UK CRM Software Options for 2025

CRM software remains one of the core technologies that underpin businesses of all shapes and sizes. In this blog, we outline the CRM software providers catering to the UK market in 2025 so that you can choose the most suitable for your needs.

Viewpoint Analysis acts as a 'Technology Matchmaker' - helping businesses to quickly find and select new enterprise technology. Established in 2021, we work with UK-based companies to help them run super-fast technology selection processes, going from a 'long list' to a shortlist and a preferred vendor decision in as little as 30 days.

So, if you are in the market for a new CRM solution, here is a great place to start and build your long list of potential partners.

What is CRM software?

Let's start with a quick introduction to CRM software - or Customer Relationship Management software as it is also known. CRM software is a tool designed to help businesses manage their interactions with current and potential customers. It acts as a central hub for storing customer data, tracking communications, and facilitating the management of relationships across various channels. CRM systems typically provide a comprehensive view of each customer, including details like contact information, purchase history, and interactions with the company.

In recent years, CRM has been closely associated with some of the largest software vendors (e.g., Salesforce), but the technology has been around for decades. Without a strong CRM solution in place, businesses rely on spreadsheets and databases - which isn't ideal. Loved by management and loathed by the sales team - they are here to stay!

What does CRM software do for businesses?

So why does CRM play an important role in almost every enterprise business? Perhaps the most critical role that it plays is to store customer contact data, and manage sales pipelines and opportunities. It organizes customer interactions, automates tasks like follow-up emails or reminders, and provides insights into customer behavior and trends. Companies of all sizes use CRM systems to streamline their sales processes, improve customer service, and boost marketing efforts. For example, small businesses can use CRM tools to keep track of leads and improve communication with customers, while large enterprises may leverage more advanced features to manage complex sales pipelines, run targeted marketing campaigns, and analyze customer satisfaction across multiple departments.

UK CRM Vendor Options

Who are the key CRM Software providers in the UK market? Here is a solid list of the key players, it is not an exhaustive list but should help you get started:

Salesforce

Website - salesforce.com

The perennial leader in the CRM market, Salesforce is the world's leading CRM platform, renowned for its ability to provide solutions across sales, service, marketing, and commerce — and now going full throttle on Agents! It offers a fully cloud-based platform that enables businesses to streamline customer management, automate processes, and gain actionable insights through AI and data analytics. Its scalability makes it suitable for businesses of all sizes, particularly large enterprises.

Hubspot

Website - hubspot.com

HubSpot is a widely used CRM that stands out for its ease of use and affordability (although pricing scales pretty rapidly), particularly for small to medium-sized businesses. Its free tier includes essential CRM features such as contact management, email tracking, and pipeline management. Paid plans offer advanced automation, marketing, and sales tools, making it a versatile choice for companies looking to scale.

Zoho CRM

Website - zoho.com

Zoho CRM is part of the Zoho suite, providing small and medium businesses with a highly customizable, cloud-based CRM solution. It includes features like lead management, sales automation, marketing automation, and analytics. Known for its flexibility, Zoho CRM can integrate with a range of other Zoho applications, making it ideal for companies seeking an all-in-one solution. An Indian-based company, pricing is often reasonable when compared to the traditional CRM options.

Pipedrive

Website - pipedrive.com

Pipedrive is a CRM designed specifically for sales teams, with a visual pipeline that helps manage and track leads through the sales process. It offers features such as activity reminders, reporting tools, and pipeline management that allow teams to prioritize and automate key tasks. Pipedrive is particularly suited for small businesses and startups seeking simplicity without compromising on functionality.

Freshsales (Freshworks)

Website - freshworks.com

Freshsales offers a user-friendly CRM with powerful sales automation features, email tracking, and AI-based insights. It is designed for companies of all sizes, especially those looking for a solution that combines ease of use with robust capabilities. With an intuitive interface, Freshsales enables businesses to streamline their sales process, track leads, and close deals faster.

SugarCRM

Website - sugarcrm.com

SugarCRM is a comprehensive CRM platform designed for businesses that need advanced customization and integration capabilities. It offers robust features in sales automation, marketing, customer support, and analytics. SugarCRM's open-source flexibility is particularly beneficial for organizations with complex workflows, while its cloud-based platform allows for scalability across industries.

