The CallTeam buying desk / 04

7 best CRMs for outbound sales
and cold calling.

Compare seven CRMs for calling and follow-up, including plan prices, extra costs and what to test during your trial.

Compare the 7 CRMs ↓Use the free trial checklist →

Close · HubSpot · Pipedrive · Freshsales · Zoho · Salesforce · monday CRM

Our starting shortlist: trial Close for calling inside the CRM, Pipedrive for pipeline visibility with a separate phone app, and Freshsales or Zoho when the subscription budget is tight. Give an existing HubSpot or Salesforce setup a fair chance before replacing it. Consider monday CRM for visual coordination and mobile calls.

Sources checked 7 November 2026. Official sources are linked in the reviews.

Moving out of spreadsheets? Our best CRM for small businesses guide covers first-CRM choices, small-team costs and a simple setup plan.

Need deeper call reviews beside your CRM? Compare Gong alternatives for conversation intelligence and coaching. For a separate sales engagement platform, our Outreach vs Salesloft guide covers sequences, CRM sync and extra charges.

Weighing a Salesforce renewal? Compare Salesforce alternatives and first-year costs for one, three or five users.

01 / The short answer

Which CRM fits
your sales team's day?

Start with the calling setup your team needs. Compare the required plan, connected phone apps and additional fees.

Swipe the table to see the calling setup, limits and extra costs.

Seven CRMs for cold calling and outbound sales: who they suit and what to check
CRMUseful forHow calling fitsLimits and extra costs
Close Calling, email and follow-up in the same CRM.Native calling. Growth adds a power dialer; Scale adds predictive.Power dialing starts on Growth. Calls and numbers still cost extra.
HubSpot Sales Hub Sales working with marketing and other teams in HubSpot.Native calling with account-level limits. Sequences need an eligible paid seat and plan.Professional has USD 1,500 onboarding. Its 3,000 calling minutes are shared, not per rep.
Pipedrive Teams that want pipeline visibility and structured follow-up.Web calling uses a Marketplace app. Mobile calling has its own supported routes.Budget for the calling app and check what actually gets logged.
Freshsales Small teams comparing built-in phone and sales sequences.Built-in phone, funded by phone credits. Confirm power-dialer eligibility.Freshsales, Freshsales Suite and Freshcaller are different products and configurations.
Zoho CRM Budget-conscious teams, especially those already using Zoho.Confirm the telephony service or Zoho Voice configuration and its charges.The CRM seat price does not establish the cost of your phone system or power dialer.
Salesforce Teams with established Salesforce processes or deeper configuration needs.The calling and sales-cadence setup depends on edition and connected products.Starter's USD 25 headline is not a quote for a complete SDR workflow.
monday CRM Teams coordinating sales tasks and handoffs through a visual workspace.Native Smart Call runs through the mobile app. It is not a browser power dialer.Minimum three paid seats. Smart Call usage consumes AI credits.
Make follow-up easy to find.

Assign an owner and due date to each follow-up, then check how easily reps can find those tasks.

Adding email sequences to the calling workflow? Compare cold email software and shared-team costs, including what your CRM may already cover.

Considering a separate calling platform? Check Nooks alternatives before adding another subscription.

Already happy with your CRM? Compare cold calling dialers that can work alongside it. Still choosing the data? Start with our B2B lead generation database comparison.

02 / No budget form to fill in

What does the
CRM subscription cost?

Find your team size. These are USD monthly equivalents on annual billing for the named plans. Calling packages differ. Phone usage, required onboarding and other extras are listed separately.

