The Best AI-Ready CRMs for Your Consulting Business in 2025 - and which ones to avoid

(Scroll down to the list per type of consulting business.)

In this article, I'll help you choose the best CRM for your consulting business. I'll share top CRMs by niche and firm, considering ease of use, AI readiness, integrations, and cost.

A CRM (Customer Relationship Management system) is your catalyst for scaling. It organizes your leads and tracks your sales pipeline. It automates follow-up and streamlines onboarding. Plus, it helps you provide a top-notch client experience easily.

But here’s the kicker – most CRMs are not built with consultants in mind. Some are bloated with features you’ll never use. Others make you duct-tape 12 tools together just to send a contract or schedule a call. And then, some developers are so focused on bells and whistles that they neglect the basics.

So, which CRM is the best for boutique consultants? As always... it all depends. And that's not my way of weaseling out of making recommendations. I will.

In particular, I evaluated CRMs based on three decision-making criteria: AI readiness, ease of implementation, and fitness for the type of consulting.

But there is not one perfect solution out there. Every single one is missing at least one function that all consultants want or need. Kind of like the first iPhone that offered zero task management. Not even a basic checklist.

I speak from experience - starting with Kajabi.

I used Kajabi for client training, including teaching Kolbe A Index insights and creating technical documentation videos. It has features for email marketing, landing pages, and lead capture, but lacks essential functions like client scheduling, proposal management, and e-signing. I need other tools to run my consulting business efficiently.

I tried GoHighLevel.

I got GoHighLevel for free through a mastermind group. It promised to replace all my other tools, like Kajabi and ClickFunnels. It's like a combination of those tools, but with AI features. The AI helps with content, chatbots, and workflows. But despite its bells and whistles, basic functions can be tricky. For instance, only 15% of my marketing emails reached inboxes, while 85% went to junk folders. This didn't happen with Kajabi.

I also tried ClickFunnels, looked at Pipedrive, considered ActiveCampaign, and experimented with HubSpot. 

My clients ask me all the time: “Is Zoho good enough?” “What do you think of Kartra?” “Is HoneyBook better than Productive?” “What’s your take on Salesforce?”

So, let’s unpack all of that to settle the debate (for now). 

In this article, I'll provide a helpful starting point to choose the best one for your consulting business. I'll share the top CRMs and also explain why some popular options didn't make the cut. We've checked real user feedback to ensure our recommendations are practical.

I am aware that I could break down CRM into endless groups and subgroups. To make my recommendations more palatable - and simplification is my middle name - I opted for a broader classification that serves most of my followers.

Disclaimer: I am not associated with any of these providers I recommend. I am not an affiliate. I am not getting any incentives other than your appreciation for any of them. I believe you deserve unbiased reviews.

Yet, Another Disclaimer:

This analysis is based on user reviews, expert opinions, and online discussions. It includes Reddit threads, reviews from G2 and Capterra, and niche blog comparisons. We cited user feedback to identify common issues and limits. My team and I used community feedback and recent product research to choose the best CRMs for consultants. We also noted which ones to be cautious about. We relied on AI evaluations, but also fact-checked and cross-checked to ensure accuracy.

Be cautious and verify the information before making a purchase.

Best CRM Platforms for Consultants: Bold Recommendations by Firm Type

Best for Solo Consultant / Fractional Executive

HubSpot CRM (Free Version): No-nonsense, zero-cost CRM that just works. 

HubSpot’s free CRM is perfect for a one-person consulting practice. It combines simplicity with strong features. It's simple to set up. It has everything you need: contact management, deal tracking, email integration, and a mobile app.

Real users praise the free tier as “decent” for a solo operator, easily staying under the limits. HubSpot adds useful AI to its platform - you get features like AI email drafting and a sales chat assistant (ChatSpot). These tools save time on follow-ups and data entry. A solo consultant can automate scheduling and use email templates for outreach. They can also have an AI sidekick, like ChatSpot or the content assistant, to help with daily tasks. This all comes at no extra cost or complexity.

What it does well

HubSpot Free is easy to use and packed with features for one person. It’s designed to be user-friendly, with a simple interface that requires no special training. This is perfect when you handle sales, marketing, and IT all by yourself. It works well with Gmail and Outlook to track emails, and it has a strong mobile app for updates on the go.

Solo consultants usually don't need fancy extras; they want a CRM they can start using right away. HubSpot shines here – you can sign up and begin logging calls and deals in minutes. The built-in AI tools are genuinely helpful. For example, the AI can suggest replies for your emails. It can also summarize your pipeline. This helps you work faster and saves you time on adjusting settings. Importantly, if your practice grows, HubSpot can grow with you. Paid tiers offer marketing automation and more. However, you likely won’t outgrow the free CRM until your needs change significantly.

What it doesn’t do / who should NOT use it

HubSpot isn’t for consultants seeking deep customization or free advanced analytics. The free and Starter tiers don’t include advanced custom fields, complex workflows, or detailed reporting. A consultant user mentioned that HubSpot was good initially. However, they “hated the layout and lack of customization” in the lower tiers. They also felt that the best features were locked behind “very expensive” plans.

Many helpful features need a paid upgrade. These upgrades can be pricey. One analysis points out that HubSpot Free has many limits. It describes upgrading to the full version as “insanely expensive." 

If you need a highly tailored CRM or have special process needs and don’t plan to pay for higher tiers, skip HubSpot. Some users may find constant upsell prompts annoying. 

For a solo or fractional consultant, though, HubSpot Free remains an obvious choice. It’s a simple and reliable CRM for tracking relationships and tasks. Remember, this tool isn't great for complex sales cycles. As you grow and need more features, you can either pay for HubSpot's plans or switch to another system later.

Runner-Up for Solo Consultant / Fractional Executive

Less Annoying CRM – Ultra-simple and focused on relationships. 

This CRM simplifies things to the basics. LACRM makes it easy for a solo practice to manage contacts and follow-ups. It's almost stress-free. It’s designed for solo professionals. It has a simple interface and a flat price of $15 per month per user. This price has not changed in years. There are no confusing tiers or surprise add-ons. This way, you spend less time fussing with software and more time with clients.

Better Than HubSpot

Less Annoying CRM is simpler for a one-user scenario. Its interface is clean and not overwhelming. Even experienced networkers find it great for everyday use. LACRM is made for small businesses. It gives solo consultants everything they need for client management. Plus, it’s all at one low price. 

It's simpler than HubSpot’s free CRM which can feel overwhelming because of its many menus and upsell buttons. With LACRM, you won’t hit a paywall for basic features, and you won’t waste hours configuring or learning it. Real users often praise that simplicity – it lives up to its name by being “less annoying” than bigger CRMs. A Reddit user shared that after using more complex systems, they found LACRM easy to use. They liked it for keeping track of contacts and follow-ups without distractions.

Why It Lost Overall

Its simple design means fewer advanced features and integrations. HubSpot is the top pick. It offers a rich ecosystem. This includes marketing emails, sales pipelines, AI analytics, and a large integrations marketplace. These features can become important if a solo consultant starts to scale up. LACRM keeps it simple. It doesn't have fancy AI, advanced automation, or lots of add-ons. For a solo consultant who hates clunky software, this simple approach is a gift. If you think you’ll need advanced tools later, LACRM might hold you back. This includes AI insights, complex automation, or detailed analytics. In short, it’s the top choice for “basic and easy.” It’s great for beginners. However, it lacks the extra features and scalability of more advanced CRMs.

Boutique Consulting Firm (3–20 people)

Pipedrive – Focused, pipeline-centric CRM that small teams actually enjoy using. 

