If your team is moving from spreadsheets to a CRM, pick the one that lives where you already work: inside your inbox, inside Google Workspace, or as a simple pipeline you open each morning. Import a real sheet during the trial, and check you can export and delete contact data, because a CRM holds personal data from day one.
Every small sales team has the same spreadsheet. A tab per month, a column called Notes that nobody can read, and a colour code only one person understands. It works until the second or third salesperson joins, and then deals start falling through gaps. If you've been weighing up Salesmate and want to see the other options, this list starts from that spreadsheet.
Small sales teams outgrowing the spreadsheet
I've written this for small sales teams, usually between two and ten people, moving from spreadsheets to their first CRM or from a CRM that felt too big. You don't need a system administrator or a six-week rollout. You need something your team will open every day without being nagged.
What a spreadsheet can't do that a CRM can
- Remind you to follow up, so a warm lead doesn't go cold because nobody wrote down the date.
- Log every email and call against the contact automatically, so you don't rely on memory.
- Show the pipeline as stages, so you can see at a glance which deals are stuck.
- Let two people work the same account without overwriting each other's notes.
That last one is usually the moment teams switch. Once two people edit the same sheet, the version you trust is the one you last saved.
Moving to a CRM doesn't have to mean a big project. Most small teams can start with three things: contacts, deals and follow-up tasks. Add email sync in week one, and leave automations, custom fields and reports until people are using it without being chased.
Where does your team already work?
You live in your inbox. Streak runs inside Gmail and Copper is built into Google Workspace, so nobody has to learn a new place to work. For teams who'll resist another tab, that matters more than anything else.
You want a pipeline you can see. Pipedrive, Salesflare, Capsule and Bigin all describe themselves as simple or easy CRMs for leads, deals and contacts. Check each one shows deals as stages, which is the natural step up from rows in a sheet.
You call, prospect or run the wider business. Close leans on calling with an AI teammate, Folk on prospecting and outreach, and Teamleader on the admin around sales.
Nine CRMs from A to Z
Listed in no particular order, alphabetically. Each line paraphrases the vendor's own description, so read it as their claim and test it with your own contacts.
Bigin
Best for: Small businesses that want leads, deals, emails, calls and WhatsApp in one place, with AI built in and a quick start.
Capsule
Best for: Businesses that want a simple CRM for managing contacts and sales and building lasting customer relationships.
Close
Best for: Sales teams that want an AI teammate to call leads, qualify prospects, book meetings and keep the CRM updated.
Copper
Best for: Teams already on Google Workspace who want leads, deals and projects managed in a CRM built into Google Workspace.
Folk
Best for: Anyone wanting one AI CRM that covers prospecting, outreach and closing deals.
Pipedrive
Best for: Salespeople who want an easy-to-use CRM and help getting more qualified leads, with a free trial to start.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
Salesflare
Best for: Owners who care most about ease of use and want to streamline sales and generate more leads.
Streak
Best for: Gmail-first teams who want to run sales and customer relationships without leaving their inbox.
Teamleader
Best for: Entrepreneurs and teams who'd like their business and paperwork managed in one place.
The CRMs in one table
| Tool | Where it lives | Good match for |
|---|---|---|
| Bigin | Leads, deals, email, calls, WhatsApp | Small businesses wanting a quick start |
| Capsule | Simple CRM | Managing contacts and sales |
| Close | CRM with an AI teammate | Teams wanting AI help with calls and follow-up |
| Copper | Inside Google Workspace | Teams who live in Google apps |
| Folk | AI CRM | Prospecting and outreach in one place |
| Pipedrive | Easy-to-use sales CRM | Ease of use and more qualified leads |
| Salesflare | Ease-of-use CRM | Owners who want ease of use |
| Streak | Inside Gmail | Teams that never leave their inbox |
| Teamleader | Business software | Managing the business and paperwork in one place |
Your contact list is personal data
The European Commission's data protection explainer defines personal data as any information that relates to an identified or identifiable living person. A spreadsheet of leads is exactly that, and so is the CRM you move it into. Before you commit, find the export button and the delete option, and check you can remove one person's record completely if they ask. It's much easier to check this during a trial than after you've imported every contact you've got.
If you like the pipeline style, I've covered more pipeline-first CRMs separately. Not sure you need a CRM yet? This guide on choosing a CRM for a small business helps you decide, and my list of free CRM software is a low-risk place to start.
Do you make a CRM for small teams? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My advice for teams leaving spreadsheets
Clean the spreadsheet before you import it, not after. Merge duplicates, agree what each column means, and drop the ones nobody fills in. Then trial two CRMs from the group that matches where your team works, import the same real sheet into both, and ask the person who hates admin most which one they'd use. Their answer is the one that counts.
Want your tool on this list? Featured spots and reviews here are paid partnerships. Here's how to partner with me.
Frequently asked questions
Can I import my spreadsheet into a CRM?
Usually, yes. Most CRMs accept a spreadsheet import, often from a CSV file, so check that on your trial. Clean it first: one row per contact, one column per field, and consistent spelling of company names.
How do I get my team to use the CRM?
Pick one that sits where they already work, keep the required fields to a minimum, and stop updating the old spreadsheet on a set date. If the sheet stays alive, people will keep using it.
Do I need a CRM with AI?
Not to start. AI that drafts emails or logs notes is useful once your basics are in place. A clean pipeline and reliable follow-up reminders matter more in the first few months.
What should I check before signing up?
Check you can export everything, delete individual records, connect your email and calendar, and add a teammate without help from the vendor. Those four tell you a lot about how the CRM will feel day to day.
