At TechRepublic, we uphold the standard of fair and honest CRM software reviews. To achieve this, we believe it's important to disclose exactly how we evaluate CRM software, what criteria and subcriteria we've defined as most important, and how they influence our final ratings and ideal use cases.
Our algorithm and internal rubric may change or reflect different sub-criteria as needed. This is done to ensure accuracy and consistency with industry standards, product evolution, and changing customer needs. To date, each CRM software is rated based on six main criteria: price, key features, customizations, integrations, ease of use, and customer support.
Our CRM review methodology breaks down as follows.
Monday CRM
Employees by company size
Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Large (1000-4999), Enterprise (5000+)
Any size of company
Any size of company
Characteristics
Calendar, collaboration tools, contact management and more
HubSpot CRM
Employees by company size
Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Large (1000-4999), Enterprise (5000+)
Micro (0-49 employees), Small (50-249 employees), Medium (250-999 employees), Large (1000-4999 employees)
Micro, Small, Medium, Large
Prices (25%)
Supplier cost accounts for 25% of our overall score. Rating factors in this category include, but are not limited to:
- Free trial duration.
- Billing options.
- Free lifetime version.
- Accessories.
- Price transparency.
Main features (25%)
Basic CRM features account for 25% of our overall score. Ranking factors in this category include, but are not limited to:
- Contact and account management.
- Pipeline management.
- Basic reports.
- Basic control panels.
- Marketing automation.
- Activity tracking.
- Lead scoring and routing.
- Document management.
- Sales automation.
Customizations (15%)
Personalizations account for 15% of our total score. Ranking factors in this category include, but are not limited to:
- Custom pipes.
- Custom views and filters.
- Custom workflows.
- Customized agreement stages and milestones.
Integrations (15%)
Integrations account for 15% of our total score. Ranking factors in this category include, but are not limited to:
- Total number of app integrations.
- Email integration.
- Calendar synchronization/scheduling.
- Social media integration.
- Native application integration.
Ease of use (10%)
Ease of use accounts for 10% of our overall score. Ranking factors in this category include, but are not limited to:
- Real user reviews.
- Community resources.
- Knowledge Base.
Customer service (10%)
Customer service accounts for 10% of our overall score. Rating factors in this category include, but are not limited to:
- Live chat support.
- Telephone support.
- Email support.
- Incorporation resources.
- Dedicated account manager.
Our CRM evaluation research methods
To effectively rate each CRM vendor we analyzed, we prioritized our own internal hands-on testing experience. We also referenced available demos, product reviews, sales rep insights, and verified customer reviews on sites including, but not limited to, the following:
- Gartner Peer Perspectives.
- Trusted pilot.
- Google Play.
- The app store.
- Community forums.
How do I choose the best CRM for my organization?
Understand your budget
CRM pricing is typically based on the number of users you plan to grant access to the platform and the features or add-ons you require. Subscriptions can be billed on a monthly, annual, or semi-annual basis. Fortunately, it's common for CRM vendors to offer demos, free trials, and even lifetime free versions of their products. This way, you can experience the interface and features before signing a contract and dealing with the hassle of importing data.
Know how you are going to use the CRM
Adopting CRM software to use for your company’s marketing, sales, and support operations will provide you with abundant advantages and streamline workflows. These CRM benefits can only be leveraged when you have defined business goals around how you plan to implement the software. Understanding what type of CRM software would work best is a good place to start. From there, determine if marketing or support tools are needed or if the product will only be used by sales reps and administrators for customer management purposes.
Prioritizing experience in the market
Not only should you consider the size and scale of your business, but you should also consider the specific business operations within your industry. While there are CRM vendors designed specifically for certain industries, there are generalized vendors like HubSpot, Salesforce, and Pipedrive. Vendors like these offer additional features designed with specific industries in mind, such as inventory management for construction companies or donation tracking for nonprofits.
Now that you know exactly how we review CRM software, check out our individual CRM software reviews or our top product guides.
