Choosing the right CRM isn’t just about picking the most popular option, it’s about finding a system that fits seamlessly into your workflow, supports your team’s needs, and offers the right level of customization to help you scale. 

Some CRMs are built for automation, others excel at client relationship management, and some offer a mix of both. The key is to identify what suits you the best, whether it’s streamlining communication, improving sales tracking, or managing projects efficiently.

In this guide, we’ll break down the top CRM options, highlight their strengths, and help you figure out which one aligns best with your business. Let’s dive in.

Why Agencies Need a CRM

A CRM isn’t just a fancy contact list. For agencies juggling multiple clients, projects, and campaigns, a CRM keeps everything organized, client communications, project timelines, invoices, and sales pipelines. It helps you avoid messy spreadsheets and never lets a follow-up slip through the cracks.

However, not all CRMs are built with agencies in mind. Some are too complex, others too basic. The key is to find one that fits your workflow, integrates with your existing tools, and doesn’t require a PhD to set up.

Let’s also understand this in much more detail. 

What is a CRM software

A CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system is your agency’s command center for managing client interactions, tracking leads, and keeping your sales pipeline organized. Instead of juggling spreadsheets, emails, and random notes, a CRM helps you centralize everything, making sure no lead slips through the cracks and every client gets the attention they deserve. Whether it’s automating follow-ups, tracking deals, or giving your team a clear view of ongoing projects, the right CRM keeps things running smoothly while helping you scale.

Top 7 CRM Tools for Agencies

1. ClientJoy

Clientjoy is an all-in-one client management platform designed to help agencies, freelancers, and service-based businesses streamline their sales, proposals, invoicing, and client communication. It helps businesses manage their pipeline efficiently, reducing back-and-forth and improving client relationships. Its integrations with payment gateways and productivity tools make it a seamless addition to existing workflows, helping users close deals faster and maintain a steady cash flow.

Key Features:

• Manage leads, deals, and client relationships in one place.
• Create, send, and get digital signatures on proposals and contracts.
• Generate invoices, set up recurring billing, and integrate with payment gateways.
• Offer clients a centralized space to view invoices, proposals, and communications.
• Assign tasks, track project progress, and streamline workflows.
• Track email conversations and follow-ups directly from the platform.
• Customize the interface with branding for a seamless client experience.
• Connect with payment gateways, productivity tools, and third-party apps.
• Set up workflows to automate follow-ups, invoicing, and client communications.

Pricing:

1. Starter Plan: Priced at $15 per user per month, this plan is ideal for independent businesses and includes essential features such as sales pipeline management, document creation and e-signing, invoicing and payments, and integrations with payment platforms like Stripe, PayPal, Razorpay, Instamojo, and Payoneer.
2. Agency Plan: At $25 per user per month, this plan is designed for managing agencies and clients. It includes all features from the Starter Plan, along with custom fields, multi-currency support, IFTTT and public API access, white-labeling, and a client portal.
3. Enterprise Plan: For larger organizations, this plan is available at $49 per user per month. It encompasses all features from the Agency Plan, plus dedicated account management, priority support, custom reports, two-factor authentication (2FA), enterprise mobility management (EMM), and SAML-based single sign-on (SSO).

Additionally, Clientjoy offers lifetime plans with a one-time payment per user, providing a cost-effective option for long-term use.

Each plan includes a 14-day free trial, allowing businesses to explore the platform's features before committing. 

2. Salesforce

Salesforce is a leading customer relationship management (CRM) platform that helps businesses of all sizes manage customer interactions, sales, and marketing processes. It offers a wide range of features, including customizable dashboards, lead and opportunity management, analytics, and marketing automation tools. 

Key Features:

• Track and manage leads and sales opportunities throughout the sales funnel.
• Automate routine sales tasks, such as lead assignments, follow-ups, and reminders.
• Create personalized reports and dashboards for easy access to key metrics.
• Manage campaigns, track customer behavior, and automate email marketing with tools like Pardot.
• Leverage artificial intelligence for predictive analytics, lead scoring, and recommendations.
• Case management, live chat, and knowledge base to support customer service teams.
• Chatter, document sharing, and team collaboration features to improve communication across teams.
• Connect with third-party apps and services through Salesforce AppExchange.
• Access Salesforce via mobile devices for sales teams on the go.
• Build custom workflows, approvals, and task automation to fit your business needs.
• Create custom reports and get actionable insights into business performance.
• Advanced security features, including encryption, identity verification, and compliance support.

