Act! vs Zoho CRM: CRM Platform Comparison
Compare Act! and Zoho CRM side by side. See pricing, features, and integrations to choose the right CRM platform for your needs.
Act! and Zoho CRM both serve as CRM and sales pipeline tools but differ in cost and focus. Act! starts at $30/mo and emphasizes marketing automation, email marketing, and full CRM features with mobile access. Zoho CRM starts free and emphasizes sales automation, Zia AI predictions, and deep integration with the Zoho product suite.
Key takeaways
- Act! Advantage Standard starts at $30/mo with basic email marketing including 2,500 sends per month.
- Zoho CRM offers a free tier, giving it the lower entry point compared to Act!'s $30/mo starting plan.
- Act! Premium Desktop is priced at $40/mo as an on-premises alternative to the cloud Advantage plans.
- Zoho CRM's Ultimate plan costs $52/mo, while Act!'s Ultimate tier, Advantage Ultimate, costs $60/mo and includes 50,000 email sends per month.
- Act! and Zoho CRM share only two listed integrations, Slack and Shopify, with each platform listing many integrations unique to itself.
Reviewed and updated September 4, 2026
Act! vs Zoho CRM: CRM Platform Comparison
Sales teams evaluating customer relationship management and sales pipeline tracking tools often narrow their shortlist to Act! and Zoho CRM. 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 Zoho CRM lists lead, contact, and deal management and sales automation and workflow rules. A capability both offer can appear under different names, so read both feature lists below.
Zoho CRM offers a lower entry point at $0/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.
Zoho CRM is A feature-rich and affordable CRM from the Zoho ecosystem, offering sales automation, multichannel communication, analytics, and AI-powered predictions via Zia. Known for competitive pricing and deep integration with 45+ other Zoho products.
The two platforms take different approaches to solving the same core challenge.
Pricing Comparison
Act! Advantage Standard
Free
Act! Pricing (as of September 2026)
| Plan | Price | Emails |
|---|---|---|
| Act! Advantage Standard | $30/mo | Basic Email Marketing (includes 2,500 sends/mo) |
| Act! Advantage Professional | $45/mo | Email Marketing Plus (includes 25,000 sends/mo) |
| Act! Advantage Ultimate | $60/mo | Marketing Automation (includes 50,000 sends/mo) |
| Act! Premium Desktop | $40/mo | - |
| Enterprise Engagement | Contact Sales | - |
Source: Act! Pricing
Zoho CRM Pricing (as of September 2026)
| Plan | Price |
|---|---|
| Free | Free |
| Standard | $14/mo |
| Professional | $23/mo |
| Enterprise | $40/mo |
| Ultimate | $52/mo |
Source: Zoho CRM Pricing
Pricing Analysis
Zoho CRM offers the lower entry point ($0/mo vs $30/mo). Teams watching their budget will appreciate the savings, especially when starting out.
Zoho CRM includes a free tier, which is helpful for evaluating the platform without upfront cost.
Features Breakdown
- 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
- Lead, contact, and deal management
- Sales automation and workflow rules
- Zia AI assistant with predictions and suggestions
- Multichannel communication (email, phone, social, live chat)
- Advanced analytics and custom dashboards
- Territory and inventory management
- and 2 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
Zoho CRM Key Features
- Lead, contact, and deal management
- Sales automation and workflow rules
- Zia AI assistant with predictions and suggestions
- Multichannel communication (email, phone, social, live chat)
- Advanced analytics and custom dashboards
- Territory and inventory management
- Blueprint process management
- Canvas design studio for custom views
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 Zoho CRM
- Lead, contact, and deal management
- Sales automation and workflow rules
- Zia AI assistant with predictions and suggestions
- Multichannel communication (email, phone, social, live chat)
- Advanced analytics and custom dashboards
- Territory and inventory management
- Blueprint process management
- Canvas design studio for custom views
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.
Zoho CRM Integrations
Zoho CRM connects with: Zoho Suite integration, Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Slack, Zapier, Mailchimp, Shopify, QuickBooks.
Shared Integrations
Both tools integrate with: Slack, Shopify.
Integrations listed only by Act!: Outlook, Google Contacts, Eventbrite, SurveyMonkey, Wufoo, BigCommerce, Ecwid, Volusion, Facebook, Freshdesk, Zendesk, FreshBooks, QuickBooks Online, Xero.
