Freshsales alternatives for small and mid-sized Indian teams
Freshsales alternatives worth comparing if you want a CRM shaped more closely around how your team sells: six products Indian SMBs weigh instead, each summarised from its own website, with what it suits and how it treats lead capture, WhatsApp, SMS and setup.
Vendor details checked on 2 October 2026 from each vendor's own website; features change, so confirm with them. DigiPix Flow is our product: it is listed first and marked as ours, and the others are in no ranked order.
Why teams look beyond Freshsales
You want one place for every enquiry
When leads arrive from IndiaMART, Meta ads and website forms on the same day, the useful question is how directly each product pulls them in and hands them to a rep.
You already use another vendor's apps
Freshsales sits in the Freshworks family. Teams whose other business apps come from Zoho or HubSpot sometimes prefer a CRM from that same family, so logins and records stay together.
You want Indian channels at the centre
Indian buyers reply on WhatsApp, enquire on marketplaces and receive DLT-registered SMS. Some products made in India build these into the lead record from the start, and teams compare that closely.
The 6 options at a glance
- 1. DigiPix Flow (ours)Indian small and mid-sized sales teams whose sales start as enquiries from ads, marketplaces and website forms.
- 2. Zoho CRMTeams of any size that want a broad CRM inside the wider Zoho product family, with room to add automation, analytics and integrations as they grow.
- 3. HubSpot CRMStartups, small businesses and growing sales teams that want an all-in-one customer platform with a large app marketplace and sales, marketing and service tools that connect.
- 4. PipedriveSales teams of any size that want a visual, deal-focused pipeline with a large Marketplace of add-on apps.
- 5. LeadSquaredTeams in high-volume or regulated lead industries, such as financial services, education and healthcare, that want one CRM across sales, marketing, service and field work.
- 6. Kylas Sales CRMGrowing businesses in India, across sectors such as manufacturing, fintech and education, that want pipelines, WhatsApp, calling and AI lead scoring in one CRM.
How this list was made
- CRMs that come up beside Freshsales when Indian SMBs compare sales software, from search results and buyer questions.
- Each product is described from its own website and help pages, checked on the date shown, and from nothing else.
- No prices, since plans and add-ons change too quickly for a list to keep up.
- DigiPix Flow is our product. It is listed first and marked as ours; the rest are in no ranked order.
1. DigiPix Flow
Our productDigiPix Flow is a lead management CRM: every enquiry lands in one inbox, goes to the right rep and is followed up on WhatsApp, email and SMS until it becomes a deal.
Why it is on this list: A lead management CRM for enquiry-led teams: one lead inbox for Meta, Google Ads, IndiaMART and website forms, two-way SMS checked against your DLT templates, and WhatsApp on the same record as calls and email.
Best for: Indian small and mid-sized sales teams whose sales start as enquiries from ads, marketplaces and website forms.
| Built for | Indian sales teams whose sales start as enquiries, such as agencies, real estate, coaching institutes, D2C brands and manufacturers. More |
|---|---|
| Lead capture | Meta Lead Ads, Google Ads lead forms, IndiaMART, website forms, hosted forms, a lead API and CSV import all feed one lead inbox. More |
| Connect your WhatsApp Business number directly; conversations sit on the lead's record beside calls, email and SMS. More | |
| SMS in India | Two-way SMS to Indian numbers, with every message checked against your DLT templates before it sends. More |
| Calling | Calls and meetings are logged on the record with their outcome and the next follow-up; a built-in dialer is not available. More |
| Pipelines | One pipeline per workspace with your own stages, fields a deal must have before it moves, and approvals for discounts and wins. More |
| Automation | Rule-based workflows, assignment rules with round robin, lead scoring and follow-up sequences. More |
| Reporting | A dashboard and saved reports for leads by source, pipeline value by stage and team activity, built from the records your team keeps. More |
| Mobile app | Ask our team |
| Data hosting | Hosted in the Mumbai region. More |
| Sign-in and access | Multi-factor sign-in on every plan, which admins can enforce, plus roles, permissions and an audit log; single sign-on is not available yet. More |
| Integrations and API | A lead API with scoped keys, and outbound webhooks for lead and deal events. More |
| Getting started | Enquiry-led: you talk to a specialist who sets the workspace up around how your team sells, priced in rupees. More |
2. Zoho CRM
Zoho CRM is an AI-assisted CRM platform that brings lead management, sales automation, omnichannel engagement and analytics together for growing businesses.
