TLDR (Summary)
The best CRM software for small business is Plutio ($19/month).
Generic CRM software tracks contacts, deals, and email opens, but small businesses need more context. When a client calls asking about their project, whoever answers should see project status, last communication, outstanding invoices, and team members involved without checking three different apps. Most CRM tools stop at the sale. Small businesses need CRM that follows through on delivery.
According to industry research, 91% of businesses with 10+ employees use CRM, but 50% report their CRM is too difficult to use. Plutio builds CRM around the complete client relationship, not just the sales pipeline, so client profiles show everything from first contact through ongoing project delivery.
What is CRM software for small business?
CRM software for small business is software that connects client contact information with project history, team collaboration, and billing status so anyone on the team can see the complete client relationship at a glance.
The distinction matters because enterprise CRM focuses on sales pipelines and lead nurturing. Small business CRM needs to handle what happens after the sale: project execution, ongoing communication, renewals, and long-term relationship building.
What small business CRM actually does
Core functions include storing client contact information and communication history, connecting contacts to active and completed projects so you see what work has been delivered, tracking which team members are assigned to which clients, surfacing payment history and outstanding invoices directly on client records, and providing visibility into the health of each client relationship over time.
Sales CRM vs operations CRM
Sales CRM like HubSpot or Salesforce optimizes for moving prospects through a funnel. Once the deal closes, the sales team moves on. Small business CRM needs to optimize for what happens next: project kickoff, ongoing delivery, regular communication, and relationship building that leads to renewals and referrals. The sale isn't the end; it's the beginning.
What makes small business CRM different
Small businesses don't have separate sales and operations teams. The person who closes the deal might also deliver the work. Context needs to flow from first contact through project completion without manual handoffs. When CRM connects to project delivery, proposals, and invoicing, small businesses eliminate the information gaps that frustrate clients and slow down teams.
When CRM connects to project management, time tracking, and invoicing, client profiles become the single source of truth for the entire relationship instead of just another database to keep updated.
Why small businesses need CRM software
Small businesses managing more than 10 active clients face a compounding problem: client history scatters across email threads, Slack conversations, shared drives, and individual memories, making every interaction slower than it should be.
With 5 clients, the owner remembers that Acme Corp prefers morning meetings, Beta Inc always pays late, and Gamma LLC is the biggest revenue source. With 25 clients across a 5-person team, that institutional knowledge either lives in systems or gets lost every time someone is out sick.
The scattered context problem
According to HBR, knowledge workers toggle between apps 1,200 times per day, losing around 9% of productive time. For small businesses specifically, client context scatters across CRM for contact info, project tools for work status, accounting software for payment history, and email threads for communication. Answering a simple client question requires checking four systems.
The team knowledge problem
The owner knows Client X is sensitive about response times. The project manager knows their deliverables require extra rounds of revision. The bookkeeper knows they dispute every invoice. None of this is written down. When the owner goes on vacation, Client X has a bad experience because the team didn't know the context. Without centralized CRM, institutional knowledge lives in individual heads and walks out the door when people do.
The handoff problem
Sales closes a deal. Now operations needs to know what was promised. Marketing wants to feature the client in a case study. Finance needs to know the payment terms. Without CRM that connects the full relationship, each team asks the same questions separately, and clients wonder why they keep repeating themselves.
The scaling tipping point
Most small businesses hit a threshold around 15-20 active clients where the informal approach breaks down. Manual tracking that worked at 8 clients becomes unsustainable at 25. Either systems handle the complexity or teams spend increasing hours on administrative coordination that should be automatic.
Connected CRM software captures the context that would otherwise require constant checking. Client profiles accumulate history automatically as projects progress, invoices send, and communications log. New team members get context instantly instead of asking questions for their first three months.
CRM features small businesses need
The essential CRM features for small businesses connect client profiles with project delivery, team assignments, and billing while handling the cross-functional nature of small business operations.
Core CRM features
- Client profiles with complete contact information: Name, email, phone, company, address, timezone, and custom fields for business-specific data like client tier, industry, or acquisition source.
- Communication history in one timeline: Emails sent, proposals delivered, contracts signed, project updates, invoices paid-all visible chronologically on the client record.
- Project history and status: Every project delivered for this client, current active work, and historical engagements so team members see the full relationship context.
- Team assignment visibility: Which team members are working with this client, who's the primary contact, and who has relationship history.
- Payment and invoice tracking: Outstanding invoices, payment history, and revenue generated directly on client profiles.
Small business-specific features
- Custom fields for your workflow: Track industry, referral source, contract renewal dates, or any data that matters for your specific business model.
- Notes that the whole team can access: Client preferences, communication patterns, and relationship data visible to anyone who interacts with the client.
- Task and project linking: See not just contact info but what work is active, what's completed, and what's coming up.
