunity, or Project. Instantly setting a follow-up action means you’ll never forget a client or lead task again.

When the new Task opens, the ‘Additional detail’ field will be readily populated with the activity you just logged. Little things to make your life easier.

New for you: Quickfire round

• Quick links into reporting*: Jump from People & Organizations to its associated analytics, or from your Projects boards straight into its dashboards for instant insights.
• Close Projects in bulk: Fallen behind on admin? No problem. Tidying up your CRM is even easier with bulk closing, now available from the Project lists page.
• Auto-link contacts from Gmail add-on*: Now you can instantly store each email thread against the relevant contact record in Capsule when you enable the Gmail add-on. No more copy-pasting, tab-switching silliness.

*Available to customers on the Growth, Advanced, and Ultimate plans.

Calendly

Calendly makes it easier for prospects to book a call with you. Integrating with Calendly, you can automate Opportunity creation when a new lead books a call using your link. Less admin, more lead-nurturing.

Connect Calendly and Capsule.

Typeform

Rid yourself of time-consuming follow-up. Place Typeform on the same web page as your contact forms to instantly send new contacts to Capsule CRM.

Set up the Typeform Zap.

Crunch

A new accounting connection is coming to Capsule CRM. Crunch is a straightforward accounting platform you won’t need any experience to use. With expert advice and friendly, knowledgeable customer support, you’ll never feel bogged down in numbers.

Connect to Crunch

Learn more in our upcoming webinars

What kind of company would we be if we didn’t even use the tools we sell? Well, good news, we do. And we’re revealing exactly how we use them in two upcoming webinars.

How Capsule’s sales team uses Capsule

Our sales and customer success teams are baring all: yes, we’re showing you exactly how we use Capsule day-to-day and sharing our top tips. As usual, we’ll hold a Q&A at the end, so bring your questions on September 24th at 4pm BST.

Register here – even if you can’t make it, we’ll send you a recording.

How Capsule’s marketing team uses Transpond

Our sales and customer success teams are baring all: yes, we’re showing you exactly how we use Capsule day-to-day and sharing our top tips. As usual, we’ll hold a Q&A at the end, so bring your questions on September 3rd at 4pm BST.

Register here – even if you can’t make it, we’ll send you a recording.

Many of our updates and features are the result of our customers’ suggestions. If you’re brimming with ideas that might make Capsule CRM better, we’d love to hear them. Just pop them in an email to our support team.

Likewise, if you have any questions or need some help, our friendly support team is always happy to help.

Finally, a quick shout-out to all our wonderful colleagues for their genuine care for you, our customers, and for their tireless graft. They really are good eggs, and they’ve done some bloomin’ good work.

That’s all for now, see you at the end of the year!
– The Capsule Team

Get started with Capsule CRM completely free today. Or try any Capsule plan free for 14 days.