Quick answer: Our top pick is Keap (formerly Infusionsoft), followed by Ontraport and Constant Contact. Entry prices start near $12/mo. All 5 are compared below on price, strengths and the key trade-off of each, so you can match one to your needs.
We compared the field so you can skip the trial-and-error. This guide rounds up the 5 tools we'd actually recommend for Small Business, with what each does best, what it costs, and who should pick it.
We weighted picks on output quality, value for money, learning curve and how well each tool fits the specific workflow in this guide. Pricing is summarised from public plans at the time of writing.
Free tier (limited); paid plans low-cost, scaling with contacts; bundled with Zoho One.
Existing Zoho users
The picks, ranked
1. Keap (formerly Infusionsoft) CRM
CRM + marketing automation + light commerce built for small service businesses. Best suited to teams that care most about service-based small businesses.
Why it's on this list: CRM, automation and invoicing built specifically for small service businesses, in one unified plan. A natural fit for service-based small businesses wanting CRM, marketing automation and invoicing together.
Standout features:
CRM with contact management, tagging and segmentation
Visual ('when-then') automation builder with templates
Standout strength: All-in-one CRM + automation + light commerce for service businesses.
Worth knowing: Costs scale by contacts, users and add-ons rather than feature access.
Pricing: No free plan; from ~$249/mo (contact-based tiers), positioned premium for SMBs.
CRM + marketing automation + ecommerce for small businesses wanting visual campaign building. It stands out for small businesses needing crm + automation without a heavy setup cost.
Why it's on this list: A CRM + automation + ecommerce platform with a visual campaign builder aimed at small businesses. Made for small businesses wanting CRM, automation and ecommerce/membership tools in one visual platform.
Standout features:
Landing pages, forms and membership sites
Order forms, payment processing and ecommerce (Plus+)
Standout strength: All-in-one CRM, automation and ecommerce for small businesses.
Worth knowing: Unlimited email sending, video hosting and private IPs across plans.
Pricing: No free plan (trial); from ~$29/mo (Basic) scaling to higher tiers with contacts and features.
Beginner-friendly email and event marketing aimed at small businesses and nonprofits. It stands out for small businesses and nonprofits without a heavy setup cost.
Why it's on this list: A beginner-first platform with unusually strong event/registration marketing for small businesses and nonprofits. Built for small businesses, nonprofits and event organizers who want simplicity and support over advanced automation.
Standout features:
Segmentation and prebuilt automations (Standard+)
Social posting and ad manager (Premium)
Standout strength: Good onboarding and phone/chat support.
Worth knowing: No free plan; 60-day free trial instead.
Pricing: No free plan (free trial); Lite, Standard and Premium tiers scaling with contacts.
Full CRM platform with marketing, sales and service hubs; email marketing inside a broader suite. A strong default when growing b2b teams is the priority.
Why it's on this list: Email marketing embedded in a best-in-class CRM, so data and automation stay unified as a B2B team grows. Aimed squarely at growing B2B teams that want CRM, sales and marketing automation unified rather than a standalone email tool.
Standout features:
Full CRM with marketing, sales, service, content and operations hubs
Email marketing inside a broader automation suite
Standout strength: Free CRM and free marketing tools to start.
Worth knowing: Professional plan carries a mandatory one-time onboarding fee (~$3,000).
Pricing: Free CRM + free Marketing tools; Marketing Hub Starter from ~$15-20/mo/seat, scaling to Pro and Enterprise.
Affordable email marketing tightly integrated with the broader Zoho CRM and business suite. Best suited to teams that care most about existing zoho users.
Why it's on this list: The natural, low-cost email choice for businesses already running on Zoho CRM and Zoho One. Aimed squarely at existing Zoho users and budget SMBs wanting CRM-integrated email at very low cost.
Standout features:
Email marketing tightly integrated with Zoho CRM and Zoho One
Drag-and-drop and HTML email templates
Standout strength: Forever-free plan up to 2,000 contacts.
Worth knowing: Dedicated IP sold separately at $35/mo (billed annually).
Pricing: Free tier (limited); paid plans low-cost, scaling with contacts; bundled with Zoho One.
If you're optimising for budget, start at the lower-priced options and only move up when you hit a real limit. If output quality or team features matter more than price, the top picks above will save you time. When two options look close, try both free tiers on one real task before committing — the right fit is usually obvious within an hour.
FAQ
What is the best option in this list?
We'd reach for Keap (formerly Infusionsoft) first, though the ‘best’ tool is the one whose trade-offs fit your priorities — compare the entries before deciding.
Are there free options?
Yes — Keap (formerly Infusionsoft), Ontraport, Constant Contact, HubSpot and Zoho Campaigns offer a free plan or tier, so you can validate fit before paying. Check each entry's pricing line above.
How were these tools chosen?
Each pick is judged on fit for the specific job in this guide — its real strengths, pricing and who it suits — using features and facts drawn from independent reviews and the vendors' own documentation, cited in Sources below.
How often is this guide updated?
We revisit pricing and rankings regularly as vendors change plans and ship features.
Sources
The features, strengths and facts cited for each pick above are drawn from these independent reviews and vendor pages: