6 Best CRM for Freelancers in 2023 (Pros, Cons & Features)

If you are a freelancer looking for ways to increase your customer loyalty, this article is for you! Discover an efficient way to create a solid customer base, and optimize your organization. How? Use a CRM for freelancers!

You might be wondering, aren’t CRM tools only for big companies? Nothing could be further from the truth! Even you, a free spirit, must manage your time and upcoming tasks with an intelligent business organization, or everything could turn into absolute chaos. 

Let’s see the best CRM for Freelancers in 2023 and power up your work!

What Is Customer Relationship Management For Freelancers?

Do freelancers need CRM software? The answer is a big YES; I ask you whether you want more clients. Well, you need organization!

CRM is beneficial when your reputation grows within the community; you have several projects pending, so you need to improve your sales pipeline management.

You must prioritize your tasks, set deadlines, maintain continuous communication, and track your progress with customers whose needs are different. Without organization, managing multiple clients can get out of control.

CRM software is vital to creating solid client relationships to increase the satisfaction rate of your clients and achieve the holy grail of every freelancer, “client loyalty,” that is to say that they keep hiring you. 

How Can a CRM Software Improve Freelancers’ Project Management & Customer Loyalty?

Just as caterpillars turn into beautiful butterflies, your leads or potential customers can grow into loyal and regular customers of your freelance business, which reflects in your revenue. 

CRM software features help you to:

1. Centralize and import contact cards and identify them as potential customers or accounts.
2. Unify the different communication channels, including email, chat, telephone, and social media, including a click-to-call feature.  
3. Improve marketing and sales processes.
4. Add a list of tasks and communication for each contact and establish step-by-step project management visibility.
5. Upload documents to a respective account (such as contracts and invoices).
6. Keep track of previous interactions with your customers with performance reports to improve the quality of customer service without costing you more time and money. It is crucial as, according to Thrivemyway, 92% of customers say they would leave a company altogether after two or three negative interactions.
7. Improve your sale pipeline, as CRM software offers time tracking to take care of revenue projections so you can accept new orders.

What Is The Best CRM for Freelancers?

After a detailed analysis of the best CRM tools on the market and testing the options, I have the best CRM recommendations for you. So, if you still need to choose the right CRM system for your freelance business, consider the ones included in this list. Here’s my top-rated CRM for freelancers’ options. Check their features, pros and cons, plans, free versions, trial periods, and more.

Let’s do it!

1. Insightly

Best CRM for fast-growing your reputation.

Insightly is a CRM for freelancers and companies in customer relationship management.

The software is also designed to increase team productivity by automating processes and improving workflows, such as sending emails or creating custom codes and templates.

Customer security is one of the essential factors for Insightly CRM, so they use protocols and data encryption to ensure that customer information is secure.

Another of Insightly CRM’s strengths is the automation of email marketing processes, allowing it to track customer data and provide better customer interactions.

In addition, it integrates with G Suite. It allows a connection with other tools your company uses daily and does not lose information. You will also see the project status in real-time and enter or check data and all day-to-day tasks on a mobile device.

Let’s see how it works!

Features:

• Send Emails: Yes.
• Email Templates: Yes.
• Import Clients: Yes.
• Campaigns: No.
• Email Tracking: Yes.
• Workflow automation: No.
• Find and manage leads: Yes.
• Integrated project management: Yes.
• Task tracking: Yes.    
• Attach documents: Yes.
• DataTags: Yes.
• Invoicing: No.
• Customizable pipeline: Yes.
• Contact Management: Yes.
• Reports: Yes.
• CRM Data/File Storage: From 200MB for a free plan, 10GB for Plus, 100GB for a professional, and unlimited storage for an enterprise plan.
• Chat Integration: No.Integrations with other tools: Asana, Calendly, Jira, Magento, Shopify, Slack, and many others. 
• Mobile CRM: Yes. Android and iOS.

What I like:

• Its interface is clean and efficient, making it easy to understand the pending tasks.
• It offers multiple tutorials to get the most out of the tool.
• It is scalable and adjusts to the needs of your expanding freelance business.
• The Insightly CRM for freelancers allows you to send personalized mass mailings.
• Robust email marketing features.
• Track accounting directly from your CRM.

What I don’t like:

• No free version is available.
• The Chrome extension is not fully working. 
• Integration with social networks is poor. 
• It does not offer multiple views of performance graphs like other tools.
• It may take some time to import the data.
• It is not possible to attach images to e-mails.
• Bad document management, because you cannot edit a document from the platform.

