8 Best CRMs for Startups 2026: Free to $50/Month

Most CRMs are built for enterprise teams with 50+ sales reps. Startups need something different: simple, affordable, and actually helps close deals instead of creating busywork.

2026 is the best year yet for bootstrapped founders shopping for a CRM. Tools like Folk and Attio were built specifically for small teams. HubSpot's free tier now supports 1 million contacts. Even traditional players like Pipedrive have slashed pricing for startups.

We tested 20+ CRMs over three months with actual startup teams. No enterprise features you'll never use. No $99/user/month pricing. Just tools that work when you're juggling sales, support, and product all at once.

Quick Comparison: Best CRMs for Startups

CRM	Starting Price	Best For	Free Tier?	VGS Verdict
HubSpot CRM	Free (forever)	Bootstrapped startups	✅ Unlimited	Unbeatable free tier
Folk	$20/month	Design-conscious founders	✅ 14-day trial	Cleanest UI we've seen
Attio	$29/month	Technical teams	✅ Free up to 3 users	API-first powerhouse
Pipedrive	$14/month	Sales-focused startups	✅ 14-day trial	Pipeline view is chef's kiss
Streak	$15/month	Gmail power users	✅ Limited free	Zero learning curve
Copper	$25/month	Google Workspace teams	✅ 14-day trial	Native G Suite integration
Capsule CRM	$18/month	Service businesses	✅ Free up to 2 users	Simple but powerful
Less Annoying CRM	$15/month	Non-technical founders	✅ 30-day trial	Name says it all

1. HubSpot CRM — Best Free CRM for Startups

Pricing: Free (forever), paid plans from $15/month per user

HubSpot's free CRM is absurdly generous. You get unlimited users, 1 million contacts, email tracking, meeting scheduling, and basic automation. No credit card required. It's actually free.

The catch? HubSpot wants to upsell you later. But for early-stage startups, the free tier is everything you need. We've seen teams run on it past Series A.

What We Liked

• Unlimited contacts and users on free plan — no other CRM matches this
• Email integration works flawlessly (Gmail and Outlook)
• Meeting scheduler built-in — no need for Calendly
• Mobile app is surprisingly good

What Could Be Better

• Interface feels cluttered — built for enterprise
• Constant upsell prompts get annoying
• Reporting locked behind paid tiers

Growth Hacker Take: If you're bootstrapped and need a CRM yesterday, start here. The free tier is more powerful than most paid tools. Just ignore the upsells until you actually need advanced features.

External Links: HubSpot Pricing | G2 Reviews (4.4/5)

2. Folk — Best CRM for Design-Conscious Founders

Pricing: $20/month per user, 14-day free trial

Folk is what happens when designers build a CRM. No enterprise bloat. Just a clean, Notion-like interface that makes contact management enjoyable. Drag-and-drop everything, intuitive keyboard shortcuts, and a mobile app that doesn't frustrate.

Perfect for founder-led sales where you're wearing multiple hats. Import contacts from LinkedIn with one click. Send personalized emails without leaving the app. Track deals without creating complex custom fields.

What We Liked

• UI is genuinely beautiful — feels like Notion meets Airtable
• Chrome extension imports LinkedIn profiles instantly
• Email sequences with AI personalization that works
• Unlimited contacts at $20/month

What Could Be Better

• Limited reporting compared to traditional CRMs
• No native phone integration (requires Zapier)
• Smaller ecosystem means fewer integrations

Growth Hacker Take: If you're allergic to clunky enterprise software, Folk is your best friend. The UI alone is worth $20/month. Just don't expect advanced analytics.

External Links: Folk Pricing | Product Hunt Reviews

3. Attio — Best CRM for Technical Teams

Pricing: Free up to 3 users, $29/month per user after

Attio is the developer's CRM. Real-time data sync. Webhooks for everything. GraphQL API that makes sense. You can customize everything without code, but if you want to code, the API is excellent.

Built by ex-Palantir engineers tired of Salesforce. Data model is flexible enough to track anything. Integrates with your entire stack via Zapier, Make, or custom code.

What We Liked

• Data model flexibility — track companies, people, deals, or custom objects
• Real-time sync with Slack, Linear, and product databases
• API documentation is actually good
• Free tier for up to 3 users with full features

What Could Be Better

• Steeper learning curve if non-technical
• Email sequences not as polished as Folk or HubSpot
• Mobile app feels like an afterthought

Growth Hacker Take: Perfect for B2B SaaS teams who want their CRM to talk to everything. The free tier works for small teams. At scale, the API becomes invaluable.

External Links: Attio Pricing | API Documentation

4. Pipedrive — Best CRM for Sales-Focused Startups

Pricing: $14/month per user, 14-day free trial

Pipedrive was built by salespeople who hated traditional CRMs. The visual pipeline is the star — drag deals between stages, see bottlenecks instantly, forecast revenue without Excel. Optimized for one thing: closing deals faster.

The mobile app is legitimately good. Email integration works flawlessly. Activity reminders keep you on track. At $14/month, it's cheaper than lunch.

What We Liked

• Visual pipeline makes sales process crystal clear
• Activity-based selling keeps team focused
• Email integration with templates and tracking built-in
• Reporting is robust for the price

What Could Be Better

• Customization limited on starter plan
• Marketing automation requires expensive add-ons
• Interface feels dated compared to newer tools

Growth Hacker Take: If sales is your main growth channel, Pipedrive is hard to beat. The visual pipeline alone is worth $14/month. Don't expect it to replace marketing tools.

