OVERALL
ALTERNATIVES
SPECS
VS AVERAGE
REVIEWS
Scored using CRM Software Methodology v3.0
CRM Software Methodology v3.0
Mathematical & Unbiased Scoring
Products in this category are scored under Frontum CRM Software Methodology v3.0: the technical score from the specifications is the base, and independent expert and video reviews (up to ±0.5 points), owner opinions (up to ±0.3) and best-of lists (up to +0.3) move it up or down.
Explore CRM Software Methodology v3.0

Act! CRM review: 54 specs compared

Starting price:30 USD/user/moFree plan:noAI assistant:yesBuilt-in quotes and invoicing:noWorkflow automation:yes

Act! CRM Review: Compare 54 technical specifications, 10 expert and video reviews and 1 best-of list to see how this product ranks in the CRM Software category and whether it is worth buying.

Act! CRM
8.3/10

Overall score

Score
8.3/ 10
✕
What it is
Our main score for this model, 1–10. It combines specs, expert reviews and best-of lists.
How we count it
Parts: Technical score 40%, Reviews score 30%, List score 30%
Marks: Each part gets a mark out of 10. For reviews, lists and owners, a typical model in this category gets about 8 and the best one gets 10.
No data yet: A part with no data shows "?". It counts as the mark of a weaker model in this category (4 in 5 models with data score higher). This way, models with reviews, lists and owners usually come out ahead.
Score distribution
▼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
▲ Better than 85% of models
Score components

40%

8.7

Technical score

30%

8.0

Reviews score

30%

8.1

List score

▲Better than 85% of CRM software
8.7

Technical score

Technical score
8.7/ 10
✕
What it is
How good the specs are compared with the other models in this category, 1–10.
How we count it
Areas: We rate the specs in each area against the other models in this category.
Weighting: The areas that matter most to buyers count more. The shares are shown under Score components.
Share: The technical score is 40% of the overall score.
Score distribution
▼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
▲ Better than 81% of models
Score components

25%

8.0

Product & Pricing

25%

8.4

Core CRM

20%

8.6

Sales & Automation

15%

9.2

Integrations & Access

15%

10

Security & Deployment

▲Better than 81%
8.0

Reviews score

Reviews score
8.0/ 10
✕
What it is
Average grade from independent test sites, magazines and video reviewers, 1–10.
How we count it
Grades: Each review's own score is converted to 1–10; without one, we grade the review ourselves. Every review counts the same: written or video, short or full test.
Score: The average grade is 80% of the review mark; the number of reviews is the other 20% (1 review = 5, the typical number in this category = 8, the most-reviewed model = 10).
Enough data: With few reviews, the average grade is pulled toward the typical grade of this category. No reviews yet: 7.6 for now.
Share: Reviews count 30% of the overall score.
Score distribution
▼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
▼ Worse than 54% of models

80%

7.7

Average grade

20%

9.1

Popularity

Grades by review (10)
5 reviews + 5 videos, average 7.5/10. Reviews count 30% of the overall score.
User ratings collected online are not part of this score.
▼Worse than 54%
8.1

List score

List score
8.1/ 10
✕
What it is
How often independent test sites, magazines and video reviewers put this model in their best-of lists for this category.
How we count it
Points: The model in the most lists of this category gets 10; the others get 8 to 10 in proportion. In no list yet: 7.5. Lists count 30% of the overall score.
Enough data: Every list counts, even a single one. With fewer than 5 best-of lists in the category, this part is left out.
Lists with this model (1)
List score: in 1 of 44 lists (2%)
▲Better than 73%
Pricing & Access

*Lowest paid plan per month, as listed on the vendor's website.

Best rankings
Available: ranking among products currently available (including other versions of this product).All: ranking among all products in the database.

What reviewers say about Act! CRM

Based on 5 · 5

Reviewers like the flexible customization and contact management, but most find the interface dated and the app harder to use than expected.
Praised
Mixed views
Criticised
Pick a topic to see who said what
Loading category ranking...

