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While the gig economy is booming, there are still a number of tools to help freelancers manage their workflow. Here’s an overview of six CRM software for freelance professionals.
The “zoho crm” is a software that allows freelancers to keep track of their clients and manage the project. The “zoho crm” is one of the best CRM software in 2022.
For freelancers, customer relationship management (CRM) solutions are meant to consolidate client contacts, transactions, and projects, as well as track several income streams in one place. It also has to be cost-effective for self-employed freelancers and solopreneurs on a shoestring budget. We assessed various leading suppliers and considered crucial aspects based on their demands to determine the best CRM for freelancers.
Here are our top six personal CRM options, along with their strongest use cases:
- Freshsales is the best all-around CRM for freelancers, featuring omnichannel communication capabilities including phone, email, and chat.
- Sell with Zendesk: For freelancers who require a CRM system with strong email connectivity, Sell with Zendesk is a great option.
- Zoho CRM is ideal for freelancers who need to keep track of their time and use timesheet management software.
- Agile CRM is a great tool for freelancers that need to manage their social media accounts well.
- HubSpot CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is the best free CRM for freelancers with powerful analytics.
- Dubsado: Excellent for CRM users that want invoicing and payment plan functionality.
Freshsales: The Best Overall CRM for Freelancers With Omnichannel Communication Tools Freshsales is the best overall CRM for freelancers with omnichannel communication tools.
Freshsales
4.46 OUT OF 5 I I I I I I I I I I I Our ranking is based on our experts’ weighted assessment of hundreds of comparable items and services.
What We Enjoy
- Allows users to connect over a variety of channels, such as phone, email, and chat.
- Features configure, price, and quote (CPQ)
- Slack integration, which is often used by firms that hire remote employees or freelancers.
What Isn’t There
- Essential functionality such as numerous sales funnels and update alerts are not available in the free plan.
- There is no online storage allotment with the free plan.
Summary of Costs*
- Unlimited users are supported with the free plan.
- $15 per month per user growth
- Pro: $39 per month, per user
- Enterprise: $69 per month for each user
- 21-day free trial
*Based on a yearly billing cycle. At a premium price, monthly memberships are also available.
Freshsales has crucial features that enable freelancers manage many customers and contacts by allowing them to manage their contacts, projects, and tasks. It allows them to keep in touch with their customers through a variety of communication channels, including phone, email, chat, SMS, social media, WhatsApp, and Slack. Users may also produce and submit quotations, invoices, contracts, and non-disclosure agreements using Freshsales’ configure, price, and quote (CPQ) capabilities.
Freshsales’ free plan, on the other hand, is missing key features like numerous sales funnels and basic update alerts. It also does not provide free online storage. Users who want a feature-rich free plan can look into Zoho CRM, while those who want unlimited online storage should look into HubSpot CRM (Customer Relationship Management).
Freshsales Highlights
Freshsales gives you the tools you need to manage projects and track different revenue streams. The following are the characteristics that we believe are most valuable to users:
- Users may establish follow-up activities, plan and monitor appointments, and keep track of notes for each lead, contact, account, and transaction.
- Communication features: Users may utilize the app’s in-app phone system to make calls and send messages through email, SMS, chat, social media, and other messaging channels like WhatsApp and Slack.
- Website stats analysis: Allows users to get insight into their visitors’ levels of interest or engagement by evaluating page views, resource downloads, and other website activity.
- Users may develop quotations, proposals, non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), master services agreements (MSAs), contracts, and other formal business documents.
Freshsales gives users access to a variety of communication touchpoints, allowing them to stay in contact with their customers at all times. (Image courtesy of Freshsales)
Check out our Freshsales review to learn more about the platform’s other features.
Freshsales is a great place to start.
Sell with Zendesk: The Best CRM for Freelancers Who Need Email Integration
Sell with Zendesk
4.36 OUT OF 5 I I I I I I I I I I I Our ranking is based on our experts’ weighted assessment of hundreds of comparable items and services.
What We Enjoy
- Has a fantastic email integration feature.
- It has the ability to send SMS and make phone calls.
- Has a mobile app with offline access
What Isn’t There
- There is no free plan available.
- There are no features for invoicing and billing.
Summary of Costs*
- Sell Team for $19 per month per user
- Sell Professional for $49 per month per user
- Sell Enterprise for $99 per month per user.
