7 Best CRM For Freelancers To Simplify Client Management

1. HoneyBook CRM

HoneyBook CRM offers a ‘centralized clientflow platform for freelancers’ who want to work on their own terms. It also helps them efficiently manage their client inquiries, contracts, payments, and more without needing to use multiple software. The platform supports all essential tools required by small companies and freelancers, such as client, proposal, and project management.  

Standout Features

• Lead And Project Tracking
• Client Portal Software
• Online Meeting Scheduler
• Online Invoices

Pricing

HoneyBook pricing starts at $36/month for its Starter plan. Further pricing plans include:

• Essentials - $59/month
• Premium - $129/month

Users also get a 7-day free trial.

Disclaimer: The pricing is subject to change.

Pros And Cons

Pros

• Customizable automation helps save valuable time
• Automated payment reminders are directly sent to clients, which keeps businesses running smoothly
• The end-to-end client onboarding and management enable users to stay organized

Cons

• Hard to find client information, needs some extra effort
• The smart file features can sometimes be challenging to use

2. Moxie CRM  

Moxie is a freelance-focused customer relationship management (CRM) platform. It simplifies client and project management for freelance business professionals. With customizable workflows, automated communication, and advanced integrations, the software helps users maintain client relationships, efficiently manage projects, and stay focused on their business goals.

Moxie CRM also integrates with prominent tools, like Trello, QuickBooks, and Google Workspace, to make sure that the platform works smoothly with the existing systems.

Standout Features

• Client Management
• Sales Pipelines
• Meeting Scheduler
• Proposals And Contracts

Pricing

Moxie offers simple and transparent pricing for its CRM tailored to the needs of freelancers and small businesses. It combines CRM, project, and invoicing tools with an intuitive user experience.

• Starter: $12/month
• Pro: $25/month
• Teams: $40/month

All the plans include priority support and a free trial.

Disclaimer: The pricing is subject to change.

Pros And Cons

Pros

• Tailored migration support, helpful for a smooth transition
• Flexible invoicing module facilitates tailored billing
• Affordable pricing structure, especially favorable to freelancers and small businesses

Cons

• Limited flexibility for highly complex or niche workflows
• It takes some time to import ‘time worked’ data, which can be several days

3. Nimble CRM

The relationship-focused Nimble CRM is primarily designed for solo business owners and freelancers. Its features like contact management, email outreach, social insights, workflows, and productivity tools help them smoothly manage their client relationships.

The software provides native integration with Google, Microsoft 365, Gmail, and LinkedIn. This allows it to automatically add contact records by pulling in details from calendars, emails, and social media to give users a 360-degree view of their client relationships.

Standout Features

• Relationship Management
• Email Marketing
• Sales Pipelines
• Social CRM

Pricing

Nimble’s pricing structure is simple and transparent. It offers a single-core plan and optional add-ons for increasing its capabilities. Users can choose between monthly or yearly payment options as per their convenience.  

• Simple CRM Pricing: $29.90/seat/month

It also offers a 14-day free trial to let the users explore its functionality before commitment.

Disclaimer: The pricing is subject to change.

Pros And Cons

Pros

• Efficient prospector tool, lets users capture and enrich contacts directly from LinkedIn
• Relationship-focused design, beneficial for building networks and pulling up referrals
• Integrated email sequences allow users to run outreach campaigns directly from their own email accounts

Cons

• The system lacks detailed pipeline filtering and advanced analytics  
• Forms and workflows lack advanced customization and design options

4. Apptivo CRM  

Apptivo offers a highly flexible CRM platform that can easily be tailored to meet the needs of growing businesses. It provides a range of features to help users build client relationships and drive more sales, including task management, lead management, SMS and email marketing, estimates, invoicing, and more.

Trusted by 200,000+ businesses globally, Apptivo CRM provides a highly customizable, feature-rich experience that makes it stand out among its competitors.

Standout Features

• Leads Management
• Contact Management
• Workflow Automation
• Intelligent Sales Dashboard

Pricing

The pricing for Apptivo CRM starts at $20/user/month for its Lite plan. Further pricing plans include:

• Premium: $30/user/month
• Ultimate: $50/user/month
• Enterprise: Custom pricing

All plans include a free 14-day trial.

Disclaimer: The pricing is subject to change.  

Pros And Cons  

Pros

• Excellent campaign management module, includes launch, tracking, and follow-up  
• Efficient record management for customization and updates
• Always available, responsible, and reliable customer support

Cons

• Some features can be inconsistent across separate modules
• No formal training certificates, which makes skills less recognized  

5. Pipedrive CRM  

Pipedrive CRM for freelancers is designed to assist solopreneurs manage their workload. It enables them to simplify project tracking, task automation, and client interactions. The platform incorporates features like unified contact management, custom dashboards, visual sales pipelines, email tracking, and integrations with hundreds of prominent platforms.

