With many moving parts, limited resources, and a relatively long sales cycle, it is easy for agencies to let deals and potential projects slip through the cracks. That is why agencies, including marketing and travel agencies, need to adopt a CRM. However, how do you find the right agency CRM that fits your needs, business goals, and budget?
To help you find the best CRM for your agency business, we gathered some leading agency CRMs. We analyze each CRM solution and evaluate its pros and cons, user reviews, and pricing strategies.
But before we get straight to the best agency CRM list, let’s understand why agencies need a CRM and how exactly a CRM solution can streamline your agency’s business operations and sales workflows.
Why CRM Software is Essential for Agencies
You’re an agency working tirelessly to attract and retain clients, manage projects, and deliver outstanding results. With so many moving parts, it’s easy for things to slip through the cracks and chaos to ensue. That’s where Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software saves the day.
A good CRM software is a reliable assistant for agencies. Specifically, it:
- Streamlines and syncs internal communication, making collaboration easy.
- Frees up your team’s time by automating mundane tasks.
- Generates leads through multiple channels.
- Qualifies and manages leads.
- Delivers a clutter-free bid and performance tracking experience.
That said, here are our top five CRM tools for agencies.
Overview of Best CRMs for Agencies
With many agency CRMs available, it’s difficult to find the right one that fits your business. Below are some of the top CRMs that are designed specifically for the agency industry, along with their best use cases and starting prices.
| Top Agency CRM | Best Use Case | Starting Price |
| Pipeline CRM | Agency CRM for Sales-Focused Teams | $25 per user per month |
| Monday.com | Agency CRM for Creative Teams | $30 per user per month |
| Insightly | Best Analytical CRM for Agencies | $29 per user per month |
| Podio | CRM for Seamless Communication for Marketing Agencies | $14 per user per month |
| Salesforce | Best CRM for Large Agencies | Available on request |
| Folk | Best CRM for Lead-Generation-Focused Agencies | $20 per user per month |
| Drag | Best CRM for Google-Based Agency Workflows | $10 per user per month |
| Productive | Agency CRM with Project Management Solutions | $9 per user per month |
| Apptivo | Best CRM for Field-Based Agency Teams | $15 per user per month |
| Freshmarketer | Best CRM for Marketing-Driven Agencies | $25 per user per month |
Alright, let’s dig deeper into our top ten CRM tools for agencies.
1. Pipeline CRM: Agency CRM for Sales-focused teams
First up on our list is Pipeline CRM, one of the best CRM solutions for agencies. Built by salespeople for salespeople, this custom CRM software is the all-in-one tool you need for scaling your agency’s revenue.
Pipeline CRM offers practical sales tools to reach new client segments and generate high-quality leads. With best-in-class real-time tracking and analytics features, you can prioritize areas and improve operations.
It also automates tasks, sends timely updates, and ensures excellent customer service with data-driven processes.
Features
- Custom deal stages to fit the unique needs of independent agencies.
- Automates repetitive tasks and sales commissions.
- Sends timely updates on deals and events.
- Manages and monitors email drip campaigns.
- Tracks bid progress.
- Offers accurate sales forecasting.
- Provides integrations with popular email providers, marketing, and sales software.
Pros
- Easy to set up, capable of fully functioning within 48 hours.
- Extensive automation for better sales management.
- Integrates with popular platforms, with Google apps, Outlook, Zapier, Mailchimp, and other sales tools.
- Streamlined communication between both small and large teams.
- Monitors historical data and examines the cause of lost bids.
- Industry-best customer support.
- Automated tracking of commissions reduces cost and increases transparency for remote sales teams.
Reviews
- 4.4/5 star rating on G2 (915 reviews)
- 4.3/5 star rating on Capterra (618 reviews)
- 10/10 score on TrustRadius (15 reviews and ratings)
- 4.1 star rating on Gartner (41 reviews)
Pricing
- Start plan: $25 per user per month.
- Develop plan: $33 per user per month.
- Grow plan: $49 per user per month.
Learn more about Pipeline CRM’s pricing plan and features.
