Discover folk - the CRM for people-powered businesses
Prospects expect speed and relevance. An AI CRM meets both: it drafts emails that sound human, summarizes calls into next steps, and routes tasks so reps stay on the work that creates meetings and revenue.
The payoff is visible: faster lead generation, cleaner data, and shorter cycles without juggling five tools. Expect contact enrichment, email and LinkedIn tasks in one place, guardrails that protect deliverability, and AI suggestions teams can review and approve.
Below are free options that cover the essentials today (with trials where needed) so small teams, startups, and growing sales orgs can automate confidently before scaling.
The 3 best free AI CRMs in 2026 are:
1. folk CRM (Free for 14 days)
2. Hubspot (very limited AI features)
3. Freshsales (very limited AI features)
1. folk CRM
Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (G2)
Best for
Large sales teams, mid-size sales teams, startups, agencies, founders.
Overview
folk CRM is an AI workspace that brings outreach, enrichment, and pipeline execution into the same place. The folkX Chrome extension captures LinkedIn and Sales Navigator profiles in one click and auto-enriches records. AI drafts icebreakers and follow-ups from real context, suggests next-best actions, and keeps Gmail/Outlook and WhatsApp touchpoints on one timeline for clean handoffs. Teams scale with sequences, deals, dashboards, and advanced roles.
Pros
- One-click LinkedIn/Sales Navigator capture with automatic enrichment
- AI icebreakers and follow-ups you can review; next-best-action guidance
- Unified email/WhatsApp timeline for clear context and team handoffs
- Sequences, deals, dashboards, and permissions for growing orgs
Cons
- No perpetual free plan (free trial only)
- Some advanced features sit on Premium
Pricing
- Free for 14 days
- Standard: $20 per user/month (annual) or $25 monthly
- Premium: $40 per user/month (annual) or $50 monthly
2. HubSpot CRM
Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐ (G2)
Best for
Startups and SMBs that want a usable free CRM with light AI help and a clear upgrade path.
Overview
HubSpot CRM (Free) centralizes contacts, companies, deals, tasks, and email tracking in one workspace. Basic AI assists with drafting sales emails and improving subject lines, while meeting links, live chat, and simple sequences keep outreach organized. Call logging and notes stay tied to records, and upgrades add call transcription, conversation intelligence, and advanced automation when teams grow.
Pros
- $0 entry with mature CRM, email tracking, and meeting links
- Light AI assistance for drafting plus strong upgrade options
- Clean UI, solid reporting basics, and marketing/sales handoffs
Cons
- Advanced AI (call transcription/CI) and automation sit on paid tiers
- Seat minimums at higher tiers can raise costs
- Customization depth requires admin time as teams scale
Pricing
- Free: $0 (core CRM, basic email tools, meeting links)
- Starter: from $20 per user/month (annual)
- Professional: from $100 per user/month (annual), 5-seat minimum
- Enterprise: from $150 per user/month (annual), 10-seat minimum
3. Bitrix24
Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐ (G2)
Best for
Small teams that want an all-in-one workspace (CRM, tasks, chat, site forms) with a $0 entry and simple scaling later.
Overview
Bitrix24 is a free CRM bundled with collaboration tools. Teams track contacts, deals, quotes, and pipelines, build simple automations, and use chat and task boards without leaving the app. Telephony and chat widgets connect prospects from website to CRM. The built-in AI assistant helps draft messages and summarize activity on paid tiers, giving an upgrade path when automation needs grow.
Pros
- $0 plan with core CRM, pipelines, tasks, and chat
- Website forms and chat widget feed leads directly into deals
- No-code automations and basic rules to move records forward
- Clear upgrade path for AI assistance, telephony, and higher limits
Cons
- AI features are limited or unavailable on the free plan
- UI breadth can feel complex vs. lighter CRMs
- Regional pricing and plan names vary, making comparisons tricky
Pricing
- Free: $0 (core CRM, tasks, chat, forms; usage limits apply)
- Paid tiers: typically start around $49/month (entry tier for small teams), with higher plans adding AI assistant, advanced automation, and capacity. Prices and names vary by region and billing cycle.