Technical Specifications of CRM platform Act! CRM

Technical score
Technical score
8.7/ 10
✕
What it is
How good the specs are compared with the other models in this category, 1–10.
How we count it
Areas: We rate the specs in each area against the other models in this category.
Weighting: The areas that matter most to buyers count more. The shares are shown under Score components.
Share: The technical score is 40% of the overall score.
Score distribution
▼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
▲ Better than 81% of models
Score components:

25%

8.0

Product & Pricing

25%

8.4

Core CRM

20%

8.6

Sales & Automation

15%

9.2

Integrations & Access

15%

10

Security & Deployment

8.7
Reviews score
8.0
List score
8.1
Starting price
30 USD/user/mo
Market range: <0 USD/user/mo – >100 USD/user/mo
This CRM platform has a starting price of 30 USD/user/mo, which is lower than that of 53.5% of CRM platforms and equal to that of 0.7% of CRM platforms.
Billing period
Annual
Free plan
no
This CRM platform does not offer a permanent free plan.
Free trial
yes
This CRM platform offers a time-limited free trial.
14 days.
Minimum seats
1 seat
Market range: <1 seat – >6 seats
This CRM platform has a minimum purchase requirement of 1 seat, which is lower than that of 1.9% of CRM platforms and equal to that of 98.1% of CRM platforms.
Show more
What reviewers say
Account and company management
yes
This CRM platform supports account and company management. 0.2% of CRM platforms support account and company management.
Contact management
yes
This CRM platform supports contact management. 0% of CRM platforms support contact management.
Lead management
yes
This CRM platform supports lead management. 0.2% of CRM platforms support lead management.
Interaction tracking, lead filters, and pipeline visibility.
Deal and pipeline management
yes
This CRM platform supports deal and pipeline management. 0.2% of CRM platforms support deal and pipeline management.
Features an interactive Kanban view, advanced filtering, and in-context KPIs.
Custom fields
yes
This CRM platform supports custom fields. 0% of CRM platforms support custom fields.
Show more
What reviewers say
AI assistant
yes
This CRM platform offers an AI assistant. 78.1% of CRM platforms offer this feature.
Act! AI Writing Assistant provides content creation for emails and campaigns.
Workflow automation
yes
This CRM platform supports workflow automation. 0.5% of CRM platforms offer this feature.
Via Act! Marketing Automation Workflows.
Lead scoring
yes
This CRM platform supports lead scoring. 80.4% of CRM platforms offer this feature.
Rules-based criteria linked with marketing automation.
Email sync and tracking
yes
This CRM platform supports email sync and tracking. 0.5% of CRM platforms offer these features.
Sales forecasting
yes
This CRM platform supports sales forecasting. 85.2% of CRM platforms offer this feature.
Native forecasting engine tracking expected revenue across custom pipeline stages.
Show more
What reviewers say
Marketplace integrations
yes
This CRM platform offers marketplace integrations. 1.9% of CRM platforms offer marketplace integrations.
API access
yes
This CRM platform offers API access. 0.2% of CRM platforms offer API access.
Webhooks
yes
This CRM platform supports webhooks. 1.4% of CRM platforms support webhooks.
Mobile apps
yes
This CRM platform offers mobile apps. 2.4% of CRM platforms offer mobile apps.
Official mobile app (Act! Mobile) available on iOS and Android.
Data import and export
yes
This CRM platform supports data import and export. 0% of CRM platforms support data import and export.
Supports CSV and Excel formats.
Show more
What reviewers say
Single sign-on (SSO)
yes
This CRM platform supports single sign-on. 76.9% of CRM platforms support single sign-on.
Available via Act! Premium Cloud SSO portal or Active Directory for desktop.
Security certifications
SOC 2
Role-based permissions
yes
This CRM platform supports role-based permissions. 0.7% of CRM platforms support role-based permissions.
Standard security roles and data-level access controls.
Audit logs
yes
This CRM platform provides audit logs. 2.6% of CRM platforms provide audit logs.
Via History List feature.
Supported operating systems
Windows, iOS, Android
Show more
What reviewers say

