Looking for a Zoho CRM review that cuts through the noise?

Whether you're a startup founder, a sales team lead managing 20-50 people, or just CRM curious, you've probably heard of Zoho CRM. It's a platform that promises to streamline your customer relationships, but does it deliver? Let's dive in.

What Is Zoho CRM?

Zoho CRM is a cloud-based CRM that helps businesses manage every step of the customer journey.

From capturing leads to closing deals and supporting clients—it keeps everything in one place.

The platform includes tools for sales automation, marketing campaigns, lead tracking, and pipeline management.

It also offers analytics to monitor performance and make faster, smarter decisions.

Who Is Zoho CRM For?

Zoho CRM is tailored for small to medium-sized businesses seeking an affordable and scalable CRM solution. Its user-friendly interface and customizable features make it suitable for:

• startups,
• sales teams,
• growing enterprises looking to enhance their customer engagement strategies.

The platform's flexibility allows it to adapt to various industries, including retail, real estate, and technology.

Zoho CRM Main Features

1. Sales Automation

Zoho CRM automates repetitive sales tasks so reps can focus on closing. You can auto-assign leads by region, trigger email follow-ups after a form submission, or set reminders when deals go cold. Workflow rules, blueprints, and macros help reduce manual actions across the funnel.

2. Omnichannel Communication

Reach customers across multiple channels—email, phone, SMS, live chat, web forms, and even social platforms like Twitter and Facebook. All interactions are logged on each contact's timeline, so your team always has context, whether a client replied by email or messaged you on Facebook.

3. AI-Powered Insights

Zia, Zoho's AI assistant, scores leads, forecasts revenue, detects anomalies in pipelines, and recommends the best time to call or email a contact. For example, Zia might flag a deal that's been idle too long or suggest calling a lead on Thursday morning based on past behavior.

4. Customization and Scalability

Need custom fields? Custom layouts? Entirely new modules? Zoho CRM lets you build it. Whether you're managing freelance gigs or a multi-brand enterprise, you can tailor the platform to your sales process. It supports thousands of users and millions of records as your team grows.

"The customization options allow us to tailor the software precisely to our business needs, from custom fields to automated workflows." (Capterra)

5. Integration Ecosystem

Zoho CRM connects natively with apps like Google Calendar, Gmail, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Mailchimp, Trello, and over 800 others via Zoho Marketplace. You can sync meetings, track emails, trigger workflows, or launch marketing campaigns without switching platforms.

Zoho CRM Pricing

Where Zoho CRM Falls Short

Zoho CRM is powerful—but not without blind spots. For sales teams of 20-50 people that move fast, some of its limitations stand out.

1. No Native Contact Enrichment

❌ You won't get automatic data pulled from LinkedIn, websites, or public sources. To enrich contacts, you'll need to pay for external tools or set up custom APIs.

2. Email Campaigns Live in Another App

❌ Email outreach requires Zoho Campaigns—a separate platform. It means extra setup, syncing issues, and a learning curve just to send a simple follow-up.

3. Collaboration Feels Disconnected

❌ Notes, mentions, shared pipelines—none of it feels real-time. If you need fluid teamwork across teams, Zoho makes it harder than it should be.

4. Tags Are Static

Tags exist, but they're basic. No dynamic filters, no smart grouping, no custom views that update automatically based on contact activity.

"Countless hours trying to figure out why they did not design this system to use TAGS" (Capterra)

5. UX/UI Feels Outdated

❌ The interface does the job, but it's not built for speed. Expect lots of tabs, deep menus, and clicks. New users often feel lost before they feel productive.

"Its UI is not the most intuitive possible" (Capterra)

6. Setup Takes Time

❌ Customization is deep—but it's not intuitive. Building workflows, scoring models, or dashboards often requires tutorials, consultants, or trial-and-error. For sales teams of 20-50 people looking to get up and running quickly, this complexity can be a real roadblock.

Zoho CRM Alternatives Comparison

Looking for Zoho CRM alternatives that are simpler, faster, or better suited to your team? Here's a quick comparison of the top options to consider in 2025, especially if you're managing a sales team of 20-50 people.

👉🏼 Try folk now to never miss a follow-up with your team.

Conclusion: The Verdict

Zoho CRM covers a lot of ground. It's feature-rich, affordable, and built for teams that want structure.

But for fast-growing sales teams of 20-50 people, flexibility matters just as much as depth. And that's where Zoho shows its limits—too complex, too fragmented, lack of essentials native features.

If you're looking for a simpler, faster, more modern way to manage relationships, folk CRM is the stronger choice.

👉🏼 Try folk now to enrich contacts natively and speed setup for 20–50 person sales teams.

It's intuitive, collaborative, and made for teams who move fast.

FAQ

Is folk CRM good?

folk CRM is designed for simplicity and speed. It includes native enrichment, collaborative pipelines, email, and automation. It suits 20–50 person teams needing quick setup and adoption. Learn more at folk.

How much does Zoho CRM cost?

Free for up to 3 users. Paid plans per user/month: Standard $14, Professional $23, Enterprise $40, Ultimate $52. Pricing may vary by region and billing term.

Does Zoho CRM include email campaigns?

Not natively. Campaigns run through Zoho Campaigns, a separate app for bulk email and automation. Expect extra setup, syncing, and a learning curve for outreach.

What are the main drawbacks of Zoho CRM?

No native contact enrichment, campaigns in a separate app, limited tag logic, dated UI, and time-consuming setup. Collaboration can feel less real-time for fast-moving teams.