- Best overall AI CRM with sales intelligence: Freshsales
- Best free CRM with AI tool: HubSpot
- Best for AI-powered predictive forecasting: Zoho CRM
- Best for writing emails with AI: Capsule
- Best for AI-recommended integrations: Pipedrive
In addition to core and advanced technical offerings, the top customer relationship management software (CRM) now implements more artificial intelligence features. These AI-powered tools provide valuable automations, insights, and analytics that can streamline an organization’s sales process end-to-end. AI CRM software can also create marketing content, implement lead nurturing strategies like emails or even dialing, and then pull detailed reports in moments.
CRM software with AI features can streamline workflows and sales processes by generating reports, summaries, and marketing content on behalf of individual users. Depending on the provider and since AI tools are constantly evolving, features are released as beta releases and can be accessed through different paid plans.
Top AI CRM software comparison
The top CRM platforms offering marketing and sales automations with notable AI tools are, as expected, also top general CRM providers, including Freshsales, HubSpot, and Zoho CRM. Apart from the core CRM features users might expect from these technical CRM software, top features worth calling out are pipeline management, native or third-party integrations, AI-powered reporting or analytics, and the availability of a mobile application for users to access on the go.
| Software | Star rating | Pipeline management | AI assistant | AI-powered analytics | AI content generation | Free tier | Starting price* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freshsales | 4.4/5 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | $9 per user per month |
| HubSpot | 4.4/5 | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | $15 per user per month |
| Zoho CRM | 4.3/5 | Limited | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | $14 per user per month |
| Capsule | 4/5 | Limited | No | Limited | Yes | Yes | $18 per user per month |
| Pipedrive | 4.4/5 | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | $14 per user per month |
| * Pricing is based on annual subscription rates for paid tiers. | |||||||
Freshsales: Best overall AI CRM with sales intelligence
Freshsales is popular sales CRM software offering in-depth analytics and AI functionality that measures sales performance with visual reports and improves productivity with predictions. Freshsales’ AI assistant, Freddy AI, provides robust support for an organization’s sales intelligence. It can predict deal closures, next best actions, forecasting, and sales reports. The tool can even identify and prioritize the most sales-ready leads by assigning positive or negative scores.
Pricing
- Free CRM: Free for up to three users and offers email templates, a sales dashboard, and more.
- Growth: $9 per user per month, billed annually, or $11 per user when billed monthly.
- Pro: $39 per user per month, billed annually, or $47 per user when billed monthly.
- Enterprise: $59 per user per month, billed annually, or $71 per user when billed monthly.
Features
- Table and Kanban views: Visualize all data, leads, and reporting in comprehensive summaries.
- Territory management: Segment and prioritize leads according to preset rules and metrics.
- Next best action tool: Use AI suggestions to detect OOO responses, manage calendars, and reschedule appointments.
Freshsales pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 21-day free trial. | Limited integration with Google Workspace tools. |
| Offers an encompassing software demo. | No workflows are included in the free tier. |
| Built-in phone, chat, and SMS features. | Only allows up to 6 reports per dashboard view. |
Why we chose Freshsales
Freshsales is our top-scoring enterprise CRM. Evaluating the platform against industry standards, Freshsales ranks highly in cost, core features, and customization. Its sales intelligence feature includes in-depth analytics and AI to help organizations make smarter decisions quickly.
Even though Freshsales’ AI-powered sales CRM is robust in its sales pipeline management and data administration, its free version only offers AI chatbot features, not Freddy AI insights. If you’re looking for a stronger free tier supporting AI tools, look into HubSpot.
SEE: Read our Freshsales review for more insight into this provider’s top features, pricing, and alternatives.
Features
- Lead management and prospecting: Manage leads and their associated activities for reps to easily engage and nurture them closer to a sale.
- Playbooks: Create process outlines for reps to reference, such as scripts, competitor battlecards, positioning guides, and more.
- AI blog writing: Generate fresh and branded content with an AI-powered blog writing tool that users can edit for added customization.
HubSpot pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 24/7 email and chat support. | No free trial. |
| Offers an intuitive user interface. | Pricey paid tiers compared to others. |
| Over 1,500 apps available for integration. | No live support available for users of the free tier. |
Why we chose HubSpot
HubSpot is our top-scoring free CRM provider. The CRM software offers a robust free tier that can support up to 2,500 users and 1,500 integrations. It also offers a vast suite of solutions, including sales, service, marketing, and operations, from one hub that all use HubSpot AI branded tools.
