Updated 30 March 2026
Zoho CRM Free Plan
Free for up to 3 users, forever. No credit card required, no trial expiration. Core CRM features for startups and micro-businesses tracking their first 50 to 100 deals. Here is exactly what you get, what you do not get, and when to upgrade.
$0
Forever
3
User limit
1 GB
Storage
Core
CRM features
What Is Included
Lead management
Create, import, and track leads through your pipeline. Assign leads to team members. Convert leads to contacts and deals.
Contact and account management
Store contact details, company information, and relationship history. Link contacts to accounts and deals.
Deal tracking
Create deals with stages, values, and expected close dates. Drag-and-drop pipeline view. Track win/loss rates.
Task and activity tracking
Create tasks, calls, and events linked to leads, contacts, or deals. Set reminders and due dates.
Standard reports
Pre-built reports for pipeline, revenue, lead sources, and activities. Limited to standard templates (no custom reports).
Web forms
Embed lead capture forms on your website. Leads automatically created in CRM when forms are submitted.
Mobile app
Full mobile access on iOS and Android. View and edit records, log calls, and check your pipeline on the go.
1 GB total storage
Shared across all 3 users. Sufficient for thousands of contacts but limited for file attachments.
What Is Not Included
Workflow automation
No automatic emails, task creation, or field updates based on triggers. Every follow-up is manual.
Email integration
No Gmail or Outlook sync. You cannot send or receive emails from within Zoho CRM.
Custom dashboards
No ability to build custom reports or dashboards. Limited to the standard pre-built report templates.
Mass email
No bulk email sends. You cannot email all contacts in a list or segment from within CRM.
Third-party integrations
No Zapier, no Mailchimp, no QuickBooks integration. CRM operates as a standalone system.
Sales forecasting
No revenue forecasting tools. You must calculate projections manually outside of CRM.
Scoring rules
No lead or deal scoring. You cannot prioritize leads by behavior or demographics automatically.
Multiple currencies
Single currency only. International businesses need Standard or higher.
Who Zoho CRM Free Works For
Good Fit
- Solo consultants or freelancers tracking client relationships
- 2-3 person startups managing their first 50-100 deals
- Small service businesses needing basic contact management
- Teams evaluating Zoho CRM before committing to a paid plan
- Non-profits with tiny teams needing donor tracking
Not a Good Fit
- Teams of 4+ people (hard limit of 3 users)
- Businesses needing automated email follow-ups
- Sales teams requiring pipeline reporting and dashboards
- Companies needing CRM integrated with email (Gmail/Outlook)
- Businesses with international customers (single currency only)
Quick Setup Guide
Create your account
Sign up at zoho.com/crm with your business email. Choose the Free plan. No credit card required. You will get immediate access to the CRM.
Import your contacts
Go to Contacts > Import. Upload a CSV file with your existing customer data. Map your columns to Zoho CRM fields (name, email, phone, company). The importer handles up to 5,000 records at a time.
Set up your pipeline stages
Go to Setup > Customization > Modules > Deals > Layouts. Customize your deal stages to match your sales process. Common stages: Qualification, Proposal, Negotiation, Closed Won, Closed Lost.
Add web forms to your website
Go to Setup > Developer Space > Webforms. Create a lead capture form. Copy the embed code to your website's contact page. New form submissions automatically create leads in your CRM.
Invite your team (up to 2 more users)
Go to Setup > Users and Control > Users. Invite up to 2 additional team members by email. Set their roles and permissions. They will get full access to leads, contacts, and deals.
Free CRM Alternatives Compared
| Feature | Zoho CRM Free | HubSpot Free | Freshsales Free |
|---|---|---|---|
| User limit | 3 users | Unlimited | 3 users |
| Contacts | Unlimited | Unlimited (limited properties) | Unlimited |
| Deal pipeline | Yes (1 pipeline) | Yes (1 pipeline) | Yes (1 pipeline) |
| Custom fields | Yes (limited) | No (on Free) | Limited |
| Web forms | Yes | Yes (with HubSpot branding) | Yes |
| Email integration | No | Basic (200 emails/day) | Yes (basic) |
| Workflow automation | No | No | No |
| Mobile app | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Reporting | Standard templates | 3 dashboards | Basic |
When to Upgrade to Standard ($20/user/month)
The free plan works well for the first 6 to 12 months of a micro-business. Watch for these signals that it is time to upgrade:
- You need to add a 4th team member to the CRM
- You are spending more than 2 hours per week on manual follow-up emails that could be automated
- Your manager or team needs custom reports and dashboards to track performance
- You need Gmail or Outlook synced with CRM so every customer email is tracked automatically
- Your active deal count exceeds 100 and manual prioritization is no longer practical
- You are losing deals because follow-ups slip through the cracks without automation
Standard at $20/user/month adds workflow automation (up to 10 per module), email integration, custom dashboards, mass email (250/day/user), and sales forecasting. For a 3-person team, that is $60/month for a major productivity leap.