5 Best CRM for Education

So you want answers, and you want em’ fast. Here they are:


Quick links for the Best CRM Software

1) Best Overall 🏆

Monday.com

Customize your workflows to track all aspects of the sales cycle, from lead gen to post-sale support.

Read Review

2) Good Plugins🥈

Hubspot

Hubspot is the undisputed king of full-stack marketing software. With solid CRM features.

Read Review

3) Most Features 🥉

PipeDrive

A sales-focused CRM that uses AI to automate repetitive tasks and manage leads and sales.

Read Review


So, you are in the market for a CRM that suits education.

Ideal, because in this article we have our compilation list for our top picks, and we compare the features and pricing for you. 

If you just want the best choice, we’ve added that right at the top of the article as this was what is most requested by our customers. So, that’ll be the “can’t go wrong” option. 

Otherwise, feel free to explore all the options we’ve reviewed on the market to find something that might fit you a little better.

Enjoy the list!

What CRM would you recommend?

In short, It’s Monday.com CRM

It’s very well rounded, well priced, feature-rich with a large community of support and a very top-notch set of tutorials for every use case. You can’t go wrong with Monday.com. It’s the software we use with our clients at our ad agency.

“🚀Try Monday.com CRM For Free, It’s my favorite webinar software to use and recommend.” -Scott Max

Monday.com is a user-friendly CRM platform that provides advanced solutions with its robust marketing tools. It allows larger companies with complex workflows to perform efficiently and produce nifty results. Monday.com has you covered for your: Service, Sales, CMS, Operations, and Marketing needs.

For more details, read our Monday.com Review.

The Best CRM specifically for Education

As an educational institute, you regularly have to deal with an inflow of applications, process them based on set parameters and inform the applicants regarding their selection status. A CRM that allows you to process documentation, send personalized messages and create templates will be the perfect fit for this category. Have a look at the products below to choose the best CRM for Education:

1. Creatio

Creatio is defined as a tool that allows the management of each client, in a particular way, at each stage of the life cycle. From the initial origin or lead, through the moment the sale is generated and up to the after-sales service. It has a simple, friendly and responsive interface that, at a glance, allows the particular situation of each client to be conceptualised. In addition, it allows the processes between marketing, sales and customer service to be connected.

Get Started with Creatio🔥

Creatio Features

Creatio is designed; for businesses looking to expedite their sales and marketing services. It enables a seamless transition to the CRM and requires no coding while also providing a marketplace where users can avail templates and relevant applications. You can orchestrate customer journeys with Creatio and maximize the ROI by marketing your product to the right audience.

Here are some central features offered by Creatio:

  • Marketing Plans: It is the hub of all your marketing strategies throughout the years, where you can access each activity, schedule meetings, and sort data. You can create new entries or update the older ones to meet your current requirements. You can also set access permission and distribute the workload among the organization effectively.
  • Website event tracking: Creatio lets you track specific user actions on your website; to help you know the customer preferences and structure your marketing tactics accordingly. You can add commands to remind the customer about the cart items and nurture them towards a potential purchase. You have to enter the unique tracking code into your website’s source code and set the guidelines to get started.
  • Case appraisal: Here, you can access all customer-related queries, assign cases to employees, and import new data from your system. You can access each inquiry to see the relevant details and progress, add new attachments or escalate the incident to a higher authority. It allows you to satisfy the customer by providing a quick resolution.
  • Service Changes assessment: Creatio gives you access to all the recent changes made in the interface and the system. You can see who assigned the work to whom and add notes to inform the responsible entity about the nature of the task. Moreover, you can also sort these changes according to the execution time and priority level.
  • Knowledge base: It is the perfect place for your employees to find educational material regarding the company’s working process, plus add new relevant content for other users. As an administrator, you can set access rights and tag the articles to make them easily discoverable.
  • Sales homepage: Here, you get an in-depth analysis of the sales process and recent negotiation activities. You can see how many leads have been; converted or lost and formulate a plan to close more opportunities. Moreover, you can access the sales pipeline through the homepage and group the leads according to the phases.

Creatio Pricing

Creatio allows you to customize the plan, so you only pay for the services you require. There are three tools available in Creatio: Marketing, Sales, and Service. To get a quote, Fill in the relevant details. You also have to add a “Support package” to get technical assistance from the Creatio team. You can opt for a “Basic”, “Business”, or “Premium” plan, which cost 5%, 12%, and 20% of the subscription package, respectively.

