9 alternatives to Agile CRM to (really) boost your customer relations
Agile CRM is the Swiss Army Knife of B2B CRM: marketing, sales, support, all in one. Sounds pretty attractive on paper. But like any 'all-in-one' tool, it has its limits... especially when you start scaling seriously or want to go further in terms of customisation.
With rising prices, an ageing interface and support that's sometimes non-existent (thanks to the forums for troubleshooting), it's easy to see why many people are looking for an alternative to Agile CRM. The good news is that the market is booming, and there's no shortage of options.
In this article, we guide you through the best alternatives to Agile CRM in 2025. Our aim is to help you find the tool that suits your needs, your budget and your ambitions.
What is Agile CRM?
Agile CRM is a bit of an outsider who wanted to do everything, quickly and well. And when it came out, it was a bold gamble: a 100% SaaS cloud CRM that combines marketing automation, sales tracking and customer support in a single interface... and at a low price. All designed for small and medium-sized businesses that want to centralise their customer relations without blowing their training budget.
In concrete terms, Agile CRM is aimed at :
- growing SMEs,
- Agile sales and marketing teams (logical),
- Start-ups who want to avoid the complexity of Salesforce or Dynamics 365,
- Companies looking for an all-in-one CRM, with a little emailing, a little ticketing and a lot of automation.
With over 15,000 customers worldwide (source: official website), it has carved out a respectable place for itself in the CRM world, especially on the English-speaking side. But in the face of increasingly sophisticated - and more user-friendly - competition, Agile CRM is beginning to show its limitations, particularly for organisations that are scaling up.
Key features of Agile CRM
Agile CRM ticks all the boxes of the "versatile and affordable" solution. But beware: underneath its all-terrain CRM exterior lies a solution that focuses more on automation and customer relations, with a few nuggets... and a few grey areas.
Here are the features most frequently mentioned in user feedback (Capterra, G2):
- Contact and deal management: the entire sales cycle is tracked from a unified customer file, with history, scoring and customisable pipeline views.
- Marketing automation: creation of conditional workflows, automated nurturing, email campaigns with A/B testing and reporting.
- Integrated customer support: ticketing system, knowledge base, live chat. Practical, but limited for demanding support teams.
- Telephony tools: integrated VOIP calls, recording, call scripts, everything you need for sales reps on the phone.
- Email tracking & notifications: alerts when a prospect opens an email or clicks on a link, with automated follow-up.
- Web forms and pop-ups: integrated directly into the CRM to capture leads without relying on a third-party tool.
In short, a good all-in-one CRM that lets you get started quickly and centralise the essentials without the need for plug-ins or extra costs.
Agile CRM
Why consider an alternative to Agile CRM?
We're not going to lie: Agile CRM does the job for small teams who want to centralise sales, marketing and support without too much complexity. But as soon as you scale up, the tool shows a few wrinkles.
Here are the reasons why more and more users are looking for an alternative:
✅ What we like:
- A 3-in-1 solution: CRM + marketing automation + customer support, without plugins.
- Competitive pricing : one of the most affordable offerings on the market, especially in the free version.
- Visual workflows : to automate campaigns or reminders without coding.
- All-in-one interface: no need to juggle 10 tools.
⚠️ What gets in the way?
- Ageing interface : the UX has not evolved since 2018... and you can feel it.
- Customer support criticised: long response times, uneven quality, especially for free or self-managed accounts.
- Features too rigid : little customisation, limited integration with modern tools (Slack, Notion, etc.).
- Not designed to scale: as soon as a team gets past 10-15 users or wants a truly omnichannel strategy, it stalls.
- Lack of data transparency : some options (such as automatic backup or EU hosting) are unclear or chargeable.
In short, a CRM that remains relevant... as long as you stay small. For those who want to go further, there are far more powerful, modern and specialised alternatives.
Comparative table of the 9 best alternatives to Agile CRM
1 of 8
 Pipedrive | Agile CRM |  Bitrix24 |  Freshsales |  HubSpot CRM |  Microsoft 365 |  monday.com |  NetSuite |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| For companies with 1 to 5000 employees | For all companies | For companies with more than 1 employees | For all companies | For companies with more than 1 employees | For all companies | For all companies | For companies with 51 to 5000 employees |
| See software | See software | See software | See software | See software | See software | See software | See software |
| Learn more about Pipedrive | Learn more about Agile CRM | Learn more about Bitrix24 | Learn more about Freshsales | Learn more about HubSpot CRM | Learn more about Microsoft 365 | Learn more about monday.com | Learn more about NetSuite |
Our selection of alternatives to Agile CRM
Axonaut
Axonaut is a French CRM that does more than just CRM. It combines sales management, invoicing, HR and accounting in a single interface. All designed for French VSEs and SMEs, with a real hands-on approach: simple, effective, 100% compliant with legal obligations.
