Discover folk - the CRM for people-powered businesses
Monday keeps work moving fast. Pipelines also move fast. Revenue slips when contact data sits in scattered boards, owners change, and follow ups rely on memory instead of a system.
A CRM fixes the core gaps: one source of truth for contacts and companies, a real activity timeline tied to email and meetings, consistent deal stages, and reporting that stays accurate when the team grows. Monday can support parts of that workflow, but many setups hit friction once volume rises or multiple pipelines run in parallel.
The right CRM for monday users keeps Monday as the execution layer, while the CRM owns relationship data, follow up hygiene, and pipeline integrity. The result is cleaner handoffs, fewer missed touches, and forecasting that reflects reality.
What is Monday CRM?
👉 Monday CRM is the CRM product inside the monday.com platform. It uses the same boards-and-columns logic, but applies it to revenue work: leads, contacts, accounts, and deals move through pipeline stages while activities and owners stay visible.
It typically covers the operational CRM layer for small and mid size teams: pipeline tracking, tasking, reminders, basic automation, and dashboards that report on deal volume and stage movement. Setup stays flexible because fields, views, and workflows adapt to how a team sells.
Main capabilities usually include:
- Customizable deal pipelines and stages
- Contact and account records stored in boards
- Automations for assignments, stage changes, and reminders
- Email integration options depending on plan
- Dashboards for pipeline visibility and performance tracking
- Templates to launch common sales workflows faster
Monday CRM fits best when Monday already runs delivery and internal operations, and the sales process stays simple. It starts to feel limited when a team needs deeper relationship context across channels, stricter data hygiene, advanced reporting accuracy, or high volume outbound workflows.
Is Monday a CRM?
❌ Monday is not a CRM by default. It is a work management platform that can be configured to track deals, contacts, and tasks, often with templates that resemble a CRM.
It becomes a CRM in two cases:
- When monday CRM is used, which is designed for sales workflows.
- When a team builds a CRM-like system in monday Work Management using boards, columns, and automations.
The difference matters. A board-based setup can handle lightweight pipeline tracking, but it does not automatically deliver the core CRM mechanics teams rely on at scale: consistent contact records across pipelines, clean relationship history tied to email and meetings, and guardrails that prevent data drift when multiple people touch the same accounts.
So Monday can act like a CRM, but CRM behavior depends on product choice, plan, and how tightly the system is designed.
Is Monday CRM free?
monday.com offers a Free plan for the core platform, but monday CRM is not available on that tier. A paid plan is required to run the CRM product. A free trial is available, and it typically starts without a credit card.
How Much Does Monday CRM Cost?
Pricing depends on billing cadence and seat bucket. Plans start at a minimum of 3 seats, then scale in seat bundles.
Why Monday Users Need a CRM?
Monday excels at work execution. Sales work adds a different constraint: relationship context must stay accurate across weeks or months, even when tasks change hands.
A dedicated CRM becomes necessary when any of these patterns show up:
✔️ Contact data spreads across multiple boards, then duplicates appear and fields drift.
✔️ Deal stages look clean, but activity history stays fragmented across email, calendar, and LinkedIn.
✔️ Handoffs break because ownership changes, while context stays trapped in comments or updates.
✔️ Reporting loses reliability because the same account sits in several boards or pipelines.
✔️ Follow ups depend on reminders and manual checks, so deals stall quietly.
✔️ Multi pipeline sales cycles require strict definitions, permissions, and automation guardrails.
8 Best CRMs for Monday Users in 2026!
1. folk CRM
Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (G2)
Overview
folk is an CRM for teams that run sales in fast cycles and hate CRM admin. Contact data stays clean through enrichment and AI fields, while email and calendar sync keep a readable activity timeline on every record. A LinkedIn Chrome extension supports social selling workflows. monday.com stays the execution layer, while folk holds relationship context and pipeline hygiene, then automation handles handoffs between both tools.
