CRM Comparisons:
Freshsales CRM VS popcorn CRM
A no-nonsense comparison for Small and Startup Businesses
Freshsales CRM vs Popcorn CRM
Which CRM is better for small and startup businesses in the UK?
Choosing the right CRM can feel a bit like trying to pick your favourite biscuit in a very large tin. They might all do similar things, but which one will actually hit the spot for your business?
Here, we’re comparing Freshsales CRM with Popcorn CRM to help small businesses and startups in the UK make an informed, confident decision. No jargon. No waffle. Just the facts – with a little plain-English personality thrown in for good measure.
Two different takes on CRM
Freshsales is part of the broader Freshworks suite – a powerful set of tools aimed at sales and customer service teams. While it’s packed with features, some of those can feel more suited to larger, more complex organisations.
Popcorn, on the other hand, is designed specifically for UK-based small businesses. It keeps things simple by bringing together your leads, email marketing, automation and pipeline in one place – without the faff or the learning curve.
A simple comparison – Feature by Feature
Let’s take a look at how Freshsales CRM and Popcorn CRM compare when it comes to features that really matter to small businesses.
Feature
popcorn CRM
Freshsales CRM
Dashboard
Built for small businesses
Specifically designed for UK small businesses and startups 
Geared more towards scaling and enterprise-level businesses
Ease of use
Simple, intuitive, and ready to go in 15 minutes Feature-rich but can be complex to navigate
Email marketing tools
Fully integrated with automated tracking and tagging Limited email tools unless paired with Freshmarketer
Workflow automation
Easy-to-build automation flows designed for small teams Advanced workflows (may require setup support) Lead & contact management
Everything in one view with tagging and segmentation Advanced lead scoring and segmentation tools Task reminders & follow-ups
Built-in follow-up reminders and to-do lists Included, but buried in more complex menus
Sales pipeline management
Drag-and-drop pipeline built for clarity and speed Highly customisable pipelines
Landing pages & forms
Custom forms with automatic tagging Only available via third-party integrations
GDPR friendly
Built-in GDPR tools and UK-compliant GDPR tools available, but need manual setup
Learning curve
Learn the basics in under 30 minutes Steeper learning curve with onboarding needed Support
Speak to a real human, fast Priority support on higher plans only
Customisation
Custom fields, tags, filters and pipeline stages Extensive customisation options
Pricing transparency
One simple, clear price – no surprises Multiple tiers and add-ons can get pricey
Integration
Integrates with email, Accounts software and Zapier Wide range of integrations across Freshworks apps
Cost for essential features
All-in-one: email, CRM, tracking & automation. Essentials spread across multiple paid tiers So, which one’s right for you?
If you’re a small or startup business in the UK looking for a CRM that gives you everything you need – without needing a full-time manager to run it – Popcorn CRM might just be your best fit. It keeps things simple, clear, and focused on what helps you convert leads into sales.
Freshsales CRM is powerful, no doubt – but its range of features might be more than what a small business actually needs (or wants to pay for).
Want to see how Popcorn CRM works?
Book a free demo and see for yourself how simple it can be to manage your leads, follow-ups, emails, and pipeline – all from one screen.
Book a free demo and get a feel for how Popcorn works in under 15 minutes.
What our customers say
Everything about popcorn is so simple yet effective. It’s exactly what we need!
