Tool Comparisons

    Act! vs Nutshell: CRM Platform Comparison

    Compare Act! and Nutshell side by side. See pricing, features, and integrations to choose the right CRM platform for your needs.

    Comparison panel: Act! vs Nutshell (Pricing, Features, Integration)
    September 3, 2026Updated September 4, 20265 min read
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    The short answer

    Nutshell starts at $19 per month while Act! starts at $30 per month, making Nutshell the lower cost entry point between the two CRM platforms. Act! lists a broader feature set including a full CRM, mobile app, and marketing automation, plus 16 integrations, while Nutshell bundles webchat, an AI chatbot, and a form builder into every subscription tier.

    Key takeaways

    • Act! Advantage Standard costs $30/mo and includes Basic Email Marketing with 2,500 sends per month.
    • Nutshell Foundation costs $19/mo and includes unlimited contacts and storage plus 10 AI outcomes.
    • Act! connects with 16 integrations including Outlook, Slack, Shopify, and QuickBooks Online.
    • Nutshell connects with 10 integrations including Gmail and Google Calendar, Calendly, Aircall, and ChatGPT/OpenAI.
    • Act! lists 10 key features on its pricing page while Nutshell lists 8 key features on its own.

    Reviewed and updated September 4, 2026

    Act! vs Nutshell: CRM Platform Comparison

    Sales teams evaluating customer relationship management and sales pipeline tracking tools often narrow their shortlist to Act! and Nutshell. Both target the same job, but they cater to different workflows and budgets. This comparison covers pricing, features, and integrations so you can pick the right fit.

    The Quick Answer

    By each vendor's own wording, Act! lists full-featured crm and mobile app and email marketing, while Nutshell lists unlimited contacts & storage and email & calendar sync. A capability both offer can appear under different names, so read both feature lists below.

    Nutshell offers a lower entry point at $19/mo compared to Act! at $30/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.

    Nutshell is Nutshell is an all-in-one growth software featuring CRM, email marketing, and contact management for sales teams. Every subscription bundles webchat, an AI chatbot, a form builder, landing pages and attribution reporting alongside the sales pipeline.

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

    Pricing Comparison

    Pricing ladder: Pricing Comparison (Act, Nutshell, Act Advantage Standard, Foundation)

    $30/moAct! entry plan

    Act! Advantage Standard

    $19/moNutshell entry plan

    Foundation

    Entry pricing for Act! and Nutshell, as published on each vendor's own pricing page.

    Act! Pricing (as of September 2026)

    PlanPriceEmails
    Act! Advantage Standard$30/moBasic Email Marketing (includes 2,500 sends/mo)
    Act! Advantage Professional$45/moEmail Marketing Plus (includes 25,000 sends/mo)
    Act! Advantage Ultimate$60/moMarketing Automation (includes 50,000 sends/mo)
    Act! Premium Desktop$40/mo-
    Enterprise EngagementContact Sales-

    Source: Act! Pricing

    Nutshell Pricing (as of September 2026)

    PlanPriceContacts
    Foundation$19/moUnlimited contacts and storage; 10 AI outcomes
    Growth$32/mo20 AI outcomes
    Pro$49/mo40 AI outcomes; 5 custom pipelines
    Business$67/mo100 AI outcomes; 10 custom pipelines
    Enterprise$89/mo150 AI outcomes; unlimited pipelines

    Source: Nutshell Pricing

    Pricing Analysis

    Nutshell offers the lower entry point ($19/mo vs $30/mo). Teams watching their budget will appreciate the savings, especially when starting out.

    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
    Nutshell lists
    • Unlimited contacts & storage
    • Email & calendar sync
    • Form builder & landing pages
    • Activity reports
    • Lead assignment rules
    • Sales automation
    • and 2 more listed below
    What Act! and Nutshell each list on their own pages. The split is by exact wording, so a capability both offer can appear on both sides under different names.