Integrations listed only by Zoho CRM: Zoho Suite integration, Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Zapier, Mailchimp, QuickBooks.
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 Zoho CRM
- Budget-conscious teams looking for an affordable CRM platform
- Teams that want to start free and scale up as needs grow
- Sales teams tracking deals from first touch to close
- Managers who need pipeline visibility and forecasting
Feature Comparison Summary
| Feature | Act! | Zoho CRM |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $30/mo | Free |
| Top Tier Price | Contact Sales | $52/mo |
| Total Features Listed | 10 | 8 |
| Integrations | 16 | 8 |
| Founded | N/A | 2005 |
Getting Started Checklist
- Define your customer relationship management and sales pipeline tracking requirements and monthly budget
- Estimate your expected contacts and deals to find the right tier
- List the integrations your team currently relies on
- Sign up for free trials or demos of both platforms
- Run a small test with each tool before making a commitment
- Evaluate the onboarding experience and support quality
Final Thoughts
Act! and Zoho CRM both serve the customer relationship management and sales pipeline tracking market. Zoho CRM offers a more accessible entry point, 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 Zoho CRM for current information.
Frequently asked questions.
Frequently asked questions- Which is cheaper, Act! or Zoho CRM?
- Zoho CRM is cheaper at the entry level, offering a free tier compared to Act!'s $30/mo starting plan for Advantage Standard. Zoho CRM's paid tiers range from $14/mo to $52/mo, while Act!'s cloud plans range from $30/mo to $60/mo, plus a $40/mo desktop option.
- What features does Act! offer that Zoho CRM doesn't list?
- Act! lists features including full-featured CRM with mobile app, email marketing, interactive quotes and payments, online appointment scheduling, forms and surveys, marketing automation, lead scoring, project management, and accounting integration. These appear only on Act!'s own feature list, not Zoho CRM's.
- What features does Zoho CRM offer that Act! doesn't list?
- Zoho CRM lists lead, contact, and deal management, sales automation and workflow rules, the Zia AI assistant for predictions, multichannel communication, advanced analytics, territory and inventory management, blueprint process management, and a canvas design studio. These appear only on Zoho CRM's list, not Act!'s.
- Do Act! and Zoho CRM integrate with the same tools?
- They share only two listed integrations, Slack and Shopify. Act! also integrates with Outlook, Google Contacts, Eventbrite, SurveyMonkey, Wufoo, BigCommerce, Ecwid, Volusion, Facebook, Freshdesk, Zendesk, FreshBooks, QuickBooks Online, and Xero, while Zoho CRM integrates with its own suite, Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Zapier, Mailchimp, and QuickBooks.
- Which CRM has more email sends included in its plans?
- Act! includes email sends directly in its pricing tiers: 2,500 sends per month on Advantage Standard, 25,000 on Advantage Professional, and 50,000 on Advantage Ultimate. Zoho CRM's pricing table does not list email send limits for its Free, Standard, Professional, Enterprise, or Ultimate plans.
About the author.
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 →Explore more.
Ready to scale your outreach?
We build GTM engines that book real meetings. See the receipts.
Related articles.
AroundDeal vs Salesflare: Data Enrichment Tool vs CRM Platform Comparison
Compare AroundDeal (data enrichment tool) and Salesflare (CRM platform) side by side. See pricing, features, and integrations to decide which one, or both, your stack needs.
Evaboot vs Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales: Data Enrichment Tool vs CRM Platform Comparison
Compare Evaboot (data enrichment tool) and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales (CRM platform) side by side. See pricing, features, and integrations to decide which one, or both, your stack needs.
Agile CRM vs Copper: CRM Platform Comparison
Compare Agile CRM and Copper side by side. See pricing, features, and integrations to choose the right CRM platform for your needs.
Agile CRM vs LeadIQ: CRM Platform vs Data Enrichment Tool Comparison
Compare Agile CRM (CRM platform) and LeadIQ (data enrichment tool) side by side. See pricing, features, and integrations to decide which one, or both, your stack needs.
Kommo vs Luru: CRM Platform vs Sales Engagement Platform Comparison
Compare Kommo (CRM platform) and Luru (sales engagement platform) side by side. See pricing, features, and integrations to decide which one, or both, your stack needs.
Agile CRM vs Capsule CRM: CRM Platform Comparison
Compare Agile CRM and Capsule CRM side by side. See pricing, features, and integrations to choose the right CRM platform for your needs.