- 30 day free trial
*Based on a yearly billing cycle. At a premium price, monthly memberships are also available.
Sell with Zendesk helps freelancers manage various clients and projects through task and appointment setting, sales pipelines monitoring, calendar integration, and document storage. It has robust email integration capabilities that let users connect email accounts to manage emails from within the platform, track their email campaigns, and send emails in bulk. It also allows users to communicate to their clients using SMS and call directly from the software.
However, Sell with Zendesk has There is no free plan available., and no invoicing and billing functionalities. Users who want access to both can consider subscribing to Freshsales instead.
Sell with Zendesk Features
Sell with Zendesk offers users essential project and task management tools, as well as great email integration capabilities. Below are features we find most beneficial for users:
- Users may keep track of all their conversations by tracking and documenting lead and contact-related emails in the platform’s contact log.
- Notification and update features: When a prospect reads or clicks on an email, it receives real-time push notifications and alerts.
- Communication features: Offers a click-to-call feature that lets users make calls using their Sell with Zendesk account, as well as send SMS messages straight from their dashboard.
- Lead profile enrichment: Allows users to generate tailored lead lists based on industry, business size, and role to enrich their lead and contact profiles.
Sell with Zendesk allows users to integrate their email accounts, such as Gmail, to run campaigns and send bulk emails straight from the platform. (Source: Sell with Zendesk)
Check out our Sell with Zendesk review to explore other features that this platform offers.
Visit Sell with Zendesk
Zoho CRM: The Best CRM for Freelancers With Timesheet Management Tools Zoho CRM is the best CRM for freelancers with timesheet management tools.
Zoho CRM
4.34 OUT OF 5 I I I I I I I I I I I Our ranking is based on our experts’ weighted assessment of hundreds of comparable items and services.
What We Enjoy
- Has time-tracking capabilities to assist freelancers in appropriately billing their labor.
- Provides a variety of client contact options, including email, phone, and live chat.
- Predictive analytics and advanced analytics
What Isn’t There
- Storage capacity is limited; an add-on for extra monthly storage is required.
- Only premium programs allow for mass emailing.
Summary of Costs*
- Up to three users are allowed on the free plan.
- Standard: $14 per month per user
- Professional: $23 per month for each user
- Enterprise: $40 per month for each user
- Ultimate: $52 per month per user
- 15-day free trial
*Based on a yearly billing cycle. At a premium price, monthly memberships are also available.
Zoho CRM provides freelancers with crucial project management capabilities such as contact, project, and account management. Through social media integration with Twitter and Facebook, users may create leads and expand their customer profiles. Users may also manage client billings using Zoho CRM’s time tracking capabilities, which they can link with the production of invoices for precise time monitoring of project completion.
However, Zoho CRM has a limited storage capacity and only offers bulk emailing as a premium function. Freshsales is a good option for those that require a lot of data storage, while HubSpot CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is a good option for those who need bulk emailing tools even on a free subscription.
Features of Zoho CRM
Users can effortlessly manage contacts and projects using Zoho CRM. Through timesheet management, they may also keep track of the hours they spend working for clients. The following are the characteristics that we believe are most valuable to users:
- Time tracking: Using daily, weekly, and monthly time records, users may record and keep track of the time they spend working on different tasks.
- Users may produce invoices and generate customized, accurate reports for timesheets and payment quotations using the billing functionality.
- Omnichannel customer communications: Allows users to communicate with customers through email, phone, and social media.
- Sales reporting: Provides real-time data on a wide range of variables, including sales trends, marketing campaigns, and activity reports.
Users of Zoho CRM may keep track of how much time they spend on projects so they can charge their customers more precisely. (Image courtesy of Zoho CRM)
Check out our Zoho CRM review to learn more about the platform’s other features.
Go to the Zoho CRM website.
Best CRM With Social Media Management Tools: Agile CRM
Agile CRM
4.16 OUT OF 5 I I I I I I I I I I I Our ranking is based on our experts’ weighted assessment of hundreds of comparable items and services.
What We Enjoy
- Has a lot of social media features, such as social media management, social listening, and social marketing.
- Unlimited offers and tasks, appointment scheduling, and in-app phone calls are all included in the free plan.
- A landing page builder is available.