Platform features that multiply value
- White-label client portals: Clients access project status, invoices, and files through your branded experience.
- Granular permissions: Control who sees financial data vs project details vs contact information.
- Automation triggers: Create rules that update CRM data, notify team members, or kick off workflows based on client actions.
The deciding factor for small businesses is integration depth. CRM that connects with project management, proposals, and invoicing eliminates duplicate data entry. Client signs a proposal and their profile is created with project and payment schedule already configured.
CRM software pricing for small business
CRM software for small businesses typically costs $25-100 per month per user for standalone solutions, with the total stack cost much higher when you add project management, invoicing, and other tools separately.
What small businesses typically pay for CRM tools
- HubSpot CRM: Free basic, $45-100/user/month for features small businesses need (custom fields, automation, reporting)
- Salesforce: $25-300/user/month, designed for enterprise with complexity most small businesses don't need
- Pipedrive: $14-99/user/month for sales-focused CRM without project delivery features
- Zoho CRM: $14-52/user/month, feature-rich but often requires multiple Zoho products to work well
Standalone CRM tools handle contact management but require separate subscriptions for project management ($10-25/user/month), invoicing ($15-30/month), and proposals ($25-40/month). Total stack cost for a 5-person team ranges from $200-500/month before adding time tracking or file storage.
Plutio pricing (February 2026)
- Core: $19/month total-unlimited CRM plus project management, proposals, contracts, invoicing, and client portals.
- Pro: $49/month total-unlimited clients, up to 30 team members, advanced permissions and automation.
- Max: $199/month total-unlimited team, white-label with custom domain, priority support.
The ROI calculation
- Stack consolidation: Replace 4-5 separate tools with one platform. Direct savings of $100-300/month.
- Time savings: Stop copying data between systems. Recover 5-10 hours/week across the team.
- Better client experience: Faster responses, no dropped balls, complete context on every interaction.
CRM software ROI comes through time savings and client retention. Plutio pays for itself when the team recovers a few hours per week of admin time that goes back to billable work or business development.
Why Plutio is the best CRM for small business
Plutio handles CRM as part of a complete business platform where project management, proposals, invoicing, and team collaboration work together, not as separate tools that need manual synchronization.
Client profiles that show the complete relationship
Every client profile includes contact information, communication history, signed proposals and contracts, every project delivered, hours logged across team members, and payment status-all on one timeline. Before a call, you open the client profile and see everything needed: what projects are active, what was delivered last month, whether their last invoice is paid, and who on your team has been working with them.
Projects connected to clients
When a proposal gets signed, the project creates automatically and links to the client record. Complete the project, and it shows in their history. Revenue from that client accumulates automatically. You see not just contact info but the actual value and work delivered over time.
Team collaboration with client context
Assign team members to clients or projects. Everyone working on a client can see the relationship history. Notes from one team member are visible to others. When someone's out, the team has full context to handle client requests without bothering the person on vacation.
Payment visibility directly on client records
See outstanding invoices, payment history, and total revenue per client without opening your accounting software. 'Is their last invoice paid?' is answered in two seconds. Identify your most valuable clients by actual revenue, not guesswork.
Client portals for self-service
Clients log into branded portals to see project status, access deliverables, pay invoices, and communicate with your team. Every interaction logs to their CRM record automatically. Fewer status update emails. Better client experience.
Automation for consistency
Create rules that trigger automatically: notify the team when a new project starts, alert the account manager when an invoice goes overdue, update client status when a project completes. Consistent follow-through without relying on memory.
Granular permissions for team control
The bookkeeper sees financial data but not project details. The contractor sees their assigned projects but not other clients. The client sees their portal but not internal notes. Control exactly who sees what at every level.
Everything runs from one platform with your branding. Client profiles become the single source of truth for the complete relationship, not just another database disconnected from actual work.
How to set up CRM in Plutio
Setting up CRM in Plutio takes 2-4 hours for initial configuration, then 5 minutes per client once templates and integrations are in place.
Step 1: Configure workspace settings (30 mins)
Set your company information, timezone, and default currency. Upload your logo and set brand colors so all client-facing materials match your brand. Configure custom fields for the data you want to track on every client: industry, referral source, client tier, contract renewal date, or whatever matters for your business.
Step 2: Create templates (1-2 hours)
Build templates for your common client interactions:
- Proposal templates: Standard service packages with pricing, terms, and payment schedules.
- Project templates: Default task lists and phases for common project types.
- Invoice templates: Branded invoices with your payment terms and accepted methods.
Step 3: Connect integrations (20 mins)
Link payment processing (Stripe, PayPal) so invoices include direct payment links. Connect your calendar (Google, Outlook) so scheduling syncs automatically. Set up email integration if you want communications logged on client timelines.
Step 4: Import existing clients (30 mins)
Export client data from your current CRM as a CSV. Import into Plutio and map fields: name, email, company, phone, custom fields. Review the import preview before confirming. Existing active projects can be created manually with historical context added as notes.
