Dextr Free is our first pick for Apple users who want an ongoing free plan for contact and relationship organization. Keep its free features separate from the Pro trial and paid capabilities. HubSpot, Zoho CRM Free, and Bigin Free are alternatives for conventional sales records and pipeline workflows, with different capacity and user limits.
A free trial of a paid plan is a different offer. It can help you evaluate the product, but it does not establish which features remain available when the trial ends. Check the ongoing edition before building a process around it.
Four free CRM plans to compare
The details below were checked against official product information on October 27, 2026. Dextr publishes this guide. The comparison is documentation-based, rather than a hands-on test of every free account. Providers can change plan terms.
- Dextr Free: contact and relationship organization on Apple devices. Consider it for tags, introductions, and reach-out reminders, with Pro features evaluated separately.
- HubSpot free CRM: published allowance of up to two users and 1,000 contacts. Consider it for a conventional sales-CRM starting point.
- Zoho CRM Free: supports up to three users. Consider it for a small team evaluating lead, contact, and deal management.
- Bigin Free: one user, one pipeline, and 500 records. Consider it for an individual with a small, defined sales process.
Each recommendation describes a use case. It does not mean the four products provide the same kind of system.
Dextr Free: our first pick for contact and relationship organization
Dextr on iPhone: review the contact
Dextr's free plan fits Apple users whose primary task is remembering people and maintaining relationships. Its published free features include contact organization, relationships and tags, introductions, and reach-out reminders.
This is useful for a freelancer maintaining a professional network or a person trying to keep context around contacts. It is a different job from forecasting several sales opportunities at an account.
Pro includes capabilities such as conversation journals, business card scanning, and Mac access. Those should not be counted as permanent free-plan features because they are available during a trial.
Check before adopting: whether the ongoing free relationship tools cover your needs, and whether a specific Pro feature is essential to your workflow.
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 conventional sales starting point
HubSpot's free CRM includes contact, deal, and task management within its published user and contact limits.
It deserves a look if you want to start recording prospects and opportunities without an immediate subscription. Review the pipeline tools with a few real buying situations.
Check before adopting: the free limits, the tools you will rely on after any trial, and the paid plan required for your likely next step. Avoid treating the entire HubSpot platform as part of the free CRM.
Zoho CRM Free: a small-team sales option
Zoho's official free-edition guide describes an ongoing edition for three users. Its onboarding guidance distinguishes that edition from a trial and identifies lead, deal, and contact management.
It is worth evaluating when a very small team needs a conventional record structure. Test how each person will use the account rather than evaluating only the administrator's setup.
Check before adopting: the current free-edition feature comparison, capacity, and the requirements that would make you upgrade.
Bigin Free: a small pipeline for one user
Bigin's pricing page lists a free edition for one user with one pipeline and 500 records. The vendor counts records across types such as contacts, activities, and notes, so 500 records does not simply mean 500 customer contacts plus unlimited history.
That makes it a candidate for an individual testing a small sales process. Use a realistic set of records to see how quickly your work would approach the limit.
Check before adopting: record counting, the required number of pipelines, and the edition containing the communication features you need.
What to check in any free CRM
Users and capacity
Count the people who need access and the records your process will create. A limit based on all records can behave differently from a contact limit. Consider the history you plan to keep, not only the initial import.
The next action
Try creating the follow-up you actually need. A contact list is less useful if the next step still depends entirely on memory. Check whether reminders or tasks are part of the ongoing free edition.
The record structure
If you need two deals at the same customer, test that scenario. If your priority is maintaining introducers and collaborators, check whether the system makes that context easy to find.
Export and the upgrade path
Find out how to retain your business information and what happens when you reach a limit. A useful free plan should be evaluated alongside the cost and effort of the likely next step.
Run a small free-plan pilot
Start with five contacts and two realistic tasks. Add a new inquiry, record a conversation, set a follow-up, and return to it later. Confirm that the features used belong to the ongoing free edition.
If the account begins in a premium trial, check which edition you will use afterward. Evaluate the free workflow on its own terms.
For a fuller view of subscription costs and billing commitments, see how much CRM software costs.
Frequently asked questions
Is a free CRM really free?
An ongoing free plan can have no subscription charge within its stated limits. That does not make every feature, integration, usage allowance, or future upgrade free.
Can I run a small business on a free CRM?
Yes, if the required users, capacity, and workflow fit. Check contracts, billing, project delivery, and other business tasks separately.
When should I upgrade?
Upgrade when a specific limit or missing capability interferes with necessary work and the paid solution justifies its cost. A larger feature list alone is not a reason.
Choose the smallest system that reliably supports your next actions. For professional relationships on Apple devices, explore Dextr's free plan and keep the ongoing free features separate from the Pro trial.
Start with Dextr
Start organizing the people and relationships that matter to you with Dextr. Install Dextr from the App Store.