A Practical Software Directory for Solo Builders
Keeping conversations, opportunities and follow-ups together
Customer relationship management, usually shortened to CRM, helps you keep track of the people and businesses you work with.
Organise contact details, record conversations and plan the next step with each enquiry or customer. Sales pipelines show where opportunities stand, while reminders help prevent follow-ups being forgotten. Choose around your working routine, existing email service and the information you actually need. Check contact limits, user charges and which features require an upgrade before moving your records.
Each listing carries a label showing the level of work behind it. Inclusion in the directory does not, by itself, mean we have tested or recommend a tool.
Use the descriptions to identify options worth exploring, then check the provider’s current features, prices and terms against your own requirements.
Copper helps service businesses manage contacts, sales opportunities and ongoing relationships, with a particular focus on working alongside Gmail and Google Workspace. Keep customer information, activity and follow-up tasks together, then use pipelines to see where potential work stands. Its connection with familiar Google tools may reduce the amount of switching between your inbox and customer records. Continued use requires a paid subscription, with a free trial available without a credit card. Plans are charged per user and differ in contact allowances, automation and reporting. Check the features included at your chosen level, especially if you need workflow automation.
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EngageBay’s CRM brings contact details, sales opportunities and follow-up activity into one workspace. Record notes, organise tasks and review deals through a sales pipeline, helping you keep track of enquiries as they develop. Its ongoing free CRM and Sales Bay plan supports up to 250 contacts and companies, providing a starting point for a small customer list. Paid plans expand allowances and add features such as further automation. EngageBay also offers marketing tools and a combined suite, so compare the CRM-only and bundled options. Check that the plan covers your contact volume, email requirements and the number of people using it.
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HubSpot’s CRM keeps contact records, conversations, tasks and sales opportunities together. Use it to see the history behind an enquiry, organise follow-ups and track progress through a sales pipeline. Its ongoing free CRM offer supports up to two users and 1,000 contacts, making it accessible for a solo business or small team establishing a customer-management routine. Additional sales, marketing and service products provide room to expand, with features and charges depending on the subscriptions selected. Before upgrading, check user seats, contact allowances and any marketing-contact charges, as the cost depends on more than simply storing customer details.
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Nutshell combines customer records with sales pipelines, activity tracking and email and calendar connections. Keep notes and conversations alongside each contact, plan follow-ups and review the progress of potential sales. It is designed for businesses wanting a shared place to manage relationships without relying on separate spreadsheets and inboxes. Paid CRM plans include unlimited contacts and storage, with reporting, pipeline options and automation expanding at higher levels. A 14-day trial requires no credit card; there is no ongoing free CRM plan. Compare the core subscription with optional marketing and engagement additions before deciding what your business needs.
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Zoho CRM helps you organise leads, customer details, sales opportunities and the activities needed to move relationships forward. Keep tasks, calls and meetings linked to contact records, with reminders helping you follow up at the right time. Its ongoing free edition supports up to three users and includes core contact and activity management, providing an entry point for a small business. Paid editions expand features such as email integration, multiple sales pipelines, customisation and reporting. Check the edition comparison against your actual workflow, particularly if you need connected email, advanced automation or several people managing different parts of the sales process.
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