While the platform itself isn’t open-source, HubSpot allows users to develop their own applications to integrate with the software. If your business is capable and willing to utilize the niche functionality of developing its source code, consider checking out our guide to the top open-source CRM software.
SEE: To learn more about this CRM software, including top features and alternatives, read our HubSpot review.
Zoho CRM: Best for AI-powered predictive forecasting
Zoho CRM is a powerful CRM tool that supports customer-facing teams with personalized automations and solutions. As a collaborative and analytical CRM, Zoho CRM offers a comprehensive analytics suite that gives users a bird’s eye view of their business with custom dashboards. The AI assistant, Zia, offers advanced predictive forecasting that can suggest both company-wide and individual targets based on historical data. The tool can inspire healthy, competitive sales by visualizing achievable targets for reps.
Pricing
- Free CRM: Free for up to three users and comes with lead and document management and a mobile app.
- Standard: $14 per user per month, billed annually, or $20 per user when billed monthly.
- Professional: $23 per user per month, billed annually, or $35 per user when billed monthly.
- Enterprise: $40 per user per month, billed annually, or $50 per user when billed monthly.
- Ultimate: $52 per user per month, billed annually, or $65 per user when billed monthly.
Features
- Sales process builder: Create a universal sales process with actionable steps for sales reps to follow in detail.
- Customer portals: Offer prospects a self-service tool where they can view an organization’s products or services to make purchasing decisions.
- Sales forecasting: Make accurate forecasts around future sales with AI predictions to measure success against current sales.
Zoho CRM pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 15-day free trial. | No available social media integration in the free tier. |
| 24/7/365 data security. | Some users report poor UI and UX. |
| Offers workflow automations for each tier. | AI tools are only available in higher-paid tiers. |
Why we chose Zoho CRM
Zoho CRM continues to be top-ranking CRM software in our features due to its competitive pricing, core features, and customization opportunities. Its team collaboration, marketing, and project management tools make it a great option for organizations wanting a strong platform with AI sales and marketing functionality.
Zoho CRM’s artificial intelligence tools, specifically the AI assistant Zia, are only available in the top two pricing tiers, Enterprise and Ultimate. If you’re looking for a provider with AI accessibility in its free or standard subscriptions, check out HubSpot.
SEE: For more information, check out our full review of Zoho CRM.
Capsule: Best for writing emails with AI
Capsule is easy-to-use CRM software that supports full sales cycle contact management. The platform offers an AI-powered content assistant that can help organizations produce email copy quickly. This feature allows users to spend valuable time doing other sales tasks and benefit from the efficiency and speed of AI-powered content creation while still being in control by enabling edits as needed.
Pricing
- Free tier: Free for up to 250 contacts and 50MB of storage per account.
- Starter: $18 per user per month when billed annually, or $21 per user when billed monthly.
- Growth: $36 per user per month when billed annually, or $38 per user when billed monthly.
- Advanced: $54 per user per month when billed annually, or $60 per user when billed monthly.
- Ultimate: $72 per user per month when billed annually, or $75 per user when billed monthly.
Features
- AI content assistant: Generate a variety of content, such as sales emails, with filters regarding tone and length.
- Google Data Studio: Unify multiple data sources to create interactive dashboards and build reports.
- Opportunity filtering: Filter projects and forecasted data based on status, tags, milestones, and more.
Capsule pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 14-day free trial. | No custom automations available in the free tier. |
| 1,000+ available integrations. | No assigned sales teams or support. |
| Exporting for data security. | Doesn’t integrate with Outlook calendar. |
Why we chose Capsule
Users of Capsule describe it as a simple online CRM provider with all the needed core sales and relationship management tools. Capsule scores highly for its ease of use and cost compared to other general CRM software. Its free version allows access for up to two users, making it an affordable option with its AI content assistant included in each tier.
While Capsule’s AI content can be extremely beneficial to streamlining marketing emails to leads, the platform lacks AI-powered tools for reporting or analytics. If you’re looking for a provider with more robust AI capabilities for data and analytics, check out Zoho CRM.
