Perfex might work as a CRM if it didn’t overwhelm you with cron jobs, technical setups, and clunky workflows. That’s why many teams eventually seek a Perfex CRM alternative that saves time, rather than wasting it.
By switching, you get visual pipelines, smooth automation, fully branded client portals, and clear reporting. Inside, we’ll break down the best alternatives, what makes them stronger, and why now is the right moment to move.
Quick List of the Top Perfex CRM Alternatives
- Agency Handy: Best for lead management, white-label branding, service catalogs, and automated billing.
- HubSpot CRM: Ideal for teams wanting simple pipelines and easy contact visibility.
- Zoho CRM: Perfect for businesses needing predictive scoring and in-depth sales insights.
- Pipedrive: Perfect for sales teams prioritizing automation, follow-ups, and revenue dashboards.
- Insightly: Best for growing teams seeking workflow automation and integrated project tracking.
Reasons to Consider a Perfex Alternative
Perfex CRM covers the basics, but many teams hit roadblocks once they start scaling. Here are the common frustrations that push businesses to look for more modern options.
- Limited Branding Flexibility: With Perfex, you can only add a logo, and that’s about it. You can’t add custom domains, branded portals, or renaming options. If you’ve ever tried to polish the client experience, you know how unfinished this feels.
- Confusing Lead Management: In Perfex, turning a lead into a client feels harder than it should. You end up merging fields, working around exclusions, and relying on flat tables. Without a proper visual pipeline, you easily lose track of deals and waste hours chasing updates.
- Outdated File Sharing: It restricts file sharing to basic attachments inside tickets or tasks. There’s no way to comment directly on visuals, add highlights, or collaborate on revisions.
- Ticket Handling: The ticket system feels more like an afterthought. You have to enable services manually, and even then, clients can’t attach files unless you configure it yourself.
- Complicated Billing Setup: Recurring invoices in Perfex rely on cron jobs, and changing a client’s currency after a transaction isn’t possible. Even worse, the automation for reminders and renewals is limited, so you need to keep an eye on billing all the time.
Comparison Table of Top Alternatives to Perfex
If you’re considering moving away from Perfex, the chart below gives a quick snapshot of how leading alternatives stack up.
| Platform | Lead Conversion Tracking | Roles and Permissions | Payment Gateway Support | Pricing |
| Perfex | Basic tables | Complex setup rules | Manual setup with cron jobs | $15/month approx. |
| Agency Handy | Visual pipeline with full client profiles | Super AdminAdminManagerAssignee | StripePayPalWiseCryptoManual banking | $19/month |
| HubSpot CRM | Drag-and-drop pipelines | Role-based access built in | N/A | Free |
| Zoho CRM | Visual pipelines with predictive scoring | Custom roles and permissions | N/A | $20/month |
| Pipedrive | Drag-and-drop deal pipelines | Role-based access | N/A | $19/month |
| Insightly | Leads visible end-to-end | Advanced permissions | N/A | $29/month |
Best 5 Perfex CRM alternatives for Small and Mid-Sized Businesses
When selecting the best alternatives to Perfex CRM, we didn’t rely solely on the feature list. We knew you wanted tools that work in real business settings. Thus, we tested workflows, studied reviews, and paid attention to what owners and teams said about their day-to-day experience.
So, let’s get into them —
1. Agency Handy
Agency Handy is the best alternative to Perfex CRM because it removes the setup complications and technical barriers. Instead of dealing with cron jobs or server-level fixes, you get a ready-to-brand platform from day one.
The CRM keeps your pipeline clear and organized. Leads move step by step from first contact to client, while all activity, like tickets, orders, invoices, and files, stays linked in one profile.
Most importantly, you can fully white-label the platform. Upload your logo, set your brand colors, connect a custom domain, and even rename sidebar items to match your team’s language.
On top of that, every invoice, proposal, and email you send bears your brand. With subscription billing, reminders, embeds, time tracking, and file feedback built in, Agency Handy keeps your workflows organized.
Key Features of Agency Handy
Next, we’ll review the main features of Agency Handy that deal with Perfex’s shortcomings.
CRM with Visual Pipeline
Agency Handy’s CRM helps you track the full journey from lead to client. It places leads in a structured pipeline, from New, Contacted, Qualified, Proposal Sent, Negotiation, to Client.
Once converted, all client-related data, like orders, invoices, tickets, and communication history, is centralized in one profile.
White-Label Customization
Its customization tools let you make the platform your own. You can upload multiple logo formats, set your brand’s colors, and use a custom domain to align with your identity. The flexibility extends to renaming sidebar items like “Orders” or “Clients,” which then update from emails to tooltips.
