Act! vs Method CRM: CRM Platform Comparison

Act! vs Method CRM: CRM Platform Comparison

If you are comparing customer relationship management and sales pipeline tracking tools, Act! and Method CRM will likely both appear on your radar. They share some surface-level similarities, but the details reveal important differences in pricing, capability, and target audience.

The Quick Answer

By each vendor's own wording, Act! lists full-featured crm and mobile app and email marketing, while Method CRM lists customer management with a 360-degree customer view and customer portals. A capability both offer can appear under different names, so read both feature lists below.

Act! offers a lower entry point at $30/mo compared to Method CRM at $35/mo.

If your priority is organizing contacts, tracking deals, and forecasting revenue, both tools target it. The right choice depends on your budget, team size, and the specific capabilities you need most.

Understanding the Core Difference

Act! is Act! is a CRM and marketing automation platform for small and midsize businesses that unites sales, marketing and customer management in one platform. It is sold as Act! Advantage cloud plans and an Act! Premium Desktop on-premises edition.

Method CRM is Method CRM is a customizable CRM for QuickBooks and Xero users that syncs customer, estimate, invoice and payment data with the accounting system. It adds lead management, customer portals, email campaigns, workflow automation and job management for growing businesses.

The two platforms take different approaches to solving the same core challenge.

Pricing Comparison

$30/moAct! entry plan

Act! Advantage Standard

$35/moMethod CRM entry plan

CRM Quick Start

Act! Pricing (as of September 2026)

Source: Act! Pricing

Method CRM Pricing (as of September 2026)

Source: Method CRM Pricing

Pricing Analysis

Act! is more affordable at the entry level ($30/mo vs $35/mo). For teams with tight budgets or those just getting started with customer relationship management and sales pipeline tracking, this price difference matters.

Act! offers 5 pricing tiers compared to Method CRM's 4, giving you more granularity as you scale.

Features Breakdown

Act! lists

• Full-featured CRM and mobile app
• Email marketing
• Interactive quotes and payments
• Online appointment scheduling
• Forms, surveys, website chat and event management
• Reports and interactive dashboards
• and 4 more listed below

Method CRM lists

• Customer management with a 360-degree customer view
• Customer portals
• Email campaigns
• Lead management with web-to-lead forms
• Estimates and proposals with online approvals
• Invoicing and online payments
• and 4 more listed below

Act! Key Features

• Full-featured CRM and mobile app
• Email marketing
• Interactive quotes and payments
• Online appointment scheduling
• Forms, surveys, website chat and event management
• Reports and interactive dashboards
• Marketing automation
• Lead scoring
• Project management
• Accounting integration

Method CRM Key Features

• Customer management with a 360-degree customer view
• Customer portals
• Email campaigns
• Lead management with web-to-lead forms
• Estimates and proposals with online approvals
• Invoicing and online payments
• Workflow automation
• Job and work order management
• Time tracking, scheduling and dispatching
• Mobile app

The two lists below are a diff of each vendor's own feature list by exact wording, so a capability both tools offer can appear on either side under a different name.

Listed only by Act!

• Full-featured CRM and mobile app
• Email marketing
• Interactive quotes and payments
• Online appointment scheduling
• Forms, surveys, website chat and event management
• Reports and interactive dashboards
• Marketing automation
• Lead scoring
• Project management
• Accounting integration

Listed only by Method CRM

• Customer management with a 360-degree customer view
• Customer portals
• Email campaigns
• Lead management with web-to-lead forms
• Estimates and proposals with online approvals
• Invoicing and online payments
• Workflow automation
• Job and work order management
• Time tracking, scheduling and dispatching
• Mobile app

Integration Ecosystem

Act! Integrations

Act! connects with: Outlook, Google Contacts, Slack, Eventbrite, SurveyMonkey, Wufoo, BigCommerce, Ecwid, Shopify, Volusion, Facebook, Freshdesk, Zendesk, FreshBooks, QuickBooks Online, Xero.

Method CRM Integrations

Method CRM connects with: QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, QuickBooks Enterprise, Xero, Gmail, Google Calendar, Outlook, Zapier.

Shared Integrations

Both tools integrate with: Outlook, QuickBooks Online, Xero.

Integrations listed only by Act!: Google Contacts, Slack, Eventbrite, SurveyMonkey, Wufoo, BigCommerce, Ecwid, Shopify, Volusion, Facebook, Freshdesk, Zendesk, FreshBooks.

Integrations listed only by Method CRM: QuickBooks Desktop, QuickBooks Enterprise, Gmail, Google Calendar, Zapier.

Use Case Recommendations

Best Fit for Act!

• Budget-conscious teams looking for an affordable CRM platform
• Organizations with complex tech stacks needing broad integration support (16 integrations)
• Enterprise buyers who prefer custom pricing and dedicated support

Best Fit for Method CRM

• Budget-conscious teams looking for an affordable CRM platform
• Enterprise buyers who prefer custom pricing and dedicated support
• Sales teams tracking deals from first touch to close
• Managers who need pipeline visibility and forecasting

Feature Comparison Summary

Getting Started Checklist

1. Define your customer relationship management and sales pipeline tracking requirements and monthly budget
2. Estimate your expected contacts and deals to find the right tier
3. List the integrations your team currently relies on
4. Sign up for free trials or demos of both platforms
5. Run a small test with each tool before making a commitment
6. Evaluate the onboarding experience and support quality

Final Thoughts

Act! and Method CRM both serve the customer relationship management and sales pipeline tracking market. Act! offers a more accessible entry point at $30/mo, while Method CRM starts at $35/mo. Your decision should weigh pricing against the specific features that matter most for your workflow.

Start with a trial of each to see which platform fits your team's daily process. The best tool is the one your team actually uses consistently.

Pricing and features verified as of September 2026. Visit Act! and Method CRM for current information.