Step 5: Test with a real client workflow
Run through the complete workflow: create a proposal, send it, have someone accept it, see the project create, track time, generate an invoice, process payment. Verify everything appears on the client timeline as expected. Fix any gaps before onboarding the full team.
Start with the templates for your most common scenarios. Discovery call to project kickoff, standard project delivery, and recurring client workflows. Edge cases can be handled manually while you refine Plutio based on actual use.
CRM organization for small businesses
Organizing CRM creates clarity for the team and enables analysis that helps grow the business.
Client segmentation
- Active clients: Currently engaged in projects or under contract. Regular communication expected.
- Past clients: Completed work but not currently active. Strong candidates for re-engagement when relevant opportunities arise.
- Prospects: Had conversations but haven't signed yet. Need nurturing or follow-up.
- Partners/Vendors: Business relationships that aren't clients but need tracking.
Client lifecycle stages
- Lead: Initial contact, exploring fit.
- Proposal: Proposal sent, awaiting decision.
- Active: Signed client with ongoing work.
- Completed: Project delivered, invoice paid, currently idle.
- Churned: Past client who didn't renew or chose a competitor.
Information to track consistently
- Primary contact and decision maker
- How they found you (referral source)
- Communication preferences (email, phone, video)
- Contract and renewal dates
- Historical revenue and project count
- Team members assigned or with relationship history
Best practices
- Update client records after every significant interaction
- Log meeting notes on the timeline while context is fresh
- Tag clients by industry, size, or service type for segmentation
- Review inactive clients monthly for re-engagement opportunities
Organized CRM enables pattern recognition across your client base. When you notice that clients from referrals renew at 2x the rate of cold outreach, you invest differently. Structure serves insight.
Client portals: extending CRM to clients
Client portals connect internal CRM data to client-facing access, creating self-service for project status, deliverables, and payments.
Portal as client dashboard
Clients access their own view of the relationship: active projects, delivered work, upcoming deadlines, outstanding invoices. CRM data powers what they see. When you mark a task complete, clients see the progress. When you share a file, it appears in their portal automatically.
Reduced admin burden
'Where do we stand on the project?' 'Can you resend that file?' 'What's my invoice status?' These questions disappear when clients can check themselves. Your team stops answering basic status questions and focuses on actual work.
Consistent branded experience
Clients don't see scattered booking links from Calendly, invoice emails from QuickBooks, and project updates from Asana. They see one branded portal that feels like your company. Professional experience without enterprise complexity.
Two-way communication
Messages sent through the portal log to CRM automatically. Feedback on deliverables appears on the project timeline. File uploads go to the right project. All client activity flows into your CRM for complete relationship visibility.
Payment integration
Clients view outstanding invoices and pay directly through the portal. Payment confirmation logs to their record. Outstanding balance is always accurate. Fewer 'just following up on that invoice' emails because clients can pay on their own time.
Portals make CRM client-facing. Internal organization translates to external professionalism. Clients perceive your business as organized because the portal reflects the structure in CRM.
How to migrate CRM to Plutio
Migration from another CRM typically takes 3-5 hours of active work spread over a week, with the best approach being gradual transition rather than immediate cutover.
Step 1: Export from your current tool
Most CRM software provides CSV export:
- HubSpot: Contacts → Export → All contacts with all properties
- Salesforce: Reports → Export to Excel/CSV
- Pipedrive: Data → Export → Contacts
- Spreadsheets: Save as CSV with consistent formatting
Step 2: Clean your data (1 hour)
Before importing, clean up the export: standardize date formats, remove duplicates, fill in missing required fields. Better to spend time cleaning now than fixing bad data later.
Step 3: Set up Plutio templates (1-2 hours)
Create proposal, project, and invoice templates before importing clients. You want Plutio ready to use for actual work immediately after migration.
Step 4: Import client data (30 mins)
Upload CSV to Plutio. Map fields appropriately: name, email, company, phone, custom fields. Review import preview. Confirm and verify a few records look correct.
Step 5: Run in parallel (1-2 weeks)
Use Plutio for new clients and new projects. Keep the old CRM active for reference on existing work. As projects complete in the old system, new work starts in Plutio. Gradual transition avoids disruption.
Step 6: Full cutover
Once the team is comfortable and all active work is in Plutio, cancel the old subscription. Export any remaining historical data for archival purposes.
Common migration pitfalls
- Trying to migrate everything: Focus on active clients and contacts. You don't need 5 years of dead leads in the new system.
- Immediate full cutover: Run parallel for at least a week. Let the team adjust before abandoning the old system.
- Skipping template setup: Import clients into a system that's ready to use, not a blank canvas.
Migration investment pays back in time saved on every future client interaction and every report that used to require checking multiple systems.
