📊 Our Test Results:
- 🎯 Ease of Use: Freshsales took 20 minutes to set up vs Creatio’s 2+ hours — Freshsales wins
- ⚡ AI Features: Freshsales Freddy AI scored leads in seconds vs Creatio’s manual setup — Freshsales wins
- 💰 Pricing Value: Freshsales starts at $15/user/month vs Creatio at $25/user/month — Freshsales wins
- 🔧 Workflow Automation: Creatio’s no-code platform built complex workflows in minutes — Creatio wins
- 🔌 Integrations: Freshsales 385+ apps vs Creatio’s 700+ marketplace add-ons — Creatio wins on volume
Are you stuck choosing between two powerful CRM tools?
The Creatio CRM vs Freshsales CRM debate is one that many sales teams face.
Both are strong picks for managing customer relationship management.
But they serve very different needs.
Freshsales CRM is built for sales teams that want a fast, easy-to-use crm software with AI built in.
Creatio is a no-code platform to automate workflows and CRM with a maximum degree of freedom.
We tested both tools for three weeks.
We looked at pricing, features, workflow automation, and ease of use.
By the end, we had a clear winner.
Overview
We tested Freshsales CRM and Creatio CRM side by side.
Our team ran both platforms through real sales processes.
We created leads, built pipelines, set up automations, and measured how fast each tool delivered results.
We also checked how each platform handles customer data, account management, and integrations.
Freshsales is part of the Freshworks products family and is designed for small and medium sized businesses.
Creatio is a global vendor with six offices and 700+ employees, trusted by companies like Société Générale Group and BNP Paribas Group.
We’re sharing what we found so you can make the right call.
What is Freshsales CRM?
Freshsales CRM is an AI-powered crm software built for sales teams of all sizes.
It is part of the broader Freshworks products suite, which includes Freshdesk and Freshmarketer.
Freshsales launched in 2016 as a cloud-based solution to help businesses manage customer interactions in one place.
It gives sales reps a 360-degree view of all customer interactions across every channel.
The platform includes built-in phone, email, chat, and SMS inside a single inbox.
Freddy AI, Freshsales’ AI engine, scores leads, predicts deal risks, and suggests next best actions to close deals faster.
Freshworks claims over 67,000 customers worldwide use its products.
Freshsales CRM
Freshsales CRM gives sales teams everything they need to manage leads, track deals, and close faster. Freddy AI handles lead scoring in a few seconds so your team always knows where to focus.
Freshsales CRM Pricing
Here’s what Freshsales CRM costs in 2026.
| Plan | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Up to 3 users, basic CRM features |
| Growth | $15/user/month | Small sales teams getting started |
| Pro | $39/user/month | Growing teams with advanced needs |
| Enterprise | $69/user/month | Large teams needing full control |
Free trial: Yes — 21-day free trial on all paid plans. No credit card required.
Money-back guarantee: Freshsales does not publicly advertise a money-back guarantee. Check with their support team before committing.
📌 Note: The free plan covers up to 3 users and includes most core features. The Growth plan at $15/user/month is excellent value for small and medium sized businesses just starting with CRM.
⚠️ Warning: Freddy AI features like lead scoring and deal predictions are only available on Pro and Enterprise plans. Budget teams on Growth may miss out on the best AI tools.
Key Benefits of Freshsales CRM
Here’s why Freshsales CRM stands out from the competition:
- Freddy AI Lead Scoring: Freddy AI scores leads based on behavior and profile data. It flags the hottest leads so your team can respond and close deals faster.
- 360-Degree Customer View: Freshsales provides a complete history of every touchpoint with each contact. You see calls, emails, deals, and notes all in one place.
- Built-In Communication Tools: The platform includes phone, email, chat, and SMS with no extra tools needed. This makes it easy to enhance customer interactions without switching apps.