For a boutique consultancy, Pipedrive is arguably the best choice. It helps your team stay focused on managing deals without unnecessary clutter. It’s easy to use and very visual. Your deals go through stages on a Kanban board. This gives everyone clear updates on each client’s status. Consultants frequently rave about Pipedrive’s intuitive UI and customizability for small teams. Many posts in sales and CRM groups say Pipedrive is ideal for teams with 20 or fewer users.A consulting firm owner said they tried many CRMs before choosing Pipedrive. They liked it because it is easy to use and highly customizable for their needs.

Your team of 5, 10, or 20 can quickly get up to speed. This is important because a CRM only works if everyone uses it. Pipedrive’s design makes daily use easy and even enjoyable, so you won’t struggle with user adoption. Remember, ease of use is not a trivial factor: a powerful CRM that no one uses is worthless. Pipedrive offers a tool that your consultants will truly embrace.

What it does best:

Pipedrive is great at managing sales pipelines. This is important for a growing consulting boutique. It's an action-focused system. Each contact or deal leads to the next step. This helps consultants manage follow-ups and proposals effectively. The interface is very easy to use. Users often claim Pipedrive is “by far the most intuitive” CRM they’ve tried.

It also offers built-in automation and an AI sales assistant that aren’t gimmicky. Pipedrive’s AI Sales Assistant can check your pipeline. It suggests top deals and next steps. Also, the Smart Contact Data feature collects info about new leads online. These tools help your team spend less time on data entry and research. Pipedrive offers strong automation tools, especially for small businesses. Users find the workflow automation helpful for repetitive tasks. One user even said the automation features were fantastic for them. The result is a CRM that actually saves time.

Users say Pipedrive is easy to adopt. They describe it as “very simple and action-focused.” This simplicity helps small teams use it consistently. It also works nicely with tools that boutique firms like. You can easily integrate email and calendars. Use the Pipedrive add-on for LinkedIn to import leads. Plus, connect to project management tools like Asana or Airtable for post-sales tasks. The pricing is straightforward and affordable, with no hidden add-on fees. Crucially, Pipedrive doesn’t try to do everything – and that’s a feature, not a bug. It does one thing really well: it manages your consulting sales pipeline and client relationships. Plus, it keeps administrative tasks to a minimum.

What it does NOT do / who should avoid it:

Pipedrive is not a complete marketing or project management suite – and it doesn’t try to be. Out-of-the-box, Pipedrive doesn’t offer integrated email marketing campaigns or customer support ticketing. You’ll need separate tools or add-ons for those functions. One user said Pipedrive is “focused mainly on the sales process.” This makes it great for tracking leads and deals. However, it’s not ideal for running complex multi-channel marketing campaigns or handling HR and recruiting tasks. Pipedrive also offers only light project-tracking features. You can create a simple project delivery pipeline or use deal stages to show project status. But if you need to manage detailed plans, tasks, and teamwork, use a dedicated project management tool. For example, you can integrate Pipedrive with Trello, Asana, or ClickUp.

What it doesn’t do / who shouldn’t use it:

Pipedrive may be too limited for companies seeking an all-in-one CRM. They often need marketing automation, customer support, and project management in one system. If you have over 20 people or complex processes, Pipedrive may be too basic. It might not grow with your needs. If you need to automate complex proposals, manage resources, or control permissions, a bigger system may be a better choice. In summary, Pipedrive is the best choice for a small consulting team that prefers a simple, deal-focused workflow. It keeps your business pipeline smooth and easy. But it leaves advanced marketing and ops functions to other tools.

Next Runner-up: HubSpot (Starter Growth Suite) – A complete marketing and sales platform for teams needing more than just a pipeline. 

Boutique firms looking to grow fast or enhance marketing will find HubSpot’s paid plans, like Starter and Professional, quite appealing. HubSpot has everything you need in one place. It includes CRM, email marketing, marketing automation, website forms, and customer service tools. Some consulting teams might pick HubSpot over Pipedrive. They choose this for its wider functionality, despite the higher cost and complexity. HubSpot combines many tools into one. You get a CRM with strong marketing features like email campaigns, landing pages, and lead capture forms. It also offers scheduling links, document management, and more, all seamlessly integrated.

Better Than Pipedrive: 

HubSpot provides a more complete suite of capabilities. Pipedrive focuses on sales pipelines. HubSpot, on the other hand, covers the whole client journey. It starts with lead capture on your website. Then, it automates email nurturing and tracks deals. If you add Service Hub, it can even track service tickets. HubSpot lets small firms run webinars, send newsletters, and track marketing ROI. They can do all this without relying on third-party email services or landing page builders. 

It also has a large library of integrations and a marketplace of add-ons. HubSpot’s analytics and dashboards for marketing and sales are more advanced than Pipedrive’s basic reporting. HubSpot is quickly adding AI to its platform. The new Breeze AI assistant and content tools help users. They can draft content, analyze data, and automate tasks.

In short, HubSpot offers breadth – you might not need to juggle as many external apps because HubSpot aims to be a one-stop platform. This convenience is a major benefit, especially if your consulting firm relies on inbound marketing. It’s also helpful if you plan to grow your marketing and sales operations quickly.

Why It’s Not the Top Pick: 

For a typical 3–20-person consulting firm, HubSpot’s advantages come with notable trade-offs. First, consider the cost. HubSpot CRM starts free, but to access its best features, you'll need to upgrade to paid plans. These can get pricey quickly. Many small-business users feel they must pay much more for HubSpot. They could get what they need with a simpler CRM and some separate tools. 

Second, complexity: HubSpot’s wealth of features can be overwhelming for small teams. Its interface is clean, but the sheer number of options and modules can introduce a learning curve. Pipedrive’s focus helps new team members learn and navigate easily. A small consultancy found HubSpot’s layout confusing for their team. In contrast, with Pipedrive, they could customize deal stages and fields in minutes. Everyone quickly understood the system. 

HubSpot, particularly at lower tiers, may miss some tools that consultants need daily. For instance, it lacks built-in project or task management. You might also find limited reporting options. To access these features, you’ll need to buy higher-tier add-ons. Pipedrive has basic project and task-tracking features. HubSpot needs an upgrade or integration for these. 

In short, HubSpot’s all-in-one power is clear. It’s usually the top choice for marketing consulting firms or those looking to grow fast. For most boutique consulting teams, the extra cost and complexity don’t make sense. That’s why Pipedrive is the top choice for this category. If your team needs HubSpot’s full marketing toolkit, remember that it requires an investment and training to use it effectively.

IT Consulting / Technical Projects

Zoho One (Zoho CRM + Suite) – The all-in-one platform for tech consultancies needing integration. 

For IT and technical consulting firms, Zoho One stands out as a powerful option. Zoho One isn’t just a CRM; it’s an entire business suite (CRM, Projects, Books, Desk, etc.) under a single subscription. This all-in-one approach changes the game for technical consulting teams. It helps them integrate sales, project delivery, and support tightly. 

Everything is integrated. Zia, Zoho’s AI assistant, goes beyond the hype. It logs calls on its own. It checks email sentiment and suggests the best times to reach leads. It even predicts the chances of closing deals based on your data. For a tech-focused team, AI insights and automation cut down on busy work. They act like a built-in data analyst for your pipeline.

Why it’s the best fit: 

An IT consulting firm often has to juggle sales and project execution seamlessly. Zoho One shines here because it unifies CRM and project management (and more) in one ecosystem. Close a deal in Zoho CRM, and it can turn into a project in Zoho Projects. You can assign consultants, set milestones, and track delivery. This all happens seamlessly. This end-to-end linkage is crucial for technical projects. 

Here, delivery is just as important as sales. Your technical team can track a client from lead to proposal to project execution all in one system. It's easy to use since Zoho has improved its UI. It also works well with many third-party tools if you need them. Also, it’s much cheaper than enterprise CRMs. Those often need many add-ons for the same functions.

Zoho’s Zia brings AI benefits that IT consultants appreciate. Zia can spot anomalies, like stalled deals with no updates. It can also auto-fill data and answer your questions about CRM data in plain English. For example, you can ask Zia, “Which deals are at risk this month?” and it can analyze the pipeline and highlight those for you. These AI analytics help a small tech consultancy focus on what matters. They don’t need a dedicated analyst.

Zoho offers many apps, like invoicing, help desk, and analytics. They all share data. So, when a consultant logs into Zoho, they see everything about a client. This includes sales history, project status, and support tickets—all in one place. Cutting down on data silos and context-switching can improve efficiency and speed for an IT consulting team.

What it doesn’t do / who shouldn’t use it: 

Zoho One’s greatest strength is its breadth, which can also be a weakness. It is not for the tech-averse or those who need ultra simplicity. Expect a learning curve. One review noted that it has “a steep learning curve” and is “overwhelming” for new users because of its many features.

If your team doesn't have someone tech-savvy to handle the setup and optimization, Zoho may seem overwhelming. Although the interface has improved, it can still be less intuitive in some areas and inconsistent across the different Zoho apps. A smaller IT shop that just needs a basic sales tracker might find Zoho overkill. Also, if you truly only need a CRM (and none of the extra apps), Zoho One might be more than you want to chew – a simpler CRM would do fine.

Another point: Zoho offers support and has a community, but it’s less personal than bigger vendors. Implementation will likely be DIY or via a Zoho partner. If you don’t plan to use many of the Zoho One applications, you might be paying for a lot of unused functionality. If your consulting firm has over 50 employees or complex needs, Zoho may not be the best fit. 

You may find it lacking compared to top-tier platforms. In summary, Zoho One is a solid choice for small to midsize IT consultancies. This is especially true for firms with 10 to 100 employees. It provides a complete and automated system. This can greatly improve efficiency once it's running. It's not great for people seeking a plug-and-play CRM. It also won't suit companies that won't use most of its features.

Next Runner-up: Insightly – Built-in project management for end-to-end client work. 

Insightly stands out by seamlessly blending CRM with project delivery features. IT consultancies take on complex projects right after winning deals. Insightly makes it easy to turn a deal into a project. You can set tasks and timelines in just a few clicks. It's a cloud CRM designed for small and mid-sized consulting teams. Its main feature is a strong project management module included in the CRM. 

Your technical team can track client engagement from lead to proposal to project execution, all in one system. It's easy to use and integrates well with G Suite, Office 365, and more. Plus, it's usually cheaper and simpler to set up than a big system like Salesforce.

Insightly beats heavyweight CRMs like Salesforce in two key areas for IT consultancies: it’s easier to use and it’s better suited for tracking project delivery out-of-the-box. You don’t need months of setup or a developer team to get Insightly working for your processes – many teams can configure it themselves. 

Second, it tackles project management natively, which is a lifesaver for technical projects. You can manage tasks and milestones in Insightly. You can also assign team members for each project. Link everything to the right client and opportunity. Salesforce often requires add-ons or major tweaks for detailed project tracking. 

Insightly links sales and project work for IT consultancies with 10 to 50 people. You close a deal and can start the project right away. Everyone and all timelines are tracked in one app. This means you don’t have to switch to another project management tool.

Why It Lost Overall: 

Insightly provides a solid CRM and project management experience. However, it doesn't match the range and flexibility of Zoho One. It also falls short of the strong capabilities found in enterprise solutions. Zoho has a wider range of apps, including finance and support, along with projects. Meanwhile, Salesforce remains the leader in features for enterprises. 

Insightly’s feature set, though broad, is mid-tier in depth. Its AI and automation features are basic. It has simple workflow automation and basic AI, like lead scoring. But it doesn’t have advanced predictive analytics or AI helpers like Zoho’s Zia or Salesforce’s Einstein. As your consulting business grows, you might find those limitations more pressing. Salesforce has a huge third-party ecosystem. This means you can customize it for many specific needs. In contrast, Insightly has fewer extensions.

Insightly is a strong second choice for mid-sized tech consultancies. It offers easy project integration and is ideal for those who do not need all the features of a platform like Zoho. It’s especially appealing if you find Zoho One too complex or don’t require all of Zoho’s modules. But it can't compete with Zoho One's broader suite at a similar price. It also lacks scalability and advanced features compared to Salesforce. Insightly works well for small firms with 20 to 50 people. A company seeking unlimited growth, advanced AI, or custom processes may outgrow Insightly.

HR or People/Training Consultant

Nimble CRM – A relationship-driven tool that helps people-focused consultants manage their networks.

HR and training consultants thrive on relationships, not hardcore sales pipelines. Nimble is the perfect choice for these people-centric practices. Think of it as a supercharged Rolodex with intelligence. It automatically gathers social media and business info for your contacts. This keeps all your interactions organized in one place. Setting up is simple. Just connect your email and social accounts. Then, Nimble fills itself with your contacts and communication history. 

Its built-in "social listening" and contact enrichment act like an AI research assistant. They provide details about each person without any extra effort. In fact, one user noted “Nimble goes beyond simple contact management. It uses AI to automatically enhance contact profiles with key details. Nimble is a game changer for consultants who meet many people at events. It helps you remember personal details and context, so you don’t have to do manual data entry.

Why it’s the best fit: 

Nimble excels at handling big personal networks. This is perfect for HR consultants, executive coaches, and training professionals. You’re often less worried about a formal sales funnel and more about nurturing long-term relationships (prospects, clients, alumni of your training, etc.). 

Nimble’s key strength is aggregating communications across channels. It brings together your email chats, LinkedIn messages, Twitter mentions, and more. You get a clear view of each contact. As a consultant, you can access a person's record. You’ll see a complete history of all interactions and their recent social media updates. 

This insight helps you reconnect with past clients or seminar attendees. You can easily pick up where you left off. Just reference your last chat or congratulate them on a recent job move you might have missed. Nimble provides easy deal tracking and basic task management. This is usually enough for consultants who have regular speaking gigs or client projects.

People often praise Nimble for being easy to use. It's very user-friendly and doesn't need technical skills for maintenance. Nimble has recently added workflow automation and an AI assistant. These tools help with forecasting and email tracking. They boost capabilities for power users while keeping things simple.

Another standout feature is Nimble’s contact enrichment via AI. Nimble enriches your CRM contacts with public data. This includes LinkedIn profiles, photos, bios, and company info. So, you save time on research and manual updates. A consultant mentioned that Nimble is “great to keep a large social network in check.” It helps prevent contacts from slipping through the cracks (CRM for Consulting 2nd version.docx). It’s like having a personal CRM concierge organizing your people data. Nimble gives HR consulting an edge. In this field, personal connections and remembering details can win business.

What it doesn’t do / who should skip it:

Nimble isn’t for complex sales management or heavy process automation. If you're an HR consultant looking for a strong sales funnel tool for big RFPs or complex deals, Nimble may fall short in pipeline management. One user said it’s "less relevant for deal or opportunity management" in high-stakes sales. It also misses several add-on modules seen in bigger CRMs. For instance, it doesn’t have built-in project management or advanced marketing automation. You can send group messages in Nimble, similar to a mail merge. However, it lacks the email campaign features found in ActiveCampaign or HubSpot.

Avoid Nimble if you need a ton of custom fields and complex record types. It offers some customization, but not nearly as deep as something like Salesforce or Zoho. Nimble is great for gathering social data. But if your clients aren’t on LinkedIn or other social media, that feature isn’t very useful. Nimble is a cloud SaaS that mainly connects with Office 365 and G Suite. If your workflow uses a different suite, you might not see all the benefits. 

Large teams with more than 20 users might find Nimble limited. It lacks detailed permissions and data segmentation. This tool is better suited for small teams or individual users. In summary, choose Nimble if your consulting work is all about people and follow-ups. It’s a simple, user-friendly contact manager. It has AI features that help you nurture relationships easily. If you need a full sales or operations platform or want deep customization, look elsewhere.

Next Runner-up: Keap (Infusionsoft) – All-in-one automation for client nurturing. 

Keap is perfect for training or coaching consultants. It offers strong email marketing and workflow automation directly in the CRM. It’s essentially a mix of CRM and marketing automation. You can capture leads on your site and then send them nurture email sequences automatically. You can track client onboarding tasks and even handle invoicing – all in one system. Keap provides consultants, like coaches or HR trainers, with a complete toolkit. This helps them reach many people. It also makes sure everyone gets the attention they need. Best of all, it comes ready to use. You won’t need extra tools like HubSpot’s Marketing Hub or a third-party email service. It meets those needs right from the start. Buying similar tools on their own could cost you much more than a Keap subscription.

Keap has more built-in automation for marketing and client follow-up. It has a visual campaign builder, a feature from its Infusionsoft days. This tool helps you create detailed email workflows. It's perfect for consultants who run workshops, online courses, or drip campaigns. This helps them stay connected. Nimble centers on contact insights. Keap, on the other hand, guides contacts through a journey using triggers and actions. It also has features that Nimble doesn’t. These include built-in appointment scheduling, sending proposals or quotes, and processing invoices. 

Keap can manage a client’s journey from start to finish. It takes care of everything. This includes filling out a form on your site, signing a proposal, paying an invoice, and getting a welcome email sequence.

Another area Keap wins is value for automation. It offers advanced automation at a lower price point than something like HubSpot. HubSpot offers great automation, but you usually need a Professional-tier plan. This plan can cost thousands of dollars each year to access all features. Keap offers strong automation in its base software. This makes it a better value for small teams that depend on email marketing. A digital marketing expert said that for businesses with under 100 employees, Keap is a better and cheaper option. It combines CRM and automated campaigns well. They noted that HubSpot could need a large budget and onboarding fees. 

In contrast, Keap provides the same core features - CRM and automated campaigns - for much less. For a solopreneur or small firm that relies on automated follow-ups, Keap is a great choice. It helps HR consultants nurture email lists of prospects over months. A Reddit expert noted that Keap’s ideal user is a “solopreneur who relies heavily on marketing automation.” Keap now offers AI-assisted features. These include AI-powered email templates and predictive sending. They help optimize engagement, but they're still quite basic.

Why It Lost Overall: 

In a word, scalability (and a bit of usability). Keap’s all-in-one approach works great for solo practices or small teams. But as a business expands, it may start to feel limiting. Many power users eventually outgrow Keap’s limited CRM features and old interface. The UI isn’t the smoothest. It even got the nickname “Confusionsoft” early on. While it has gotten better, this shows it can still be tough to learn and a bit clunky. 

This can be a problem if you have a team of 5, 10, or 20 people all using it daily; not everyone will climb the learning curve. HubSpot is often easier for teams to adopt. A user cautioned that switching to Keap might lead to regret. They said, "You’ll regret [it] in the next three years" when you reach its limits. That might be an extreme take, but it underscores that Keap isn’t as future-proof for a growing firm.

Another drawback is that outside of its marketing niche, Keap is not best-in-class. Its CRM depth, like custom objects and complex reporting, is not as strong as that of larger CRMs. It also lacks long-term flexibility. It has fewer integrations and a less modern ecosystem than HubSpot or Salesforce. If you need to connect Keap to many other specialized tools, you might find some gaps. 

Keap fulfills two key needs: it’s user-friendly for small teams and offers useful automation. However, it misses the mark on the overall capabilities that a growing consulting firm may need, and that’s why it’s not the top winner. It's a great pick for small marketing automation. Many users love it. 

However, if you think your business might need stronger CRM features in the future, you may end up switching from Keap later. So, our top choice, Nimble, is still the best option for most HR consultants. It's great for those who value ease and managing relationships more than heavy automation.

Large Management Consulting Firms (50+ people)

Salesforce Sales Cloud – The top CRM for big teams with no time for limits.

Salesforce is a great choice for consulting firms. These firms often have many clients, sometimes in the hundreds or thousands. They also usually have many consultants or service lines. It supports multiple practice areas and offers extremely strong process tracking and customization. Yes, it’s an obvious pick – but it’s obvious for a reason. 

Salesforce is highly customizable; you can shape it to fit almost any workflow. It also has the biggest app ecosystem in CRM (AppExchange). This allows you to integrate or extend it for nearly any purpose. Crucially for large firms, Salesforce has invested heavily in AI that actually works at enterprise scale. The new features of Einstein GPT and Einstein Analytics do a lot. They can auto-summarize client meeting notes. They also forecast pipeline health and draft proposal snippets based on past deals. 

This isn’t fluff; it’s enterprise-grade AI built on your firm’s data. It helps you spot clients who may leave. It also gives partners a quick update before a big pitch by showing important info. A consulting firm with over 50 people can boost efficiency and consistency with smart automation and insights. With lots of data and complex processes, having a platform that can enforce processes and glean insights is crucial.

Now, implementing Salesforce is not trivial – you’ll likely need either an in-house admin or a consulting partner to set it up to match your business. But once it's set up properly, it can handle everything you throw at it. Managing thousands of contacts across offices worldwide? No problem. Enforcing stage-gate approval processes for projects or proposals? With Salesforce you can configure that (via automation rules or custom flows). 

An experienced user summed it up well: “Salesforce – the best, but the priciest.” In a big firm, that cost makes sense because the ROI from a system fits your business perfectly. Many big consulting firms use Salesforce as their main source of truth. It helps with sales, clients, and projects. In some cases, it even aids in recruiting or staffing. This is due to its flexibility and features like Salesforce PSA and custom objects. It truly becomes part of the firm’s DNA.

Why it’s the best fit: 

Strength, security, and scalability. Large management consulting firms need a CRM that won’t buckle under complex requirements. Salesforce delivers on all fronts. It’s great for handling complex relational data. You can create custom objects for engagements, deliverables, risk logs, and more. 

Unlike simpler CRMs, Salesforce won’t break a sweat with hundreds of custom fields or extremely large data volumes. Need to integrate with your ERP or time-tracking system? There’s likely a plug-and-play connector available (and if not, Salesforce’s open APIs let your developers build one). The platform’s built-in automation tools (like Flow, or even custom code with Apex) let you automate any repetitive process across the firm. You can set up a follow-up task for a partner two weeks after sending a proposal. Also, you can set an alert if a high-value client hasn’t been contacted in 90 days. 

These are things you can configure natively with Salesforce’s tools. Einstein AI helps in several ways. It analyzes past consulting proposals to aid in drafting new ones. It scores leads by their chance of closing. It also helps junior consultants decide the best actions with clients by using past patterns. These features help big teams leverage their collective data and stay on top of complex pipelines.

