These three CRMs target different buying priorities. Apptivo is the broadest and cheapest entry point, bundling help desk, field service, and campaigns…
Best for: Teams that already run their business inside Gmail, Calendar, and Google Workspace and want a CRM that captures activity automatically with minimal manual entry.
Freemium · From Free (up to 3 users); paid plans start at $9/user/month billed annually
Best for: Sales teams that want built-in phone and email plus AI-driven lead scoring and forecasting through Freddy AI, especially if already using Freshdesk or Freshservice.
At a Glance
Apptivo
Copper
Freshsales
Primary category
CRM
CRM
CRM
Rating
Not documented
Not documented
Not documented
Pricing model
Freemium
Subscription
Freemium
Starting price
Free
$23/user/month
Free (up to 3 users); paid plans start at $9/user/month billed annually
Free plan
Yes
Yes
Yes
Free trial
Yes
Yes
Yes
Platforms
Web, iOS, Android, Windows
Web, iOS, Android
Web, iOS, Android
Team collaboration
Not documented
Not documented
Not documented
AI features
Not documented
Yes
Yes
Public API
Yes
Yes
Yes
Standout Differences
Copper is the only one built specifically around native Gmail and Calendar auto-capture
Copper's core differentiator is automatically logging Gmail, Calendar, and Drive activity against CRM records without manual entry, a workflow neither Apptivo nor Freshsales documents.
Copper
Apptivo is the only CRM here that bundles a broader business suite
Apptivo bundles help desk, field service, and campaign management alongside the CRM, positioning it as a wider business platform rather than a pure sales CRM.
Apptivo
Freshsales is the only tool with documented AI lead scoring
Freshsales' Freddy AI, available on its Pro tier and above, gives it an edge for teams that want predictive lead prioritization out of the box; the provided data does not describe an equivalent feature for Apptivo or Copper.
Freshsales
Copper has no free plan and the highest entry price of the three
Copper's Basic tier starts at $23/user/month with no permanent free option, while Freshsales starts free and Apptivo's Lite plan starts around $15/user/month, reflecting Copper's focus on mid-market Google Workspace teams rather than budget-conscious startups.
Copper, Freshsales, Apptivo
Feature-by-Feature
Core CRM Fit
Feature
Apptivo
Copper
Freshsales
Free plan available
Available
Unavailable
Available
Native Gmail / Google Workspace auto-capture
Not documented
Available
Not documented
Beyond Sales CRM
Feature
Apptivo
Copper
Freshsales
Bundled help desk, field service, or marketing modules
Available
Unavailable
Unavailable
AI-powered lead scoring
Not documented
Not documented
Available
Customization and Communication
Feature
Apptivo
Copper
Freshsales
No-code custom apps or modules
Available
Not documented
Limited
Built-in phone / calling
Not documented
Not documented
Available
Pricing Compared
Starting price reflects the lowest paid tier, not the full cost for every team size or usage level.
Apptivo
Starter — Free N/A
Lite — ~$15/user/month Annual (higher month-to-month)
Basic — $23/user/month (annual) / $29/user/month (monthly) Monthly or annual
Professional — $59/user/month (annual) / $69/user/month (monthly) Monthly or annual
Business — $99/user/month (annual) / $134/user/month (monthly) Monthly or annual
Freshsales
Free — $0 N/A
Growth — $9/user/month Annual
Pro — $39/user/month Annual
Enterprise — $59/user/month Annual
Pros & Cons
Apptivo
Pros
Broad, all-in-one suite covering CRM, help desk, field service, and marketing
Free Starter tier and low-cost entry-level paid plans relative to enterprise CRM suites
No-code customization for building app-specific workflows
Industry-specific configurations for several verticals
Cons
Breadth of modules can mean a steeper learning curve than single-purpose CRM tools
Higher tiers needed to unlock more advanced automation and reporting
Some reported pricing figures vary slightly across third-party sources, so current plan details should be confirmed on Apptivo's own pricing page
Copper
Pros
Deep, native integration with Gmail, Calendar, and the broader Google Workspace suite
Low learning curve for teams already working daily inside Gmail
Automatic activity capture significantly reduces manual data entry
Officially recommended CRM within the Google Workspace Marketplace
Cons
No permanent free plan, only a 14-day trial
Less deeply customizable than enterprise-grade CRMs like Salesforce
Best suited to Google Workspace users; less compelling for Microsoft 365-centric organizations
Contact and custom field limits on lower tiers may require upgrading as a business grows
Freshsales
Pros
Free plan available for very small teams up to 3 users
Lower cost than Salesforce at comparable functionality for SMBs
Built-in phone and email reduce need for separate sales tools
Integrates natively with other Freshworks products (Freshdesk, Freshservice)
Cons
AI lead scoring and sales sequences require upgrading to the Pro tier or higher
Less deep customization and ecosystem than Salesforce for complex enterprise sales processes
Marketing automation is a separate product (Freshmarketer), not bundled into Freshsales
Free and Growth tiers lack advanced reporting
Use Cases
Choose Apptivo: SMBs wanting one platform for CRM, help desk, field service, and marketing campaigns at a low starting cost.
Choose Copper: Teams that already run their business inside Gmail, Calendar, and Google Workspace and want a CRM that captures activity automatically with minimal manual entry.
Choose Freshsales: Sales teams that want built-in phone and email plus AI-driven lead scoring and forecasting through Freddy AI, especially if already using Freshdesk or Freshservice.
Apptivo
Unified CRM and support — Manage sales pipelines and customer support tickets in one connected platform.
Mobile field service management — Dispatch and track a mobile workforce with native mobile apps.
Copper
Google Workspace-native sales teams — Sales teams already operating inside Gmail and Google Calendar adopt Copper to manage pipelines without switching context to a separate app.
Relationship-driven B2B agencies — Agencies and consultancies use Copper's automatic activity capture to track client relationships with minimal manual logging.
Low-friction CRM adoption for growing businesses — Small businesses that struggled with CRM adoption due to manual data entry use Copper's automation to improve rep compliance and pipeline visibility.
Freshsales
Small sales team pipeline management — Small teams use Freshsales' free or Growth plan to track contacts and deals through a visual pipeline without heavy setup.
AI-assisted lead prioritization — Growing sales organizations use Freddy AI lead scoring and sales sequences on the Pro plan to prioritize outreach and automate follow-ups.
Multi-region or multi-product sales operations — Larger sales organizations use Freshsales Enterprise's multiple pipelines, territory management, and custom modules to model complex sales structures.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which CRM is built specifically for Google Workspace users?
Copper, which natively captures Gmail, Calendar, and Drive activity and is listed as a recommended CRM in the Google Workspace Marketplace.
Which of the three has a permanent free plan?
Apptivo and Freshsales both offer free tiers. Copper does not, offering only a 14-day trial.
Which is the cheapest entry-level paid plan?
Freshsales' Growth plan starts at $9/user/month and Apptivo's Lite plan is roughly $15/user/month, both well below Copper's $23/user/month Basic plan.
Does any of these include a broader business suite beyond sales?
Only Apptivo bundles help desk, field service, and campaign modules alongside its CRM. Copper and Freshsales are more narrowly focused on sales, with Freshsales' marketing capability sold separately as Freshmarketer.
Which CRM includes AI-powered lead scoring?
Freshsales, through its Freddy AI feature available on the Pro tier and above. The provided data does not document an equivalent AI scoring feature for Apptivo or Copper.