The Bigin by Zoho CRM Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Bigin by Zoho CRM in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Bigin by Zoho CRM
The Insider’s Guide
Pipeline-based CRM from Zoho for small businesses
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among CRM tools, read from Bigin by Zoho CRM’s own pages.
Made by Zoho Corporation · checked Oct 5, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Bigin by Zoho CRM’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Bigin by Zoho CRM’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 5, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.8
GPA, above 40 of the 48 other CRM tools we grade
Bigin is Zoho's CRM for small businesses, built around pipelines that can track sales and other customer-facing processes. It includes workflow automation, built-in telephony, web forms, booking pages and mobile apps, and offers one-click data migration to Zoho CRM for teams that outgrow it. There is a free edition for a single user and three paid editions priced per user.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Bigin by Zoho CRM, taken from its own pages and our grades.
No store rating on record, and it's still a CRM: pipelines and stages to lay out, mailboxes to connect, automations to write.
- 1
Best for a first CRM for a small business
Bigin is Zoho's small CRM for businesses moving off spreadsheets: everything is a pipeline, with a built-in phone, web forms, booking pages and automations.
- 2
Paid plans start at $7 a month for each person
As its pricing page puts it: $7 per user / month, billed yearly ($9 billed monthly).
- 3
There is a free plan
Free edition for a single user: 1 pipeline, 500 records, 3 automations, built-in phone, a standard dashboard, 1 booking page, web forms and the mobile apps.
- 4
It runs on 4 platforms
Web, macOS, iOS and Android.
- 5
Team pipelines
Any customer-facing process, not only sales, can run as a pipeline with customizable stages. Paid editions allow 3 to 15 team pipelines, and connected pipelines follow a customer from one team's pipeline to the next.
- 6
Workflow automation
Workflows trigger actions instantly or on a schedule. The Free edition allows 3 automations, Express 30, Premier 50 and Bigin 360 100, with stage transition rules from Premier.
- 7
Built-in phone, email and WhatsApp
Calls can be made, received and recorded inside Bigin. Express adds integration with Gmail, Outlook and Zoho Mail, mass email with insights, and WhatsApp Business.
- 8
A 2.8 GPA, above 40 of 48
That is against the other CRM tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace Bigin by Zoho CRM you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Bigin by Zoho CRM at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $7 per user / month, billed yearly ($9 billed monthly)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- 15-day free trial, no credit card required; the account moves to the Free plan afterwards
- Runs on
- Web, macOS, iOS, Android
- Made by
- Zoho Corporation
- Category
- CRM Software
- Our grade
- 2.8 GPA, good
The report card
Best for a first CRM for a small business
Bigin is Zoho's small CRM for businesses moving off spreadsheets: everything is a pipeline, with a built-in phone, web forms, booking pages and automations. Paid plans start at $7 a user a month billed yearly. Free is one person, 1 pipeline and 500 records, records and custom fields are capped on every plan, AI starts at Premier, and 15 pipelines is the most you get before Zoho points you to Zoho CRM.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Express is $7 a user a month billed yearly, $9 monthly, where paid CRMs here start at $13 for the cheapest quarter and $24 in the middle. It carries 3 team pipelines, 50,000 records, 30 automations and mass email. The top edition, Bigin 360, is $18. |
| Free plan and trial | C | Free for good, but for a single user, with 1 pipeline, 500 records and 3 automations. You do get the built-in phone, a booking page, web forms and the phone apps. Five hundred records and one seat are caps a working business meets within weeks. |
| Features | C | Pipelines for any process, workflows, calls made and recorded in the app, email and WhatsApp Business, web forms, booking pages and payment links. It does the small-business CRM job, which is a smaller job: 15 pipelines at most, and one-click migration to Zoho CRM if you outgrow it. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record, and it's still a CRM: pipelines and stages to lay out, mailboxes to connect, automations to write. It's aimed at people coming off spreadsheets, so there are fewer of those decisions than in a full CRM. |
| Platforms and integrations | A | Web, a Mac app, and iPhone, iPad and Android apps. It connects to Gmail, Outlook, WhatsApp Business, Google Workspace, Teams, Zoom, Mailchimp and QuickBooks, and there's an API. Email and WhatsApp integration start on Express. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Bigin by Zoho CRM is for
- Fits if you're moving from spreadsheets to your first CRM
- Works for teams already on Zoho Books, Zoho Desk or other Zoho apps
Who it is not for
- Tight if you're staying free with a colleague, because the free edition is one user, 1 pipeline and 500 records
- Skip it if you need lots of custom fields, as Express allows 10 a module and the top plan 50
- Too light for big sales teams, which is why there's one-click migration to Zoho CRM
- Watch out: AI tools start at Premier and run on a monthly credit allowance
- Watch out: records are capped at 50,000 on Express and 100,000 on Premier, with add-ons for more
Good to know
Good for
- Small businesses moving from spreadsheets to a first CRM
- Solo users who can work within a free single-user plan
- Teams already using Zoho Books, Zoho Desk or other Zoho apps
Worth knowing
- The Free edition allows only 1 user, a single pipeline and 500 records.
