How to choose a CRM for a small business in the UK
The right CRM is the one your team will actually use. Here’s a practical checklist to find it, and to avoid paying for things you don’t need.
Updated 29 September 2026
1. Start with the jobs, not the features
Write down what goes wrong today: missed enquiries, forgotten follow-ups, invoices typed twice, not knowing who’s dealing with what. Choose the CRM that fixes those, not the one with the longest feature list.
2. Add up the real cost
Check how it’s priced. Per-user pricing multiplies with your team; higher tiers often hold back automation or reporting; and extras like texts, e-signatures or AI can be add-ons. Work out the monthly cost for everyone who’ll use it, with the features you need.
- Price per user or per business?
- Which tier do you actually need?
- What costs extra, texts, calls, AI, e-signatures?
- Any setup or onboarding fees?
3. Check it fits UK businesses
Look for VAT on invoices, UK phone numbers for texting, UK bank holidays, and a link to the accounts software you use: Xero, QuickBooks or others. Check where your data is kept and who the company is.
4. Make sure the whole team will use it
If only one person uses the CRM, it becomes their personal notebook. Look for something that works well on a phone, is simple to learn, and that everyone can have a login for without it costing more.
5. Try it with real work
Use the free trial with a real week of enquiries and customers, not a demo. Import a spreadsheet of contacts, send a real quote, and see how it feels. If it’s not better than what you have now after a fortnight, it won’t be in six months.
6. Think about next year
Will you add staff, open another branch or start another business? Check the CRM copes with that without the price jumping or needing a second account.