2. FreshSales

FreshSales currently has more than 10,000 satisfied customers with its refreshing interface, which offers – at a glance – everything needed on the customer flow. You will be able to have information about conversations with customers, agreements, tasks and scheduled appointments with them, as well as find out how they have interacted with the website and the product, among many other functions. In addition, it allows you to control potential customers to know when it is the key moment to impact them.

Get Started with FreshSales🔥

Freshsales Features

Freshsales provides a modern-day sale engagement solution to users that want to expand their business and maximize their marketing efforts. Managing leads takes up a lot of effort and hours of scouring through various sources, but Freshsales eases that with a smooth transition of Incoming leads onto the next phase.

Here are some dedicated features of Freshsales:

  • Marketing Automation: Freshsales lets you set conditions to see desired customer leads and automate the marketing tasks for prompt communication. Moreover, you can create alerts for the sales team whenever there is progress in negotiations or; the clients respond positively to marketing activity. You can set up chatbots to deal with incoming inquiries and reach out to the client via Whatsapp, Gmail or other network sources with Marketing automation.
  • Deals Management: Freshsales lets you manage and visualize the sales process to convert potential leads into permanent clients. You can prioritize leads that are most likely to come to fruition and analyze the conversion rate to forecast sales for similar deals in the future. 
  • Workflow automation: Sales process involves many repetitive tasks that are essential to the working of the company. Workflow automation handles routine operations to reduce manual dependency and boosts sales efficiency by breaking complex processes into simple ones.
  • Cloud Telephony: Calling is a vital part of the sales process: to update clients about the latest advancements and offers regarding new products. With Freshsales, users can get over 90 virtual phone numbers for employees: to connect with the customers over the computer. You can create notes and record a conversation to provide full context and reassign a task without any problem.
  • Freddy AI: Freshsales identifies leads and organizes them to make sales tasks easier. You can set up instructions, and Freddy AI will cohere to them while processing client information. It provides you insight into the likelihood of closing the lead; so you know what the next step should be and approach the opportunity effortlessly.
  • Product CPQ: You can maintain an updated product catalog on Freshscales to give clients and the sales team a reference about intrinsic features along with pricing details. Moreover, you can track individual unit sales and see which products are in demand and what audience you should target.

Freshsales Pricing

Freshsales has 4 pricing options available for businesses looking to expand their sales through CRM. The “Free” version provides basic management services free of cost. The “Growth” plan is a CRM tool with automation that can boost your sales and prevent respective tasks; It is priced at ₹999/user if billed annually. The “Pro” subscription will help you customize the tools to your liking and increase sales revenue; It costs ₹2799/user if billed annually. The “Enterprise” plan gives you the AI forecasting to know the shortcomings and modify the strategy accordingly; It is priced at ₹4999/user if billed annually.

3. Salesforce

Another tool to highlight is Salesforce, quite similar in the mechanics of employment to Pipedrive, is one of the most popular CRM programs, despite having a paid subscription, recommended for large companies but not so much for entrepreneurs or SMEs. It is a program that adapts perfectly to the size of your company, with a great usability adaptable to any device and with the possibility of using it anywhere you have a network.

Get Started with Salesforce🔥

Salesforce Features

Salesforce is a sales, marketing, and collaboration powerhouse that lets users accomplish business tasks and share ideas smartly. It was launched: in 1999 with the idea of helping organizations build long-lasting relationships with clients and providing a seamless transition to CRM software. Salesforce has since established itself as one of the most sought-after CRM tools due to its constant strive for innovation and philanthropic values.

Here are some features offered by Salesforce that can affect your business experience positively:

