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Customer Support · head to head

Front vs Zoho CRM

Front logo

Front

Customer Support

Where teams collaborate on customer communication

From
$25/month
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite
Zoho CRM logo

Zoho CRM

CRM

The world's favorite CRM

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Zoho CRM has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Front starter tier limited to single-channel support; omnichannel support requires Professional tier; Zoho CRM free tier limited to 3 users only
  • They diverge on capability: Front covers Shared inbox, Zoho CRM covers Lead management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Front and Zoho CRM differ
AttributeFrontZoho CRM
Starting price$25/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsCloud-based SaaSWeb, Ios, Android, Api
CategoryCustomer SupportCRM
Founded20131996

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

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 Front

  • Shared inbox
  • Email collaboration
  • Omnichannel messaging
  • Workflows
  • Integrations
  • Salesforce
  • HubSpot
  • Asana

Only in Zoho CRM

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

Both cover

  • Analytics
  • Slack
  • SOC2
  • GDPR

What people use each for

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

Front

  • Omnichannel customer supportnot Zoho CRM
  • AI-powered helpdesk automationnot Zoho CRM
  • Team collaboration on support ticketsnot Zoho CRM

Zoho CRM

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

Where each one falls short

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

Front

  • Starter tier limited to single-channel support; omnichannel support requires Professional tier
  • AI Copilot, Smart QA, and Smart CSAT are included only in Enterprise tier ($105/seat/month); available as add-ons at higher cost in lower tiers
  • Starter tier limited to 10 automation rules; Professional tier allows 20; unlimited rules only in Enterprise
  • Advanced analytics excluded from Starter tier

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

Front

$25/month
  • Starter$25/month
    • Up to 10 seats
    • Shared inbox and ticketing
    • AI Topics and up to 10 automation rules
  • Professional$65/month
    • Up to 50 seats
    • Omnichannel support (email, SMS, social)
    • Macros and up to 20 automation rules
  • Enterprise$105/month
    • Unlimited seats
    • Smart rules and unlimited macros
    • Multi-language knowledge base

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 Front if

  • You need shared inbox.
  • You work on Cloud-based SaaS.
  • You also want email collaboration.
Front 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 Front or Zoho CRM better?
Neither clearly leads. Front starts at $25/month and Zoho CRM at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Front or Zoho CRM?
Zoho CRM has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $25/month for Front and Free for Zoho CRM.
Does Front or Zoho CRM run on more platforms?
Front runs on Cloud-based SaaS. 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. Front starts at $25/month.
What is Front best used for?
Front is most often used for omnichannel customer support, ai-powered helpdesk automation, team collaboration on support tickets. Of those, omnichannel customer support and ai-powered helpdesk automation are not what Zoho CRM is typically brought in for.
What can Front do that Zoho CRM cannot?
Front covers Shared inbox, Email collaboration, Omnichannel messaging, Workflows. Zoho CRM covers Lead management, Deal tracking, Contact management, Sales automation. Both handle Analytics, Slack, SOC2, GDPR.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Front: How much does Front's Starter plan cost per seat?

Starter plan is $25 per seat per month for up to 10 seats, with 14-day free trial and no credit card required.

Source
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
Front: Does Enterprise include AI features?

Yes, Enterprise at $105 per seat per month includes AI Copilot, Smart QA, and Smart CSAT at no additional cost.

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
Front: What is the seat limit for Professional?

Professional plan supports up to 50 seats at $65 per seat per 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
Front: Are there additional AI add-ons available?

Yes, Autopilot starts at $0.05 per conversation; Copilot, Smart QA, and other AI features range from $10-$20 per seat per month on lower tiers.

Source
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