While Monday.com is a highly flexible Work OS, its CRM functionality can be complex to set up and may lack the specialized, out-of-the-box features that dedicated sales teams require.
The article examines several alternative CRM platforms that offer distinct advantages, such as enhanced ease of use or more sales-centric features, enabling businesses to find a solution better tailored to their specific needs.
This evaluation is crucial for companies seeking a tool that aligns more closely with their sales process and goals.
So Monday.com’s CRM just isn’t working for you, and now you’re on the hunt for a great Monday.com alternative.
Finding the perfect CRM tool is a lot like finding the perfect sneaker—you have to try them on to know what fits just right. Sometimes, the shoe is too small, too big, too expensive, or cheaply made. Sometimes, it’s a great fit until you break it in.
Whatever the case may be, knowing when a change is necessary is important for you and your business. And so is finding reliable Monday.com alternatives when the Monday CRM just isn’t working for your team.
In 2025, the stakes are higher than ever. The global CRM market is growing at a rate of 17.2% year-over-year, reaching $298.61 billion in 2025. AI-powered CRM systems are becoming table stakes, with 83% of businesses that use AI in CRM more likely to exceed their sales goals.
Your sales team needs a CRM built for selling—not a project management tool with CRM features bolted on. This guide will help you find it.
Monday.com’s CRM isn’t what Monday.com was created to be. Don’t get us wrong, Monday.com is a great project management tool. But Monday CRM just provides project management with multiple templates that make it look like other tools.
From the outside, Monday.com offers a wide range of management tools, spanning IT, creative, and sales. When you delve into the details, however, the software revolves around the same core project management features. Now, Monday.com isn’t necessarily trying to deceive or trick you, but when it comes to customer relationship management, there are simply better options out there.
Why purpose-built CRMs outperform project management tools for sales
You might be wondering: “If Monday.com can do CRM, why switch to a purpose-built CRM?” The answer is simple: project management tools and sales CRMs solve different problems.
Monday.com is built for project management. It excels at tracking tasks, managing timelines, and coordinating team workflows. These are valuable capabilities—but they’re not what sales teams need to close deals.
CRM-first systems are built for sales. They’re optimized for pipeline management, lead scoring, deal tracking, and revenue forecasting. Every feature, every automation, and every workflow is designed with one goal in mind: to help your sales team sell more.
Here’s what the data shows:
Sales-specific automation: Monday.com offers basic project automations. Nutshell delivers sales-focused automation: lead scoring, email sequences, task routing, and deal stage triggers. These automations operate without rate limits or complexity restrictions, allowing your team to automate your entire sales process.
Pipeline visibility: Monday.com’s visual boards are great for project tracking. But sales teams need real-time pipeline visibility, deal probability forecasting, and revenue predictions. Dedicated and purpose-built CRMs provide this out of the box.
Lead management: Monday.com treats leads like tasks. A system designed for CRM treats leads like opportunities. This means lead scoring, lead nurturing, and lead routing—all designed to move prospects through your sales process faster.
Reporting & analytics: Monday.com’s reporting is project-focused. CRM-forward systems offer sales-focused analytics, including win rates, sales cycle length, deal velocity, and revenue forecasting. These insights help sales managers coach their teams and predict revenue.
Integration with sales tools: Solutions built for CRM integrate seamlessly with email, calendar, phone, and communication tools that sales teams use daily. Monday.com’s integrations are more generic.
Using Monday.com for sales is like using a hammer to drive a screw. Sure, you might get it done eventually—but you’re using the wrong tool for the job. Dedicated CRMs are purpose-built for sales, which means your team will be more productive, close more deals, and hit revenue targets faster.
Getting more bang for your buck with a Monday.com alternative
Everyone wants to get the most value for their dollar. While Monday.com appears to be decently priced, if you’re looking for a CRM tool, you’re most likely overpaying. You want sales pipelines and marketing campaigns that work for you—not ones that create work for you.
Customer relationship management isn’t something that can or should be left to a template, especially not a template that isn’t optimized for a sales process.