Pricing:

• Price starting from (monthly): From 29 USD to 99 USD/ monthly.           
• Does the price change when choosing an annual subscription? How? It doesn’t change.         
• Is there a trial version? Yes, 14 days.
• Does trial require a bank card? No.  
• Are functions limited/unlimited during the trial period? Not limited.

Sell smart!

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2. Capsule

Best for getting more clients’ key data.

Capsule is a customer, contact, and sales flow management software specially designed for freelancers and SMEs.

All sales processes are recorded, from tasks, appointments, and meetings to sales analysis. It also allows you to fully organize customer information and sales processes all in one place.

In addition, this freelancer CRM is customizable according to the needs of each company and can be easily integrated with applications such as G Suite, Mailchimp, Xero, and others.

It has a mobile application that allows you to view tasks on the go, initiate calls, messages, or emails, identify calls, view and search for sales opportunities, log calls automatically, and view all information related to a contact.

Features:

• Send Emails: Yes.
• Email Templates: Yes.
• Timely Reminders: Task reminder emails.
• Custom Templates: Yes.
• Import Clients: Yes.
• Campaigns: Projects.
• Email Tracking: No.
• Scheduled Sending: No.
• Find and manage leads: Yes.
• Integrated project management: Yes.
• Task tracking: Yes.
• Attach documents: Yes.
• Share with co-workers: Yes.
• DataTags: Yes.       
• Customizable pipeline: Yes.
• Contact Management: Yes.
• Reports: Yes.
• CRM Data/File Storage: Yes, Enterprise – 40GB per user, Teams 20GB per user, Professional 10GB per user, Free-50MB per account.   
• Chat Integration: No.
• Integrations with other tools: Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Xero, FreshBooks, Mailchimp, Wufoo, and more.    
• Mobile CRM: Yes. Android and iOS.          
• Security: Two-factor authentication, Microsoft 365 Single Sign-On, Google Workspace Single Sign-on, etc.         
• GDPR compliance: Yes.

What I like:

• It has an intuitive interface that is very easy to use.
• The client segmentation and organization are very accurate.
• It is effortless to add new tasks and include changes or notes. 
• It is easy to track previous interactions with customers.
• It offers a workflow with the integration of multiple tools.

What I don’t like:

• It does not generate essential documents such as invoices.
• The Capsule CRM for freelancers’ performance reports is not as detailed.
• The calendar functions are pretty basic.
• From the platform, you can’t send e-mails with attachments.

Pricing:

• Price starting from (monthly): Free version, 13.53-40.58 USD per month.
• Does the price change when choosing an annual subscription? How? No.
• Is there a trial version? Yes, 30 days.           
• Does trial require a bank card? No.  
• Are functions limited/unlimited during the trial period? Unlimited. Try the starter CRM with basic features for up to 2 users and 250 contacts.

Make things happen!

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3. Clientjoy

Best for a faster hiring process.

Clientjoy has multiple options for creating proposals, quotations, invoicing, and payments. Therefore, it is ideal for managing sales and accounting. Similarly, Clientjoy CRM tool allows you to import customer offers, sign contracts and view detailed analytics for maximum usability.

In addition, it offers analytics through its easy-to-use dashboard, where you have an overview of leads and conversions.

Let’s check the CRM features!

Features:

• Send Emails: Yes.
• Email Templates: Yes.
• Custom Templates: Yes.
• Import Clients: Yes.
• Email Tracking: Yes. Gmail, Outlook, etc.
• Scheduled Sending: Yes.
• Workflow automation: Yes.
• Find and manage leads: Yes.
• Task tracking: Yes.
• Attach documents: Yes.
• Share with co-workers: Yes.
• DataTags: Yes.
• Invoicing: Yes, connected to Stripe, PayPal, and Payoneer.
• Customizable pipeline: Yes.
• Contact Management: Yes.
• Chat Integration: Zapier, Pabbly, Integromat, Integrately, and SyncSpider.     
• Mobile CRM: Yes. Android and iOS.

What I like:

• It provides many templates for simple projects.
• You get access to an SEO guide.
• It has an amazing UI/UX.
• The mail tracking option allows seamless interaction with customers.
• You can schedule and split recurring payments.
• Its learning curve is fast, so you can efficiently operate your sales activities. 
• They offer very efficient 24/7 customer support.

What I don’t like:

• The proposal templates are basic and not niche-focused.
• It could include tagging options to streamline the organization. 
• The CRM tool mobile app could offer more features.
• Mobile app has some mistakes that need to be fixed.

Pricing:

• Price starting from (monthly): From 129 USD to 499USD and more.  
• Does the price change when choosing an annual subscription? How? No, but there is a discount option from 5%-20%.        
• Is there a trial version? Yes, 14 days.
• Does trial require a bank card? No.  
• Are functions limited/unlimited during the trial period? Pro Plan available.

