Insightly vs Keap vs Nutshell

Insightly, Keap, and Nutshell all target small and mid-sized B2B teams but solve different problems beyond the sales pipeline: Insightly's standout feature is…

Insightly

Subscription · From $29/user/month (billed annually)

Best for: Teams that need to hand closed deals directly into tracked delivery projects without switching to a separate project-management tool

Keap

Subscription · From Approximately $249/month (Pro plan, billed annually)

Best for: Solo entrepreneurs and small service businesses that want CRM, marketing automation, and invoicing and payment collection bundled into one platform

Nutshell

Subscription · From $13/user/month (billed annually)

Best for: Small and midsize B2B sales teams that want CRM with flexible pipeline visualizations and optional email marketing or AI add-ons

At a Glance

 InsightlyKeapNutshell
Primary categoryCRMCRMCRM
RatingNot documentedNot documentedNot documented
Pricing modelSubscriptionSubscriptionSubscription
Starting price$29/user/month (billed annually)Approximately $249/month (Pro plan, billed annually)$13/user/month (billed annually)
Free planNot documentedNot documentedNot documented
Free trialYesYesYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, iOS, Android
Team collaborationNot documentedNot documentedNot documented
AI featuresYesNot documentedNot documented
Public APIYesYesYes

Standout Differences

Native project management on top of the CRM

Insightly lets teams convert a won deal directly into a trackable delivery project inside the same platform, a differentiator from CRMs that stop at the sale.

Insightly

Deepest built-in marketing automation and invoicing

Keap centers on a purpose-built small-business automation engine with multi-step email and SMS sequences, plus quote, invoice, and payment collection tools included in the core platform.

Keap

Flexible pipeline views including a map

Nutshell offers board, list, chart, and geographic map pipeline visualizations, useful for territory-based sales teams, alongside optional Marketing Pro and Nutshell IQ AI add-ons.

Nutshell

AI features sold differently across the three

Insightly includes an AI Copilot on its Professional and Enterprise tiers, Nutshell sells its Nutshell IQ AI layer as a separate paid add-on, and Keap does not document AI assistant features.

Insightly, Nutshell, Keap

Feature-by-Feature

Sales and Delivery Workflow

FeatureInsightlyKeapNutshell
Native project management for post-sale deliveryAvailableNot documentedNot documented
Multiple pipeline visualizationsAvailableNot documentedAvailable

Automation and AI

FeatureInsightlyKeapNutshell
AI assistant for emails or summariesAvailableNot documentedLimited
Email or SMS marketing automationNot documentedAvailableAvailable

Billing and Integration

FeatureInsightlyKeapNutshell
Invoicing and payment collectionNot documentedAvailableNot documented
REST API and webhooksAvailableNot documentedNot documented

Access

FeatureInsightlyKeapNutshell
No-credit-card free trialAvailableNot documentedNot documented
Native iOS and Android mobile appAvailableAvailableAvailable

Pricing Compared

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

Insightly

Plus — $29/user/month Annual
Professional — $49/user/month Annual
Enterprise — $99/user/month Annual

Keap

Pro — Approximately $249/month Billed annually
Max — Approximately $299/month Billed annually
Ultimate — Approximately $349/month Billed annually

Nutshell

Foundation — $13/user/month billed annually ($19/user/month billed monthly) Monthly or annual
Growth — $25/user/month Annual
Pro — $42/user/month Annual
Business — $59/user/month Annual
Enterprise — $79/user/month Annual
Marketing Pro (add-on) — $49/company/month Monthly
Engagement Pro (add-on) — $16/user/month Monthly
Nutshell IQ (add-on) — $37/company/month for 100 credits Monthly

Pros & Cons

Insightly

Pros

  • Combines CRM and project management natively in one platform
  • Three clear pricing tiers with a free 14-day trial
  • Native iOS and Android mobile apps
  • AI Copilot and workflow automation available on mid-tier plans
  • Strong reporting with pre-built business intelligence dashboards

Cons

  • REST API and webhooks require the Professional tier or above
  • Some reviews note additional onboarding and premium support fees beyond listed pricing
  • Recent private-equity acquisition and Unbounce merger create some brand and roadmap uncertainty
  • AI Copilot query limits on lower tiers may be restrictive for heavy users
  • Entry-level Plus plan lacks workflow automation and API access