Pros
- Strong contact enrichment and AI fields for faster data hygiene
- Email and calendar sync create a usable timeline, not scattered notes
- LinkedIn extension supports prospecting and relationship tracking
- Works well with automation workflows to connect with monday.com
Cons
- Best fit for relationship centric teams, not heavy enterprise process stacks
Pricing
- Standard: $17.5/member/month
- Premium: $35/member/month
- Custom: from $70/member/month
2. HubSpot CRM
Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (G2)
Overview
HubSpot Smart CRM fits Monday users that want a full funnel system for pipeline, outreach, and reporting. Contact and deal records stay connected to emails, meetings, tasks, and activities. Sales Hub adds sequences, automation, forecasting, and conversation intelligence. A native monday.com integration supports syncing records, so Monday handles execution while HubSpot runs the revenue engine.
Pros
- Strong pipeline views, reporting, and forecasting for sales ops
- Sequences, templates, and tracking support structured outreach
- Large integration ecosystem, including monday.com sync
- Scales from small teams to enterprise with permissions and governance
Cons
- Feature access locks behind higher tiers
- Cost climbs fast with seats, hubs, and add ons
- Setup takes time for properties, pipelines, and governance
Pricing
- Free HubSpot CRM: $0/month
- Sales Hub Starter: $20/month (1 Core Seat)
- Sales Hub Professional: $100/month (1 Sales Seat)
- Sales Hub Enterprise: $150/month (1 Sales Seat)
3. Pipedrive
Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐ (G2)
Overview
Pipedrive fits Monday users that want a clean, visual sales pipeline with strong day to day deal execution. Deals move through stages fast, activities stay tied to each opportunity, and the UI stays simple for small to mid size teams. monday.com can keep running delivery and internal workflows, while Pipedrive runs pipeline structure, sales activity tracking, and forecasting discipline. Native and automation based connections support handoffs between both systems.
Pros
- Strong visual pipeline for fast deal movement
- Clear activity management for calls, tasks, and follow ups
- Large integration ecosystem, including monday.com connections
- Lightweight setup compared with heavy suites
Cons
- Advanced capabilities sit behind higher tiers
- Add ons can increase total cost
- Best fit for sales pipelines, not full customer lifecycle depth
Pricing
- Lite: $14/seat/month (billed annually)
- Growth: $39/seat/month (billed annually)
- Premium: $59/seat/month (billed annually)
- Ultimate: $79/seat/month (billed annually)
4. Close
Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (G2)
Overview
Close is a sales focused CRM built for high velocity outreach. Calling, email, and SMS sit inside the same workspace, so reps move from lead list to conversation without tool switching. Pipelines stay simple, activity tracking stays automatic, and sequences plus dialing features support disciplined follow ups. Monday stays the execution hub for tasks and delivery, while Close runs outreach and pipeline motion.
Pros
- Built in calling, email, and SMS reduce tool sprawl
- Strong dialing and sequencing for outbound teams
- Fast pipeline execution with tight activity tracking
- Works well for SDR and AE workflows
Cons
- Price sits above lightweight pipeline CRMs
- Best fit centers on outreach; long lifecycle account management feels less native
- Reporting depth varies by plan
Pricing
- Solo: $19/user/month (billed monthly)
- Essentials: $49/user/month (billed monthly)
- Growth: $109/user/month (billed monthly)
- Scale: $149/user/month (billed monthly)
5. Copper
Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐ (G2)
Overview
Copper fits teams that live in Google Workspace and want a CRM that stays close to Gmail and Google Calendar. It tracks contacts, companies, deals, and tasks with a lightweight interface, plus pipelines and basic automation on higher tiers. For monday.com users, Copper can run relationship data and pipeline discipline, while Monday runs delivery workflows and handoffs through integrations.