If you consider the booming CRM market, it’s clear that businesses recognize that having a CRM system isn’t optional—it’s essential for survival and growth. But here’s the catch: 91% of businesses with over 11 employees use CRM software, yet 70% of CRM projects fail due to cross-functional misalignment and poor implementation.
The difference between success and failure? Choosing a CRM built for your specific needs—not a one-size-fits-all tool. CRM-first platforms like Nutshell are designed to prevent these failures through ease of use, fast implementation, and sales-focused features.
We evaluated six CRM platforms based on five key criteria that matter most to small and medium-sized businesses looking to move away from Monday.com:
Sales-specific features: Does the platform prioritize sales workflows, pipeline management, and revenue tracking? We looked for tools built specifically for sales teams, not project management tools retrofitted with CRM features.
Ease of implementation: How quickly can a team get up and running? We valued platforms that offer fast onboarding, intuitive interfaces, and minimal customization requirements—because time spent learning is time not spent selling.
Automation capabilities: Can the platform automate repetitive tasks like follow-ups, lead scoring, and task assignment? We prioritized CRMs with robust, sales-focused automation that doesn’t require complex coding.
Affordability & transparency: What’s the real cost when you factor in all necessary features? We compared pricing across similar feature sets and highlighted hidden costs that might surprise you later.
Customer support quality: When you need help, is support actually available? We evaluated response times, support channels (including chat, email, and phone), and whether support is included at all price tiers.
We’ve rated each platform on a 5-point scale across these criteria, with ratings reflecting real-world performance based on G2 reviews, Gartner recognition, and verified customer feedback.
Here are some better Monday.com alternatives for your next CRM
Teams needing high customization and project management integration with CRM
1. Nutshell
Rating: 4.8/5
Best for small businesses seeking a CRM that’s easy to set up, simple to use, and genuinely affordable—without sacrificing powerful sales features.
Résumé
Nutshell is an award-winning CRM and email marketing platform, known for being the small-business CRM that just works. No tricks or illusions here! Nutshell is easy to set up, easy to use, and easy to understand.
Nutshell’s customers rave about everything from simplicity to performance to stellar customer service (something that big companies can struggle with). Nutshell does everything that Monday CRM does with the added bonus of pulling the important data for you so that your time is spent growing your business.
An emerging leader in the growth software category, Nutshell gets your marketing and sales teams working together from the same data to grow smarter. Nutshell is reliable and affordable, and has earned its reputation with growing businesses for those reasons and more, making it one of the best Monday.com alternatives they can turn to.
Caractéristiques principales
Fast setup with personal guidance from their support team
Powerful contact filtering and segmentation tools
Opportunity and pipeline management with map view and drag-and-drop lead board
Task management and sales automation (no rate limits)
Territory and quota management
Easy-to-use marketing automation suite with email campaigns and drip sequences
Mobile CRM app for iOS and Android with full functionality
AI-powered lead scoring and next-action recommendations
Seamless integrations with 100+ tools, including Zapier, Gmail, Outlook, and Slack
Import2 automated migration from 25+ CRMs (including Monday.com) with data appearing in 24-48 hours
Pour
Genuinely affordable: Starting at $16/user/month with email marketing and automation included—no hidden costs
Fastest implementation: Most teams are productive within days, not weeks or months
Best-in-class support: Free live support for every customer (no tier restrictions), with Ann Arbor-based team responding via chat or email during business hours
Sales-focused automation: Lead scoring, email sequences, task routing, and deal stage triggers work without complexity or rate limits
Next-action approach: Nutshell’s unique “next-action” methodology helps teams focus on the most important tasks to move deals forward
Highly rated by users: 4.6/5 on G2, with customers praising simplicity, performance, and support quality
No learning curve: Sales reps love it because it’s intuitive—they start using it immediately without extensive training
Cons
Smaller feature set than enterprise CRMs: If you need advanced custom reporting or complex workflow automation, you might outgrow Nutshell (though this is rare for SMBs)
Limited project management features: Unlike Monday.com, Nutshell isn’t designed for complex project tracking—it’s built for sales
Smaller ecosystem: Fewer third-party integrations compared to HubSpot or Salesforce (though 100+ integrations cover most common needs)
Tarification
Starting at $13 per user per month (billed annually). All plans include email marketing, automation, and live support. No setup fees or hidden costs.
