monday CRM vs Freshsales: Which CRM is right for you?
A 2026 head-to-head on pricing, features, and which team each is built for.
The short answer
monday CRM is flexible / no-code crm built for teams wanting a highly customizable, no-code CRM they can mold, starting from ~$12/user/mo. Freshsales is smb crm for sMB sales teams wanting built-in phone/email and AI at low cost, starting from $0 (free), paid from ~$9/user/mo — free plan available. Choose monday CRM for flexible / no-code crm needs; choose Freshsales if smb crm is a better match for your team.
monday CRM vs Freshsales: at a glance
| Detail | monday CRM | Freshsales |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Flexible / no-code CRM | SMB CRM |
| Starting price | from ~$12/user/mo | from $0 (free), paid from ~$9/user/mo |
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Best for | Teams wanting a highly customizable, no-code CRM they can mold. | SMB sales teams wanting built-in phone/email and AI at low cost. |
| Our rating | ★ 4.4 / 5 | ★ 4.3 / 5 |
| Standout feature | No-code flexibility to model any pipeline visually. | Built-in phone and email plus Freddy AI on affordable tiers. |
| Founded | 2012 | 2017 |
| Headquarters | Tel Aviv, Israel | San Mateo, USA |
Prices are indicative 2026 list prices; always confirm with the vendor directly.
What is monday CRM?
monday CRM applies the colorful, no-code monday.com Work OS to sales. You build pipelines as customizable boards, automate steps without code, and connect CRM work to the rest of your team’s projects in the same platform.
Best for: Teams wanting a highly customizable, no-code CRM they can mold.
What is Freshsales?
Freshsales is the sales CRM in the Freshworks suite. It bundles contact and deal management with a built-in phone, email, and the Freddy AI assistant for lead scoring and next-step suggestions, aimed at fast-moving SMB sales teams.
Best for: SMB sales teams wanting built-in phone/email and AI at low cost.
Key features compared
| monday CRM | Freshsales |
|---|---|
| No-code customizable boards and pipelines | Built-in phone and email |
| Visual automations and dashboards | Freddy AI lead scoring and insights |
| Connects CRM to broader project work | Visual sales pipeline |
| Templates for common sales motions | Workflow automation |
| Collaborative, color-coded interface | Free tier for small teams |
Pros and cons: monday CRM
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✔ Extremely flexible and easy to customize | ✘ Annual billing with a seat minimum |
| ✔ Great for teams already on monday.com | ✘ Sales-specific depth is lighter than rivals |
| ✔ Visual, approachable interface | ✘ Can become cluttered as boards grow |
Pros and cons: Freshsales
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✔ Strong value with a usable free plan | ✘ Advanced features locked to higher tiers |
| ✔ Built-in communication tools | ✘ Smaller integration ecosystem |
| ✔ AI features at an accessible price | ✘ Can be outgrown by complex enterprises |
Which should you choose?
Choose monday CRM if you are teams wanting a highly customizable, no-code CRM they can mold.
Choose Freshsales if you are sMB sales teams wanting built-in phone/email and AI at low cost.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between monday CRM and Freshsales?
monday CRM is flexible / no-code crm best for teams wanting a highly customizable, no-code CRM they can mold. Its standout is no-code flexibility to model any pipeline visually.. Freshsales is smb crm best for sMB sales teams wanting built-in phone/email and AI at low cost. Its standout is built-in phone and email plus Freddy AI on affordable tiers..
Is monday CRM better than Freshsales?
Neither is universally better — it depends on your use case. monday CRM is the stronger choice for teams wanting a highly customizable, no-code CRM they can mold. Freshsales is a better fit for sMB sales teams wanting built-in phone/email and AI at low cost.
Which is cheaper, monday CRM or Freshsales?
monday CRM starts from ~$12/user/mo. Freshsales starts from $0 (free), paid from ~$9/user/mo and offers a free plan.
Does monday CRM or Freshsales have a free plan?
monday CRM does not offer a permanent free plan. Freshsales offers a free plan.