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Aloun Khountham is a freelance real estate contributor to The Close. Her real estate experience stems from over five years as a New York City real estate operations executive for a growing brokerage. See full bio
It can feel like you’re juggling a million things in the fast world of real estate transactions. That is why you need to have a trusty client relationship manager (CRM). You may be concerned about the financial commitment required to have access to such a platform, but I’ve been able to round up the best free real estate CRMs that have all the necessary features. From task management and slick marketing automation to some AI magic, The Close has got you covered. Find the perfect free CRM for real estate to level up your game all at no cost!
ClickUp: Best for task management and productivity features
HubSpot: Best for comprehensive email marketing capabilities
Agile CRM: Best for cloud-based device integration
ClickUp: Best for Task Management & Productivity Features
Pros
Has highly customizable dashboards
Integrates with numerous third-party apps
Has user-friendly interface with robust productivity tools
Has social media integrations
Cons
Provides access to mobile application for a fee
Requires some technical capability to set up
Does not offer phone support
Lacks free SMS texting included
The Close Score
4.9
Pricing:
5.0
General Features:
4.5
Advanced Features:
5.0
Ease of Use:
5.0
Help and Support:
4.0
Customer Rating:
4.4
Expert Score:
4.6
out of
5
Why I Chose ClickUp
I chose ClickUp because of its unrivaled task management and productivity features. This platform is tailor-made for real estate agents who really get a kick out of being organized and productive. Custom dashboards and integration with a huge variety of third-party apps make this tool quite versatile when it comes to daily task management. While not CRM-specific, strong productivity tools like team whiteboard and chat capabilities coupled with a great user interface make it easy for an agent to track work and ensure nothing falls through the cracks.
Wikis: ClickUp’s wikis allow agents to create and store important information in a centralized, easily accessible location.
Gantt charts: Gantt charts in ClickUp provide a visual timeline for projects, helping agents track progress, manage deadlines, and ensure all tasks are on schedule.
HubSpot: Best for Comprehensive Email Marketing Capabilities
Pros
Has free texting capabilities
Provides mobile application
Has social media integrations
Includes team collaboration tools
Cons
Requires technical skills to set up
Only has customer service during business hours
Can be expensive if you need premium features.
Has limited customization options in the free plan
The Close Score
4.6
Pricing:
5.0
General Features:
5.0
Advanced Features:
5.0
Ease of Use:
3.0
Help and Support:
4.5
Customer Rating:
4.6
Expert Score:
5.0
out of
5
Why I Chose HubSpot
What sets HubSpot apart from the other free CRMs is the fact that it offers email marketing capabilities in its free plan. If you’re a real estate agent looking to save hours of your time sending emails and collecting data via forms, this is the way to go. The ease of use and integration with other tools built by HubSpot make the user experience seamless. Although the free version is quite limited, there is still so much here to offer real estate agents in terms of building a marketing foundation.
Meeting scheduler: HubSpot’s meeting scheduler allows agents to book appointments directly through their calendar, syncs with their availability, and eliminates the back-and-forth of scheduling.
AI email writer: The AI email writer helps agents craft personalized emails to improve communication with clients and save valuable time on drafting messages.
Agile CRM: Best for Cloud-based Device Integration
Pros
Has 50,000 contacts in a free account
Provides unlimited deals, tasks, and documents
Includes email tracking in the free plan
Does not require credit card for sign-up
Cons
Has the lowest customer review rating
Does not offer customer service 24/7
Does not include call recording in the free plan
Requires technical skills to set up
The Close Score
4.8
Pricing:
5.0
General Features:
5.0
Advanced Features:
5.0
Ease of Use:
3.0
Help and Support:
4.7
Customer Rating:
3.9
Expert Score:
4.1
out of
5
Why I Chose Agile CRM
Agile CRM is cloud-based and easily accessed from any device, which provides flexibility and mobility in your real estate operation. It integrates CRM and marketing automation into one seamless solution to manage client relations and full-scale marketing campaigns on a single platform. The free CRM for realtors allows for 1,000 contacts, custom data fields, and appointment scheduling that can be accessed through the mobile application or via desktop. One benefit of the Agile CRM is that agents can switch between pricing plans at any time to scale the business up or down as needed.
Email tracking: The email tracking feature allows agents to monitor when and how often clients open their emails, providing valuable insights into engagement and helping to tailor follow-up strategies effectively.
Custom deal milestones: It enables agents to set and track specific stages in their sales process, offering a clear view of deal progress and ensuring that each transaction moves smoothly.
Only provides CRM access permissions on paid plans
Lacks listing management capabilities
The Close Score
4.8
Pricing:
5.0
General Features:
4.6
Advanced Features:
4.2
Ease of Use:
5.0
Help and Support:
3.5
Customer Rating:
4.0
Expert Score:
4.5
out of
5
Why I Chose Bitrix24
I chose Bitrix24 as one of the best free CRMs for realtors because it excelled in team collaboration tools, which are critical to a growing real estate business. It offers an all-inclusive free plan with many helpful features like a calendar, company social network, and project kanban. Although customer support is limited to free users, the setup process doesn’t require any technical skills, and it provides a lot of free real estate database storage space in the free account. Bitrix24’s available collaboration tools make it perfect for teams looking to enhance communication and productivity.
CRM interface on desktop and mobile (Source: Bitrix24)
Additional Features
Bitrix24 sign: It allows agents to send and receive legally binding electronic signatures on documents.
Online store: This enables agents to create a storefront to market and sell real estate-related products.
