For a 5-person team on each vendor's entry-level paid plan, here is the yearly cost from list prices on each vendor's own page.
| CRM and entry plan | Price as the vendor shows it | 5 users, 1 year |
|---|---|---|
| HubSpot Sales Hub Starter | $7 /mo/seat with "Pay Annually" selected (new-customer limited-time offer; $20 shown struck through) | $420 (at $7) · $1,200 (at $20) |
| Freshsales Growth | $9 /user/month, billed annually | $540 |
| monday CRM Basic | $12 seat / month ($18 shown crossed out); bought as monday's 5-seat bundle | $720* |
| Zoho CRM Standard | US$14 /user/month, with the "Annually" toggle selected | $840 |
| Pipedrive Lite | US$14 per seat per month, billed annually | $840 |
| HighLevel Starter | Flat account price, not per user: $97 /month or $970 /year, unlimited users | $970 (5 users pay $97/month or $970/year in total) |
| Salesforce Starter Suite | $25 USD/User/Month (billed monthly or annually) | $1,500 |
\*monday.com prices seats in bundles, not one at a time. Its help center says plans "start at a minimum of 3 seats, and then ascend in multiples of 5," and that a team of 4 should choose the 5-seat option (monday.com support). A 5-seat bundle exists, so 5 users pay for exactly 5 seats. Teams of 6 to 10 must buy the 10-seat bundle. monday CRM prices are shown with 'Yearly' selected; the monday CRM toggle reads 'Yearly SAVE 33%'. (monday.com pricing) monday.com says yearly billing is 18% cheaper than monthly.
The short answer: HubSpot Starter is cheapest while its new-customer promotion runs. At regular prices, Freshsales Growth ($540/year) is the cheapest paid CRM for 5 users, followed by monday CRM Basic and then Zoho CRM Standard and Pipedrive Lite (tied at $840).
Can you pay $0?
Three vendors list free tiers, but none is free for 5 users on a vendor-stated basis:
- HubSpot: free tools for up to 2 users (hubspot.com/pricing).
- Zoho CRM: "Forever free, for 3 users" (zoho.com/crm/zohocrm-pricing.html).
- Salesforce: lists a "Free Suite" at $0 user/month in its feature tables. We didn't find a user limit stated on the page, so check before relying on it (salesforce.com/sales/pricing).
One step up: the plan most teams outgrow into
The cheapest plan often lacks automation or email sequences. Here's the next tier, on the same basis:
| CRM and next plan | Price as shown | 5 users, 1 year |
|---|---|---|
| monday CRM Standard | $17 seat / month ($25 crossed out); 5-seat bundle | $1,020* |
| Zoho CRM Professional | US$23 /user/month ("Annually" selected) | $1,380 |
| Freshsales Pro | $39 /user/month, billed annually | $2,340 |
| Pipedrive Growth | US$39 per seat per month, billed annually | $2,340 |
| HighLevel Starter | Flat account price, not per user: $97 /month or $970 /year | $970 (5 users pay $97/month or $970/year in total) |
| HubSpot Sales Hub Professional | $90 /mo/seat with "Pay Annually" selected ($100 struck through), plus $1,500 one-time onboarding | $6,900 in year 1, then $5,400 |
| Salesforce Pro Suite | $100 USD/User/Month (Billed annually) | $6,000 |
At this tier, HighLevel's flat account price is the cheapest for 5 users, because it doesn't charge per user.
Hidden costs to check before you buy
- HubSpot:
- The $7 Starter price is for new customers and time-limited. Budget renewals at the $20 shown struck through.
- Professional needs a $1,500 one-time onboarding fee.
- AI features use HubSpot Credits (500 included on Starter).
- Freshsales:
- Add-ons are listed per plan: Branded documents at $19 /user/month, and Freddy AI Agent at $49 /100 sessions.
- There's a 21-day trial.
- Freshworks says "Save 20% Annually", so paying monthly costs more.
- monday CRM:
- Seats are sold in bundles: 3, then multiples of 5. A team of 6 pays for 10.
- Separate monday products (work management, service, dev) are priced separately.
- Prices exclude tax and depend on your billing country.
- Zoho CRM:
- Prices shown are with "Annually" selected; monthly billing is shown separately on the page.
- "Local taxes may apply."
- Zoho advertises "Free Onboarding".
- Pipedrive:
- Paid add-ons: LeadBooster from $32.50, Campaigns from $13.33, and others.
- Pipedrive says annual billing saves up to 42%, so monthly costs more.
- Prices exclude VAT.
- Salesforce:
- Starter's $25 applies "billed monthly or annually".
- Higher editions are billed annually.
- API access on Pro Suite is listed as "Additional $25 USD/user/month".
- Salesforce says "most Salesforce products use annual contracts."
- HighLevel:
- No per-user fee, but usage is billed on top: SMS at $0.00747 per segment plus carrier fees, calls from $0.0166/min, email at $0.675 per 1,000.
- The $97 Starter plan can't pass usage costs on to clients.
- Full rates: HighLevel hidden costs.
Which cheap CRM fits which buyer?
- Lowest cash outlay right now: HubSpot Starter at the promotional $7, if you're a new customer and will reassess at renewal.
- Lowest regular price: Freshsales Growth, at $540/year for 5 users.
- Teams already using monday.com for projects: monday CRM Basic or Standard keeps everything in one place. monday sells a 5-seat bundle.
- Want a free tier to start, then grow: Zoho CRM (free for 3 users) or HubSpot (free for 2), then upgrade.
- Pipeline-first sales teams: Pipedrive Lite ($840/year) or Growth ($2,340/year) for automations and email sync.
- Need marketing tools too (SMS, funnels, booking): HighLevel at $970/year covers all 5 users and more. Budget for usage fees.
- Expect to grow into an enterprise stack: Salesforce Starter Suite at $1,500/year.
Try HighLevel free for 14 days →
Plain links: Freshsales · Zoho CRM · Salesforce · HubSpot
FAQ
What is the cheapest CRM for 5 users?
At regular list prices, Freshsales Growth: $9 /user/month billed annually, or $540 a year for 5 users. HubSpot Sales Hub Starter is cheaper ($420) while its new-customer promotion runs.
Is there a free CRM for 5 users?
Not on the terms these vendors state. HubSpot's free tools cover up to 2 users and Zoho's free plan covers 3. Salesforce lists a $0 Free Suite but we didn't find a user limit on its page.
Why is HighLevel on a per-user list?
Because it doesn't charge per user. Its Starter plan is a flat account price of $97/month or $970/year with unlimited users, so for 5 users it's cheaper than several per-seat plans at the next tier up. It does charge for SMS, calls and email usage.
Do these prices include tax?
No. Every vendor shows prices excluding tax or VAT.
Are monthly plans more expensive?
Usually, yes. Freshworks advertises "Save 20% Annually", Pipedrive "Save up to 42%", and HubSpot labels annual as "Best Value". Salesforce Starter is the exception: $25 billed monthly or annually.
How current are these prices?
All were checked on 2026-10-15. Changes go into our SaaS price increase tracker.