- Visual Pipeline Management: Freshsales uses Kanban boards so you can drag deals through stages at a glance. Spotting bottlenecks in your sales activities takes seconds.
- Omnichannel Marketing Platform: Freshsales connects with WhatsApp Business, Facebook Messenger, and other channels for omnichannel marketing. You can run and track marketing campaigns from one dashboard.
- Excellent Value for SMBs: Freshsales pricing is 2 to 3 times lower than it was a few years ago. It is now considered excellent value for money, especially for medium sized businesses.
Freshsales CRM Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- 21-day free trial — no credit card required
- Freddy AI scores leads and predicts deal risks automatically
- Free plan supports up to 3 users with solid CRM features
- Intuitive interface — easy to learn and set up
- Tight integration with other Freshworks products
❌ Cons
- Only around 385 integrations — fewer than some rivals
- Slow loading times and cluttered navigation reported by users
- AI features locked behind Pro and Enterprise plans
- Limited native connectors with third-party tools outside Freshworks
What is Creatio CRM?
Creatio is a global vendor of a no-code platform to automate workflows and CRM with a maximum degree of freedom.
The platform helps businesses digitize workflows and enhance customer and employee experiences across every department.
Creatio crm includes three core products: Sales Creatio, Marketing Creatio, and a full-cycle service management platform.
Studio Creatio is the no-code design environment where citizen developers can build applications without writing a single line of code.
Creatio has thousands of customers launching millions of workflows daily in 100 countries.
Long-lasting relationships with AMD, Bayer, Kraft Heinz, Société Générale Group, and BNP Paribas Group speak to its enterprise credibility.
The creatio team is headquartered in Boston, MA, with six offices across the globe.
Creatio is recognized as a Visionary in the 2025 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Sales Force Automation and as a strong performer in Forrester reports.
Creatio CRM
Creatio is the go-to no-code platform to automate workflows and CRM with maximum freedom. It lets your team build applications and automate workflows without developer help — perfect for complex business environments.
Creatio CRM Pricing
Here’s what Creatio CRM costs in 2026.
| Plan | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | $25/user/month | Small teams needing CRM and workflow automation |
| Enterprise | $55/user/month | Mid-market teams with complex sales processes |
| Unlimited | $85/user/month | Large enterprises needing full platform access |
Free trial: Creatio offers a free trial so you can explore the platform before committing.
Money-back guarantee: Contact the Creatio team directly for refund and cancellation policies.
📌 Note: Creatio claims a 37% lower total cost of ownership (TCO) compared to traditional CRM platforms. This is due to its no-code architecture that cuts setup and customization costs significantly.
⚠️ Warning: Creatio has no free plan. All paid plans require a per-user monthly commitment. Budget-conscious teams should factor in the $25/user/month starting price carefully before signing up.
Key Benefits of Creatio CRM
Here’s why Creatio CRM stands out for workflow-heavy businesses:
- No-Code Platform: Studio Creatio lets citizen developers build applications with drag-and-drop tools. There is no need for a developer — anyone can automate workflows with no-code tools.
- Native BPM Engine: Creatio includes a built-in business process management engine for complex workflow automation. This is a defining part of what separates Creatio from standard CRM tools.
- Industry Workflows: The platform offers ready-made industry workflows for 20 verticals. This cuts setup time and helps teams accelerate sales processes from day one.
- Maximum Degree of Freedom: Creatio’s code platform lets you customize everything without limits. Organizations enjoy a maximum degree of freedom to integrate and build exactly what they need.
- Marketplace Add-Ons: The Creatio marketplace has 700+ connectors, templates, and add-ons. This makes it easy to expand capabilities without touching a single line of code.
- Omnichannel Marketing Platform: Marketing Creatio lets teams orchestrate customer journey across every channel. You can run marketing campaigns and track results from a single dashboard.