Act! CRM vs the average CRM platform

246810TotalProduct & PricingCore CRMSales & AutomationIntegrations & AccessSecurity & Deployment
  • Supports single sign-on
    This CRM platform supports single sign-on, while the average CRM platform does not. 23.2% of CRM platforms support single sign-on.
    Available via Act! Premium Cloud SSO portal or Active Directory for desktop.
  • Offers an AI assistant
    This CRM platform offers an AI assistant, while the average CRM platform does not. 22% of CRM platforms offer this feature.
    Act! AI Writing Assistant provides content creation for emails and campaigns.
  • Supports custom objects
    This CRM platform supports custom objects, while the average CRM platform does not. 19.4% of CRM platforms support custom objects.
  • Supports sales forecasting
    This CRM platform supports sales forecasting, while the average CRM platform does not. 14.9% of CRM platforms offer this feature.
    Native forecasting engine tracking expected revenue across custom pipeline stages.
  • Supports omnichannel messaging
    This CRM platform supports omnichannel messaging, while the average CRM platform does not. 14.8% of CRM platforms support omnichannel messaging.
    SMS4Act! provides native two-way text messaging and automated SMS triggers.
  • Supports lead scoring
    This CRM platform supports lead scoring, while the average CRM platform does not. 19.8% of CRM platforms offer this feature.
    Rules-based criteria linked with marketing automation.
  • Supports sales sequences
    This CRM platform supports sales sequences, while the average CRM platform does not. 22.7% of CRM platforms offer this feature.
  • Offers European data residency
    This CRM platform offers European data residency, while the average CRM platform does not. 21.6% of CRM platforms offer European data residency.
  • 1.5% better value for money
    Act! CRM offers better value for money than the average CRM platform (8.47 vs 8.3).
    8.47 vs 8.34
  • 1.3% higher review score
    Reviews score
    8.0/ 10
    ✕
    What it is
    Average grade from independent test sites, magazines and video reviewers, 1–10.
    How we count it
    Grades: Each review's own score is converted to 1–10; without one, we grade the review ourselves. Every review counts the same: written or video, short or full test.
    Score: The average grade is 80% of the review mark; the number of reviews is the other 20% (1 review = 5, the typical number in this category = 8, the most-reviewed model = 10).
    Enough data: With few reviews, the average grade is pulled toward the typical grade of this category. No reviews yet: 7.6 for now.
    Share: Reviews count 30% of the overall score.
    Score distribution
    ▼
    <55-66-77-88-99-10
    ▼ Worse than 54% of models

