Top 7 CRM Tools for Small Teams in 2026: Features, Pricing and Verdicts

Overview: Small teams need CRMs that are easy to set up, integrate with email and calendar, and respect budgetary and privacy constraints. In 2026 the market matured with lightweight CRMs adding better contact sync, AI-assisted data enrichment, and privacy controls. We tested seven popular platforms across core criteria and provide a summary for each.

How we tested

We set up identical contact databases, ran import jobs from CSV and Google Contacts, connected Gmail and calendar, evaluated automation triggers for contact lifecycle, assessed duplicate detection, and tested data export and deletion workflows for compliance. Scoring focused on:

• Ease of setup
• Contact sync fidelity
• Automation capabilities
• Privacy and compliance features
• Pricing and value

Winners and short takes

Here are our top picks, followed by a detailed breakdown for each vendor.

1. Streamline CRM — Best overall for small teams. Clean UI, fast contact sync, and flexible automation.
2. Connectly — Best for sales-oriented teams; excellent email sequence tools and lead scoring.
3. Keeper Contacts — Best privacy-first option with granular consent logs and encryption.
4. SyncBase — Best value for simple contact sync across devices and calendars.
5. FunnelFlow — Best marketing automation integrations but higher price tier.
6. Minimalist CRM — Best for freelancers who only need contact and task management.
7. OpenContact — Best open-source alternative for teams wanting self-hosting.

Individual reviews

Streamline CRM

Streamline was fast to setup and its contact importer handled messy CSVs with grace. Sync fidelity with Google and Apple contacts was excellent. Automations are visual and easy to test. Data export is straightforward, and the platform includes a compliance center for consent tracking.

Pros: Tight calendar integration, UI is clean, strong mobile app. Cons: Advanced reporting locked behind higher plan.

Connectly

Connectly is feature rich for sales: built-in sequences, multi-channel outreach and lead scoring. Contacts are easy to tag and segment. Privacy features exist but require manual set up for consent logs.

Pros: Sales automation, sequence templates. Cons: Can feel feature dense for non-sales teams.

Keeper Contacts

Keeper prioritized encryption and consent. Useful for teams that must comply with strict privacy rules. Integration surface is smaller but covers common email and calendar providers.

Pros: Best-in-class privacy, clear deletion workflows. Cons: Less automation flexibility.

SyncBase

SyncBase focuses on synchronous contact management across devices. Sync conflicts are handled transparently. The simplicity of SyncBase is its strength for teams that want the basics done well.

Pros: Reliable sync, low price. Cons: Minimal marketing automation.

FunnelFlow

FunnelFlow shines in marketing automation and integrations with ad platforms and website tracking. It can be expensive for small teams but provides advanced features to convert leads at scale.

Pros: Integrations, funnels. Cons: Higher cost and learning curve.

Minimalist CRM

As the name suggests, this is for freelancers and solopreneurs. It gets contacts, tasks and reminders right and keeps the interface uncluttered.

Pros: Simplicity, low price. Cons: Not designed for teams with roles and permissions.

OpenContact

OpenContact is open-source and self-hosted with active community modules for privacy and custom sync adapters. For teams with technical capacity it provides control and auditability unmatched by hosted services.

Pros: Self-host control, community modules. Cons: Requires hosting and maintenance.

Score table (summary)

We evaluated each across a 0-100 scale for key metrics. These are rounded composite scores based on our testing.

• Streamline CRM: 92
• Connectly: 88
• Keeper Contacts: 86
• SyncBase: 82
• FunnelFlow: 80
• Minimalist CRM: 78
• OpenContact: 75

Recommended choices by profile

• Small sales team: Connectly or Streamline
• Privacy-conscious team: Keeper Contacts or OpenContact
• Freelancer: Minimalist CRM
• Budget-conscious: SyncBase

Buying checklist

Before committing to a CRM, verify:

• How it syncs with your primary email and calendar
• Export and deletion workflows for compliance
• Availability of an API for future integrations
• Real user support SLA and onboarding resources

Final verdict

There is no single best CRM for every team. Streamline is the best overall for most small teams because it balances ease of use and automation. Connectly is the choice for teams dependent on outreach sequences, while Keeper Contacts is the go-to when privacy rules are non-negotiable. The right pick depends on your priorities: automation, privacy, or price.