Managing customer relationships and sending effective emails are key parts of running a business today. Companies need tools that can do both well. Finding the right CRM with email marketing tools can save time and help grow your business by keeping track of customers and sending them targeted messages.
The best CRM with email marketing solutions combine contact management, sales tracking, and email campaign features in one platform. These systems help businesses store customer data, track interactions, and create personalized email campaigns without switching between different tools. Popular options like HubSpot, ActiveCampaign, and Zoho CRM offer these integrated features that work well for small to medium-sized businesses looking to improve their customer communications.
1. HubSpot
HubSpot stands out as a leading CRM solution that combines powerful customer relationship management with robust email marketing tools. It builds its email marketing system on what they call the Smart CRM platform, which connects all your customer data to your email campaigns.
The platform offers free email marketing tools that let you send personalized messages to many people at once. Users can create branded emails with drag-and-drop templates without needing design skills or technical knowledge.
One major advantage of HubSpot is how it integrates email marketing with other business functions. This integration helps teams track interactions across marketing, sales, and customer service in one place.
HubSpot’s email marketing includes A/B testing features that help users determine which message versions perform better. This testing capability allows businesses to refine their approach based on real data rather than guesswork.
Not everyone agrees HubSpot is the best choice for email campaigns. Some users on Reddit have noted that it can be “big, complex and expensive” compared to alternatives. Small businesses might find the learning curve steep or the price point challenging.
HubSpot scales with business growth, making it suitable for companies expecting expansion. The platform offers various pricing tiers that add features as organizations develop more complex needs.
For businesses considering different options, HubSpot provides comparison resources to evaluate CRM solutions against competitors. This helps companies make informed decisions based on their specific requirements.
Small business owners often weigh HubSpot against alternatives like MailChimp, Brevo, Klaviyo, and SendGrid when selecting email marketing tools, as discussed in the HubSpot Community.
2. ActiveCampaign
ActiveCampaign stands out as a powerful solution for businesses seeking to combine CRM with email marketing capabilities. This platform offers intelligent email marketing automation that helps businesses reach new audiences while building loyalty with existing customers.
The system excels at connecting your customer data with your marketing efforts. It uses AI-powered automations to suggest, personalize, and validate marketing campaigns, making it easier to focus on what works for your specific business needs.
Many small businesses choose ActiveCampaign because it strikes a good balance between robust features and user-friendliness. The platform’s CRM tools help you track customer interactions and manage your sales pipeline effectively.
Email management is a core strength of ActiveCampaign. You can create targeted campaigns based on customer behavior, preferences, and past interactions. This targeted approach typically leads to higher engagement and conversion rates.
The platform offers a free 14-day trial with email sign-up, giving businesses a chance to test its features before committing. This trial period lets you explore how the automations work with your specific business model.
ActiveCampaign ranks among the best email marketing services with CRM capabilities, alongside competitors like HubSpot, EngageBay, and Brevo. Its strength lies in helping businesses store customer data while efficiently managing sales processes.
Some users have looked for alternatives to ActiveCampaign, but many stick with the platform due to its comprehensive feature set and reasonable pricing structure. The system works well for businesses of various sizes, though it particularly fits small to medium organizations.
3. Brevo
Brevo offers a comprehensive approach to email marketing with CRM capabilities built right in. Formerly known as Sendinblue, this platform has grown into an all-in-one solution for managing customer relationships through various channels including email, SMS, and chat.
The platform stores valuable customer data while providing strong email marketing features. This combination helps businesses track interactions and personalize communications effectively.
Small business owners appreciate Brevo for its user-friendly interface and affordable pricing structure. The free plan includes up to 300 emails per day, making it accessible for startups and small teams.
Brevo’s email builder comes with customizable templates that adapt well to mobile devices. Users can create professional-looking campaigns without design skills or technical knowledge.
The CRM functionality tracks customer journeys and helps segment audiences for targeted messaging. This feature proves particularly useful for sales teams who need to monitor leads and customer interactions.