Pricing Plans:

1. Essentials – Starting at $25 per user/month, it includes basic CRM tools for small businesses with features like contact management and email integration.
2. Professional – Starting at $75 per user/month, it adds more advanced tools like sales forecasting, reporting, and campaigns.
3. Enterprise – Starting at $150 per user/month, this plan includes full customizations, advanced automation, and integrations with external apps.
4. Developer – Starting at $0 per month, this plan is for developers building and testing apps on Salesforce’s platform.

3. HubSpot

HubSpot is an all-in-one CRM platform that helps agencies manage and grow their client relationships. From automating marketing efforts to providing insights into sales performance, HubSpot gives agencies the tools they need to streamline their workflows and build stronger client connections. Whether you’re handling lead generation, content marketing, sales, or customer service, HubSpot’s centralized platform helps agencies stay organized and efficient while providing an intuitive interface that doesn’t require a steep learning curve.

Key Features:

• Track all client interactions in one place, keeping a 360-degree view of each relationship to better understand their needs.
• Automate email campaigns, workflows, and lead nurturing with tools that allow you to segment and target clients more effectively.
• Streamline your sales process by tracking deals, managing pipelines, and using forecasting tools.
• Build custom forms, landing pages, and calls to action to capture leads and convert them into customers.
• Gain actionable insights with detailed reporting on your sales, marketing, and customer service activities to track ROI.
• Create and manage content with ease, whether it’s a blog, landing page, or client portal.
• Handle client support tickets, and live chat, and create a knowledge base to reduce the need for back-and-forth communication.
• Schedule and monitor social media posts, track mentions, and analyze performance across different platforms.
• Connect with a variety of tools and apps through HubSpot’s App Marketplace, including email marketing platforms, eCommerce systems, and more.
• Use shared calendars, email templates, and team management features to work collaboratively with your clients.

Pricing:

1. Free Tools – HubSpot offers a free CRM, which includes basic features like contact management, email tracking, live chat, forms, and reporting tools. This is ideal for agencies just getting started or looking for simple CRM functionalities.
2. Starter – Starting at $25/month. This plan includes basic marketing features like email marketing, ad management, and more detailed reporting. Perfect for small agencies that need more than just basic CRM capabilities.
3. Professional – Starting at $800/month. This plan is aimed at growing agencies that need advanced features such as marketing automation, sales automation, and custom reporting. It also includes features like content strategy and ad retargeting.
4. Enterprise – Starting at $3,600/month. For large agencies, this plan offers advanced features like custom workflows, enhanced reporting, predictive lead scoring, and enterprise-level integrations. It also includes advanced team management tools, making it perfect for large-scale operations.

HubSpot also offers add-ons like advanced reporting, sales hub, and more, so the pricing can scale with your agency’s needs.

4. Bitrix 24

Bitrix24 is a comprehensive CRM tool that caters to both beginners and large agencies, providing a wide range of features that add significant value to brand agencies. It ensures seamless communication between teams and fosters collaboration, making it easier to stay organized and on track with projects. Bitrix24's flexibility allows agencies to manage their client relationships, streamline workflows, and stay productive in a centralized platform. Whether you're managing a small team or a large-scale organization, it adapts to your needs.

Key Features:

• Track all customer interactions, sales pipelines, and project details to maintain a complete view of each client.
• Assign, monitor, and track tasks and deadlines across teams, ensuring everyone stays on top of their responsibilities.
• Use communication features like group chats, video conferencing, and shared calendars to keep your team aligned and efficient.
• Keep an eye on time spent on each project and generate reports to evaluate progress and performance.
• Store, manage, and share documents easily with your team and clients.
• Tailor your workspace to include the metrics and insights that matter most to your agency.
• Manage social media accounts, plan campaigns, and automate marketing efforts directly through Bitrix24.
• For larger organizations, Bitrix24 offers on-premise deployment with a one-time fee for software, providing enhanced security and customization options.
• Access the platform from anywhere using Bitrix24’s mobile app, ensuring you and your team stay productive on the go.
• Integrate with other apps and services, including Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, and payment systems like PayPal and Stripe.