Moreover, Salesforce has advanced reporting and dashboards that are suitable for executive oversight. Partners and directors can access real-time KPIs anytime. They can see the sales pipeline, project utilization, and revenue forecasts right at their fingertips. This level of visibility is crucial for managing at scale and is something smaller CRMs struggle with. 

The AppExchange ecosystem has you covered. If you need a tool for relationship mapping or key account planning, which is common in consulting, there's likely an add-on available. Salesforce’s platform is essentially limitless if you have the budget and expertise to use it. Many consulting firms choose Salesforce because it’s the enterprise standard – meaning new hires often already know it, and there’s abundant documentation and consultants available for best practices in a consulting context (e.g., templates for managing consulting proposals, case studies, etc.).

What it doesn’t do / who should not use it: 

Let’s be clear: Salesforce is NOT for small or hands-off implementations. If you have about 50 people or fewer, or if you don't want to manage a system, Salesforce may seem like using a cannon to kill a fly. It’s expensive and complex. A Reddit user noted that you often need "a high-tier subscription" to access advanced features.

This is true. Salesforce offers its best features and higher limits in the Enterprise and Unlimited editions. However, these options come at a higher cost. You might also need to purchase extras like LinkedIn Sales Navigator (for deep LinkedIn integration) or other add-ons, which can add to the cost. If your firm doesn’t have clear processes, using Salesforce may be too much. It’s most effective when you have defined workflows to automate or enforce.

Another challenge is user adoption if not managed well. Many companies spend a lot on Salesforce but use only a small part. This often happens because of poor setup or lack of training. No CRM can fix poor data entry habits, and Salesforce is no exception. It will show whatever you enter, so remember: garbage in, garbage out. It requires discipline or heavy use of automation and data validation to keep data clean and useful. 

Bottom line: Avoid Salesforce if you're a small consultancy. Also, skip it if you can't invest the time and money needed to learn and manage it continuously. For a large consulting firm, Salesforce is the top pick for a scalable, AI-driven, and customizable CRM. It is expensive, but it excels in its capabilities. Not using such a powerful system could cause bigger losses in efficiency or insight. This is the big leagues, and Salesforce is built exactly for the big leagues of consulting.

Next Runner-up: Microsoft Dynamics 365. It's an Enterprise CRM that features native Microsoft AI and works well within the Microsoft ecosystem. 

Dynamics 365 is a solid second choice for enterprise CRM. It works well for large consulting firms already using Microsoft tools. It offers unique benefits for firms that rely on Microsoft tools. For instance, it connects extremely well with Outlook, Excel, Teams, and the rest of Office 365. Do your consultants live in Outlook and Excel? Dynamics will make their lives easier by linking those directly to client records and sales pipelines. 

Microsoft's new "Copilot" AI is integrated into Dynamics CRM apps. Users can draft emails, get meeting summaries, and gather insights with simple prompts. All of this happens within the CRM interface. For a large consulting firm already using Office 365 and Teams, Dynamics can feel like a natural fit. It also pulls in LinkedIn data because Microsoft owns LinkedIn. This enhances your contacts like Salesforce does with its add-ons. Dynamics is very customizable. It meets the security and compliance needs of large firms. This is key for companies that handle sensitive client data.

Dynamics 365 can actually be better than Salesforce for organizations that are Microsoft-centric. Key areas where it excels: Outlook/Office integration is smoother and more native. Scheduling meetings or syncing emails to the CRM is easy. It all happens within the Microsoft ecosystem. One big CRM user said Salesforce’s Outlook plugins can feel clunky. In contrast, Dynamics, as a Microsoft product, works smoothly with Outlook.) Second, Microsoft’s aggressive push into AI gives Dynamics an edge right now.

The AI Copilot in Dynamics can create personalized proposal drafts. It can also analyze pipeline data using OpenAI’s GPT tech. Salesforce has Einstein AI with similar goals. Microsoft teamed up with OpenAI. As a result, Dynamics users quickly accessed advanced GPT-powered features. 

Microsoft is adding advanced AI tools for Dynamics users. These tools help with drafting emails, summarizing calls, and generating ideas. They can boost productivity, not just serve as gimmicks. If your firm has Microsoft enterprise agreements, Dynamics 365 may cost less than Salesforce. 

Companies often see lower per-user costs, especially with bundles. Plus, you won’t pay extra for integrations like Outlook or SharePoint, which are included. In contrast, Salesforce may charge for similar connections.

All that said, why is Dynamics only the runner-up? Salesforce usually leads in the overall ecosystem and polish, except in Microsoft-centric scenarios. Dynamics has had a smaller third-party app community, maybe half of Salesforce's. This means there are fewer plug-and-play extensions available. There’s less third-party expertise available. Salesforce offers many certified consultants and admins for hire. Dynamics has fewer, but this is changing as Microsoft gains CRM market share. 

User adoption can be tricky. Dynamics has improved, but some users find its interface confusing. Salesforce’s UX is complex. However, it has been shaped by feedback from many large companies over the years. A user called their experience with Dynamics “super disappointing.” They pointed out that Microsoft overlooked some details in the interface design. A big team may need more training and patience to adjust to Dynamics than to Salesforce.

Some advanced features may not be as developed in Dynamics as they are in Salesforce. This is mainly because Salesforce has expanded its platform in many ways. Microsoft is quickly closing these gaps and even advancing in AI. Salesforce offers many services and is a market leader. This gives a big advantage to many large companies. Some consulting modules and templates, like Professional Services Automation add-ons, thrive in Salesforce. However, they are newer or less common in Dynamics.

In short, Dynamics 365 is a great option. It's perfect for consulting firms that use Microsoft tools. It also offers advanced AI features that work well with your Office apps. It easily fits into a Microsoft-based organization. It can also save money if used correctly. It lost the top spot. 

Many consultancies with over 50 people still prefer Salesforce. Its proven ecosystem and strong track record attract them. Dynamics excels in AI and Office integration, which is great. But it doesn’t offer the same range of third-party extensions or the industry maturity that Salesforce does for larger companies. Many large consulting groups often evaluate both options. They usually choose Salesforce, unless they prioritize the Microsoft angle.

Why These CRM Platforms Didn’t Make the Cut for Consulting Businesses

Consulting firms in business, IT, HR, and management have some unique workflow needs. Not every popular CRM meets those needs. We’ll explore HoneyBook, Kartra, Kajabi, GoHighLevel, ActiveCampaign, and Productive. We’ll look at their main limitations, user challenges, and missing features. These include AI and project capabilities, along with complexity issues. These factors kept them from being top CRM choices for consulting. Still, they each have strong points in other areas.

HoneyBook

HoneyBook is popular among small businesses and creative freelancers. Some consultants are curious if it could be useful for them, too. The reality is HoneyBook has rigid, uncustomizable workflows that hurt its fit for consulting. It tends to force a one-size-fits-all process for client onboarding and billing. 

Users have said that HoneyBook makes clients follow a set contract and payment order. Clients can pay an invoice before signing the contract, and this order can’t be changed. For a consultant, that’s a problem; you usually want an agreement in place before payment. One user noted, “for every problem HoneyBook fixes, they unintentionally create another.” This happens because of their rigid design choices. HoneyBook aims to simplify workflows. 

However, its inflexibility can create problems if your process doesn't fit their assumptions. Many users shared this feeling in forums like r/smallbusiness. They wanted to know if seasoned users would recommend HoneyBook, despite its quirks.)

