Softwr

Project Management · head to head

Podio vs Zoho CRM

Podio logo

Podio

Project Management

The flexible team collaboration platform

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zoho CRM logo

Zoho CRM

All industries

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: Podio the free plan stops at 5 users and 100 items across the whole organisation; Zoho CRM free tier limited to 3 users only
  • They diverge on capability: Podio covers Workspaces, Zoho CRM covers Lead management.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Podio and Zoho CRM differ
AttributePodioZoho CRM
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb, Ios, Android, Api
CategoryProject ManagementAll industries
Founded20091996

Identical on both: 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 Podio

  • Workspaces
  • Apps
  • Workflows
  • Tasks
  • Calendar
  • Google Drive
  • Dropbox
  • SSL

Only in Zoho CRM

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

Both cover

  • Slack
  • Zapier
  • GDPR

What people use each for

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

Podio

  • Building custom workspaces and apps without codenot Zoho CRM
  • Project and task management for a small teamnot Zoho CRM
  • Client collaboration with external users on the paid plansnot Zoho CRM
  • Simple workflow automation between appsnot Zoho CRM

Zoho CRM

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

Where each one falls short

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

Podio

  • The free plan stops at 5 users and 100 items across the whole organisation
  • Workflow automation is capped at 25,000 actions a month even on Premium at $19.20 per user
  • API access is a paid add-on from $23 a month, and higher call rates run to $159
  • Extra automation is billed separately, from $39 up to $559 a month
  • Visual reports, email integrations and PDF generation all require Premium

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

Podio

On request
  • FreeFree
    • 5 employees
    • Basic features
  • Basic$7.2/month
    • Unlimited employees
    • User management
    • Automations

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 Podio if

  • You need workspaces.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want apps.
Podio 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 Podio or Zoho CRM better?
Neither clearly leads. Podio starts at On request and Zoho CRM at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Podio or Zoho CRM?
Zoho CRM has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Podio and Free for Zoho CRM.
Does Podio or Zoho CRM run on more platforms?
Podio 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. Podio starts at On request.
What is Podio best used for?
Podio is most often used for building custom workspaces and apps without code, project and task management for a small team, client collaboration with external users on the paid plans, simple workflow automation between apps. Of those, building custom workspaces and apps without code and project and task management for a small team are not what Zoho CRM is typically brought in for.
What can Podio do that Zoho CRM cannot?
Podio covers Workspaces, Apps, Workflows, Tasks. Zoho CRM covers Lead management, Deal tracking, Contact management, Sales automation. Both handle Slack, Zapier, GDPR.

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
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