Annual-plan CRM subscriptions for 1, 3 and 5 users. Not a complete calling bill.
CRM and selected plan1 user3 users5 usersAdd this to the buying decision
CloseGrowthUSD 99/ monthUSD 297/ monthUSD 495/ monthCalling, phone numbers and optional usage are extra.
HubSpot Sales HubProfessionalUSD 90/ monthUSD 270/ monthUSD 450/ monthAdd USD 1,500 one-time onboarding. 3,000 calling minutes/account/month are shared; extra usage can cost more.
PipedriveGrowthUSD 39/ monthUSD 117/ monthUSD 195/ monthSeparate calling software and usage are not included.
FreshsalesProUSD 39/ monthUSD 117/ monthUSD 195/ monthPhone numbers and calling credits are extra. Confirm the exact phone package.
Zoho CRMStandardUSD 14/ monthUSD 42/ monthUSD 70/ monthPhone service, numbers, usage and any advanced dialer are separate buying checks.
SalesforceConfigured outbound setupConfirm setupConfirm setupConfirm setupWe have not established a complete calling configuration. Ask for the exact edition, phone service and follow-up tools.
monday CRMProUSD 84/ month
3 paid seats		USD 84/ monthUSD 140/ monthOne user still pays for three seats. Calling consumes credits; other apps can add fees.

Multiply a displayed monthly equivalent by 12 for the annual subscription. Taxes, currency conversion, phone usage and unlisted add-ons are excluded. monday sells seat buckets: one user needs three paid seats; four users need five. Salesforce Starter begins at USD 25/user/month, but we have not priced it as a complete calling-and-cadence setup. Each review links to the source and monthly-payment terms.

Annual subscription examples

Three Close Growth users: USD 297 monthly equivalent × 12 = USD 3,564/year for the CRM subscription. Add calling, numbers and any optional usage you buy.

Three HubSpot Professional seats: USD 270 × 12 + USD 1,500 required onboarding = USD 4,740 in year one, before tax and other extras.

Budgeting for the campaign as well?

Software is one expense. Use your calling costs, expected held meetings and customer economics to check the wider plan.

Calculate your campaign ROI →

Get help with your outbound calls.

CallTeam can research the accounts, make the calls and handle follow-up. Bring your current setup and tell us where the work is getting stuck.

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03 / CallTeam's verdicts

Our verdict on each CRM.

Each review covers calling features, setup requirements and extra costs.

For a team that spends its day calling

Close

Official plans ↗

Growth: USD 99/user/month billed annually, or USD 109 on monthly billing.

What it does well

Growth includes a power dialer and Workflows, with contact history, the call queue and follow-up in one system.

What we do not like

Essentials excludes Workflows and the power dialer. Growth has additional calling and phone number charges. Check whether the import covers historical calls, notes and tasks as well as contacts.

Official sources: Plans and usage ↗ · Workflow steps ↗ · Historical data imports ↗

When sales shares the wider customer record

HubSpot Sales Hub

Official plans ↗

Professional: USD 90/seat/month paid annually, or USD 100 paid monthly with an annual commitment.

What it does well

A sensible shortlist when sales needs the same contact history as marketing and the rest of the business. Professional includes sequences and broader automation. Keeping those teams on connected records can matter more than the lowest seat price.

What we do not like

The free or discounted Starter headline does not price a Professional outbound workflow. Onboarding adds USD 1,500. Calling minutes are pooled across the account, and country support and extra capacity need checking.

Official sources: Sales Hub pricing ↗ · Product catalogue and pooled allowances ↗ · Sequence requirements ↗

Facing a HubSpot upgrade or renewal? Compare HubSpot CRM alternatives, first-year costs and switching checks.

A clear pipeline with your choice of calling app

Pipedrive

Official plans ↗

Growth: USD 39/seat/month billed annually, or USD 49 on monthly billing.

What it does well

Growth adds email sync, automations and follow-up sequences to a visual pipeline. It fits teams that want to see each deal's next action and are comfortable choosing the phone system separately.

What we do not like

Pipedrive's web calling requires a connected phone app. Add its subscription and usage charges to the CRM price, and check what the integration logs.

Official sources: Current plans ↗ · USD Growth billing options ↗ · Calling options ↗ · Sequences ↗

Calling and follow-up at a lower subscription price

Freshsales

Official plans ↗

Pro: USD 39/user/month billed annually, or USD 47 on monthly billing.

What it does well

Pro includes sales sequences with email, call and task steps, alongside built-in phone. That is a relevant starting point when a small team wants organised follow-up without the subscription price of some larger platforms.