  • Industry-focused services: Salesforce provides tailor-made CRM services for every business, irrespective of its niche or size. It is a multi-feature platform that allows every industry to benefit from its wide range of tools. Users can select their line of business to get recommendations on services or customize their own CRM plan.
  • Salesforce Sustainability Cloud: Salesforce enables the inflow of your entire business data on a single platform, making it easier to accurately analyze your carbon footprint. In today’s age, when environmental awareness is more significant than ever, Salesforce Sustainability cloud lets you conceive a detailed plan to limit carbon emissions and provide a detailed report to the energy regulatory authorities.
  • Slack Collaboration: Salesforce recently acquired Slack, and users can now integrate both platforms for secured communication and collaboration purposes. Slack has a unique interface that allows users to create distinct workflows for each task and automated responses to keep clients engaged till you assign a customer representative. Moreover, it brings different subsections of a business together and facilitates sharing of ideas.
  • Workplace Command Centre: Salesforce tracks employee health and ensures their well-being during the pandemic; by carefully managing work hours. It builds a strong community where your company’s employees can connect with each other and resolve issues while you can dispatch resources faster.
  • Lightning Platform: Salesforce provides an app development platform with the latest technologies like blockchain and AI. Users can handle every aspect of the process and customize a mobile application that empowers the company’s ecosystem. It’s an unequaled innovative experience that streamlines IT-related tasks and lets anyone contribute towards app development.
  • AppExchange: Salesforce has an inbuilt marketplace where users can integrate the additional application to get a more customized experience. It amplifies your sales experience and browsing through several applications while using external tools within a unified platform for business purposes.

Salesforce Pricing

Salesforce has a multifunctional ecosystem where you can add services based on your requirements.

Sales Cloud’s “Essentials” plan is priced: at $25/month/user, “Professional” plan is priced at $75/month/user, “Enterprise” plan costs $150/month/user and “Unlimited” plan is worth $300/month/user.

Small businesses can get a generalized subscription to enjoy Salesforce and choose from the following packages:

The “Essentials” plan is priced: at $25/month/user and can be used; by up to 10 users.

The “Sales Professional” subscription is priced: at $75/month/user.

The “Service Professional” plan is priced: at $75/month/user.

The “Pardot Growth” plan is priced at $1250/month/user and offers automation capabilities for every business.

4. Bitrix24

Bitrix24 is a free CRM full of customer management tools, support and marketing automation features. Available in the cloud and locally, for mobile devices and desktops. Includes all essential tools: sales funnels, channel management, sales reporting, 360 degree customer view, repeat sales support and sales automation.

In addition, it comes with dozens of available integrations, and you can also create your own applications using its REST API.

Get Started with Bitrix24🔥

Bitrix24 Features

In the corporate world, most of the marketing-related work is done collectively, and using different software for each task can be costly as well as inefficient. Bitrix24 offers all necessary tools for businesses within a single platform and makes it easier to collaborate with your team members. Bitrix24 has its virtual ecosystem where you can tackle every task with ease on an interface.

 Here are some exclusive features of Bitrix24:

  • Activity stream: It is the most happening place inside the Bitrix24 and is a perfect tool for communicating the project details with your employees. Think of it as a social media platform; where you can post project updates, create polls, follow relevant tags, and comment on posts.
  • Virtual workspace: It is a great collaborative tool that helps you connect with the employees through video conferencing. Each call can have up to 48 members, and you can invite participants who don’t use Bitrix24. Moreover, you can track each employee’s work hours and progress through a Virtual workspace.
  • Project Management: Bitrix24 offers the ability to create workgroups based on projects and assign tasks in several ways. You can approach each project differently, sort them according to the deadlines, and cumulate reports.
  • Bitrix24.Drive: You can use the virtual drive inside the Bitrix24 to keep all your business-related files organized inside the system. Moreover, you can decide who gets access to each file and create new documents.
  • CRM Space: It is your one-stop for all sales and marketing-related activities. You can customize the existing process templates or create a new one with the “Smart Process automation” without programming. CRM Space is designed: specifically to help you organize leads and lucidly automate processes.
  • Sales Intelligence: Here, you can manage the traffic sources and see the ROI for each platform. It’s a perfect tool to assess your marketing strategy and see which sources generate more traffic. Users can connect their business website and get information on every lead through Sales Intelligence.
  • Bitrix24.Sites: Bitrix24 has an inbuilt website creation tool that is easy to access and offers several templates to choose from. You can browse through the layouts according to your business niche or use an empty template to design a website from scratch.
  • Marketing Campaigns: Bitrix24 allows you to target a specific audience through social media, Phone and E-mail. CRM marketing tool will identify genuine clients and help you connect with potential customers.

Bitrix24 Pricing

Bitrix24 currently offers 4 pricing options for users interested in getting the most out of CRM services.

The “Free” plan is best for the new users who want to get accustomed to CRM software and costs absolutely nothing.