Why it is on this list: A configurable CRM in the wider Zoho family, with Indian data centres, WhatsApp messages triggered from workflow rules and SMS through gateway connectors on the Zoho Marketplace.
Best for: Teams of any size that want a broad CRM inside the wider Zoho product family, with room to add automation, analytics and integrations as they grow.
| Built for | Zoho describes its CRM as serving businesses of all sizes, from freelancers and small businesses to enterprises, across all industries and verticals. Source: zoho.com |
|---|---|
| Lead capture | Zoho CRM captures leads from web forms, landing pages on WordPress and Unbounce, social media including Facebook Lead Ads, and Google Ads. IndiaMART connectors are listed on its Marketplace. Source: zoho.com |
| Zoho CRM integrates WhatsApp Business so teams can message customers from the CRM, use message templates, receive notifications and trigger WhatsApp messages from workflow rules. Source: zoho.com | |
| SMS in India | SMS is added to Zoho CRM through extensions on the Zoho Marketplace, including third-party SMS gateway connectors such as mTalkz and ClickSend, with scheduled sending and SMS history. Source: marketplace.zoho.com |
| Calling | Zoho CRM offers click-to-dial, automatic call logging against the relevant records, and connections to multiple telephony providers. Source: zoho.com |
| Pipelines | Zoho CRM supports multiple sales pipelines for different products, services or geographies, with system-defined deal stages that can be customised to match your sales process. Source: zoho.com |
| Automation | Assignment rules distribute leads from web forms, imports and API sources to users, roles or groups in round-robin order, alongside workflow rules and sales cadences. Source: help.zoho.com |
| Reporting | Zoho CRM provides dynamic dashboards, report generation, forecasting and anomaly detection to support sales performance management. Source: zoho.com |
| Mobile app | The Zoho CRM mobile app runs on Android and iOS, with offline updates that sync later, business card scanning, dashboards and the Zia assistant. Source: zoho.com |
| Data hosting | Zoho operates data centres in India, with Mumbai as primary and Chennai as secondary, and users choose where their data is stored. Source: zoho.com |
| Sign-in and access | Zoho CRM offers multi-factor authentication, IP restrictions, time-stamped audit logs, and role-based security where roles set data visibility and profiles set permissions. Source: zoho.com |
| Integrations and API | Zoho CRM provides RESTful APIs for record operations, bulk APIs, query APIs and notification APIs that report data changes, so it connects with third-party applications. Source: zoho.com |
| Getting started | Customers sign up online, with migration assistance and a Jumpstart onboarding service listed on the product page. Source: zoho.com |
3. HubSpot CRM
HubSpot CRM is a customer platform that organises contacts, deals and activity in one place, with Sales Hub adding prospecting, sequences, forecasting and AI assistance.
Why it is on this list: A connected customer platform where sales, marketing and service tools share records, with lead ad forms synced from Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok and Google Ads.
Best for: Startups, small businesses and growing sales teams that want an all-in-one customer platform with a large app marketplace and sales, marketing and service tools that connect.
