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Sales BasicsSales & Business Development

5 Top-Rated Lead Management Software For Small Business

Ashish Upadhyay profile picture
headshot of editor Parul Sharma
Written by:
Ashish Upadhyay

and edited by:
Parul Sharma

Published
10 min read
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Check out these five top-rated lead management software that users rate the highest along with guidance on how to choose.

Reaching and converting quality leads is crucial for sales managers and teams. While the task may seem tedious, effective lead scoring can boost the business’ revenue significantly. Lead management software can automate processes, ensuring the best leads reach an experienced sales representative, resulting in high conversion rates.

To help you narrow the list of lead management solutions, this article highlights, in alphabetical order, the five top-rated lead management software for small businesses based on user reviews. For each product, we include overall user ratings along with the highest-rated attribute, product benefits, review excerpts from industry professionals, and product pricing. Read how we selected these products at the bottom of the page.

1. Bigin

Bigin by Zoho CRM is a lead management and CRM software solution designed for small businesses. The software offers features to manage contacts, leads, and deals for your business. You can leverage various sources to track leads and segment them based on different criteria, such as demographics or interests. It also provides custom fields and pipelines for sales lead capture, lead tracking, and sales process management. The tool’s centralized database enables users to keep all their qualified leads and contact information in one place. Bigin integrates with other Zoho modules and third-party productivity and customer support platforms.

Commonly discussed topics by Bigin reviewers

Based on our analysis of Bigin reviews on Capterra, the most commonly discussed topics are:

  • Efficient lead management: 94.4% of users value Bigin’s centralized database for tracking leads and contact information. The platform offers vital CRM functionalities, including custom fields, contact management, and deal tracking.

  • Efficient sales pipeline management: 92.3% of users value the ease of managing sales pipelines, attributing this to the tool’s user-friendly interfaces, seamless integrations, and time-saving automation. Bigin provides quick overviews and real-time updates on customers and leads.

  • User-friendly interface: 80.6% of users appreciate Bigin’s user-friendliness and simplicity. The system is designed to adapt to existing business processes, providing a seamless experience from the start. Despite its focus on small-scale operations, it doesn't compromise on its offerings.

Review excerpts from small business users who have used Bigin for lead management

"The user-friendly interface, easy pipeline management, seamless integrations, and time-saving automation have revolutionized our sales processes." (Pankaj Singh, managing director, 2023)

"The centralized database is a great feature, as Bigin allowed me to keep track of all my leads and their contact information in one place." (Amr Elsayed, senior scum master, 2023)

"Overall, Bigin CRM by Zoho is a promising solution that does not compromise on features despite its focus on small-scale operations." (Fil Greenwich, MD, 2023)

Read all Bigin reviews here.

Bigin by Zoho CRM

4.7 (597)

Trial/Free Version

  • Free Trial
  • Free Version

Highest-rated attribute

Ease-of-use - 4.7/5

Commonly used by

Professionals working in IT, marketing and advertising, and education management

Starting price

$7 per user per month (billed annually)

Device Compatibilty

2. EngageBay CRM

EngageBay CRM is a cloud-based lead management CRM that integrates marketing, sales, and customer service functionalities. It offers robust email sequencing, automation capabilities, and unlimited contact storage. The software facilitates efficient communication by seamlessly integrating email marketing with customer relationship management. It also provides tools for managing sales pipelines, tracking leads, and creating landing pages.

Commonly discussed topics by EngageBay CRM reviewers

Based on our analysis of EngageBay CRM reviews on Capterra, the most commonly discussed topics are:

  • Efficient sales management: 95.2% of users value EngageBay CRM for its intuitive automation features, which simplify sales cloud management processes for sales rep teams. Users commend its potential to enhance sales through its automation features and its ability to create synergy between their marketing and sales team reps.

  • Effective email management: 81.8% of users appreciate EngageBay CRM’s email management capabilities, which offer unlimited contact storage and the ability to send up to 50,000 emails monthly without the need for external apps. 

  • Dedicated CRM and lead management: 70.4% of users value EngageBay CRM for its comprehensive functionality, offering robust online CRM, sales pipeline, email automation, and marketing tools.

Review excerpts from small business users who have used EngageBay CRM for lead management

"It offers all of the "things" that most businesses need such as a robust online CRM, sales hub, Sales Pipeline, Email Automation, Calendar Tool, Email Marketing and MORE." (Shannon Loy, CEO/Founder, 2022)

"EngageBay is incredibly user friendly and offers an incredible amount of functions, with all of them having been implemented very well. While other CRMs only offer sales functions for a high price, without further marketing campaign management, EngageBay does all that for a low price." (Hans Ehser, business developer, 2021)

"What I like the most about EngageBay is that it's an inclusive platform where Sales, Marketing, and Support can be able to work together on the same platform and helps these different but intertwined departments to be always in sync." (Brendan Chingomanje, business development Rep, 2023)

Read all EngageBay CRM reviews here.