Another big issue is missing integrations & data export capabilities. Consulting workflows often need to link CRM data to other tools. This includes spreadsheets, BI dashboards, and project management apps. HoneyBook’s integration options are weak. Users report that exporting basic project info is easy. Getting detailed data, like client purchases or form responses, is hard. It often requires manual steps, making it tedious or even impossible.

A HoneyBook rep confirmed that exporting certain data “is not a capability on our platform right now.” This is a deal-breaker for consultants who need to regularly analyze or share data outside of the system. Connecting HoneyBook to spreadsheets, databases, or other software is tough. You can't easily do things like report client revenue or track tasks in a different project tool.

User frustrations go beyond workflow rigidity. Email and usability issues are commonly reported. Some consultants found that emails sent through HoneyBook often end up in clients' spam folders. This is a big problem. It wastes time to manually check if clients received your invoice or message. Others expected HoneyBook to be an easy, drag-and-drop experience given its reputation, but were let down. 

One user commented, “I need something simple, and this just isn’t it.” They felt that HoneyBook's sleek design didn't meet their needs. People are complaining that some tasks need too many clicks. For example, it takes 8 clicks to see what services a client bought. This kind of friction slows down productivity, which a busy consultant can’t afford.

Finally, HoneyBook is not designed for teamwork. It’s really aimed at solo creative businesses. It has minimal support for multiple users or team collaboration. When you add team members or contractors in HoneyBook, their permissions are mostly all-or-nothing. When you invite people, they can see everything, including invoices. This can be a problem for consulting firms. They often use subcontractors or have junior staff who shouldn't access financials. 

HoneyBook's limited access control makes it awkward for teams larger than one person. HoneyBook has several issues. It lacks AI features to automate tasks or provide insights. Its workflows are rigid and integrations are poor. HoneyBook has flaws that make it unsuitable for a consulting business's CRM or client management needs.

In summary, HoneyBook might work for a wedding planner or designer, but it falls short for consulting. Its inflexibility and integration gaps make it a poor choice. Also, reports of unreliable email delivery and clunky navigation add to the problem. If you need a customizable, strong CRM, look elsewhere. Consultants often need more flexibility and connection than HoneyBook offers. This is especially true when they grow or handle complex client projects.

Kartra

Kartra is an all-in-one marketing platform. It’s often linked to sales funnels and online businesses. It has a CRM component, but its features are quite limited for a consulting business. Kartra is built for landing pages, email campaigns, and membership sites. It’s not meant for managing B2B consulting sales cycles. Reviews often say that Kartra has “limited CRM and sales pipeline management features.” It lacks the right deal boards, tracking for opportunities, and account management tools that consultants require. You can tag contacts and track some basic info. 

However, you won’t get the pipeline stage tracking or follow-up task management that a real CRM provides. If you manage a pipeline of consulting proposals, Kartra’s basic contact tagging won’t work. You need to track stages like Proposal Sent and In Negotiation. These stages are crucial for consultants handling leads and projects. Kartra wasn’t designed for this type of workflow.

Kartra struggles with integrating other tools. It prefers you to use only its own system. Users point out that “limited integrations with third-party apps” is a key drawback. This closed approach is a big downside for consultants who depend on specialized software. A consulting firm might use a project management tool, a time-tracking app, or a finance system. 

With a good CRM, you can integrate or export/import data to these tools. With Kartra, linking your CRM data can be hard. For example, syncing with your calendar or sending contact data to Airtable may not work. If your firm already has software, Kartra will try to replace some parts. It offers its own scheduler and emailer. But if you want to use only some of Kartra’s features and keep others, you may face challenges. This closed nature can disrupt a consulting firm’s workflows rather than enhance them.

Another issue is Kartra’s user experience. It’s often described as clunky or inflexible. Some users find Kartra’s interface hard to learn and not intuitive. On Reddit and other forums, people have asked for alternatives because Kartra is "hard to use" and has "so many limitations." Some say it seems outdated because of its design and limits. For consultants who are not interested in fiddling with finicky software, this is a red flag. 

Advanced users often see Kartra’s funnel and page templates as limiting. The drag-and-drop builder has pre-made blocks, but they can feel inflexible. This makes it hard to design custom layouts or processes that go beyond what Kartra offers. This rigidity can lead to wasted time fighting the software when you have a unique need.

Kartra is too focused on marketing, not consulting. It excels in webinar hosting, video hosting, course memberships, and affiliate management. These features support online marketers and course sellers. But a consulting business often doesn’t need half of those things. They need proposals, contract management, scheduling, and possibly a client portal for deliverables. But Kartra doesn't have these features built-in. Those extra marketing features just add complexity without value for a consultancy. 

Additionally, Kartra hasn’t kept up with modern CRM trends like AI. It does not have built-in AI for data analysis or content creation. Other platforms are starting to include these features. Consultants using Kartra miss out on AI benefits. These include forecasting and automated insights that competitors now provide. Kartra covers many areas of digital marketing. This means it has features a consultant may not need. However, it lacks the essential CRM functions that consultants require.

Lastly, there are reliability concerns with Kartra. It's not the worst platform for downtime. Still, users have noticed bugs and odd issues. For instance, slow page loads can happen, especially with custom domains. This is due to Kartra's unusual redirect methods. There are also issues with Kartra’s membership site feature. The cookie-based content gating sometimes fails. Kartra's customer support is just okay. These technical issues give consultants more reasons to avoid Kartra.

In summary, Kartra is geared toward marketers and digital product sellers. It lacks the basic CRM workflow, integration, and ease-of-use that consulting businesses require. Its limited interface and templates, plus missing CRM pipeline features, kept it off our top consultant CRM list. Kartra is good for heavy marketing automation and basic coaching products. But it’s not right for managing consulting clients and projects.

Kajabi

Kajabi is a well-known platform for online courses and coaching programs. I even used it today. However, it’s not a true CRM – it’s very course-centric and lacks many consulting CRM necessities. Kajabi is great for sharing digital content like courses and membership sites. However, a consulting firm with B2B clients may find some important gaps. 

For example, Kajabi doesn’t have a traditional sales pipeline or deal tracking system at all. Its “CRM” is basically just a customer list with some email marketing functionality. That’s not sufficient for managing consulting leads, proposals, and follow-ups. An experienced Kajabi strategist advises coaches to check out other platforms for managing clients. 

If you only need to manage clients and not sell courses all the time, there are cheaper and simpler CRM options than Kajabi. Kajabi offers many features for content delivery. However, it lacks basic CRM tools. These tools are essential for consultants to track leads and client interactions effectively.

One big issue is the lack of client interaction tracking beyond content. In consulting or coaching, it's important to track a client’s progress. This includes notes from sessions and their goals. Kajabi launched a coaching product with scheduling and basic session tracking.

However, users say it misses solid goal-tracking and lacks a two-way communication channel. Kajabi doesn’t have a built-in chat or messaging feature for clients. So, a consultant must use outside tools like email or WhatsApp for conversations. Kajabi also lacks a client portal for clients to log in and view progress or reports aside from course materials. 

In a consulting-focused CRM, you might expect a spot for clients to download reports or interact. However, Kajabi is mostly one-way; you send videos and PDFs, and they just consume them. It feels incomplete for managing client relationships beyond content delivery. Many consulting CRMs have shared workspaces or integrate with meeting software. Kajabi does not meet that need.

Another factor is cost vs. features. Kajabi is expensive – which is fine if you’re using all its features (courses, website hosting, email marketing, etc.). But a consulting business that only needs CRM features would be paying for a lot of stuff they don’t use. Many users mention Kajabi's high price. One Redditor said it “packs a punch with its advanced features.” However, it “can feel a bit high [in cost]” for beginners. 