| Built for | HubSpot positions its CRM for startups, small businesses and growing companies, and describes Sales Hub as suited to sales teams of all sizes, from individual contributors to enterprises. Source: hubspot.com |
|---|---|
| Lead capture | HubSpot captures leads through form and landing page builders, and syncs lead ad forms from Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok and Google Ads accounts, including Google Lead Form Extensions, into the CRM. Source: knowledge.hubspot.com |
| Teams link a WhatsApp Business Account via Meta's setup, so messages create threads in the HubSpot conversations inbox, and coexistence lets one number serve HubSpot and the WhatsApp Business app. Source: knowledge.hubspot.com | |
| SMS in India | HubSpot sends automated SMS to opted-in contacts through workflows once a business is registered, and its app marketplace lists many SMS connectors for sending and receiving texts. Source: knowledge.hubspot.com |
| Calling | HubSpot lets users call from the browser with a HubSpot number, a registered number or a third-party provider, with calls logged to the CRM and a power dialer. Source: hubspot.com |
| Pipelines | HubSpot provides customisable deal stages in a drag-and-drop pipeline editor, with multiple deal pipelines, stage approvals, validation steps and guided actions to keep deals on track. Source: hubspot.com |
| Automation | Workflows include a rotate-record-to-owner action that distributes leads by round robin, load balanced or random distribution, and sequences run multi-channel follow-up outreach. Source: knowledge.hubspot.com |
| Reporting | HubSpot offers performance dashboards at team and rep level, revenue forecasting and sales analytics, alongside reporting dashboards in the CRM. Source: hubspot.com |
| Mobile app | The HubSpot mobile app is available on iOS and Android and covers contacts, deals, tasks, calls, email and pipeline updates, with the Breeze Assistant built in. Source: hubspot.com |
| Data hosting | HubSpot hosts customer data on Amazon Web Services in the United States, Canada, Australia and the European Union (Germany), and assigns a data centre at sign-up. Source: hubspot.com |
| Sign-in and access | HubSpot supports two-factor authentication with configurable approved methods, SAML-based single sign-on that admins can require, and user permission settings managed by Super Admins. Source: knowledge.hubspot.com |
| Integrations and API | HubSpot lists more than 2,000 app integrations in its Marketplace and provides REST APIs with OAuth 2.0, plus a webhooks API for apps that subscribe to CRM events. Source: developers.hubspot.com |
| Getting started | Teams create an account online, choose the tools they need and connect existing apps from the HubSpot Marketplace, with a guided set-up for import and integrations. Source: hubspot.com |
4. Pipedrive
Pipedrive is a sales pipeline CRM that helps businesses manage leads, track sales activities and close more deals.
Why it is on this list: A visual pipeline CRM for deal-focused teams, with a Leads Inbox for forms, chat and email, and calling from its mobile apps or Marketplace apps such as CallHippo.
Best for: Sales teams of any size that want a visual, deal-focused pipeline with a large Marketplace of add-on apps.
| Built for | Pipedrive describes a sales pipeline CRM for businesses of all sizes, from start-ups to large teams, that want to manage leads and close deals. Source: pipedrive.com |
|---|---|
| Lead capture | Pipedrive captures leads from forms, chat, email and integrations into a Leads Inbox, and supports bulk import of leads and deals from spreadsheets. Source: pipedrive.com |
| The WhatsApp integration lets teams view conversations, send template messages and link chats to deals in Pipedrive, and Pipedrive describes it as a beta feature. Source: support.pipedrive.com | |
| SMS in India | A Fast2SMS app on the Pipedrive Marketplace sends SMS and WhatsApp messages from deals, contacts and organisations using approved Fast2SMS templates. Source: pipedrive.com |
| Calling | Teams can call from the iOS and Android apps with call logging, or use Marketplace calling apps such as CloudTalk, Aircall, CallHippo and JustCall. Source: support.pipedrive.com |
| Pipelines | Pipedrive provides a kanban-style view of the whole sales funnel, and users can customise pipelines to match their own sales process. Source: pipedrive.com |
| Automation | Automations can create deals and activities, assign leads to the right rep, send follow-up emails and update stages, using ready-made templates. Source: pipedrive.com |
| Reporting | Real-time dashboards and visual reports track sales performance against goals and show revenue forecasts based on historical data. Source: pipedrive.com |
| Mobile app | Native Android and iOS apps give access to the pipeline, meeting preparation and follow-ups while the team is on the move. Source: pipedrive.com |
| Data hosting | Pipedrive says accounts are hosted in AWS data centres in Europe and the US, with encryption for data at rest and in transit. Source: pipedrive.com |
| Sign-in and access | Pipedrive supports two-factor authentication through an authenticator app or email, single sign-on with providers such as Okta and Azure AD, permission sets and visibility groups. Source: support.pipedrive.com |
| Integrations and API | Pipedrive connects with 500+ apps through its Marketplace, including Zoom, Zapier, Xero and Facebook. Source: pipedrive.com |
| Getting started | Pipedrive supports self-guided set-up through its knowledge base and learning courses, including admin set-up training, with personalised one-to-one onboarding guidance on offer. Source: support.pipedrive.com |
5. LeadSquared
LeadSquared is an AI-powered CRM platform that helps sales, marketing, service and field teams move faster and convert more consistently.
