What is the best CRM for a small business?

In short:

1. Four CRMs for small businesses in France are compared based on their pricing pages checked on 28 October 2026: Axonaut, HubSpot, Pipedrive and Sellsy.
2. Axonaut is the only one of the four to combine CRM, invoicing and accounting in a single price: €97 per month with no commitment for one user, then €30 per additional user, with discounts of 20 to 40% when paying 1 to 3 years in advance.
3. HubSpot offers a free CRM for up to 2 users and 1,000 contacts, Pipedrive starts at €14 excl. VAT per user per month billed annually, and Sellsy Sales at €29 excl. VAT on annual payment with a 12-month commitment.
4. Axonaut and Sellsy appear on the official list of approved e-invoicing platforms published by the French tax authority (DGFiP).

Comparison table of CRMs for small businesses

Method: prices and features come from the vendors’ pricing and product pages, consulted on 28 October 2026. Prices are shown as displayed, without conversion. A “not noted” or “not found” cell means the information did not appear on the page or list consulted, not that the feature is missing.

Why a CRM makes a difference for a small business

Choosing the best CRM for a small business first means answering one question: should the CRM only track prospects, or also produce quotes and invoices? The four tools compared answer this differently.

A CRM’s role is the same everywhere: centralising contacts, the history of interactions and sales opportunities. The basics are covered in the article CRM: definition, features and business uses.

For a small business, two constraints weigh more than elsewhere: the budget per user and the number of tools to manage. A CRM that requires buying separate invoicing software costs more than it seems.

The criteria used for the comparison

• The entry price and the cost of an additional user.
• Whether there is a free plan or a trial.
• The commitment: monthly, annual or multi-year.
• Built-in invoicing and accounting.
• Approved platform status for French e-invoicing.

E-invoicing: a new criterion for choosing a CRM in France

According to economie.gouv.fr (page in French, consulted on 27 October 2026), all businesses must be able to receive electronic invoices since 1 September 2026, and small and micro businesses will have to issue them from 1 September 2027.

A CRM that also produces invoices therefore has to go through a platform approved by the State. The DGFiP publishes the list of approved platforms. In the version consulted on 27 October 2026, Axonaut and Sellsy appear on the list of operators that have met all conditions. HubSpot and Pipedrive were not found on it.

Criteria specific to invoicing are covered in the guide to choosing invoicing software.

Axonaut: the all-in-one CRM for small businesses

Axonaut is French management software that brings together CRM, quotes and invoices, accounting, cash flow, expenses, stock management, projects, HR and ticketing. Its pricing page states that all these features are included in the subscription, with no per-module payment. Details are on Axonaut’s pricing page.

The price depends only on the number of users. According to the check made on 28 October 2026, the small business plan (fewer than 10 employees) costs €97 per month billed monthly with no commitment, one user included, then €30 per month per additional user. The monthly price drops when paying in advance: €77.60 over 1 year, €67.90 over 2 years and €58.20 over 3 years. The page does not state whether these prices exclude VAT.

Axonaut’s key features

• All included: CRM, invoicing, accounting, cash flow, HR and marketing in a single subscription. Only some external services (e-signature, online invoice payment, postal mail) are charged as options.
• E-invoicing: included at no extra cost, with Axonaut presenting itself as an approved platform, which the DGFiP list confirms.
• No commitment when billed monthly, with 20%, 30% or 40% off for 1, 2 or 3 years paid in advance.
• Free trial of 15 days.
• Business account included in the subscription.
• Medium business plan (10 employees and more) on quote, with a dedicated contact and data migration.

Bringing CRM and accounting together in one tool also links it to the software reviewed in the comparison of the best accounting software in France.

Detailed comparison: HubSpot, Pipedrive and Sellsy against Axonaut

HubSpot, the free CRM to get started

HubSpot states on its product page that its CRM is free, with no expiry date and no credit card. The free plan includes up to 2 users and 1,000 contacts.

Paid plans (Starter, Pro, Enterprise) are advertised “from €15”, “from €50” and “from €75” per month per licence. A note specifies that this is a promotional offer for new customers, and the FAQ on the same page gives a starting price of €20 for Starter. The detailed pricing page did not load during the check.

HubSpot is the logical choice to try a CRM with no budget. The limit of 1,000 contacts and 2 users, however, comes quickly for an active sales team.

Pipedrive, the pipeline-focused CRM

Pipedrive focuses on managing sales opportunities. Its pricing page shows four plans, per user per month billed annually, excluding VAT: Lite at €14, Growth at €39, Premium at €59 and Ultimate at €79. Monthly billing exists, but its price is not displayed.

The free trial lasts 14 days, with no commitment and no credit card. Pipedrive offers no permanent free plan. Invoicing has to be handled in another tool.

Sellsy, the modular French alternative

Sellsy works by licence: Sales, Invoicing, or Sales and Invoicing, with add-on modules (cash flow, marketing). For the Sales licence, the pricing page shows, with annual payment, Standard at €29, Evolution at €49 and Elite at €79 excl. VAT per user per month. With monthly payment, Standard rises to €35 excl. VAT. The commitment is 12 months in both cases.

The Standard Sales plan includes contact management, the SIRENE company directory, a pipeline view, e-signature, automatic reminders, and email and SMS campaigns. Sellsy appears on the official list of approved platforms, but invoicing requires an additional Invoicing licence.

Summary of the differences

Who is it for? Recommendations by profile

Small business that wants a single management tool

For a small business that handles its own quotes, invoices and customer relationships, Axonaut is the most consistent choice among the four. A single subscription covers the CRM and e-invoicing, which avoids buying and connecting several tools.

Freelancer or very small team getting started

HubSpot’s free CRM makes it possible to organise contacts at no cost. A separate invoicing tool will be needed, and the 1,000-contact limit should be anticipated.

Sales team tracking many opportunities

Pipedrive is the most direct way to visualise and move a pipeline forward. Sellsy suits those who want to stay with a French vendor and add invoicing later, accepting the 12-month commitment.

How to choose your CRM

1. List what the CRM must do: sales tracking only, or also quotes, invoices and accounting.
2. Calculate the real annual cost for the planned number of users, commitment included.
3. Check approved platform status on the official DGFiP list if the CRM produces invoices.
4. Test during the trial with real contacts and a real pipeline.
5. Plan the connections with the company’s other tools.

Connections between the CRM and the rest of the stack can go through an automation tool: the comparison Zapier, Make or n8n helps choose the right one. A CRM also holds personal data: cybersecurity best practices apply to every user account.

Mistakes to avoid

1. Comparing entry prices without accounting for the number of users.
2. Forgetting the 12-month commitment of some plans.
3. Choosing a CRM without planning how to produce compliant invoices.
4. Relying on a promotional price without checking the rate after the first year.
5. Importing contacts without cleaning them first.

Frequently asked questions