The Best Alternatives to Monday.com CRM (With Pros, Cons & Pricing)
What is Monday.com?
Originally designed as a work operating system and project management tool, Monday.com has grown to offer a range of features, including customer relationship management (CRM) capabilities. It's visually appealing, highly customisable, and popular with teams that manage complex workflows, tasks, and internal collaboration.
But here’s the catch: while Monday.com can be used as a CRM, it wasn’t purpose-built for sales pipelines, contact management, or marketing automation. As a result, many businesses find themselves paying for features they don’t need, or struggling with workarounds to make it fit their customer journey.
If you're finding Monday.com too project-focused—or simply want a CRM with stronger sales and marketing capabilities—here are some powerful alternatives worth exploring.
1. Zoho CRM
Pros:
Affordable with a free plan for small teams
Highly customisable dashboards and workflows
Includes AI assistant "Zia" for insights and automation
Integrates with most major tools (Google Workspace, Slack, etc.)
Cons:
The interface can feel overwhelming for new users
Add-ons and custom modules can increase costs
Customer support is slower on lower-tier plans
Data migration from other platforms can be tricky
Pricing:
From $14/user/month (Standard) to $52/user/month (Ultimate), billed annually.
2. HubSpot CRM
Pros:
Generous free plan with unlimited users
Intuitive user interface with built-in AI tools
Great educational resources and community
Wide range of integrations with marketing and sales tools
Cons:
Premium features locked behind expensive upgrades
Onboarding fees may apply to higher tiers
Can become costly as your business scales
Some limitations in mobile functionality
Pricing:
Free plan available. Paid plans from $15/user/month (Starter), up to $90+/user/month for Pro.
3. Pipedrive
Pros:
Clear, visual pipeline interface
Focused on sales and lead tracking
Easy to use with strong automation features
400+ integrations and simple customisation
Cons:
No free plan
Can get expensive with add-ons
Limited depth for complex workflows
Some users report integration bugs
Pricing:
From $24/user/month (Essential) and up. Top plans can exceed $250/month with add-ons.
4. GoHighLevel (via MarketerM8)
Pros:
All-in-one CRM, marketing, and automation platform
Includes funnels, calendars, email, SMS, AI tools, and more
Great for agencies and small businesses
Unlimited users — ideal for SMEs looking to grow without extra per-user charges
One flat monthly subscription for core features
White-label options available for agencies
Replaces the need for multiple disconnected tools
Optional Extras (Pay-As-You-Go):
Emails: £8 per 10,000 emails sent
SMS/Text Messages: 6p per message (160 characters)
This lets you scale marketing communications affordably without being tied into bloated plans.
Cons:
CRM features are more streamlined — focused on speed and automation rather than deep customisation
Better suited to small teams and agencies than large enterprises
Slight learning curve for new users
Pricing:
Starts at £97/month (approx.), with unlimited users and core features included. Optional extras charged separately.
👉 Want to see how it works?
Watch our 8-minute GoHighLevel demo to see exactly how the platform helps you manage contacts, automate follow-ups, track leads, and simplify marketing — all from one place.
CRM Comparison Table
Final Thoughts
If Monday.com feels more like a task tracker than a true CRM, you’re not alone. These alternatives offer better focus on sales, marketing, and customer management — without the project management bloat.
Want to try a real all-in-one CRM that includes marketing automation and AI tools?
Book a discovery call, grab your 30-day free trial with MarketerM8 today.
