Software · head to head
Folk vs Zoho CRM
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Folk no native mobile app, only works through mobile browser which is not optimized for phones; Zoho CRM free tier limited to 3 users only
- They diverge on capability: Folk covers Email tracking, Zoho CRM covers Lead management.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Folk and Zoho CRM actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Folk
- Email tracking
- Mail merge
- Chrome extension
- Tags & groups
- Notes & activities
- Import/export
- Search & filters
- Gmail
Only in Zoho CRM
- Lead management
- Deal tracking
- Sales automation
- Analytics
- Mobile CRM
- Email marketing
- AI assistant (Zia)
- G Suite
Both cover
- Contact management
- Zapier
- GDPR
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Folk
- Contact managementnot Zoho CRM
- Sales outreachnot Zoho CRM
- Networkingnot Zoho CRM
- Recruitmentnot Zoho CRM
- Investor relationsnot Zoho CRM
Zoho CRM
- Sales automationnot Folk
- Lead managementnot Folk
- Customer supportnot Folk
- Marketing automationnot Folk
- Analytics & reportingnot Folk
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Folk
- No native mobile app, only works through mobile browser which is not optimized for phones
- Limited workflow automation capabilities compared to enterprise CRMs
- No automatic phone call tracking, requires manual entry
- Limited reporting and analytics features
- Monthly caps on email sends and enrichment credits on lower tiers
- LinkedIn Chrome extension sometimes has synchronization problems
- Email sent through Folk sometimes doesn't appear as sent in user's Outlook account
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
Folk
Free- Standard$24/month
- Pipeline management
- Email campaigns
- Contact enrichment
- Premium$48/month
- Custom objects
- Email sequences
- Dashboards
- Enterprise$80/month
- Dedicated account manager
- Custom integrations
- Priority 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 Folk if
- You need email tracking.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want mail merge.
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.
Questions people ask
- Is Folk or Zoho CRM better?
- Neither clearly leads. Folk starts at Free and Zoho CRM at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Folk or Zoho CRM?
- Folk starts at Free and Zoho CRM at Free.
- Does Folk or Zoho CRM run on more platforms?
- Folk runs on Web. Zoho CRM runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
- Can I use Folk for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Folk best used for?
- Folk is most often used for contact management, sales outreach, networking, recruitment. Of those, contact management and sales outreach are not what Zoho CRM is typically brought in for.
- What can Folk do that Zoho CRM cannot?
- Folk covers Email tracking, Mail merge, Chrome extension, Tags & groups. Zoho CRM covers Lead management, Deal tracking, Sales automation, Analytics. Both handle Contact management, LinkedIn, Twitter, Zapier.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Folk: What are Folk's pricing plans?
Folk offers three plans: Standard at $24/month per member (billed annually), Premium at $48/month with custom objects and email sequences, and Enterprise from $80/month with advanced security and dedicated support. New workspaces get a 2-week free trial with all Premium features.
SourceZoho 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.
SourceFolk: Does Folk offer a mobile app?
Folk does not have native iOS or Android apps. The web interface technically works on mobile browsers but is built primarily for desktop use.
SourceZoho 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.
SourceFolk: Does Folk track phone calls automatically?
No, Folk does not automatically track phone calls. All call interactions must be manually entered into the system.
SourceZoho 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.
SourceFolk: What integrations does Folk support?
Folk supports over 5,000 integrations through platforms like Zapier and Make. It includes native email, calendar, and WhatsApp sync, LinkedIn extension, and can enrich contact data using its built-in enrichment tool.
Source