Watch this video to see how Pipeline’s agency CRM automates many parts of your sales operations.
2. Monday.com: Agency CRM for Creative Teams
Next up on our list is a robust and highly customizable CRM solution. From centralizing client communication to providing post-sales support, Monday.com’s CRM offers the perfect features for creative agencies.
All the data is divided into folders and is organized into 50 folders in a clean and easy-to-navigate dashboard. Monday.com also allows users to fast-track their sales recruitment process and can seamlessly accommodate your growing team.
Related: Can’t decide between Monday CRM and Close CRM? We analyzed both CRMs in detail based on their pros, cons, and price.
Features
- Users can create custom pipelines according to different project specifications.
- Offers various integrations, including Gmail, Excel, and DocuSign.
- Automated notifications for when a lead opens or replies to an email.
- Provides personalized email templates.
- Tracks pipelines, project targets, and the team’s performance.
- Offers accurate sales forecasting.
Pros
- Intuitive user interface
- The wide-ranging integration ensures a smooth flow of information, creating a connected ecosystem.
- Improves sales outreach with accurate analytics.
- Real-time notifications and analytics updates enable teams to minimize mishaps and maintain precision.
- Creates realistic deadlines to help you manage multiple projects simultaneously.
Cons
- Users can’t choose multiple single dates in one date column.
- Some necessary features require upgrading to a pricier plan.
- Lack of visuals in analytics reports.
Reviews
- 4.7/5 star rating on G2 (8,287 reviews)
- 8.5/10 score on TrustRadius (3081 reviews and ratings)
- 4.5/5 star rating on Gartner (253 reviews)
Pricing
- Basic CRM: $30 per month
- Standard CRM: $42 per month
- Pro CRM: $72 per month
- Enterprise CRM: Custom pricing
3. Insightly: Best Analytical CRM for Agencies
Having trouble handling all your projects with a small team? Insightly offers a modern CRM for agencies aiming to scale their operations. The platform’s highlight feature is its superior analytics and reporting capabilities, letting users improve customer service holistically.
The platform’s unique lead routing feature streamlines prospecting and drives revenue growth. Additionally, it offers mobile applications to accommodate remote teams seamlessly.
Features
- Routes leads and tracks the most relevant information.
- Tracks client pitches and monitors their position in the pipeline.
- Offers integrations with popular productivity tools.
- Provides mobile applications for remote teams.
- A/B and multivariate testing.
Pros
- The comprehensive dashboard highlights specific contexts of projects, relevant contacts, workflows, and metrics.
- Easy filters let users search for required information quickly.
- The customer support portal is easily accessible and convenient.
- High-quality analytics features offer real-time and detailed updates on projects and performance.
Cons
- The platform frequently logs out in case of non-use.
- Automations get changed often due to new updates.
Reviews
- 4.2/5 star rating on G2 (868 reviews)
- 4/5 star rating on Capterra (626 reviews)
- 8.1/10 score on TrustRadius (783 reviews and ratings)
- 4.2 star rating on Gartner (711 reviews)
4. Podio: CRM for Seamless Communication for Marketing Agencies and Other Companies
The next addition to our list is a reliable and straightforward CRM solution called Podio. It is low-code, custom CRM software focusing on streamlining agency team communication.
Podio centralizes all project content, conversations, and processes into one collaboration point for team alignment. Every stage is customizable to suit every project’s specifications and team’s requirements. The interface is stable and intuitive, making task delegation and project deployment easy for agencies.
Features
- Centralizes all relevant information in one clean dashboard.
- Offers an open-plan online office.
- Allows creating custom integrations and new apps as required.
- Provides add-ons built for specific use cases.
- Has mobile applications.
Pros
- It makes coordination and collaboration easy by organizing all contacts, content, and conversations in one place.
- Project budget tracking and automation make it easy for your team to be on top of every project with the same operational accuracy.
- Offers 24×7 tech support for users.
Cons
- The free version lacks basic CRM features.
- Refresh time is longer than the alternatives.