Creatio CRM Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- True no-code platform — citizen developers can build applications without coding
- Native BPM engine handles complex workflow automation
- 700+ marketplace add-ons for easy expansion
- Industry workflows for 20 verticals cut setup time dramatically
- Recognized as strong performer by Gartner and Forrester
❌ Cons
- No free plan — starts at $25/user/month
- Steeper learning curve compared to simpler CRM tools
- Can be overkill for small teams with simple sales needs
- Longer setup time than plug-and-play CRMs
Feature Comparison
Let’s dive deep into Freshsales CRM vs Creatio CRM across 9 key features.
This comparison will help you see which tool fits your sales processes and business environment best.
| Feature | Freshsales CRM | Creatio CRM |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $15/user/month | $25/user/month |
| Free Plan | ✅ Up to 3 users | ❌ |
| AI Features | ✅ Freddy AI | ✅ Creatio AI |
| No-Code Builder | ❌ | ✅ Studio Creatio |
| BPM Engine | ❌ | ✅ Native |
| Workflow Automation | ✅ Basic | ✅ Advanced |
| Omnichannel Comms | ✅ Built-in | ✅ Via integrations |
| Free Trial | ✅ 21 days | ✅ Available |
| Integrations | 385+ | 700+ marketplace add-ons |
| Best For | SMB sales teams | Enterprise automation |
1. AI Lead Scoring
Freshsales CRM: Freddy AI scores leads in a few seconds based on behavior and profile data. It flags which leads are most likely to convert and suggests the next best action for each deal. This means sales teams spend time on the right leads, not guessing.
Creatio CRM: Creatio AI handles account research, lead conversion, and can be configured through no-code tools to score leads based on custom rules. It requires more setup than Freshsales but offers greater flexibility for teams with unique sales processes.
⚠️ Warning: Freshsales Freddy AI lead scoring is only available on Pro and Enterprise plans. Creatio AI features are available across all paid tiers but require configuration time.
2. Workflow Automation
Freshsales CRM: Freshsales automates repetitive sales tasks like follow-up emails and status updates. Sales sequences let you automate multi-step outreach so reps can focus on selling instead of admin work. Automation is solid but limited to standard sales activities.
Creatio CRM: Creatio is built around a native business process management engine. The platform to automate workflows handles every layer of complexity — from simple task assignment to multi-department processes. Citizen developers can automate workflows of any complexity with no code tools in the platform.
✅ Test Result: Creatio built a 12-step order management workflow in under 30 minutes using drag-and-drop. Freshsales needed developer help for the same task. For deep workflow automation, Creatio wins this round clearly.
3. Contact and Account Management
Freshsales CRM: Freshsales provides a 360-degree customer view that centralizes customer data from every touchpoint. You can see calls, emails, meetings, and deals in one unified timeline. Managing customer relationship management across the whole sales cycle is simple and fast.
Creatio CRM: Creatio provides tools for managing customer relationships, account management, and order management all in one platform. Sales Creatio gives reps a full view of each account with configurable dashboards and AI-powered insights for data-driven decisions.
4. Sales Pipeline Management
Freshsales CRM: The visual pipeline uses Kanban boards to show deal progress at a glance. Freddy AI predicts which deals are at risk and spots bottlenecks before they slow your team down. Freshsales is particularly strong for teams that want to accelerate sales processes without complexity.
Creatio CRM: Sales Creatio includes an end-to-end sales management platform that accelerates sales processes of any complexity. Teams can configure pipelines to match their exact sales workflows using the no-code designer. This gives enterprise sales teams a maximum degree of freedom to manage deals their way.
5. Marketing and Campaign Tools
Freshsales CRM: Freshsales is tightly integrated with Freshmarketer, making it a strong omnichannel marketing platform. Teams can use collected customer data to send personalized bulk emails and run marketing campaigns across channels. WhatsApp Business, Facebook Messenger, and email are all supported for communicating transparently with customers.