Why customers love Nutshell
“Nutshell has made communication and coordination between our marketing and sales departments seamless. It covers everything we need from collecting our inbounds (through an easy Zapier integration), tracking leads through multiple pipelines, completing automated drip sequences to specific segments, and measuring the performance of each funnel stage.” – G2 Review
Best for teams needing powerful marketing automation and customer experience tools alongside CRM functionality, especially those with established web presence and sophisticated email campaigns.
Résumé
ActiveCampaign has integrations galore, sets the standard for customer experience automation, and has a pretty good CRM if you’re willing to pay beyond the starting plan. It doesn’t quite make a perfect Monday.com alternative because of its lack of project management features, but you’ll find some valuable similarities to the Monday CRM, such as pre-built automations and task management.
ActiveCampaign also has some pretty solid machine learning to make your data work for you. Overall, ActiveCampaign does very well for small business clients who have well-established web pages and just want a CRM with impressive marketing and sales automation.
Caractéristiques principales
Drag-and-drop email builder with pre-built templates
Advanced task management and lead/contact management
Automated lead prioritization using machine learning
Pre-built and customizable sales automation workflows
Customer experience automation across email, SMS, and web
Omnichannel communication (email, SMS, chat, social)
Advanced segmentation and personalization
CRM with deal tracking and pipeline management
Integration with 1000+ apps via Zapier and native integrations
Mobile app for iOS and Android
Pour
Marketing automation powerhouse: If email campaigns and nurture sequences are critical, ActiveCampaign excels here
Machine learning for lead scoring: Automatically prioritizes high-potential leads based on behavior
Omnichannel communication: Reach customers via email, SMS, chat, and social from one platform
Strong integrations: Connects with the most popular business tools
Good for growing teams: Scales well as your marketing and sales operations become more sophisticated
Cons
Steeper learning curve: More complex than Nutshell; requires more training and setup time
Pricing can get expensive: Starts at $19/month, but costs increase significantly as you add users and features
Less sales-focused than dedicated CRMs: Marketing automation is the strength; pure sales features lag behind HubSpot or Nutshell
Support varies by plan: Lower-tier plans have limited support access
Automation can be overwhelming: The platform’s power comes with complexity that smaller teams may not need
Tarification
Starting at $15/month for basic marketing CRM features. Sales pipelines, automation, and advanced features are available in higher-tier plans ($49-$145+/month). Pricing scales with the number of contacts and features used.
Why customers love ActiveCampaign
“Straight forward platform suitable for all businesses regardless of size or years established. So much data available and easy to use. Cost effective with competitors too.” –G2 Review
3. HubSpot
Rating: 4.3/5
Best for growth teams comfortable with complexity and willing to invest in an all-in-one platform that integrates sales, marketing, and customer service.
Résumé
HubSpot is a great CRM for growth teams who are comfortable with HTML and want a powerful tool to create complex workflows. HubSpot has its downsides, like a steep price and limited features and seats, but it certainly does have its strengths as a Monday.com alternative.
Like the Monday.com CRM, HubSpot Sales Hub offers contact and task management, deal pipelines, and an easy-to-use reporting dashboard. It can get pricey pretty quickly, but you get what you pay for when it comes to this particular CRM.
Caractéristiques principales
Unified sales, marketing, and customer service platform
Advanced contact and task management
Deal pipelines with customizable stages
Email tracking and notifications
Task calendar sync with Outlook and Google Calendar
Marketing analytics and campaign tracking
Customer journey-based workflows
In-platform payments and invoicing
Conversation routing and live chat
AI-powered lead scoring and insights
Extensive app marketplace with 1000+ integrations
Mobile app with full CRM functionality
Pour
Most comprehensive platform: If you need sales, marketing, and support in one place, HubSpot does it all
Enterprise-grade features: Advanced reporting, custom workflows, and sophisticated automation
Strong brand recognition: Widely adopted, so finding HubSpot expertise is easier
Excellent documentation: Extensive knowledge base and training resources
Scalability: Grows with your business from startup to enterprise
Cons
Steep price: Starting at $90/month for business plan (free plan has limited features)
Complexity: Requires significant setup and customization; not intuitive for small teams
Steep learning curve: Sales reps need training to use it effectively
Feature bloat: Includes many features that most small businesses will never use
Hidden costs: Add-ons and higher-tier plans get expensive quickly
Support quality varies: Lower-tier plans have limited support access
Tarification
Free plan available with basic features. Paid plans start at $90/month for businesses and enterprise plans, and $15/month for individuals and small teams.
