These three small-business CRMs sit at different points on the simplicity-to-capability spectrum. Less Annoying CRM is the simplest and cheapest, with one…
Subscription · From $13/user/month (billed annually)
Best for: Small and midsize B2B sales teams that want multiple pipeline views, built-in email marketing, and optional AI insights in one system.
At a Glance
Insightly
Less Annoying CRM
Nutshell
Primary category
CRM
CRM
CRM
Rating
Not documented
Not documented
Not documented
Pricing model
Subscription
Subscription (flat, single tier)
Subscription
Starting price
$29/user/month (billed annually)
$15/user/month
$13/user/month (billed annually)
Free plan
Not documented
Not documented
Not documented
Free trial
Yes
Yes
Yes
Platforms
Web, iOS, Android
Web, iOS, Android
Web, iOS, Android
Team collaboration
Not documented
Not documented
Not documented
AI features
Yes
Not documented
Not documented
Public API
Yes
Yes
Yes
Standout Differences
Less Annoying CRM has a single, transparent price
At $15 per user per month with one plan and no feature gating, Less Annoying CRM avoids the tiered upsell structure that both Insightly and Nutshell use.
Less Annoying CRM
Insightly is the only one with native project management
Insightly lets a sales team convert a won deal directly into a trackable delivery project in the same platform, a feature neither Less Annoying CRM nor Nutshell offers.
Insightly
Nutshell offers the most pipeline visualization options
Nutshell supports board (Kanban), list, chart, and map views for visualizing deals, including a geographic map view for territory-based sales teams, going further than the single pipeline views in Insightly and Less Annoying CRM.
Nutshell
Nutshell's marketing and AI features are paid add-ons
Nutshell's Marketing Pro email automation, Engagement Pro sales sequencing, and Nutshell IQ AI insights are all sold separately from the core plans, whereas Insightly bundles AI Copilot and Less Annoying CRM includes its full feature set in its single price.
Nutshell, Insightly, Less Annoying CRM
Less Annoying CRM trades depth for simplicity
Less Annoying CRM intentionally lacks advanced automation, AI features, and a large integration marketplace, which Insightly and Nutshell both offer to varying degrees on their higher tiers.
Less Annoying CRM
Feature-by-Feature
Pricing and plans
Feature
Insightly
Less Annoying CRM
Nutshell
Single flat-rate plan
Unavailable
Available
Unavailable
Free trial
Available
Available
Not documented
Pipeline and sales
Feature
Insightly
Less Annoying CRM
Nutshell
Custom sales pipeline
Available
Available
Available
Multiple pipeline views (list, chart, map)
Unavailable
Unavailable
Available
Workflow/sales automation
Limited
Unavailable
Available
Marketing, AI, and delivery
Feature
Insightly
Less Annoying CRM
Nutshell
Native project management
Available
Unavailable
Unavailable
Email marketing automation
Unavailable
Unavailable
Limited
AI-assisted features
Limited
Unavailable
Limited
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
Less Annoying CRM
Standard — $15/user/month Monthly, cancel anytime
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
Less Annoying CRM
Pros
Single, transparent flat price with no feature gating or upsells
30-day free trial with full feature access and no credit card required
Simple enough for non-technical small business owners to set up themselves
Highly rated, responsive customer support
Bootstrapped and profitable, reducing risk of sudden pricing or ownership changes
Cons
Lacks advanced automation and AI features found in larger CRMs
Limited native integrations compared to Salesforce or HubSpot
Reporting is basic relative to enterprise-grade CRM analytics
Not designed for large, complex enterprise sales organizations
No free tier, only a time-limited trial
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: Small and mid-sized businesses that want to move a closed deal directly into a tracked delivery project without a separate tool.
Choose Less Annoying CRM: Small businesses and independent professionals who want one simple, flat-priced CRM with no tiers, upsells, or feature gating.
Choose Nutshell: Small and midsize B2B sales teams that want multiple pipeline views, built-in email marketing, and optional AI insights in one system.
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.
Less Annoying CRM
Small sales team tracking leads and deals — A small business uses custom pipelines to track leads from first contact through closed deals without a dedicated CRM administrator.
Independent professional managing client relationships — An insurance or real estate agent uses the CRM to log client interactions, tasks and follow-ups from a mobile device.
Nonprofit tracking donor and contact relationships — A small nonprofit uses custom fields and pipelines to track donor relationships and outreach without complex setup.
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 CRMs is the cheapest overall?
Less Annoying CRM is the cheapest at a flat $15 per user per month with every feature included, compared to Nutshell's Foundation plan at $13 per user per month (which lacks automation and add-ons) and Insightly's Plus plan at $29 per user per month.
Which CRM is easiest for a non-technical small business owner to set up alone?
Less Annoying CRM is built specifically for that scenario, with a single plan, no feature gating, and a design philosophy centered on simplicity over enterprise-style configuration. Nutshell is also positioned as fast to set up for non-technical reps, while Insightly's project-management depth makes it somewhat more involved to configure.
Do any of these CRMs include email marketing automation by default?
No. Nutshell offers email marketing automation only through its separate Marketing Pro add-on at $49 per company per month, and neither Insightly nor Less Annoying CRM includes dedicated email marketing automation at all.
Which CRM should I pick if I need to manage projects after a deal closes?
Insightly is the only one of the three with native project management, letting a team convert a won deal directly into a trackable delivery project in the same platform.
Does Less Annoying CRM have a free trial like the others?
Yes. Less Annoying CRM offers a 30-day free trial with full, unrestricted access to every feature and no credit card required, while Insightly offers a 14-day free trial across its tiers.
Which CRM has the best mobile experience for sales reps?
All three offer mobile access, with Insightly and Nutshell providing dedicated native iOS and Android apps. Less Annoying CRM is accessible from mobile browsers rather than dedicated native apps, which may matter for reps who prefer an installed app.