How much does CRM cost?

During the search for a CRM system, sooner or later, the question arises: Alright, but how much does it cost? We understand perfectly that the answer is important for you and may turn out to be crucial in making the final decision about CRM implementation or choosing a specific system. The ultimate 'CRM costs' consist of several elements and many factors. In this post, I will try to explain what they are and discuss the amounts we are talking about.

Costs of License Purchase

Many people, when considering the cost of CRM, are actually thinking about the expenses related to purchasing software licenses. Currently, the most popular CRM usage model is Software as a Service (SaaS), where access to the service is obtained through a subscription, often on a monthly or yearly basis. In return, users gain access to tools and data storage via the internet, without the need for software maintenance and installation, along with a certain level of support from the provider, such as assistance in implementation or technical support.

When calculating the cost of CRM licenses, it's essential to keep a few things in mind:

• Typically, you need to choose a license tier – they differ in available features, the number of paid users granted access, and/or the available amount of stored contact records.
• Therefore, it's not only about selecting the features you need but also precisely determining who in the company will use CRM – how many people.
• The most favorable prices usually apply with an annual commitment, slightly higher for monthly purchases.

What amounts are we talking about?

We start with completely free versions, such as the one offered by HubSpot (not a trial period but a completely free basic CRM). However, these versions usually have significant limitations (e.g., provider branding).

Licencje podstawowe to koszt rzędu kilkudziesięciu euro/dolarów, np. HubSpot Suite Starter – 15€/miesiąc za użytkownika. Dalej możliwości, ale też koszty rosną. W rozwiązaniach średniego poziomu mówimy o kwocie bliżej, a w klasie Enterprise powyżej 100€/miesiąc za użytkownika.

As you can see, the cost of a CRM license depends on the stage your company is at. Nevertheless, providers offer tailored solutions to meet the needs and capabilities of their clients – nobody typically starts in a small company with a CRM costing thousands per month; in this case, it's more akin to an amount similar to a modest phone bill.

If you are interested in a detailed interpretation of the CRM price list, be sure to read my article where I explain the pricing of HubSpot.

Implementation Costs

This is the second group of costs that you must not overlook under any circumstances. Unlike license costs, these are typically incurred over a short period. They will be your main expenditure on CRM upfront. However, entrepreneurs may not always realize how many different components need to be planned for when preparing financially for CRM implementation. Here are the main ones:

Preparation for Purchase

This is the time you will dedicate to preparing for the investment and implementation plan, defining goals, potential benefits, and costs.

Data Preparation

For CRM to operate at full capacity, it requires the right data. Consider:

• Will you be feeding the new system with data you already have in the organization?
• Do the data need to be consolidated from different sources?
• Do the data require standardization and cleansing?

Calculate the cost of potential data cleansing, integration, and loading into the new system. Determine whether you will perform these tasks in-house or delegate them to the implementation company.

Integrations

Clearly identify which systems and applications your CRM must collaborate with. Check whether the chosen system has available integrations for them. Otherwise, you will need to allocate separate funds for a developer's work to prepare the integrations.

Implementation

System configuration, tool setup, customization – even in the simplest systems, you will need support at the beginning. Find out what level of onboarding support the provider offers and whether they have licensed partners. For example, in HubSpot, starting from the Professional package, onboarding is mandatory and included in the price.

Training

Allocate time for your employees who will need training on the new tools if they are to use them willingly and effectively.

As you can see, estimating such a complex amount is not easy, and much depends on your individual needs. You need to assess both the invested time and the tasks you will delegate to external providers. If you need tips on how to do this, check out our article 'How to Plan a CRM Budget?

How much does CRM implementation cost?

Professional implementation companies, especially licensed partners, can offer assistance in data preparation, integration creation, system configuration, and employee training – encompassing most of the tasks mentioned above. They can also aid in the preparation and implementation of sales and marketing processes that will interact with the new system.

In such cases, costs are determined individually based on the client's needs. Depending on the scale of the project, they may require an investment ranging from a few to several thousand euro. These are, of course, very approximate estimates, but I hope they give you an idea of what to expect.

CRM implementation is an investment that is worth preparing for. Professionally conducted, it brings a high return on investment, resulting from both increased sales and time savings for your employees. If you want to calculate the costs of CRM implementation in your company, contact us and discover an offer tailored to your needs!