Sage CRM

Website - sage.com

Sage CRM is part of the Sage Group, a leading UK-based software company. It provides CRM solutions that integrate with Sage's accounting and ERP systems, offering a comprehensive approach to business management. Sage CRM is suitable for businesses seeking a unified platform for financial and customer relationship management. Sage is a well-known North-East-based business and has operated in the SMB market for as long as technology has been around in this world, so a strong option.

Monday CRM

Website - monday.com

Monday.com is a 'work operating system' that includes CRM functionalities as part of its broader platform for managing work processes. It offers customizable workflows, task automation, collaboration tools, and a visual interface that helps teams track their work and customer interactions. Monday CRM is particularly suited for teams looking for a versatile platform that integrates project management, CRM, and communication tools in one. Its flexibility and user-friendly design make it ideal for businesses of all sizes, particularly those seeking a streamlined and collaborative environment for managing customer relationships.

Microsoft Dynamics 365

Website - microsoft.com

Microsoft Dynamics 365 is a suite of enterprise-level CRM and ERP applications that help businesses streamline customer interactions, sales, marketing, customer service, and more. It integrates seamlessly with other Microsoft products such as Outlook, Teams, and Power BI, providing a cohesive experience for businesses already using Microsoft solutions. Dynamics 365 is highly customizable, offering businesses the ability to tailor the platform to their specific needs. It's particularly suited for large enterprises and organizations seeking deep integration with their existing Microsoft ecosystem. The platform also offers powerful AI and automation features, making it a solid choice for companies focusing on digital transformation.

Like with Salesforce, perhaps the biggest strength of Microsoft is their partner channel - lots of partners have implemented Dynamics and therefore finding a suitable partner to implement the CRM will not be an issue.

Zendesk

Website - zendesk.com

Zendesk is not a stereotypical CRM. It is a cloud-based customer service platform that provides CRM functionality focused primarily on improving customer support and communication. It is known for its simplicity and scalability, offering businesses tools for managing customer inquiries across multiple channels such as email, chat, social media, and phone. Zendesk’s CRM system is designed to help companies provide better customer service by organizing tickets, automating workflows, and offering reporting and analytics. It's particularly useful for businesses that prioritize customer support and are looking to streamline their service operations. Zendesk integrates with various third-party applications and provides tools for both small businesses and large enterprises.

Capsule CRM

Website - capsulecrm.com

Capsule CRM is a simple yet effective CRM platform, developed in the UK, that helps businesses manage contacts, sales opportunities, and tasks. Its clean, intuitive interface makes it easy for small businesses to keep track of important customer information and communicate effectively. Capsule CRM is especially popular among startups and growing businesses due to its cost-effectiveness and ease of integration.

How to find and select new CRM software

In our experience, the best way to find and select new CRM technology is to follow a few quick steps.

Build your CRM 'long list'

The first step is to use the list above and others (industry analysts, internal team recommendations etc) to construct your long list of technology vendors that look pretty interesting and you would like to learn more about. At this stage, we don't want to waste much of your time or the sales team's time, so we would recommend a light touch sales engagement and based on a 'problem statement' approach. If this is new to you, take a look at our Rapid RFI or Technology Matchmaker to see how this might work.

Downselect to a shortlist and run a quick RFP

Once you've seen what's available and you have your preferred options, now's the time to invest more time with those vendors and really see what they can do to help. We are big advocates of running a quick RFP - nobody wants to be a part of a traditional RFP process so avoid that like the plague or your key vendors will exit stage left. Check out our Rapid RFP process to see how this works.

If you want to move quickly - you can combine the very best parts of a Rapid RFI and a Rapid RFP and get it done in under a month - take a look at how to do this with our 30-Day Technology Selection service.

Are we missing any UK CRM options?

If you think we should be including additional CRM options, please let us know. As noted above, this is not an exhaustive list but we're happy to update the blog if we have missed anything that is really interesting and compelling.

Can Viewpoint Analysis help you with your CRM purchase?

We work with companies of all sizes to find and select new enterprise technology. Running a whole range of super-quick procurement processes that take the weight off our customers. Take a look at our website for more information!