5 Best Customer Database Software to Choose from

Tired of losing track of customer details?

Imagine running your business without ever having to search for a contact, email, or sales history again. Sounds great, right?

That’s exactly what customer database software does. It keeps your customer data neat, organized, and accessible in a few clicks.

In this comprehensive blog, we will discuss the five best customer database systems for your business. Plus, you will get an idea of what this is and what you should look for in the software.

Let’s get started reading the blog.

Top 5 things you must look for in a customer database software

Got a pretty good (clear) idea of what customer database software is? We’re confident that you do!

Now, let’s look at five things you need to look for in a customer database software system.

1. Ease of use

First things first: you need to check in a customer database software whether it is easy to use or not.

A customer database software system should have a simple and intuitive interface. It should make finding customer details, updating records, and tracking interactions hassle-free.

Even a tech-savvy guy could easily get overwhelmed by a complex or cluttered interface. Just think how newbies or seasoned users would feel.

Of course, a complicated system can slow you down, frustrate your team, and could lead you to several mistakes. The point of using a customer database software system is to make your life easier and effortless, not harder.

Clear enough?

Again, if starting and using a product requires significant learning phases, that’s worrisome.

You must look for an organized dashboard, a clear layout, and even drag-and-drop features. These will help you effortlessly manage your customer data.

Tips: If you’re just starting out, choose free (or budget-friendly) customer database software with a beginner-friendly interface. If you’re more experienced, choose one that allows deeper customization and advanced automation.

2. Automation

Implementing automated solutions within a customer database management system can drastically enhance your business’s ability to manage customer data.

By executing this correctly, you could easily automate repetitive tasks like sending follow-up emails, updating contact details, or assigning tasks to team members without extra effort (well, well, save hours to focus on other strategic tasks).

Moreover, it could help you minimize human errors.

For example, if a customer fills out a form on your site, automation can instantly add them to your database and send them a welcome email. There is no need to input data or remember to send messages manually.

It’s like letting the software handle it.

Note: Most of these automation features work best when your database system is integrated with a CRM.

So, when picking a customer database management system, consider the presence of automation.

3. Scalability

Scalability is something you definitely want to consider when picking the right customer database software. As your business grows, your database needs to grow with it (more customers, more data, more everything).

So, customer database software needs to adapt to your growing needs. If it can’t keep up, you’ll face unnecessary challenges.

Whether you’re handling an increasing number of customers or managing larger datasets, a scalable system ensures everything stays organized and accessible.

You won’t have to worry about losing data or struggling with a system that’s too slow. And that’s the charm of a scalable system.

That’s why, when choosing customer database software, always check its scalability. Make sure it offers flexible plans or upgrade options to grow alongside your business.

4. Security

Security isn’t optional; it’s a must when handling customer data. Neither you nor your customers want sensitive information to fall into the wrong hands.

That’s exactly why you need to choose customer database software with top-notch security features.

Look for encryption, access controls, regular backups, and 2FA within the software system.

Encryption keeps data safe from hackers. Access controls ensure that only the right people can view or modify the information. Regular backups protect you from data loss due to system failures or cyberattacks.

Lastly comes 2FA-Two-factor authentication (primarily important). This extra layer of security ensures that even if someone gets hold of a password, they can’t access your data without verification.

Also, check if the software complies with industry standards like GDPR or CCPA. This is especially important if you handle customer data globally.

It would be great if you realized the fact sooner: A secure database isn’t just about protecting information—it’s about building trust with your customers.

So, the key takeaway is that security in customer database software should be your top priority, not something you think about later. Pick software that safeguards your customer data so you can focus on turning data into business success (without worrying about breaches).

5. Customer support

No matter how great your customer database software is, there will come a time when you need help (questions or issues).

Maybe a feature isn’t working as expected, or you get stuck when trying to customize something. And when that happens, solid customer service can be a lifesaver (game-changer).

So, think twice about customer support in the software system before choosing any.

Check which support system they’re available in. Look for multiple support channels, such as live chat, email, helpdesk management system, phone, or even a knowledge base. It’s wise to check if the support channel you’re comfortable with is available.

Here, availability matters, too. Some software providers offer 24/7 support. That could be great for you.

