HubSpot Free CRM alternatives in 2026

Q: Is there a free alternative to HubSpot Free CRM?

HubSpot itself provides a free CRM . Connections Free costs $0, and going over a limit stops the feature rather than billing you . Pipedrive offers a 14-day free trial with no credit card required . The sources for Zoho CRM do not state its pricing, so check the current terms before you choose.

Compare HubSpot Free CRM alternatives: Pipedrive, Zoho CRM, Zoho Bigin and Connections Sales, with what each source says it does.

By Uncommon Comforts · 2026-10-17

Uncommon Comforts is published by the team behind Connections, whose products are compared here alongside other tools.

Pipedrive, Zoho CRM and Zoho Bigin are alternatives covered here, alongside Connections Sales. Pipedrive offers a 14-day free trial with no credit card required ^[1]. Connections Sales runs as a signed-in web workspace ^[2]. Compare the free and trial terms of each option before you choose.

Option	Free plan or free trial	Paid plan price
Pipedrive	14-day free trial with no credit card required ^[1]	Not published
Zoho CRM	Not published	Not published
Zoho Bigin	Not published	Not published
Connections Sales	Connections Free costs $0, and going over a limit stops the feature rather than billing you ^[2]	Connections Pro is $39.99 a month ^[2]; Connections Business is $99.99 a month ^[2]

Why people who run things look past HubSpot Free CRM

HubSpot provides a free CRM ^[3]. Its page describes a wider set of products, since HubSpot offers marketing, sales, and customer service software on one platform ^[3]. The page lists Sales Hub software for sales teams ^[3], Marketing Hub software for marketing automation ^[3], and Service Hub software for customer service ^[3].

Some people who run a business want one tool built around a single job, such as keeping track of a sales pipeline. Others want those jobs handled together, so comparing the two approaches is a sensible first step. HubSpot describes its Smart CRM as AI-powered and flexible ^[3], and it offers a Small Business Bundle built for startups and small businesses ^[3].

The facts on HubSpot's page do not show whether a given tool will fit your own sales process. The sections below describe what each option's own source says, so you can match them against how you sell.

Pipedrive: a sales pipeline tool with AI features and automation

Pipedrive lets users track their sales pipeline, optimize leads, manage deals with AI and automate their sales process ^[1]. Its page describes automated lead nurturing ^[1] and automated sales conversations with AI-powered prompts ^[1]. It also describes real-time sales reports with AI suggestions ^[1], along with forecasting, goal-setting, team monitoring and advanced sales metrics tools ^[1].

Pipedrive says it has more than 500 integrations ^[1] and that it is GDPR compliant and secure ^[1]. To try it, the page offers a 14-day free trial with no credit card required ^[1].

Zoho CRM: AI agents and a large set of integrations

Zoho CRM's page says it serves 350K businesses for 21 years ^[4]. The page describes AI agents that prospect, research and qualify leads ^[4], and sales automation for follow-ups, approvals and contextual suggestions ^[4].

Pre-built agents come from the Zia Agent Store ^[4], and you can build custom agents in Zia Agent Studio ^[4]. The page says Zoho CRM can connect with Claude and ChatGPT ^[4], and it lists 1,200+ integrations ^[4].

Zoho Bigin: a sales pipeline for people moving off spreadsheets

Zoho's Bigin Express plan is described for first-timers moving from spreadsheets ^[4]. Bigin Express includes sales pipeline features ^[4].

The source does not state a price for Bigin Express, so check the current price before you choose.

Connections Sales: a signed-in web workspace with a rule-based sales check-up

Connections Sales is made by the team that publishes this site. It runs as a signed-in web workspace, not a public content page ^[2]. Each deal sits in one of five stages: new, talking, proposal, won or lost ^[2]. A prospect is recorded one person at a time ^[2].

When you mark a deal lost, you pick a reason from a fixed list such as price, timing or chose competitor ^[2]. For a deal marked won, you can request a testimonial with a unique capture link ^[2]. You state why you may contact each prospect, and self-declared reasons are capped per day ^[2]. Marking someone do-not-contact takes effect immediately, with no approval step ^[2].

The sales check-up is rule-based, with no AI model call and no credits ^[2].

How to pick the right HubSpot Free CRM alternative

Start with the job you need done. If you want a pipeline with built-in AI features, Pipedrive is one to look at, since its page describes built-in AI to close deals faster ^[1]. The same page lists a 14-day free trial with no credit card required ^[1], so you can test it before you pay.

If you want AI agents you can build yourself, Zoho CRM's page describes Zia Agent Studio for building custom agents ^[4]. If you want many connections to other software, the page lists 1,200+ integrations ^[4]. Zoho CRM Standard is described for small teams getting started ^[4].

If you are moving off spreadsheets, the Zoho Bigin option above is the one to compare. If you want a sales check-up that runs on rules, with no AI model call and no credits, Connections Sales offers that ^[2]. It records each prospect one person at a time ^[2] and takes do-not-contact marks into effect immediately ^[2]. Connections Free costs $0, and going over a limit stops the feature rather than billing you ^[2].

Before you switch, check how your current contacts and deals would move into the tool you choose, and whether it connects to the other software you use. The sources for these options do not state how Connections Sales handles that, so ask before you commit.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a free alternative to HubSpot Free CRM?

HubSpot itself provides a free CRM ^[3]. Connections Free costs $0, and going over a limit stops the feature rather than billing you ^[2]. Pipedrive offers a 14-day free trial with no credit card required ^[1]. The sources for Zoho CRM do not state its pricing, so check the current terms before you choose.

Does Pipedrive have a free trial?

Yes, according to Pipedrive's page, it offers a 14-day free trial with no credit card required ^[1]. The same page describes built-in AI features ^[1] and automated lead nurturing ^[1], so you can look at those during the trial. The source behind this page does not state a paid price, so check the current price before you sign up.

Does Zoho CRM let you build your own AI agents?

Its page describes Zia Agent Studio, where you can build custom agents ^[4]. It also describes a Zia Agent Store of pre-built agents, and says it has an agent for every business use case ^[4]. The page says Zoho CRM can connect with Claude and ChatGPT ^[4]. Check which of these you would actually use, and how your current tools connect, before you decide.

Does Connections Sales use AI?

The sales check-up is rule-based, with no AI model call and no credits ^[2]. Each deal sits in one of five stages: new, talking, proposal, won or lost ^[2]. Connections Sales runs as a signed-in web workspace ^[2]. If AI features are a must for you, compare the AI features described for the other options above before you choose.

How do you stop contacting someone in Connections Sales?

Marking someone do-not-contact takes effect immediately, with no approval step ^[2]. You also state why you may contact each prospect, and self-declared reasons are capped per day ^[2]. Check what a do-not-contact mark covers before you rely on it, so you know who will and will not be reached.

Connections Free costs $0, and going over a limit stops the feature rather than billing you. ^[2] Connections Pro, the first paid plan, is $39.99 a month and adds premium features across every Connections product. ^[2]

Try Connections Sales