In 2025, customer relationship management (CRM) software is no longer a luxury; it’s a necessity. By providing tools for AI-driven automation, predictive analytics, and seamless integrations, modern CRMs (and their next-gen counterparts, XRMs) are transforming how businesses manage relationships and drive growth.
Still, not all CRM platforms are created equal. It’s important to find the solutions that make most sense for your business needs. So you can reach your own relationship goals.
Here, we break down the best CRM solutions for 2025, including their most notable features, pros, cons, and use cases.
What is a CRM?
A CRM (customer relationship management) system is a platform that centralizes all your customer data and sales activities in one place. Businesses can use CRMs to manage customer contacts, automate routine tasks, and gain actionable insights from every touchpoint. With this information at their fingertips, businesses can improve customer service and streamline operations, ultimately boosting ROI.
Whether you’re a startup tracking your first leads or an enterprise managing thousands of accounts, a CRM can help you stay organized and foster stronger relationships.
What Is the Best CRM in 2025?
Now, let’s unpack the best CRM solutions available this year. Take a look at each platform’s use cases, benefits, and target customers to find the right one for your business.
1. Rings
Rings is an intelligent XRM (extended relationship management) platform built to help relationship-driven firms identify and win high-value business opportunities.
Key features:
Dynamic network mapping: Auto-connect to email, LinkedIn, and Crunchbase to unify data and visualize relationships. Also, calculate relationship strength using 15+ variables.
Pathpower: Identify the most valuable people in your network - including advisors, investors, and board members - and your strongest connections to them to unlock new business opportunities.
Deal & portfolio management: Source new business based on investors, board members, and advisors in your network, and real-time investor deal data.
Customized privacy controls: Enable robust personal and company-wide privacy controls.
Pros:
Unmatched customization for complex workflows.
Automated, AI-powered relationship scoring and prospecting.
Integrations with 7,000+ apps via Zapier.
Lightning-fast onboarding with concierge support.
Cons:
Too many features for businesses with simple, customer-focused needs.
Pricing: Starts at $1,000/user/year - includes thousands of dollars worth of data value
Best for: Any business selling to or prospecting startups and venture-backed companies; businesses with complex and high-value relationships that want to unlock new opportunities from their networks.
2. Affinity
Affinity is a relationship intelligence CRM designed for deal-driven teams.
Key features:
Automated relationship mapping: Capture and visualize connections between contacts, companies, and deals.
Deal flow tracking: Manage pipelines and interactions with customizable stages and workflows.
Automatic data capture: Sync with email and calendars to log every interaction and update records in real time.
Network analytics: Uncover hidden opportunities and relationship trends across your team.
Pros:
Automated data entry saves time.
Powerful relationship intelligence and network mapping.
Customizable pipelines and workflows.
Cons:
Pricing is higher than many standard CRMs.
Only includes data from the companies you already know.
Can’t leverage LinkedIn connections to find prospects and high-value opportunities.
Lack of ability to customize relationship data and scoring.
Limited outside of relationship-driven use cases.
Pricing: Starts at $3,000/user/year.
Best for: Venture capital, private equity, and professional services firms focused on sourcing and managing deals through network intelligence.
3. Attio
Attio is a modern CRM designed for fast-moving teams with customized workflows.
Key features:
Flexible data model: Customize objects, attributes, and relationships to fit unique business needs.
Workflow automation: Automate tasks, reminders, and data updates with no-code tools.
Real-time collaboration: Share notes, files, and updates instantly across your team.
Integrations: Connect with Slack, Google Workspace, and other popular tools for seamless workflows.
Pros:
Highly customizable and adaptable.
No-code automation for easy workflow setup.
Modern, intuitive interface.
Real-time collaboration features.
Cons:
Pricing can add up for larger teams.
No access to full deal data and investor portfolios.
Lack of company and investor prospecting.
Pricing: Free tier available; paid plans with advanced features.
Best for: Startups, agencies, and SMBs seeking a flexible CRM that adapts to unique processes.
4. Salesforce
Salesforce remains a CRM powerhouse, equipped with Einstein AI and extensive third-party integrations.
Key features:
Einstein AI insights: Leverage predictive analytics, lead scoring, and automated recommendations to drive sales.
AppExchange ecosystem: Access thousands of integrations and add-ons to expand CRM capabilities.
Custom reporting: Create detailed dashboards and analytics for real-time business intelligence.
Enterprise scalability: Support global teams and intricate organizational structures.
Pros:
Highly customizable with a vast app ecosystem.
Advanced automation and gamification tools.
Trusted by global enterprises.
Cons:
Expensive, especially for small teams.
Complex setup requires IT support.
Pricing: Starts at $25/user/month.
Best for: Large enterprises needing scalability and AI-driven insights.
5. HubSpot
HubSpot’s free CRM is ideal for basic contact management, with upsells to marketing and sales tools.
Key features:
Free core CRM: Manage unlimited contacts, deals, and tasks with a forever-free plan.
Unified interaction timeline: Track every customer touchpoint—email, calls, meetings—in one place.
Built-in sales tools: Use email templates and scheduling to streamline outreach.
Growth add-ons: Expand with marketing, sales, and service modules as your business grows.
Drag-and-drop pipelines: Customize deal stages and with visual tools.