- Costlier than other similar tools.
Reviews
- 4.2/5 star rating on G2 (485 reviews)
- 4.3/5 star rating on Capterra (311 reviews)
- 7/10 score on TrustRadius (125 reviews and ratings)
Pricing
- Plus: $11.20 per month
- Premium: $19.20 per month
5. Salesforce: Best CRM for Large Agencies
Salesforce is one of the most popular and reliable CRM software. Thanks to its numerous capabilities, it seamlessly accommodates large teams and multiple projects.
It offers best-in-class marketing, sales, commerce, and service solutions all in one platform. Users can import data sets from any source, analyze them, and get a comprehensive view of project progress. Salesforce is adaptive, scalable, and secure, with a customer-centric approach to every business operation.
Features
- Hassle-free contact, opportunity, and quote management
- Einstein Analytics for high business intelligence
- Offers custom platforms for small businesses.
- Has a dynamic dashboard.
- Offers mobile applications.
Pros
- Superior analytical abilities unlock complicated sales as well as service insights.
- Salesforce Lightning shows a complete view of the customer profile for better prospecting.
- Easily create ecosystems with your partners.
Cons
- Bug issues.
- Not beginner-friendly.
- High-end pricing.
Reviews
- 4.3/5 star rating on G2 (14575 reviews)
- 4.4/5 star rating on Capterra (17674 reviews)
- 8.2/10 score on TrustRadius (3129 reviews and ratings)
- 4.4/5 star rating on Gartner (1807 reviews)
Pricing
Available on request.
6. Folk: Best CRM for Lead-Generation-Focused Agencies
As an agency CRM, Folk understands that one of the biggest challenges for a sales-driven agency is generating and nurturing leads. With this in mind, Folk offers several solutions, including bulk data import from LinkedIn, finding missing contact email addresses with just one click, and setting up conversation templates for email and LinkedIn messages.
Additionally, since all the conversations with prospects are now centralized on Folk, you’re empowered to analyze your sales outreach performance to find the best strategies that work for your business. For example, see how the team’s efforts compared to the email open and click rates, sales cycle, or revenues.
Features
- Bulk email and email template features.
- Smooth integration with Apollo, various social media platforms, and Zapier.
Pros
- 1-click enrichment helping you find missing contact information.
- Visualize your performance with various metrics and chart visualization.
- Bulk email feature.
Cons
- Limited integration compared to other CRM for agencies.
Reviews
- 4.5/5 star rating on G2 (260 reviews)
- 4.4/5 star rating on Capterra (29 reviews)
- No review on TrustRadius
- 4.0/5 star rating on Gartner (1 review)
Pricing
Folk offers a two-week free trial and 20% off for annual membership. The prices below are based on their yearly subscription fees.
- Standard: $20 per member per month
- Premium: $40 per member per month
- Custom: $80 per member per month
7. Drag: Best CRM for Google-Based Agency Workflows
If your agency business is set up using the Google ecosystem, Drag can be a great CRM option.
With Drag, you can connect several Google-based email accounts or shared inboxes and share them with your team. This centralized workflow allows anyone on the team to respond quickly to new inquiries. After you manage the email, directly assign new tasks to your team to ensure that the lead is moving toward the closing phase—all without leaving the email window or switching to another tool.
Features
- Drag isn’t just a basic CRM. it also offers some HR, finance, and customer support functions.
- Automatic email responder based on specific triggers.
- Ready-to-use email templates for various sales purposes.
Pros
- Get an alert when multiple users work on the same deal to avoid collision.
- A shared inbox enables you to compose email using any email address
Cons
- Steep learning curve (based on several G2 reviewers).
- Limited integrations, currently only with Google ecosystem and Whatsapp.
Reviews
- 4.5/5 star rating on G2 (255 reviews)
- 4.4/5 star rating on Capterra (127 reviews)
- No review on TrustRadius
- No review on Gartner
Pricing
Drag offers a 7-day free trial and a special discount for a yearly subscription. The prices below are for their annual fees.