Marketing automation tools in Brevo allow businesses to set up workflows based on customer behaviors. These automated sequences save time while nurturing leads through the sales funnel.
According to user feedback, Brevo provides solid performance for most email marketing needs. However, some users looking for more advanced design options might consider alternatives.
The platform ranks among the best email marketing services for 2025, particularly for businesses seeking integrated CRM capabilities without the complexity of enterprise solutions.
Analytics features give insights into campaign performance with metrics like open rates, click-throughs, and conversion tracking. These data points help marketers refine their approach for better results.
Brevo works well for growing businesses that need both email marketing and CRM functions without switching between multiple tools. This integration creates a more streamlined workflow for marketing teams.
4. EngageBay
EngageBay stands out as an all-in-one CRM solution that combines email marketing with sales and customer support tools. It’s designed specifically for growing businesses that need comprehensive customer management without breaking the bank.
The platform offers robust email marketing features that let users create campaigns, newsletters, and automated sequences. Users can send free emails, track performance, and improve ROI through detailed analytics.
One notable aspect of EngageBay is its automation capabilities. The system can handle repetitive tasks like sending follow-up emails, managing sales pipelines, and triggering marketing actions based on customer behavior.
Small businesses particularly appreciate EngageBay’s unified approach. Rather than juggling multiple tools, users can manage customer data, email campaigns, and sales processes in one place.
The built-in email marketing CRM software helps businesses organize contacts, segment audiences, and deliver personalized communications. This integration makes it easier to align marketing efforts with sales goals.
Many users highlight the platform’s live chat and help desk features as valuable additions to the core CRM functionality. These tools enhance customer support capabilities without requiring additional software investments.
EngageBay appears on several industry lists, including rankings of the best CRM with email marketing tools for 2025. Its combination of affordability and feature depth makes it competitive against larger, more expensive alternatives.
For businesses seeking to streamline their customer relationship management, EngageBay offers a practical solution that bridges marketing automation, sales tracking, and support functions in a single platform.
5. Salesmate
Salesmate stands out as a complete CRM and marketing automation solution for businesses looking to streamline their email marketing efforts. The platform combines contact management with powerful email campaign features.
Users can design beautiful email templates and send personalized messages quickly. This saves time while maintaining a personal touch with customers and leads.
Salesmate makes campaign tracking simple and effective. The system offers intelligent email campaign tracking that ensures GDPR compliance for businesses operating in Europe. This feature adds a layer of security and legal protection many other CRMs lack.
The platform lets teams automate their outreach efficiently. Users can set up campaigns and let the system handle the sending process, allowing sales teams to focus on responding to interested prospects.
For businesses seeking advanced features, Salesmate provides a comprehensive suite of tools to manage contacts and build customer relationships. The system helps track interactions and identify the best opportunities to connect with potential clients.
Small businesses appreciate how Salesmate combines essential CRM functions with robust email marketing capabilities. Teams can manage their entire sales process from initial contact through follow-up communications in one platform.
The email automation features help businesses maintain consistent communication with prospects without requiring constant manual effort. This proves especially valuable for teams with limited resources or growing customer bases.
6. Zoho CRM
Zoho CRM offers powerful email marketing integration that helps businesses connect with customers more effectively. The system allows you to blend your existing marketing tools with CRM features to track which leads convert best and analyze your marketing ROI.
For small businesses, Zoho CRM automates many key sales processes. These include sending customer emails, following up with leads, and updating required fields throughout your sales pipeline.
The platform helps users create more personalized email content by combining standard emails with specific CRM data and analytics. This targeted approach typically leads to better customer engagement and response rates.
Zoho CRM comes with many pre-made reports that track important metrics. You can see data like today’s sales numbers and identify which email templates get the highest click rates. Users can also build custom reports to match their specific needs.
Zoho Campaigns works alongside the CRM to handle email marketing campaigns. This integration lets you streamline your email efforts, personalize messages based on customer data, and track campaign results accurately.
