SoftwareGlimpse

ACT! vs Zoho CRM

ACT! fits act! by swiftpage — long-standing smb crm for contacts, calendars, and sales follow-up; pricing primarily contact-sales; Zoho CRM fits free/standard pricing and feature set fit smb sales motions.

Independently recommendedLast updated Sep 24, 20267 evidence sources11 screenshotsHow we compare
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ACT! logo

ACT!

5.6/10

ACT! by Swiftpage SMB CRM; contact sales for current packaging (no invented list prices).

Best for

  • • ACT! by Swiftpage — long-standing SMB CRM for contacts, calendars, and sales follow-up; pricing primarily contact-sales
  • • Classic SMB CRM for managing contacts, activities, and sales follow-ups — especially familiar to established small businesses

No free plan

Visit ACT!
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VS

Our verdict

Our verdict

No universal winner

There is no universal winner between ACT! and Zoho CRM. Choose based on pipeline depth, automation, email and calling, reporting, and pricing trade-offs.

Zoho CRM is better for

  • ✓ Ease of use
  • ✓ Pipeline management
  • ✓ Sales automation
  • ✓ Email capabilities

Choose ACT! if: ACT! by Swiftpage — long-standing SMB CRM for contacts, calendars, and sales follow-up; pricing primarily contact-sales

Choose Zoho CRM if: Free/Standard pricing and feature set fit SMB sales motions

See detailed comparison ↓
Zoho CRM logo

Zoho CRM

7.4/10

Affordable multi-edition sales CRM with free tier, automation, and Zia AI across Standard through Ultimate.

Best for

  • • Free/Standard pricing and feature set fit SMB sales motions
  • • Professional/Enterprise cover automation and reporting for growing teams
  • • Sales CRM pipelines and automation are the core product story

Starting from $0.00/user/mo

Free plan available

Visit Zoho CRM
Read review

Quick verdict

Start here — then dig into the evidence below.

Choose ACT! if…

  • ACT! by Swiftpage — long-standing SMB CRM for contacts, calendars, and sales follow-up; pricing primarily contact-sales
  • Classic SMB CRM for managing contacts, activities, and sales follow-ups — especially familiar to established small businesses

Choose Zoho CRM if…

  • Free/Standard pricing and feature set fit SMB sales motions
  • Professional/Enterprise cover automation and reporting for growing teams
  • Sales CRM pipelines and automation are the core product story
  • You prioritize ease of use

Overall recommendation

There is no universal winner between ACT! and Zoho CRM. Choose based on pipeline depth, automation, email and calling, reporting, and pricing trade-offs.

Key trade-off

Zoho CRM's clearest edge is ease of use.

Winner by category

Only dimensions with researched evidence for this pair.

DimensionWinnerWhy
Ease of useZoho CRM winsZoho CRM leads on ease of use (6/10 vs 8/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.
SalesZoho CRM winsZoho CRM leads on pipeline management (6/10 vs 8/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.
AutomationZoho CRM winsZoho CRM leads on sales automation (5/10 vs 8/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.
Email capabilitiesZoho CRM winsZoho CRM leads on email capabilities (6/10 vs 7/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.
ReportingZoho CRM winsZoho CRM leads on reporting (5/10 vs 7/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.
CustomizationZoho CRM winsZoho CRM leads on customization (6/10 vs 8/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.
IntegrationsZoho CRM winsZoho CRM leads on integrations (5/10 vs 8/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.
AdministrationZoho CRM winsZoho CRM leads on administration (6/10 vs 7/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.
Enterprise suitabilityZoho CRM winsZoho CRM leads on scalability (5/10 vs 8/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.
ValueZoho CRM winsZoho CRM leads on value for money (6/10 vs 7/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.

Side-by-side feature matrix

Normalized availability from product research — empty rows are not shown.

