Finding the best CRM software in Australia is crucial for businesses aiming to enhance customer relationships, streamline operations, and drive sales growth. With specific local needs such as Australian data storage, compliance with local regulations, and integration with Australian business systems, selecting the right CRM can be challenging.
We’ve rigorously tested numerous CRM products, evaluating them on factors like ease of use, pricing, scalability, and local support, to bring you the most reliable and effective options tailored for the Australian market.
Techopedia’s Top CRM Systems for Australia
monday CRM — Best CRM software in Australia for project management integration
Salesforce — Best CRM Australia for large enterprises
The 10 Top CRM Systems in Australia Ranked
- monday CRM — Best CRM Software in Australia for Project Management Integration
- Pipedrive — Best CRM Australia for Sales Teams
- HubSpot — Best Free CRM Software Australia for Small Businesses
- Salesforce — Best CRM Australia for Large Enterprises
- Zoho — Best CRM Software in Australia for Real Estate
- Maximizer CRM — Best CRM for Sales Performance Analytics in Australia
- Bonsai — Best CRM Software in Australia for Freelancers and Solopreneurs
- Less Annoying CRM — Best Simple CRM Australia for Small Teams
- Engagebay — Best Free CRM Software in Australia for Marketing Automation
- Tall Emu CRM — Best Australian CRM for for Medium-Sized Businesses
- Show Full Guide
The Top 10 Australian CRM Software Reviewed
Choosing the right CRM software for your business can feel overwhelming with so many options out there. Below, I’ll dive into the details of each of Australia’s best CRM software, highlighting their standout features, pricing, and who they’re best suited for.
1. monday CRM – Best CRM Software in Australia for Project Management Integration
Starting Price | $16/user/month |
---|---|
Free Version | ✅ |
Key Features | Project management integration, Automations, Customisable templates |
Document Library | ✅ |
Mobile App Support | ✅ |
Pros
- Excellent integration of project and client management
- Highly customizable with numerous templates
- Easy-to-use automation features for routine tasks
Cons
- Time tracking is only available on Pro and Enterprise plans
- Mobile app is less intuitive compared to the desktop version
2. Pipedrive — Best CRM Australia for Sales Teams
Starting Price | $20.62/user/month* |
---|---|
Free Version | 14-day free trial |
Key Features | Sales pipeline management, AI sales assistant, Task automation |
Document Library | ❌ |
Mobile App Support | ✅ |
Pros
- Excellent for sales pipeline visibility and management
- Easy to set up and customize workflows
- Offers robust automation features that save time
Cons
- No free forever plan
- Limited document management capabilities
3. HubSpot CRM — Best Free CRM Software Australia for Small Businesses
Starting Price | $22/user/month |
---|---|
Free Version | ✅ |
Key Features | Lead management, Email marketing, AI content assistant |
Document Library | ❌ |
Mobile App Support | ✅ |
Pros
- Robust free plan with impressive features
- Easy-to-use AI tools for content and marketing
- Seamless integration with Gmail, Outlook, and Slack
Cons
- High cost for advanced features in paid plans
- Can become complex for beginners as more features are unlocked
4. Salesforce — Best CRM Australia for Large Enterprises
Starting Price | $35/user/month |
---|---|
Free Version | 30-day trial |
Key Features | AI-powered automation, Advanced reporting, 3,000+ integrations |
Document Library | ✅ |
Mobile App Support | ✅ |
Pros
- Einstein AI offers advanced lead scoring and automation
- Highly customizable with 3,000+ integrations
- Robust reporting and forecasting tools for real-time insights
Cons
- Steep learning curve for new users
- Expensive compared to other CRMs
5. Zoho CRM — Best CRM Software in Australia for Real Estate
Starting Price | $22/user/month |
---|---|
Free Version | ✅ (3 users) |
Key Features | Lead management, Automation, AI assistant |
Document Library | ✅ |
Mobile App Support | ✅ |
Pros
- Customizable dashboards and workflows for real estate businesses
- Affordable pricing plans with a robust free option
- AI-powered tools to streamline lead and client management
Cons
- Steep learning curve for setup and configuration