    80%

    7.7

    Average grade

    20%

    9.1

    Popularity

    Grades by review (10)
    5 reviews + 5 videos, average 7.5/10. Reviews count 30% of the overall score.
    User ratings collected online are not part of this score.
    8.0 vs 7.9
  • 9 USD/user/mo $/user/mo lower starting price
    User score
    7.0/ 10
    ✕
    What it is
    Average of independent expert reviews and videos, graded by us; missing reviews count as 7/10.
    When it matters
    When you want to know how independent test sites and video reviewers rate the product in real use.
    Score distribution
    ▼▼
    <55-66-77-88-99-10
    Act! CRM
    the average CRM platform
    Act! CRM has a lower starting price than the average CRM platform (30 USD/user/mo vs 39 USD/user/mo). The average starting price across CRM platforms is 39 USD/user/mo.
    30 USD/user/mo vs 39 USD/user/mo
  • Supports custom objects
    This CRM platform supports custom objects, while the average CRM platform does not. 19.4% of CRM platforms support custom objects.
  • Offers real estate features or templates
    This CRM platform offers real estate features or templates, while the average CRM platform does not. 11.3% of CRM platforms offer this support.
    Dedicated real estate templates or property management features: yes
  • Offers an AI assistant
    This CRM platform offers an AI assistant, while the average CRM platform does not. 22% of CRM platforms offer this feature.
    Act! AI Writing Assistant provides content creation for emails and campaigns.
  • Supports sales forecasting
    This CRM platform supports sales forecasting, while the average CRM platform does not. 14.9% of CRM platforms offer this feature.
    Native forecasting engine tracking expected revenue across custom pipeline stages.
  • Supports lead scoring
    This CRM platform supports lead scoring, while the average CRM platform does not. 19.8% of CRM platforms offer this feature.
    Rules-based criteria linked with marketing automation.
  • Supports sales sequences
    This CRM platform supports sales sequences, while the average CRM platform does not. 22.7% of CRM platforms offer this feature.
  • Supports marketing automation
    This CRM platform supports marketing automation, while the average CRM platform does not. 28.9% of CRM platforms support marketing automation.
    Available via Act! Marketing Automation.
  • Supports omnichannel messaging
    This CRM platform supports omnichannel messaging, while the average CRM platform does not. 14.8% of CRM platforms support omnichannel messaging.
    SMS4Act! provides native two-way text messaging and automated SMS triggers.
  • Wider interface language choice
    This CRM platform offers a wider choice of interface languages than the average CRM platform (2-4 languages vs English only).
    2-4 languages vs English only
  • Supports single sign-on
    This CRM platform supports single sign-on, while the average CRM platform does not. 23.2% of CRM platforms support single sign-on.
    Available via Act! Premium Cloud SSO portal or Active Directory for desktop.
  • Offers European data residency
    This CRM platform offers European data residency, while the average CRM platform does not. 21.6% of CRM platforms offer European data residency.
  • Supports self-hosting
    This CRM platform supports self-hosting, while the average CRM platform does not. 6.7% of CRM platforms support self-hosting.
    Premium Desktop environment.
  • Supports offline use with local storage
    This CRM platform supports offline use with local data storage, while the average CRM platform does not. 7.4% of CRM platforms support this.
    Supports local offline working via Remote Database Synchronization.
  • No built-in quotes or invoicing
    This CRM platform does not include built-in quotes and invoicing, while the average CRM platform does. 91.9% of CRM platforms include built-in quotes and invoicing.
    Relies on accounting integrations like QuickBooks for quoting and billing.
  • Lower mobile app rating category
    This CRM platform ranks lower than the average CRM platform for mobile app store rating (3.5–3.9 vs 4–4.4).
    3.5–3.9 vs 4.0–4.4
  • Less included file storage
    This CRM platform includes less file storage than the average CRM platform (5 GB vs 10 GB).
    5 GB vs 10 GB
  • 1.2% lower list score
    List score
    8.1/ 10
    ✕
    What it is
    How often independent test sites, magazines and video reviewers put this model in their best-of lists for this category.
    How we count it
    Points: The model in the most lists of this category gets 10; the others get 8 to 10 in proportion. In no list yet: 7.5. Lists count 30% of the overall score.
    Enough data: Every list counts, even a single one. With fewer than 5 best-of lists in the category, this part is left out.
    Lists with this model (1)
    List score: in 1 of 44 lists (2%)
    8.1 vs 8.2
  • 1.2% lower list score
    List score
    8.1/ 10
    ✕
    What it is
    How often independent test sites, magazines and video reviewers put this model in their best-of lists for this category.
    How we count it
    Points: The model in the most lists of this category gets 10; the others get 8 to 10 in proportion. In no list yet: 7.5. Lists count 30% of the overall score.
    Enough data: Every list counts, even a single one. With fewer than 5 best-of lists in the category, this part is left out.
    Lists with this model (1)
    List score: in 1 of 44 lists (2%)
    8.1 vs 8.2
  • Less included file storage
    This CRM platform includes less file storage than the average CRM platform (5 GB vs 10 GB).
    5 GB vs 10 GB
  • No built-in quotes or invoicing
    This CRM platform does not include built-in quotes and invoicing, while the average CRM platform does. 91.9% of CRM platforms include built-in quotes and invoicing.
    Relies on accounting integrations like QuickBooks for quoting and billing.
  • Lower mobile app rating category
    This CRM platform ranks lower than the average CRM platform for mobile app store rating (3.5–3.9 vs 4–4.4).
    3.5–3.9 vs 4.0–4.4

