Quick Comparison
| Feature | HubSpot CRM | Zoho CRM | Pipedrive | ActiveCampaign CRM | Salesforce Essentials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | Contact for pricing | Contact for pricing | Contact for pricing | Contact for pricing | Contact for pricing |
| Value Rating | Excellent (Free available) | Very Good | Very Good | Good | Good |
| Best For | Best Free Option | Best Value | Easiest to Use | Best for Email Marketing | Most Trusted |
| Free Tier | ✓ Generous free plan | Limited or paid only | Limited or paid only | Limited or paid only | Limited or paid only |
Detailed Comparison
HubSpot CRM
Best Free OptionFree-tier CRM with marketing, sales, and support tools. Perfect for Australian small businesses that want comprehensive CRM functionality without the high cost.
✓ Pros
- ✓ Excellent free plan
- ✓ All-in-one platform
- ✓ Strong marketing features
- ✓ Good for inbound marketing
- ✓ Extensive integrations
- ✓ User-friendly interface
- ✓ Regular feature updates
- ✓ Good educational resources
✗ Cons
- ✗ Can become expensive with add-ons
- ✗ Some features require higher plans
- ✗ Can be overwhelming for simple needs
- ✗ Limited customization on free plan
- ✗ Email sending limits on free plan
- ✗ Less specialized than dedicated tools
Pricing
- Free: Contact for pricing - Contact management, Deal pipeline, Email tracking, Basic reporting
- Starter: Contact for pricing - Everything in Free, Email marketing, Live chat, Advanced reporting
- Professional: Contact for pricing - Everything in Starter, Marketing automation, Sales automation, Advanced analytics
Zoho CRM
Best ValueAffordable CRM with strong automation features. Ideal for Australian small businesses that need powerful CRM capabilities without breaking the bank.
✓ Pros
- ✓ Very affordable pricing
- ✓ Strong automation features
- ✓ Highly customizable
- ✓ Good value for money
- ✓ Extensive integrations
- ✓ Good mobile app
- ✓ Regular updates
- ✓ Part of Zoho suite
✗ Cons
- ✗ Interface can feel dated
- ✗ Less intuitive than some competitors
- ✗ Some features require higher plans
- ✗ Smaller brand recognition
- ✗ Limited free plan
- ✗ Can be complex to set up
Pricing
- Standard: Contact for pricing - Contact management, Deal management, Email integration, Basic automation
- Professional: Contact for pricing - Everything in Standard, Advanced automation, Custom modules, Advanced reporting
- Enterprise: Contact for pricing - Everything in Professional, Multi-user roles, Advanced analytics, API access
Pipedrive
Easiest to UsePipeline-focused CRM that's easy to use. Ideal for Australian small businesses that want a simple, visual way to manage sales pipelines.
✓ Pros
- ✓ Very easy to use
- ✓ Visual pipeline interface
- ✓ Focused on sales
- ✓ Good for small teams
- ✓ Intuitive design
- ✓ Strong mobile app
- ✓ Good automation features
- ✓ Affordable pricing
✗ Cons
- ✗ Less marketing features
- ✗ Limited customization
- ✗ Smaller ecosystem than competitors
- ✗ Limited free plan
- ✗ Less suitable for complex needs
- ✗ Fewer integrations than major players
Pricing
- Essential: Contact for pricing - Contact management, Deal pipeline, Email integration, Basic reporting
- Advanced: Contact for pricing - Everything in Essential, Automation, Advanced reporting, Email templates
- Professional: Contact for pricing - Everything in Advanced, Revenue forecasting, Custom fields, API access
ActiveCampaign CRM
Best for Email MarketingCRM combined with email automation and marketing tools. Perfect for Australian small businesses that need CRM functionality with powerful email marketing and automation.
✓ Pros
- ✓ Excellent email marketing
- ✓ Strong automation features
- ✓ CRM + marketing in one
- ✓ Good value for features
- ✓ User-friendly interface
- ✓ Powerful automation builder
- ✓ Good for small businesses
- ✓ Regular updates
✗ Cons
- ✗ Less comprehensive than dedicated CRM
- ✗ Can be expensive with high contact counts
- ✗ Limited CRM features compared to pure CRM tools
- ✗ Email-focused (less sales-focused)
- ✗ Learning curve for automation
- ✗ Some features require higher plans
Pricing
- Lite: Contact for pricing - Email marketing, Marketing automation, CRM, Contact management
- Plus: Contact for pricing - Everything in Lite, Advanced automation, Sales automation, Deal pipeline
- Professional: Contact for pricing - Everything in Plus, Advanced reporting, Custom reporting, API access
Salesforce Essentials
Most TrustedScaled-down version of Salesforce designed for small teams. Perfect for Australian small businesses that want the power of Salesforce at an affordable price.
✓ Pros
- ✓ Backed by Salesforce brand
- ✓ Reliable and stable
- ✓ Good for small teams
- ✓ Extensive AppExchange
- ✓ Strong mobile app
- ✓ Good customer support
- ✓ Scalable as you grow
- ✓ Trusted platform
✗ Cons
- ✗ More expensive than alternatives
- ✗ Limited to 10 users
- ✗ Less features than full Salesforce
- ✗ Can be complex for simple needs
- ✗ Steeper learning curve
- ✗ Limited customization
- ✗ May be overkill for very small teams
Pricing
- Essentials: Contact for pricing - Up to 10 users, Contact management, Lead management, Opportunity tracking
Which One is Best For You?
Choose HubSpot CRM If:
- • Businesses wanting free CRM
- • Companies needing marketing + CRM
- • Businesses focused on inbound marketing
- • Teams wanting all-in-one solution
Choose Zoho CRM If:
- • Budget-conscious small businesses
- • Businesses needing automation
- • Companies wanting customization
- • Businesses using other Zoho products
Choose Pipedrive If:
- • Sales-focused teams
- • Small sales teams
- • Businesses wanting simple CRM
- • Teams prioritizing pipeline management
Choose ActiveCampaign CRM If:
- • Businesses needing email + CRM
- • Companies focused on email marketing
- • Small businesses wanting automation
- • Teams needing marketing automation
Choose Salesforce Essentials If:
- • Small teams wanting Salesforce
- • Businesses planning to scale
- • Companies needing reliability
- • Teams wanting AppExchange access
Conclusion
Several affordable CRM tools offer excellent value for Australian SMEs:
Best free option: HubSpot CRM provides comprehensive free CRM features, perfect for SMEs wanting to start without cost.
Best value for money: Zoho CRM offers strong automation and customization at very affordable prices, making it excellent value.
Best for sales teams: Pipedrive provides focused sales CRM at reasonable prices, ideal for sales-focused SMEs.
Best for marketing: ActiveCampaign combines CRM with email marketing at competitive prices, great for SMEs needing both.
Best for growth: Salesforce Essentials offers trusted CRM functionality at a price suitable for SMEs planning to scale.
Cost-saving strategy: Start with free plans (HubSpot) or affordable options (Zoho, Pipedrive) and upgrade as your needs grow. Most tools offer per-user pricing, so you only pay for what you need.
Remember, the best CRM is the one your team actually uses. Start affordable, master the basics, and invest more as your business grows.
Ready to Get Started?
Both HubSpot CRM and Zoho CRM and Pipedrive and ActiveCampaign CRM and Salesforce Essentials offer free trials. Sign up today and see which option works best for your Australian business.
Affiliate Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Our recommendations are based on genuine research and testing to help you find the best solutions for your Australian business.