Trial/Free Version

  • Free Trial
  • Free Version

Highest-rated attribute

Customer support - 4.8/5

Commonly used by

Professionals working in marketing and advertising, IT, and computer software

Starting price

$12.74 per user per month (billed biennially)

Device Compatibilty

3. GlassHive

GlassHive is a platform that combines contact management, online CRM lead management, and email marketing functionalities. It allows users to create, store, and build dynamic email templates, track email performance, and manage leads. It also offers a single dashboard for sales pipeline visualization. GlassHive supports multiple marketing projects simultaneously. However, it is currently more focused on marketing automation than being a comprehensive CRM, and users have suggested improvements in CRM integration and support response times.

Commonly discussed topics by GlassHive reviewers

Based on our analysis of GlassHive reviews on Capterra, the most commonly discussed topics are:

  • Efficient email management: 100% of users value GlassHive's comprehensive email marketing capabilities, which allow for efficient scheduling, journey mapping, and contact management. 

  • Efficient sales management: 100% of users leverage GlassHive to simplify marketing and sales processes, particularly for MSPs, by providing valuable tools and collateral. Its ability to automatically populate sales pipelines and present data on a single dashboard is lauded for saving time.

  • Simplified lead management: 66.7% of users value GlassHive for the simplicity of emailing all leads and the ability to track their activity. It plays a crucial role in managing leads, transforming them into clients, and organizing lists.

Review excerpts from small business users who have used GlassHive for lead management

"Everything you need for contact management, CRM, email blasts are under one roof at a very affordable price.   But the best thing about Glasshive is the personal support you receive getting everything running." (Mark Banens, CEO, 2023)

"The ability to use journeys, email marketing, and scheduling allows us to stay on top of our marketing when we dont have a separate marketing department." (Tasha Dickinson, founder, 2023)

"The ability to use journeys, email marketing, and scheduling through their lead tracking software allows us to stay on top of our marketing when we dont have a separate marketing department." (Tasha Dickinson, founder, 2023)

Read all GlassHive reviews here.

Trial/Free Version

  • Free Trial
  • Free Version

Highest-rated attribute

Value-for-money - 4.9/5

Commonly used by

Professionals who work in IT, computer and network security, and marketing and advertising

Starting price

$100 per month

Device Compatibilty

4. Mailchimp

Mailchimp is an email marketing platform that offers various features including a drag-and-drop editor, automation capabilities, and analytics tools. It allows users to create and manage email campaigns, track performance, and automate marketing activities. The platform integrates with other third-party website management and eCommerce services to facilitate seamless operations. Mailchimp also provides multiple templates for newsletters, landing pages, and social media posts.

Commonly discussed topics by Mailchimp reviewers

Based on our analysis of Mailchimp reviews on Capterra, the most commonly discussed topics are:

  • Versatile email management: 97.1% of users value Mailchimp for its versatile and extensive marketing features and automation capabilities. Users appreciate the ability to create custom campaigns, manage email lists, and integrate with other tools. 

  • Efficient integrational support: 91.7% of users value Mailchimp for its seamless integration with various third-party website building and eCommerce applications. Users also find the online editor intuitive, allowing for live testing of changes.

  • Personalized email marketing: 88.5% of users value Mailchimp for its user-friendly interface, drag-and-drop editor, and powerful automation capabilities, making it an ideal tool for personalized email marketing. It offers insightful analytics and reporting tools to measure campaign success and allows seamless integration with other services.

Review excerpts from small business users who have used Mailchimp for lead management

“One of the standout features for me is the drag-and-drop editor, which allows for easy and visually appealing email creation without the need for extensive design skills." (Josphat Munyoki, marketer, 2023)

"With its user-friendly interface, powerful automation features, and insightful analytics, Mailchimp is well-equipped to help you streamline your email marketing efforts and achieve your marketing goals." (Rupert Tismo, zoho developer, 2023)

"We are able to develop email campaigns that easily allow us to automate a series of emails as a part of a greater marketing strategy for our clients."  (Ali Berger, CEO, 2023)

Read all Mailchimp reviews here.

Trial/Free Version

  • Free Trial
  • Free Version

Highest-rated attribute

Value-for-money 4.6/5

Commonly used by

Professionals who work in marketing and advertising, information technology and services, health, wellness, and fitness

Starting price

$4.59 per month for up to 3 users (billed annually)

Device Compatibilty

5. Popl

Popl is a lead management tool that facilitates efficient sales and lead management through its integrations with other software. It is particularly useful for networking and capturing large quantities of leads at trade shows. It features NFC and QR code technology, allowing users to connect with prospects easily. Popl also offers a simple way to create profiles for sales teams, collect leads, and share contacts.