Keap

Pros

  • Deep, purpose-built automation engine for small business workflows
  • Combines CRM, marketing and invoicing and payments in one platform
  • Long track record of over twenty years refined specifically for small business needs
  • Mobile app supports on-the-go contact and communication management
  • Backed by Thryv's resources following the 2024 acquisition

Cons

  • Relatively high starting price for a small-business tool
  • Mandatory one-time Kickstart onboarding fee for new Pro and Max customers
  • Additional user seats and contact-tier upgrades add up quickly
  • Steeper learning curve than lighter competitors like ActiveCampaign
  • Text and voice marketing capacity is metered with overage charges

Nutshell

Pros

  • Fast to set up and easy for non-technical sales reps to learn compared with enterprise CRMs.
  • Combines CRM, email marketing, and sales engagement in one subscription rather than requiring separate tools.
  • Multiple pipeline visualizations, including a map view, help territory-based sales teams.
  • Responsive customer support with free data migration and guided onboarding on most plans.
  • Transparent, predictable per-user pricing with five tiers to grow into.

Cons

  • Advanced marketing automation and AI insights are sold as paid add-ons rather than included at every tier.
  • Reporting and customization are less deep than enterprise-grade CRMs such as Salesforce.
  • Higher-tier plans (Business and Enterprise) can get expensive for very small teams.
  • Some users report a learning curve when configuring multi-step sales automation.
  • Third-party integration marketplace is smaller than larger CRM competitors.

Use Cases

Choose Insightly: Teams that need to hand closed deals directly into tracked delivery projects without switching to a separate project-management tool
Choose Keap: Solo entrepreneurs and small service businesses that want CRM, marketing automation, and invoicing and payment collection bundled into one platform
Choose Nutshell: Small and midsize B2B sales teams that want CRM with flexible pipeline visualizations and optional email marketing or AI add-ons

Insightly

  • Sales pipeline management — Sales teams track leads and opportunities through a Kanban-style pipeline from first contact to close.
  • Post-sale project delivery — Teams convert closed deals directly into tracked delivery projects without switching to a separate project management tool.
  • Marketing and CRM integration — Businesses combine Insightly's CRM with Unbounce's landing-page tools for connected lead capture and pipeline management.

Keap

  • Solo entrepreneur automation — Coaches and consultants automate follow-up and nurture sequences without needing a marketing team.
  • Service business lead-to-invoice workflow — Contractors and agencies manage leads through to invoicing and payment in one connected system.
  • Small business marketing automation — Non-technical small business owners run sophisticated automated campaigns without hiring developers.

Nutshell

  • Small business sales pipeline management — Sales teams of 2-50 reps use Nutshell to track leads through a visual pipeline, automate follow-up tasks, and forecast revenue without a dedicated CRM administrator.
  • Combined CRM and email marketing — Marketing and sales teams that want to manage contacts, deals, and email campaigns in one system add Marketing Pro to run newsletters and drip sequences directly from CRM contact data.
  • Territory-based field sales — Field sales organizations use Nutshell's map view to plot prospects and customers geographically and plan efficient in-person visit routes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which of these three is best for handing off closed deals into project delivery?

Insightly is purpose-built for this, letting sales teams convert a won deal directly into a trackable delivery project inside the same platform rather than exporting to a separate tool.

Which includes invoicing and payment collection?

Keap includes quote, invoice, and payment collection tools as part of its core platform. Insightly and Nutshell do not document built-in invoicing.

Which has a geographic map pipeline view?

Nutshell is the only one of the three that documents a map pipeline view, alongside board, list, and chart views.

Which is the most affordable to start with?

Nutshell's Foundation plan starts at $13 per user per month, well below Insightly's $29 per user per month and Keap's roughly $249 per month bundled starting price.

Which offers a documented free trial?

Insightly documents a free 14-day trial across all its plans. Keap and Nutshell do not document a free trial in the provided pricing information.

Which of these include AI features?

Insightly includes an AI Copilot for email summaries and reply drafting on its Professional and Enterprise tiers. Nutshell offers AI-generated insights through its separately priced Nutshell IQ add-on. Keap does not document AI assistant features.

Read the full Insightly review · Read the full Keap review · Read the full Nutshell review