Run your freelance like a pro!

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4. Bonsai CRM Tool

Best for managing your work time every day.

Bonsai CRM allows you to create structured proposals with precise estimates to close your deals faster. Answer a few questions to generate a vetted contract template. Once you hit submit, the contract can be signed electronically in minutes.

Plus, you can manage projects and clients all in one place. This way, you can organize all documents, files, and payments together for you and your client.

Furthermore, you can easily track the time you are working, automatically complete timesheets and switch seamlessly between your projects of the day.

Let’s see what else it offers!

Features:

• Send Emails: Yes.
• Email Templates: No.
• Timely Reminders: Yes.
• Custom Templates: No.
• Import Clients: No.
• Campaigns: No.
• Email Tracking: No.
• Scheduled Sending: Yes.
• Workflow automation: No.
• Find and manage leads: Yes.
• Integrated project management: No.
• Task tracking: No.
• Attach documents: Yes.
• Share with co-workers: Yes.
• Invoicing: Yes.
• Customizable pipeline: Yes.
• Contact Management: Yes.
• Reports: Yes.
• Chat Integration: No.
• Mobile CRM: Yes. Android and iOS.
• Security: GDPR compliant; SOC 2 certified; Encrypted communication channels. Likewise, all your data is stored on secure European servers.
• GDPR compliance: Yes.

What I like:

• The CRM tool user interface has an excellent style and professional appearance.
• It is specially designed to meet the needs of freelancers.
• Its advanced features white-label help you create a fully customized client portal.
• The contract and proposal templates are complete.
• Good customer support

What I don’t like:

• It puts budget restrictions.
• Its plans are not as affordable as other CRM tools. 
• Payment processing methods are a bit clunky.

Pricing:

• Price starting from (monthly): 27,93 USD for one user (25£) – 33,51 USD (30£) up to 3 users.
• Does the price change when choosing an annual subscription? How? No.
• Is there a trial version? Yes, 14 days.
• Does trial require a bank card? No.
• Are functions limited/unlimited during the trial period? No.

Lead your business in one click!

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5. Pipedrive

Best for multiplying your productivity.

Pipedrive is a sales pipeline management and CRM tool for small and medium-sized sales teams. Experienced salespeople and ex-Skypers build it. Pipedrive organizes sales opportunities so that you will always have an excellent overview of sales, allowing you to focus on the most important deals.

When you open Pipedrive, you will always have a single, optimized view of your sales process. It brings clarity and makes your team function in a coordinated way. Your emails, calls, and progress are automatically tracked. Pipedrive clears the path, so you can focus on doing what you do best. Because pipelining is your starting point, Pipedrive keeps your actions focused on the target, so your goals will be realistic, not ideological.

Pipedrive integrates with Google Contacts, Google Calendar, and other Google apps and can be accessed via desktop or mobile devices.

Features:

• Send Emails: Yes.
• Email Templates: Yes. Templates are available to advance and professional users who have set up the email sync.
• Custom Templates: Yes.
• Import Clients: Yes.
• Campaigns: Yes.
• Email Tracking: Yes.
• Workflow automation: Yes.
• Find and manage leads: Yes.
• Integrated project management: Yes.
• Task tracking: Yes.
• Attach documents: Yes.
• Share with co-workers: Yes.
• DataTags: Yes.
• Invoicing: Yes.
• Customizable pipeline: Yes.
• Contact Management: Yes.
• Reports: Yes.
• CRM Data/File Storage: Yes.
• Chat Integration: Yes. Likewise, you can integrate it with Messenger and WhatsApp.
• Integrations with other tools: Over 350+ integrations, Zoom, Teams, Asana, Zapier, PandaDoc, Slack, Hubspot CRM, Drive, Gmail, etc.
• Mobile CRM: Yes. Android and iOS.
• Security: Yes.

What I like:

• Pipedrive integrates with Gmail and outlook, which facilitates immediate mail tracking.
• Excellent flexibility, as it allows you to customize the fields of the sales funnel.
• The platform is fast.
• Tutorials in different languages so you can understand the tool.

What I don’t like:

• No free plan, and you must pay extra to enjoy certain functions.
• It does not show performance metrics.
• The option to add notes could be improved, as they are often not saved in the account.
• Many times notifications don’t work.
• Slow customer support

Pricing:

• Price starting from (monthly): 19.34 USD (19.90EUR) – 115.68 USD (119EUR) per month.
• Does the price change when choosing an annual subscription? How? Billed annually and save up to 25%
• Is there a trial version? Yes, 14 days.
• Does the trial require a bank card? No.
• Are functions limited/unlimited during the trial period? Not limited.

Thrive at your job!