    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

    Nutshell Key Features

    • Unlimited contacts & storage
    • Email & calendar sync
    • Form builder & landing pages
    • Activity reports
    • Lead assignment rules
    • Sales automation
    • Meeting scheduler
    • Advanced reporting

    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 Nutshell

    • Unlimited contacts & storage
    • Email & calendar sync
    • Form builder & landing pages
    • Activity reports
    • Lead assignment rules
    • Sales automation
    • Meeting scheduler
    • Advanced reporting

    Integration Ecosystem

    Integration schematic: Integration Ecosystem (Act, Nutshell, Gmail, Google Calendar)

    Act! Integrations

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

    Nutshell Integrations

    Nutshell connects with: Gmail and Google Calendar, Calendly, Aircall, CallRail, Dialpad, Intercom, Google Meet, Google Analytics (GA4), ChatGPT / OpenAI, Claude.

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

    Integrations listed only by Nutshell: Gmail and Google Calendar, Calendly, Aircall, CallRail, Dialpad, Intercom, Google Meet, Google Analytics (GA4), ChatGPT / OpenAI, Claude.

    Use Case Recommendations

    Best Fit for Act!

    • Budget-conscious teams looking for an affordable CRM platform
    • Teams that need a wide feature set (10 capabilities listed)
    • Organizations with complex tech stacks needing broad integration support (16 integrations)
    • Enterprise buyers who prefer custom pricing and dedicated support

    Best Fit for Nutshell

    • Budget-conscious teams looking for an affordable CRM platform
    • Sales teams tracking deals from first touch to close
    • Managers who need pipeline visibility and forecasting
    • Growing teams that need scalable contact management

    Feature Comparison Summary

    FeatureAct!Nutshell
    Starting Price$30/mo$19/mo
    Top Tier PriceContact Sales$89/mo
    Total Features Listed108
    Integrations1610

    Getting Started Checklist

    Before-and-after steps: Getting Started Checklist (Define customer relationship, Estimate expected contacts, List integrations, Sign up)

    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 Nutshell both serve the customer relationship management and sales pipeline tracking market. Nutshell offers a more accessible entry point at $19/mo, while Act! starts at $30/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 Nutshell for current information.

    Questions

    Frequently asked questions.

    Frequently asked questions
    How much does Act! cost compared to Nutshell?
    Act!'s entry plan, Advantage Standard, is $30/mo, while Nutshell's entry plan, Foundation, is $19/mo. Act! also offers Advantage Professional at $45/mo, Advantage Ultimate at $60/mo, and a Premium Desktop edition at $40/mo, while Nutshell scales up to Growth, Pro, Business, and Enterprise plans priced between $32/mo and $89/mo.
    What integrations does Act! offer?
    Act! connects with Outlook, Google Contacts, Slack, Eventbrite, SurveyMonkey, Wufoo, BigCommerce, Ecwid, Shopify, Volusion, Facebook, Freshdesk, Zendesk, FreshBooks, QuickBooks Online, and Xero. That totals 16 named integrations listed on Act!'s own pages.
    What integrations does Nutshell offer?
    Nutshell connects with Gmail and Google Calendar, Calendly, Aircall, CallRail, Dialpad, Intercom, Google Meet, Google Analytics (GA4), ChatGPT/OpenAI, and Claude. That totals 10 named integrations listed on Nutshell's own pages.
    Which CRM is cheaper, Act! or Nutshell?
    Nutshell is cheaper at the entry level, starting at $19/mo compared to Act!'s $30/mo starting price. Budget-conscious teams starting out may find the savings appealing, according to the pricing analysis.
    What features come bundled with every Nutshell plan?
    Every Nutshell subscription bundles webchat, an AI chatbot, a form builder, landing pages, and attribution reporting alongside the sales pipeline. This differs from Act!, which separates features like marketing automation and lead scoring into its feature list rather than bundling them uniformly.
    Act!NutshellCRM PlatformComparisoncrm
    Byline

    About the author.

    Tim Carden

    Tim Carden is CMO / CTO at RevenueFlow, which builds and operates outbound revenue engines for B2B companies. Studied at McGill University.

    Tim Carden · CMO / CTO

    Connect on LinkedIn →
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