Kajabi's pricing tiers have limits. For instance, the basic plan restricts the number of active members or customers you can have. A growing consulting practice might reach its limits. Then, it would need to upgrade and pay more for features that it may not even use. It's too much. You could be paying for course hosting and community forums when all you need is a way to manage your consulting clients.

Kajabi can also be overkill and introduce a learning curve if you’re not actually creating lots of digital content. Setting up Kajabi (with its website themes, course creation, etc.) is a significant project. If a firm primarily wants to manage contacts and send the occasional email, Kajabi’s complexity is a drawback, not a benefit. Its interface is user-friendly for content creation. However, you will face a learning curve to set up your pipelines and offerings. 

Many features might sit unused if you’re not actually offering on-demand courses or building landing pages regularly. That’s time and mental bandwidth that could be spent elsewhere. Kajabi offers limited design options. You can pick themes and make some adjustments, but it's not as flexible as creating your own site or using a dedicated web builder. Some businesses get frustrated because they want their CRM or client portal to match their brand. However, Kajabi may not offer the customization they need.

Finally, Kajabi has minimal AI or advanced automation for CRM needs. They’ve started using AI to help course creators (like an AI that drafts course outlines or marketing copy). However, they don’t have AI-driven features to improve CRM workflows. There’s no AI to help schedule meetings or to predict which consulting client might need attention. 

Automation in Kajabi are mostly simple “if this, then send email” sequences for marketing. Kajabi doesn’t have the features of “smarter” CRMs. It doesn't learn from data or include AI assistants, which can help consulting practices. So consultants using Kajabi wouldn’t gain the efficiency benefits that modern CRMs are starting to provide with AI.

In sum, Kajabi didn’t make our top picks because it’s not designed as a consulting CRM. It's great for selling and delivering content. However, it's not ideal for managing a pipeline of corporate clients or tracking sales and projects. The high cost and many features make it a poor choice for many consulting firms. It may work if your consulting includes info products or courses. You can use Kajabi for content, but you may still need a separate CRM for managing client relationships. That sums it up.

GoHighLevel (HighLevel)

GoHighLevel, often called HighLevel or GHL, is a one-stop shop for agencies. It offers CRM, marketing automation, a funnel builder, SMS, and more. It sounds appealing, but it’s notorious for bugs and reliability issues. Many users (myself included in the past) have reported technical instability. This is unacceptable when you’re using a CRM to manage consulting clients, where professionalism and trust are paramount. 

One user noted that if many team members use it, you could become a full-time CRM admin. Staff often wonder why their SMS didn't send, why appointments vanished, or why landing pages won't load. These glitches are sadly common in GHL. In a frightening case, a review found serious security issues. A Reddit user called HighLevel “a mess and ridiculously unreliable software.” I agree with that assessment.

Such anecdotes illustrate a pattern: GHL can misfire in communication or lose data, which is a serious risk. For consultants, one errant email or a missed appointment due to software bugs can damage your reputation. HighLevel’s team has been quick to add features, but seemingly at the cost of stability and QA. 

Using GHL might mean you spend more time fixing issues with support or looking for solutions in community forums instead of using the tool productively. Many consultants simply cannot tolerate that kind of risk – they prefer to dodge the bullet and use something more stable.

Another issue: Too many features lead to a cluttered UI. HighLevel aims to cover it all. They handle marketing, sales, scheduling, and funnel building. They even focus on reselling. They target agencies that sell the service to their clients. In trying to be all things, the interface ends up confusing. There are menus upon menus, and not all users need all the features, which makes it feel cluttered. It can feel disjointed. Simple tasks, like editing an automation or finding a setting, may need you to dig through nested menus. 

Many say that HighLevel is "very cumbersome at first," especially if you're not very tech-savvy. Consultants need tools that simplify their work, not add extra cognitive load. HighLevel’s complex design makes it hard to learn. Many people find this frustrating. One commenter said it well: with GHL, you either get “a cheap and buggy CRM” or pay more for a better platform. This suggests that GHL’s low price sacrifices quality.

As for core CRM functionality, HighLevel’s depth is just not there. It has a pipeline and a contact manager. However, experienced users say the CRM features are basic. Reporting is weak (getting detailed sales analytics is tough). The search and filtering are basic, making it hard to slice data in useful ways. Deal stages in the pipeline aren’t very configurable compared to other CRMs. 

HighLevel created a basic CRM to back its marketing tools. However, no big company would use it solely as a CRM. It lacks key features that consultants want. There are no clear timelines for client activities. It also doesn't have strong two-way email sync or advanced permissions. Plus, it has little built-in AI. HighLevel hasn't added any major AI features yet, unlike other vendors who are rushing to do so. Any AI-like functionality tends to be through integrations or hacks. So, you’re not getting any “intelligent” edge from GHL to offset its problems (CRM for Consulting 2nd version.docx) (CRM for Consulting 2nd version.docx).

HighLevel's growth comes from strong marketing, mainly through agencies and affiliates. If you search online, you’ll see lots of hype, often from marketers who resell GHL or earn commissions. On Reddit, many professionals note that agencies often resell products. They say that some promote them mainly for affiliate income, not because they are the best. 

This hype can be misleading. User communities often feel that support is lacking. Developers are busy fixing bugs but are also creating new ones. When your user base growth outpaces your support and QA, users end up resorting to community forums for help. HighLevel’s official support has a mixed reputation. Many users say they must rely on the Facebook community or subreddit to fix ongoing bugs. For a consultant, this “DIY support” situation is far from ideal; you want a stable tool with responsive support for when things break.

In a nutshell, GoHighLevel was left out of our top choices because it’s known for bugs, complexity, and overreach. It tries to do too much and ends up doing none of it reliably well for a consulting use case. Consulting businesses value reliability and professionalism. They can't afford the mishaps GHL is known for. It has many appealing features, and some users succeed with it. However, if you're not ready to be a part-time system admin, it’s not worth the risk to client communications. Many consultants and agencies have switched to more stable platforms. They did this even if it meant losing some of GHL’s all-in-one convenience.

ActiveCampaign

ActiveCampaign (AC) is famed for its email marketing automation prowess. It does have a built-in CRM module (often called the Deals CRM), which is why it comes up in CRM discussions. However, its sales CRM features are weak relative to dedicated CRMs. AC excels in email campaigns and automation. However, it struggles with classic CRM tasks like meeting scheduling and pipeline management. ActiveCampaign’s CRM does not offer tools for scheduling appointments or managing meetings. 

Many consultants want a CRM to help schedule client meetings. This can be done through a calendar link or integration. However, AC does not offer this feature right away. Users on an email marketing forum shared, “ActiveCampaign is great for email marketing. But its Sales CRM isn’t as strong.” They suggest looking elsewhere if you need those sales features. AC’s CRM also doesn’t handle proposals or quotes natively; you’d need external tools.

AC's CRM is simple. You can track deals and tasks. However, a consulting firm with many deals may find it insufficient. For instance, if you want a Kanban view of your consulting projects, AC’s interface has limitations. If you wanted to automatically move deals based on triggers (beyond very simple ones), AC isn’t as flexible there either. 

It’s clear that AC’s focus has been on marketing automation, and the CRM was an add-on. This gap is important when managing many active opportunities. One user said, “ActiveCampaign’s Sales CRM isn’t as strong,” especially for features like scheduling or advanced deal tracking.

Another consideration is the steep learning curve and complexity of ActiveCampaign. Its strength lies in its flexibility, especially in automation flows. However, this also makes it complex. Mastering ActiveCampaign’s automation builder can take time and a certain mindset. A business user mentioned that AC had “a steep learning curve.” Training new employees on it required a lot of time and money. Even experienced marketers can struggle to set up automation exactly right. 