Pros:
Free forever plan with no user limits.
Intuitive interface for beginners.
Strong marketing automation add-ons.
Cons:
Advanced features require costly upgrades.
Limited reporting in free tier.
Pricing: Free; premium tools from $45/month.
Best for: Startups and solopreneurs needing a free CRM entry point.
6. Pipedrive
Pipedrive’s visual sales pipeline and AI-driven forecasts help teams focus on high-potential deals.
Key features:
Visual sales pipelines: Drag-and-drop deals through customizable stages for clear oversight.
AI sales assistant: Get proactive suggestions and revenue forecasts to focus on high-potential opportunities.
Integrated communication: Track emails, schedule meetings, and log calls directly in the CRM.
Mobile accessibility: Manage sales and pipelines from anywhere with the mobile app.
Pros:
Simple, intuitive interface.
Built-in call logging and email tracking.
Affordable for small teams.
Cons:
Limited beyond sales-focused workflows.
Basic customer support.
Pricing: Starts at $14.90/user/month.
Best for: Sales teams prioritizing pipeline visualization.
7. Monday.com
Monday.com blends CRM tools with customizable workflows for collaborative work environments.
Key features:
Customizable CRM boards: Build tailored workflows for leads, deals, and projects with ease.
Visual dashboards: Monitor sales performance and team workloads at a glance.
Robust integrations: Connect with Slack, Zoom, Google Workspace, and more.
AI-powered forecasting: Predict sales outcomes and prioritize leads using built-in AI tools.
Team collaboration: Share updates, files, and feedback within the platform for seamless communication.
Pros:
Highly visual and adaptable.
Integrates with Slack, Zoom, and Google Workspace.
AI-powered sales predictions.
Cons:
CRM features feel secondary to project tools.
Pricing escalates quickly.
Pricing: Starts at $19/user/month.
Best for: Teams wanting a project management-CRM hybrid.
8. Microsoft Dynamics 365
Microsoft Dynamics 365 merges CRM and ERP tools, offering deep integration with Office 365 and Power BI.
Key features:
Unified CRM & ERP: Manage sales, marketing, operations, and finance from a single platform.
Microsoft integration: Connect with Microsoft Outlook, Teams, Excel, and Power BI for enhanced productivity.
Customizable workflows: Automate processes using Microsoft Power Platform and tailor modules to your needs.
Enterprise scalability: Add modules for supply chain, service, and finance operations as your organization grows.
Pros:
Seamless Microsoft product integration.
Advanced AI and predictive analytics.
Scalable for large organizations.
Cons:
Complex setup and customization.
Custom pricing lacks transparency.
Pricing: Custom quotes.
Best for: Enterprises invested in the Microsoft ecosystem.
11 Factors to Consider When Choosing a CRM
Selecting the right CRM is a strategic decision that can impact your business relationships and results for years to come.
So, when it comes to choosing your CRM, consider these key factors to weigh your options:
Business Objectives: Define what you want to achieve with your CRM. Are you looking to improve sales, deliver better customer service, streamline operations, find new business opportunities and investor relationships, or all of the above?
Department needs: Involve all stakeholders—from sales and marketing to support and IT teams—to ensure the CRM meets their unique pain points.
Feature set: Prioritize must-have features like contact management, automation, reporting, and integration with your existing tools.
Customization: Look for platforms that allow you to workflows and dashboards to your business processes without costly development work.
Integration capabilities: Ensure the CRM can connect with your email, calendar, marketing, and accounting software to easily sync data and optimize workflows.
Scalability: Choose a system that can grow with your business, handling more users and complex processes as you expand.
Ease of use: Pick a CRM that’s intuitive and minimizes training time for your team.
Mobile accessibility: With remote work and on-the-go teams, mobile apps and responsive design are essential.
Security and Privacy: Make sure your CRM can protect sensitive customer and business data with robust security features and privacy controls.
Cost: Consider not just CRM subscription fees, but also the potential costs of implementation, training, and maintenance.
Vendor support: If you have to troubleshoot an issue or ask a question about customization, you’ll want access to reliable customer support services.
Why Choose an XRM Over a CRM?
Traditional CRMs are helpful for managing customer interactions. But when it comes to unlocking other business opportunities and high-value relationships, they’re pretty limited.
That’s where XRMs come in. They’re built to manage a wide range of relationships, like with prospects, investors, partners, suppliers, and even internal teams. For relationships-driven businesses, XRMs offer many benefits, such as:
Network intelligence: Automatically map connections across your networks and surface hidden opportunities for impactful relationships.
AI-driven decision-making: Prioritize certain relationships and predict outcomes with proprietary scoring.
Unified data: Automatically combine public market data from platforms like Crunchbase and LinkedIn with private firm data for enhanced business insights.
Upgrade to the Future of Relationship Management
While CRMs remain vital for customer-centric teams, XRMs like Rings are essential for firms navigating high-stakes, multifaceted relationships. Rings eliminates manual data entry, connects siloed teams, and turns relationship intelligence into actionable insights—whether you’re managing prospecting new startups or building strategic partnerships.
CRMs may have set the foundation for how companies organize customer data and relationships. But the future of high-value business partnerships lies with XRMs.
Ready to upgrade from CRM to XRM? Try Rings with your team.