The system brings emails directly into the CRM environment. This means sales teams don’t need to switch between different platforms to handle communication, making their workflow much smoother.
For marketing teams, Zoho CRM helps identify which campaigns produce the best results. This data makes it easier to adjust strategies and focus on what works best for specific customer segments.
Zoho CRM’s email management features turn basic customer communications into powerful sales tools. The platform stores all emails with relevant customer information, creating a complete picture of each relationship.
By connecting email marketing with CRM, businesses can create more targeted campaigns. This integration helps teams understand which marketing efforts provide the best return on investment.
7. EspoCRM
EspoCRM is a web-based customer relationship management system that helps businesses track company relationships. It stands out as an open-source CRM solution that offers both basic and advanced features for small businesses.
Unlike some competitors, EspoCRM includes built-in email marketing capabilities. The platform allows users to create and manage email marketing campaigns without requiring additional tools or integrations.
Users can craft email templates, send mass emails, and track the results of their campaigns directly within the system. This makes it easier to monitor how well marketing efforts perform.
The system offers email integration features that sync with email clients. This means all communication is tracked in one place, saving time and reducing the chance of missed follow-ups.
For businesses just starting out, EspoCRM presents a cost-effective option. Many users on Reddit have noted it’s an affordable alternative to Hubspot’s free version for small businesses.
While EspoCRM does have email marketing tools built in, it’s worth noting they might not be as robust as dedicated platforms. According to forum discussions, these features work well for basic needs but may lack the advanced functionality of specialized email marketing software like Mautic.
The platform lets businesses customize their experience based on specific needs. This flexibility makes it adaptable for various industries and company sizes.
With its 4.7 rating on review sites, EspoCRM has earned a positive reputation among users. The combination of CRM functionality and email marketing tools in one package helps streamline workflow for many small business owners.
8. BIGContacts
BIGContacts stands out as a comprehensive CRM solution with email marketing capabilities designed specifically for small and medium businesses. It combines contact management with powerful email marketing tools in one platform.
Users appreciate how BIGContacts helps solve common email management challenges. The system lets you track customer interactions and send timely follow-up emails without switching between different applications.
The platform offers a seamless integration between CRM and email marketing functions. This integration means businesses can create targeted email campaigns based on customer data stored in the CRM.
Small business owners often choose BIGContacts for its user-friendly interface. The learning curve is minimal, which means teams can start using it effectively with little training.
Email automation is a key feature that saves time. Users can set up automated sequences for welcome emails, follow-ups, and special promotions based on customer actions or dates.
For Gmail users, BIGContacts provides special integration features that connect your inbox directly with your customer database. This connection helps sales teams manage communications more efficiently.
The reporting tools give users insights into which email campaigns perform best. Metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and conversions help businesses refine their marketing strategies.
BIGContacts ranks among the top CRMs for email marketing in 2025. Its focus on combining contact management with email marketing makes it particularly valuable for relationship-based businesses.
A free trial option lets potential customers test the platform before committing. This allows businesses to confirm the system meets their specific needs.
9. SendPulse CRM
SendPulse CRM is a versatile system that helps businesses manage customer interactions and streamline sales processes. It combines email automation with simple customer management tools to create an effective solution for marketing and sales teams.
The platform lets you accept orders, monitor your sales process, and collect customer data to build your own lists. This makes it easier to track customer interactions and improve your marketing efforts.
One standout feature of SendPulse is that it offers a free CRM system that includes tools for automating sales and communication. This makes it accessible for small businesses with limited budgets.
Teams can collaborate effectively using SendPulse CRM. The system allows multiple team members to handle sales, store information, and manage customer relationships in one central location.
Email marketing integrates smoothly with the CRM functions. Users can send email campaigns to customers automatically, helping businesses maintain consistent communication without extra work.
The system also connects with other tools, such as Pipedrive. This integration allows you to send emails from your Pipedrive account to mailing lists in SendPulse, expanding your communication options.