Why customers love HubSpot
“I like that we can integrate our Sales, Marketing, and Customer Service teams on the same platform, and that HubSpot is flexible enough to fit our changing needs without needing to be a software engineer.” – G2 Review
4. Zoho CRM
Rating: 4.2/5
Best for budget-conscious businesses seeking comprehensive CRM features without premium pricing, especially those comfortable with a “do-it-all” platform.
Résumé
Zoho is a strong contender for the ideal Monday.com alternative if you don’t need too much storage and want good pipeline management features. It’s a worthy replacement for the business that wants to focus on contact and performance management. It’s comparable in ease of use and is a trusty tool with more maneuverability than Monday CRM.
Like Monday.com, you may run into trademark problems that come with a bigger “do-it-all” company, but Zoho is a far cheaper alternative that, for all intents and purposes, can do the same thing as Monday CRM.
Caractéristiques principales
Contact management with advanced filtering and segmentation
Sales funnels and pipeline management
Performance management and forecasting
Advanced analytics and reporting
Customizable dashboards and views
Workflow automation and business rules
Email integration and tracking
Mobile CRM app for iOS and Android
AI-powered lead scoring and insights
Integration with 500+ apps, including Zapier
Seamless integration with other Zoho products (Zoho Mail, Zoho Invoice, Zoho Desk, etc.)
Pour
Incredibly affordable: Starting at $12/month, Zoho offers exceptional value
Comprehensive features: Doesn’t sacrifice functionality for price
Zoho ecosystem: If you use other Zoho tools, integration is seamless
Good for customization: Flexible enough to adapt to various business processes
Solid mobile app: Full CRM functionality on the go
No rate limits: Automation and features work without artificial restrictions
Cons
Smaller ecosystem: Fewer third-party integrations compared to HubSpot or Salesforce
Interface can feel dated: Not as modern or intuitive as newer CRMs
Support quality varies: Can be slow to respond, especially on lower-tier plans
Learning curve: More complex than Nutshell; requires more setup and customization
“Do-it-all” approach: Like Monday.com, Zoho tries to do everything, which means it doesn’t excel at any one thing
Data storage limits: Lower-tier plans have storage restrictions
Tarification
Starting at $12/month
Why customers love Zoho CRM
“Hands down [the thing I like best is] the fee I pay per month to use Zoho CRM is excruciatingly low for the services. I get to use the CRM in addition to integrated mail templates, the daily quota for mails, contact management, invoice management and so much more.” – G2 Review
5. Copper CRM
Rating: 4.0/5
Best for Google Workspace users seeking a CRM that integrates seamlessly with Gmail, Google Calendar, and other Google apps without leaving the Google ecosystem.
Résumé
If you’re a Google Workspace fan, Copper may be the right CRM for you. If you aren’t…maybe look somewhere else. It’s a good option for those comfortable with Google apps and searching for a Monday.com alternative that fits into that family of tools.
Like Monday, Copper has a wide range of management tools that will make your sales and marketing processes run smoothly. It is focused on being the best Google workspace CRM and provides a specialized feel rather than being a “jack of all trades.”
