For one fractional consultant, a general CRM costs anything from nothing to about $100 a seat a month. HubSpot is free for up to 2 users, Pipedrive starts at $14 a seat billed yearly, and Salesforce Starter is $25 a user. FractionsCRM gives you 14 days of everything free, keeps your first client free after that, and costs $140 / £100 a month plus VAT for everything. That's more than a basic CRM, but less than a CRM plus the prospecting tools most consultants add, which come to about $239 a month.
CRM prices at a glance
Here's what each one costs one person, as published on 25 October 2026.
| CRM | Price a month, for one person | How it's billed | Free plan or trial |
|---|---|---|---|
| HubSpot Sales Hub | Free for up to 2 users. Starter $20 a seat. Professional $100 a seat, plus onboarding, which HubSpot requires on Professional. | Monthly or yearly | Free plan |
| Pipedrive | Lite $14 a seat. Growth $39 a seat. | Published prices are billed yearly | 14-day free trial, no free plan |
| Salesforce | Starter Suite $25 a user. Pro Suite $100 a user. | Starter monthly or yearly. Pro Suite on an annual contract. | Free trial |
| FractionsCRM | Free for one client, after 14 days of everything. FractionsCRM $140 / £100 plus VAT, for one person. | Monthly, cancel whenever you like | 14 days of everything, then a free plan |
Prices in US dollars, before tax, from each company's US pricing page on 25 October 2026, apart from HubSpot's US prices, which were checked on 24 October 2026. HubSpot's UK site was showing Starter at £9 a seat a month as a limited-time offer. Pipedrive also offers monthly billing, but doesn't publish those prices.
Why the CRM price isn't the whole bill
A general CRM keeps the contacts you put into it. For a fractional consultant, that's rarely the expensive part. The hard part is finding the organizations to put in, and working out what to charge them. So most consultants end up paying for a stack of tools, one small bill at a time.
| The job | What people often pay for | Price a month, paid monthly |
|---|---|---|
| Find organizations that might need you | LinkedIn Sales Navigator Core | $119.99 |
| Spot organizations showing buying signals, like hiring, funding or news | A lead generation tool | From $99 |
| Keep every prospect, contact and next step in one place | HubSpot Starter | $20 |
| Work out what to charge | A pricing calculator or a spreadsheet | Varies |
| Research and list building | A virtual assistant, by the hour | Varies |
| Together | Sales Navigator Core, HubSpot Starter and an entry-level lead generation tool, before the calculator and the assistant's hours | $238.99 |
| With FractionsCRM | All five jobs in one place | $140 / £100 plus VAT |
Sales Navigator Core is $89.99 a month billed yearly. The lead generation price is an entry-level plan; larger plans cost more. Sales Navigator's price is from a pricing guide updated on 31 August 2026.
A real example
Steve, a subscriber, added up what finding work was costing him: HubSpot on a plan above the cheapest one, LinkedIn Sales Navigator, a pricing calculator, and a virtual assistant paid by the hour to research companies and build his lists. He moved all four jobs into one place, and he's now saving over $500 a month.
What you get for the price
HubSpot, Pipedrive and Salesforce are built for sales teams. You set up the pipelines, stages and fields to fit your own process, and they keep the contacts and deals you add. That flexibility is a real strength if you run a team with a sales process of its own.
FractionsCRM is built for one fractional consultant, so the price covers the jobs around the CRM as well:
- Where your prospects come from. Organizations showing signs they need what you do, with the evidence beside each one.
- Pricing the work. The value conversation works out what the client's problem is worth and what you could charge.
- Your number. Targets turn your revenue goal into what to do each week.
- Getting started. It's ready on day one, with stages that already follow how fractional work is won.
Which should you choose?
- Choose a general CRM if your pipeline already comes from your network, you're happy to set up your own process, or you're building a team with its own way of selling.
- Choose FractionsCRM if finding the next client and pricing the work are the hard parts, and you'd rather pay for one tool than four.
- Not sure? Start on a free plan. HubSpot's and FractionsCRM's both cost nothing to try with real work.
Questions people ask
Is there a free CRM for fractional consultants?
Yes, two of the four have one. HubSpot's free plan covers up to 2 users. FractionsCRM starts with 14 days of the full product, then keeps one active client and up to 10 organizations free for as long as you like. Pipedrive and Salesforce offer free trials rather than a free plan.
Why does FractionsCRM cost more than HubSpot Starter?
Because it includes the jobs most consultants pay for separately: finding organizations showing signs they need what you do, working out what the work is worth before you pitch, and turning your revenue target into what to do each week. Compared with a CRM plus those tools, it costs less.
Can I pay monthly?
It depends on the plan. HubSpot Starter and Salesforce Starter can be paid monthly. Pipedrive's published prices are for yearly billing. Salesforce Pro Suite needs an annual contract. FractionsCRM is monthly, and you can cancel whenever you like.
Are these prices before tax?
Yes. Every price here is before tax. FractionsCRM is $140 / £100 a month plus VAT.
Sources
Checked on 25 October 2026 unless stated. We recheck these prices regularly; if you spot one that has changed, tell us at hello@fractionscrm.com.
- HubSpot Sales Hub pricing (US prices checked 24 October 2026; UK offer seen 25 October 2026)
- Pipedrive pricing
- Salesforce small business pricing
- LinkedIn Sales Navigator cost explained (Valley, updated 31 August 2026)
HubSpot, Pipedrive, Salesforce, LinkedIn and Sales Navigator are trademarks of their owners.