Its mobile-friendly interface is simple to use. This makes it ideal for freelancers looking to maintain good customer relationships. The unique forecast view enables users to view deals with upcoming due dates, which helps them prioritize their tasks.

Standout Features

• Contact Management
• Visual Sales Pipelines
• Workflow Management
• Email Tracking

Pricing

Pipedrive CRM pricing starts at $24/user/month for its Lite Plan. Subsequent plans are:

• Growth: $49/seat/month
• Premium: $79/seat/month
• Ultimate: $99/seat/month

The platform also offers a 14-day Free trial.

Disclaimer: The pricing is subject to change.

Pros And Cons

Pros

• Filterable views are valuable for sales teams to effectively manage lead nurturing
• Advanced reporting tools, effective for team supervision
• Helpful onboarding process with a dedicated Account Manager for support, training, and implementation

Cons

• Some automations require extra add-ons, increasing the overall costs
• Managing deal participants via API can be challenging

6. Insightly  

Insightly combines CRM, project management, marketing, and automation tools to help independent and small business owners in managing customer relationships. It is a user-friendly platform with advanced customization, real-time collaboration, and extensive integration capabilities.

Client management, sales processes, and project workflows are among the tools available on the platform to help businesses increase profits and build long-term client connections. The low cost and scalability make it a desirable option for freelancers and businesses with the sophistication of enterprise-level systems.  

Standout Features

• Centralized Customer Data
• Lead Management
• Graphic Data Visualization
• Pipeline Management

Pricing  

Insightly pricing starts at $29/user/month for its Plus plan. Further pricing plans include:

• Professional - $49/user/month
• Enterprise - $99/user/month

The platform also offers a 14-day free trial.

Disclaimer: The pricing is subject to change.

Pros And Cons

Pros

• Customizable tab views help stay focused on the most important information
• Quick reviews of progress, scheduling, performance, and client communication help save time
• Dedicated customer success manager for continuous guidance and support

Cons

• Initial set up and extensive customization options can be confusing for some users
• Occasional delays while syncing with third-party platforms disrupt the workflow

7. Capsule CRM  

Favored by thousands of professionals worldwide, Capsule CRM for freelancers is meant to simplify client management. The software helps independent business professionals to stay organized. Its key features include project boards and customizable pipelines that can be adapted to various workflows for tracking projects, managing leads, or keeping tasks on schedule.

Integration with popular tools like Gmail, Xero, Better Proposals, and Zapier makes it easy to manage all the aspects of freelance business routine.  

Standout Features

• Email Marketing
• Sales Analytics
• Contact Management
• Sales Pipelines

Pricing

Capsule CRM pricing starts at $22/user/month for its Starter plan. Further pricing plans include:

• Free - $0
• Growth - $40/user/month
• Advanced - $60/user/month

It also offers a 14-day free trial

Disclaimer: The pricing is subject to change.

Pros And Cons

Pros

• Robust filtering options help create a custom list of contacts, opportunities, and projects
• Valuable for tracking active projects and link multiple opportunities to a single account or contact
• Transparent pricing, no features are hidden behind upgrade wall

Cons

• Not-so-refined features, like email alias handling need add-ons to work properly
• Contact tagging can be a bit messy without a clear process

How To Choose The Right CRM For Freelancers

Zeroing in on the perfect CRM solution for freelancers depends on various factors. Here are some of the elements you need to keep in mind before subscribing to one:  

• Ease-Of-Use: It needs to be simple enough to help you efficiently manage your routine tasks
• Cost-Effectiveness: The CRM pricing must be within a reasonable range, with no additional charges for the necessary features
• Integrations: The platform must be compatible with tools, like email, invoicing, and project management software
• Support And Resources: The platform should provide dependable customer support with ample support resources to make the adoption process smooth
• Scalability: It should be able to meet the needs of a growing clientele and business demands

The Bottom Line

The best CRM for freelancers can only be the one that helps you stay organized, adapts to your workflow without being a nuisance. All the seven best CRM software discussed above offer excellent capabilities needed to assist freelancers in managing their routine activities. However, the focus areas of each platform are distinct.

Moxie and HoneyBook CRM provide excellent all-in-one business management tools for managing contracts and billing workflows.

Apptivo CRM and Insightly are best for flexible and customizable apps and advanced project workflows. Pipedrive and Nimble CRM are most suitable for relationship building, pipeline management, and client growth. While Capsule CRM is exceptional with its simple client organization.

You can go for any one of these that best fits your criteria. But, if you still feel the need to explore some more, we suggest exploring our resource center for more in-depth CRM comparisons and insights.