Where Agile CRM relies on marketing automation, Axonaut prefers to play the administrative centralisation card: managing everything from prospecting to URSSAF declarations from a single tool. A real co-pilot for busy managers.
Key functionalities
- Management of contacts, opportunities and automatic reminders
- Quotes, invoices, payment management and bank reconciliation
- Cash flow monitoring, financial dashboards
- Integration with Chorus Pro for public contracts
- HR module (expense reports, holidays, simplified payslips)
- Simple automation via emailing scenarios or reminders
Our opinion
Axonaut is a bit like having a CRM and an accounting back office in a single application. Ideal for small organisations that want to centralise and save time without getting lost in an ecosystem of 12 SaaS applications. Its limitations? Less depth in marketing automation or advanced CRM workflows. But for 360° business management, it's a solid choice.
Bitrix24
Bitrix24 is like an all-you-can-eat SaaS buffet: CRM, project management, collaborative intranet, marketing automation, telephony... It's got it all. Literally everything. But just like a buffet, you need to know where to pick so you don't get lost.
Originally designed for hybrid or decentralised teams, Bitrix24 is attracting SMEs and SMIs who want to centralise internal communications and customer management without having to take out multiple subscriptions. In cloud or server-based mode, it is also one of the few to offer an on-premise version, for the most demanding of data sovereignty requirements.
Bitrix24
Key functionalities
- Full CRM with visual pipeline, scoring and customisable reporting
- Sales and marketing automation
- Project management in Kanban, Gantt or Agile mode
- Collaborative suite (chat, videoconferencing, internal drive)
- Integrated telephony + multi-channel contact centre (email, social networks, chat)
- Generous free version for up to 12 users
Our opinion
Bitrix24 is powerful and comprehensive... but a little dense. The interface is sometimes busy, and getting to grips with it requires a bit of investment. In exchange, you get an ultra-flexible solution that replaces CRM, Slack, Trello and Google Drive all in one. Ideal for teams who want a collaborative tool with a real CRM core.
Freshsales (Freshworks CRM)
Freshsales is the CRM designed for salespeople... by a company that knows the support teams inside out. Part of the Freshworks ecosystem, it is positioned as a modern, intuitive and above all automated solution, designed to speed up sales cycles without drowning in parameter settings.
Particularly popular with B2B SMEs, Freshsales features a clear interface, on-board AI to score leads, and seamless integration with other Fresh tools (marketing, support, IT).
Freshsales
Key features
- Lead, contact, account and opportunity management with visual pipeline
- Predictive scoring using AI to prioritise the hottest leads
- Email, task and follow-up automation
- Native integration with Freshdesk, Freshchat, Freshmarketer
- Analysis of user behaviour (emails, calls, web visits)
- Full mobile application for sales reps on the move
Our opinion
Freshsales ticks all the boxes of the modern, intelligent CRM: automation, AI, polished interface. It's an excellent choice for sales teams who want to concentrate on conversion and leave the repetitive tasks to the software. One downside? A little less suited to complex use cases or very specific integrations outside the Freshworks ecosystem.
HubSpot
HubSpot is a bit like the Apple of CRM: sleek design, quick to learn, closed but ultra-coherent ecosystem. Initially known for its marketing automation tools, HubSpot has evolved into a comprehensive CRM platform used by start-ups and major groups alike.
Its strong point? Its inbound-first approach, where every customer interaction is tracked, analysed and optimised. And for those who like to get started for free, its free version is one of the richest on the market.
HubSpot CRM
Key features
- Free CRM with contact management, sales pipeline and activity tracking
- Paid modules for marketing, sales, customer service and CMS
- Advanced automation with visual workflows
- Integrations with over 1,000 tools (Slack, Zoom, Salesforce, Shopify, etc.)
- Customised reporting, sales dashboard, lead attribution
- Chatbots, forms, email marketing and automatic sequences
Our opinion
HubSpot is the Rolls Royce of freemium CRMs. Ideal for structuring your growth from the very first leads, while maintaining a clear vision of the conversion funnel. Its main drawback? Prices can quickly climb when you start activating several modules or exceeding contact quotas. But when it comes to usability and scalability, it's a tough nut to crack.
