Capsule CRM vs EngageBay vs Teamgate

Capsule CRM, EngageBay, and Teamgate all target small and mid-sized sales teams that find enterprise CRMs like Salesforce too heavy, but each has a different…

Capsule CRM

Freemium · From Free (paid plans from $18/user/month billed annually)

Best for: Small businesses and agencies that want a simple CRM with post-sale project boards to manage delivery work after a deal closes.

EngageBay

Freemium · From Free (up to 250 contacts); paid plans from $14.99/user/month

Best for: Small businesses that want marketing automation, sales CRM, and a helpdesk bundled together at a low price point.

Teamgate

freemium · From Free (paid plans from $39.90/user/month)

Best for: Sales-led startups and SMBs that want strong pipeline visibility, in-app calling and SMS, and sales analytics without a lengthy implementation.

At a Glance

 Capsule CRMEngageBayTeamgate
Primary categoryCRMCRMCRM
RatingNot documentedNot documentedNot documented
Pricing modelFreemiumFreemiumfreemium
Starting priceFree (paid plans from $18/user/month billed annually)Free (up to 250 contacts); paid plans from $14.99/user/monthFree (paid plans from $39.90/user/month)
Free planYesYesYes
Free trialNot documentedNot documentedYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, iOS, Android
Team collaborationNot documentedNot documentedNot documented
AI featuresYesYesNot documented
Public APIYesYesYes

Standout Differences

Post-sale delivery tracking

Capsule CRM's project boards let a team manage the work that happens after a deal is won, a capability not documented for either EngageBay or Teamgate.

Capsule CRM

All-in-one marketing, sales, and support

EngageBay bundles email marketing, landing pages, and a helpdesk alongside its sales CRM, going broader than the sales-only focus of Capsule CRM and Teamgate.

EngageBay

Built for the sales call itself

Teamgate includes in-app calling and SMS directly in the CRM, paired with sales analytics dashboards, a combination purpose-built for outbound sales teams rather than marketing-led ones.

Teamgate

Free plans cap different things

Capsule CRM's free plan caps at 2 users and 250 contacts, EngageBay's caps at 250 contacts with no explicit user cap in the provided data, and Teamgate's caps at 2 users and 500 contacts.

Capsule CRM, EngageBay, Teamgate

Feature-by-Feature

Free Plan and Core Pipeline

FeatureCapsule CRMEngageBayTeamgate
Usable free planAvailableAvailableAvailable
Native email and calendar syncAvailableNot documentedAvailable

Communication and Support Tools

FeatureCapsule CRMEngageBayTeamgate
In-app calling and SMSNot documentedLimitedAvailable
Built-in helpdesk or live chatNot documentedAvailableNot documented

Analytics and Growth Tools

FeatureCapsule CRMEngageBayTeamgate
Post-sale project or task boardsAvailableNot documentedNot documented
Sales analytics dashboardsAvailableLimitedAvailable
AI-assisted enrichment or summariesAvailableAvailableNot documented

Pricing Compared

Starting price reflects the lowest paid tier, not the full cost for every team size or usage level.

Capsule CRM

Free — $0 N/A
Starter — $18/user/month Annual
Growth — $36/user/month Annual
Advanced — $60/user/month Annual
Ultimate — $75/user/month Annual

EngageBay

Free — $0 N/A
Basic — $14.99/user/month (from $12.74 biennial) Monthly, Annual, or Biennial
Growth — $64.99/user/month (from $55.24 biennial) Monthly, Annual, or Biennial
Pro — $119.99/user/month (from $101.99 biennial) Monthly, Annual, or Biennial

Teamgate

Starter — Free N/A
Team — $39.90/user/month monthly (20% discount annually)
Growth — $59.90/user/month monthly (20% discount annually)

Pros & Cons

Capsule CRM

Pros

  • Simple enough to set up without a dedicated CRM administrator
  • Usable permanent free plan for very small teams
  • Native integrations with common email, accounting, and marketing tools
  • AI enrichment and summary features included starting at a mid-tier price point

Cons

  • Free plan is capped at just 2 users and 250 contacts
  • Automations, multiple pipelines, and AI features require higher-priced tiers
  • Less depth in advanced enterprise features than large enterprise CRMs
  • Marketing functionality (Transpond) is a separate paid add-on rather than built in

