If that is your case as well, you best make sure you implement a good sales management software system<\/strong>.<\/p>\n The benefits can be huge: even a small sales team (3 people) I recently talked to reported earning $1 million per year more in sales (<\/strong>\ud83d\udcb5!)<\/strong> after getting their sales management software in place. Talk about a performance boost!<\/p>\n With all the different software systems for sales management out there however, it can be hard to figure out exactly what you need to up your performance. So first, I\u2019ll tackle that for you and give you a list of useful features<\/strong> to look out for. \ud83d\udc40<\/p>\n After this, I\u2019ll use this same feature list as well as review scores<\/strong> from G2 to compare 8 different top sales management software platforms in detail, including pricing<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s dig in! \ud83d\udc47<\/p>\n Here are 10 core features<\/strong> a sales management software platform can offer to help you better manage your sales leads and sales team:<\/p>\n There\u2019s a lot of useful features in there that you won\u2019t be able to get just from an Excel sheet<\/a><\/u> \ud83d\ude04 I\u2019ll detail below which of these features come with each sales management software.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re looking for good CRM software to manage your sales leads<\/a>, the above set of features can significantly boost your sales performance<\/strong>.<\/p>\n To compile this ranking, I went through a list of around 600 possible platforms to make a pre-selection. Then I tested every one of the 8 selected sales management software platforms first hand and researched which of them offer which features and detailed this for you below.<\/p>\n Next to this, it is important to keep the bigger picture in mind when comparing software, because you need to make sure your team will actually use the system<\/strong> as well. Getting a sales CRM<\/a> that the sales team doesn\u2019t use is pretty useless \ud83d\ude0f<\/p>\n Because of that, I\u2019ve included the current scoring for each software on G2<\/strong> so you get a better idea of how they stack up. It\u2019s broken down as follows:<\/p>\n I\u2019ve then taken the average of the G2 review score, and combined it with the sales management software feature score, to calculate\u2026 the final score<\/strong>! \ud83e\udd47<\/p>\n Don\u2019t want to read the whole comparison? \ud83e\udd13<\/p>\n The top 8 best sales management software in 2026 are:<\/p>\n Want to dig into the details? Read on!<\/p>\n If I ask our customers what they\u2019re essentially using Salesflare for, the answer is usually: to better manage our sales<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Our goal at Salesflare is to make managing sales leads super easy <\/strong>for you, without you having to input data <\/strong>to keep the system alive. And with a ton of built-in automation <\/strong>to make you more productive. That way the sales team ends up actually using the software\u2026 and sales management only becomes easier.<\/p>\n Salesflare<\/a><\/u> (founded in 2014) is used by thousands of small and medium-sized businesses who sell to other businesses<\/strong> (incl. agencies<\/a>, consultancies<\/a>, development houses, tech companies, \u2026). It\u2019s top ranked across review platforms and is the #1 CRM software on Product Hunt, the leading community for product enthusiasts.<\/p>\n It\u2019s very tightly integrated with Gmail<\/a> (also within Google Workspace<\/a>) and Outlook<\/a><\/strong>, so you don\u2019t need to switch between your inbox and sales software while tracking leads<\/a>. Plus it adds some handy features like integrated email and website tracking, email templates, and email sequences.<\/p>\n \u201c[I like that the] drag and drop functionality is intuitive and easy to use, but surprisingly gives you a great view into your sales process. I want me and my sales team to be productive I don\u2019t want them spending minutes or hours trying to figure out how to get all the information in a software product so I, as the owner, can know exactly where each sales person and account stands. You know the saying, \u201cSalespeople will fill up their time with all the other activities required of them before they start making sales.\u201d This software turns all those other activities into a simple click and drag.\u201d writes Cal T.<\/a>, founder of a consulting company, about Salesflare.<\/p>\n When you start using Salesflare, the first thing that strikes you is the intuitive interface that feels tailor-made for busy sales teams. You don\u2019t have to worry about manually entering data\u2014Salesflare does it for you. As you connect your email and other communication tools, it begins to automatically gather information, creating detailed profiles for your leads without requiring any extra effort on your part.