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Zoho alternative: a CRM built around how you work.
Zoho sells more than 55 business apps, and Zoho CRM starts with a free edition for up to three users. As a business grows, the CRM gets more fields, more workflows and links to further apps, and looking after the setup becomes a job of its own. Below are three routes for teams from around 10 people.
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When Zoho is still the right call
- You use several Zoho apps together, and the links between them work for you.
- Someone on your team knows Zoho CRM well and keeps fields, layouts and workflows in order.
- The budget is tight, and the per-user prices or the free edition cover what you need.
Reasons we hear for moving on
- Fields and workflows have piled up over the years, and nobody knows which ones still matter.
- Your data runs through several apps and outside tools, and nobody is sure which one holds the correct record.
- Your team wants screens that show only its own steps, from enquiry to delivery.
- You want to decide where the data is hosted and who can reach it.
Three routes compared
We build the third option: a CRM as ready to use as any off-the-shelf product, made for your business only, at roughly the price of a standard solution.
| Keep Zoho and connect it | Another standard CRM |  Custom CRM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fits when | Zoho works, but data gets retyped between systems | you want a narrower product with fewer settings, such as Pipedrive | your process doesn’t match a standard CRM layout |
| Running costs | Zoho licences stay | a new price per user | no per-user licence; hosting and support as agreed |
| Data and export | stays in Zoho, reachable through its REST API | moves to the new provider | on your own servers or in the EU, fully yours |
| Effort to switch | low | medium | medium, with a parallel run |
What Zoho CRM costs
| Edition | per user per month | 10 users over 5 years |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | $14 | $8,400 |
| Professional | $23 | $13,800 |
| Enterprise | $40 | $24,000 |
| Ultimate | $52 | $31,200 |
Monthly billing costs more per user. A free edition covers up to three users.
As of 14 October 2026. Zoho CRM, prices from zoho.com, billed annually, excluding VAT. No guarantee; the vendor’s pricing page is what counts. Zoho is a trademark of Zoho Corporation Pvt. Ltd..
Getting your data out of Zoho
Export Week 1
Zoho CRM exports each module as CSV or XLSX. A CSV export takes up to 200,000 records from one module, so we split large modules by creation date.
A complete copy of your data
Clean-up Weeks 2–4
Modules, fields and workflows your team still uses move into the new CRM. The rest is archived, not rebuilt.
A test system with real records
Parallel run Weeks 5–6
Both systems run until the team trusts the new one. Then you reduce or cancel the Zoho licences.
Switched without losing data
Before you decide
- Decide which Zoho apps stay. Keeping an accounting app and connecting the new CRM to it is a common middle way.
- Count the workflows and custom fields that still fire. Old ones don’t need a new home.
- Check how many exports per day your edition allows, because the limit depends on the edition.
Related
Frequently asked questions
Will we get a full Zoho clone?+
No. You get the parts of Zoho CRM your team really uses, built around how you work. Apps and settings nobody needs stay behind.
Can we keep some Zoho apps?+
Yes. Zoho CRM has a REST API, and we connect the new system to the apps you keep wherever their interfaces allow it.
Is a custom CRM worth it for a team of 10?+
Sometimes it isn’t. If Zoho CRM does the job for your team, stay with it. The intro call is free, and we’ll tell you if a switch doesn’t pay off.
Next step
Let’s take the next step. Now.