On the other hand, some other software providers operate support systems during their business hours. If your business operates outside of those hours, this could cause complications.

Also, see if they offer priority support for paid plans. It could save you when you need fast assistance.

The bottom line is that good customer support ensures you spend less time fixing problems and more time using the software to manage customer data better.

So before making a decision, check how the company stands behind its product.

5 best customer database software

Now, you are stepping into the most crucial section of this blog.

Here, you will get to see our top five picks for customer database software.

Excited to learn?

Let’s get started.

1. Salesforce

Salesforce is one of the most well-known CRM solutions, trusted by businesses of all sizes.

It provides a cloud-based customer database software that helps businesses automate workflows, track interactions, and make data-driven decisions.

Boom to its AI-powered features (Einstein). It not only stores customer data but also predicts future trends and buying behaviors.

Salesforce centralizes all customer details, such as contacts, emails, purchase history, and more, under one platform.

Businesses can manage leads, automate tasks, and integrate Salesforce with hundreds of other tools for a seamless workflow. The platform offers a highly customizable interface, making it easy to tailor dashboards and reports based on unique business needs.

We found it to be excellent customer database software. That’s why we ranked it first on our list.

Key features:

• AI-powered insights with Einstein Analytics.
• Advanced automation and workflow management.
• Scalable for businesses of all sizes.
• Multi-channel customer communication.
• Real-time analytics and reporting.
• Extensive third-party integrations.
• Highly customizable dashboards.
• Mobile-friendly CRM solution.
• Customer segmentation for targeted marketing.
• Cloud-based access for remote teams.

Noted drawbacks in Salesforce

• Significant learning curve.
• Expensive for small businesses.
• Too many features can be overwhelming.

Ratings and reviews

G2: 4.4 out of 5 with 23,000+ reviews.

Software Advice: 4.4 out of 5 with 18,500+ reviews.

Pricing

Salesforce offers a variety of pricing plans, including a Free plan for basic CRM features.

The Essentials plan starts at $25/user/month for more comprehensive tools, while the Professional plan at $75/user/month includes advanced capabilities.

For extensive needs, the Enterprise plan is $150/user/month, and the Unlimited plan at $300/user/month provides extensive support and customizations.

Add-ons and third-party integrations may incur additional costs. Pricing can vary based on region and specific requirements. 

Note: Pricing can vary based on specific requirements, so we recommend that you contact Salesforce for a pricing plan that fits your needs.

These options ensure businesses can choose the right plan for their needs and budgets.

2. Hubspot CRM

The second contender on our list is HubSpot CRM.

HubSpot CRM is free customer database software for small businesses with an intuitive, easy-to-use interface.

It’s perfectly designed for startups and growing businesses that need a reliable way to track leads, manage customer interactions, and automate marketing efforts without spending a fortune.

HubSpot organizes customer interactions, deals, and communication in a highly visual dashboard. It provides seamless email tracking, pipeline management, and real-time notifications when a customer opens an email or interacts with your business.

The best part about Hubspot CRM?

The free plan includes robust features, making it one of the best options for small businesses.

So, if you have a really tight budget and you own a small business, consider it.

Note: Don’t assume it’s only for small businesses. Companies of all sizes can use its advanced features with the pro plans to manage their customer data.

Key features:

• Free forever plan available
• Email tracking and automation
• Integration with marketing tools
• Sales pipeline management
• AI-powered lead scoring
• Call tracking and recording
• Customizable reports and analytics
• Social media monitoring
• Drag-and-drop workflow automation
• Contact and deal segmentation

Noted drawbacks in Hubspot CRM

• Limited reporting in the free plan.
• Limited customer support in the free plan.
• Advanced features require paid plans.
• Limited customization compared to competitors.

Ratings and reviews

G2: G2: 4.4 out of 5 with 12,000+ reviews.

Software Advice: 4.5 out of 5 with 4,300+ reviews.

Pricing

HubSpot CRM offers a Free plan with robust features such as contact management, deal tracking, and email marketing, which makes it a top choice for small businesses.