- Records are capped by edition: 50,000 on Express, 100,000 on Premier and 1 million on Bigin 360, with add-ons for more.
- AI tools such as the writing assistant and record summaries start at Premier and draw on a monthly credit allowance.
- Custom fields are limited to 10 per module on Express, 25 on Premier and 50 on Bigin 360.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$7
A month to start, for each person. There is a free plan too
Bigin by Zoho CRM has a free plan. Paid plans start at $7 per user / month, billed yearly ($9 billed monthly).
You do get the built-in phone, a booking page, web forms and the phone apps.
Free
$0
Single user: 1 pipeline, 500 records, 3 automations, built-in phone, standard dashboard, 1 booking page and web forms.
Express
$7
per user / month, billed yearly ($9 billed monthly)
3 team pipelines, 50,000 records, 30 automations, email and WhatsApp Business integration, mass email and 10 custom fields per module.
Premier
$12
per user / month, billed yearly ($15 billed monthly)
5 team pipelines, 100,000 records, 50 advanced automations, multiple currencies and AI tools with 1,000 AI credits a month.
Bigin 360
$18
per user / month, billed yearly ($21 billed monthly)
15 team pipelines, 1 million records, 100 automation rules, 100 booking pages, 1,000 mass emails a day and 3,000 AI credits a month.
The free plan
Free edition for a single user: 1 pipeline, 500 records, 3 automations, built-in phone, a standard dashboard, 1 booking page, web forms and the mobile apps.
Trying it first
15-day free trial, no credit card required; the account moves to the Free plan afterwards
Read from bigin.com on Oct 5, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
Save up to 35% with yearly billing
Bigin's pricing page advertises savings of up to 35% for yearly billing. In US dollars Express is $7 per user a month billed yearly against $9 monthly, and Premier $12 against $15.
Stated on bigin.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
4
Places it runs: Web, macOS, iOS and Android
Pipeline-based CRM from Zoho for small businesses. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: public API, AI features, booking links, sales pipeline, workflow automation, forms, reports.
Web, a Mac app, and iPhone, iPad and Android apps.
- Team pipelines
- Any customer-facing process, not only sales, can run as a pipeline with customizable stages. Paid editions allow 3 to 15 team pipelines, and connected pipelines follow a customer from one team's pipeline to the next.
- Workflow automation
- Workflows trigger actions instantly or on a schedule. The Free edition allows 3 automations, Express 30, Premier 50 and Bigin 360 100, with stage transition rules from Premier.
- Built-in phone, email and WhatsApp
- Calls can be made, received and recorded inside Bigin. Express adds integration with Gmail, Outlook and Zoho Mail, mass email with insights, and WhatsApp Business.
- Forms, booking pages and payment links
- Web forms feed contacts and pipelines, booking pages let clients schedule meetings, and payment links collect money through gateways such as Stripe and PayPal.
- AI assistants
- From Premier, AI drafts emails, suggests replies, summarizes records and flags cross-sell and churn signals, drawing on 1,000 credits a month, or 3,000 on Bigin 360.
- Mobile and Mac apps
- Apps for iOS, iPadOS, Android and macOS manage customer records away from the desk, and a business card scanner fills in new contacts.
Where it runs
- Web
- macOS
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
- Gmail
- Outlook
- WhatsApp Business
- Google Workspace
- Microsoft Teams
- Zoom
- Mailchimp
- QuickBooks
Bigin by Zoho CRM is made by Zoho Corporation.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
40/48
Other CRM tools it is graded above
Bigin by Zoho CRM's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 40 of the 48 other CRM tools we grade, and level with 7.
It stands best on value for money (A, above 48 of 48) and worst on features (C, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $7 a month for each person, against a middle price of $24 for the category: 1 of the 46 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4, and no tool on the category's chart scores higher without costing more.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 49 CRM tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Bigin by Zoho CRM’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 48 of 48
- CFree plan and trialAbove 4 of 48
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 48
- CEase of useAbove 1 of 48
- APlatforms and integrationsAbove 42 of 48
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 47 CRM tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Bigin by Zoho CRM is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Bigin by Zoho CRM you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 2.8 is higher than 40 of the 48 other CRM tools we grade. It costs $84 a year.
What you could make
- Sales pipeline, forms and reports: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Connections to other products, each kept working as those products change.
- Booking pages that read and write other people's calendars and send the emails.
- Apps for macOS, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other.