 The “Basic” plan is priced at €49/month and offers customer support service along with some simple collaboration tools. 

The “Standard” plan offers advanced collaboration tools and an increase in user capacity. It is priced: at €99/month.

The “Professional” plan is worth €199/month and unlocks all features of Bitrix24. You can add unlimited users, which makes it suitable for established businesses.

5. DataCRM

DataCRM is one more of the recommended software because it allows, in an easy and simple way, to track in real time all the businesses, prioritizing activities with the help of colours and establishing workflows. In addition, it allows you to adapt to business processes and define metrics and progress indicators, as well as obtain detailed reports on performance. It has 24/7 online support and can be used from anywhere in the world.

Get Started with DataCRM🔥

DataCRM Features

DataCRM helps users to define acquisition, sales, and customer service processes that rationalize business operations. It’s a great tool to obtain quick results and maximize the efficacy of marketing campaigns. Businesses can record each task within DataCRM and sort pending activities according to the priority. It mitigates the risk of missing out on crucial conferences or business events and keeps you updated with any recent changes in the schedule.

Here’s a list of features that DataCRM offers:

  • Managerial indicators: It is like an analysis hub inside DataCRM where you get a broader vision of what is happening commercially. You can get daily work reports of each sales rep, set reminders about future tasks, and define parameters to entertain selective solutions.
  • Sales statistics: DataCRM has set up the most common sales procedures that a business goes through; while converting a lead. You can modify these junctures according to your firm’s unique requirements and group leads in similar negotiation stages. Moreover, you can also observe the commercial evaluation of each opportunity and approach it suitably.
  • Sales rep metrics: It gives you the desired information regarding the sales rep allowing you to assign them the task accordingly. You can tune the indicators to find out the productivity of each sales rep and assess whether they have achieved the targets. It also provides data about sales leads created or lost: making it a promising tool for management-related activities.
  • Email templates: DataCRM allows you to prepare Email templates that assist in relaying new offers to the clients deftly. Each template will be stored and available for future use. You can change the intrinsic details and reuse relevant templates to save time and effort.
  • Lead modules: DataCRM allows you to access specific leads from the pipeline and add pertinent attachments. It gives the sales rep an idea about how to approach the deal and makes it easier for you to reassign a task. You can add documents of the case file to make every information accessible for trainees or new employees.

DataCRM Pricing

DataCRM offers 2 pricing options to utilize the CRM services. Also, the total cost depends on the number of users you have, with the minimum amount being 3. The “Basic” plan comes with limitations in the number of custom reports you can create, automatic tasks you can assign, storage space, and does not have an API for developers, whereas the “Pro” plan offers all available features wi

Why use a CRM at all?

As an organization, you have to maintain efficient communication with members, staff and clients. You cannot afford to lose a lead due to miscommunication or lack of detail. CRM assists your customer representatives to effortlessly engage with prospects and provides your employees with a platform to collaborate on projects.

With a CRM, your operations will proceed smoothly, and the workload of your employees will be significantly reduced. You can run directed marketing campaigns and generate more leads by integrating social media or email accounts into the CRM.

Why should Educational institutes use a CRM?

In previous generations, Admission offices had very transactional technology. However, now you have to engage with prospective and current students while understanding when and how to reach them. Being able to put in tools, knowledge and details in the hands of the admissions counsellor helps them to manage the data efficiently.

Having a CRM is critical for every institute, irrespective of its size. You can no longer depend on manually handling all tasks with the increase in the number of applicants. CRM adoption allows you to get a 360⁰ view of operations and approach each prospect. You can get financial insights, boost engagements on social media by creating unique campaigns and using templates to communicate with students.

Education has become very inefficient primarily because of several systems being used: on campus along with silos that are set up; between departments. A CRM solution can help an institution break down those silos and have all the data in one place. 

CRM allows you to store prospective student data in the system. You no longer have to collect prospect cards and gather data individually from several sources. CRM automatically processes data and makes it available for future use, reducing the work of your employees.

CRM for Educational institutes, A Summary

Educational institutions can simplify their departmental operations by incorporating CRM technology. It allows them to engage with students and create workflows or automation. CRM is a must for every institute looking to ease information transfer and data management.

Creatio offers a customized platform for educational institutes to engage with prospects, create templates and manage data efficiently. It is our suggested pick for a CRM that suits Educational institutes. Visit the website to get started.