For businesses focused on managing deals, SendPulse offers basic CRM tools that help track customer interactions throughout the sales process. The straightforward interface makes it easy to monitor progress and identify opportunities.
SendPulse CRM works well for companies looking to combine email marketing with customer management without complex setup or training. Its user-friendly design makes it particularly appealing to small and medium-sized businesses.
10. Nutshell
Nutshell combines CRM functionality with email marketing capabilities in one platform. Users can manage contacts and leads while creating targeted email campaigns without switching between different tools.
The system allows sales teams to personalize email marketing efforts using data stored in the CRM. This integration helps businesses deliver more relevant messages to prospects and customers.
Nutshell’s email automation tool lets users create and track email campaigns directly within the CRM interface. Teams can see which messages get opened and which links recipients click on.
Sales efficiency improves when contact management and email marketing work together. Nutshell designed their platform to help businesses close more deals by keeping customer information and communication in one place.
The all-in-one growth software features pipeline management alongside its marketing tools. This makes it easier for teams to track prospects from initial contact through the sales process.
Small to medium-sized businesses often choose Nutshell because it offers both contact management and marketing features without complex setup requirements. The learning curve tends to be manageable for new users.
Teams can create targeted marketing campaigns based on customer data already in the system. This helps messages feel more personal and relevant to recipients.
Nutshell positions itself as a simpler alternative to enterprise-level systems that often require significant training and customization. The focus stays on practical tools that sales teams use daily.
Key Features of CRM with Email Marketing
Effective CRM email marketing combines customer management with targeted communication tools. The right features can dramatically improve your marketing results and help build stronger customer relationships.
Automation Capabilities
Good CRM email platforms offer powerful automation features that save time and increase efficiency. These include:
- Email sequences that trigger based on customer actions
- Drip campaigns that deliver messages at preset intervals
- Follow-up reminders to help teams stay on track with leads
- Behavior-based triggers that respond to specific customer actions
Many platforms like monday CRM now offer code-free automation builders, allowing marketing teams to create complex workflows without technical expertise.
AI-powered email writing tools have also become standard in top CRMs. These tools help craft personalized messages faster and suggest improvements for better engagement rates.
Segmentation and Targeting
Effective email marketing depends on sending the right message to the right people. CRM systems excel here with:
- Dynamic contact lists that update automatically based on criteria
- Custom fields for storing detailed customer information
- Behavior tracking to monitor engagement patterns
- Demographic filtering for precise audience targeting
Nutshell and similar platforms make contact filtering straightforward, letting marketers create highly targeted campaigns. This targeting ability increases open rates and conversions by delivering relevant content.
The best systems analyze past interactions to suggest optimal sending times for each contact. They also provide tools to test different approaches with A/B testing capabilities.
Integration with Other Tools
Modern CRM email platforms don’t exist in isolation. They connect with other business tools to create a complete marketing ecosystem:
- Website integration to capture leads directly into the CRM
- E-commerce platform connections for tracking purchases
- Social media integration for multi-channel campaigns
- Analytics tools for comprehensive performance tracking
According to Indeed, these integrations help build unified customer profiles with data from multiple sources, giving marketers a complete view of the customer journey.
Salesforce and other leading platforms offer extensive integration marketplaces with hundreds of compatible apps. This flexibility means businesses can build custom systems that match their specific workflows and goals.
Benefits of Integrating CRM with Email Marketing
Combining CRM systems with email marketing tools creates powerful synergies that boost both customer relationships and business results. When these platforms work together, companies gain significant advantages in targeting, personalization, and data analysis.
Enhanced Customer Engagement
CRM and email marketing integration allows businesses to create highly personalized communication that resonates with customers. When your CRM data feeds your email campaigns, you can:
- Send messages based on specific customer behaviors and preferences
- Create targeted segments for more relevant messaging
- Deliver content at the optimal time in the customer journey
This personalization leads to better sales and productivity as messages match exactly what customers need. The integration enables automatic follow-ups based on customer actions, keeping conversations going naturally.
