For financial services companies, every LinkedIn connection, calendar invite, and email nudge can be that first step that leads to game-changing business opportunities. As Emmy’s host Nate Bargatze said when one winner waved to her family after a long speech (and he infamously “charged” speakers for talking over their time limit), “That was an expensive wave.”
You get it. When it comes to securing high-value deals, the simplest gestures and follow-ups can make a huge difference to your bottom line. That’s why finding the right customer relationship management (CRM) platform is critical. This one tool can be your key to unlocking your next big venture, whether you’re a budding startup or established venture capital firm.
While Intapp DealCloud has been a trusted choice for many finance businesses, it’s important to consider other options for deeper relationship intelligence and AI-powered capabilities that can fuel your business forward. As McKinsey & Company reported, finance companies are using AI to improve efficiency across processes, from synthesizing earnings call insights and narrowing down investment options to predicting risk and making data-backed decisions.
So, if you’re looking to level-up your CRM, this guide can help.
We’ll explore the top Intapp DealCloud alternatives that empower relationship-driven businesses to make the most of their data and expand their networks:
Rings: AI prospecting, relationship mapping, real-time news tracking
Affinity: Automated contact syncing, warm intro visualization, built-in analytics
Salesforce: Opportunity management, sales collaboration, AI-powered analytics
Pipedrive: Visual sales pipeline, sales automation, email integration
4Degrees: AI lead scoring, relationship strength visualization
1. Rings
Rings is an intelligent XRM (extended relationship management) platform that stands out as the best DealCloud alternative for finance organizations that need advanced deal data and AI-driven prospecting to win high-value business opportunities.
Core features:
Advanced prospecting: Tap into millions of public and private data points, powered by 100M continuously updated records from sources like Crunchbase and global data partners.
AI search: Ask natural language questions—like “show me Series B SaaS startups with warm intros”—and get instant, contextual answers.
Automated data capture: Sync decades of interactions from emails, calendars, meetings, and notes so nothing is lost in translation.
Seamless integrations: Connect to over 7,000 apps via Zapier, plus native integrations with Gmail, Outlook, Salesforce, HubSpot, LinkedIn, and more.
Privacy-first infrastructure: Operate within designated “Rings” to ensure sensitive data remains encrypted and shared only with authorized teammates.
Pre-meeting intelligence: Get tailored insights on shared deals and mutual relationships before every critical meeting.
Real-time company news: Get automated Google News alerts and sentiment scoring on target companies, investors, or watchlists.
Proprietary AI scoring: Predictive ranking of companies, investors, and funds based on growth efficiency, deal momentum, and syndicate quality.
Customizable workflows: Adapt Rings to your exact methodology—from investment committee workflows to fundraising stages.
Pros:
Unmatched depth in deal, investor, and relationship data.
Prospecting tools that go far beyond your existing network.
Rich, dynamic relationship mapping of key stakeholders.
AI-powered insights and scoring tailored to your business.
Centralized, searchable knowledge management for enhanced collaboration.
All essential features included—no hidden fees for core capabilities.
Free, expert onboarding and continuous support.
Cons:
May be feature-rich for very small teams or those with simple needs.
Best for:
Businesses with complex and high-value relationships that want to unlock new opportunities from their networks.
Any business selling to or prospecting startups and venture-backed companies.
Venture capital and private equity firms seeking deep deal and relationship intelligence.
Business development teams needing global prospecting and AI-driven prioritization.
Enterprises managing complex portfolios and requiring robust privacy controls.
Pricing: From $1,000 per user/year
2. Affinity
Affinity is a top choice for maximizing value from existing contacts, offering tools for automated relationship mapping and network analysis.
Core features:
Relationship intelligence: Track communications and prioritize connections within your existing network.
Deal management: Review and manage deals throughout your organization.
Data enrichment: Refresh your records with data from 40+ trusted sources.
Integrations: Sync network and deal data across your tech stack.
Pros:
Minimal learning curve and quick setup.
Strong visual relationship tracking.
Cons:
Limited prospecting beyond your current network.
Higher price and onboarding fees for extended features.
No full deal data, company news tracking, or investor portfolio views.
Limited data customizability; cannot adjust relationship strengths or use AI scoring.
Lack of support for fund and portfolio management.
Best for: Deal-centric firms with tight partner networks and light external prospecting needs.
Pricing: $2,000 per user/year plus onboarding fee.
3. Salesforce
Salesforce remains one of the most recognized CRMs, catering to businesses of all sizes with a suite of features and cloud-based solutions.
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:
Deep customization and automation capabilities.
Advanced analytics and reporting options.