- Standard: $10 per member per month
- Premium: $18 per member per month
- Custom: $24 per member per month
8. Productive: Agency CRM with Project Management Solutions
Agency projects often vary significantly in timeline, requirements, and budget, all of which directly impact sales pipelines. To maintain harmony across all facets of an agency business, productive offers a CRM solution that emphasizes team and project management.
With productive, the logged-in hours from your team are automatically linked to budgets, allowing you to monitor the project budgets and your profitability easily.
With synchronized team workloads and hours, it’s easy to identify team members available for new projects, predict project completion dates, and negotiate realistic deadlines with clients.
Features
- Time tracking and time-off management.
- Project management with Gantt charts functions.
- Built-in financial functions, such as budgeting, invoicing, and forecasting.
Pros
- Easily set recurring budgets and retainers.
- User-friendly and modern interface.
Cons
- Configuring particular reports can be difficult (based on a review on G2).
Reviews
- 4.7/5 star rating on G2 (54 reviews)
- 4.6/5 star rating on Capterra (9 reviews)
- No review on TrustRadius
- No review on Gartner
Pricing
Productive offers three paid plans with a 14-day free trial option. The following are productive’s annual fees.
- Essential: $9 per user per month
- Professional: $24 per user per month
- Ultimate: $32 per user per month
9. Apptivo: Best CRM for Field-Based Agency Teams
For travel agencies with field-based teams and collaborators, Apptivo can be a great agency CRM solution for you.
Apptivo offers a mobile CRM solution that allows your outside team access the CRM data anytime and anywhere. This way, they can respond promptly to prospect inquiries, send invoices on the go, and make informed decisions to close deals.
Beyond sales functionalities, Apptivo’s mobile CRM also supports team administration with features like timesheets for logging work hours, expense reports, and basic project management/milestone tools.
Features
- Powerful data analytics and reporting.
- Drag and drop functionality to customize data fields.
- Help desk solution with email ticketing and team assignment functionalities.
Pros
- Mobile app with integrated map and digital signature features.
- Rich integration options, including QuickBooks, Xero, Stripe, and PayPal.
Cons
- Outdated user interface.
- Limited customization options (based on several G2 reviewers).
Reviews
- 4.4/5 star rating on G2 (205 reviews)
- 4.4/5 star rating on Capterra (712 reviews)
- 8.1/10 score on TrustRadius (8 reviews and ratings)
- 4.2/5 star rating on Gartner (64 reviews)
Pricing
Freshworks offers three paid plans. The following are for their yearly subscription fees.
- Lite: $15 per user per month
- Lite: $25 per user per month
- Lite: $40 per user per month
- Enterprise: custom pricing
10. Freshmarketer: Best CRM for Marketing-Driven Agencies
Freshmarketer, a CRM tool by Freshworks, helps improve marketing performance. It enables users to create custom landing pages for various campaigns, allowing for more targeted messaging and increased value for prospects. These landing pages can also include tailored web forms for lead generation and chatbots for personalized interactions.
Features
- Predictive and behavioral segmentation to improve your campaign results.
- Connect with leads across various channels, including social media, WhatsApp, and email marketing.
- Enhance customer experience with AI-powered chatbots.
Pros
- Over 1,000 integration options to various sales, marketing, and other agency CRM related apps.
- Real-time notifications for any changes on the sales pipelines.
Cons
- Customer support quality can be improved (based on some G2 reviewers).
Reviews
- 4.2/5 star rating on G2 (16 reviews)
- 4.4/5 star rating on Capterra (25 reviews)
- 6.1/10 score on TrustRadius (3 reviews and ratings)
- 4.0/5 star rating on Gartner (1 review)
Pricing
Freshworks offers different prices for their solutions. The following price only applies to the Freshmarketer solutions. Note that Freshmarketer is primarily a marketing automation tool. To leverage full CRM sales capabilities alongside your marketing efforts, a separate Freshsales subscription is also required.
- Free: Limited to 500 sent emails per month.
- Enterprise: €15 per user per month (billed annually).