For businesses ready to scale, the Starter plan begins at $20/month (billed annually) and adds email marketing, live chat, and basic automation tools. This tier is ideal for growing teams looking to streamline their sales and marketing efforts.

The Professional plan starts at $890/month (billed annually) and includes sales automation, custom reporting, and marketing automation.

The Enterprise plan, at $3,200/month, offers predictive lead scoring, custom objects, and advanced analytics.

Note: Add-ons and third-party integrations may incur additional costs. Pricing can vary based on specific requirements, so we recommend that you contact HubSpot for a pricing plan that fits your needs.

HubSpot’s tiered pricing ensures businesses of all sizes can find a plan that fits their goals and budget.

3. Zoho CRM

Zoho CRM is a widely used solution known for its affordability, feature-rich platform, and user-friendly interface. It provides an all-in-one platform for managing and nurturing customer relationships effectively.

This CRM is designed for businesses that need simple yet powerful customer database software with AI-driven insights, automation, and lead management.

It could meet the needs of businesses of all sizes. Whether you’re running a startup, a growing company, or an established enterprise, Zoho CRM is worth considering for customer database management.

Zoho CRM offers multi-channel engagement, enabling businesses to connect with customers on different platforms. It supports seamless interaction via email, phone, live chat, and social media.

The fantastic thing about Zoho CRM is its AI-powered assistant, Zia. It provides predictive analytics and automation to help sales teams close deals faster.

Especially, you can customize workflows, set up automation, and integrate the CRM with over 100+ apps for enhanced functionality and adaptability.

Whether you’re streamlining sales processes, improving lead management, or automating routine tasks, Zoho CRM empowers you to achieve your goals with ease and efficiency.

Key features:

• AI-powered sales assistant (Zia)
• Social media and email integration
• Customizable dashboards and workflows
• Lead and contact management
• Advanced analytics and reports
• Customer journey mapping
• Integration with over 100+ apps
• Real-time notifications and alerts
• Territory management for sales teams
• Drag-and-drop automation builder
• Mobile CRM for on-the-go access

Noted drawbacks in Zoho CRM

• It can be slow with large data sets
• UI could be more modern
• Some features require add-ons

Ratings and reviews

G2: G2: 4.1 out of 5 with 2,700+ reviews.

Software Advice: 4.3 out of 5 with 6,900+ reviews.

Pricing

Zoho CRM offers a Free plan that includes essential features such as lead management, contact management, and basic automation, making it an excellent starting point for small businesses.

The Standard plan starts at $14/user/month (billed annually) and adds workflow automation, email marketing, and sales forecasting. This tier is perfect for teams looking to scale their operations without breaking the bank.

The Professional plan, at $23/user/month (billed annually), includes advanced features such as Blueprint, CPQ, SalesSignals, Inventory management, Webhooks, Assignment rules, Validation rules, Kiosk Studio, Google Ads integration, and all the features in the basic plan.

For more comprehensive needs, the Enterprise plan is available at $40/user/month (billed annually). This plan includes Zia—AI assistant, Territory management, Custom functions, Journey orchestration, Multi-user portals, Page layouts, Client scripts, Approval process, Sandbox, and obviously all the features in the professional plan.

Lastly, the Ultimate plan, at $52/user/month (billed annually), provides extensive features, including Enhanced feature limits, Extended AI capabilities, Advanced customization, Data preparation, Augmented analytics, Data storytelling, Unified business insights, Advanced administration, and all the features included in the enterprise plan.

Well, Zoho CRM’s flexible pricing ensures businesses of all sizes can find a plan that aligns with their goals and budget.

4. Freshsales

Freshsales by Freshworks is an AI-powered customer database software that helps companies optimize sales and customer relationships.

The software provides an end-to-end CRM solution with built-in communication tools. It allows teams to manage contacts, send emails, and schedule appointments (all from one place).

Even more, Freshsales delivers a 360-degree view of customer data.

You could efficiently track interactions, prioritize leads with AI-based scoring, and automate follow-ups for a streamlined workflow. Well, its Multi-touch customer journey tracking ensures every lead gets the attention it deserves.