External Links: Pipedrive Pricing | G2 Reviews (4.3/5)

5. Streak — Best CRM for Gmail Power Users

Pricing: Free (limited), $15/month per user for Pro

Streak lives entirely inside Gmail. No separate app. No context switching. Your inbox becomes your CRM. Create pipelines, track emails, schedule messages, all without leaving Gmail.

Learning curve is zero if you already use Gmail. Install the extension, create a pipeline, start dragging emails. Perfect for solo founders or small teams who live in their inbox.

What We Liked

• Zero learning curve if you use Gmail daily
• Email tracking shows opens, clicks, and reply times
• Mail merge with personalization for cold outreach
• Free tier usable for solo founders

What Could Be Better

• Only works with Gmail
• Limited pipeline customization
• Mobile experience is just Gmail app with extra buttons

Growth Hacker Take: Perfect if Gmail is your command center. Free tier works for MVPs. At scale, you'll want something more robust.

External Links: Streak Pricing | Chrome Extension

6. Copper — Best CRM for Google Workspace Teams

Pricing: $25/month per user, 14-day free trial

Copper is built specifically for Google Workspace. Native integration with Gmail, Calendar, Drive, and Meet. Contact data syncs automatically from email signatures. Meetings show up in contact timelines without manual logging.

More expensive than Streak but gives you a proper CRM. Good middle ground between simplicity and power.

What We Liked

• Native Google Workspace integration (not just Gmail)
• Automatically captures contacts from email signatures
• Chrome extension adds CRM to Gmail sidebar
• Project management features for client work

What Could Be Better

• $25/month is pricey for early-stage startups
• Requires Google Workspace (not free Gmail)
• Customization limited compared to Attio

Growth Hacker Take: If your team runs on Google Workspace and you need more than Streak, Copper is solid. Automatic data capture saves hours.

External Links: Copper Pricing | G2 Reviews (4.5/5)

7. Capsule CRM — Best for Service Businesses

Pricing: Free up to 2 users, $18/month per user after

Capsule is the CRM for consultants, agencies, and service businesses. Track client projects, log time, manage invoices, all in one place. Less about pipeline management, more about relationship management.

The free tier for 2 users is generous — perfect for founding teams. Clean interface. Integrations with Xero and QuickBooks for accounting.

What We Liked

• Free tier for 2 users with 250 contacts
• Task management built-in
• Client portal for sharing project updates
• Accounting integrations for invoicing

What Could Be Better

• Not ideal for high-volume sales teams
• Email integration is basic
• Reporting features behind higher tiers

Growth Hacker Take: Perfect for service-based startups where client relationships matter more than deal velocity. Free tier works for two cofounders. After that, $18/month is reasonable.

External Links: Capsule Pricing | Capterra Reviews (4.5/5)

8. Less Annoying CRM — Best for Non-Technical Founders

Pricing: $15/month per user, 30-day free trial

The name is the pitch. Less Annoying CRM strips away enterprise bloat: contacts, calendar, tasks, pipeline. Nothing fancy. Nothing confusing.

Built for small businesses by a small business. Helpful customer support. No upsells. No hidden fees. Just $15/month forever.

What We Liked

• Stupidly simple interface
• Flat $15/month pricing with zero hidden costs
• Phone support included
• 30-day free trial with human onboarding

What Could Be Better

• Limited integrations
• No mobile app (just responsive web)
• Email features are basic

Growth Hacker Take: If you're overwhelmed by complex CRMs, this is it. Perfect for non-technical founders. Just don't expect fancy automation.

External Links: Less Annoying CRM Pricing | Capterra Reviews (4.9/5)

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I really need a CRM if I only have 20 customers?

Yes. Even with 20 customers, you're tracking emails, calls, meetings, follow-ups. Spreadsheets break down fast. Start with HubSpot's free tier or Capsule CRM — both work for tiny teams and scale.

Can I switch CRMs later without losing data?

Mostly yes. All these CRMs support CSV exports at minimum. Attio and HubSpot have migration tools. Export your data monthly as backup. Switching is painful but doable.

What's the difference between a CRM and a spreadsheet?

CRMs track relationships over time — email history, meeting notes, deal stages, follow-up reminders. Spreadsheets are static snapshots. Once you hit 50+ contacts or 10+ deals, spreadsheets become unmanageable.

Should I get a CRM before I have product-market fit?

Only if you're doing sales calls. If you're pre-PMF figuring out your ICP, a spreadsheet is fine. Once you're having 5+ sales conversations per week, grab HubSpot's free tier to track patterns.

Can I use a CRM for customer support too?

Depends. HubSpot has basic ticketing. Folk and Attio can be customized for support. But for real customer support at scale, use dedicated tools like Intercom or Help Scout. CRMs work for early support but don't scale.

Are there any good CRMs under $10/month?

Just HubSpot (free) and Streak (free tier). Everything else worth using starts at $14-$20/month. The ROI is there — a single closed deal pays for a year of CRM.

Still overwhelmed? Start with HubSpot's free tier today. Import your contacts. Track one deal. See if it clicks. You can always switch later, but the best CRM is the one you'll actually use.

Need outreach tools to fill your new CRM? Check out Clay for AI-powered lead enrichment and automated workflows.