Core CRM

FeatureACT!Zoho CRM
Contact managementStrongStrong
Lead managementStrongStrong
Pipeline managementStrongStrong
Deal managementStrongStrong

Sales engagement

FeatureACT!Zoho CRM
Email syncStrongStrong
Email trackingStrongNot evidenced
Workflow automationModerateStrong
Sales automationStrongStrong

Reporting

FeatureACT!Zoho CRM
ReportingModerateStrong
ForecastingNot evidencedModerate

Platform

FeatureACT!Zoho CRM
IntegrationsStrongStrong
Custom fieldsStrongStrong
Custom pipelinesModerateStrong
Mobile appStrongStrong
AI assistanceNot evidencedModerate

Pricing comparison

Pricing evidence last checked Aug 16, 2026.

ACT! logo

ACT!

No free planFree trial available
  • ACT! (contact sales)Custom
Zoho CRM logo

Zoho CRM

From $0.00/user/mo

Free plan availableFree trial available
  • Free$0.00/user/mo
  • Standard$14.00/user/mo
  • Professional$23.00/user/mo
  • Enterprise$40.00/user/mo
  • Ultimate$52.00/user/mo

Pricing notes use verified research when available for ACT! and Zoho CRM. Confirm live vendor pricing before buying.

Open cost calculator →

Best for

Scenario picks from researched strengths — not a universal ranking.

  • → Zoho CRM

    Best for ease of use

    Zoho CRM leads on ease of use (6/10 vs 8/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.

  • → Zoho CRM

    Best for pipeline management

    Zoho CRM leads on pipeline management (6/10 vs 8/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.

  • → Zoho CRM

    Best for sales automation

    Zoho CRM leads on sales automation (5/10 vs 8/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.

The differences that actually matter

Pair-specific analysis for ACT! vs Zoho CRM — not generic category copy.

  • Pipeline management

    Zoho CRM ahead

    On pipeline management, Zoho CRM is ahead. ACT!: Trails Zoho CRM on this criterion. Zoho CRM: Zoho CRM leads on pipeline management (6/10 vs 8/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.. Feature evidence also diverges on Workflow automation (ACT!: Moderate; Zoho CRM: Strong); Reporting (ACT!: Moderate; Zoho CRM: Strong); Custom pipelines (ACT!: Moderate; Zoho CRM: Strong).

  • Email capabilities

    Zoho CRM ahead

    On email capabilities, Zoho CRM is ahead. ACT!: Trails Zoho CRM on this criterion. Zoho CRM: Zoho CRM leads on email capabilities (6/10 vs 7/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing..

  • Sales automation

    Zoho CRM ahead

    On sales automation, Zoho CRM is ahead. ACT!: Trails Zoho CRM on this criterion. Zoho CRM: Zoho CRM leads on sales automation (5/10 vs 8/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing..

  • Reporting

    Zoho CRM ahead

    On reporting, Zoho CRM is ahead. ACT!: Trails Zoho CRM on this criterion. Zoho CRM: Zoho CRM leads on reporting (5/10 vs 7/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing..

  • Value for money

    Zoho CRM ahead

    On value for money, Zoho CRM is ahead. ACT!: Trails Zoho CRM on this criterion. Zoho CRM: Zoho CRM leads on value for money (6/10 vs 7/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing..

Pros and cons

Product-specific for this pair — derived from researched outcomes and editorial notes.

ACT! logo

ACT!

Cons

  • Trails on ease of use
  • Trails on pipeline management
  • Trails on sales automation
Zoho CRM logo

Zoho CRM

Pros

  • Stronger on ease of use
  • Stronger on pipeline management
  • Stronger on sales automation
  • Stronger on email capabilities

Implementation & learning curve

Based on researched setup / ease criteria for this pair.

ACT!

  • Trails on ease of use relative to Zoho CRM
  • Trails on administration relative to Zoho CRM

Zoho CRM

  • Stronger on ease of use: Zoho CRM leads on ease of use (6/10 vs 8/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.
  • Stronger on administration: Zoho CRM leads on administration (6/10 vs 7/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.

Integrations

Overlaps and exclusives from product integration data when available.

ACT!: Strong. Zoho CRM: Strong.

Who should not choose each product

Decision quality improves when we say who should walk away.