<\/p>\n The seamless integration with Gmail and Outlook means you can manage your sales pipeline directly from your inbox. Every interaction, whether it\u2019s an email, a meeting, or a call, is logged automatically. You receive real-time notifications about your leads\u2019 activities, which helps you stay on top of follow-ups and next steps. This kind of automation ensures that nothing falls through the cracks, and you can focus more on selling rather than managing the CRM.<\/p>\n The ability to visualize your leads through customizable drag-and-drop pipelines makes it easy to track the progress of each deal. You can quickly identify which leads need attention and prioritize your tasks accordingly. Overall, Salesflare offers a user-friendly experience that simplifies the complexities of sales management, helping you and your team stay productive and organized.<\/p>\n Without further ado, here\u2019s an analysis of how Salesflare stacks up:<\/p>\n Features Salesflare offers: 10\/10<\/p>\n Features Salesflare doesn\u2019t offer: none<\/p>\n G2 review scoring:<\/p>\n Final result:<\/p>\n Pricing to get all of the above\u00a0(10 of 10 features) on the Salesflare Pro plan:<\/span><\/p>\n Want to see it all in action? You can try Salesflare for free<\/a><\/u>. \ud83d\udc48<\/p>\n It only takes a few minutes to to start a Salesflare trial<\/a><\/u><\/strong> and start tracking your leads in a better way.<\/p>\n I guarantee you won\u2019t find easier and more automated sales management software to up your team\u2019s performance! \ud83d\udc4c HubSpot is a marketing automation platform turned everything platform. It was founded in 2005 to make marketing automation easier.<\/p>\n Nowadays, HubSpot\u2019s main selling point is offering an all-in-one solution, including marketing, sales, service and operations. If you don\u2019t like using different apps and integrating them (using tools like Zapier and native integrations), then HubSpot might be what you\u2019re looking for.<\/p>\n To get functionality that is comparable to what you\u2019re getting with the other sales management software in this ranking, you need to get two HubSpot products: its CRM and its Sales Hub.<\/p>\n That makes the pricing to get all this handy functionality (8 features) quite steep, starting at $90-100\/user\/month plus an extra required fee of $1470 for onboarding.<\/p>\n When I first tested HubSpot CRM along with its Sales Hub, I was immediately impressed by how all-encompassing the platform is. It offers an all-in-one solution that integrates seamlessly with marketing, sales, and customer service tools. The setup was relatively straightforward, though it did require some time to understand the full range of features available.<\/p>\n One of the most useful aspects was the ability to visualize my sales pipeline with multiple drag-and-drop boards. It was easy to move leads through the pipeline stages, and the system offered robust customization options. Automated email sequences were another highlight, allowing me to nurture leads effortlessly. However, I found the pricing to be a bit steep, especially when considering the cost of the Sales Hub Professional plan along with the required onboarding fee.<\/p>\n What stood out most was how the CRM seamlessly integrates with other HubSpot tools, making it easy to manage everything from one platform. However, this also meant that there were a lot of features I didn\u2019t necessarily need, which made the interface feel a bit cluttered at times. Overall, HubSpot CRM + Sales Hub is powerful, but it\u2019s more suitable for teams that have a large checklist of needs and are willing to invest the time and money to get the most out of it.<\/p>\n \u201cThe most helpful aspect of HubSpot Sales Hub is its ability to streamline the sales process. It provides an easy-to-use interface that allows sales professionals to quickly create, track and manage leads, contacts, opportunities, and activities. It also provides automated workflows to ensure that tasks are completed on time and efficiently. Additionally, HubSpot Sales Hub integrates with other HubSpot products, giving you access to powerful analytics and insights.\u201d writes Pranay M.<\/a>, sales and marketing lead at an online food store, about HubSpot Sales Hub.<\/p>\n Features HubSpot CRM + Sales Hub offers: 8\/10<\/p>\n Features HubSpot CRM + Sales Hub doesn\u2019t offer:<\/p>\n G2 review scoring:<\/p>\n Final result:<\/p>\n Pricing to get all of the above (8 of 10 features)\u00a0<\/span>on the HubSpot Sales Hub Professional plan<\/span>:<\/p>\n HubSpot offers a free trial of 14 to 30 days.<\/span><\/p>\n Pipeliner CRM (formerly Pipelinersales) is a software company founded in 2009 with the goal of building better software for salespeople.<\/p>\n Although Salesflare hardly ever gets compared to Pipeliner by people who want to manage their sales in a better way, I decided to include them in this comparison because of their clear dedication to sales.<\/p>\n The sales software is relatively feature rich compared to the other platforms in this comparison, although also a little dated and not too easy to use.<\/p>\n Pipeliner\u2019s pricing rises quite steeply as you need more functionality, which probably makes it a better fit for mid-sized companies with deep pockets.