Pricing:

1. Free Plan – Bitrix24 offers a free plan that includes basic CRM features, task management, and collaboration tools. It’s great for smaller agencies just starting out or teams that don’t need advanced functionality.
2. Basic – Starting at $39/month for 5 users. This plan includes additional features like workflow automation, file sharing, and more advanced CRM tools, making it ideal for small to mid-sized agencies.
3. Standard – Starting at $79/month for 5 users. This plan adds advanced reporting, project templates, and custom workflows, providing more flexibility for growing agencies.
4. Professional – Starting at $159/month for 5 users. This plan includes all the features of the Standard plan plus extra customization options, unlimited integrations, and more advanced business automation tools.
5. Enterprise – Starting at $319/month for 5 users. Aimed at larger agencies, this plan offers unlimited users, full customizations, enterprise-level support, and on-premise hosting options for businesses that need full control.

5. Pipedrive

Pipedrive is a CRM marketing tool tailored for small businesses and startups, particularly those focused on sales. It provides a range of features, including lead management, sales forecasting, and customer relationship management, making it a great choice for businesses looking to streamline their sales operations and improve productivity. With its simple, intuitive design, Pipedrive is easy to use right out of the box, helping you and your team stay organized and efficient.

Key Features:

• Easily manage and track sales opportunities, from initial contact to closing the deal.
• Visualize your entire sales process with drag-and-drop pipeline management, making it easier to track deals at every stage.
• Get accurate sales projections based on real-time data and trends to help your team plan.
• Work together in real-time on customer interactions, sales projects, and tasks, ensuring the entire team stays aligned.
• Access detailed reports and insights into sales performance, customer behavior, and more, allowing you to make data-driven decisions.
• Tailor pipelines to your agency’s unique sales process, whether you're managing multiple clients or different types of deals.
• Keep track of tasks, reminders, and important activities to ensure nothing falls through the cracks.
• Seamlessly integrate with other tools and apps you’re already using, such as Google Workspace, Zapier, and email marketing platforms, to enhance your workflow.
• Use Pipedrive’s mobile app to access and manage your sales pipeline on the go, making it easier to stay productive anywhere.
• Track email opens and responses, ensuring timely follow-ups and better customer engagement.

Pricing:

1. Essential – Starting at $14.90/month per user. This plan includes core CRM features like deal and lead management, activity tracking, and basic reporting.
2. Advanced – Starting at $24.90/month per user. It includes everything in the Essential plan plus advanced features like sales forecasting, reporting, and more automation tools.
3. Professional – Starting at $49.90/month per user. This plan adds more customization options, email integration, and pipeline management tools, ideal for growing agencies.
4. Enterprise – Starting at $99.00/month per user. This plan includes everything in the Professional plan along with team management features, advanced security options, and priority support.

Pipedrive also offers a 14-day free trial to explore the platform before committing to a paid plan.

6. Zoho 

Zoho CRM is a powerful customer relationship management tool designed for businesses of all sizes, with a particular focus on helping agencies streamline their sales, marketing, and customer support processes. It also offers a range of features that assist agencies in managing client interactions, automating workflows, and analyzing performance to drive growth. With its easy-to-use interface and customizable features, Zoho CRM is a great option for businesses looking to enhance their customer relationships and improve sales operations.

Key Features:

• Capture and manage leads, track customer interactions, and organize contacts in a centralized platform.
• Visualize and manage your sales pipeline with customizable stages and drag-and-drop functionality, ensuring deals stay on track.
• Automate repetitive tasks and processes, such as follow-up emails, lead nurturing, and data entry, to save time and reduce manual effort.
• Create email campaigns, landing pages, and forms to attract, convert, and nurture leads while tracking engagement and performance.
• Access customizable reports and dashboards to track sales performance, analyze customer behavior, and monitor key business metrics.
• Assign tasks, set reminders, and track activities to ensure timely follow-ups and project progress.
• Leverage Zoho CRM's Zia AI to analyze sales data, predict trends, and suggest actions to improve sales outcomes.
• Connect Zoho CRM with a wide variety of third-party tools and apps, including Google Workspace, social media platforms, email marketing services, and more.
• Manage client communication through multiple channels, including email, phone calls, live chat, social media, and more, all from one platform.
• Stay productive on the go with Zoho CRM's mobile app, which allows you to manage leads, contacts, and tasks from anywhere.