- Integration with third-party apps can be challenging
6. Maximizer CRM — Best CRM for Sales Performance Analytics in Australia
Starting Price | $89/user/month |
---|---|
Free Version | Demo available |
Key Features | Sales pipeline management, Customer health analytics, AI-powered sales insights |
Document Library | ✅ |
Mobile App Support | ✅ |
Pros
- Excellent sales performance monitoring and coaching tools
- Customer health analytics to reduce churn
- Customizable sales pipelines with AI-powered insights
Cons
- Interface feels outdated and less intuitive compared to competitors
- No free trial, only a demo available
7. Bonsai — Best CRM Software in Australia for Freelancers and Solopreneurs
Starting Price | $30.93/user/month* |
---|---|
Free Version | 7-day trial |
Key Features | Invoicing, Time-tracking, Client management |
Document Library | ✅ |
Mobile App Support | ✅ |
Pros
- User-friendly platform designed for freelancers
- Automates invoicing and time-tracking
- Affordable, with an integrated document library for contracts and proposals
Cons
- Limited features for larger teams
- Lacks double-entry accounting without QuickBooks integration
8. Less Annoying CRM — Best Simple CRM Australia for Small Teams
Starting Price | $22.10/user/month* |
---|---|
Free Version | 30-day trial |
Key Features | Project management integration, automations, customizable templates |
Document Library | ❌ |
Mobile App Support | ✅ |
Pros
- Simple, user-friendly interface
- Unlimited contacts and pipelines at a flat rate
- Customizable to suit different business needs
Cons
- Lacks built-in email marketing
- No AI automation features
9. Engagebay — Best Free CRM Software in Australia for Marketing Automation
Starting Price | $16.26/user/month* |
---|---|
Free Version | ✅ |
Key Features | Marketing automation, Lead scoring, Email templates |
Document Library | ❌ |
Mobile App Support | ✅ |
Pros
- Free plan available
- Comprehensive marketing automation tools
- Lead scoring included even in low-cost plans
Cons
- Limited third-party integrations
- Not as scalable for large businesses
10. Tall Emu CRM — Best Australian CRM for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses
Starting Price | $95/user/month |
---|---|
Free Version | 14-day trial |
Key Features | Inventory management, Sales pipeline, MYOB/Xero integration |
Document Library | ✅ |
Mobile App Support | ✅ |
Pros
- Fully integrated with Australian accounting software (MYOB/Xero)
- Real-time inventory tracking and order management
- Free customer portal for online payments and order tracking
Cons
- Lacks some advanced features like AI-powered automation
- Not as scalable for very large enterprises
The Top 10 Australian CRM Software Compared
Here’s a detailed comparison of the top CRM software available in Australia, showcasing their key features, pricing, and other important factors to help you find the right solution for your business.
Providers | monday CRM | Pipedrive | HubSpot | Salesforce | Zoho CRM | Maximizer CRM | Bonsai | Less Annoying CRM | Engagebay | Tall Emu CRM |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Best for | Project Management Integration | Sales Teams | Small Businesses | Large Enterprises | Real Estate | Sales Performance Analytics | Freelancers & Solopreneurs | Small Teams | Marketing Automation | Small and Medium-Sized Businesses |
Free Version | ✅ | 14-day trial | ✅ | 30-day trial | ✅ (3 users) | Demo available | 7-day trial | 30-day trial | ✅ | 14-day trial |
Starting Price | $16/user/month | $20.62/user/month | $22/user/month | $35/user/month | $22/user/month | $89/user/month | $30.93/user/month | $22.10/user/month | $16.26/user/month | $95/user/month |
Document Library | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
Pipeline Management | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Analytics | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
Mobile App Support | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
We base our recommendations on first-hand testing. All the CRM Software products we feature, have been tested based on the following criteria. You can find more information on our dedicated page on how we review and test CRM products.How We Review And Test CRM Software
What is CRM Software in Australia?
CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software helps businesses manage interactions with their customers and prospects.
It centralizes customer data, tracks communications, and automates tasks like follow-ups and sales processes. For businesses in Australia, it’s particularly useful for staying organized, nurturing relationships, and streamlining sales pipelines.
One of the key benefits of using CRM software is its ability to integrate with tools you already use—like MYOB and Xero for accounting, or Mailchimp for marketing. This makes it easier to run your business without jumping between systems.
Plus, CRM systems help you maintain compliance with Australian data regulations, ensuring your customer data is securely stored locally and handled according to legal standards, such as the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).
Whether you’re a small business or a large company, CRM software simplifies day-to-day operations by keeping all your client information in one place. From tracking leads to managing customer relationships, a good CRM system can save you time, reduce errors, and ultimately help you close more deals.
What Type of CRM Software Should I Choose?
When choosing CRM software, it’s important to find one that fits your business’s needs. Here are the main types of CRM software and who they’re best suited for:
- Operational CRM: This type focuses on streamlining and automating everyday tasks like sales, marketing, and customer service. If you’re a business with multiple customer touchpoints and want to automate tasks like follow-up emails or lead assignments, an operational CRM is a great choice. It helps keep things running smoothly while saving time.
- Analytical CRM: Analytical CRM is all about gathering and analyzing customer data to improve your business decisions. It’s ideal for companies that rely heavily on data-driven insights to understand customer behavior, identify trends, and make strategic decisions. If you love reports, analytics, and understanding what makes your customers tick, this is for you.
- Collaborative CRM: For teams that need to work together across departments—like sales, marketing, and customer support—collaborative CRM is perfect. It ensures everyone stays on the same page by sharing customer information and communication history. Businesses with large teams or those that work across multiple locations will find this type especially useful.
How to Choose the Best CRM Software
Choosing the right CRM software for your business is crucial for managing customer relationships, streamlining processes, and growing efficiently.
With so many options on the market, it’s important to think about what specific features your business will truly benefit from. Whether you’re a small team or a growing enterprise, the best CRM will support your goals, improve communication, and help you scale.
Key Features To Consider When Choosing an Australian CRM
After thorough hands-on testing with the top CRM platforms, I found that these are the main features you should look for in a CRM system:
- Contact Management: A solid CRM will let you store and organize customer information easily, ensuring that you can track communication history, follow-ups, and any other client interactions in one place.
- Document Management: Being able to store, share, and manage documents like proposals, contracts, and invoices within the CRM can save time and keep all your important files in one accessible hub.
- Sales Pipeline Management: Look for a CRM with clear sales pipeline tools that allow you to track leads, monitor deals, and manage customer journeys from start to finish. This helps ensure that nothing falls through the cracks.
- Third-Party Integrations: A good CRM will integrate with your other business tools, like email platforms, accounting software, and even social media. This ensures a seamless workflow and reduces the need for manual data entry.
- Customizations: Every business has unique processes, so having a CRM that can be customized to fit your exact needs—whether that’s custom dashboards, fields, or workflows—can make a big difference in how useful the tool is for you.
- Security: With Australian businesses subject to specific data regulations, such as the Privacy Act and compliance with GDPR, it’s crucial that your CRM offers top-notch security features. Look for encryption, role-based access controls, and adherence to local standards to ensure your customer data remains safe and protected.
- Reporting and Analytics: Analytics and reporting features are key for understanding your performance. A CRM should provide easy-to-use reports and dashboards that give insights into sales trends, customer behavior, and other important metrics to help make informed business decisions.
Data Privacy in Australia
Data privacy is a top priority for Australian businesses, governed primarily by the Privacy Act 1988, which outlines how personal information should be handled.
With updates to the Privacy Act and increasing public concern over data breaches, it’s essential for businesses to use CRM systems that comply with these regulations.
Many businesses in Australia choose CRMs that store data locally, ensuring compliance with data sovereignty laws and better control over sensitive information.
