Softwr

Software · head to head

Airbase vs Zoho CRM

Airbase logo

Airbase

Software

The first all-in-one spend management platform

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zoho CRM logo

Zoho CRM

Software

The world's favorite CRM

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Zoho CRM has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Airbase airbase was acquired by Paylocity; its pricing page now redirects to paylocity.com/pricing and the product is marketed as 'Airbase, a Paylocity Company' within Paylocity's HCM platform rather than as a standalone product.; Zoho CRM free tier limited to 3 users only
  • They diverge on capability: Airbase covers Corporate cards, Zoho CRM covers Lead management.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Airbase and Zoho CRM actually diverge.

Attributes where Airbase and Zoho CRM differ
AttributeAirbaseZoho CRM
Starting price$29/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb, Ios, Android, Api
Founded20171996

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Airbase

  • Corporate cards
  • Bill payments
  • Expense management
  • Procurement
  • Approvals
  • NetSuite
  • Sage Intacct
  • Xero

Only in Zoho CRM

  • Lead management
  • Deal tracking
  • Contact management
  • Sales automation
  • Analytics
  • Mobile CRM
  • Email marketing
  • AI assistant (Zia)

Both cover

  • QuickBooks
  • Slack

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Airbase

  • Spend managementnot Zoho CRM
  • Expense reportingnot Zoho CRM
  • Vendor paymentsnot Zoho CRM

Zoho CRM

  • Sales automationnot Airbase
  • Lead managementnot Airbase
  • Customer supportnot Airbase
  • Marketing automationnot Airbase
  • Analytics & reportingnot Airbase

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Airbase

  • Airbase was acquired by Paylocity; its pricing page now redirects to paylocity.com/pricing and the product is marketed as 'Airbase, a Paylocity Company' within Paylocity's HCM platform rather than as a standalone product.

Zoho CRM

  • Free tier limited to 3 users only
  • Steep pricing when scaling beyond 10 users
  • Limited offline capabilities compared to some competitors
  • Setup and configuration can require significant customization

Pricing, plan by plan

Airbase

$29/month
  • StandardFree
    • Corporate cards
    • Expense reports
    • Bill pay
  • Premium$10/month
    • Advanced approvals
    • NetSuite sync
    • Procurement
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Custom workflows
    • API access
    • Dedicated support

Zoho CRM

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 3 users
    • Basic modules
    • Standard dashboards
  • Standard$14/month
    • Sales forecasting
    • Custom dashboards
    • Workflow automation
  • Professional$23/month
    • Inventory management
    • AI predictions
    • Advanced customization
  • Enterprise$40/month
    • Zia AI assistant
    • Multi-currency
    • Advanced analytics

Which should you pick?

Choose Airbase if

  • You need corporate cards.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want bill payments.
Airbase review

Choose Zoho CRM if

  • You need lead management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want deal tracking.
Zoho CRM review

Questions people ask

Is Airbase or Zoho CRM better?
Neither clearly leads. Airbase starts at $29/month and Zoho CRM at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Airbase or Zoho CRM?
Zoho CRM has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $29/month for Airbase and Free for Zoho CRM.
Does Airbase or Zoho CRM run on more platforms?
Airbase runs on Web, Ios, Android. Zoho CRM runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
Can I use Zoho CRM for free?
Yes. Zoho CRM has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Airbase starts at $29/month.
What is Airbase best used for?
Airbase is most often used for spend management, expense reporting, vendor payments. Of those, spend management and expense reporting are not what Zoho CRM is typically brought in for.
What can Airbase do that Zoho CRM cannot?
Airbase covers Corporate cards, Bill payments, Expense management, Procurement. Zoho CRM covers Lead management, Deal tracking, Contact management, Sales automation. Both handle QuickBooks, Slack.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Zoho CRM: Does Zoho CRM have a free tier?

Yes. Zoho CRM offers a free plan for up to 3 users that includes core CRM functionality like lead, contact, and account management, basic workflow automation, and customizable dashboards.

Source
Zoho CRM: What does Zoho CRM cost for a paid plan?

Zoho CRM pricing ranges from $14 per user per month for the Standard plan up to $52 per user per month for the Ultimate plan when billed annually. Most sales teams use the Professional plan around $23/user/month or Enterprise at $40/user/month.

Source
Zoho CRM: Is Zoho CRM independent or owned by another company?

Zoho CRM is part of Zoho Corporation, which is independent and bootstrapped. The parent company was founded in 1996 as AdventNet, rebranded to Zoho in 2009, and has never accepted external venture funding.

Source
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on Airbase

More on Zoho CRM

Keep looking

Other head to heads