Key features:

• AI-powered contact scoring.
• Email and phone integration.
• Built-in sales automation.
• Predictive analytics for lead conversion.
• Drag-and-drop deal pipeline.
• Custom email sequences.
• Multi-touch customer journey tracking.
• Appointment scheduling tools.
• AI-driven chatbot integration.
• Mobile CRM for on-the-go management.

Noted drawbacks in Freshsales

• Limited customization in lower plans.
• Reports can be complex for beginners.
• Requires training for full utilization.
• Integration limits with niche applications.

Ratings and reviews

G2: G2: 4.5 out of 5 with 1,200+ reviews.

Software Advice: 4.5 out of 5 with 600+ reviews.

Pricing

Freshsales offers a Free plan that covers essential features like Kanban views, built-in phone and email templates, and live chat. This makes it ideal for small teams of up to three users, providing the necessary tools to manage customer relationships efficiently.

For advanced capabilities, tiered plans are available starting at $9, $39, or $59 per user per month (billed annually).

The growth plan starts at $9 per user per month (billed annually). It includes Kanban View, Contact Lifecycle Stages, Email Templates, Custom Fields, Basic Workflows, Contextual Collaboration with Slack, Product Catalog, Curated Reports, Freshworks Marketplace, 1 CPQ license, Mobile App, 24×5 Support, and so on.

Freshsales’s pro plan includes everything in growth plus Contact Scoring by Freddy AI, Custom Sales Activities, Advanced custom fields, Auto-assignment Rules, Territory Management, Sales Sequences,  Sales Emails by Freddy AI, and more. And this plan starts at $39 per user per month (billed annually).

Finally, you can explore the enterprise plan starting at $39 per user per month (billed annually). The enterprise plan includes everything in the pro plan plus Custom Modules, Forecasting Insights by Freddy AI, Workflows for Custom Modules, Sandbox, and so on.

5. FluentCRM

Lastly, here is the last software in the rundown that we would like to suggest to you as one of the best customer database software systems, FluentCRM.

This one is a WordPress-based customer database management solution designed for businesses that run their websites on WordPress.

Unlike the earlier CRMs on our list, FluentCRM uses a different approach. It runs directly inside your WordPress dashboard, so you don’t need third-party cloud storage. This setup ensures your customer data stays within your WordPress environment, which could provide you with better security and complete control.

This CRM allows your business to manage contacts efficiently, automate email campaigns, segment audiences, and track customer interactions. Like the CRM we mentioned, this single platform could help you be superbly organized.

With its built-in email marketing automation, you can effortlessly design and execute targeted campaigns to engage with your audience. This software also includes sales funnel tracking and seamless WooCommerce integration.

This makes it particularly suitable for those (might be for you) who have built their businesses on the WordPress platform and seek a robust, nuanced customer database solution.

So, we suggest you explore (must try) FluentCRM as your top pick for customer database management software if you are building your business in the WordPress environment.

Key features:

• Deep WordPress integration
• Email automation and tagging
• One-time payment option
• Contact segmentation and personalization
• Sales funnel tracking
• Built-in email campaign builder
• Seamless WooCommerce and LMS integration
• Drip email marketing capabilities
• Advanced analytics and reporting
• GDPR compliance features

Noted drawbacks in FluentCRM

We found hardly any drawbacks in FluentCRM. Here, the only drawback is that it is only available for WordPress users.

Ratings and reviews

G2: 4.6 out of 5.

WordPress: 4.6 out of 5.

Pricing

FluentCRM offers a Free plan that covers essential features such as email marketing automation, contact management, audience segmentation, and more.

You can unlock the pro plan with a one-time annual payment of $129, $249, or $499. Pick the best one that perfectly aligns with your business and budget,t obviously.

Well, FluentCRM is a versatile and cost-effective CRM solution that could be best for managing customer data if you are in the WordPress environment.

Wrapping up

So, here you come to the end of the content.

Congratulations! You’ve read this comprehensive blog (listicle) thoroughly.

Now, it’s your time to pick the best customer database software for your business. It needs to be perfectly aligned with your needs, budget, and goals.

We suggest choosing from our recommendations. But even if you have other preferences or aren’t selecting one from our list, make sure to consider the key factors we mentioned when choosing a customer database software.

That’s all from our end. Thanks for taking the time to read this blog.