Zoho CRM alternatives for Indian sales teams
Zoho CRM alternatives worth a look if your sales start as enquiries: six CRMs Indian teams weigh instead, each described from its own website, with what it is built for and how it handles 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 Zoho CRM
You want less to set up
Zoho CRM is a large, configurable platform. Some smaller teams would rather start with a product shaped around one job, such as working enquiries, than configure modules they will not use.
Your leads start on WhatsApp and marketplaces
If most enquiries arrive from Meta ads, IndiaMART and WhatsApp, the question is how directly each product brings them in and keeps the conversation on the record.
You are choosing your first CRM
Teams moving off spreadsheets often compare Zoho CRM with lighter tools before committing. A short list of real options, with dated facts, makes that comparison quicker.
The 7 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. BiginVery small teams of one to twenty people that want a simple pipeline CRM within the Zoho family, with a clear path up to Zoho CRM.
- 3. FreshsalesStartups, SMBs and growing businesses that want sales and marketing in one CRM, with phone, WhatsApp, email and chat channels plus territory-based lead routing.
- 4. 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.
- 5. 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.
- 6. 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.
- 7. PipedriveSales teams of any size that want a visual, deal-focused pipeline with a large Marketplace of add-on apps.
How this list was made
- CRMs Indian sales teams actually compare with Zoho CRM, from search results and buyer questions.
- Each product's details come from its own website, checked on the date shown, and nothing else.
- No prices: plans change too often for a list like this to stay right.
- DigiPix Flow is our product. It is listed first and marked as ours; the others 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: Built around lead management for teams that sell on enquiries: leads from Meta, Google Ads, IndiaMART and website forms land in one inbox, and WhatsApp, email and SMS sit on the same record.
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. Bigin
Bigin by Zoho CRM is a pipeline-centric CRM for small businesses to track deals, manage contacts, handle email, phone and WhatsApp conversations, and automate follow-ups.
Why it is on this list: Zoho's own pipeline-centric CRM for small businesses, worth a look if you like the Zoho ecosystem but want a simpler product than Zoho CRM.
Best for: Very small teams of one to twenty people that want a simple pipeline CRM within the Zoho family, with a clear path up to Zoho CRM.
| Built for | Bigin is built for small businesses and MSMEs with 1 to 20 employees, including agencies, consultancies, real estate firms, schools, clinics, retailers and ecommerce brands. Source: bigin.com |
|---|---|
| Lead capture | Bigin's LeadChain topping captures leads from Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, Google Ads and Click-to-WhatsApp ads into Contacts. Forms embed on websites, and IndiaMART connectors sit on its Marketplace. Source: bigin.com |
| Bigin's WhatsApp channel lets teams send messages, receive replies and keep full conversation history on each contact or deal, with templates, quick replies and workflows. Source: bigin.com | |
| SMS in India | SMS is added to Bigin through third-party integrations on the Bigin Marketplace or through Zapier. Source: bigin.com |
| Calling | Bigin supports call logging, call recording and IVR, and connects to more than 100 telephony vendors through PhoneBridge, including Exotel, MyOperator, Acefone and TeleCMI for India-based users. Source: bigin.com |
| Pipelines | Bigin offers team pipelines with customisable stages and sub-pipelines, so several customer-facing processes can run side by side in one account. Source: bigin.com |
| Automation | Workflow rules fire when a record is created or updated, meets conditions or reaches a date, and can send emails, update fields, create tasks and change record owners. Source: bigin.com |
| Reporting | Bigin includes standard dashboards on every edition, with customisable dashboards and KPIs on higher editions, tracking pipeline and activity metrics. Source: bigin.com |
| Mobile app | Bigin has iOS and Android apps for viewing and editing records, navigating pipelines, calling and call logging, and scanning business cards. Source: bigin.com |
| Data hosting | Bigin data is hosted in the region chosen at sign-up, and the India region runs from Mumbai as primary with Chennai as secondary. Source: bigin.com |
| Sign-in and access | Bigin signs users in through Zoho's identity platform, with multi-factor authentication and SSO configured at organisation level, plus roles for data visibility and profiles for permissions. Source: bigin.com |
| Integrations and API | Bigin exposes a REST API with OAuth 2.0 under /bigin/v2, supports webhook notifications through workflow rules, and offers Zapier, Zoho Flow and Marketplace toppings. Source: bigin.com |
| Getting started | Customers sign up online, choose a region, and pick one of 22 industry templates or a blank pipeline. A paid Jumpstart onboarding service and a partner network are also listed. Source: bigin.com |
3. Freshsales
Freshsales, also marketed as Freshsales Suite and Freshworks CRM, is an all-in-one CRM that unites sales and marketing around the customer.
Why it is on this list: Freshworks' sales CRM, often shortlisted beside Zoho CRM by teams that also use Freshdesk or want built-in phone and email.
Best for: Startups, SMBs and growing businesses that want sales and marketing in one CRM, with phone, WhatsApp, email and chat channels plus territory-based lead routing.
| Built for | Freshworks positions Freshsales Suite for startups, SMBs, growing businesses and mid to large-sized enterprises that want integrated sales and marketing. Source: freshworks.com |
|---|---|
| Lead capture | Freshsales captures leads from web forms and website visitor tracking, and creates leads from Facebook and Instagram lead ad submissions once you connect your social account and map form fields. Source: crmsupport.freshworks.com |
| Freshworks is an official WhatsApp Business Solution Provider, so WhatsApp messages run through the WhatsApp Business Platform and teams read, reply and send opted-in marketing templates from the CRM. Source: crmsupport.freshworks.com | |
| SMS in India | Freshsales offers a Gupshup SMS integration for India that sends one-way text SMS using templates registered on the DLT platform, once DLT sender IDs and templates are in place. Source: crmsupport.freshworks.com |
| Calling | Freshsales offers click-to-call from the CRM with call logs and recordings through a Freshcaller-powered phone, and its marketplace lists telephony integrations such as Knowlarity and CallerDesk. Source: freshworks.com |
| Pipelines | Admins set up multiple deal pipelines with customisable stages, stage probabilities and rotting ages, and use weighted pipelines so managers can forecast expected sales. Source: support.freshsales.io |
| Automation | Freshsales assigns leads to salespeople across territories using lead-routing rules, with round-robin distribution within a territory, and offers workflows to automate routine tasks. Source: freshworks.com |
| Reporting | Freshsales provides built-in reports and custom dashboards, scheduled report delivery, and reports that compare progress across multiple pipelines. Source: freshworks.com |
| Mobile app | The Freshsales mobile app runs on iOS and Android, letting reps add records, make and log calls, update deal stages, take voice notes and check in to meetings. Source: support.freshsales.io |
| Data hosting | Freshworks hosts its SaaS applications on Amazon Web Services with data centre regions that include India, the United States, Europe and Australia. Source: freshworks.com |
| Sign-in and access | Freshsales supports SAML single sign-on with identity providers such as Okta, two-factor authentication, and roles with module-level permissions that admins can customise. Source: crmsupport.freshworks.com |
| Integrations and API | Freshsales documents a RESTful API for reading and changing CRM data, supports webhooks from workflows, and lists integrations such as Gmail, Outlook, Slack, DocuSign, QuickBooks and Zapier. Source: developers.freshworks.com |
| Getting started | Freshworks describes the CRM as easy to implement, with quick set-up and team adoption, and lists verified apps on the Freshworks Marketplace for connecting existing tools. Source: freshworks.com |
4. 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 built for high-volume lead management in sectors such as education, financial services and healthcare, with many Indian connectors.
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 |
5. 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 for small and mid-sized businesses that positions itself around ease of setup and lead management.
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 |
6. 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 widely used CRM with marketing, sales and service hubs, often considered by teams that want marketing automation in the same product.
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 |
7. 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 pipeline-first CRM used by small sales teams worldwide, known for its visual deal board and activity-based selling.
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 |
When Zoho CRM is still the better choice
Zoho CRM remains the better choice if you already run several Zoho apps and want them on one platform, if you need deep customisation such as custom modules and scripted logic, or if you have an admin who can build and maintain workflows across a large team. In those cases the breadth is the point, and moving would mean rebuilding what already works.
Zoho CRM compared head to head
- LeadSquared vs Zoho CRMLeadSquared vs Zoho is a common shortlist for Indian sales teams: both handle high lead volumes, connect to IndiaMART and WhatsApp, and host data in India.
- 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.
- Zoho CRM vs HubSpotZoho CRM vs HubSpot is the shortlist many growing businesses reach once a spreadsheet stops coping: each is a broad platform with automation, reporting and a large set of add-ons.
- Pipedrive vs Zoho CRMPipedrive vs Zoho CRM is a choice between a CRM organised around the visual sales pipeline and one built as a broad platform inside a family of business apps.
- Bigin vs Zoho CRMBigin vs Zoho CRM is really a question of scale within one vendor, since Bigin is Zoho's pipeline-centric CRM for small businesses and Zoho CRM is its broader platform.
- Zoho CRM vs SalesforceZoho CRM vs Salesforce is a comparison buyers make when they want a full CRM platform that can follow them from a small team to a large organisation.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Zoho CRM alternative for a small business in India?
It depends on where your leads come from and how much setup you want. Teams whose sales start as enquiries from ads, IndiaMART and WhatsApp often look at DigiPix Flow, LeadSquared or Kylas; teams that want to stay with Zoho but simplify often choose Bigin.
When is Zoho CRM the better choice?
When you already use several Zoho apps, need deep customisation or have an admin to build and maintain workflows for a large team. The breadth of the platform is the reason to stay.
Is Bigin a good alternative to Zoho CRM?
Bigin is Zoho's own simpler CRM for small businesses, built around pipelines. It suits teams that want to stay in the Zoho ecosystem with less to configure. Check with Zoho which features carry over from Zoho CRM.
Can I move my data from Zoho CRM to another CRM?
Yes. Zoho CRM lets you export records, and most CRMs import leads and contacts from CSV. In DigiPix Flow, columns are matched for you during import and duplicates are skipped, so you do not start from zero.
How were these alternatives checked?
Each product's details were taken from its own public website and help pages on the date shown at the top of the page. Where we could not confirm a detail, the table says "Check with vendor". Products change, so confirm anything important with the vendor before you decide.
Why are there no prices on this page?
Plans and prices change often and differ by region and contract, so any price here would soon be wrong. Each vendor's own pricing page is the right source.
Keep exploring
- Bigin alternativesThe CRMs teams weigh instead of Zoho's simpler, pipeline-first CRM.
- Why teams choose DigiPix FlowWhat an Indian lead management CRM does differently, and who it is for.
- IndiaMART CRM integrationHow IndiaMART enquiries reach DigiPix Flow without copying them by hand.
- CRM migration checklistHow to move from one CRM to another without losing leads or history.