You’ve come to the right place if you’re a business owner or administrator looking for a call center solution to store contact records, analyze calls, and manage inquiries and tickets. I have carefully analyzed the best customer relationship management (CRM) systems for call centers and identified voice-over-Internet-protocol (VoIP) or telephony, ticketing, and artificial intelligence (AI) as the most notable features that call center agents can use to provide better customer support.
With those features in mind, I compared the best call center software — as well as their pricing, features, ease of use, and support — to help you respond to customers promptly and improve call center operations.
- HubSpot CRM: Overall best all-in-one call center CRM
- Nextiva: Best integration for VoIP and collaboration tools
- Zoho CRM: Best PBX integration and analytics
- Pipedrive: Best third-party integrations and AI tools
- Salesmate: Best for cloud-based sales calling and call tracking
- Bitrix24: Best for ecommerce omnichannel customer care
- EngageBay: Best all-in-one CRM with call prioritization tools
- monday CRM: Best customizable pipelines for telemarketers
- Aircall: Best power dialer for outbound sales teams
- Freshdesk: Best for customer service teams with multichannel ticketing
- JustCall: Best all-in-one dialer integration
- Apollo.io: Best AI call center CRM for lead generation
Featured Partners
Fit Small Business is able to offer our services for free because some vendors may pay us for web traffic or other sales opportunities. Our mission is to help technology buyers make better purchasing decisions, so we provide you with information for all vendors — even those that don’t pay us.
1
monday CRM
Employees per Company Size
Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Large (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+)
Any Company Size
Any Company Size
Features
Calendar, Collaboration Tools, Contact Management, and more
2
Pipedrive CRM
Employees per Company Size
Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Large (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+)
Any Company Size
Any Company Size
Features
Calendar, Collaboration Tools, Contact Management, and more
3
HubSpot CRM
Employees per Company Size
Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Large (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+)
Micro (0-49 Employees), Small (50-249 Employees), Medium (250-999 Employees), Large (1,000-4,999 Employees)
Micro, Small, Medium, Large
Best call center CRM software compared
To ensure that we provide readers with the best answers, the Fit Small Business editorial process adheres to strict standards, including rigorous research, assessment, and scoring of providers.
In this review, I examined the essential aspects of call center CRM software for small businesses, including their general and niche features, ease of use, pricing, and range of support services. My full methodology also involved firsthand experience testing software intuitiveness and reviewing real product users. Furthermore, I leverage the following work experiences when carrying out software reviews:
Sales & Customer Service Expert at Fit Small Business
HubSpot CRM: Best all-in-one call center CRM with free ticketing system
Pros
- Free ticketing tools like routing and pipelines for prioritization and management
- Built-in feature to handle calls from your CRM, web browser, or personal device
- Free email tools to turn incoming messages into tickets
Cons
- High price jump from the Starter to the Professional plan
- Conversation intelligence is locked in the Professional plan
- No free calling minutes; requires paid plan
Our expert HubSpot CRM review
My expert opinion
HubSpot is one of the top CRMs that I can shamelessly plug because I’ve seen how powerful its features are and experienced how easy it is to learn and use. I recommend this platform to small businesses seeking a unified call center setup. It seamlessly blends phone, chat, email, ticketing, and CRM data into one place.
Plus, it offers call logging, ticketing, and contact views at no cost, giving every rep instant context. Moreover, it has built-in AI tools like chatbots and content assistants that streamline daily outreach and support tasks.
- Free ticketing system: HubSpot’s built-in ticketing tool lets small businesses easily track, assign, and prioritize customer issues at no cost. It’s fully integrated with email, chat, and call logs for complete visibility.
- All-in-one contact management: Manage calls, emails, chats, and tasks in one shared inbox so that your team never loses track of a conversation or follow-up.
- AI tools for productivity: HubSpot includes free AI tools like a content assistant and chatbot builder to help teams respond faster, draft emails, and automate routine support tasks.
