Today, CRM software has become an indispensable tool in any type of business. The CRM has become democratized, and there is something for all budgets. If you think you can't afford to implement a CRM in your business, think again! There is even free software. But in this case, what are the specificities of paid CRM software? How much does a CRM cost in 2022? We explain everything to you in this article.
What factors influence the price of CRM software?
From one company to another, the CRM budget varies enormously:
it can go from 10 € per month, up to hundreds of thousands of euros for the
largest companies! The vast majority of CRM software is accessible by
subscription. You pay an amount per month or per year, which depends on several
criteria, which we detail below.
The number of users
The vast majority of CRM software have adopted a price
depending on the number of users. A user corresponds to a person in your team
who will connect in his name to the software.
The number of contacts
Some CRM software like Hubspot (for its full version)
adapt their price according to the number of customers and prospects present in
your database. This can be an important criterion if you manage a large number
of contacts.
Fonctionnalities
This is one of the determining criteria in the price of a CRM. Most CRM software offers several subscription plans, the price of which increases depending on whether or not the features are active. This is why it is important to carefully analyze the offers and identify your current and future needs in advance.
In most cases, the free or less expensive plan gives
you access to limited features, and you will have to upgrade to a more
expensive plan to unlock advanced features. There are also more complex pricing
systems, with many additional modules to the basic offer, which can multiply by
3 or even by 10 the entry price.
Integrations
If you use other software in your company, such as ERP software, accounting software or invoicing software, it is necessary to be able to connect them to your CRM software, in order to avoid duplicates and re-entries , and increase productivity.
Some software such as Sellsy or Salesforce have a catalog of integrations, which are marketed in the form of an additional subscription: you must therefore plan the cost of these connectors in your budget.
Finally, you will sometimes have to develop a custom
connector, which represents a significant investment. In this case, remember to
check that the chosen CRM software has an API allowing the CRM to communicate
with other tools (website, internal software, messaging, etc.).
Support and additional services
The last criterion that varies the cost of a CRM is
access to customer service and dedicated support. For example, Pipedrive's
Enterprise plan includes personalized support that isn't available with lower
plans. This is also the case at Salesforce, which reserves 24-hour support for
customers who have opted for the Unlimited offer.
Other costs to consider when choosing CRM software
The cost of CRM software is not limited to the
subscription price. A consulting service is often necessary to set up the
software and support users. Identify the level of service you need.
Choice of software
Many consulting firms and integrators can help you
choose the software. They will formalize your needs in the form of
specifications, and help you choose the software best suited to your context.
Data migration
If you change CRM, or if you already have a lot of
data in Excel files, it will be necessary to migrate this data into your new
CRM software. Some publishers offer a recovery service for existing data, the
cost of which is sometimes included in one of the subscription plans offered,
and sometimes invoiced in addition at the start of the project.
Setup and handling
Most CRM software is fairly simple to use, and you may
not need any assistance setting it up in your business. But it can be useful to
benefit from support to configure the software and help you get started. This
support is sometimes included in your subscription, if you opt for the higher offer;
in other cases, publishers charge a specific fee for this service when setting
up the software.
User training
Do not neglect the training of your employees: it is a
key success factor in your CRM project! Many publishers, such as Sellsy for
example, have expert trainers. Training is not included in the subscription
price, but it can be paid for by your training organization. Other publishers
like Axonaut have a network of independent trainers who can support you.
The price of CRM software: summary and simulation
Price summary table
We have summarized for you below the prices of the
main CRM software that we have studied in our CRM comparator. Most of the
prices displayed are per month and per user (annual payment).
Some simulations of the price of a CRM according to
the size of your company
Of course, each case is unique and the final cost
depends on the software chosen and other criteria (activated features,
services, etc.). However, we have prepared a simulation of the budget to be
expected depending on the size of your company. These figures are given for
information only, and can vary quickly depending on the arrival of new players
or the price changes of established players, but should help you see things
more clearly!
Cost of CRM software for a small business (4 users)
For a small company with 4 users, we will generally not choose the most expensive software on the market.
- Support for the implementation: from 0 to 2000 €
- Subscription: between 500 and 2000 € per year
Cost of CRM software for a startup (10 sales reps)
In the case of a dynamic startup with 10 salespeople, you have to choose software with advanced features in terms of prospecting, automation and marketing (HubSpot for example).
- Support for the implementation: from 0 to 5000 €
- Subscription: between €5,000 and €20,000 per year
ost of CRM software for an SME (50 users)
In the case of an SME, the support for the implementation of the software and the training of the users require a larger budget to be planned for the first year. The annual cost of the subscription depends a lot on the features needed.
- Support for the implementation: from 5000 to 20 000 €
- Subscription: between €20,000 and €50,000 per year
Some advice to get the best price
As we have just seen, the price of a CRM can vary greatly from one project to another: between the self-employed person or the VSE which uses a free CRM and the large SME which has integrated Salesforce or Microsoft Dynamics into its internal processes, the range is between zero and several tens of thousands of euros per year!
To help you make the right choice, here are some tips:
- analyze your needs well upstream by involving your teams;
- ask for advice and feedback from companies similar to yours;
- make a budget over several years taking into account the projected growth of your business;
- ask for demos, exchange with sales representatives from several companies, and negotiate!
- we have tested many software for you, so help yourself with our CRM software comparator.
Remember that you should not always look for the
cheapest software, but rather the one that suits you best. A saving of a few
tens of euros per month can cost you dearly tomorrow, if you make the wrong
choice and have to change CRM again in 1 year. Finally, also remember the
definition of CRM is not only a tool, but also all the procedures that go with
it, which also have a cost to set up and maintain.