<\/p>\n \u201cPipeliner integrates the most important elements of sales management into a CRM \u2013 sales velocity, team management, supervised follow-ups and forecasts. It\u2019s the best tool for sales teams that desire more efficiency.\u201d writes Dan O.<\/a>, a freelance content project manager, about Pipeliner CRM.<\/p>\n When I gave Pipeliner CRM a try, the first thing that caught my attention was its visually appealing interface. The platform is built around visual sales pipelines, and it\u2019s clear that the designers put a lot of thought into making the experience as intuitive as possible. I could easily drag and drop leads between stages, which made managing the sales process feel almost like playing a game.<\/p>\n However, I did find the software to be somewhat outdated in terms of user experience. The interface, while visually appealing, wasn\u2019t as smooth or responsive as I would have liked. It took a bit of time to get used to the way data is organized, and I found myself wishing for more modern features like automated lead enrichment or more advanced email tracking.<\/p>\n Despite these drawbacks, Pipeliner CRM does offer a comprehensive set of tools for sales management. It\u2019s particularly strong in its ability to provide live overviews of what leads are doing, which can be very useful for keeping track of active opportunities. That said, the pricing structure can get quite steep, especially if you need more advanced features, making it a better fit for mid-sized companies with specific needs.<\/p>\n Features Pipeliner CRM offers: 5\/10<\/p>\n Features Pipeliner CRM doesn\u2019t offer:<\/p>\n G2 review scoring:<\/p>\n Final result:<\/p>\n Pricing to get all of the above (5 of 10 features) on the Pipeliner Business plan:<\/p>\n Pipeliner offers a free trial of 14 days.<\/span><\/p>\n Freshworks CRM (formerly known as Freshsales) is a sales CRM<\/a> from Freshworks, the company behind \/ initially called Freshdesk. Freshworks was founded in 2010 to provide a better, cheaper solution for customer service teams.<\/p>\n Freshworks\u2019 main selling point is its feature depth. It has also managed to offer this range of functionality through an easier to use interface than its competitor\/predecessor from the same city, Zoho.<\/p>\n What makes Freshworks strong is also its weakness: the interface is full of so many little buttons that common side-effects of using the sales platform include a mild headache, fatigue and dizziness. \ud83d\ude05<\/p>\n Testing Freshworks CRM was an experience in contrasts. On one hand, the platform offers a deep feature set, which is impressive for its price point. The interface is clean, with a modern design that\u2019s easy to navigate at first glance. Setting up the sales pipeline was straightforward, and I appreciated the drag-and-drop functionality that allowed me to move leads through different stages easily.<\/p>\n But as I spent more time with the software, I started to notice the sheer number of options and features, which made the interface feel a bit overwhelming. Every task seemed to involve a few more clicks than necessary, and I found myself wishing for a more streamlined process. The multitude of buttons and options led to a kind of \u201cbutton fatigue,\u201d where I had to pause frequently to remember where specific features were located.<\/p>\n Despite this, Freshworks CRM excels in providing a comprehensive toolset for sales teams. The platform\u2019s depth is both its strength and its weakness\u2014great for teams that need all those features but potentially overwhelming for those who prefer a simpler, more focused experience.<\/p>\n Features Freshworks CRM offers: 5\/10<\/p>\n Features Freshworks CRM doesn\u2019t offer:<\/p>\n G2 review scoring:<\/p>\n Final result:<\/p>\n Pricing to get all of the above (5 of 10 features) on Freshsales Enterprise plan*:<\/p>\n * Sequences with stricter limits also available on Pro plan<\/p>\n Close is a sales CRM company that grew from an outbound sales agency that specialized in outbound calling.<\/p>\n This history is still clear when you try Close today, as it\u2019s more heavily focused than the other sales management software platforms in this list on calling features like a power dialer and a predictive dialer.<\/p>\n The software works a little differently than most, as it doesn\u2019t have \u201ccompanies\u201d as a concept and you need to create \u201copportunities\u201d linked to \u201cleads\u201d instead. But once you get used to how it works, it\u2019s relatively straightforward.<\/p>\n So, if calling a list of cold leads is what you do on a daily basis, this sales software system might very well be what you\u2019re looking for to up your sales team\u2019s performance.<\/p>\n When I tested Close, I immediately noticed how focused the platform is on sales communication, particularly outbound calling. The CRM is designed for teams that rely heavily on cold calling, and it shows. The built-in power dialer and predictive dialer are incredibly efficient, and they really streamline the process of working through a call list.