Zoho CRM vs. Act!: Comparing Best CRM Solutions 2026

Overview: Zoho CRM and Act! as CRM Category solutions.

Zoho CRM: Zoho CRM is an online software that manages sales, marketing, and support in one platform. Trusted by over 100 million users worldwide, a free trial is available.

Act!: Act! offers integrated CRM and marketing automation to enhance lead conversion and customer engagement. Users can market efficiently and build lasting customer relationships.

This comparison of Zoho CRM vs. Act! draws on 27275 Cuspera insights from customer stories. The use cases and topics below show where the two products overlap and where each one stands apart.

Both Zoho CRM and Act! are commonly chosen for Sales process automation, Customer relationship management, Sales process management, Customer communication management, etc.

Zoho CRM also supports Customer support ticket management, Subscription billing automation, Project planning and tracking, Project management consolidation, etc.

Act! also supports Sales activity tracking and reporting, Sales opportunity management, Sales pipeline and client management, Customer relationship management for service calls, etc.

Evidence shows that both products are used for Project management, Customer relationship management, Customer engagement, Workflow automation, etc.

Zoho CRM also covers Collaboration, Customer support, Subscription management, Customer support management, etc.

Act! also covers Contact management, CRM implementation, Logistics management, Client data management, etc.

Top use cases: Zoho CRM vs Act!

Use cases tied to Zoho CRM and Act! from verified data sources. Click any use case for supporting evidences.

Zoho CRM
Act!
Shared by both · Use cases
Zoho CRM Act!

Top Capabilities: Zoho CRM vs Act!

Lengths: relative topic prominence (square-root scale) · Labels: comparison split. Click any item for supporting evidences.

Zoho CRM
Shared
Act!
Shared by both · Topics
Zoho CRM only
Act! only

Deployed Industries: Zoho CRM vs Act!

Lengths: relative industry prominence (square-root scale) · Labels: comparison split. Click any item for supporting evidences.

Zoho CRM
Shared
Act!
Shared by both · Industries
Zoho CRM only
Act! only

Deployed Market Segments: Zoho CRM vs Act!

Share of peer evidence by company size for Zoho CRM and Act!. Each product segments add up to 100%. Click any segment for supporting evidence.

Zoho CRM 100%
Act! 100%

Zoho CRM and Act!: Best activities based on customer satisfaction

Zoho CRM in Action: Unique Activities

Why is Zoho CRM the best choice for Engagement Management?
Zoho CRM enables users to manage interactions with clients and potential clients across various channels, including email, social media, and website visits. It facilitates tracking email engagement, setting reminders, and scheduling follow-up activities. nHowever, the support system has limitations in terms of follow-up and engagement with users. nThe platform's effectiveness for non-technological users requires further development.
"...We just wanted a way to track emails by customer, diarize follow up and any tasks...." Peer review by Randy S., Director, Education
Why is Zoho CRM the best choice for Lead Management?
Zoho CRM provides comprehensive lead management capabilities, including lead tracking, organization, and analytics. It offers seamless integration with other tools, such as live chat, phone, and social media, streamlining lead generation and management. However, Zoho CRM may be limited for organizations requiring lead transfers to external entities.
"...For the most part, I only use Zoho for its leads management page...." Peer review by Jacob G, Real Estate Agent
What Are the key features of Zoho CRM for Workflow Management?
Zoho CRM provides a robust platform for workflow management, allowing users to customize and automate processes, create templates, and track progress. This includes managing contacts, campaigns, and generating reports. Zoho CRM is well-suited for companies with simple sales cycles, but it lacks flexibility for complex workflows with dynamic form layouts or multiple forms.
"...Sales Force Automation Marketing Automation Customer Support & Service Inventory Management CRM Analytics Workflow Management Role-based Security Developer API for Third-party Integration CRM with Email..." Peer review by Verified Reviewer, Research, 51-200 employees, Research

Act! in Action: Unique Activities

How does Act! facilitate Contact List Management?
Act assists in organizing contacts, scheduling interactions, and tracking communication history. It facilitates managing customer information and maintaining current contact lists. Act's capabilities are limited by the fact that some users have found it less effective than previous versions.
"...Other than the template issues I really rely on the history and records...." Peer review by Mel, Winsight Media
How does Act! facilitate Communication Management?
Act Communication Management helps users manage interactions with clients and colleagues. It offers features such as email tracking, call logging, and appointment scheduling. Act Communication Management has limitations in areas such as mobile device integration and reporting capabilities.
"...I love the email link feature, any time I send an email to a client (who has their email in their account profile), the system automatically saves that email in the client profile...." Peer review by Josh, AICTC
What benefits does Act! offer for Sales Document Management?
The system assists in managing sales documents, such as quotes, contracts, and invoices. It allows for easy tracking of customer information and business activities. It has limited customization for quotes, which necessitates the use of additional products.
"...Right now we're using Act to save contacts, generate documents like quotations, sending out marketing emails, and also for tracking communication history with clients...." Peer review by Nirmohi D., Education
What Are the key features of Act! for Lead Tracking?
ACT! is a robust tool for tracking sales opportunities. It allows users to record prospect information, manage calendars, and track lead sources and status changes. While ACT! provides many helpful features, it can sometimes require extra steps to track opportunities.
"...I use it for tracking prospects and clients as well as for reminders for follow ups...." Peer review by Jack, BENN Publisher Solutions

News

Latest Zoho CRM news

WhatsApp messages for events: Zoho Backstage enhancements

Zoho has enhanced its Zoho Backstage platform with new WhatsApp integration features. These include delivery reports for message tracking, scheduled notifications, expanded automation triggers for various stakeholders, and improved account management. These updates aim to streamline event communication, offering organizers greater visibility and flexibility in managing WhatsApp messaging.

26/08/2026 - source

Latest Act! news

Act! Named a 2026 CRMmys Finalist for Best CRM for Small Business

Act! has been named a finalist in the 2026 CRMmys Awards for Best CRM for Small Business. This recognition highlights Act!'s commitment to providing CRM solutions tailored for small and midsized businesses, evaluated by an independent practitioner panel. The award reflects Act!'s performance against current standards and its longstanding focus on empowering SMBs.

22/06/2026 - source