HubSpot CRM’s free ticketing system lets you create and monitor tickets in one place. (Source: HubSpot)
Nextiva: Best CRM integration for VoIP & collaboration features
Pros
- Advanced VoIP calling features like call routing, holding, diverting, and blocking
- Built-in collaboration tools like file search and sharing, group messaging, and meeting scheduling
- Cost-effective, scalable phone system for expanding businesses and business short messaging services (SMS)
Cons
- Sales-focused features are limited to contact management
- No international phone numbers and unlimited international calling
- Too advanced features like multilevel attendant and session-initiated protocol (SIP) trunking are designed for enterprises
Our expert Nextiva review
My expert opinion
While Nextiva is not a CRM, this call center solution integrates with top CRM systems like HubSpot and offers call management features like routing, holding, diverting, and blocking.
Because of its advanced VoIP calling features, it shines in small business environments where voice communication is mission-critical.
I like how its intuitive setup and comprehensive collaborative features combine to provide you with more than just a phone system. It’s a unified hub that helps teams stay aligned and responsive to customer needs.
- VoIP phone system with CRM sync: Nextiva combines a powerful VoIP system with seamless CRM integration, allowing small businesses to make, receive, and log calls directly within their CRM.
- Team collaboration tools: Built-in messaging, task management, and file-sharing features help teams stay aligned without needing multiple platforms.
- Call flow and auto-attendant builder: The drag-and-drop call flow designer makes it easy to route calls, set up auto-attendants, and manage customer interactions professionally, even without IT support.
Nextiva provides an all-communications platform with messaging, calling, and collaboration features to streamline your call center operations. (Source: Nextiva)
Zoho CRM: Best CRM for call center with fully integrated PBX & analytics
Pros
- Integration with private branch exchange (PBX) systems provides precise analytics on sales-calls-to-deals
- Call reporting analytics are displayed in an easy-to-understand format
- Free access to the Zoho Desk call center and customer service software within the Zoho ecosystem
Cons
- Most of the CRM customization and all AI features are only available in the Enterprise plan
- Free plan has few features and is limited to three users
- Limited customer support; premium support requires a separate purchase priced at 20% of your Zoho subscription fee
Our expert Zoho CRM review
My expert opinion
I recommend Zoho CRM for small businesses that rely heavily on structured call strategies and deep analytics. With its rich PBX integrations and the power of Zia AI, managers can quickly monitor productivity levels based on call volumes, first-call resolution, and other call-related metrics to resolve customers’ concerns properly. Plus, I love how it offers scalable solutions that include free, low-priced, and high-priced plans for teams of all sizes.
- PBX and telephony integrations: Seamlessly integrates with multiple PBX systems, letting teams make and log calls directly from the CRM.
- Zia AI Insights: Uses its Zia assistant to analyze call data, detect anomalies, and forecast sales activity.
- Omnichannel communication: Connects calls, emails, chat, and social messaging into one view for easier support and follow-up.
Zoho CRM’s integration with Zoho Voice enables sales teams to connect with customers using single-click dialing. (Source: Zoho CRM)
Pipedrive: Best call center CRM software with robust integrations & AI tools
Pros
- Robust call center CRM integrations for call management, like logging customer interactions and storing contact data
- AI-powered sales assistant for seamless contact management
- All plans include the mobile app, automatic call logging, reporting, and analytics
Cons
- No built-in calling features; requires external dialers like Kixie and Aircall
- Marketing features require add-on fees
- Does not offer a free plan; just a 14-day free trial
Our expert Pipedrive review
My expert opinion
Pipedrive is my go-to recommendation for small teams that want to create tailored communication ecosystems without compromise. Its robust Marketplace and AI Sales Assistant make it easy to connect powerful dialing tools, automation apps, and reporting tools.
In addition, you can automatically assign or route calls to specific agents and schedule follow-up activities based on the last call. My favorite thing about Pipedrive is its simple and highly intuitive interface, which makes onboarding and integrations effortless.
- Marketplace app ecosystem: Offers over 350 third-party tools for building out a custom sales call workflow.
- AI Sales Assistant: Provides smart reminders, deal updates, and workflow suggestions to keep sales moving.
- Click-to-call and call logging: Easily place and log calls through integrations with JustCall, Aircall, and other dialers.