Pipedrive: Best for AI-recommended integrations
Users of Pipedrive can receive tailored AI app recommendations to integrate with the CRM software. The recommendations are based on the unique needs of your business while strategizing the best way to optimize the use of the platform. This special AI feature is also available on all paid tiers that Pipedrive offers. With this tool and Pipedrive’s other AI features, businesses can experience enhanced efficiency and streamlined workflows while innovating sales processes.
Pricing
- Essential: $14 per user per month, billed annually, or $24 per user when billed monthly.
- Advanced: $29 per user per month, billed annually, or $39 per user when billed monthly.
- Professional: $49 per user per month, billed annually, or $64 per user when billed monthly.
- Power: $64 per user per month, billed annually, or $79 per user when billed monthly.
- Enterprise: $99 per user per month, billed annually, or $129 per user when billed monthly.
*Pipedrive has three different pricing tiers, based on country and geographic location. This pricing reflects what I see, based on U.S. pricing.
Features
- Security center: Set rules and alerts and view individual or team access and device logs.
- AI conversation summary: Condense emails into brief summaries that reps can use to quickly understand main points and save time.
- AI sales assistant: Utilize an AI assistant to identify sales patterns, recommend high-potential deals, next actions, and actionable insights.
Pipedrive pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 14-day free trial. | Doesn’t offer a free version. |
| Offers 24/7 customer service. | Users report occasional email glitches. |
| 400+ integrations. | Users report limitations when generating advanced reports. |
Why we chose Pipedrive
Pipedrive is a powerful sales CRM software that allows users to create custom pipelines and track activity and deals from intuitive dashboards. While there isn’t a free-for-life option, Pipedrive’s paid plans are affordably priced and offer premium add-ons for even more customization. Pipedrive also offers industry specialization for a variety of niche markets, allowing the platform to serve businesses of all sizes and solutions.
Pipedrive’s AI features are slightly limited compared to others on this list, meaning they’re low in capabilities, still in beta release, or are only available on the higher paid tiers. If you want a CRM tool with more robust AI functionality throughout the software, I suggest looking into HubSpot for their tools and free version.
SEE: For more insight into this provider, check out our Pipedrive review.
How do I choose the best AI CRM software for my business?
After identifying these top CRM providers with advanced AI tools, the next step would be to request demos or sign up for free trials from some of the providers on this list. I also recommend compiling a list of exactly what you hope to gain from implementing CRM software. This way, you can begin communicating directly with the provider and start onboarding the software that works best for your business needs.
Below are questions to consider asking when choosing AI CRM software:
- Does the free version offer the core features you need, such as list segmentation or advanced reporting?
- What is the total in-market expertise for your industry, if any?
- Is the CRM scalable and detailed enough to fit your small business or enterprise?
- Does the CRM software integrate with tools you already have in your tech stack?
FORUM: Here are some factors to consider when choosing a CRM.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
How is AI changing CRM?
The introduction of AI technology in CRM software is enhancing their overall purpose, which is providing efficient workflows for sales processes. AI tools are improving typical CRM functionality by allowing for more advanced automations, in-depth data analysis and forecasting, and content generation.
Can we combine CRM and AI?
Absolutely. CRM products are quickly implementing AI-powered solutions into their platforms. CRMs are meant to provide customer insights and increase efficiency for sales processes and client relationships. AI functionality can do this and more. With AI assistants, summaries, and automations, users can now make more informed business and sales decisions.
What are the limitations of AI in CRM?
There are some limitations around AI technology for the platform itself as well as for the end user. AI tools are currently considered an advanced feature for CRM solutions, meaning access might be behind paywalls and exclusive to top-tier plans. Similar to other software adopting AI, CRMs with AI also create more security and data privacy concerns, so human oversight is still critical.
Review methodology
To fairly evaluate each provider’s AI CRM offerings, I used an in-house rubric with outlined criteria and subcategories with a special focus on AI features. After scoring each provider with our rubric, an algorithm calculated an overall star rating, which I used to assign each software an ideal use case.
Here’s a breakdown of the scoring criteria I followed:
- Cost: Weighted 25% of the total score.
- Core features: Weighted 25% of the total score.
- Customizations: Weighted 15% of the total score.
- Integrations: Weighted 15% of the total score.
- Ease of use: Weighted 10% of the total score.
- Customer support: Weighted 10% of the total score.