Choosing the wrong CRM costs real estate agents more than money — it costs deals. A tool that doesn't fit your workflow means leads slip through, follow-ups get skipped, and you're spending more time managing software than managing relationships.
We tested every major CRM built for real estate, looking at lead capture, automation depth, ease of use, mobile experience and value for money. Here's what we found.
Quick comparison: all 6 CRMs at a glance
| CRM | Starting price | Free plan | RE-specific | Automation | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Follow Up BossTop pick | $69/mo | ✗ | ✓ | ✓✓ | High-volume agents |
| HubSpot CRM | Free | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | Solo agents / starters |
| Wise Agent | $49/mo | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | Budget-conscious agents |
| LionDesk | $39/mo | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | Video email & SMS |
| kvCORE | Custom | ✗ | ✓ | ✓✓ | Teams & brokerages |
| Pipedrive | $14/mo | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | Pipeline-focused agents |
1. Follow Up Boss
Follow Up Boss is the gold standard for real estate CRMs. It connects with 200+ lead sources including Zillow, Realtor.com and your website, automatically routes leads to agents, and fires off instant follow-up sequences. The interface is clean, the mobile app is excellent, and the reporting actually tells you what's working.
- Pros
- 200+ lead source integrations
- Instant lead routing and alerts
- Excellent mobile app
- Built-in calling and texting
- Works great with Make.com
- Cons
- No free plan
- Can feel complex at first
- Website not included
If you're serious about real estate and handling any meaningful volume of leads, Follow Up Boss is worth every penny. The 14-day free trial is enough to see whether it fits your workflow before committing.
2. HubSpot CRM
HubSpot CRM is the most powerful free CRM on the market. It handles contacts, deals, email tracking and basic automation without charging a cent. For a solo agent getting started, it's an excellent foundation. The downside: it's not built for real estate, so you'll need to set up custom properties and workflows manually.
- Pros
- Genuinely free forever plan
- Best-in-class email tracking
- Easy to use and learn
- Great reporting on free tier
- 30% affiliate commission
- Cons
- Not real estate-specific
- No Zillow/MLS integration
- Paid tiers get expensive fast
3. Wise Agent
Wise Agent punches well above its price point. For $49/month you get contact management, transaction management, drip campaigns, a landing page builder and 24/7 phone support. It's real estate-specific and covers the basics extremely well. If budget is your main concern, this is the one.
- Pros
- Real estate-specific features
- Flat $49/mo — no user limits
- Transaction management included
- 24/7 phone support
- Cons
- Dated interface
- Weaker automation than FUB
- No free plan
4. LionDesk
LionDesk stands out for its video email feature — you can record and send personalized video messages directly from the CRM. Combined with built-in texting and an AI assistant that can respond to leads automatically, it's a solid choice for agents who want to stand out in a crowded market.
- Pros
- Native video email feature
- AI assistant for lead follow-up
- Built-in texting (bulk SMS)
- Affordable entry price
- Cons
- Interface needs updating
- Limited reporting
- Fewer integrations than FUB
5. kvCORE
kvCORE is the heavyweight for teams and brokerages. It includes a lead-generating IDX website, smart CRM, marketing autopilot, and team management tools all under one roof. The pricing is custom (typically $500–1,500/month for teams) but for a brokerage of 10+ agents, it often replaces 3–4 separate tools.
- Pros
- IDX website included
- Advanced team management
- AI-powered lead nurturing
- Replaces multiple tools
- Cons
- Expensive for solo agents
- Steep learning curve
- Requires demo to get pricing
6. Pipedrive
Pipedrive is a general sales CRM that many real estate agents adapt for their workflow. Its visual Kanban pipeline is excellent for tracking deals stage by stage — from first contact to closing. It's not real estate-specific, but its simplicity and low price make it worth considering for agents who hate complexity.
- Pros
- Very affordable ($14/mo)
- Excellent visual pipeline
- Easy to learn and use
- Great Make.com integration
- Cons
- Not real estate-specific
- No MLS or Zillow integration
- Basic automation on low tiers
Whatever CRM you choose, connecting it to Make.com transforms it into a fully automated lead machine. New Zillow lead → CRM entry → instant email → scheduled follow-up call. All automatic, all in 15 minutes to set up.
Try Make.com free →Frequently asked questions
What is the best CRM for real estate agents?
Follow Up Boss is the best overall CRM for real estate agents who handle a meaningful volume of leads. It has 200+ integrations, excellent automation and the best mobile app in the space. HubSpot CRM is the best free option for agents starting out.
Is HubSpot good for real estate?
HubSpot CRM works well for real estate agents, especially solo agents and small teams on a budget. The free plan covers contact management, email tracking and basic deal pipelines. The main limitation is the lack of real estate-specific integrations like Zillow and MLS connections.
How much does a real estate CRM cost?
Real estate CRMs range from free (HubSpot) to $500+/month for enterprise platforms like kvCORE. Most individual agents spend between $39 and $150/month. Wise Agent at $49/month and Follow Up Boss at $69/month are the most popular paid options.
Can I automate my CRM with Make.com?
Yes. Make.com connects to Follow Up Boss, HubSpot, Pipedrive and most major CRMs. You can automate lead capture from any source, trigger follow-up sequences, and sync data between tools — all without writing a single line of code.
What CRM do top real estate agents use?
Top-producing agents most commonly use Follow Up Boss for its depth of lead management features and integrations. Many pair it with Make.com for full automation of their lead workflow.
Our verdict
After testing all six, our recommendation is straightforward:
- Best overall: Follow Up Boss — built for real estate, handles volume, excellent automation
- Best free: HubSpot CRM — zero cost, clean interface, good enough for solo agents
- Best budget: Wise Agent — real estate-specific, $49 flat, 24/7 support
- Best for teams: kvCORE — all-in-one platform, worth it at 5+ agents
Whatever you choose, pair it with Make.com for automation and you'll respond to leads faster than any competitor — which is ultimately what wins deals in real estate.