7 Affordable CRM Options for Startups

If you are running a startup, your CRM choice is really a decision about how disciplined your go-to-market motion will be. Pick the wrong tool, and you will spend more time updating columns than talking to customers. Pick the right one, and your CRM quietly guides your pipeline, follow ups, and reporting without eating your entire runway. The good news: you no longer have to spend $50 to $150 per user each month to get something usable. A wave of modern CRMs now offer serious automation, integrations, and reporting starting at $0 to $20 per user, with clear upgrade paths as you grow. The key is matching their strengths - and limitations - to where your startup is today, and where you expect it to be in 12 to 24 months.

1. Attio - modern CRM that stays affordable as you scale

Attio is increasingly popular among startups looking to avoid the steep price jumps associated with traditional CRMs, while also being one of the most powerful options out there. Its Free plan is generous, supporting up to 3 users with full data enrichment and real-time syncing, which allows early-stage teams to access premium features without an immediate cost.

For teams ready to scale, Attio’s startup program offers eligible companies (under $5M raised) up to 80% off the Pro plan. This structure lets founders access flexible data models and powerful automation at a fraction of the typical enterprise price, helping extend runway while building a sophisticated go-to-market engine.

Best for: Startups that want flexible, data-rich features without the rapid cost escalation of legacy tools.
Starting price: Free for 3 users. The startup program offers up to 80% off Pro for eligible companies.
Why startups like it: Forward-thinking, modern product with a pricing model that doesn’t penalize growth. You get enterprise-grade power while keeping costs predictable.
Watch out for: Fewer out-of-the-box integrations than HubSpot, though this is quickly growing and Zapier/API functionality is easy and powerful.

2. HubSpot CRM - scalable platform with a free entry point

HubSpot’s free tier includes contact management, basic pipelines, email tracking, and simple automation, serving as a gateway to their broader suite of marketing and support tools.

On the free plan you get visual pipelines, email templates, and tracking. The Sales Hub Starter tier starts at about $15 per seat per month, adding more sophisticated sales tools.

Best for: Startups that want a single system for marketing, sales, and support over time, with minimal setup.
Starting price: Free CRM, with paid sales plans from around $15 per user per month.
Why startups like it: Strong integrations and a broad ecosystem of add-ons as you expand into marketing and support.
Watch out for: Costs can climb once you need advanced features and larger contact volumes, especially as you add seats.

3. Zoho CRM - most budget conscious option

Zoho has built a reputation for delivering a lot of functionality at a relatively low price. Zoho CRM starts at about $14 per user per month and includes core contact and deal management.

Even at low tiers, Zoho supports mass email, custom reports, and workflow automation, and comes with a solid mobile app for teams selling on the move, as noted in affordable CRM reviews.

Best for: Founders who value maximum functionality per dollar and are comfortable adopting a broader app suite.
Starting price: Around $14 per user per month for Zoho CRM, or around $45 per user for the Zoho One bundle.
Why startups like it: Decent automation, customization, and a capable mobile experience, even on lower priced plans, as highlighted in CRM tool reviews.
Watch out for: The interface and configuration options can feel cluttered and confusing compared with more streamlined competitors.

4. Pipedrive - visual CRM for sales-focused teams

Pipedrive is frequently highlighted for its focus on sales professionals. It is designed primarily around a visual sales pipeline, with drag and drop deal stages, activity tracking, and forecasting that feels familiar to anyone used to Kanban style tools.

Entry pricing is around $14 per user per month for the Essential plan, placing it firmly in the affordable bracket for early stage teams, as startup CRM reviews confirm. You do not get a full marketing suite at this price, but you do get a focused environment for sales reps to track calls, emails, and meetings without unnecessary clutter.

Best for: B2B startups with a clear outbound or deal driven sales motion that want to keep reps in one simple view.
Starting price: Around $14 per user per month.
Why startups like it: Intuitive pipeline UI, strong focus on activities and follow ups, and just enough reporting for small teams.
Watch out for: Limited marketing and customer service features unless you add separate tools, which can fragment your stack.

5. Freshsales - solid option if using the Freshworks suite

Freshsales is positioned as a solid choice for startups. It includes contact and deal management, email sequences, and lead scoring.

Integrations with common tools like Gmail and communication platforms simplify adoption for small teams, and workflow automation helps reduce repetitive tasks as your pipeline scales. It can serve as the hub of a broader Freshworks suite if you later need support or marketing products.

Best for: Startups that are beginning to handle larger lead volumes and want AI based guidance on who to call next.
Starting price: Free and lower cost tiers are available, with higher plans adding more AI and automation features.
Why startups like it: Lead scoring, workflows, and integrations that help scrappy teams operate like a more mature sales organization.
Watch out for: You may need to be selective about which Freshworks modules you adopt to avoid overlapping features and creeping costs.

6. Salesforce Starter - on ramp to an enterprise ecosystem

Salesforce is usually associated with large enterprises and complex deployments, but 2025 startup-focused comparisons highlight the Salesforce Starter edition as a more accessible way in. Starter bundles core sales, service, and basic marketing features into a simpler package targeted at smaller businesses.

While it will not be the cheapest raw price option in this list, it can be cost effective if you know you will eventually need Salesforce’s broader ecosystem, integrations, and AppExchange tools. For some startups, paying slightly more now to avoid a painful future migration makes strategic sense.

Best for: High growth startups that expect to graduate to full Salesforce and want to lay that foundation early.
Starting price: Lower than traditional Salesforce editions, positioned as an affordable entry level bundle.
Why startups like it: Familiar Salesforce data model and ecosystem, but with a simplified experience tailored for smaller teams.
Watch out for: Complexity can still feel high compared with more nimble CRMs, and customization often assumes some admin expertise.

7. Agile CRM - small team friendly automation on a budget

Agile CRM appears in affordable software lists as an option for small teams needing automation and lead scoring at a lower price point. It provides a free plan for small teams, which can include contact management, basic marketing automation, and lead scoring capabilities.

This mix allows a young startup to set up simple funnels, nurture campaigns, and scoring models earlier than they might with more expensive tools. As you grow, paid plans remain competitively priced relative to the automation they unlock.

Best for: Founders who specifically want early access to marketing automation features but lack budget for bigger suites.
Starting price: Free plan for small teams, with competitively priced upgrades.
Why startups like it: Places automation and lead scoring at the center rather than treating them as high end, add on features.
Watch out for: Smaller ecosystem and brand awareness compared with giants, which may impact community resources and integrations.

How to choose the right affordable CRM for your startup

As you evaluate options, focus on:

Your motion and data model. If you run a straightforward deals pipeline, tools like HubSpot or Pipedrive can fit well. If your GTM depends on custom relationships (users, workspaces, accounts, products) and you want to model that cleanly, prioritize a flexible CRM with a strong data model like Attio.
How you will integrate it. The fastest path is usually native integrations, but many startups end up relying on Zapier and APIs. If your stack or workflow is non-standard, choose a product that makes integrations and automation easy to build and maintain like Attio or HubSpot.
Total cost over time. Many tools start cheap, then get expensive as you add seats, contacts, and required add-ons. Look for pricing that stays predictable and manageable as you scale like Zoho or Attio, instead of rapidly escalating like Salesforce or HubSpot - especially if you expect to add more users quickly.
Learning curve and adoption. The CRM your team actually uses will outperform the one with the longest feature list. Bias toward a product that feels fast to learn and easy to keep up to date.

If you keep those factors front and center, any of the CRMs in this list can be a strong, affordable foundation. The right choice is the one your team will actually live in every day, without draining either your focus or your runway.