kitio.aiZoho CRM vs Nutshell
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Nutshell has the lower starting price: about $19 a month, against $20 for Zoho CRM.
At a glance
Best for
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- Zia AI predictions
- Sales blueprints
- Workflow automation
- Omnichannel communication
- Custom layouts
- Pipelines and contacts
- Call transcription and summaries
- AI chatbot
- Email marketing
- Quotes and contracts
- Gmail and Outlook sync
| Feature | Zoho CRM | Nutshell |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Affordable, customizable CRM with the Zia AI assistant | Small-business CRM with AI call notes and email marketing |
| Category | Sales | Sales |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Free trial |
| Starting price | $20/mo | $19/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | No, 14-day trial |
| Made by | Zoho | Nutshell |
| Based in | India | United States |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
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Pricing compared
Nutshell has the lower starting price: about $19 a month, against $20 for Zoho CRM.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
5 plans
Free
Free
- Up to 3 users
- Leads, contacts and deals
Standard
$20/mo
- Per user
- Sales forecasting and scoring
- Custom dashboards
Professional
$35/mo
- Per user
- Blueprint process management
- Inventory management
Enterprise
$50/mo
- Per user
- Zia AI assistant
- Multi-user portals and sandbox
Ultimate
$65/mo
- Per user
- Advanced BI analytics
- Higher limits across features
5 plans
Foundation
$13/user/mo billed yearly
- Per user
- 10 AI outcomes a month
- Unlimited contacts
- Email and calendar sync
Growth
$25/user/mo billed yearly
- Per user
- 20 AI outcomes a month
- Activity reports
- Sales quotas
Pro
$42/user/mo billed yearly
- Per user
- 40 AI outcomes a month
- 5 custom pipelines
- Meeting scheduler
Business
$59/user/mo billed yearly
- Per user
- 100 AI outcomes a month
- 10 custom pipelines
- Audit log
Enterprise
$79/user/mo billed yearly
- Per user
- 150 AI outcomes a month
- Unlimited pipelines
- Unlimited custom fields
Prices in USD, checked Oct 28, 2026 or later. Plans change often, so confirm on each tool's site before you buy.
Pros and cons
Zoho CRM
- Good value
- Highly customizable
- Fits the Zoho ecosystem
- Interface feels dated in places
- Setup can be complex
Nutshell
- 14-day trial without a credit card
- AI features included in every tier
- No seat minimums or maximums
- AI use is measured in monthly outcomes
- Marketing and SMS cost extra
- Per-user pricing grows with team size
Which one should you choose?
Choose Zoho CRM if you want:
- Good value
- Highly customizable
- Fits the Zoho ecosystem
Watch out: interface feels dated in places.
Choose Nutshell if you want:
- 14-day trial without a credit card
- AI features included in every tier
- No seat minimums or maximums
Watch out: ai use is measured in monthly outcomes.
Zoho CRM vs Nutshell FAQ
What is the difference between Zoho CRM and Nutshell?
Zoho CRM: Affordable, customizable CRM with the Zia AI assistant. Nutshell: Small-business CRM with AI call notes and email marketing. Both are sales tools.
Is Zoho CRM or Nutshell cheaper?
Nutshell has the lower starting price: about $19 a month, against $20 for Zoho CRM.
Do Zoho CRM and Nutshell have free plans?
Zoho CRM: Yes. Nutshell: No, 14-day trial.
Who makes Zoho CRM?
Zoho CRM is made by Zoho, based in India.
Who makes Nutshell?
Nutshell is made by Nutshell, based in United States.
Which should I choose, Zoho CRM or Nutshell?
Choose Zoho CRM if you value good value and highly customizable. Choose Nutshell if you value 14-day trial without a credit card and ai features included in every tier.