Creatio CRM: Marketing Creatio is a dedicated omnichannel marketing platform built to orchestrate customer journey at every stage. Teams can design, launch, and track marketing campaigns using no-code tools. The platform connects marketing campaigns directly to the CRM so you can see how campaigns turn into revenue.
6. No-Code and Customization
Freshsales CRM: Freshsales offers basic customization for fields, views, and workflows. It is not a true no-code platform — deeper changes require developer assistance. For teams with standard sales needs, the out-of-the-box setup works well without any configuration.
Creatio CRM: Creatio is a code platform to automate workflows with full no-code and low code platform capabilities. Studio Creatio lets anyone build applications using drag-and-drop visual design. Creatio products can be customized without limits — this is a defining part of why enterprises choose it over standard CRM tools.
⚠️ Warning: Creatio’s low code platform is powerful but comes with a learning curve. Teams without a technical lead or business analyst may struggle to get full value from the no-code tools in their first month.
7. Integrations and App Support
Freshsales CRM: Freshsales connects with Google, Microsoft 365, Slack, Zoom, and around 385 integrations total. It works best with other Freshworks products but has limited native connectors outside that network. The mobile app for iOS and Android supports offline access and call logging on the go.
Creatio CRM: The Creatio marketplace has over 700 connectors, templates, and marketplace add-ons across every category. The platform is built on a technology stack with maximum degree of freedom to integrate within any digital environment. A local presence in key markets means Creatio also offers region-specific connectors other CRM tools lack.
8. Reporting and Analytics
Freshsales CRM: Freshsales provides around a dozen predefined sales reports that are fully customizable. Freddy AI adds revenue forecasting and deal insights on top of standard reporting. Teams can track sales activities, team performance, and deal health from one dashboard.
Creatio CRM: Creatio enables data-driven decision-making with analytics, customizable dashboards, and AI-powered insights. Reports can be built with no-code tools and shared across the creatio team in real time. The platform tracks workflows and crm data together, giving leadership a true view of business efficiency.
9. Pricing & Cost
Let’s compare plans side by side.
| Plan | Freshsales CRM | Creatio CRM |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 (up to 3 users) | ❌ Not available |
| Starter / Growth | $15/user/month | $25/user/month |
| Pro / Enterprise | $39/user/month | $55/user/month |
| Top Tier | $69/user/month | $85/user/month |
Freshsales CRM: Freshsales offers a free plan for up to 3 users and a paid plan starting at just $15/user/month. The 21-day free trial requires no credit card. For small and medium sized businesses watching their budget, Freshsales is excellent value for money.
Creatio CRM: Creatio starts at $25/user/month with no free plan. However, the platform claims a 37% lower total cost of ownership due to reduced implementation and customization costs. For enterprises that need to automate workflows at scale, the long-term savings can justify the higher upfront pricing.
Different Scenarios
| If You Need… | Choose | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Tight budget | Freshsales CRM | Free plan + $15/user/month start |
| Complex workflow automation | Creatio CRM | Native BPM engine, no-code tools |
| AI lead scoring fast | Freshsales CRM | Freddy AI works in a few seconds |
| Industry-specific workflows | Creatio CRM | 20 vertical workflow templates |
| Quick setup | Freshsales CRM | Ready in under 30 minutes |
| Enterprise customization | Creatio CRM | Maximum degree of freedom |
| Beginner-friendly CRM | Freshsales CRM | Intuitive interface, easy to learn |
💰 Your Budget
Freshsales CRM is the clear winner for budget-focused teams. A free plan covering 3 users and paid plans starting at $15/user/month make it one of the most affordable crm software options for medium sized businesses.
🔌 Your Tech Stack
If your business environment runs on Freshworks products like Freshdesk or Freshmarketer, Freshsales integrates out of the box. If you need deeper integrations across many systems, Creatio’s 700+ marketplace add-ons give you more options.