Karlia
Karlia is a CRM (and more) designed for French VSEs, SMEs and self-employed people who want to manage their business from A to Z... without a business degree. Like Axonaut, it goes beyond traditional CRM, with a light ERP approach: sales, invoicing, cash flow, purchasing, stocks, everything is in the same interface.
What sets it apart? A modern interface, well-thought-out automation, and customer support... that responds. Yes, it does.
Key features
- Full CRM with lead management, pipeline, quotes and automatic follow-ups
- Invoicing, purchasing, stock and subscription management
- Bank synchronisation and automated reconciliation
- Real-time cash flow dashboard
- Customer portal with online payment area
- Task automation via customised scenarios
Our opinion
Karlia is part of this new generation of hybrid CRMs that talk business before they talk pipeline. We like its all-in-one design, its intelligent automation and its focus on the real needs of small business managers. It's not as powerful as HubSpot or Salesforce, but it' s much more agile when it comes to managing your business on a day-to-day basis.
Microsoft Dynamics 365
Microsoft Dynamics 365 is CRM for the big leagues. More than just a customer relationship management tool, it's an ultra-powerful modular suite that combines CRM, ERP, sales automation, predictive marketing and BI, all within the Microsoft ecosystem.
Popular with major accounts and SMEs, Dynamics 365 stands out for its functional depth and native integration with Microsoft 365, Teams, Power BI and Azure.
Microsoft 365
Key features
- Advanced lead, account and opportunity management with integrated AI
- Multi-channel marketing automation with dynamic segmentation
- Configuration of personalised customer journeys (B2B or B2C)
- Power BI integration for reporting and forecasting
- Synchronisation with Microsoft 365, Outlook, SharePoint, Teams, etc.
- Advanced customisation via Power Apps and Power Automate
Our opinion
Dynamics 365 puts you in the big league. It's powerful, modular and formidable for businesses with complex processes. On the other hand, it takes a long time to implement, the technical configuration is demanding, and the cost is far from negligible. It should be reserved for organisations prepared to invest in an ultra-customised solution that is perfectly integrated with their IS.
Monday.com
Monday.com started out as an ultra-visual project management platform. But with the Monday Sales CRM module, the Israeli brand is now tackling the field of collaborative CRM, without abandoning its DNA: flexibility, design and customisation without code.
Its ambition? To offer a CRM solution that teams really enjoy using. And it works: SMEs, start-ups (and even some scale-ups) love it for its digital lego look.
monday.com
Key features
- Management of leads, customers and deals via customisable tables
- No-code automation of tasks and reminders
- Sales tracking with visual pipelines and intelligent filters
- Native integration with Gmail, Outlook, Slack, HubSpot, etc.
- Real-time sales performance dashboards
- Integrated team collaboration (mentioning, sharing, notifications)
Our opinion
Monday.com is CRM for fun: intuitive, colourful and extremely flexible. Ideal for teams who want to adapt the tool to their way of working (and not the other way round). Its weakness? A little light on some of the classic CRM building blocks (such as document management or complex reminders), and prices that go up quickly once you scale up. But for agile, collaborative sales management, it's a nugget.
NetSuite CRM (Oracle)
NetSuite CRM is CRM integrated with Oracle's cloud ERP, designed for both fast-growing and established businesses. It's not just about managing leads, it's about managing the entire customer cycle, from prospecting to subscription renewal, with all the power of finance and operations in the background.
It's a solution designed for organisations that want to align marketing, sales, customer service and finance in a single SaaS environment.
NetSuite
Key functionalities
- Complete CRM with sales, marketing and customer service management
- 360° view of the customer, from first interaction to billing
- Subscription, renewal and customer lifecycle management
- Native integration with NetSuite ERP module
- Advanced automation and embedded analytics
- Multi-currency, multi-site, multi-legal: perfect for international companies
Our opinion
NetSuite CRM is the CRM for CFOs and salespeople alike. We like its ability to link sales to financial issues and to offer a truly global view of the customer.
On the other hand, it requires real change management, a solid budget and a committed IT team. Not for start-ups, but perfect for scale-ups and international organisations looking to move up a gear.
Pipedrive
Pipedrive is the CRM designed for sales, and only for sales. No frills, no extraneous modules: everything is centred on an ultra-clear visual pipeline, well timed reminders and an interface that even the least geeky of salespeople can get to grips with.