- It is priced for each person, which means accounts and billing for a team.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
What this rests on. Bigin by Zoho CRM’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Zoho CRM, Pipedrive, Freshsales, Capsule CRM and Less Annoying CRM
The 5 tools Bigin by Zoho CRM is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.6GPA
Zoho CRM
Free plan · from $14/mo
Sales CRM with a free edition, process automation and Zia AI.
- Only Bigin by Zoho CRM lists a macOS app.
- Bigin by Zoho CRM also covers booking links, forms and reports.
- 2.2GPA
Pipedrive
Free trial · from $14/mo
Sales CRM organized around visual deal pipelines.
- Bigin by Zoho CRM has a free plan. Pipedrive does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Bigin by Zoho CRM lists a macOS app.
- Bigin by Zoho CRM also covers booking links, forms and reports.
- 2.8GPA
Freshsales
Free trial · from $9/mo
Sales CRM with built-in phone, email, chat and Freddy AI.
- Bigin by Zoho CRM has a free plan. Freshsales does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Bigin by Zoho CRM lists a macOS app.
- Bigin by Zoho CRM also covers booking links, forms and reports.
- 2.2GPA
Capsule CRM
Free plan · from $18/mo
Small-business CRM for contacts, sales pipelines and projects.
- Only Bigin by Zoho CRM lists a macOS app.
- Bigin by Zoho CRM also covers booking links and forms.
- Capsule CRM also covers tasks and kanban boards.
- 2.4GPA
Less Annoying CRM
Free trial · from $15/mo
Simple CRM for small businesses at one flat per-user price.
- Bigin by Zoho CRM has a free plan. Less Annoying CRM does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Bigin by Zoho CRM lists macOS, iOS and Android apps.
- Bigin by Zoho CRM also covers booking links and workflow automation.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
15
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Bigin by Zoho CRM free?
Bigin by Zoho CRM has a free plan. Free edition for a single user: 1 pipeline, 500 records, 3 automations, built-in phone, a standard dashboard, 1 booking page, web forms and the mobile apps.
How much does Bigin by Zoho CRM cost?
Bigin by Zoho CRM lists 4 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does Bigin by Zoho CRM work on?
Bigin by Zoho CRM is available on Web, macOS, iOS and Android.
Does Bigin by Zoho CRM offer any discounts?
Bigin by Zoho CRM publicly lists the following: Save up to 35% with yearly billing.
Does Bigin by Zoho CRM have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Bigin by Zoho CRM is listed for Web, macOS, iOS and Android.
Does Bigin by Zoho CRM have a Linux app?
No Linux app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Bigin by Zoho CRM is listed for Web, macOS, iOS and Android.
Is Bigin by Zoho CRM open source?
Bigin by Zoho CRM is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 5, 2026.
Does Bigin by Zoho CRM have an API?
Yes. Bigin by Zoho CRM offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does Bigin by Zoho CRM integrate with?
Bigin by Zoho CRM's listing names Gmail, Outlook, WhatsApp Business, Google Workspace, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Mailchimp and QuickBooks.
Does Bigin by Zoho CRM have a free trial?
Yes. 15-day free trial, no credit card required; the account moves to the Free plan afterwards.
Who makes Bigin by Zoho CRM?
Bigin by Zoho CRM is made by Zoho Corporation.
What are the alternatives to Bigin by Zoho CRM?
The closest alternatives to Bigin by Zoho CRM in our directory are Zoho CRM, Pipedrive, Freshsales, Capsule CRM and Less Annoying CRM.
How does Bigin by Zoho CRM compare with other CRM tools?
Bigin by Zoho CRM's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 40 of the 48 other CRM tools we grade, and level with 7.
Is Bigin by Zoho CRM good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Bigin by Zoho CRM A for value for money. Its paid plans start at $7 a month for each person, against a middle price of $24 for the category: 1 of the 46 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Bigin by Zoho CRM?
To replace Bigin by Zoho CRM you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Bigin by Zoho CRM’s own pages on Oct 5, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Bigin's own pages on 5 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-04-01.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Zoho Corporation. Prices change, so check bigin.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Bigin by Zoho CRM, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/bigin
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Bigin by Zoho CRM: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 5, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/bigin
Know someone choosing between CRM tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/bigin/guide
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See our other guides
The best-graded CRM tools after Bigin by Zoho CRM, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- CRM Software Insider's GuideEvery one of the 49 CRM tools we grade, compared
- HubSpot Insider's GuideFree CRM at the center of a marketing, sales and service suite3.2 GPA
- Bitrix24 Insider's GuideFlat-priced CRM with tasks, chat, video calls and a site builder2.8 GPA
- Freshsales Insider's GuideSales CRM with built-in phone, email, chat and Freddy AI2.8 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Bigin by Zoho CRM’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Bigin by Zoho CRM is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Zoho Corporation. Prices and plans change: check bigin.com before you buy.