What Isn’t There
- Email campaign management is not included in the free plan.
- Only email technical assistance is available with the free plan.
Summary of Costs*
- Up to ten users are allowed on the free plan.
- Starter: $9.99 per month for each user
- Regular price: $39.99 per month, per user
- Enterprise: $64 per month for each user
- Free trial: For Regular and Enterprise plans only, a 7-day free trial is available.
*Based on a yearly billing cycle. At a premium price, monthly memberships are also available.
Agile CRM provides useful capabilities to freelancers who often utilize social media to give services to their clientele. Social listening to monitor brand references across numerous social platforms, following contacts’ social activity, and communicating with leads through Facebook and Twitter are just a few examples. Other basic functions include lead and project management, calendar and appointment management, email integration, document signing, and quote writing.
Agile CRM’s free package lacks phone and chat assistance, as well as email campaign management. Freshsales is a good option for freelancers who want phone, chat, and email assistance with their free subscription. HubSpot CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is a good option for those who want free access to email campaign management services.
Features of Agile CRM
Agile CRM makes it simple for freelancers to manage their social media activity in connection to project management, as well as monitor and track their leads and projects. The following are the characteristics that we believe are most valuable to users:
- Social media integration: Allows customers to do critical social media tasks such as posting to social media channels, tracking brand mentions, messaging followers, and collecting leads directly from their CRM dashboard.
- Lead activity tracking: Tracks the social behavior of leads and customers to help users get the most out of their marketing automation initiatives.
- Document management: Allows users and their customers to sign electronic documents, such as contracts and non-disclosure agreements (NDAs). Users may also send, receive, react to, and attach documents to emails directly from the Agile CRM dashboard.
By monitoring brand mentions, Agile CRM’s social media management makes it simple for freelancers to maintain their customers’ social media accounts. (Image courtesy of Agile CRM)
Visit Agile CRM for more information.
HubSpot CRM (Customer Relationship Management): The Best Free CRM With Robust Sales Automation Tools HubSpot CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is the best free CRM with robust sales automation tools.
HubSpot CRM (Customer Relationship Management)
3.96 OUT OF 5 I I I I I I I I I I I Our ranking is based on our experts’ weighted assessment of hundreds of comparable items and services.
What We Enjoy
- It has a simple and straightforward user interface.
- One million connections and enterprises are supported by the free plan.
- Pipeline automation and job queueing are among the most important sales automation solutions.
What Isn’t There
- The free subscription does not include customer service and is restricted to forums.
- Users find it difficult to move to higher levels due to large price variations between plans.
Summary of Costs*
- Free: Can be used by an infinite number of people.
- $45 a month for two paid customers on the Starter Sales Plan
- $450 per month for five paying customers on the Professional Sales Plan
- $1,200 a month for ten paid customers on the Enterprise Sales Plan
- 14-day free trial
*Based on a yearly billing cycle. At a premium price, monthly memberships are also available.
HubSpot CRM (Customer Relationship Management) offers a wide range of features freelancers need to nurture their relationships with their clients, including customizable dashboards, chatbots, and landing pages. It also offers robust sales automation tools, such as simple automations that trigger tasks and notifications in a user’s sales pipeline, as well as task queuing to help automate to-do lists and collaborate with others working on the same client.
However, HubSpot CRM (Customer Relationship Management)’s free plan lacks customer support. Furthermore, its paid plans have big discrepancies—which is a disadvantage for freelancers on a tight budget who want to access advanced tools, such as sales analytics. Users who need support for free plans can consider Freshsales, while those who want to access advanced features for less can consider Zoho CRM.
HubSpot CRM (Customer Relationship Management) Features
HubSpot CRM (Customer Relationship Management) lets freelancers access sales automation tools for free. It also provides robust email marketing features. Below are features we find most beneficial for users:
- Users may put up a series of follow-up activities to assist them remain on top of many customers and projects using task management.
- Email marketing: Offers fantastic email marketing solutions to those who want to send professional-looking marketing emails to grow their consumer base.
- Features for billing and invoicing: Users may produce bids and invoices for their customers.
- Live chat: Provides a live chat feature that allows users to engage with visitors to their website in real time.
HubSpot CRM (Customer Relationship Management) lets users automate various tasks, such as calling prospects and sending emails. (Source: HubSpot CRM (Customer Relationship Management))
Check out our HubSpot CRM (Customer Relationship Management) review to explore other features that this platform offers.