Even the sign-in portal is branded with your own heading, subtext, and visuals, to give your clients a professional experience.
Service Catalog with Packages and Add-ons
With Agency Handy, you can set up a clean service catalog that clients can browse. Plus, you can group services, add trial versions, and create multiple pricing tiers. Add-ons give clients extra options, while coupons make discounts easy to manage.
Additionally, you can share the catalog directly or embed it on your website to create a ready-made storefront that Perfex doesn’t offer.
Order and Task Management
This feature helps you turn client orders directly into actionable tasks. As soon as a client purchases a service, an order is created and tied to the client’s profile.
From there, you can break projects into smaller tasks, assign team members, set deadlines, and monitor progress in Kanban view. Meanwhile, clients can request additional tasks later, and you can approve or deny those requests cleanly.
Roles and Access
Roles are built in, including Super Admin, Admin, Manager, and Assignee. Each comes with its own level of access. You can hide or show features like Orders, Files, or Invoices depending on the role, or even tailor access per user.
Plus, you can even rename sidebar items to fit your own language; “Orders” can become “Projects,” for example.
Client and Team Collaboration
With Agency Handy, teams and clients can share files, leave comments, and approve tasks directly inside the platform. The File Feedback tool allows annotations, highlights, and even drawings on PDFs, images, and videos.
In addition, clients can now directly comment on websites for live design reviews.
Time Tracking
You can hit Start Timer when you begin work, pause when you step away, and resume without losing a second. If you’d rather log hours later, just enter your start and end times or drop in the total duration.
Every entry is saved in a timesheet, where you can filter by team member, task, or service. Once a task is marked “Done,” logs are locked to protect data. That way, your hours stay clear, organized, and reliable.
Billing and Subscription Management
Every order automatically generates a ready-to-send invoice. You can bill for one-time services, set up subscriptions, or handle recurring payments. Plus, clients can pay through Stripe, PayPal, Wise, crypto wallets, or manual banking.
Most importantly, taxes and discounts are calculated correctly, even when add-ons are applied. Automated payment reminders reduce overdue invoices to give you more time to focus on clients instead of chasing payments.
Ticketing System
Clients can open tickets straight from their dashboard, attach files, or leave screenshots to explain an issue. You can assign tickets to the right team member, set deadlines, and track progress through the whole history log.
In the meantime, priorities and updates are always visible, so you lose nothing.
Here are a few more features Agency Handy provides —
- Portfolio
- Forms
- Embed
- Custom forms
- Proposals
- Client request
- File management
- Workspace settings
- Time tracking
- Custom domain
- Custom email
- Coupons
- Add-ons
- Tax configuration
Best Use Cases of Agency Handy
Agency Handy’s flexibility makes it suitable across different industries and professional sectors.
- Freelancers: Manage client work, send branded invoices, and track time without switching tools.
- Startups: Simplify client onboarding, automate billing, and centralize team collaboration for faster scaling.
- Digital Marketing Agencies: Manage service packages, client requests, and subscription billing in one centralized platform.
- Creative Studios: Share design files, collect client feedback, and keep project revisions organized.
- Content Creators and Agencies: Showcase past work with portfolios, manage orders, and collect structured briefs through intake forms.
- IT and Development Teams: Use task boards, ticketing, and time tracking to deliver projects on schedule.
- Consultants: Create proposals, manage contracts, and track revenue growth with built-in reporting.
Pros of Using Agency Handy
- Full white-label branding for a professional client experience.
- Simplifies lead-to-client journey with clear visual pipeline.
- Automates orders, tasks, and invoicing in one flow.
- Built-in collaboration tools reduce email and app switching.
- Real-time file feedback keeps projects organized and clear.
- Flexible billing with subscriptions, coupons, and add-ons.
- Secure role-based access protects data and client info.
- Service catalog with packages makes selling effortless.
Agency Handy Pricing
- Freelancer: $19/month or $13/month billed annually (Perfect for freelancers and solopreneurs)
- Team Starter: $99/month or $66/month billed annually (Ideal for small and medium agencies)
- Business Pro: $199/month or $133/month billed annually (Great for growing and larger businesses)
By paying yearly on any plan, you essentially get four months of service for free.
What Users Say About Agency Handy?
Rating on G2: 4.9 out of 5
“The setup was notably easy, saving me time. I appreciate the custom branding capabilities which uplift my brand and instill confidence in my clients. ” – Brittany N.