Pricing:

1. Free Plan – Zoho CRM offers a free plan for up to 3 users, which includes essential CRM features like lead management, task tracking, and reporting. Ideal for small agencies or teams just starting out.
2. Standard – Starting at $14/month per user. This plan includes additional features such as workflow automation, email templates, and social media integration, making it perfect for small to medium-sized agencies.
3. Professional – Starting at $23/month per user. It adds advanced features like sales forecasting, custom dashboards, and email analytics, giving agencies more flexibility and insight into their sales operations.
4. Enterprise – Starting at $40/month per user. This plan includes features like advanced customization, territory management, and Zia AI, ideal for growing agencies with complex workflows.
5. Ultimate – Starting at $52/month per user. The Ultimate plan offers everything in the Enterprise plan, along with additional advanced tools like a dedicated account manager, custom app development, and enhanced reporting capabilities.

Zoho CRM also offers a 15-day free trial for each paid plan, allowing agencies to explore features and find the best fit.

7. Freshsales

Freshsales is a cloud-based Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software tailored for small to medium-sized businesses. Offering a wide range of features, it helps agencies manage their sales, marketing, and customer service processes all within one platform. Freshsales is designed to streamline workflows, enhance productivity, and improve customer relationship management, making it a solid choice for agencies aiming to drive growth and increase efficiency.

Key Features:

• Organize and track leads and contacts, ensuring that no valuable opportunity slips through the cracks.
• Easily track and manage sales opportunities at various stages, helping you prioritize and close deals faster.
• Visualize and manage your sales pipeline, customize stages, and gain better control over the sales process.
• Track emails and phone calls to ensure that all client interactions are logged, allowing you to stay organized and responsive.
• Automate repetitive tasks and actions like follow-up emails, lead assignments, and data entry, saving time and reducing errors.
• Access powerful reports and insights into your sales performance, lead conversion, and customer trends, enabling better decision-making.
• Tailor the CRM to your agency’s specific needs with customizable fields, views, and pipelines.
• Integrate Freshsales with popular tools like Google Calendar, Slack, Zapier, and more, enabling seamless workflows across your tech stack.
• Stay productive while on the go with Freshsales’ mobile app, allowing you to manage leads, contacts, and opportunities from anywhere.
• Leverage AI-based sales forecasting and predictions to make smarter decisions and optimize your sales strategy.

Pricing Plans:

1. Free Plan – Freshsales offers a free plan for up to 10 users, which includes essential CRM features such as lead and contact management, basic reporting, and email tracking. Ideal for small teams just getting started.
2. Growth – Starting at $15/month per user. This plan includes more advanced features like workflow automation, customizable dashboards, and integrations with third-party tools.
3. Pro – Starting at $39/month per user. This plan adds advanced features like sales forecasting, AI-powered insights, and additional reporting capabilities, perfect for growing agencies.
4. Enterprise – Starting at $69/month per user. This plan offers all the Pro features, plus advanced security options, territory management, and more customization options, ideal for large agencies with complex needs.

Freshsales also offers a 21-day free trial for its paid plans, allowing agencies to explore the features and find the best fit for their business.

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Final Thoughts

CRM software with marketing automation is essential for enhancing operations and fueling growth. In this blog, I’ve discussed top CRM tools like Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive, Freshsales, and Clientjoy, each with features that can help agencies improve customer relationships and boost sales.

Clientjoy, in particular, stands out with its agency-focused features, including proposal creation, invoicing, and client management, all in one platform. It's designed to simplify workflows and keep everything organized for agencies, making it an excellent choice for those looking to streamline their processes.

Ultimately, choosing the right CRM depends on your agency’s needs. With the right CRM, like Clientjoy, your team can manage customer relationships effectively, enhance sales, and support business growth.

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7 Best CRM Tools for Agencies: FAQs

• What is the best CRM for agencies?
  The best CRM for agencies depends on their specific needs, but tools like Clientjoy, HubSpot, and Salesforce are popular choices. These CRMs offer features tailored to managing client relationships, proposals, and invoicing.

• Which CRM tool is the best?
  There isn't a one-size-fits-all answer, but HubSpot and Salesforce are often considered top-tier due to their robust features, scalability, and customization options. However, for agencies, Clientjoy is great for managing multiple clients and simplifying workflows.

• What is CRM in agency?
  CRM in an agency refers to tools and strategies used to manage client interactions, sales, and marketing efforts. It helps agencies build better relationships, track leads, and streamline communication with clients.

• What CRM do agencies use to manage multiple clients?
  Agencies often use CRMs like Clientjoy, HubSpot, or Zoho to manage multiple clients. These tools offer customizable dashboards, client-specific tracking, and team collaboration features that make managing multiple clients easier.

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