Zoho CRM
CRM with a lot of features for not much money, free for up to 3 users. Highly customisable, but the interface is cluttered and you'll spend time setting it up properly.
Starting from
Quote
Free trial
15 days
Free plan
Yes
Overall rating
4.3/5 (6,800)
“Packs a lot of features for the price, but the setup is a project in itself. Unless you enjoy configuring software, HubSpot's free plan or your job management tool's built-in CRM is probably easier.”
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Overview
Zoho CRM is part of the massive Zoho ecosystem: a suite of 45+ business apps built by the India-headquartered Zoho Corporation. The CRM is one of the most feature-rich platforms in its price bracket, offering contact management, deal tracking, workflow automation, and an AI assistant (Zia) that predicts deal outcomes and suggests the best time to contact leads.
For trade businesses, Zoho CRM's value proposition is simple: it's significantly cheaper than Salesforce or HubSpot's paid tiers while offering comparable core CRM features. The free plan supports up to 3 users with basic contact and deal management, enough for many small trade businesses to manage their sales pipeline without paying anything.
Strengths: The price-to-feature ratio is the best in the CRM category. Zia (the AI assistant) provides genuinely useful predictions on deal likelihood and optimal contact times. Deep customisation allows you to tailor modules, fields, and workflows to match your specific sales process. The broader Zoho ecosystem (Zoho Books, Zoho Projects, Zoho Desk) can replace multiple standalone tools if you go all-in.
Limitations: Zoho CRM's interface is functional but cluttered. It exposes a lot of complexity, which can overwhelm users who just want a simple contact list. The mobile app is usable but not as polished as HubSpot's. Some integrations with non-Zoho products (particularly AU-specific tools like Xero) feel bolted on rather than native. Support quality varies, paid plans get better response times, but free and lower-tier users can face long waits.
A strong option for trade businesses that want CRM power at a budget price, just be prepared to invest time in setup and configuration.
Pros & Cons
What we like
- ✓Free plan for 3 users is genuinely functional, enough for many small trade businesses
- ✓Best price-to-feature ratio in the CRM category
- ✓Zia AI assistant provides useful deal predictions and contact timing suggestions
- ✓Deeply customisable, modules, fields, and workflows can match any sales process
- ✓Broader Zoho ecosystem can replace multiple standalone tools
Watch out for
- ✕Interface is cluttered and overwhelming for first-time users
- ✕Mobile app is functional but not as polished as competitors
- ✕Integrations with AU-specific tools (Xero, MYOB) feel bolted on
- ✕Support quality varies, free and lower-tier users may face slow responses
- ✕Requires meaningful setup time to configure properly
Best for
Budget-conscious trade businesses with 2–15 staff who want CRM capabilities without the price tag of HubSpot or Salesforce. Particularly strong for businesses willing to invest time in configuration.
Not ideal for
Tradies who want a simple, intuitive tool out of the box. Businesses that need tight integration with Australian accounting software. Anyone who finds too many options overwhelming.
Key Features
Frequently Asked Questions
Ratings
6,800 reviews
Source: Capterra
Checked April 2026
Pricing
Up to 3 users
Per user per month
Per user per month
Per user per month
Free plan for up to 3 users. Prices shown are approximate AUD equivalents, Zoho bills in AUD for Australian customers. Verify at zoho.com/crm/zohocrm-pricing.html.
Technical
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