What we do not like

Phone credits are separate. The power-dialer help page limits access to eligible Freshsales Suite accounts, so confirm eligibility for the product and plan in your quote.

Official sources: Pro features and annual price ↗ · Monthly and annual price list ↗ · Sequence limits ↗ · Power-dialer eligibility ↗ · Phone credits ↗

For a team prepared to configure the workflow

Zoho CRM

Official plans ↗

Standard: USD 14/user/month billed annually, or USD 20 on monthly billing.

What it does well

Standard includes Cadences for follow-up. It suits teams seeking a lower subscription price or already working with other Zoho products.

What we do not like

A connected phone service has its own costs and behaviour. Cadence limits vary by edition, and Professional adds process controls. Include time to configure the calling queue and rules for ending follow-up.

Official sources: USD prices and editions ↗ · Cadences and limits ↗ · PhoneBridge requirements ↗ · Zoho Voice pricing ↗

When the wider sales operation needs it

Salesforce

Official plans ↗

Configured outbound setup: Starter Suite: USD 25/user/month, monthly or annual billing. Confirm the edition and quote for calling and cadences.

What it does well

Salesforce offers extensive configuration and reporting options across a wider sales operation. If the company already uses it, keeping account ownership, opportunities and handoffs in that system may be more useful than introducing another CRM.

What we do not like

The current pricing page and Sales Engagement documentation use different edition labels. Ask Salesforce to confirm which edition and add-ons support your calling and cadence setup. Get the configuration and implementation responsibilities in writing.

Official sources: Current suites and pricing ↗ · Sales Engagement pricing ↗ · Edition requirements ↗

Visual workflow and mobile calling

monday CRM

Official plans ↗

Pro: USD 28/seat/month billed annually, or USD 41 on monthly billing. Minimum three seats, then seat buckets.

What it does well

A visual workspace for leads, deals and team handoffs, with sequences on Pro. Smart Call adds mobile calling and logged call history.

What we do not like

Smart Call currently has no browser calling or power dialer. Connected minutes consume five AI credits each, and plans start at three paid seats. Confirm the cost of those credits and the setup required for a desktop calling queue.

Official sources: Plans ↗ · Published billing options ↗ · Seat minimum and buckets ↗ · Smart Call limitations ↗ · Calling credits ↗ · Verified caller ID and callbacks ↗

04 / The comparisons buyers ask for

Compare the CRMs
on your shortlist.

Close vs HubSpot

Trial Close when the daily job centres on calls and follow-up. Give HubSpot serious weight when sales shares the wider customer record with marketing and other teams. Compare the relevant paid tiers, usage and onboarding. If your HubSpot workflow already works, a cheaper-looking seat elsewhere may not justify moving.

Close vs Pipedrive

Close Growth includes the power dialer. Pipedrive Growth gives you a pipeline and follow-up sequences, with a separate calling app for web calls. Compare the complete route from call to note to callback. Pick the combination that leaves fewer manual steps in your actual process.

HubSpot vs Salesforce

Start with the records and reporting the wider business needs. Then ask each vendor to demonstrate your calling and follow-up workflow on the quoted edition. An established company setup can be worth keeping. A small team should be equally willing to decide that the required configuration is more than it needs.

Pipedrive vs monday CRM

Compare the follow-up workflow behind the visual pipeline. Pipedrive's web calling comes through a connected app. monday offers native mobile calling, but its current Smart Call release lacks browser power dialing. Check the calling route and paid-seat minimum before choosing either by the look of its boards.

Apollo deals, tasks and reporting

Can Apollo replace a CRM?

Apollo supports deals, tasks and pipeline reporting alongside prospecting and outreach. Check whether your existing plan covers the work your team needs to do.

Use the trial checklist to test ownership, callbacks, history, follow-up and opportunity reporting. If you connect HubSpot or Salesforce, confirm which system controls deal stages and how field updates sync.

Official sources: Apollo deals overview ↗ · Pipeline and CRM sync rules ↗

Read our Apollo data-provider verdict →

If contact coverage is the issue, compare Apollo alternatives and enrichment options before changing the CRM.