Pros
- Strong Google Workspace fit for Gmail and Calendar based teams
- Simple pipelines and deal tracking for small to mid size sales motions
- Low setup time compared with heavier suites
- Multiple ways to connect with monday.com for handoffs
Cons
- Best experience assumes Google Workspace, not mixed email stacks
- Advanced automation and reporting sit on higher tiers
- Pricing climbs quickly for larger teams
Pricing
- Starter: $12/seat/month (billed monthly)
- Basic: $29/seat/month (billed monthly)
- Professional: $69/seat/month (billed monthly)
- Business: $134/seat/month (billed monthly)
6. Freshsales
Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (G2)
Overview
Freshsales is a sales CRM that stays lightweight while covering the essentials that Monday setups often miss: a real contact and account layer, a structured pipeline, built in engagement channels, and automation that reduces manual chasing. It fits teams that want a clean CRM core, then keep monday.com for execution, delivery, and cross team workflows.
Pros
- Built in email, phone, and chat features reduce tool sprawl
- Strong pipeline views with solid lead and deal management
- Automation and sequences support consistent follow ups
- Scales from SMB to larger teams with higher tier controls
Cons
- Advanced governance and customization sit on Enterprise
- AI features focus on core sales workflows, not deep enterprise analytics
- Some teams still add extra tools for complex GTM stacks
Pricing
- Free: $0 (up to 3 users)
- Growth: $9/user/month (billed annually)
- Pro: $39/user/month (billed annually)
- Enterprise: $59/user/month (billed annually)
7. Zoho CRM
Rating
⭐⭐⭐ (G2)
Overview
Zoho CRM fits Monday users that want a full featured CRM without enterprise pricing. It covers leads, contacts, accounts, deals, and reporting, while adding strong automation and customization for structured sales processes. Zia AI features and deeper governance live on higher tiers. monday.com keeps running execution workflows, while Zoho CRM holds relationship data and pipeline rules, with handoffs handled through integrations and automation.
Pros
- Strong value for feature depth across tiers
- High customization for fields, layouts, and processes
- Solid automation and reporting for sales ops workflows
- Fits teams that want an ecosystem, not a single tool
Cons
- Setup complexity rises fast with customization
- Best features sit on Enterprise and Ultimate
- UI can feel dense compared with lightweight CRMs
Pricing
- Free: $0 (up to 3 users)
- Standard: $20/user/month (billed monthly)
- Professional: $35/user/month (billed monthly)
- Enterprise: $50/user/month (billed monthly)
- Ultimate: $65/user/month (billed monthly)
8. Salesforce Sales Cloud
Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐ (G2)
Overview
Salesforce Sales Cloud fits monday.com setups that need enterprise grade pipeline governance, deep customization, and a large ecosystem. Lead, account, and opportunity management scale across complex org structures. Automation and reporting cover forecasting, territory style execution, and multi team handoffs. monday.com runs delivery and internal workflows, while Salesforce runs revenue data, permissions, and process control.
Pros
- Deep customization for objects, fields, and workflows
- Strong reporting, dashboards, and forecasting at scale
- Huge app ecosystem for sales and RevOps stacks
- Integration options support monday.com handoffs
Cons
- Setup complexity stays high without admin ownership
- Total cost grows fast with advanced editions and add ons
- Heavy UI for small teams that want speed over governance
Pricing
- Free Suite: $0/user/month (max 2 users)
- Starter Suite: $25/user/month (billed monthly or annually)
- Pro Suite: $100/user/month (billed annually)
- Enterprise: $175/user/month (billed annually)
- Unlimited: $350/user/month (billed annually)
- Agentforce 1 Sales: $550/user/month (billed annually)
8 Best CRMs for Monday Users in 2026: Recap Table
Conclusion
monday.com keeps execution clean. Sales still needs a system that protects relationship context, deal hygiene, and follow ups when volume rises.
For fast moving teams that want clean data without CRM overhead, folk CRM fits best. Contact enrichment and AI fields reduce admin, while email and calendar sync keep every deal tied to real conversations. That combination makes handoffs into Monday smoother, plus pipelines stay reliable.
HubSpot fits when a full funnel machine is required. Pipedrive and Close fit when speed and outbound execution matter most. Copper fits Google Workspace heavy teams. Freshsales and Zoho fit budget conscious teams that still need solid automation. Salesforce fits complex orgs that accept heavier setup for stronger governance.
Best outcome comes from a clear split: Monday runs work, while the CRM runs relationships.
Discover folk CRM
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