Commonly discussed topics by Popl reviewers

Based on our analysis of Popl reviews on Capterra, the most commonly discussed topics are:

  • Innovative lead management: 90.5% of users appreciate Popl’s innovative NFC and QR code technology for capturing leads, even on the go. Its simplicity in creating profiles and sharing potential customer contacts is also commended by users.

  • Effective team collaboration and marketing: 80% of users value Popl for its creative profile options and ease of incorporation into businesses. It has been instrumental in showcasing a tech-forward mindset, impressing leads, and enhancing global conference experiences. 

  • Efficient contact management: 77.8% of users appreciate the convenience of managing all contact information, including social media sites, from one location, praising the ease and immediacy of edits.

Review excerpts from small business users who have used Popl for lead management

"I have all their contact info, website, address, reviews, and social media sites managed from ONE spot making edits easy and immediate!" (Lisa Arthur, marketing director, 2022)

"Our team has loved the creative profile options that allow them to stand out and be unforgettable." (Randy Magray, digital ministries director, 2022)

"Popl features several integrations of software that are easily accessed by myself or teammates that makes it more efficient to make a sales and lead management process." (Briana Rillie, CEO, 2023)

Read all Popl reviews here.

Trial/Free Version

  • Free Trial
  • Free Version

Highest-rated attribute

Customer support - 4.6/5

Commonly used by

Professionals who work in real estate, non-profit organization management, and financial services

Starting price

$6.49 per month (billed annually)

Device Compatibilty

What features do lead management tools offer?

Lead management tools offer the following core features:

  • Interaction tracking: Track interaction history by documenting conversations for contacts.

  • Lead generation: Manage the process of attracting and converting business prospects into leads.

  • Lead qualification: Score a lead on their quality or likelihood to buy based on certain behaviors.

All products listed in this report include the features mentioned above. Besides these core features, lead management tools also commonly tend to offer:

  • Campaign management 

  • Contact management 

  • Email marketing 

  • Lead capture 

  • Lead distribution 

  • Lead nurturing

  • Lead segmentation

  • Pipeline management 

  • Sales reports 

  • Task management 

  • Workflow management

How to choose the right lead management software for small business

Here are some factors to consider while you look for the lead management software for small business:

  • Assess the tool’s customization capabilities. The software should provide the ability to create custom fields to capture specific lead information relevant to your business. It should also have the ability to design and implement custom workflows for different lead management stages, such as lead assignment, follow-up sequences, and nurturing campaigns.

  • Check for process automation in the software. Automatically capturing leads from web forms, landing pages, and social media platforms and enriching lead data with additional information from third-party sources or databases is a must-have in software. 

  • Assess the software's integrational support. Seamless integration with your existing CRM, email marketing, and marketing automation system is essential to maintain data consistency and streamline workflows.

Common questions to ask software vendors before purchasing lead management software for small business

Consider asking your vendor the following questions so that you find the best lead management software for small businesses:

Mobile accessibility comes quite handy especially for lead generation and sales teams that can access and update lead information anytime, anywhere, ensuring they remain productive even when out of the office.

Look for software offering high uptime guarantee, ideally 99.9% or higher. Also, ensure the service level agreement (SLA) clearly defines uptime expectations and the consequences of failing to meet them.

It's important to ensure that the lead management system offers various out-of-the-box reports to provide insights into your sales and marketing performance. These include lead status reports, sales pipeline reports, sales automation reports, and campaign performance reports.


Looking for Lead Management software? Check out Capterra's list of the best Lead Management software solutions.

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About the Authors

Ashish Upadhyay profile picture

Ashish Upadhyay is a writer at Capterra. He provides insights to help small businesses identify the right software for their needs by analyzing over 550,000 Capterra user reviews and nearly 48,000 interactions between Capterra software advisors and buyers. Ashish has written about insurance, fintech, and real estate sectors and his work has been featured in MAST The Magazine and Medium.

headshot of editor Parul Sharma

Parul Sharma is a content editor at Capterra with expertise in curating content for various niches, including SaaS, digital marketing, and search engine optimization. With over half a decade of experience in content writing and editing, Parul has the expertise to simplify complex terms into engaging, valuable content for targeted audiences. She completed her graduation and post-graduation in English literature from Delhi University and was awarded the Dr. Asha Sahni Memorial Award for being the highest scorer in her graduating class. 

Parul has contributed to the news, lifestyle, education, and health verticle of DNA India, India’s premier media channel. Outside of work, she can be found curating healthy recipes, coloring in mandala books, and spending quality time with her family.