Freshsales CRM: Best for Free Deal Management Features
Pros
Has 21-day free trial
Includes kanban views
Provides live chat features
Has built-in phone dialer
Cons
Does not provide 24/7 support
Only offers activity dashboard in paid plans
Does not provide workflows
Has limited customization for free plan
The Close Score
4.7
Pricing:
5.0
General Features:
3.0
Advanced Features:
5.0
Ease of Use:
5.0
Help and Support:
4.7
Customer Rating:
4.6
Expert Score:
5.0
out of
5
Why I Chose Freshsales CRM
What drew my attention to Freshsales CRM is that, even in the free plan, it offers deal management capabilities. It gives an agent the ability to see how deals are efficiently tracked, managed, and closed without any extra cost. This results in agents being able to stay in control of the sales process and keep the business running at all times. While more advanced features like sales pipelines, dashboards, and detailed analytics are saved for paid plans, the best real estate CRM free version still offers excellent features like data importing, email templates, inbound caller ID, etc.
Contact lifecycle stages: It allows agents to categorize and track contacts through different stages of the sales funnel, from prospecting to closing, providing a clear view of where each client stands.
Unique fields: It helps differentiate records and prevents duplicate records.
For real estate agents looking for a more customizable CRM experience, Zoho CRM is one of the best free CRMs because of its very customized workflows and integration options. In addition to the pocket-friendly pricing plans, the email notification tools and mobile application access give agents the flexibility to manage their businesses on the go. While the free version is missing more robust features like AI tools, the included features still make Zoho CRM a very powerful tool for agents who want a customizable solution for free.
Of the many available free CRM options, Insightly may be one of the better choices for real estate agents dealing with numerous complex transactions and projects because it has very good project management features. Even in the free plan, agents get access to integrations with applications like QuickBooks Online, PandaDoc, and Xero, along with the ability to customize page layouts that can benefit your business operations. The platform’s ability to help agents scale their businesses through project management and lead management tools makes it ideal for agents looking to streamline their transaction processes.
Available Insightly integrations (Source: Insightly)
Additional Features
Custom data entry fields: Agents can create business-specific data fields unique to them.
Online help center: It provides 24/7 access to help articles and videos in the free plan.
What features should I look for in a free real estate CRM?
When choosing a free real estate CRM, the most important features will be those that can help you save and maximize the time you put into running your business. For example, you may be looking for strong contact management that keeps every piece of information about your clients in order. Perhaps lead tracking is your priority, so you want to look for a CRM that offers functionality to move leads through your sales funnel. Make sure to always take into account the reviews on the CRM you are evaluating because that will give you a great idea of what standout features have fared well for former clients.
Can a free CRM handle a large database of clients and leads?
While most free CRMs would be able to manage a full range of contacts, each has a ceiling. Be sure to check the capacity of any particular CRM. Some free versions may limit the number of contacts or the storage amount, while others are pretty generous. For most real estate agents, a free CRM would suffice, especially when starting out. However, scalable options or upgrades to paid versions will be essential in case your business outgrows them for a larger database and more features.
Can a free real estate CRM integrate with other tools and platforms I use?
One of the major reasons for choosing a CRM would have to do with its integration capabilities. The vast majority of free real estate CRMs will integrate with popular tools and platforms, such as email services, social media channels, MLS systems, and marketing automation software. These kinds of integrations greatly smoothen workflow by centralizing all activities and data in one place. Before deciding on any CRM, ensure that it supports the tools you are using. Such powerful integration will save time, minimize errors, and maximize your productivity through an integrated system for running your real estate business.
Methodology: How I Chose the Best Free Real Estate CRM
While choosing the best free real estate agent CRM options, we at The Close took a very meticulous and thorough review to make sure that we delivered the ones that were most reliable and effective. Our methodology took into account a detailed analysis of the various CRMs regarding a wide range of factors relative to the real estate professional. Our team of experts went through an accurate review and testing of these platforms for their suitability and to make sure they performed well in a real estate context.
Below are the key criteria we evaluated for the best free CRM for realtors:
Pricing (30%):
We prioritized CRMs that offer robust features in their free plans, providing excellent value without hidden costs.
Features (20%):
We assessed the essential features available, such as contact management, mobile application, and website integration, to ensure they meet the core needs of real estate agents.
Additional Features (20%):
We looked at extra functionalities like customizable reports, AI capabilities, and team collaboration that add significant value to the CRM.
Ease of Use (10%):
Technical skills required to set up and operate the platform were taken into consideration
Help and Support (5%):
The availability and format of customer support were reviewed to ensure agents can get assistance when needed.
Customer Rating (5%):
We considered user feedback and ratings to gauge overall satisfaction and real-world performance.
Expert Score (10%):
Our team of experts provided an additional layer of evaluation, rating each CRM based on the overall features, value for money, and ease of use.
Your Take
Cheap real estate CRMs could be a huge help for real estate agents in contact and deal management, but they could also automate marketing efforts, starting with zero cost. If you can effectively use a free CRM for your business, it would greatly help in enhancing your productivity levels and better management of your clientele.
But that is not worth being shortsighted in your growth strategy. Though the free plans include useful features, many are limited in ways that will hinder your business as it expands. Upgrading to the paid plans as you grow will unlock advanced capabilities, provide scalability, and more, allowing you to take on new opportunities and secure long-term success.
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Aloun Khountham is a freelance real estate contributor to The Close. Her real estate experience stems from over five years as a New York City real estate operations executive for a growing brokerage.
