SMB contact-management CRM
Act!
Act! Review (2026): Pricing, Pros & Cons
A veteran contact-management CRM offering both cloud and on-premise deployment for SMBs.
The short answer
Act! is a veteran CRM best for small and midsize businesses that want deep contact management with the flexibility of cloud or on-premise deployment. It is affordable and battle-tested, but its interface feels dated, integrations can be unreliable, and renewal price increases have frustrated long-time users.
What is Act!?
Act! (formerly Sage ACT! and Symantec ACT!, tracing back to 1986) is one of the original CRM products. Today it ships as Advantage Cloud or Premium Desktop editions, covering contact management, sales pipelines, email marketing, and marketing automation for small and midsize businesses.
How much does Act! cost?
No free plan; a 14-day trial is offered for Advantage Cloud and a 30-day trial for Premium Desktop. Advantage Standard starts at ~$30/user/mo, Professional is ~$45, and Ultimate is ~$60, all billed annually; on-premise Premium Desktop runs roughly $37.50–$39/user/mo.
| Detail | Act! |
|---|---|
| Starting price | from ~$30/user/mo billed annually |
| Free plan | No (free trial only) |
| Category | SMB contact-management CRM |
| Best for | Small and midsize businesses wanting deep contact management with cloud or on-premise flexibility. |
| Our rating | 3.9 / 5 |
Prices are indicative 2026 list prices and change frequently; confirm with Act! directly.
What are the key features of Act!?
The standout: One of the few remaining CRMs offering a true on-premise (desktop) edition alongside its cloud product.
- Centralized contact and activity history with deep search and segmentation
- Visual sales pipeline with customizable stages and deal tracking
- Built-in email marketing campaigns, landing pages, and web forms
- Rule-based marketing automation on Professional and Ultimate plans
- Act! Companion mobile app for contacts, calendar, and deals on the go
What are the pros and cons of Act!?
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✔ Decades of contact-management depth and a loyal long-term user base | ✘ Interface feels dated next to modern CRMs like Pipedrive or HubSpot |
| ✔ Rare flexibility to deploy in the cloud or fully on-premise | ✘ Email and calendar sync with Outlook and Google is often unreliable |
| ✔ Lower cost of entry than enterprise CRMs for small sales teams | ✘ Forced upgrades and renewal price hikes frustrate existing customers |
Who is Act! best for?
Act! is best for small and midsize businesses wanting deep contact management with cloud or on-premise flexibility. Founded in 1986 and headquartered in Scottsdale, USA, it has earned a 3.9-out-of-5 rating in our assessment.
What are the best Act! alternatives?
If Act! is not the right fit, these are the closest alternatives to compare:
- Keap — CRM, marketing automation, and payments for small service businesses.
- Zoho CRM — A feature-rich, budget-friendly CRM, especially for Zoho users.
- Less Annoying CRM — A straightforward, single-plan CRM built for small businesses.