Why it is on this list: An Indian CRM for high-volume lead work across sales, marketing, service and field teams, with load-balanced lead distribution and a native field app for visit tracking.
Best for: Teams in high-volume or regulated lead industries, such as financial services, education and healthcare, that want one CRM across sales, marketing, service and field work.
| Built for | LeadSquared describes itself as a CRM for sales, marketing, service and field teams in financial services, education, healthcare, real estate, automotive, manufacturing and other industries. Source: leadsquared.com |
|---|---|
| Lead capture | The IndiaMART connector pulls leads into LeadSquared at a configurable interval, with a three-hour default, and leads can also be synced manually. Source: help.leadsquared.com |
| LeadSquared connects to WhatsApp through service providers including WhatsApp Cloud API, Gupshup, Infobip, Kaleyra and WATI, with templates, bulk messaging and automation-triggered sends. Source: help.leadsquared.com | |
| SMS in India | LeadSquared lists 33 SMS providers for India, and its documentation sets out DLT sender ID, entity ID and template ID fields for each connector. Source: help.leadsquared.com |
| Calling | Cloud telephony integrations with providers such as Ozonetel, MyOperator and Teleforce give click-to-call, and log calls and recordings in the lead's activity history. Source: leadsquared.com |
| Pipelines | LeadSquared describes pipeline visibility, AI-prioritised leads and guided selling for sales teams that work across several channels. Source: leadsquared.com |
| Automation | Lead distribution automation assigns leads to users, groups or by user properties in round-robin order, and a load-balanced option keeps assignments even across users. Source: help.leadsquared.com |
| Reporting | LeadSquared offers dashboards for lead tracking, follow-ups and conversions, with performance monitoring and conversion analytics. Source: leadsquared.com |
| Mobile app | LeadSquared provides a native mobile CRM app on iOS and Android for field team management, visit tracking and order reporting. Source: leadsquared.com |
| Data hosting | LeadSquared hosts data on Amazon Web Services across multiple regions and holds ISO 27001:2022 certification from the British Standards Institution. Source: leadsquared.com |
| Sign-in and access | Two-factor authentication can be required for all users or set per user, alongside ADFS sign-in, IP address allow-listing and permission templates for role-based access. Source: help.leadsquared.com |
| Integrations and API | LeadSquared lists 100+ pre-built integrations and an API-first architecture, with API documentation published at apidocs.leadsquared.com. Source: leadsquared.com |
| Getting started | Getting started is demo-led: the website's main call to action is to book a demo, supported by a public knowledge base and API documentation. Source: leadsquared.com |
6. Kylas Sales CRM
Kylas describes itself as India's fastest-growing agentic sales CRM, designed for growing businesses.
Why it is on this list: An Indian sales CRM that says set-up takes about 30 minutes, with lead capture from IndiaMART and Justdial, and DLT template and entity IDs entered when SMS is connected.
Best for: Growing businesses in India, across sectors such as manufacturing, fintech and education, that want pipelines, WhatsApp, calling and AI lead scoring in one CRM.
