Category 5 software profiles
CRM & Marketing Software
Customer relationship management, marketing automation and email marketing.
Customer relationship management (CRM) and marketing software keeps track of every prospect and customer, from their first website visit through the sales process, onboarding and renewal. Marketing tools handle email campaigns, landing pages, forms, social posts and automated nurture sequences, while CRM systems record the contacts, deals and conversations that sales and support teams depend on.
The products in this category range from free starter CRMs for small businesses to integrated suites for larger companies, and AI assistants that draft emails, score leads and summarize customer histories are now standard features. Integration depth with the rest of a company’s stack is often the deciding factor.
CRM & Marketing: software on SoftwareLore
- HubSpot Marketing HubMarketing automation, email, ads and analytics built on HubSpot’s CRM HubSpot 2007 Freemium
- HubSpot Smart CRMHubSpot’s free, AI-powered CRM at the center of its customer platform HubSpot 2014 Freemium
- MailchimpEmail and SMS marketing automation for small and midsize businesses Intuit 2001 Freemium
- Zoho CRMCloud CRM for sales pipelines, customer data and process automation Zoho 2005 Freemium
- Zoho OneMore than 45 Zoho business apps under one organization-wide license Zoho 2017 Subscription
Who makes CRM & Marketing Software?
What to look for
Questions worth answering before choosing a tool in this category.
- 01
Ease of use
A CRM only works if salespeople keep it updated. Simple interfaces, mobile apps and automatic email logging drive adoption more than long feature lists.
- 02
Marketing and sales alignment
Suites that combine CRM, email marketing and landing pages share one contact record, making it easier to see which campaigns actually produce revenue.
- 03
Consent and deliverability
For email marketing, check list management, consent tracking and deliverability tools that help keep messages out of spam folders.
- 04
Cost as contacts grow
Pricing often scales with seats and marketing contacts. Model the cost at two or three times the current database size before choosing.
CRM & Marketing: frequently asked questions
What does CRM stand for?
CRM stands for customer relationship management. CRM software stores information about leads and customers, including contact details, companies, deals, emails, calls and support history, so sales, marketing and service teams can manage relationships and forecast revenue from shared data.
What is marketing automation?
Marketing automation software sends messages and updates records automatically based on rules and customer behavior. Examples include sending a welcome series to new subscribers, scoring leads based on website visits and alerting a salesperson when a prospect looks ready to buy.
Is there a free CRM?
Yes. Several vendors, including HubSpot and Zoho, offer free CRM plans with core contact and deal management for small teams. Paid tiers add automation, advanced reporting, higher limits and deeper customization.
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