Designed by salespeople for salespeople, Pipedrive is ideal for B2B SMEs, start-ups and sales teams who want to save time on operational tasks and concentrate on conversion.
Pipedrive
Key features
- Sales pipeline management with customisable views
- Automation of tasks, emails, follow-ups and lead scoring
- Email + call synchronisation with integrated history
- Integration with over 300 apps (Slack, Zoom, Gmail, Zapier, etc.)
- Simple, clear reporting and sales forecasts
- AI assistant for next actions
Our opinion
Pipedrive is the CRM for field teams. It's quick to set up, fun to use and very action-oriented. It doesn't have the depth of Salesforce or the ambitions of HubSpot, but it does one thing very well: it helps salespeople sell more and faster. It's ideal for those who want an operational tool that doesn't require a gas factory.
Summary table: focus on the functionalities of the alternatives to Agile CRM
| Software | Type of user | Strengths | Key features | Entry price |
| Axonaut | French SMEs | 360° business management, simple interface | CRM, invoicing, HR, cash management, automation | From €49/month |
| Bitrix24 | SMEs, hybrid teams | Very comprehensive, generous free version | CRM, projects, telephony, collaborative suite, automation | Free (up to 12 users) |
| Freshsales | SME B2B | Predictive AI, intuitive interface | CRM, AI scoring, automation, Freshworks integration | Free / $15/month pro |
| HubSpot | Startups, SMEs, scale-ups | User experience, powerful freemium CRM | CRM, marketing, automation, CMS, analytics | Free / $20/month |
| Karlia | French SMEs | Light ERP, business approach | CRM, invoicing, purchasing, inventory, automation | From €39/month |
| Microsoft Dynamics 365 | SMEs, large enterprises | Power + Microsoft integration | CRM, AI marketing, Power BI, sales automation | From €65.50/month |
| Monday.com | Agile SMEs, start-ups | Visual, ultra-customisable UX | CRM, automation, collaboration, Kanban/Table views | Free / €10/month approx. |
| NetSuite CRM (Oracle) | SMEs, international groups | Integrated with a complete ERP | CRM, subscriptions, multi-currency, accounting synchronisation | Quotation only |
| Pipedrive | B2B sales staff, small teams | Quick to learn, pipeline-centric | CRM, visual pipeline, automation, AI, reporting | From €14.90/month |
How do you choose your CRM software?
Finding the right CRM isn't a question of churning out features. It's a question of context, team and objectives. To avoid ending up with an under-used tool or an exploding budget, here are the right criteria to keep in mind.
1. Define your business priorities
- Want to save time on customer management? → Go for a simple, operational CRM like Pipedrive or Axonaut.
- Are you looking to centralise all your business in a single tool? → Take a look at Karlia, Bitrix24 or NetSuite CRM.
- Are you into acquisition and marketing automation? → HubSpot, Freshsales or Monday.com CRM have serious advantages.
- Do you have a multi-team or international structure? → Microsoft Dynamics 365 or NetSuite CRM will be more suitable.
2. Assess how your teams take to it
A CRM that sits in a corner, nobody wins. Ask yourself:
- Who is going to use the tool on a daily basis?
- Do you need training or assisted onboarding?
- Are your sales people comfortable with the technology?
👉 Pipedrive or HubSpot shine here for their ergonomics. Bitrix24 or Dynamics 365, on the other hand, require more time to adapt.
3. Adjust to your budget (and your ambitions)
A free CRM is not always a good plan if it is holding you back in your growth. The idea is to find the right combination of features, scalability and cost.
- Just starting out? HubSpot, Freshsales and Bitrix24 offer great freemium plans.
- Do you want to control your costs while structuring the whole package? Axonaut and Karlia are solid options.
- Are you in the scale-up phase? Prepare a real budget for Dynamics 365 or NetSuite, but you'll get what you pay for.
Conclusion
Agile CRM has proven itself as a versatile and affordable CRM solution. But as is often the case, what's right for one phase isn't always enough for the next. Growth, specialisation, scalability... needs evolve, and so must the tools.
The good news is that the market is full of solid alternatives to Agile CRM, whether you're a very small business looking for an all-in-one co-pilot, or a scale-up looking to industrialise your customer management.
👉 Take the time to test, put your real issues on the table (time, budget, autonomy, growth) and choose the tool that will win you customers - not just features.
And as always on Appvizer: we're here to help you compare, test and find the rare gem.
Article translated from French