SharpSpring vs Bigin by Zoho CRM: Complete Comparison 2026
An in-depth comparison of features, pricing, and user experience to help you make the right choice.
SharpSpring
Marketing automation platform with built-in CRM, now part of Constant Contact. Agency-friendly pricing and features.
Bigin by Zoho CRM
8.0(450 reviews)
Lightweight CRM from Zoho designed for small businesses that find full CRM platforms too complex.
Quick Comparison
| Aspect | SharpSpring | Bigin by Zoho CRM |
|---|---|---|
| Best For | Digital marketing agencies managing campaigns for 10-50 clients simultaneously | Micro-businesses and solopreneurs needing their first CRM under $10/month |
| Pricing Model | Subscription | Freemium |
| Starting Price | $449/mo | Free |
| Deployment | cloud | cloud |
| Platforms | WEB | WEB, IOS, ANDROID |
| Rating | 7.3/10 | 8.0/10 |
Pros & Cons
SharpSpring
Pros
- Unlimited users on all plans — pay by contacts, not seats, saving agencies thousands monthly
- Behavioral tracking shows every page visit, email open, and form fill in a visual timeline
- White-label capabilities let agencies rebrand the entire platform for client-facing use
- Marketing automation workflows rival HubSpot at roughly half the price point
- Built-in CRM means no need to buy and integrate a separate sales tool
Cons
- Starting price of $449/month is too high for most small businesses and solopreneurs
- Post-acquisition by Constant Contact creates uncertainty about long-term product direction
- CRM functionality is secondary to marketing — sales teams needing deep CRM features may feel limited
- Landing page templates feel dated compared to Unbounce or Leadpages
- Reporting customization requires learning a query-based system that isn't intuitive
- No free plan or low-cost entry point for businesses testing marketing automation
Bigin by Zoho CRM
Pros
- Incredibly affordable at $7/user/month for the Express plan
- Setup takes under 30 minutes with minimal learning curve
- Clean mobile app with built-in dialer and business card scanner
- One-click migration path to full Zoho CRM when you outgrow it
- Connected pipelines let you manage sales, onboarding, and support together
Cons
- No advanced reporting or custom analytics dashboards
- Automation limited to basic rules without complex workflow branching
- No custom modules - you work with what Bigin provides
- Free plan restricted to just 1 user and 500 contacts
- Teams over 15-20 people will likely outgrow it within a year
Pricing Comparison
| Product | Pricing Model | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|
| SharpSpring | subscription | $449/mo |
| Bigin by Zoho CRM | freemium | Free0 |
Our Verdict
Choose SharpSpring if...
Digital marketing agencies managing campaigns for 10-50 clients simultaneously
Choose Bigin by Zoho CRM if...
Micro-businesses and solopreneurs needing their first CRM under $10/month
Still Not Sure?
Explore more alternatives or read in-depth reviews to make your decision.