<\/p>\n However, Close works a bit differently than other CRMs I\u2019ve used. Instead of organizing data around companies, it focuses on leads and opportunities, which took some getting used to. But once I adjusted to this approach, I found it quite effective for managing sales activities. The interface is clean and user-friendly, which made the setup process quick and painless.<\/p>\n One drawback is that Close lacks some of the more modern features found in other CRMs, like automated lead enrichment and detailed email tracking. But if your primary focus is on making calls and managing opportunities, Close is a solid choice. It\u2019s particularly well-suited for teams that need robust calling features built directly into their CRM.<\/p>\n Features Close offers: 5\/10<\/p>\n Features Close doesn\u2019t offer:<\/p>\n G2 review scoring:<\/p>\n Final result:<\/p>\n Pricing to get all of the above (5 of 10 features) on the Close Growth plan:<\/p>\n Pipedrive is an easy-to-use and easy-to-setup sales management software for small businesses<\/a> and startups<\/a>, and is therefore compared to Salesflare very often.<\/p>\n The company was founded in 2011 to launch a counterreaction to enterprise systems like Salesforce, which are built more for enterprise needs than they are for sales teams. Pipedrive set out to change that.<\/p>\n While the company is focused on helping you manage your sales in a better way, it keeps missing some of the more modern functionality offered by other platforms in this area.<\/p>\n My experience with Pipedrive was largely positive, particularly because of how user-friendly the platform is. From the moment I started, it was clear that Pipedrive is designed with simplicity in mind. Setting up my sales pipeline was a breeze, and the drag-and-drop interface made it easy to move deals through different stages.<\/p>\n What I appreciated most was the straightforward nature of the software. It doesn\u2019t try to do too much, which means there\u2019s less clutter and fewer unnecessary features. However, this simplicity also means that Pipedrive lacks some of the more advanced features you might find in alternative CRMs<\/a>, such as automated email sequences or advanced lead enrichment.<\/p>\n Despite these limitations, Pipedrive shines in making sales management accessible to small teams and startups. It\u2019s an excellent option if you\u2019re looking for a CRM that focuses on the essentials without overwhelming you with options. That said, if you need more sophisticated tools, you might find Pipedrive a bit too basic for your needs.<\/p>\n Features Pipedrive offers: 4\/10<\/p>\n Features Pipedrive doesn\u2019t offer:<\/p>\n G2 review scoring:<\/p>\n Final result:<\/p>\n Pricing to get all of the above (4 of 10 features) on the Pipedrive Premium plan:<\/p>\n
\nCore features of sales management software<\/h2>\n
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\nRanking sales management software: methodology<\/h2>\n
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\nThe 8 Best Sales Management Software ranked<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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\n1. Salesflare [9.8\/10]<\/a><\/u> \ud83c\udfc6<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"Salesflare's](\"https:\/\/images.storychief.com\/account_481\/desktop-gmail-plugin_fb5890f313e262945e292af774a24bcb_800.jpg)
<\/picture>![\"Manage](\"https:\/\/lib.salesflare.com\/images\/salesflare-awards-transparent-2024-800.avif)
<\/picture>Testing it out<\/h4>\n
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\n2. HubSpot CRM + Sales Hub [8.3\/10]<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"HubSpot](\"https:\/\/images.storychief.com\/account_481\/hubspot-homepage_359b97163ae375e19fe8fe786e8206e3_800.PNG\")
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\n+ an extra required fee of $1500 for onboarding<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n3. Pipeliner CRM [7.2\/10]<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"screenshot](\"https:\/\/images.storychief.com\/account_481\/pipeliner-crm-leads-pipeline_992d6d3c5414d10332d312463e3c27d7_800.png\")
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\n4. Freshworks CRM [7.0\/10]<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"homepage](\"https:\/\/images.storychief.com\/account_481\/freshworks-homepage_d148c8bb7ca06ddbbe3d58293632ce33_800.PNG\")
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\n5. Close [7.0\/10]<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"Close.com](\"https:\/\/images.storychief.com\/account_481\/close_aed0d860d52a7797ee375ab9ab56b92a_800.png\")
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\n6. Pipedrive [6.3\/10]<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"Pipedrive](\"https:\/\/images.storychief.com\/account_481\/pipedrive-homepage_e79ef31b376c107844e7c89d4a98fe43_800.PNG\")
<\/figure>\nTesting it out<\/h4>\n
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![\"Salesforce](\"https:\/\/images.storychief.com\/account_481\/salesforce-homepage_03a0839b28c2153b547df8459fd9eca7_800.PNG\")
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