HubSpot CRM
Broadest free tier; grows into marketing and service
Free plan available
Where you find
the right software.
Five categories. A short shortlist in each, chosen by editors, rated by the people who use the tools, with the reasoning behind every pick.
How we pickRate a toolAll 44 categories
- 5categories
- 15picks
- 1205reader ratings
Some links here pay us a commission. We say which ones.The disclosure
Rated highest by readers
The top-rated pick in each category, ranked by the people who use them rather than by us. Where readers and our editors disagree, you will see it here first.
Pipedrive
Leads CRM & Sales
Notion
Leads Project Management
Sample figures. Reader ratings open soon; the stars and counts shown are placeholders so you can see how the page will read, not measurements of anything.
Start with what you’re replacing
Five categories, two to four picks in each. Pick a category and you get the whole shortlist — not page one of forty.
Where do leads live, and what makes sure nobody gets dropped?
Pipedrive
Pipeline-first, built around the next action on a deal
Free trial, then paid per seat
Close
Calling and email built in, for teams that sell by phone
Free trial, then paid per seat
monday CRM
Sales boards for teams already on monday.com
Free trial, then paid per seat
What sends the emails, and what follows up while you sleep?
GetResponse
Email plus landing pages and funnels in one account
Free plan available
AWeber
Long-running, simple list tooling with human support
Free plan available
ActiveCampaign
The deepest automation builder of the three
Free trial, then paid by contacts
What do you actually build the site or the funnel on?
Systeme.io
Funnels, email and checkout bundled for solo operators
Free plan available
Webflow
Designer-grade control over layout and CMS structure
Free to build, paid to launch on your domain
What keeps the work organised without becoming the work?
Notion
Docs and databases in the same place; shape it yourself
Free plan available
What tells you why you are not being found, and what to fix?
Semrush
Widest toolkit: keywords, competitors, site audits, ads
Limited free account, then paid
How the ratings work
Rate a tool you useReaders rate. Editors pick.
The order of every shortlist is an editorial decision. The stars beside it come from readers, and the two sit side by side so you can see when they disagree.
One click is a rating.
Tap a star on any tool and it counts. Add the parts that matter, ease of use, value, support, and a line about what you would warn someone, if you have a minute.
Vendors cannot touch them.
No vendor can buy a rating, edit one, remove one, or pay to sit higher. The same rule that keeps paid placement off the shortlists keeps it off the stars.
Browse by category.
Organized the way you'd actually go looking for software — not an alphabetical wall, and never sorted by who paid to be listed.
CRM & Sales Software
- CRM Software
- Sales Engagement Software
- Sales Enablement Software
- Lead Generation Software
- Contract Management Software
- Sales Forecasting Software
Marketing Software
- Email Marketing Software
- SEO Software
- Marketing Automation Software
- Social Media Management Software
- Content Marketing Software
- Affiliate Marketing Software
- Marketing Analytics Software
Website & E-Commerce Software
- Website Builder Software
- E-Commerce Platforms
- Landing Page Software
- Website Analytics Software
- Online Form Builder Software
Collaboration & Productivity Software
- Project Management Software
- Task Management Software
- Team Chat Software
- Document Management Software
- Time Tracking Software
- Video Conferencing Software
Customer Service Software
- Help Desk Software
- Live Chat Software
- Customer Success Software
- Knowledge Base Software
HR Software
- Core HR Software
- Payroll Software
- Applicant Tracking Software
- Time & Attendance Software
- Employee Engagement Software
Accounting & Finance Software
- Accounting Software
- Invoicing Software
- Expense Management Software
- Budgeting Software
IT & Security Software
- Password Management Software
- VPN Software
- Backup Software
- IT Ticketing Software
AI Software
- AI Chatbot Software
- AI Writing Software
- AI Image Generation Software
Nothing here is final
Picks come out when they stop earning the slot, and a category goes in when there is a real shortlist to show. Tell us what to look at, or ask to hear when something moves.
Tell us what we’re missing
Say what you use and what it replaced. We read every one, and the ones that change a shortlist get added with the reasoning shown.
Suggest a toolHear when a pick changes
We add a category or swap a pick every few weeks. One short note when that happens — what changed, and why it changed.
There is no mailing list running yet, so this field does nothing on purpose — we would rather show you the plan than collect an address we cannot mail. Ask us directly and we will add you by hand.