Startups operate under a completely different set of circumstances to other companies, which results in specific CRM needs. Startups arguably prioritize three “pillars” more heavily than other companies when selecting their CRM platform.
- Time to Value
Startups need solutions deployable in hours or days rather than the weeks or months, which can be the case with enterprise solutions.
- Flexibility
Customization and adaptability are a must when your product is ever-changing, let alone your team. Platforms used by rapidly growing teams must be able to rapidly pivot and change shape to accommodate evolving business models and unique sales processes. Most startups will have technical team members that can help with setup, but the density of these changes from team to team. Therefore, customization without requiring a huge amount of technical “know-how” is a must.
- AI-native
AI brings an immediate selective pressure to teams, as utilising its capabilities will soon become the bare minimum, not just a competitive advantage. More and more advanced workflows will be wanted by GTM teams, and CRMs will form the core of this development. CRMs that don’t enable their customers to level up in this new era will be left behind.
That being said, here are my top CRMs for startups right now.
Attio
Attio recently secured $52 million in Series B funding from Google Ventures, creating a growing challenger to legacy options. They were built for AI from the ground up and offer a powerful data model that’s been compared to Notion in it’s ability to adapt to any business model in an accessible way. The platform’s instant sync upon signup is a signature feature, and handles millions of records while maintaining real-time synchronization across email, calendar, and communication channels.
For GTM builders and engineers, Attio provides a unique advantage through its recently released programmable SDK. You are able to write custom code to run inside Attio, opening up a world of possibility for app developers and users themselves. This creates a nice collaboration between technical and non-technical users, where engineers can leverage the API and SDK, while less technical teams benefit from no-code customization and AI-powered features. With pricing from $29-119 per user monthly and 5,000 paying customers including AI companies like Modal and Replicate, Attio represents a super interesting CRM to watch in the coming years.
Pipedrive
Pipedrive is a long-standing option with a strong sales and pipeline focus. It serves 100,000+ companies with its sales-centric approach built around visual pipeline management and activity-based selling. The platform’s signature Kanban interface emphasises drag-and-drop deal management with customizable stages and automated workflows. Starting at just $14 per user monthly, Pipedrive offers exceptional value for sales-focused teams.
Pipedrive has been pushing ahead with some AI capabilities, including their recently released Pipedrive Pulse. It’s still in closed beta, but looks like a promising feature set for existing Pipedrive customers.
Pipedrive is great for managing pipeline, including deal rotting alerts, stage duration analysis, and AI-powered revenue forecasting launched. The platform’s 500+ integrations and upcoming AI suite additions, position Pipedrive as a good option for growing teams with a Sales-first motion.
HubSpot
As an established incumbent serving 248,000+ customers globally, HubSpot’s strength lies in how long it’s existed, and the all in one stack for sales and marketing. HubSpot’s 1,700+ app marketplace provides the a very extensive integration ecosystem, and in general integrates with almost anything.
The generous free tier supports unlimited contacts with basic CRM functionality, while the HubSpot for Startups program offers discounts for eligible companies. However, the pricing for paid tiers can climb steeply, which is something to watch out for.
HubSpot has been fast to implement AI capabilities, led by their CTO Dharmesh Shah. They have lots of promising AI functionality, including Breeze AI, but remains to be seen whether they can build their product around AI in a way that feels as native as newer options.
Monday
Monday CRM leverages the Work OS platform’s signature colorful, drag-and-drop interface to make work intuitive for both technical and non-technical users. The platform obviously integrates seamlessly with Monday.com’s broader work suite, making it an obvious choice for existing users. With 245,000+ customers worldwide (across the whole work suite) Monday CRM is a CRM solution from an established player.
The interface is super visual and colorful, which will appeal to some, with color-coded statuses, multiple view options (Kanban, Timeline, Gantt). It’s reasonably flexible and in ways feels very like a spreadsheet.
There’s good no-code automation that reduces technical requirements and their AI offerings are starting to look strong. There is a natural language workflow builder called Monday Magic that can be used by non-technical users, and their “Digital Workforce” push is an interesting take, with specific agents for specific tasks.
Pricing from $12-28 per user monthly makes it accessible for startups, while the balance between simplicity and customization capabilities ensures teams can scale without platform migration.
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