Salesmate: Best call center CRM software for sales calling & call tracking
Pros
- Robust sales calling and call tracking tools like toll-free virtual numbers, click-to-call facility, prerecorded voicemails, and contact timeline
- Customizable CRM platform for omnichannel customer service
- Voice and text features, forecasting, and insights are included in all plans
Cons
- No free plan; only 15-day free trial
- Only standard dashboard and reports on the Basic plan
- Power dialer, voice drop, and lead scoring only available starting with the highest tier
My expert opinion
I am impressed with Salesmate’s powerful calling capabilities, which include call tracking, auto-logging, prerecorded voicemails, cloud-based voice dialing, and text automation. The click-to-call feature eliminates manual dialing, while its power dialer prevents reps from jumping between screens when calling prospects. Moreover, you can create personalized experiences across multiple channels, including email, text, calls, chat, web, and ecommerce.
- Built-in calling system: Make calls directly from the CRM with features like call recording, transfers, and voicemail drops.
- Call and text automation: Create smart sequences that include voice calls, SMS, and follow-up tasks.
- Real-time call tracking: Tracks call outcomes and performance metrics to optimize sales strategies.
Users can enable built-in calling and text apps on Salesmate for call center operations like lead nurturing. (Source: Salesmate.io)
Bitrix24: Best for ecommerce omnichannel customer care
Pros
- Free ecommerce features, like basic inventory management for product stock tracking, orders, and stock receipts
- Call center software with built-in telephone (with client call recordings and video conferencing) and chat and email tools
- AI-powered call processing features include call transcription, call summaries, and autocompleting CRM fields from call entries
Cons
- Calling features are not included in the free plan
- Analytics reports for contact center usage locked in the Standard plan
- Steep learning curve due to rich features and complex interface
Our expert Bitrix24 review
My expert opinion
When it comes to ecommerce CRM for small businesses, I think nothing beats Bitrix24. It offers an amazing array of tools that help online businesses enhance efficiency. These include a multichannel Contact Center, built-in telephony, an AI CoPilot tool, and a robust ecommerce module. What’s even more impressive is that most of these features come at no cost.
Call center reps can use the autodialer to efficiently interact with customers, while managers can use client call recordings for quality assurance and training purposes.
- Omnichannel Contact Center: Centralizes voice, live chat, email, social media, and messengers into a single, unified dashboard.
- Automated call routing and CRM logging: Automatically distributes incoming calls to available agents and logs interactions directly to the customer record, keeping reps organized and informed.
- Online store integration: Ties customer conversations to product orders, shipments, and returns.
Bitrix24 enables ecommerce businesses to provide omnichannel customer service to enhance engagement and sales rates. (Source: Bitrix24)
EngageBay: Best call center CRM software with call prioritization tools
Pros
- Lead prioritization features that allow agents to focus on hot leads and customers
- Free help desk tools like ticketing, issue segmentation, and intelligent workflows
- All-in-one CRM software for call centers for marketing, sales, and service teams
Cons
- Some features, like setting up email sequences, have a steep learning curve
- Calling function not available in the free plan
- Custom reporting for performance metrics is only available in the Pro plan
My expert opinion
For me, EngageBay is one of the most underrated CRMs for call centers. Its All-in-One packages come with CRM, marketing, and service tools. This platform works well for small teams that want smart triage and prioritization built into contact management.
It also offers AI-enhanced workflows, call flags, and lead scoring to provide reps with clear guidance on who to call and when to do so. Moreover, it is one of the few call center CRM solutions that offer free help desk tools for ticketing.
- Call prioritization: Sorts and tags contacts based on engagement, lead score, or deal stage.
- Integrated calling and CRM: Call prospects directly within the CRM while tracking notes and interactions.
- Sales + Marketing Suite: Combines calling, email campaigns, and automation in one affordable platform.
EngageBay users can access call details and recordings from the call logs for quality monitoring. (Source: EngageBay)
monday CRM: Best customizable pipelines for telemarketers
Pros
- Unlimited and easy-to-use customizable pipelines to fit your call center’s sales cycle
- Built-in Aircall integration to automatically log calls to monday CRM boards and display important information in the Aircall app
- Robust sales tools like sales forecasting and sales analytics for telemarketing teams
Cons
- Not ideal for customer service teams needing robust calling and call performance tracking capabilities
- No freemium plan; minimum three-user requirement for all plans
- Contact management tools, like activity tracking and communication history, are locked in the second tier
Our expert monday CRM review
My expert opinion
With monday CRM’s sales capabilities, sales call centers and telemarketing teams can seamlessly attain their goals. If you’re selling products over the phone, your telesales agents can benefit from Aircall integration, which enables them to view contact data on either platform quickly.