What Are the Must-Have Features of an Ideal Agency CRM?
There are many agency CRM on the market. How can you ensure that you choose the right CRM for your agency’s business needs?
While each agency has its own unique business requirements and workflows, a great agency CRM must have some basic features. Here are the foundational sales and marketing features an ideal agency CRM must offer.
A. Smart Workflow Automation
Workflow automation within a CRM goes beyond simply saving time and boosting productivity—it also ensures a standardized workflow across your team and maintains clean, accurate sales and customer data.
For example, by setting up a ‘Next Step’ suggestion feature in your agency CRM, your sales team can receive clear guidance on what to do next every time a deal status changes. This not only streamlines decision-making but also keeps everyone aligned.
Automation also plays a critical role in maintaining data integrity. By using conditional fields, you can hide specific data fields until they’re relevant, reducing the risk of misplaced or incorrect information. Additionally, required fields ensure that your team inputs all necessary details before progressing to the next stage, preventing incomplete or inconsistent data.
Related: Learn why keeping your CRM data clean can improve your deal closing rate and speed.
B. Advanced Email Solutions
If your agency business focuses on email marketing as your primary sales channel, you need either adopt a CRM with a robust built-in CRM email solution or pick an agency CRM that offers seamless integration with your chosen email marketing platform.
When selecting a CRM tool, consider opting for one that includes AI email writing assistance. This feature eliminates the need to switch between external AI tools, like ChatGPT, to craft emails, saving you time and streamlining your workflow.
Additionally, ensure the CRM agency solution offers bulk email and email drip campaign capabilities. These features allow you to automate your email outreach efforts, enabling you to send personalized messages at scale while maintaining efficiency and consistency in your communication.
C. Powerful Reporting and Forecasting
An agency CRM that automates sales activities and email campaigns is a powerful asset, but it’s equally important to be able to monitor performance and measure the impact of your team’s efforts.
To ensure everything stays on track, choose an agency CRM with robust reporting capabilities. The ideal system should allow you to easily generate detailed reports, visualize data through intuitive charts, and pin key metrics to your dashboard for real-time visibility. This way, you can track progress, identify trends, and make data-driven decisions to optimize your strategies.
Pipeline CRM is the Best Customer Relationship Management Software for Agencies
Agency life sometimes feels like a whirlwind of tasks, client meetings, and endless spreadsheets. But with the right CRM software, you can automate tedious tasks and focus on scaling your business.
Pipeline offers everything you need for managing deals and clients for your agency. It’s beginner friendly and capable of accommodating teams of any size seamlessly.
To acquire high-quality clients, handle multiple projects with precision, and boost your agency’s ROI, try Pipeline for free today!
FAQs – 5 Top Agency CRM Software
1. What Is Agency CRM?
CRM (customer relationship management) empowers agencies to streamline their sales processes, allowing agencies to solve two of their main challenges: delivering tailored products or services and retaining clients. By centralizing all client data and requests, CRM empowers agencies to deliver exceptional service. Teams can easily access and update lead statuses, ensuring each client’s unique needs are met. This fosters satisfied clients who return for more, boosting sales and referrals.
2. What’s the Best Agency CRM Software?
Pipeline CRM is one of the best CRM for agencies, regardless of their size and industry (professional services, real estate, digital marketing agencies, etc.). Some of our prominent features for agency CRM are custom deal stages (to fit the unique needs of each agency or client), automation (for email campaigns and administrative tasks), and accurate sales forecasting (helping agencies mitigate risks).
3. How Do I Choose the Best CRM for My Agency?
The following factors can help you choose the best CRM for your agency:
- Customization options: select agency CRM that can be tailored based on your unique sales workflow, business strategy, and team language.
- Available integration: check the integration options so you can continue using tools that work for you.
- Scalability opportunities: ensure that when you need to grow, the agency CRM can support your needs. Avoid a CRM that has a low limit number on active deals, saved contacts, and users.
- Simple navigation: find CRM software with a short learning curve and user-friendly interface to avoid technical problems.