Running LinkedIn sequences as well? Our LinkedIn automation comparison covers reply handling, exports and the handoff your CRM needs.

05 / Free. No email required.

Six checks before
you commit to a CRM.

Choose a CRM and run the six tasks during its demo or free trial. Tick each task after testing it, then record what worked, what failed and what needs checking.

0 of 6 checks triedCopy your checklist to keep the findings.
Download a blank checklist ↓

Use test records and numbers you control. Your progress is saved separately for each CRM in this browser when storage is available.

Follow-up fields to use

Give every follow-up an owner.

Keep mobile, direct and company numbers in separate fields. Give scheduled callbacks their own queue. Record an unanswered attempt against that number and schedule the next contact.

Get the calling-list template →
Company and contact
Number type: mobile / direct / company
Last call outcome
Next action
Due date, time and prospect's time zone
Owner
Stop / suppression status

Prepare your cold calling script.

When you move from testing the workflow to making calls, bring an opening and questions that fit your buyer.

Free script library

Find words for your next call.

Choose a B2B script by industry or situation. Adapt the opening, questions and replies to your buyer.

Browse free cold calling scripts → Free script checker

Check your opening before you dial.

Paste your draft, review the wording and edit an opening you can practise. No email required.

Check my cold call opening →

06 / Direct answers

Before you choose
your outbound sales CRM.

What is the best CRM for cold calling?

Choose Close Growth for a native power dialer and automated follow-up. Compare Freshsales Pro for built-in phone and sequences; check power-dialer access separately. Keep your existing HubSpot, Pipedrive, Zoho or Salesforce setup if it already handles records and connects to the dialer you need.

Which CRM is best for a small outbound sales team?

Shortlist around the work: Close for calling in the CRM; Pipedrive for a visual pipeline with a separate calling app; Freshsales or Zoho when subscription cost matters. Include HubSpot or Salesforce when the wider business already uses it. For one person considering monday CRM, account for its three-seat minimum. Trial the callback and follow-up workflow before paying annually.

Does a CRM with calling include a power dialer?

Not necessarily. Click-to-call, mobile calling and a power dialer are different workflows. Close places power dialing on Growth. Pipedrive web calling uses a connected app. monday Smart Call is mobile-based and currently lacks power dialing. Ask the vendor to show the mode on the exact plan you are buying.

Can I use Apollo instead of a CRM?

Apollo supports deals, tasks and pipeline reporting as well as prospecting and outreach. It may cover a small team's requirements. Before buying another CRM, check ownership, history, follow-up, reporting and the handoff you need. If you connect a CRM, decide which system owns each field and stage, and test the sync.

How much does a CRM for cold calling cost?

Separate the CRM subscription from the calling setup. This guide shows selected annual-plan subscriptions for one, three and five users. Phone usage, numbers, dialer apps, onboarding and AI credits can be additional costs. HubSpot Professional has required onboarding, and monday CRM has a minimum seat purchase. Salesforce's configured calling cost requires an edition-specific quote.

Do I need to change my CRM before hiring a cold calling agency?

Not automatically. First agree on account ownership, required fields, suppression rules, activity reporting and meeting handoff. Discuss the access or import process with the agency. CallTeam can review that workflow with you; an exact integration should be confirmed for the campaign rather than assumed.

Will an AI CRM fix missed follow-ups?

It can help create tasks or summarise activity, but somebody still needs to own the rules. Test whether a callback keeps its agreed time, a reply ends the correct sequence, and a stop request reaches every calling queue. A generated summary is useful only if it is accurate and the next action reaches the right person.

Keep this page for your next trial or renewal. Reuse the checklist, check the source date and confirm the current offer before you sign.

Outsourced cold calling

Hire CallTeam to run
your calling campaign.

CallTeam researches accounts, prepares calling lists, speaks with prospects and books qualified conversations. We can discuss the records, reporting and handoff your campaign needs.

Bring your offer, target buyers and current CRM. We will tell you where we can help and whether the campaign is a fit.

Book a free 30-minute call ↗See appointment-setting services →
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