“Nutshell is super user-friendly and intuitive
“I would highly recommend Nutshell
“Easy to use and... wait for it ... 100% buy in!
“Nutshell is both simple and powerful
If you’re considering Freshsales and Zoho but struggling to choose between them, you’ve come to the right place. On this page, we’ll discuss the pros and cons of each CRM platform. Then we’ll explore how they compare in several key areas essential to a good CRM. Keep reading to learn more about how Freshsales and Zoho stack up!
Having the right customer relationship management (CRM) tool is the first step to successfully tracking and analyzing your customer data. With a lot of options out there, you need to consider which one will work the best for your business.
Two popular CRM options are Zoho and Freshsales. These CRM tools both offer their own advantages and disadvantage—but which one is better? Which one should you choose for your business?
That’s the question we’ll help you answer on this page. We’ll go over how Freshsales and Zoho compare when it comes to the crucial qualities of a good CRM. After that, we’ll highlight the standout pros and cons of each CRM platform.
If you’re already used to Freshsales, pay close attention to how Zoho handles setup, daily workflows, and automation. Both platforms cover similar core CRM needs, but they take very different approaches when it comes to ease of use, integrations, and long-term maintenance.
Keep reading to learn more about Freshsales vs. Zoho!
Let’s compare Zoho and Freshsales directly, based on five key attributes of a quality CRM to see how they measure up. This comparison is summarized in the table below.
Now, let’s look at how Freshsales and Zoho compare to one another in a bit more depth.
Both Freshsales and Zoho offer a free plan, which means that if you want the bare minimum version of each tool, they’re both on equal footing when it comes to pricing.
In terms of paid plans, Freshsales and Zoho are also priced similarly on paper. The key difference is how each one packages its features.
Freshsales keeps its tiers relatively straightforward, while Zoho offers more tiers, add-ons, and bundles. That flexibility can be useful—but reviewers and implementation partners also warn that it makes it harder to predict total cost and can lead to surprise upgrades once you need more automation, AI, or reporting.
Verdict: Freshsales is the safer choice for predictable pricing, while Zoho’s tiered add-ons and bundles can make total cost harder to anticipate.
Freshsales definitely scores well when it comes to ease of use, as its users say that it’s very intuitive and user-friendly. Zoho isn’t too bad, either, once you get the hang of it. However, getting the hang of it is the problem. Zoho has a steep learning curve, which means it takes quite a while to drive results.
For that reason, many teams find Freshsales noticeably easier to work with on a day-to-day basis. Zoho’s flexibility is powerful, but the steeper learning curve, slower performance, and more complex navigation are frequent pain points in user reviews—especially for teams without a full-time administrator.
Verdict: Freshsales comes out ahead for day-to-day usability, as Zoho’s steeper learning curve and heavier interface slow teams down.
Reporting is definitely not a strong point for Freshsales. In fact, it’s one of the tool’s biggest downsides. Users simply don’t feel that Freshsales’ reporting capabilities are as robust as they should be.
On the other hand, Zoho scores extremely well here, providing plenty of useful insights about users’ customer data. The trade-off is that getting your Zoho reports exactly right typically requires more up front configuration and experimentation. Smaller teams in particular mention needing to invest extra time—or bring in outside help—to build and maintain the dashboards they actually rely on.
Verdict: Zoho wins for reporting power, though teams should expect more setup time to fully benefit from its capabilities.
Both Zoho and Freshsales do poorly when it comes to integrations. Freshsales offers over 750 options through Zapier, but some users report that these options are of low quality. As for Zoho, its integrations are difficult to set up, and there aren’t any offered with the free plan at all.
If smooth, low-maintenance integrations are a priority, neither tool is perfect, but Zoho users appear to shoulder more of the setup and troubleshooting burden.
Verdict: Freshsales narrowly wins here, offering more manageable integrations overall, while Zoho users report greater setup friction and troubleshooting needs.
Finally, we have sales automation. Thankfully, Zoho and Freshsales both do great in this category, with plenty of features to help you automate your sales processes. For instance, Freshsales has sales sequencing to help you automate your workflows.
Since both tools score so well here, it’s tough to declare a winner. But it’s worth noting that customer feedback around Zoho’s automation tools often mentions setup complexity. So, while both platforms support automation, it’s not necessarily with the same learning curve.
Verdict: Both platforms excel in sales automation, but Zoho’s added setup complexity makes this category effectively a tie.
Take our guided tour to explore Nutshell’s incredible features!
Let’s examine some of the best Freshsales qualities. Those qualities include:
Not everything about working with Freshsales is so positive. There are also some downsides, including:
There are several benefits to using Zoho. Those benefits include:
Unfortunately, not everything about using Zoho is good. Here are some of its disadvantages:
So, which is better — Freshsales or Zoho? The answer depends on your business’s goals. If ease of use is important to you, choose Freshsales. On the other hand, if you prioritize reporting features or advanced lead management, Zoho may be the better option.
Of course, it’s entirely possible that neither Freshsales nor Zoho fully fits what your team needs. Both tools draw criticism around integrations and support, and Zoho adds additional complexity in the form of a steeper learning curve, fragmented modules, and more complicated pricing. If these are important to you, it’s probably better to find another CRM.
If you’re already used to Freshsales’s simpler interface and built-in communication tools, moving to Zoho may feel like trading one set of frustrations for another rather than a clear upgrade.
If you’re looking for a CRM other than Zoho or Freshsales, Nutshell is the perfect option. Not only does it offer all the same benefits as Zoho and Freshsales, but it also features plenty of integrations.
And with free live support offered to all users and automatic data imports (even during your free trial!), Nutshell empowers you to close more deals without sacrificing the features—or friendly support—you deserve.
To see what Nutshell can do for your business, start a 14-day free trial today!
The perfect blend of function and ease of use! I can’t believe how good Nutshell is!
Alan P. Skytop Business Loans
Don’t get sucked in by ‘featureitis.’ Buy what your staff will actually use. Nutshell beat out Insightly, Nimble, Zoho and Salesforce for our needs.
Chris B
Nutshell has helped my staff clear up literally 50% of their time.
Jennifer A. Eclectic Music
I’ve honestly had more problems than solutions when it comes to using Monday. It was very visually pleasing, but that’s as far as the benefits went.
Kevin K. Media Production
Great way to track management with clients. Love that I can BCC and the from my google account goes right into the right account in Nutshell. Also love that I can set tasks to remind myself to follow up
Holly C
Join 30,000+ other sales and marketing professionals. Subscribe to our Sell to Win newsletter!