| Built for | Kylas says it serves more than 5,000 growing businesses across manufacturing, digital marketing, IT, fintech, edtech, higher education, healthcare, insurance and travel. Source: kylas.io |
|---|---|
| Lead capture | Kylas captures leads from web forms and third-party apps such as Google, Facebook, IndiaMART, TradeIndia and Justdial. Source: kylas.io |
| Kylas says its WhatsApp messaging uses the official WhatsApp Business API, with templates, one-to-one replies, file sharing and message tracking inside the lead record. Source: kylas.io | |
| SMS in India | Kylas connects to SMS providers such as Authkey, and its documentation says DLT registration is mandatory in India, with DLT template and entity IDs entered during set-up. Source: kylas.io |
| Calling | Kylas offers calling with real-time logging and activity tracking, plus cloud telephony integrations including Exotel, Knowlarity, DialDesk and CallerDesk. Source: kylas.io |
| Pipelines | Kylas lets you create multiple pipelines to track sales processes from initial contact to closing deals, across its lead and deal modules. Source: kylas.io |
| Automation | Kylas assigns leads automatically to the team through round-robin queues, by product, location or campaign source, and prompts timely follow-ups across telephony, email, WhatsApp and SMS. Source: kylas.io |
| Reporting | Kylas offers dynamic dashboards for leads, deals, emails, tasks and goals, along with customisable reports and revenue projections. Source: kylas.io |
| Mobile app | Kylas says teams can sell on the move with real-time access to the CRM on Android and iOS. Source: kylas.io |
| Data hosting | Kylas says it supports data hosting in India and in the United States, so organisations can choose their data residency. Source: kylas.io |
| Sign-in and access | Kylas lists two-factor authentication, single sign-on, role-based access controls and audit trails among its security measures. Source: kylas.io |
| Integrations and API | Kylas offers open APIs and webhooks, a marketplace of 350+ apps, and connections to Zapier and Integrately for further automation. Source: kylas.io |
| Getting started | Kylas lets prospects book a demo and says set-up can be completed in about 30 minutes. Source: kylas.io |
When Freshsales is still the better choice
Freshsales remains the better choice if you already use other Freshworks products and want sales and marketing in the same family, or if you sell across regions and want territory-based lead routing with round robin inside each territory. Its Freshcaller-powered phone with call recordings, weighted pipelines and an India hosting region also suit teams that want calling, deal tracking and data residency from one vendor. If those pieces are set up and in daily use, moving would mean rebuilding them.
Freshsales compared head to head
- Zoho CRM vs FreshsalesZoho CRM vs Freshsales comes up when a growing team wants one CRM that handles sales and a good deal more, and both vendors pitch to everyone from small teams to large companies.
- Freshsales vs HubSpotFreshsales vs HubSpot is a natural head-to-head, because both pitch an all-in-one CRM that brings sales and marketing together for startups and growing businesses.
Frequently asked questions
What is the closest Freshsales alternative for an Indian SMB?
If you value the sales-and-marketing mix, HubSpot CRM and Zoho CRM are the nearest in scope. If your sales start as enquiries from IndiaMART, ads and WhatsApp, DigiPix Flow, Kylas and LeadSquared are built closer to that pattern.
When is Freshsales the better choice?
When you already run other Freshworks products, sell across territories and want routing rules for each, or want a built-in phone, weighted pipelines and Indian hosting from one vendor.
Which Freshsales alternatives send DLT-compliant SMS in India?
LeadSquared lists 33 SMS providers for India with DLT sender ID, entity ID and template ID fields. Kylas has DLT template and entity IDs entered during SMS set-up, Zoho CRM uses Marketplace gateway connectors such as mTalkz, and DigiPix Flow checks every message against your DLT templates before it sends.
Is Pipedrive or HubSpot closer to Freshsales?
Both are broad sales CRMs. HubSpot ties sales to marketing and service tools on shared records, which is nearer to the way Freshsales unites sales and marketing. Pipedrive centres on the visual deal pipeline and its app Marketplace. Which feels closer depends on how much of your marketing lives in the CRM.
How were the products on this page researched?
We took each product's details from its own public website and help pages on the date shown at the top of the page. If a detail could not be confirmed, the table says "Check with vendor". Features move between releases, so check anything critical with the vendor before deciding.
Why are there no prices here?
Vendors change plans, bundles and regional pricing regularly, so a number on this page could soon be out of date. Each vendor's own pricing page has the current figures.
Keep exploring
- HubSpot CRM alternativesWhat Indian SMBs shortlist when they compare other CRMs with HubSpot.
- Pipedrive alternativesCRMs teams weigh against Pipedrive's visual, deal-first pipeline.
- DLT registration for SMSWhat Indian businesses register before sending SMS, and how templates are approved.
- CRM for small business in IndiaWhat a small Indian sales team needs from a CRM, and what it can skip.