Its drag-and-drop board interface lets you design call stages, follow-up tasks, and branch steps without code. With AI-powered email tools nested inside this flexible structure, sales reps can automate outreach workflows end-to-end.
*Requires a minimum of three users.
- Drag-and-drop pipeline builder: Create flexible stages to match your call campaigns and lead journeys.
- Automated call follow-ups: Set triggers to assign tasks or send emails after a call is completed.
- Visual workflow tools: Customize dashboards to monitor calls, deal status, and team activities.
monday CRM lets telemarketing teams create customizable pipelines that fit their sales cycle to hit their sales goals quickly. (Source: monday CRM)
Aircall: Best power dialer for outbound sales teams
Pros
- Beginner-friendly, customizable contact center platform with a powerful dialer and voicemail drop for outbound sales teams
- Call handling and monitoring tools like call whisper to guide reps in prospect and customer conversations
- Softphone powered by VoIP, which mimics a desk phone’s functionality on your desktop or smartphone (Android or iOS) screen
Cons
- Startup plan requires a minimum of three licenses, has basic analytics, and is costlier than other providers
- Integration required to get workflow automation
- Not a CRM solution; you must already have a CRM solution to access call center software capabilities
My expert opinion
Aircall works best for small businesses that focus heavily on outbound calling. Its power dialing, smart queueing, and seamless CRM integrations help reps experience a smooth and efficient call rhythm.
I especially appreciate its built-in coaching tools, which include live call whisper, queue metrics, and real-time logs. All of these make it easy to enhance performance on the fly, even in lean operations.
*Requires a minimum of three users.
**Requires a minimum of 25 users.
- Power dialer and call queueing: Speed through call lists with auto-dialing and minimal downtime.
- Live coaching and call whisper: Managers can listen in or coach reps during live calls.
- CRM integrations: Syncs instantly with HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive, and others for auto-logging.
Aircall enables call centers to create power dialing lists to streamline outbound call strategies and cross-team collaboration. (Source: Aircall)
Freshdesk: Best for customer service teams with multichannel ticketing
Pros
- Integrates voice, chat, email, and social channels into a unified inbox
- Freddy AI tool triages, prioritizes, and drafts replies
- Voice calls convert into tickets and are trackable with full context
Cons
- Not a full sales CRM; less suited for deal management
- No built-in voice calling features; requires integration with Freshcaller
- Freddy AI tools are only available in Pro and Enterprise plans
Our expert Freshdesk review
- Unified agent workspace: Agents manage phone, chat, and email support from one view.
- Freddy AI for calls: Prioritizes incoming voice support requests and automates common responses.
- Voice + ticket sync: Every call becomes a trackable ticket with full call recordings and notes.
An example of Freshdesk’s unified agent workspace with complete customer context, contact information, and ticket details.
JustCall: Best all-in-one dialer integration
Pros
- All-in-one dialer that combines autodialer, power dialer, and predictive dialer in one platform
- AI-powered transcription services and call summaries for productivity and performance monitoring
- Outbound calling, SMS, and unlimited inbound calling included in the starting plan ($29 per user monthly)
Cons
- Lack of specialized sales and marketing solutions for telesales agents and telemarketers; limited to SMS marketing
- Second-tier and above plans with minimum user requirements; other providers offer a per-user basis
- Not a CRM solution; you must already have a CRM system to use JustCall’s features
My expert opinion
If you prioritize fast and reliable phone and SMS communication without the complex setup, JustCall is the ideal choice for you. It offers click-to-call, instant CRM syncs, and workflow automations that launch with minimal configuration.
While it’s more pricey than other providers on this list, I’m blown away by its robust capabilities and features. These include unlimited calling minutes, generous messaging credits, and robust call management features.
- Multichannel dialer: Combine voice, SMS, and email automation in one dashboard.
- AI call scoring and coaching: Analyze call quality, rep performance, and sentiment.
- CRM sync and call logging: Works out-of-the-box with over 100 CRMs like Zoho, HubSpot, and Pipedrive.