EngageBay

Pros

  • Genuinely free plan for up to 250 contacts, not just a time-limited trial
  • Combines marketing, sales, and support in one platform at a fraction of HubSpot's cost
  • Native iOS and Android mobile apps included
  • Biennial billing discount offers substantial long-term savings

Cons

  • Individual modules are generally less deep than category specialists like ActiveCampaign or Pipedrive
  • Per-user pricing can add up for larger sales and marketing teams
  • Some advanced features like SSO and custom reporting are gated to the top Pro tier
  • Contact limits per plan require frequent upgrades for fast-growing lists

Teamgate

Pros

  • Free Starter plan makes it accessible for very small teams
  • Simpler setup and lower learning curve than enterprise CRMs
  • Transparent per-user pricing with an annual billing discount
  • Includes calling, SMS, and email sync without extra add-on products
  • Dedicated account management included on paid tiers

Cons

  • Smaller company and support footprint than major CRM vendors
  • Free plan is capped at 2 users and 500 contacts
  • Fewer third-party integrations than larger CRM platforms
  • Limited brand recognition outside Europe
  • Advanced features like lead scoring require the higher-priced Growth plan

Use Cases

Choose Capsule CRM: Small businesses and agencies that want a simple CRM with post-sale project boards to manage delivery work after a deal closes.
Choose EngageBay: Small businesses that want marketing automation, sales CRM, and a helpdesk bundled together at a low price point.
Choose Teamgate: Sales-led startups and SMBs that want strong pipeline visibility, in-app calling and SMS, and sales analytics without a lengthy implementation.

Capsule CRM

  • Small Business Sales Pipeline Management — Solo founders and small sales teams track deals through a visual pipeline without a complex setup.
  • Agency Client & Project Management — Agencies manage client relationships and post-sale project boards in one system.

EngageBay

  • All-in-one small business CRM — Small businesses replace separate email marketing, CRM, and helpdesk subscriptions with a single connected platform.
  • Affordable HubSpot alternative — Growing companies that outgrow free tools but find HubSpot's hub-based pricing too expensive switch to EngageBay for similar functionality at lower cost.
  • Combined sales and support workflows — Sales and support teams use EngageBay's shared contact database to see deal history and support tickets in one view.

Teamgate

  • Startup Sales Pipeline Management — Early-stage startups use Teamgate's free and entry-level plans to track leads and deals without committing to an expensive CRM.
  • SMB Sales Team Automation — Small and mid-sized sales teams use Teamgate's workflow automation and email sync to reduce manual data entry.
  • Sales Performance Reporting — Sales managers use Teamgate's dashboards and lead scoring to focus reps on the highest-value opportunities.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which of Capsule CRM, EngageBay, and Teamgate is best for teams that need marketing tools too?

EngageBay is the clear choice, bundling email marketing, landing pages, and web pop-ups alongside its sales CRM and helpdesk, whereas Capsule CRM and Teamgate focus specifically on sales pipeline management.

Which tool includes in-app calling and SMS?

Teamgate includes both in-app calling and SMS directly in its paid tiers. EngageBay offers SMS marketing campaigns but not in-app calling, and Capsule CRM does not document either feature.

Which CRM helps manage work after a deal closes?

Capsule CRM includes project boards specifically for tracking post-sale delivery work, a feature not documented for EngageBay or Teamgate.

Which has the most generous free plan?

All three offer a usable free plan: Capsule CRM allows 2 users and 250 contacts, EngageBay allows up to 250 contacts, and Teamgate allows 2 users and 500 contacts.

Which is best for a small business that wants a built-in helpdesk?

EngageBay includes live chat and helpdesk ticketing even on its free plan, a capability not documented for Capsule CRM or Teamgate.

Which tool offers the strongest sales pipeline analytics?

Teamgate and Capsule CRM both offer dedicated sales analytics dashboards, with Capsule's advanced reporting starting at its Growth tier. EngageBay's analytics are more focused on web and proposal tracking than pipeline performance.

Read the full Capsule CRM review · Read the full EngageBay review · Read the full Teamgate review