Caractéristiques principales
Native Gmail integration with email tracking and logging
Google Calendar sync for meeting scheduling
Contact management directly from Gmail
Chrome extension for easy access
Fast and effective task and lead management
Comparable customization to Monday.com
Deal tracking and pipeline management
Activity tracking and timeline
Mobile app for iOS and Android
Integration with Google Workspace and 100+ other apps
Pour
Seamless Google integration: Works directly within Gmail and Google Calendar
No context switching: Access CRM without leaving Google apps
Simple interface: Easier to learn than HubSpot or Zoho
Chrome extension: Quick access to CRM features from anywhere
Good for Google-first teams: If your team is all-in on Google Workspace, this is ideal
Reasonable pricing: $23/month is fair for the functionality
Cons
Limited to Google ecosystem: If your team uses Outlook or other non-Google tools, integration is limited
Smaller feature set: Doesn’t have the advanced automation or reporting of larger CRMs
Less sales-focused: More of a contact management tool than a true sales CRM
Smaller community: Fewer resources and third-party integrations compared to larger platforms
Not ideal for complex workflows: If you need sophisticated automation, look elsewhere
Tarification
Starting at $9/month
Why customers love Copper
“The user interface is simple to use and ideal for rapidly recording contact information. The system records all contacts with consumers, including files delivered through email, to make the work of sales reps easier. The Report and Analysis tool gives vital indicators to help us plan and decide on our commercial initiatives. It is also really valuable since it has helped me to be a little more organized with all of the information it provides; it not only helps me to keep in touch with my customers, but it also allows me to keep in touch with my suppliers.” – G2 Review
6. Avec perspicacité
Rating: 3.9/5
Best suited for teams that require high customization and seamless project management integration with CRM, especially those already familiar with Google Workspace.
Résumé
Insightly is another highly customizable CRM that will give your team everything Monday CRM provides plus a little more. And that’s not the only reason it’s one of the best Monday.com alternatives.
It’s known to be reliable and has some handy features like test environments, document generation, mobile and social collaboration tools, and social network integration, on top of the expected marketing and sales workflows. Insightly can be a tad harder to set up and is not as intuitive as some of the other options above, but it’s worth trying out for its filters, bulk editing, and easy-to-navigate management suite.
Caractéristiques principales
Customizable graphic user interface (GUI)
Seamless Google app integrations (Gmail, Google Drive, Google Calendar)
Opportunity, task, and activity management
Project tracking and management
Contact and company management
Deal pipelines with customizable stages
Document generation and templates
Mobile and social collaboration tools
Social network integration
Test environments for safe customization
Bulk editing and advanced filtering
Integration with 500+ apps via Zapier
Pour
Highly customizable: Build the CRM exactly how your team works
Project management integration: Track both client relationships and project delivery
Google Workspace integration: Works seamlessly with Gmail, Drive, and Calendar
Good for professional services: Ideal for agencies, consultants, and service firms
Flexible workflows: Adapt the system to your unique business processes
Reasonable pricing: $29/month is fair for the customization available
Cons
Harder to set up: Requires more configuration than Nutshell or Copper
Not as intuitive: Steeper learning curve for sales teams
Best for Google Workspace: Limited integration with Outlook and other non-Google tools
Smaller community: Fewer resources and third-party integrations
Overkill for simple sales: If you just need basic CRM, you’re paying for features you won’t use
Support can be slow: Response times vary, especially on lower-tier plans
Implementation takes longer: Most teams need 2-4 weeks to get fully productive
Tarification
Starting at $29/month
Why customers love Insightly
“Insightly’s ease of use is incredible. Everything is fully customizable to meet your specific needs which makes life way easier than clunkier crm’s. I would highly recommend them to any professional.” – G2 Seller Invite Review
Word of caution:
Insightly definitely works best for those who prefer Google Workspace.
Why now is the time to switch from Monday.com
The CRM market is experiencing unprecedented growth and innovation. Here’s what’s happening in 2025:
The market is booming: The global CRM software market grew from $254.89 billion in 2024 to $298.61 billion in 2025—a 17.2% year-over-year increase. This growth reflects businesses’ recognition that CRM isn’t optional; it’s essential for survival and growth.
AI is transforming sales:61% of companies plan to integrate AI with their CRM systems in the next three years. Organizations using AI-powered CRM solutions report 30-50% faster response times to customer inquiries, and businesses using AI in CRM are 83% more likely to exceed sales goals. If your current CRM doesn’t support AI-driven automation, you’re falling behind.
Mobile-first is now mandatory: 70% of businesses use mobile CRM systems to enhance their sales strategies. More importantly, 65% of salespeople using a mobile CRM achieve their sales quotas, compared to only 22% of those without mobile access. Your sales team needs CRM access anywhere, anytime.
