Best CRM for B2B SaaS startups: 6 to shortlist

Quick Answer: HubSpot is the best CRM for B2B SaaS startups that want marketing and sales in one place, and its free plan covers two users. Attio suits founder-led teams that live in email and want a modern data model. Pipedrive and Close are the picks for small sales teams that just need deals to move, and Salesforce is for startups that already know they'll need heavy customization.

Picking the best CRM for B2B SaaS is one of the few early tool choices that's genuinely hard to undo. Your pipeline, your attribution and every report the board sees will sit on top of it. Most startups end up choosing between the same six options, so this list compares them on what they cost today, what you get for free and who each one fits.

Every price below was taken from the vendor's own pricing page on November 9, 2026. Prices change often, so check before you sign. If you're building the rest of your tools at the same time, our lean B2B martech stack shows how the CRM fits with your website, analytics and ads.

How did we choose these CRMs?

We looked for CRMs that a seed or Series A B2B SaaS company can start on without a long sales process. Each one had to meet four tests:

• The price is published on the vendor's own site, or there's a free plan.
• There's a low-cost way in: a free plan, a free trial or a startup discount.
• Deals, companies and contacts are separate records, so you can track accounts as well as people.
• Higher tiers add automation, reporting and permissions, so you don't have to migrate the moment you hire a second salesperson.

Which CRM is best for a B2B SaaS startup?

The right CRM for a SaaS startup depends on who runs the pipeline and how much marketing you do. The table compares the six on the plans a startup would start on.

The picks

1. HubSpot

HubSpot is a CRM and marketing platform in one, and its free plan is usable enough to run a small B2B pipeline on. HubSpot's pricing page lists a free plan for up to 2 users, with contacts, companies, deals, activity tracking and two-way data sync with dozens of apps. The Starter plan covers up to 10 users and was on a limited-time 65% discount at £7 per seat a month when we checked. Professional is listed at £81 per seat a month.

Why we picked it: marketing, sales and reporting share one database, so you can see which campaigns create pipeline without stitching tools together.

Best for: startups where marketing drives most of the pipeline and one person runs both marketing and sales operations.

Key feature: HubSpot for Startups, which HubSpot says gives eligible startups up to 90% off in year one.

HubSpot rewards a careful setup and punishes a rushed one. Our HubSpot setup checklist for SaaS start-ups covers the properties, pipelines and integrations to get right in week one.

2. Salesforce

Salesforce is the heavyweight of the group, and its Starter Suite is the way in for smaller companies. Salesforce's UK pricing page lists Starter Suite at £20 per user a month, billed monthly or annually, covering sales, service, marketing and commerce, with Slack included. Pro Suite is £80 per user a month billed annually, and the sales-only editions start at £156. Salesforce offers a 30-day free trial of Starter Suite for up to 10 users.

Why we picked it: almost anything can be customized, and you can start on a small-business suite and move to the full sales editions later.

Best for: startups selling to enterprise, with a sales-led motion and someone who can own the admin. If that's nobody yet, read how a RevOps agency helps SaaS companies before you commit.

Key feature: Slack included in Starter Suite at no extra cost, according to Salesforce.

3. Pipedrive

Pipedrive is a sales CRM built around a visual deal pipeline, and it's one of the easiest tools here to get a small team using. Pipedrive's pricing page lists four plans billed annually: Lite at £14 per seat a month, Growth at £39, Premium at £59 and Ultimate at £79. Every plan comes with a 14-day free trial and no credit card.

Why we picked it: it does one job well. Reps see every deal by stage and what to do next.

Best for: startups with one to five salespeople and a fairly simple sales process.

Key feature: Growth adds automated emails and follow-ups, which is usually the point a small team starts to need it.

4. Attio

Attio is a newer CRM that builds its database from your email and calendar, which makes it a natural fit for founder-led sales. Attio's pricing page lists a free plan for up to 3 seats with real-time contact syncing and automatic data enrichment. Plus is £27 per user a month billed annually (£34 monthly) for up to 10 seats, and Pro is £59 billed annually (£74 monthly) with sequences, call intelligence and advanced reporting.

Why we picked it: you get a working CRM from your inbox on day one, without importing spreadsheets.

Best for: founders still doing the selling, and teams that run deals and investor or partner relationships from the same place.

Key feature: a startup program that Attio says gives up to 80% off for eligible startups.

5. Close

Close is a sales CRM with calling, email and SMS built in, aimed at teams that do a lot of outbound. Close's pricing page lists Solo at $9 per user a month billed annually ($19 monthly) “for founders and solo reps who need a real CRM, not a spreadsheet”. Essentials is $35 per user a month billed annually, and Growth is $99. There's a 14-day free trial.

Why we picked it: reps can call, email and text from inside the CRM, so activity gets logged without extra tools.

Best for: SDR-led and outbound-heavy startups that live on the phone.

Key feature: built-in calling on every plan, with predictive dialling on Scale.

6. Zoho CRM

Zoho CRM is the lowest-cost paid option here, with a free edition and paid editions that sit well below the others. Zoho's pricing page says the free edition is “free forever for 3 users”. It lists Standard at £12 per user a month, Professional at £18, Enterprise at £35 and Ultimate at £42.

Why we picked it: paid editions start lower than most of the others here, and the free edition covers three people.

Best for: bootstrapped startups watching every pound.

Key feature: a free edition that covers the basics for a three-person team.

When should a SaaS startup move to a bigger CRM?

A SaaS startup should move up a CRM tier, or switch CRM, when the current one stops answering the questions the business asks. The usual signs are reports you build in spreadsheets every month, a second sales team or region that needs its own pipeline, and marketing that can't see which leads turned into revenue.

Moving is cheaper early. Every year of data, workflows and integrations makes a migration bigger. If you're past a few hundred deals and unsure, a RevOps consultant can audit your setup and tell you whether to tidy up or move.

Already on HubSpot, or about to be? Compare HubSpot agencies ranked for B2B SaaS and find one to set it up properly.

FAQs: best CRM for B2B SaaS startups

What is the best free CRM for a B2B SaaS startup?

HubSpot and Attio have the most useful free plans for a B2B SaaS startup. HubSpot's free plan covers up to 2 users and includes contacts, companies, deals and two-way sync with other apps. Attio's free plan covers up to 3 seats with contact syncing and data enrichment. Zoho CRM is also free for 3 users.

Is HubSpot or Salesforce better for a startup?

HubSpot suits most early-stage SaaS startups better, because marketing and sales share one tool and the free plan lets you start without a contract. Salesforce makes more sense when you sell to enterprise, need deep customization and have someone to run the admin. Salesforce Starter Suite is listed at £20 per user a month.

How much should a startup spend on a CRM?

A seed-stage startup can start on a free plan or a paid plan under £30 per user a month, and HubSpot, Attio, Pipedrive, Close and Zoho all have one. Move to a higher tier when its automation, reporting or permissions would save your team real hours each week.

About SaaS Hackers

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