JustCall’s Sales Dialer allows reps to access all information about the lead they are speaking with. (Source: JustCall)
Apollo.io: Best AI call center CRM for lead generation
Pros
- AI-based lead suggestions, dialing, and email outreach
- Large B2B database with over 275 million contacts
- Offers email and call automation to streamline campaigns and reps’ workflows
Cons
- Not a full CRM; lacks native sales pipeline and account management features
- AI scoring and advanced automations are locked in with higher tiers
- User-reported issues with outbound email deliverability
My expert opinion
Apollo.io excels at generating and qualifying leads through AI-powered calling, email sequencing, and data enrichment. It combines predictive analytics and its built-in dialer to help small teams identify, reach, and close prospects faster. I recommend it for small to midsize businesses wanting a full outbound engine with depth in prospect data and automation.
- AI-powered lead search: Find and prioritize high-intent leads using advanced filters and behavior data.
- Integrated dialer and outreach sequencing: Combine voice calls with email and LinkedIn touchpoints in one campaign.
- Sales intelligence tools: Gain insights into contact behavior, company data, and deal engagement for more precise calling.
Apollo.io’s prospect list with a built-in dialer. (Source: Apollo.io)
Methodology: How I evaluated the best CRMs for call centers
An excellent contact center CRM software provides features specific to phone calling activities within the platform or through a third-party app integration. I always consider niche features when evaluating an industry-specific CRM or general-use CRM system.
I looked into the reporting functionality of the best CRM for call centers, especially for tracking call logs and call center activities, ease of use, pricing options, and call management tools.
Review my criteria for ranking the best CRM for call center solutions.
25% of Overall Score
I looked at the overall functionality that I felt was necessary for a CRM. This includes various CRM integration options, reporting and analytics tools, customizable sales pipelines, and a mobile app. I also evaluated other common capabilities in most call center CRM systems, such as task management and automated workflow options.
20% of Overall Score
The most important evaluation criteria involved the features relating directly to managing and tracking contacts, leads, and calls. For contact center CRMs, it is essential to have performance management, call center management, VoIP, and call recording for excellent customer support delivery. I also considered advanced capabilities like the availability of AI features.
15% of Overall Score
Pricing considers free plan availability, various scalable pricing options that users can purchase affordably, and the availability of monthly and annual billing options. I reviewed the costs specifically for its call management features, which is a major consideration for people searching for CRM software used in call centers.
15% of Overall Score
When I assessed the best call center CRMs, I used this metric to describe how users can easily navigate and use the features of a solution. I evaluated the ease of use of the providers in terms of built-in templates, automation, onboarding, ease of setup, and scalability.
15% of Overall Score
Help and support were evaluated in terms of customer service hours and the availability of support via phone, live chat, and email. I also looked at online resources for users to review, like tutorials, forums, or training modules.
10% of Overall Score
In addition to firsthand experience with these contact center software systems, I evaluated what users say about each product. Based on their reviews, these criteria consider how customers feel to gain insight into platform popularity, ease of use, and overall value for the price.
*Percentages of overall score
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Call centers use general CRM systems like HubSpot CRM, monday CRM, and Pipedrive. Industry-specific software solutions like Nextiva and Aircall that integrate with CRM solutions are also available. Most of these CRM systems have VoIP or telephony, ticketing, and contact management features.
HubSpot CRM is the best CRM software for customer service, as it offers free and paid tools that client-facing teams can use to improve omnichannel communication. Its freemium plan provides emailing features like email reply tracking and engagement metric reporting.
Call center reps can use these tools to gather more information, like from a client who submitted an email ticket for a service request, facilitating a smoother outbound call to resolve the issue efficiently.
Calling, conversation tracking, and automation, such as automatic call distribution, are the top features to look for in a call center CRM solution. The best CRM call center systems have AI and advanced analytics capabilities.
Bottom Line
Customer communication is essential to a call center’s customer relationship management. CRM providers offer a range of communication channels like email or live chat, allowing customer-facing teams to provide faster and more satisfactory service efficiently and effectively. While HubSpot CRM is my top recommended CRM for call centers because of its all-in-one functionality with free ticketing tools, the right solution for you depends on your business needs.
Visit HubSpot CRM