Comparison Matrix

Every CRM Free Tier in One Table

Four CRMs offer genuinely free plans: HubSpot, Zoho CRM, Freshsales, and Attio. But “free” means different things to each. Here's every limit in one definitive table so you stop comparison-shopping and start selling.

10 min readUpdated March 2026

The Definitive CRM Free Tier Table

FeatureHubSpot FreeZoho CRM FreeFreshsales FreeAttio Free
UsersUnlimitedUp to 3Up to 3Up to 3 seats
Contacts/RecordsUnlimited contacts5,000 recordsUnlimited50,000 records
Deal Pipeline1 pipelineBasic modules1 pipelineCore CRM features
Email Marketing2,000 sends/mo (HubSpot branding)NoBuilt-in email & phoneEmail integration
AutomationsNo (requires Professional $890/mo)No (Standard $20/seat)No (Growth $11/seat)No (Plus $34/seat)
FormsYes (HubSpot branding)NoNoNo
Live ChatYes (HubSpot branding)NoBuilt-in chatNo
AI FeaturesLimitedNo (Enterprise $50/seat)AI contact scoring (Growth)No (Pro $69/seat)
Cheapest Paid Upgrade$20/seat/mo (Starter)$20/seat/mo (Standard)$11/seat/mo (Growth)$34/seat/mo (Plus)

Which Free CRM to Choose

  • HubSpot Free — Best for solo founders and small teams who want unlimited contacts, basic email marketing, and forms in one free package. The catch: automations require Professional at $890/month.
  • Freshsales Free — Best for teams that need built-in phone and chat without paying extra. Limited to 3 users. Growth upgrade ($11/seat) is the cheapest path to AI scoring and automations.
  • Zoho CRM Free — Best if you already use Zoho's suite of 50+ apps. Limited to 3 users and 5,000 records. Standard upgrade ($20/seat) adds workflows and custom dashboards.
  • Attio Free — Best for startup teams who want automatic email enrichment and a modern, Notion-like data model. Limited to 3 seats and 50,000 records. Plus upgrade ($34/seat) is the priciest path to automations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is HubSpot Free really unlimited?

HubSpot Free supports unlimited contacts and unlimited users, which is unique among CRM free tiers. The limits are functional: no automation, HubSpot branding on emails and forms, basic reporting only, and a massive price jump to Professional ($890/mo) for workflow automation.

Which CRM free tier lasts the longest before you need to upgrade?

HubSpot Free lasts longest for most use cases because of unlimited contacts and users. You can run a functional CRM for months or even years on Free. The upgrade trigger is usually needing automation or removing HubSpot branding, not contact limits.

What about Pipedrive? Does it have a free tier?

Pipedrive has no free tier. Lite starts at $14/seat/month. It's our top recommendation for sales-focused teams, but if you need free, HubSpot or Freshsales are better starting points.

Explore Further on Sasanova

Guides