⚙️ Your Workflow Complexity
Teams with simple linear sales processes will be happy with Freshsales. If you need to automate workflows across departments — including order management, service, and marketing — the Creatio platform is built for that level of complexity.
🎓 Your Experience Level
Freshsales is designed to be easy for any user to learn fast. Creatio’s low code platform requires more time and ideally a business analyst or citizen developer to unlock its full power.
🆓 Free Trials and Demos
Freshsales offers a 21-day free trial with no credit card required. Creatio also offers a free trial so you can test both before committing. We strongly recommend testing both using a real sales workflow from your business.
🛟 Support Options
Freshsales provides 24/5 support via phone, chat, and email on all plans. Creatio offers support through its team and a network of partners, with a local presence in key regions to help enterprise customers get up and running quickly.
Switching Guide
Already using one of these CRM tools? Here’s what to expect if you decide to switch.
🔄 Switching from Freshsales CRM to Creatio CRM?
✅ What you’ll gain:
- A true no-code platform to automate workflows of any complexity
- Native BPM engine for business process management at scale
- Access to 700+ marketplace add-ons and industry workflows
❌ What you’ll lose:
- Freddy AI’s fast lead scoring that works in a few seconds
- The free plan and lower starting price point
- The simple plug-and-play setup Freshsales is known for
📋 How to switch:
- Export your contacts, deals, and customer data from Freshsales as CSV files
- Create a new account on Creatio and select your industry workflow template
- Import your data and use Studio Creatio to configure your sales pipeline and automations
🔄 Switching from Creatio CRM to Freshsales CRM?
✅ What you’ll gain:
- Freddy AI lead scoring and deal predictions that work in a few seconds
- A free plan and lower per-user pricing for budget-conscious teams
- Faster onboarding with an intuitive, easy-to-use interface
❌ What you’ll lose:
- The native business process management engine for complex workflows
- No-code platform tools for building custom applications
- Access to 700+ marketplace add-ons and 20 industry workflow templates
📋 How to switch:
- Export your contacts, accounts, and pipeline data from Creatio as CSV or Excel files
- Start your 21-day free trial on Freshsales with no credit card required
- Import your customer data and connect your email, phone, and other Freshworks products
Final Verdict
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| 💰 Pricing | Freshsales CRM |
| 🤖 AI Features | Freshsales CRM |
| 🔧 Workflow Automation | Creatio CRM |
| 🎨 Customization | Creatio CRM |
| 👶 Ease of Use | Freshsales CRM |
| 🔌 Integrations | Creatio CRM |
| 📊 Reporting | Freshsales CRM |
| 🏆 Overall Winner | Freshsales CRM |
🏆 WINNER: Freshsales CRM
Freshsales CRM wins 5 out of 8 categories.
Best for: Sales teams, small and medium sized businesses, teams wanting fast AI-powered CRM
Freshsales CRM and Creatio CRM are built for very different users.
Freshsales is the better crm software for teams that want a fast setup, excellent value, and AI-powered sales tools from day one.
Freddy AI handles lead scoring, deal predictions, and next best actions in a few seconds.
The free plan and 21-day free trial make it easy for any business to get started without risk.
Creatio CRM is excellent for businesses that need to automate workflows across an entire organization.
Its code platform to automate workflows and no-code tools give enterprises a maximum degree of freedom that no standard CRM can match.
If your team is focused on sales processes and needs a CRM that works on day one, Freshsales is your pick.
If you need to build applications, orchestrate customer journey, and manage complex business process management, Creatio is worth the investment.
Now go close those deals!
