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Affordable CRM Comparison Guide 2025 Best Small Business

August 22, 2025

Running a small business means wearing many hats. Sales, marketing, customer service, and operations often fall on the same few people. One of the most powerful tools you can adopt to make life easier is a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system.

But here is the challenge: most CRMs are built for enterprise teams with deep pockets and IT departments. For a small business owner, the last thing you need is expensive, bloated software that slows you down instead of helping you grow.

That is why we created this affordable CRM comparison guide for 2025. In this post you will learn:

  • Why small businesses need a CRM and how to know if you are ready
  • Which CRMs are the best fit for small businesses today
  • How to choose the right CRM for your team and budget
  • Why 6DollarCRM stands out as the best affordable choice

Why Small Businesses Need a CRM in 2025

Many small businesses still rely on spreadsheets or notebooks to track customers. While that can work in the beginning, it quickly creates problems as your business grows:

  • Leads get lost when follow ups are forgotten
  • Customer history disappears when communication is scattered
  • No automation means hours wasted on manual entry
  • Limited collaboration leads to duplicate effort

A CRM solves all of this by providing one central system for customer data, email history, notes, and reminders.

For most small businesses, the essentials are what matter most: contact management, email tracking, and simple automation.

How to Choose the Right CRM for a Small Business

Before comparing tools, it helps to know what to look for. The best CRM for a small business should be:

  1. Affordable with predictable pricing that fits a tight budget
  2. Simple to use without the need for technical training
  3. Focused on essentials without unnecessary enterprise features
  4. Scalable so it can grow with your business

Best Affordable CRMs for Small Businesses in 2025

Here is a breakdown of the most popular CRMs that small businesses consider, with a focus on cost, usability, and core features.

1. 6DollarCRM (Best for Simplicity and Affordability)

  • Price: $6 per month and includes up to 3 users
  • Highlights:
    • Designed specifically for startups and small businesses
    • Clean calming design that is easy to navigate
    • Import contacts directly from Apple, Google, or vCard files
  • Pros:
    • Unbeatable price point for up to three users
    • Simple enough for non technical users
    • Easily customized to meet your individual business or personal needs
    • Built with small business workflows in mind
  • Cons:
    • Limited advanced enterprise features but most small businesses do not need them

Why choose it: If you want a CRM you can set up in minutes, 6DollarCRM is purpose built for you.

2. HubSpot CRM (Best Free Starter Option)

  • Price: Free plan available, paid tiers get expensive
  • Highlights:
    • Brand recognition and wide adoption
    • Free tools for contact and deal tracking
    • Integrations with HubSpot’s marketing and sales suite
  • Pros:
    • Zero cost to get started
    • Well documented support and resources
  • Cons:
    • Most powerful features require upgrading
    • Can feel overwhelming for first time users

Best for: Businesses that want a free entry point but may later invest heavily in the HubSpot platform.

3. Zoho CRM (Best for Customization)

  • Price: Starts at $14 per user per month
  • Highlights:
    • Wide library of integrations
    • Advanced customization and reporting
  • Pros:
    • Works well with other Zoho business apps such as Zoho Books and Zoho Projects
    • Good option for growing teams
  • Cons:
    • Steeper learning curve
    • More complex than many small businesses need

Best for: Small businesses planning to scale quickly with custom workflows.

4. Insightly (Best for Project Management Integration)

  • Price: Starts at $29 per user per month
  • Highlights:
    • Combines CRM with lightweight project management
    • Integrations with Gmail, Outlook, and QuickBooks
  • Pros:
    • Useful for businesses that want sales and project tracking together
    • Helps manage both customer relationships and delivery of services or projects
  • Cons:
    • Higher entry cost compared to other CRMs in this list
    • Some advanced features require even higher tier plans

Best for: Small businesses that want both CRM and project management in one system.

5. Pipedrive (Best for Sales Teams)

  • Price: Starts at $14 per user per month
  • Highlights:
    • Intuitive sales pipeline management
    • Good for deal focused businesses
  • Pros:
    • Visual pipeline makes sales progress easy to track
    • Automation tools for repetitive tasks
  • Cons:
    • Limitations on contacts and several key features
    • Requires upgrades to unlock full functionality
    • Not as beginner friendly as other options

Best for: Sales driven teams who want pipeline visibility.

Quick Comparison Table

| CRM | Price per Month | Best For | Key Advantage |
|----------------|--------------------------|---------------------------------|------------------------------|
| 6DollarCRM | $6 (includes up to 3 users) | Small businesses, solopreneurs | Simplicity and affordability |
| HubSpot CRM | Free (basic) | Businesses testing CRMs | Zero cost entry |
| Zoho CRM | $14+ per user | Growing teams | Customization and integrations|
| Insightly | $29+ per user | Small teams with projects | CRM and project tracking |
| Pipedrive | $14+ per user | Sales driven teams | Visual sales pipeline |

Which CRM is Right for You

  • If you want simplicity and predictable pricing choose 6DollarCRM
  • If you want to test a free CRM with room to grow choose HubSpot CRM
  • If you want customization and scalability choose Zoho CRM
  • If you want a CRM that includes project management choose Insightly
  • If you are sales focused and deal driven choose Pipedrive

Final Thoughts: Why 6DollarCRM is the Best Affordable CRM in 2025

Most small business owners do not need a CRM filled with features they will never use. What they need is a system that is:

  • Easy to set up
  • Affordable at scale
  • Focused on contact management, emails, and follow ups
  • Flexible enough to be customized for their unique workflow

That is exactly why 6DollarCRM exists. It is built for small business owners by small business owners, at a flat $6 per month for up to 3 users.

Ready to simplify your customer management? Try 6DollarCRM today and see how easy running your business can be.