Go to HubSpot CRM’s website. (Customer Relationship Management)
Dubsado: Best CRM With Invoicing & Payment Processing Features
Dubsado
3.54 OUT OF 5 I I I I I I I I I I I Our ranking is based on our experts’ weighted assessment of hundreds of comparable items and services.
What We Enjoy
- Users may utilize a time tracker to add billable hours to their bills.
- Users may generate and submit invoices directly from the app.
- Has a lot of connectors with payment processors like Stripe and PayPal.
What Isn’t There
- There is no mobile app available.
- There is no option for cloud storage.
Summary of Costs*
- Free: One user with a maximum of three clients is supported.
- $25 per month for 4-10 users
- $45 per month for 11-20 users
- $60 per month for 21-30 users
*Based on a yearly billing cycle. At a premium price, monthly memberships are also available.
Dubsado provides outstanding payment processing services for freelancers to assist them manage their numerous revenue streams. These include a time tracker that keeps track of how much time they spend on each job and an invoicing system that allows them to submit quotations and invoices to be paid for finished assignments. It accepts payments by PayPal, Stripe, and Square, and gives customers the option of leaving a tip when making a purchase.
However, Dubsado lacks a mobile app, and it has no cloud storage allocation. Users who need a mobile app for their CRM can consider either Agile CRM or HubSpot CRM (Customer Relationship Management), while those who need online storage can consider either Freshsales or Sell with Zendesk.
Features of Dubsado
Users may use Dubsado to keep track of their time and precisely charge their completed job, as well as produce and submit invoices. The following are the characteristics that we believe are most valuable to users:
- Users may send one-time or regular invoices, as well as payment reminders, using the invoicing tools.
- Billing and payment scheduling: Allows users to create bespoke payment plans with installments, due dates, and auto-reminders for customers.
- Users may establish projects for their customers and keep on top of forthcoming chores using project management.
- Users may keep track of the time they spend on a project and apply their billable hours to invoices using time tracking.
Dubsado’s dependable invoicing and payment processing capabilities assist freelancers in managing client payments. (Image courtesy of Dubsado)
Pay a visit to Dubsado.
How We Decided on the Best Freelance CRM
The finest freelance CRM software should provide basic capabilities to assist self-employed people keep track of customer conversations, tasks, and projects. It should include necessary features such as invoicing, billing, and time tracking. A good CRM software for freelancers should provide a variety of low-cost or no-cost options, as well as a free edition.
Freshsales is the best CRM software for freelancers, according to our research. It includes key CRM features for side hustlers, such as omnichannel messaging and invoicing capabilities. It also features a great in-app phone that allows freelancers to communicate with their clients and prospects at any time and from anywhere.
The sections below provide further information about our selection methodology for the best CRM for freelancers.
40% of the overall score
Because pricing is usually the most significant consideration for freelancers, it was given the greatest weight while evaluating the best CRM for them. We looked at whether a free plan was available, how much entry-level plans cost, and if monthly payment plans were offered.
20% of the overall score
Any CRM should be able to give useful solutions for sales, marketing, and task management. We looked at the possibilities and determined which ones provide the most important and basic functions for freelancers.
15% of the overall score
When evaluating a software’s ease of use, we look for two things: user-friendliness and intuitiveness. We looked at whether the program is user-friendly for beginners or whether it required some prior knowledge to bring users up to speed.
15% of the overall score
Support is an important aspect of maintaining a CRM system, particularly for freelancers who may lack technical knowledge. We looked at the sorts of assistance given by these companies through live chat, email, and phone, as well as the hours during which they are accessible.
10% of the overall score
We analyzed existing customer evaluations on reputable websites to determine the degree of happiness current customers have, as well as any issues they often face. Our ideas and expert opinions on essential features, value for money, and popularity were also included.
*Percentages based on total score
The “free crm for freelancers” is a category that encompasses many different software. The 6 best CRM software in 2022 are:
1. HubSpot,
2. Salesforce,
3. Zoho CRM,
4. ZenDesk,
5. Freshdesk and
6. Pipedrive
Related Tags
- hubspot
- crm for freelancers
- best crm for creatives
- crm for graphic designers
- best crm for free