4. Freshsales
Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐ (G2)
Best for
Small teams that want a usable free CRM today, with AI (Freddy) and deeper automation available on paid tiers.
Overview
Freshsales (Free) covers core CRM needs—contacts, accounts, deals, tasks, email tracking, and built-in telephony basics—so reps can centralize outreach without cost. Website forms and chat feed new leads directly into pipelines, and no-code automations handle simple handoffs. Freddy AI (drafts, insights, forecasting) unlocks on paid plans, giving a clear upgrade path when teams need more guidance and workflow depth.
Pros
- $0 plan with contacts, deals, email tracking, forms, and basic telephony
- Intuitive UI and fast setup for small teams
- Clear upgrade path to Freddy AI, advanced workflows, and reporting
Cons
- AI features are limited on the free tier
- Workflow depth and customizations expand mostly on paid plans
- Reporting and governance lighter than enterprise CRMs
Pricing
- Free: $0 (core CRM; usage limits apply)
- Growth: from ~$9–$15 per user/month (annual)
- Pro: from ~$39 per user/month (annual)
- Enterprise: from ~$69 per user/month (annual)
5. EngageBay
Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐ (G2)
Best for
Small teams that want an all-in-one free CRM (contacts, deals, email, chat) with affordable AI upgrades.
Overview
EngageBay combines CRM, marketing, and support in one workspace. The free plan covers contacts, deals, tasks, simple automations, live chat, and basic email tools so small teams can centralize outreach at $0. As needs grow, AI features—such as predictive lead scoring and writing assistance—unlock on paid tiers, alongside deeper automations and higher usage limits.
Pros
- Free plan for multiple users with core CRM + live chat/forms
- Unified suite (sales, marketing, service) reduces tool sprawl
- Clear upgrade path to AI scoring, assistants, and advanced workflows
- Simple setup and no seat minimums on entry tiers
Cons
- Most AI capabilities sit on paid plans
- Free tier limits (emails, contacts, automations) require monitoring
- Broad suite can feel heavier than lightweight CRMs
Pricing
- Free: $0 (core CRM and basic automations; usage limits apply)
- Basic: from ~$14.99 per user/month
- Growth: from ~$64.99 per user/month
- Pro: from ~$119.99 per user/month
5 Best Free AI CRMs in 2026: The Final Overview
Conclusion
Free AI CRMs help small teams centralize contacts, automate follow-ups, and improve lead generation without upfront cost. HubSpot, Freshsales, Bitrix24, and EngageBay each provide a usable $0 starting point, with AI upgrades available when volume grows.
When the goal is to scale beyond “free forever” and keep outreach, enrichment, and next-best-action inside one workspace, folk CRM is the strongest path forward. The 14-day free trial lets teams validate AI icebreakers, unified timelines, and sequences before committing—fit for large sales teams, mid-size teams, startups, and agencies.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a free AI CRM?
A free AI CRM is a no-cost platform that stores contacts and deals while using AI to draft emails, summarize calls, score leads, or suggest next steps. The goal is to automate busywork and improve lead generation without upfront spend.
How should teams choose a free AI CRM?
Match the tool to current volume and the near-term plan to scale. Check: limits on users/records/emails, AI depth on the free tier, deliverability safeguards, CRM integrations, and migration paths. Prioritize reviewable AI (drafts and summaries you can approve) and a clean upgrade path when workflows grow.
What is the best free AI CRM in 2026?
For $0 forever, HubSpot CRM, Freshsales, Bitrix24, and EngageBay are good starters, each with AI features expanding on paid plans. For teams planning to scale AI outreach inside the CRM, folk CRM is the top pick—available free for 14 days to validate AI icebreakers, next-best-action, and a unified communication timeline before upgrading!
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