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6. Agile CRM

Best for customer service quality measuring.

Agile CRM is a cloud-based customer relationship management software that integrates the core functionalities of sales, marketing tools, service, and web engagement platforms into a single, unified solution.

Trusted by thousands of companies across multiple industries, Agile offers a CRM for freelancers and SMBs with many features, including client management, contact management, scheduling, marketing automation, customer service, email tracking, landing pages, etc.

With Agile CRM, users have a unified platform that combines all information on a single page, streamlining their tasks, improving communication and collaboration, and increasing productivity and performance individually and collectively.

Features:

• Send Emails: Yes.
• Email Templates: Yes.
• Custom Templates: Yes.
• Import Clients: Yes. From CSV, Salesforce, Google, Office 365, Shopify, Stripe, etc.
• Email Tracking: Yes.
• Scheduled Sending: No.
• Workflow automation: Yes.
• Find and manage leads: Yes.
• Integrated project management: Yes.
• Task tracking: Yes.
• Attach documents: Yes.
• DataTags: Yes.
• Customizable pipeline: Yes.
• Contact Management: Yes.
• Reports: Yes.
• Integrations with other tools: Google, Shopify, Stripe Sync, etc.
• Mobile CRM: Yes. Android and iOS. 

What I like:

• Agile CRM tool allows you to manage a base of up to 50,000 contacts.
• It offers advanced features for customer segmentation through multiple categories.
• It keeps your address book smoothly and records calls, mail, reports, and more.
• It’s easy to create custom contracts.
• Workflow automation.
• You can manage the platform easily.

What I don’t like:

• The providers could include training tutorials.
• The learning curve is a bit slow.
• The Agile CRM tool bulk mailing option is a bit clunky.
• It needs some UI adjusts.
• Bad customer support.

Pricing:

• Price starting from (monthly): Free version for small businesses – 10 people, 8.99USD for starters to 47.99 USD for an enterprise per month.
• Does the price change when choosing an annual subscription? How? In case to pay 20 – 34% off yearly, pay for 2 years – 40% off).         
• Is there a trial version? Yes, 10 days.
• Does Trial require a bank card? No.
• Are functions limited/unlimited during the trial period? Yes.

Supercharge your hires!

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What CRM Features Should Any Freelancer Look For?

While most CRM tools have pretty similar functionalities, some are key to boosting the work of freelancers, here I discuss them one by one:

Lead Management

The CRM tool marketing features help you capture and drive your leads through the communication process to perform practical sales actions to get them hired.

Once you have segmented our audience, you can target them with marketing tools and personalized content, whether promotions, news, discounts, or sending the right message.

Client Management

Most CRM tools help organize your contact information and, more importantly, give you valuable data to increase customer engagement and loyalty.

Basic CRM puts all the history of interaction, emails, calls, messages, questions, and previous projects at your fingertips, so you are up to date with your customers’ needs.

Make your customers feel that they are in good hands. 

Unify Communication: Email and Social Media Management

You can have in one place the different communication channels from emails, social media, chats, calls, and SMS, and standardizes the interactions between sales reporting and potential customers according to their purchase phase. 

Task Automation, Time Tracking, Follow-Ups &Reminders

With a CRM system, events are synchronized with meetings and tasks and linked to the appropriate lead or contact record and associated account to follow up with your customers and their projects appropriately.

Performance Metrics to See What You Can Improve

A basic CRM gives you a 360ª visibility of your pipeline, collects data from your task and customer interaction to detect bottlenecks, and even offers market projections and customer behavior patterns to predict your incomes.

Invoicing Features

It automatically generates your invoices with accounting features. Then, according to the agreed quote or offer, you can send them by email to your clients when you complete the project. In addition, it gives you a list of clients who have not yet paid.  

Third-Party Integrations & Mobile Devices Compatibility 

The CRM integrates multiple tools to enhance your sales pipeline and customer experience, such as G-suite, Google Calendar, Gmail, Outlook, PayPal, Stripe, Mailchimp, Microsoft 365, etc. 

You must look for an option with mobile apps for Android or iOs that lets you stay connected wherever you are so that you can access it from your smartphone. 

We’re Done For Today!

Deciding the best CRM for freelancers depends on which one is best suited for your freelance business situation, the customers you manage, and how the workflow automation fits you. For example, some options will be better if you don’t yet manage many contacts at once, others if you already do, and others if you only want to group tasks, campaigns, and billing in the same software. It all depends on your large or small business objectives, get a taste and try the free plan.

Do you want to learn more about CRM for startups? Do you have another candidate for the best CRMs for freelancers?

Hey, don’t be shy and leave me your comments in the box!

Frequently Asked Questions