Rating on Product Hunt: 5 out of 5
“Agency Handy is a game-changer for agency operations, seamlessly integrating project management, client communication, and invoicing into one intuitive platform.” – Alauddin
Rating on Trustpilot: 3.8 out of 5
“It has streamlined our client management process and has become an essential tool for our business operations.” – Vikas Patil
Why Should You Choose Agency Handy Over Perfex?
Here’s a side-by-side comparison of Perfex’s shortcomings and how Agency Handy delivers.
| Limitations of Perfex | How Agency Handy Meets |
| Branding is limited to logos | Full white-label control |
| Lead conversion pipeline is just a table | Visual CRM pipeline with clear stages |
| No automated order creation | Orders auto-generate from client purchases |
| File sharing is restricted to attachments | Built-in file feedback with comments, highlights, drawings, and version history |
| Tickets require manual setup | Ready-to-use ticketing with file and image uploads |
| Recurring invoices depend on cron jobs | Automated invoicing (one-time or recurring) |
| No service catalog | Multi-package catalog, public or embeddable, with add-ons, trials, and coupons |
| Reports are basic and static | Real-time dashboard |
| Steep learning curve with server-level setups | Intuitive, no server setup needed |
2. Hubspot CRM
HubSpot CRM is the best alternative to Perfex if you’re looking for a straightforward way to manage clients without dealing with technical setups.
Although it doesn’t cover invoicing like Perfex, it provides a far smoother path to manage contacts, pipelines, and deals. You’ll see every email, call, and note tied to a client in one clear timeline. The drag-and-drop pipeline keeps revenue progress visible at a glance.
When comparing Pipedrive and HubSpot CRM for pipeline management, Pipedrive gives you visual boards to easily drag deals forward. Meanwhile, HubSpot leans more on automation and predictive scoring.
Key features of HubSpot CRM
Its features offer simplicity, automation, and smarter workflows.
- Custom Dashboards and Reporting: Build visual dashboards with interactive charts and KPIs to track sales, leads, and performance in real time.
- Pipeline and Deal Management: Create structured, drag-and-drop pipelines that keep deals moving forward with reminders.
- Task and Activity Management: Manage calls, meetings, emails, and follow-ups in one place with automated reminders and easy scheduling.
- Shared Inbox and Chat Tools: Centralize emails, live chat, and messaging into one unified inbox to make collaboration smooth.
- Ticketing System: Log, prioritize, and resolve support tickets with context from client histories to ensure you don’t overlook issues.
- Payment Links: Collect one-time or recurring payments through secure links tied directly to CRM records to simplify billing.
Pros
- Central hub for all client interactions and data
- Clean, intuitive interface with minimal learning curve
- Strong contact and deal management tools
- Useful reporting dashboards for quick insights
- Good automation to save time on routine tasks
- Reliable email tracking and follow-up reminders
Cons
- Costs scale quickly for growing teams and usage
- Customization options limited in some areas
Pricing
HubSpot is a free Perfex CRM alternative.
What Users Say About HubSpot CRM?
Reviews on Capterra: 4.5 out of 5
”It easily syncs with prospecting tools, allows you to keep up with leads, and allows you to track deals, providing a single source of truth” – Peter W.
Is HubSpot CRM Better Than Perfex?
Yes, HubSpot CRM generally outperforms Perfex thanks to its visual pipeline and deal management. Perfex, however, can still be a fit for smaller businesses needing a low-cost, project-focused CRM without advanced sales automation.
3. Zoho CRM
Zoho CRM is often the better pick over Perfex CRM if your main priority is clear pipelines and smarter sales tracking. You get visual, drag-and-drop pipelines, predictive scoring to spot high-value leads.
In addition, Zia, the built-in assistant, also alerts you when clients look at risk. That said, if you’re deciding between Zoho CRM and HubSpot CRM, consider how your team works most effectively.
See, Zoho excels with deep AI insights and forecasting. Meanwhile, HubSpot keeps things simple with drag-and-drop pipelines and automated reminders.
Key features of Zoho CRM
Here are the major features of Zoho CRM —
- Customization and Portals: Create branded client or partner portals with custom domains, layouts, and navigation for a fully white-labeled experience.
- Workflow Automation: Automate repetitive tasks, client onboarding, and record creation to ensure structured order without manual intervention.
- Lead Generation Tools: Capture leads via forms, email, or social, and automatically build structured client profiles in the CRM.
- File Sharing and Collaboration: Manage files inside customer records, share securely, and collaborate with team members.
- Recurring Billing and Order Management: Generate invoices, manage subscriptions, and automate renewals without cron jobs.
- Pipeline and Deal Management: Build visual pipelines with drag-and-drop deals, offering clarity and structure missing in Perfex’s status tables.
- AI Assistant (Zia): Simplify adoption by generating reports, workflows, or modules from prompts.