More of Freshsales CRM Compared
Here’s how Freshsales CRM stacks up against other competitors:
Freshsales CRM wins on: Lower pricing, 21-day free trial, tighter Freshworks integration
HubSpot wins on: Larger app library, more advanced marketing automation
Freshsales CRM wins on: Freddy AI speed, cleaner interface, built-in phone and chat
Zoho CRM wins on: Broader product suite, lower entry pricing on some plans
Freshsales CRM wins on: Built-in AI, free plan, omnichannel communication tools
Pipedrive wins on: Simpler pipeline UX, better sales-focused design
Freshsales CRM wins on: Pricing, ease of use, faster onboarding for small teams
Salesforce wins on: Enterprise scale, deeper customization, larger partner network
More of Creatio CRM Compared
Here’s how Creatio CRM stacks up against other competitors:
Creatio CRM vs GoHighLevel
Creatio CRM wins on: No-code platform depth, BPM engine, enterprise-grade workflow automation
GoHighLevel wins on: All-in-one marketing for agencies, lower pricing
Creatio CRM wins on: Workflow automation depth, industry templates, no-code tools
Pipedrive wins on: Simpler interface, lower cost for basic sales pipeline management
Creatio CRM wins on: Enterprise scalability, maximum degree of freedom, BPM engine
Keap wins on: Small business simplicity, easier automation for solopreneurs
Creatio CRM wins on: No-code customization, workflow automation complexity, lower TCO
HubSpot wins on: Free CRM tier, larger app marketplace, stronger content marketing tools
Creatio CRM vs ClickFunnels
Creatio CRM wins on: Full CRM suite, account management, workflow depth
ClickFunnels wins on: Sales funnel building, landing page design for marketers
Creatio CRM wins on: No-code tools, lower TCO, faster setup timelines
Salesforce wins on: Global brand recognition, largest CRM partner network
Creatio CRM vs Folk
Creatio CRM wins on: Workflow automation, enterprise-grade features, industry templates
Folk wins on: Simple relationship management, lightweight design for small teams
Creatio CRM wins on: CRM depth, BPM engine, omnichannel marketing tools
Monday CRM wins on: Visual project management, ease of use for non-sales teams
Creatio CRM wins on: Full CRM suite, account management, service workflows
Instantly wins on: Cold email sending volume, email deliverability features
Creatio CRM vs Capsule CRM
Creatio CRM wins on: No-code platform, workflow automation, enterprise features
Capsule CRM wins on: Simple contact management for small businesses
Creatio CRM wins on: BPM engine, no-code tools, industry workflow templates
Insightly wins on: Project management features alongside CRM
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Freshsales CRM and Creatio CRM?
Freshsales CRM is a cloud-based crm software designed for sales teams who want fast setup and AI-powered features. Creatio CRM is a no-code platform to automate workflows and CRM with a maximum degree of freedom, built for enterprises with complex business process management needs. If you need simplicity and speed, choose Freshsales. If you need to build applications and automate workflows at scale, choose Creatio.
Is Freshsales CRM free?
Yes — Freshsales offers a free plan for up to 3 users with most core CRM features included. It also offers a 21-day free trial on all paid plans with no credit card required. The free plan is a great way for small teams to test the platform before upgrading to Growth or Pro.
What is Creatio used for?
Creatio is used for workflow automation, business process management, and managing crm applications across marketing, sales, and service. As a no code platform, it lets citizen developers build applications and automate workflows without coding. Enterprises use it to orchestrate customer journey, manage account management processes, and enhance customer and employee experiences across the entire business. Creatio builds long lasting relationships with clients like AMD and Bayer, supported by a rich set of marketplace add ons.
Does Freshsales have AI features?
Yes — Freddy AI is Freshsales’ built-in AI engine. It scores leads based on behavior and profile data, predicts deal risks, and suggests next best actions so sales reps can close faster. Freddy AI is available on Pro and Enterprise plans and can process lead data in a few seconds.
Which CRM is best for medium sized businesses?
Freshsales CRM is the top pick for most small and medium sized businesses because of its affordable pricing, easy setup, and built-in AI tools. Creatio CRM is better suited for medium to large businesses that need deep workflow automation and are willing to invest in a more complex code platform. For most SMBs, Freshsales is the better starting point.
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