For a consultant who is not an email marketing specialist, this complexity can be a barrier. If your team isn’t familiar with marketing automation, AC can seem daunting. One Reddit user mentioned that it might feel "too complex as a beginner," even with its powerful features. In consulting, if you mainly need to track prospects and follow-ups, AC's automation might be too much. It could lead to under-use. Meanwhile, the core CRM functions (which are easier to use in other tools) might not be up to par.

There have also been user frustrations with support and recent platform stability changes. In recent times, some users noted that ActiveCampaign’s support quality has dropped. Some pricing plans no longer include live chat support. Also, email support responses are slower now. Some long-time users became frustrated. They said they “cannot recommend AC to anyone anymore” due to these support issues. AC is generally stable. It doesn’t have many bugs, especially compared to GHL. However, some glitches do happen now and then. One user said the system was “VERY buggy.” They also noted that support tickets took weeks to get a response. Some people disagree about how many bugs there are, so experiences differ. 

Hearing about glitches and slow support is concerning. This is especially true when you rely on the software for business. ActiveCampaign caused a stir in 2023-2024 when it raised prices and split features. This move caught many by surprise. They split the CRM and other features into add-ons without much warning. As a result, some customers faced big jumps in their bills, going from $79 to $185 a month to keep the same features. This sudden change (with effectively no warning) eroded trust. Consultants choosing a CRM don’t want to worry that one day the company will change the deal on them overnight.

Finally, ActiveCampaign is laser-focused on marketing automation, not consulting workflows. It lacks project management, time tracking, and client portal features. These are important for a professional services firm to manage delivery. AC assumes you’ll handle service delivery elsewhere and just keeps the sales pipeline. For many consultants, that’s fine, but it underscores that AC isn’t built around the full client lifecycle. ActiveCampaign is using AI for marketing. It can predict the best times to send emails and create content for them. However, AI isn’t a major part of its CRM. You won't find AI for sales insights like predictive deal scoring in the basic plans. Also, there's no AI assistant to help draft your one-to-one sales follow-up emails. Its strengths lie in pre-defined automation. These tools are powerful, but they aren't "intelligent" like machine learning systems.

To sum up, ActiveCampaign wasn’t picked as a top CRM for consultants because it focuses more on email marketing than on sales workflow needs. It is missing key CRM tools that consultants need, like scheduling and strong pipeline management. The steep learning curve and recent support or pricing problems make it less attractive for consulting or professional services firms. More tailored solutions are often better choices. Many consultants use ActiveCampaign with a simpler CRM. They use ActiveCampaign for email newsletters and drip campaigns. Then, they track their deals and client communications with the other tool. That itself is telling: AC is an excellent marketing engine, but as a one-and-done consulting CRM, it leaves too many gaps.

Productive

Productive is an interesting case – it’s actually an agency management tool that includes a bit of CRM functionality. Small agencies and consultancies use Productive for project management, time tracking, and budgeting. It has a sales pipeline module, but its CRM features are basic when compared to specialized CRMs. 

Users say the sales funnel in Productive doesn’t act like a “real CRM.” Taking detailed notes or handling follow-ups in the sales pipeline can be a hassle. One reviewer said, “The CRM is a bit basic.” They noted that notes and follow-ups could be better organized. This makes sense – Productive’s pipeline helps you track deal stages and values. However, using it for call notes or reminders can feel restricted. It’s clearly an add-on to their project management focus, not the core offering.

For a consulting business, Productive can track deals to some extent, but once a deal is won, Productive really shines on project execution (scheduling tasks, tracking time, budgeting, etc.). If you’re evaluating it purely as a CRM for prospecting and client comms, it will seem underpowered. 

Many consultants using Productive may still use another system, like spreadsheets or a simple CRM, to track sales outreach. This is because Productive’s CRM features are limited. It’s great for post-sale tasks. We recommend tools like Insightly or Zoho for that. But as a pre-sale CRM, it can’t compete with Pipedrive or HubSpot. It mainly enhances its project management features. This makes the CRM aspect seem like an afterthought, just supporting the main tool's purpose.

Another aspect is navigation and UX challenges with Productive. Because it offers so many features (projects, budgets, time tracking, invoicing, AND a CRM), the app can be hard to navigate. Users say the navigation can be unclear. They often search to find what they need. 

For a new team, setting up Productive and learning all its sections (including where the CRM lives relative to project info) can take a while. Some people found the reports “cluttered.” They thought they weren't helpful unless you spent time customizing them. Also, initial setup might take a few days of adaptation. 

For a busy consultancy, that time could be a problem if you just want a CRM. You'd have to deal with setting up many modules that you may not need right away. It’s a case of a tool trying to do a lot; it succeeds in many areas but inevitably has a bit of a learning curve and some rough edges. A great CRM could make the complexity worthwhile. However, since the CRM is only decent, the effort may not be worth it if your main focus is on the CRM.

Productive also lacks in the marketing/lead generation department. It assumes you generate leads elsewhere and just input them as deals. There’s no built-in email marketing or web form builder as many CRMs have. If you want to capture a lead from your website, you’d have to use another form tool and then manually or via Zapier push it into Productive’s pipeline. 

There’s no email automation to nurture prospects – again, Productive expects you to just handle that outside or not at all. This is fine if you’re using it strictly for project delivery management, but as a CRM, it feels incomplete. Many consultants need extra software for tasks like sending newsletters or marketing. Productive does not support these functions at all.

Lastly, Productive has no notable AI features at the time of writing. The platform is strong for timesheets and financials. However, it hasn’t announced any AI features for CRM or project management yet. Everything is rule-based or manual. There’s no AI predicting project overruns or suggesting which sales prospects are most likely to close. In a world where competitors use AI for forecasts and automation, Productive's absence of AI may leave it feeling outdated in a few years. A consulting firm can’t get AI insights from Productive right now. They won't be able to analyze which projects are most profitable or automate follow-up reminders.

All these reasons led us to not include Productive as a top consulting CRM. It's not really a "CRM-first" platform. It's mainly a PSA (Professional Services Automation) tool, with some CRM features added in. Productive works well for running agency operations. However, it feels clunky and limited for managing the sales pipeline and client relationships. Some consulting firms use Productive with a specific CRM. They rely on Productive for project delivery and the CRM for sales. That dual approach itself indicates Productive alone isn’t sufficient as a CRM solution. 

If you don't need integrated project management and can handle a basic CRM, it's usually best to choose a stronger CRM and a separate project tool. Productive’s complexity is only worth it if you commit to using most of its features. If you don’t need the full suite, you’d be dragging along unnecessary baggage. It’s good for agency management, but it falls short as a top consulting CRM. Its CRM features are limited, and the sales user experience isn’t very friendly.

Summary of excluded apps

Each platform above has its strengths in certain areas, but they all have key limitations for a consulting business’s needs. In short, HoneyBook, Kartra, Kajabi, GoHighLevel, ActiveCampaign, and Productive are not top choices. They were excluded because they don't have key features for consulting workflows. Also, their complexity and bugs are too much compared to their benefits. 

Real users confirm this. Consultants and small businesses have shared their frustrations. Some of these platforms have poor or no AI support (missing out on the efficiencies modern CRMs offer), and others are too rigid or unreliable. Consultants usually prefer tools that are dependable, adaptable, and effective for managing client relationships. The popular platforms mentioned above are appealing in other industries. However, they often don't meet the needs for consulting use cases.