CRM-first solutions win: While Monday.com gained Gartner recognition in 2025, it’s still positioned as a project management tool with CRM features. A CRM-first platform, such as Nutshell, continues to dominate because it’s built from the ground up for sales teams—not retrofitted for them.
Omnichannel communication is now standard: Customers expect to reach you via email, phone, SMS, chat, and social media—and they expect you to remember their history across all channels. Omnichannel CRMs with unified customer profiles are no longer optional. Look for a CRM that integrates email, phone, SMS, and chat in one place.
Switching from Monday.com to a purpose-built CRM isn’t just about finding a better tool—It’s about positioning your business to compete in 2025 and beyond.
Your CRM migration checklist
Use this checklist to ensure a smooth transition when you’re ready to switch from Monday.com.
Choosing your new CRM
Define your must-have features (automation, reporting, integrations, etc.)
Test free trials of 2-3 CRMs (Nutshell, HubSpot, Zoho)
Involve your sales team in the evaluation (they’ll be using it daily)
Compare pricing across similar feature sets
Verify integration support for your critical tools
Check support quality and response times
Review implementation timelines and support
Before you switch
Audit your current Monday.com data (contacts, deals, activities, custom fields)
Identify which data you actually need (not everything needs to migrate)
Clean up duplicate contacts and outdated records
Document your current sales process and workflows
Identify all integrations you currently use (email, calendar, communication tools, etc.)
Get buy-in from your sales team and leadership
Set a migration date and communicate it to your team
Assign a project owner to oversee the migration
During migration
Export your data from Monday.com in the correct format
Use the new CRM’s migration tools (Nutshell’s Import2, for example)
Map your old fields to new fields in the new CRM
Test the migration with a small subset of data first
Verify data integrity after migration (spot-check records)
Set up integrations with your critical tools
Configure your sales pipelines and workflows
Create email templates and automation sequences
Set up user roles and permissions
After migration
Train your sales team on the new CRM (hands-on, not just documentation)
Run parallel systems for 1-2 weeks (keep Monday.com running while testing new CRM)
Monitor adoption and address issues quickly
Celebrate wins and share early success stories with your team
Schedule follow-up training sessions for advanced features
Establish best practices for data entry and CRM usage
Set up regular check-ins with your support team
Plan for ongoing optimization and process improvement
Try the best Monday.com alternative for free
Ultimately, any CRM built specifically to track relationship histories and sales opportunities will function better for those purposes than Monday CRM. That makes your hunt for the best Monday.com alternatives a little easier.
We suggest trying Nutshell free for 14 days, and comparing it side by side with Monday CRM. The affordable price and range of sales-focused features make it a much better alternative to a project management tool dressed up as a CRM.
Frequently asked questions about Monday CRM alternatives
How long does it take to migrate from Monday CRM to a dedicated CRM like Nutshell?
Most teams get up and running in days, not months. Nutshell uses Import2 for automated migrations from 25+ CRMs, including Monday. Your data appears within 24-48 hours, and our support team guides you through every step—no consultants required.
What’s the difference in automation capabilities between Monday CRM and a dedicated sales CRM?
Monday CRM offers basic project automations, but Nutshell delivers sales-focused automation: lead scoring, email sequences, task routing, and deal stage triggers. Our automations work without rate limits or complexity restrictions, so your team can automate your entire sales process.
How does customer support differ between Monday CRM and dedicated CRM platforms?
Monday offers limited chat support. Nutshell includes free live support for every customer—no tier restrictions. Our Ann Arbor-based team responds via chat or email during business hours, and Enterprise customers get scheduled phone support included.
Can I use a dedicated CRM for project management like I do with Monday CRM?
Absolutely. Nutshell’s customizable pipelines handle any workflow—sales, customer success, project tracking, or donor relations. You won’t get Monday’s visual boards, but you’ll get a CRM actually built for relationship management with better automation and reporting.
What’s the real cost difference between Monday CRM and alternatives when you factor in all features?
Monday’s CRM starts free but requires paid upgrades for essential features like advanced automation and reporting. Nutshell starts at $16/user/month with email marketing, automation, and support included. Most teams save 30-40% switching from Monday’s hidden costs.
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