Video reviews

Hands-on testing and real-world video evaluations

8.0
Act! CRM Software Database Training Tips & Tricks
≈ estimated
14/11/2022
Opinion review · long-time user perspective
Verdict
Act! CRM is plain and focused on individual contacts, so it suits people who already use it.
8.0
Bytes Media
≈ estimated
29/05/2025
Overview video · features, pros and cons
Verdict
Act! CRM suits small businesses that want a customizable all-in-one CRM, though the dated interface and add-on costs count against it.
7.0
Dan Thorne
≈ estimated
20/01/2025
Overview video · key features, limitations and alternatives
Verdict
Act! CRM fits smaller businesses that need customization and offline access, but it falls short on scalability for fast-growing companies.
7.0
Wise Explainer
≈ estimated
26/08/2024
Short overview · features and drawbacks summary
Verdict
Act! CRM suits businesses willing to invest in setup and training for deep customization.
9.0
The Product Critiques
≈ estimated
12/06/2023
Short overview · features, integrations and pricing
Verdict
Act! CRM is reliable and easy to use, worth considering, though it can feel overwhelming at first.
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Overview video
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Expert reviews

In-depth analysis and verdict from leading tech publications

6.0
pcmag.com
✓ explicit
19/05/2022
Hands-on test · Sales pipeline CRM
Verdict
Act! is a dated contact manager whose drag-and-drop pipeline and Insight dashboards stand out, but cumbersome company setup and Outlook integration hold it back.
8.0
crm.org
≈ estimated
18/01/2024
Test and review · Small business CRM
Verdict
Act! CRM suits small businesses that want contact management and marketing automation, but limited reports and dashboards may hold back fast-growing companies.
7.0
techradar.com
✓ explicit
18/12/2025
Hands-on test · Contact management CRM
Verdict
Act! is a customizable CRM for small and midsize firms, offering cloud or on-premises hosting, though its dense, dated layout takes time to learn.
7.0
techrepublic.com
✓ explicit
08/03/2024
Research review · Marketing CRM
Verdict
Act! is a basic CRM for small to midsize businesses, with strong marketing templates and a 14-day trial, but limited email integrations and analytics.
7.6
lafabriquedunet.fr
✓ explicit
Not Dated
Independent test · Small business CRM
Verdict
Act! suits small businesses wanting contact management and email marketing, with cloud or local hosting, though mastering its features takes regular practice.

Third-party reviews

What customers like about Act! CRM

  • Proven relationship database heritage with rich contact cards and historical timelines.
  • Flexible deployment combining local desktop access with cloud database synchronization.
  • Integrated email marketing campaigns with built-in templates and response tracking.
  • Familiar interface for long-term traditional sales professionals and established practices.

What customers don't like about Act! CRM

  • Visual interface design feels dated compared to agile modern SaaS competitors.
  • Legacy software architectural complexity can create occasional synchronization friction.
  • Slower feature release cycle and fewer modern turnkey API connectors.

Verdict

Act! CRM is a relationship management platform tailored for small and medium-sized businesses, distinguished by its unique hybrid deployment model that offers both cloud-based SaaS accessibility and self-hosted, on-premises desktop installation with offline synchronization. Key specifications include comprehensive contact tracking, custom database tables, integrated interactive quoting, and built-in email marketing automation supporting up to 2,500 to 50,000 email sends per month depending on tiered plans (Advantage Standard to Ultimate). The software's primary pros are its deep, relationship-centric data customization, robust offline data control for desktop users, and automated website lead generation workflows. However, notable cons include a cluttered and outdated legacy user interface that creates a steep learning curve, a manual and rigid contact importing process, and lack of native desktop compatibility for macOS users, who are restricted to using the web browser version.

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