Email campaigns can be tailored to where customers are in your sales funnel. New leads might receive educational content, while existing customers get special offers based on past purchases.
The combined approach helps businesses establish real working relationships through valuable emails that never feel generic or spam-like.
Improved Analytics and Reporting
When CRM and email marketing platforms share data, businesses gain deeper insights into customer behavior and campaign performance. This integration:
- Tracks the complete customer journey from first contact to purchase
- Measures email engagement metrics alongside sales outcomes
- Identifies which messages drive the most valuable customer actions
Companies can analyze this combined data to make smarter decisions about future campaigns. The system reveals which content types, subject lines, and offers work best for different customer segments.
This comprehensive view helps predict future demands and refine marketing strategies. Teams can quickly spot trends and adjust tactics based on what the data shows.
The integration also supports revenue growth from existing customers by identifying prime opportunities for upselling and cross-selling.
Frequently Asked Questions
Many businesses want to combine customer management with email outreach. Here are answers to common questions about finding the right CRM with email marketing capabilities.
What are the top CRM platforms that offer robust email marketing integration?
The market leaders for CRMs with strong email marketing tools include HubSpot, ActiveCampaign, EngageBay, and Brevo. These platforms allow businesses to store customer data while managing email campaigns.
HubSpot stands out with its all-in-one approach, connecting sales, marketing, and service teams. The free version offers basic email marketing with CRM features.
ActiveCampaign excels in automation capabilities, making it perfect for businesses that need advanced email sequencing based on customer behaviors.
How do CRM solutions typically integrate with email marketing tools?
CRM systems connect with email marketing in several ways. Some platforms offer built-in email marketing tools, while others use API connections to third-party email services.
The integration usually allows for sharing contact data, tracking email engagement, and syncing customer interactions. Many CRM platforms can integrate with popular email marketing tools like Mailchimp, Constant Contact, and others through native integrations or third-party connectors.
Are there any free CRM platforms that include comprehensive email marketing features?
Yes, several free CRM options include email marketing features. HubSpot offers a free plan with basic email marketing and contact management for unlimited users.
EngageBay provides a free plan with limited email marketing capabilities and up to 1,000 contacts. These free versions typically limit the number of emails sent monthly.
For small businesses just starting out, these free options provide a good entry point without upfront costs. As needs grow, businesses can upgrade to paid plans.
What are the benefits of using CRM with email marketing for small businesses?
Combined CRM and email marketing systems help small businesses track the entire customer journey. This leads to more personalized communications and better relationship building.
Small businesses can achieve their marketing goals more efficiently by segmenting contacts based on CRM data. This targeting improves email engagement rates and conversion chances.
The integration saves time by eliminating the need to switch between platforms or manually update customer information across multiple systems.
Can Mailchimp be effectively used as a CRM, or is it primarily an email marketing platform?
Mailchimp has evolved beyond just email marketing to include basic CRM functionality. It now offers contact management, audience segmentation, and basic sales tracking.
However, Mailchimp’s CRM features aren’t as robust as dedicated CRM platforms. It works best for businesses with simple relationship management needs who prioritize email marketing.
For companies needing advanced sales pipelines or complex customer journey mapping, pairing Mailchimp with a dedicated CRM might be necessary.
What should one look for when selecting a CRM for a business with a strong focus on email marketing campaigns?
Businesses should evaluate the email template builder and personalization capabilities. The ability to create dynamic content based on CRM data is crucial for relevant messaging.
Look for strong analytics that connect email performance to customer data. This helps measure campaign effectiveness and ROI across different customer segments.
Automation capabilities are essential for email marketing success. The best systems allow businesses to create triggered email sequences based on customer behaviors tracked in the CRM.
Scalability matters too. The chosen system should handle growing contact lists and increasing email volumes without performance issues.
