Quick Comparison
| Feature | HubSpot CRM | Zoho CRM | Salesforce Essentials | Pipedrive | ActiveCampaign CRM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | Contact for pricing | Contact for pricing | Contact for pricing | Contact for pricing | Contact for pricing |
| Best For | Best Free Option | Best Value | Most Trusted | Easiest to Use | Best for Email Marketing |
| Free Plan | ✓ Generous free plan | Limited or paid only | Limited or paid only | Limited or paid only | Limited or paid only |
| Ease of Use | Easy | Moderate | Moderate | Very Easy | Moderate |
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
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
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
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 Salesforce Essentials If:
- • Small teams wanting Salesforce
- • Businesses planning to scale
- • Companies needing reliability
- • Teams wanting AppExchange access
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
Conclusion
The best CRM software for your Australian small business depends on your budget, team size, and specific needs:
For free CRM: HubSpot CRM offers an excellent free plan with core CRM features, making it perfect for businesses just starting with CRM.
For affordability: Zoho CRM provides strong automation features at very affordable prices, ideal for budget-conscious small businesses.
For brand trust: Salesforce Essentials offers the reliability of Salesforce at a price point suitable for small teams, perfect if you want a trusted platform.
For simplicity: Pipedrive focuses on sales pipeline management with an easy-to-use interface, ideal for sales-focused teams.
For email marketing integration: ActiveCampaign combines CRM with powerful email marketing and automation, perfect if you need both CRM and email marketing.
Most platforms offer free trials, so test them to see which fits your workflow. Consider your team size, budget, feature needs, and whether you need marketing features alongside CRM when making your decision.
Ready to Get Started?
Both HubSpot CRM and Zoho CRM and Salesforce Essentials and Pipedrive and ActiveCampaign CRM 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.