Don't choose ACT! if…

  • You need Zoho CRM's stronger ease of use more than ACT!'s strengths
  • You need Zoho CRM's stronger pipeline management more than ACT!'s strengths
  • You need Zoho CRM's stronger sales automation more than ACT!'s strengths
  • Your primary fit looks closer to: Free/Standard pricing and feature set fit SMB sales motions

Don't choose Zoho CRM if…

  • Your primary fit looks closer to: ACT! by Swiftpage — long-standing SMB CRM for contacts, calendars, and sales follow-up; pricing primarily contact-sales
  • Your primary fit looks closer to: Classic SMB CRM for managing contacts, activities, and sales follow-ups — especially familiar to established small businesses

Alternatives worth considering

When neither product is the right fit.

  • HubSpot logoHubSpot

    AI-powered customer platform with free forever CRM, plus paid Smart CRM seats and Sales/Marketing/Service hubs for growing teams.

  • Pipedrive logoPipedrive

    Pipeline-first sales CRM for visual deal management, activity-based selling, and growing sales teams.

  • Capsule CRM logoCapsule

    Simple small-business CRM for contacts, sales pipelines, tasks, and lightweight automation without enterprise complexity.

  • Freshworks logoFreshsales

    Freshworks sales CRM for lead management and pipeline workflows.

Final verdict

Scenario-level close — not a repeat of the intro.

ACT! wins when…

ACT! by Swiftpage — long-standing SMB CRM for contacts, calendars, and sales follow-up; pricing primarily contact-sales

Zoho CRM wins when…

Free/Standard pricing and feature set fit SMB sales motions

  • Best for ease of useZoho CRM
  • Best for pipeline managementZoho CRM
  • Best for sales automationZoho CRM

Which one should you choose?

Choose ACT! if:

  • ACT! by Swiftpage — long-standing SMB CRM for contacts, calendars, and sales follow-up; pricing primarily contact-sales
  • Classic SMB CRM for managing contacts, activities, and sales follow-ups — especially familiar to established small businesses

Choose Zoho CRM if:

  • Free/Standard pricing and feature set fit SMB sales motions
  • Professional/Enterprise cover automation and reporting for growing teams
  • Sales CRM pipelines and automation are the core product story

Product screenshots

Real product UI from our media library — no placeholders.

Zoho CRM

  • Zoho CRM omnichannel product visual from the official Zoho CRM homepage.
  • Sales force automation visual from official Zoho CRM SFA page.
  • Product illustration from official Zoho CRM education page.
  • Official Zoho CRM demo poster image from zoho.com/crm.

FAQ

Is ACT! better than Zoho CRM?
There is no universal winner between ACT! and Zoho CRM. Choose based on pipeline depth, automation, email and calling, reporting, and pricing trade-offs.
Which is easier to use?
Zoho CRM leads on ease of use (6/10 vs 8/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.
Which CRM fits which team?
ACT!: ACT! by Swiftpage — long-standing SMB CRM for contacts, calendars, and sales follow-up; pricing primarily contact-sales Zoho CRM: Free/Standard pricing and feature set fit SMB sales motions
Which is stronger for sales automation?
Zoho CRM leads on sales automation (5/10 vs 8/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.
Does ACT! or Zoho CRM have a free plan?
ACT!: No free plan. Zoho CRM: Free plan available.
How does ACT! vs Zoho CRM pricing compare?
Zoho CRM starts from $0.00/user/mo. Confirm live vendor pricing before purchasing.
How did SoftwareGlimpse compare these products?
We map both products to the same category criteria, then evaluate trade-offs using verified product, pricing and feature evidence. Affiliate relationships never change outcomes.

Still deciding between ACT! and Zoho CRM?

Use Find My CRM for a shortlist matched to your priorities, or build another side-by-side comparison.

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Affiliate disclosure: some links may be affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Rankings and scores are never based on commission. Full disclosure

Methodology disclosure: scores and recommendations follow SoftwareGlimpse evaluation criteria (version 1.0.0). Affiliate relationships do not determine rankings.

How we recommend: product claims are tied to recorded research where available.

AI-assisted disclosure: drafts may be AI-assisted from approved facts and assessments. Humans approve publishable editorial judgments. AI does not invent live prices or claim hands-on testing.

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