Privacy Act Updates
The Privacy Act 1988 has undergone significant reforms to keep up with modern challenges, particularly in response to growing digital threats. In recent years, the Act was updated to include stricter data handling measures, aimed at protecting sensitive personal information and ensuring transparency between businesses and consumers.
One notable update is the Privacy and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024, which includes the introduction of a Children’s Online Privacy Code and a new statutory tort for serious privacy invasions. These changes are designed to bring Australian privacy laws in line with global standards, such as the GDPR. For businesses, this means tighter regulations around collecting and processing personal data, and an increased obligation to implement robust data protection measures.
Increased Fines and Penalties
The amendments to the Privacy Act also introduced significant changes to penalties for non-compliance, responding to high-profile data breaches that highlighted the need for stricter enforcement. Previously, the maximum penalty for a privacy breach was $2.22 million.
Now, businesses face much steeper fines, which are:
- $50 million, or
- Three times the value of any benefit obtained through the misuse of information, or
- 30% of the company’s adjusted turnover in the relevant period
These new penalties are designed to encourage businesses to take data privacy seriously and implement stronger protections for customer information.
Prioritize Australian CRM Support
When choosing a CRM, it’s essential to prioritize support that works within Australian time zones. Many CRM providers are based in the U.S. or Europe, meaning their support hours may not align with when you need help most. For businesses operating in both Eastern and Western Australia, this can be even more of a challenge due to the time differences within the country.
Look for providers that offer 24/7 support, ideally with live chat options or chatbots that can assist you outside of regular business hours.
A comprehensive knowledge base is also crucial, allowing you to find answers to common issues quickly, without waiting for support to respond. CRM systems with local, Australian-based support teams are even better, as they’ll understand the unique needs of businesses here and provide quicker, tailored assistance.
The Benefits of CRM
A CRM tool is more than just software — it’s the backbone of effective customer management. Here are some of the top benefits you can expect from using a CRM:
- Centralized Data Management: With all customer information stored in one place, everyone in your business can access the data they need. Whether it’s customer history, past communications, or notes on leads, having everything in one system prevents misunderstandings and ensures smoother interactions with clients.
- Improved Customer Relationships: CRMs help track every customer interaction, so you can offer personalized service. By knowing what stage of the sales cycle a customer is in or their past purchasing behavior, you can tailor your approach, making customers feel valued and increasing their loyalty.
- Streamlined Communication: Whether through automated emails or task reminders for your sales team, CRMs make communication seamless. You’ll always know when to follow up with a lead or reach out to a customer, ensuring no opportunities are missed.
- Enhanced Marketing Campaigns: A CRM can manage your marketing campaigns, helping you segment your audience and create targeted, personalized messages. You can track the performance of campaigns in real-time, adjust strategies on the go, and see which tactics generate the most engagement.
- Lead Generation and Qualification: CRMs help you track and nurture leads more effectively, with tools to score leads based on their likelihood to convert. This means you can focus your efforts on the most promising prospects and close deals faster.
- Better Sales Pipeline Management: With a CRM, you can visualize your entire sales process, from lead generation to closing deals. This makes it easy to track where each opportunity is in the pipeline, prioritize tasks, and ensure your team is always working on high-impact activities.
- Increased Team Collaboration: CRMs allow multiple team members to access and work on the same customer records, improving collaboration. Sales, marketing, and support teams can all see the same customer data, ensuring consistency across departments.
- Data-Driven Decisions: CRM tools offer detailed analytics and reporting features that provide valuable insights into customer behavior, sales trends, and marketing performance. These insights empower you to make informed, data-driven decisions that can boost productivity and growth.
FAQs
Do I need a CRM for my business?
What is CRM software in Australia?
What is the easiest CRM to use?
How does CRM software protect my information?
What is the most popular CRM software?
References
AI in Sales: Boost Revenue and Close More Deals (Gartner)
What are Australian Privacy Principles (Imperva)
What is GDPR, the EU’s new data protection law? (GDPR.eu)
Privacy (Attorney-General’s Department)