Strong integrations with collaboration tools like Slack.
Cons:
Can be expensive, especially as you add users or require advanced features and support.
Technical setup and configuration often requires IT support.
Interfaces can be cluttered and complex for new or non-technical users.
No access to full deal data, investor portfolios, and company news tracking.
Lack of capabilities for fund and portfolio management.
Best for:
Large enterprises needing scalability and AI-driven insights.
Price:
Plans start at $25 per user/month; advanced features and add-ons push costs much higher.
4. Pipedrive
Pipedrive is a sales-focused CRM that helps businesses organize leads, track deals, and manage their sales pipelines.
Core features:
Visual pipeline management: Access a customizable interface for moving deals through sales stages.
Contact and lead management: Store and organize contacts and companies in one place.
Reporting and dashboards: Monitor performance with customizable sales dashboards and reports.
Integrations: Connect with over 400 apps, including email, calendar, and marketing tools.
Pros:
Easy to use, with a clean and intuitive interface.
Quick data import and setup for new users.
Flexible pricing plans to suit different team sizes and budgets.
Cons:
Many advanced features, like lead generation and enhanced reporting, come with extra costs or premium plans.
Limited in-depth relationship mapping and no native support for investor or portfolio management.
No company news tracking or AI-driven pre-meeting insights.
Not designed for fund management or enterprise opportunity workflows.
Best for:
Sales teams that need a simple way to manage leads and deals.
Small to medium businesses that prioritize sales management over relationship intelligence.
Price:
Starts at $14/user/month.
Add-ons for lead generation, web forms, live chat, and more are available at extra cost.
5. 4Degrees
4Degrees is a CRM built to help businesses discover hidden connections and accelerate deal flow.
Core features:
Deal pipelines: Visual pipelines for private equity, venture capital, and services workflows.
Task management: Access AI-driven reminders to prioritize outreach and follow-ups.
Team collaboration: Set up real-time sharing of deal insights and coordination tools.
Pros:
User-friendly interface surfacing key relationship insights.
Focus on deal-centric workflows and pipeline clarity.
Collaborative features designed for complex deal teams.
Cons:
May lack advanced AI scoring and deep company data of specialized platforms.
Pricing is less transparent; extra features or customizations can add up.
Best for:
Private equity, venture capital, and professional services teams.
Firms prioritizing automated data capture plus pipeline management.
Pricing: Available upon request; positioned for mid-market.
What to Look For in an AI-Powered CRM
Choosing the right AI-driven relationship intelligence platform can unlock new competitive advantages. When evaluating top CRM platforms, focus on those that use AI-driven prospecting to automatically pinpoint high-value companies and investors through real-time, predictive algorithms. Also, look for systems designed with privacy-first collaboration in mind, offering customizable data-sharing controls that help maintain compliance and protect sensitive deal information.
Additionally, make sure the platform integrates seamlessly with tools like Salesforce, HubSpot, Gmail, and Slack to fit naturally within your existing workflow and tech stack. And prioritize CRMs with robust reporting and analytics capabilities, helping you turn complex data into actionable insights on deal momentum, pipeline health, and emerging opportunities.
Unlock AI-Driven Relationship Intelligence with Rings
Rings is not just a CRM—it’s a fully integrated relationship intelligence operating system that empowers deal teams with AI-driven prospecting, comprehensive data enrichment, and privacy-first collaboration. Vastly expanding your network, Rings pairs over 100 million continuously updated data points with proprietary AI scoring and live news monitoring to identify the best growth opportunities.
Whether you’re managing complex venture portfolios, enterprise sales pipelines, or private equity deal flow, Rings offers a future-proof platform designed to scale with your team and move beyond the limits of traditional CRMs.
Ready to supercharge your CRM capabilities? Book a demo with Rings.
FAQs
Why might I consider DealCloud alternatives?
A business might consider DealCloud alternatives because, while the platform offers powerful customization and deal management features tailored to the finance sector, its high cost, complex and lengthy implementation, and limited integrations can be drawbacks. Alternatives provide more user-friendly interfaces, broader industry applicability, faster setup, and better automation, making them more attractive for firms outside finance or those needing more flexible, cost-effective solutions.
Can I automate data capture from emails and meetings with CRMs?
Yes, top platforms like Rings automate data capture from various channels, like emails, calendars, and meetings platforms, keeping relationship histories complete and actionable without manual entry.
How does AI scoring improve deal sourcing?
AI scoring uses advanced algorithms to rank companies or investors based on deal momentum, growth efficiency, and syndicate quality so you only go after the deals that matter—saving valuable time and resources.
