CRM Comparisons:
Capsule CRM VS popcorn CRM
A no-nonsense comparison for Small and Startup Businesses
Capsule CRM vs Popcorn CRM – Which is best for small UK businesses?
If you’re a small business owner or startup, choosing the right CRM can feel like a bit of a minefield. On paper, many CRMs seem quite similar—but once you dig into the features, pricing, and day-to-day usability, some clear differences begin to emerge.
In this guide, we’ll take a friendly, side-by-side look at Capsule CRM and Popcorn CRM—both UK-friendly systems designed to help small businesses grow. We’ll show you where each CRM shines, and help you decide which one is the best fit for your business.
Spoiler alert: there’s no “one-size-fits-all” winner—just the one that works best for you.
Meet the CRMs
Capsule CRM
Capsule CRM has been around since 2009 and has built a solid reputation for being a simple, cloud-based CRM aimed at small businesses and larger. It offers sales pipelines, contact management, deal management, project tracking and much more. It’s clean, professional, and focused on the essentials.
Popcorn CRM
Popcorn is a UK-built CRM designed specifically for small and startup businesses. It combines sales pipelines, lead management, Deal management and email marketing in one easy-to-use platform—whilst being simple to use and not overwhelming you with features you’ll never use. Popcorn focuses on doing the important things brilliantly and making your life simpler.
Capsule CRM vs Popcorn CRM: Feature Comparison Table
Here’s a closer look at how the two compare, feature by feature:
Feature
popcorn CRM
Capsule CRM
Dashboard
Built for small businesses
Yes – specifically built for UK small businesses
Yes, but also used by larger teams Ease of use
Designed to be used in under 15 minutes – no training needed
Clean interface, but setup can be time-consuming
Email marketing and website tracking
Built-in email marketing with automation and real-time website tracking
Requires third-party integration
Workflow automation
Simple automation built-in – no coding required Basic automation with paid add-ons Lead & contact management
Focused on small business workflows – with tagging, pipelines, and filters Strong contact management and pipelines Task reminders & follow-ups
Yes – with built-in reminders and follow-ups
Yes Landing pages & forms
Built-in forms and landing pages
Requires integration with third-party tools GDPR friendly
Yes – with consent tracking and unsubscribe management built in
Yes Learning curve
Minimal – up and running in minutes
Slightly steeper due to broader feature set Support
Real human support from the UK – phone, email, and live chat
Email support, live chat on higher plans Customisation
Custom fields, tagging, pipelines, and flexible automations Custom fields and pipelines Integration
Integrates with major tools (e.g. Outlook, Xero, FreeAgent, etc.) 50+ integrations via Zapier and native apps Pricing transparency
Simple, transparent pricing with everything included
Tiered pricing – core features require upgrades Cost for essential features
Simple plans with all essential features included – no hidden extras
Free plan limited – automation, email, and integrations cost extra What are the key differences?
Email Marketing Built In
Popcorn comes with email marketing tools built right in—so you can send campaigns, set up automations, and track opens/clicks without ever leaving your CRM. Capsule, on the other hand, relies on third-party integrations like Mailchimp, which adds cost and complexity.
Lead Visibility & GDPR Tracking
Popcorn automatically tracks when contacts open emails or visit your website, helping you spot hot leads without lifting a finger. It also includes built-in GDPR tools to keep your marketing compliant. Capsule doesn’t offer this natively.
Simplicity vs Customisation
Capsule offers more in-depth customisation and reporting, which can be great for larger teams or more technical users. Popcorn keeps things deliberately simple—so you can start using it with minimal setup and no need for a training manual.
Which CRM is right for you?
| Choose Capsule CRM if… | Choose Popcorn CRM if… |
|---|---|
| You want a clean, customisable CRM with sales-focused tools. | You want a simple CRM with Emil marketing, Sales Tracking, Deal management and website tracking |
| You’re happy to use (and pay for) third-party tools to run campaigns. | You’d prefer everything in one place—without extra costs or integrations. |
| You have a team that needs more advanced reporting. | You’re a solo user or small team (up to 15 users) who needs something simple that just works. |
Final thoughts
Both Capsule and Popcorn are solid CRMs with a lot to offer small businesses. Capsule is a good fit if you need a traditional CRM with solid customisation and don’t mind bolting on extra tools. Popcorn is ideal if you want a simpler, more focused platform that combines your sales and marketing in one simple to use place.
Still not sure? Why not take Popcorn for a spin—it only takes 15 minutes to get set up, and you’ll be up and running before the kettle’s even boiled. Get Started
What our customers say
Everything about popcorn is so simple yet effective. It’s exactly what we need!
