Dextr is our first pick for affordable relationship management on Apple devices, with an ongoing free plan and an annual Pro option. Compare the plan your work actually requires, including billing commitments and paid features. HubSpot, Bigin, Less Annoying CRM, Pipedrive, and Bonsai offer alternatives for different sales and client-work needs.
The number beside a pricing headline is only part of the cost. Billing terms, required seats, add-ons, and the plan containing a must-have feature can change the decision. Start with the work you need the CRM to do, then price that setup.
Affordable CRM software at a glance
The prices below were checked on official pages on October 27, 2026. Figures are in USD before applicable tax. Annual-billing prices require the stated annual commitment. Dextr publishes this guide; it is based on documentation research rather than a hands-on test of every product.
- Dextr Free, our first pick. Published price: $0 One-user annual subscription cost: $0 Important distinction: Relationship management on Apple devices
- Dextr Pro. Published price: $14.99/year currently One-user annual subscription cost: $14.99 currently Important distinction: Announced increase to $19.99/year in November
- HubSpot free CRM. Published price: $0 One-user annual subscription cost: $0 Important distinction: Up to two users and 1,000 contacts
- Bigin Free. Published price: $0 One-user annual subscription cost: $0 Important distinction: One user, one pipeline, 500 records
- Bigin Express. Published price: $7 per user/month, billed yearly One-user annual subscription cost: $84 Important distinction: Compare the free and paid feature lists
- Less Annoying CRM. Published price: $15 per user/month One-user annual subscription cost: $180 at the current monthly rate Important distinction: One included feature set
- Pipedrive Lite. Published price: $14 per seat/month, billed annually One-user annual subscription cost: $168 Important distinction: Higher-tier needs change the cost
- Bonsai Essentials. Published price: $19 per user/month, billed annually One-user annual subscription cost: $228 Important distinction: Client documents and billing included in this tier
Sources: HubSpot, Bigin, Dextr, Less Annoying CRM, Pipedrive, and Bonsai. Confirm the price and renewal terms shown at checkout.
Dextr: our first pick for relationship management at a small annual cost
Dextr on iPhone: review the contact
Dextr fits a different job from a conventional deal-tracking CRM. It helps Apple users organize the people they know and the context around those relationships.
Its free plan includes relationship organization and reach-out reminders. Pro adds features including conversation journals, business card scanning, and Mac access. The pricing page lists the current annual price and the announced November increase.
Dextr is worth comparing when your existing project, billing, or sales tools already work and you mainly need better relationship context. Choose a dedicated deal system if pipeline reporting is the central requirement.
Dark-mode app examples below use fictional demonstration contacts.
On iPhone, the contact view shows the core record and relationship context. A visible Files shortcut does not imply that every file or journal capability is included free.
Dextr on iPad: organize with tags
On iPad, the Tags view illustrates contact categories. These are feature illustrations, not a claim that every device entitlement or Pro feature is included in the free plan. Check current iPad and Mac access terms.
HubSpot: a free starting point for a sales CRM
HubSpot's free CRM is worth evaluating if you want conventional sales records without an initial subscription.
The cost question is what happens when you need more. Make a list of the specific limits or features that would cause an upgrade, and price those before you build a larger workflow around the platform.
Bigin: a lower-cost route to a structured process
Bigin is a candidate for a small business that wants a defined pipeline. Its published entry paid price makes it worth comparing alongside the free edition.
Watch the record allowance. The vendor counts records across different types of information, so a contact total alone does not describe the space your process will use.
Less Annoying CRM: for a predictable paid feature set
Less Annoying CRM offers a single per-user price. That makes the subscription easier to estimate when you are evaluating its business-CRM approach.
Count every person who needs access. A predictable per-user plan still grows with the number of users.
Pipedrive: price the sales features you will use
Pipedrive offers a paid entry plan, but requirements such as full email sync and automation can move the decision to a higher tier.
For example, its page lists Growth at $39 per seat per month with annual billing. That is $468 per seat per year, compared with $168 for Lite. Compare the necessary tier from the beginning.
Bonsai: compare it with the tools it could replace
Bonsai can be relevant when the purchase also covers client documents, project administration, and billing.
Its Basic plan is listed at $9 per user per month with annual billing, but the document and payment functions listed in Essentials bring that price to $19. A service business should compare the plan covering the intended workflow.
How to calculate the real CRM cost
Use a small worksheet with five inputs:
- The plan containing every required feature.
- The number of paid users or required seats.
- The billing commitment.
- Required add-ons and usage charges.
- Other subscriptions the CRM would genuinely replace.
Keep setup time visible as a separate consideration. A subscription can be inexpensive while a complicated migration still costs you a working day. Likewise, a broader platform may justify its price when it removes repeated data entry from a process you already run.
Consider a fictional solo consultant who needs shared client documents and invoicing. A $0 sales CRM plus paid document and billing tools may cost more than a suitable suite. But if those existing tools are already included in subscriptions the consultant will keep, there may be little saving from replacing them.
Use current expenses, not assumed savings, in the comparison.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest CRM?
Several vendors offer free plans. The useful question is which free plan covers your required workflow and capacity. Compare limits before assuming two $0 options do the same job.
Is annual billing always better value?
It can reduce the advertised monthly equivalent, but commits more money upfront. A monthly plan may be sensible while you are still checking whether a system fits.
Should I pay for a CRM if I work alone?
Pay when a specific feature solves a recurring problem well enough to justify its cost. Start with a small trial using real contacts and opportunities before moving your full business.
For relationships on Apple devices, compare Dextr's Free and Pro plans. For a deal pipeline or a client-work suite, price the relevant alternative around the features your business actually needs.
Start with Dextr
Start organizing the people and relationships that matter to you with Dextr. Install Dextr from the App Store.