Pros
- Strong automation reduces manual tasks and follow-up effort
- Customizable workflows adapt to unique business processes
- Easy integration with popular third-party tools and apps
- AI assistant supports smarter decisions and lead prioritization
- Visual dashboards provide real-time pipeline and sales insights
- Reporting tools improve tracking and accountability
Cons
- Interface feels cluttered and outdated in some areas
- Learning curve for new users can be steep
- Customization often requires technical help or support
Pricing
Zoho CRM keeps things simple with clear pricing, flexible plans, and a free trial.
- Free Trial: $0
- Standard: $20/month
- Professional: $35/month
- Enterprise: $50/month
- Ultimate: $65/month
Most importantly, you can save up to 34% when you choose annual billing.
What Users Say About Zoho CRM?
Reviews on G2: 4.1 out of 5
“As a Business Analyst, I found Zoho CRM to be a powerful and user-friendly tool that streamlined lead management, automated workflows, and provided valuable data insights.” – Pratibha S.
Is Zoho CRM Better Than Perfex?
Yes, Zoho CRM offers more in terms of pipeline management, predictive scoring, and live dashboards to keep sales organized. Perfex, on the other hand, suits smaller teams who don’t mind extra technical work to track clients and projects.
4. Pipedrive
Pipedrive is a stronger choice than Perfex CRM if you prefer to avoid dealing with cron jobs or server fixes to get the basics working.
Its automation handles routine tasks, such as reminders and deal updates. In the meantime, Smart Contact Data provides immediate context on leads, and reporting dashboards keep revenue.
Well, both Agency Handy and Pipedrive let you capture leads with forms. However, Pipedrive focuses on quick, branded web forms that drop leads straight into your pipeline.
Agency Handy goes deeper with its intake and order forms to gather project goals, budgets, and add-ons. And then auto-build full client profiles with files and requests neatly organized.
Key features of Pipedrive
Here are the key features of Pipedrive —
- Pipeline Management: Create clear, visual pipelines with drag-and-drop stages to track deals, prioritize actions, and avoid confusion.
- Automations: Automate repetitive tasks like follow-ups, deal updates, and reminders to reduce manual work and keep projects moving.
- Leads Inbox: Manage new prospects in a separate space, qualify them quickly, and convert the best ones into client profiles.
- Web Forms: Capture client details automatically through branded online forms that feed directly into your CRM without setup hassles.
- Reporting and Insights: Build real-time dashboards with charts, KPIs, and forecasts to replace static reports and improve decision-making.
- Workflow Automation: Run automated campaigns and workflows triggered by contact or deal activity to maintain consistency.
Pros
- Quick setup with minimal technical requirements needed
- Visual pipelines keep sales stages clear and organized
- Custom fields tailor the system to business needs
- Automation reduces manual tasks and saves valuable time
- Centralized communication keeps deals and emails connected
Cons
- Limited invoicing integrations beyond QuickBooks support
- Lacks advanced customer support
Pricing
Pipedrive lays out clear options for different team sizes, budgets, and sales goals.
- Lite: $19/month
- Growth: $34/month
- Premium: $64/month
- Ultimate: $89/month
You can try any plan for free for 14 days, with annual billing, to minimize costs by up to 26%.
What Users Say About Pipedrive?
“Starting to use Pipedrive and implementing the CRM is easy. You can start using it from day one. It doesn’t require a ton of set-up unless you want super custom data entries.” – Vicente L.
Is Pipedrive Better Than Perfex?
Pipedrive stands out with automation that handles follow-ups, deal updates, and reminders to help sales teams stay focused on closing. Still, Perfex might be fine if you’re on a tight budget and only need basic client and project tracking.
5. Insightly
Insightly CRM is one of the better options if you’re tired of Perfex’s messy lead-to-client conversion. Perfex makes you merge fields, which often creates duplicates and hides old records.
With Insightly, leads, deals, and clients stay visible in a single pipeline without breaking the flow. For smaller teams, that saves time and reduces confusion.
You’ll also get customizable pipelines, built-in automation, and AI tools like Copilot and email summaries to handle follow-ups faster. That said, not everything is perfect, like Doug B. on G2 pointed out, “I wish there was a more seamless way to log phone calls.”
Key features of Insightly
Insightly removes the heavy setup issues that slow down Perfex users.
- Pipeline Management: Build structured, drag-and-drop pipelines that simplify lead conversion and give clear visibility into every stage.
- Customization: Lets you adjust layouts, tabs, and permissions easily with no coding or server tweaks.
- Workflow Automation: Automate follow-ups, reminders, and record creation instantly to replace complicated cron jobs with simple triggers.
- Project and Task Management: Convert opportunities into projects, assign structured tasks, and track milestones for smoother collaboration.
- Support and Ticketing: Provide branded portals where clients can submit tickets, attach files, and track progress from open to resolved.
- Dashboards and Reporting: Generate real-time visual reports that highlight KPIs, bottlenecks, and performance across teams.
- Integrations: Connect with over 2,000 apps like QuickBooks, Slack, and DocuSign to extend workflows without technical hurdles.
Pros
- Easy to use with minimal training needed
- Combines CRM and project management in one
- Customizable fields, pipelines, and dashboards
- Saves time through automation and workflows
- Mobile app supports work on the go
- Real-time dashboards improve decision-making quickly
Cons
- Reporting features lack advanced depth.
- Learning curve for setup and automation.
Pricing
Here’s a clear breakdown of Insightly’s pricing options.
- Plus: $29/month per user, billed annually
- Professional: $49/month per user, billed annually
- Enterprise: $99/month per user, billed annually
All plans include a free 14-day trial with no credit card required.
What Users Say About Insightly?
Reviews on G2: 4.2 out of 5
“Insightly CRM has a clean, user-friendly interface that makes it easy to track leads, contacts, and opportunities.” – Aravind G.
Is Insightly Better Than Perfex?
Insightly stands out with built-in workflow automation, replacing Perfex’s reliance on technical cron jobs for tasks like reminders. That said, Perfex fits for freelancers or very small businesses that only need a low-cost CRM for simple client records.
Key Features to Look For in a Perfex Alternative
When looking for Perfex alternatives, you need more than just the basics. The right tool should give you control over branding, simplify the sales process, and reduce technical hassles. Here are the core features to focus on.
Visual Pipeline Management
Pick a CRM that shows your pipeline in a way that’s easy to understand at a glance. Drag-and-drop stages make it simple to move deals forward. Meanwhile, visual cues help you spot stuck opportunities before they slip away.
Service Catalog and Packages
Choose software that gives you a built-in catalog of your services. When you can set up packages, add-ons, trials, and discounts, it makes your selling straightforward. It also provides clients with a clear, self-serve way to view your offerings.
White-Label Customization
Go for a tool that feels like it’s yours, not someone else’s. You should be able to add your logo, set your colors, connect a custom domain, and even rename menus. That way, every touchpoint looks consistent and professional to your clients.
Automation and Reminders
Look for tools that take care of the small, repetitive tasks for you. Things like follow-ups, invoice reminders, or subscription renewals should happen automatically. It keeps the work moving while freeing you up to focus on your clients.
File Feedback and Collaboration
Choose a platform that supports visual file feedback instead of limiting you to attachments. You should be able to comment, highlight, or draw directly on PDFs, images, and videos. It keeps client feedback clear, reduces email threads, and makes collaboration with your team simple.
Ticketing System
Finally, go for a platform with a ticketing system that works out of the box. Clients should easily open tickets, drop in files or screenshots, and follow updates as they happen.
What’s the Best Perfex Alternative?
If you’re searching for the best Perfex alternative, Agency Handy checks every box. Perfex demands server tweaks and offers limited branding.
With Agency Handy, you can upload your logo, use a custom domain, and rename sidebar items to give clients a branded experience. Its visual CRM pipeline keeps leads moving while orders, invoices, and tickets stay connected in one client profile.
You also get a service catalog with packages and add-ons, automated billing, and built-in file feedback. Most importantly, pricing starts at just $19/month to make it flexible for freelancers and scalable for agencies.
Conclusion
When you’re searching for a Perfex CRM alternative, the real choice comes down to ease of use, automation, and scalability. The best alternative should simplify pipelines, reduce tasks, and offer a less technical way to grow.
Agency Handy stands out by offering full white-label branding, service catalogs with add-ons, and automated billing linked to client orders. With extras like time tracking, file feedback, and real-time dashboards, it delivers a simplified workspace for agencies.
FAQs
What’s the most affordable alternative to Perfex CRM?
HubSpot CRM is free, making it the most affordable option. However, if you want invoicing, branding, and service catalogs, Agency Handy offers value-packed plans starting at $19/month.
Do Perfex CRM alternatives offer better client collaboration?
Yes. Tools like Agency Handy and Zoho CRM include file feedback, branded portals, and built-in ticketing systems. Perfex lacks most of these features or makes it difficult to configure.
Which Perfex CRM alternative is easiest to set up?
Agency Handy hands-down is the easiest to set up. It avoids technical requirements like cron jobs or server fixes to let you get started right away.
