Best small business management software in 2025

Smaller businesses often have limited resources, which makes financial, staffing, and management challenges more common. Ignore these problems and you can stunt your business growth.

Thankfully, small business management tools offer a simple, flexible, and affordable all-in-one solution to these challenges. However, with so many options offering different functions, pricing, and overall service quality, it might be challenging to pick one.

To make things easier, together with the Cybernews research team, I took a deep dive and identified the best small business management software based on key features, usability, affordability, and flexibility. This guide provides an in-depth review of the top software and includes a buyer’s guide to help you choose the right tool for your needs.

Best small business management software – shortlist

1. Zoho – the best small business management software overall
2. Odoo – an affordable and flexible solution with many tools suitable for small businesses
3. Bitrix24 – offers advanced team communication and CRM features for startups
4. HoneyBook – an excellent choice for client-based companies aiming to build stronger brands
5. Vcita – ideal for small service businesses with complex workflows and more IT resources

The best small business management software compared

Check out the key differences in use cases, core functions, and pricing in the table below, to quickly find the right business management software for your small company.

Software	Best for	Key features	Free trial	Pricing
Zoho	Any business needing a complete management solution	CRM, sales automation, financial tools, project management, and marketing automation	Yes	From $37 per seat/month
Odoo	Startups needing affordable and customizable tools	Customizable modules, project tracking, invoicing, inventory, and accounting	Yes	From $24.90 per user/month
Bitrix24	Companies wanting an all-in-one project and customer management solution	CRM, marketing automation, HR tools, project admin, and built-in communication apps	Yes	From $49 per month
HoneyBook	Freelancers and client-based businesses overwhelmed by admin tasks	Client management solutions, project tracking, automated invoices, and contract handling	Yes	From $29 per month
Vcita	Service businesses looking for a budget-friendly option	Scheduling tools, payment processing, automated reminders, and marketing optimization	Yes	From $29 per month
Striven	Well-funded startups needing advanced automation	HR management, accounting, real-time analytics, and project coordination	Yes	From $35 per user/month
Zapier	Businesses who want to automate workflows across multiple apps	3,000+ app integrations, trigger-based actions, and advanced workflow automation	Yes	From $19.99 per user/month

7 best small business management software – our detailed list

I ranked small business management tools with the help of the Cybernews research team and by exploring customer feedback and product documentation. This is my list of the seven best business management services and the potential benefits for your company.

1. Zoho – boost efficiency with advanced tools for HR, CRM, marketing, and accounting management tools

🏆 Best for:	Anyone looking for a complete small business management software solution
⚡ Top features	Integrated CRM, sales solutions, marketing automation, financial tools, and project handling
💰 Starting price:	From $37/seat/month
🔑 Free trial:	Yes

Visit Zoho

With Zoho, you can:

• Manage customers through an integrated CRM that centralizes all contact information
• Automate sales and marketing workflows, including lead generation and follow-ups
• Organize finances with accounting tools, including invoicing and reporting
• Streamline project coordination and collaboration using task tracking and file-sharing features.

How user-friendly is Zoho?

Zoho offers a user-friendly design and customizable dashboards, but being so feature-rich, it requires some skill and training.

It reliably handles responses through live chat, email, and phone support. However, response times vary depending on your plan selection.

Is Zoho flexible and efficient?

Zoho features vast integration with third-party tools, customizable modules, and flexible plans to support growing businesses.

It automates workflows with advanced and AI-driven insights to reduce staff workload and improve department productivity effectively.

2. Odoo – choose an affordable management solution for your product-based company

🏆 Best for:	Startups seeking affordable management tools
⚡ Top features	Customizable modules, project management tools, accounting support, and inventory admin
💰 Starting price:	From $24.90/seat/month
🔑 Free trial:	Yes

Try Odoo free

With Odoo, you can:

• Customize modules to fit specific business needs for manufacturing, retail, or service industries
• Manage projects and collaborate with your team in real time using task assignments and shared calendars
• Track financials with integrated accounting, including invoicing, expenses, and budgeting
• Handle inventory and stock management with automated restocking and real-time tracking

How user-friendly is Odoo?

Odoo offers many helpful resources, including community guides and video tutorials. Its clean design also makes it easier for business owners to navigate.

It features many customer support options, including email, a helpdesk, and community forums. Unfortunately, some customers are dissatisfied with the quality of its customer service.

Is Odoo flexible and efficient?

Odoo is highly suitable for growing businesses and startups, as it supports a wide selection of apps, third-party integrations, and vastly customizable plans.

It can save businesses valuable time and money with intelligent insights, smart workflows, and affordable pricing.

3. Bitrix24 – optimize conversions with a powerful all-in-one management software

🏆 Best for:	Businesses looking for an all-in-one project and customer management solution
⚡ Top features	Marketing optimization functions, project admin, HR tools, and communication apps
💰 Starting price:	From $49/seat/month
🔑 Free trial:	Yes

Try Bitrix24 free

With Bitrix24, you can:

• Boost sales with innovative CRM and sales automation software
• Control projects easily with task creation, submission handling, and customizable notifications
• Manage HR with staff hour tracking, reports monitoring, request handling, and workflow automation
• Communicate correctly using built-in chat, video calls, and straightforward communication app integration

How user-friendly is Bitrix24?

Bitrix24 takes time to learn how to use because it has many options and configurations. But once you get around to learning how to navigate its interface, it’s relatively straightforward.

It delivers expert customer service with fast live chat and email responses. You can also use its extensive knowledge base and active user community for quick answers.

Is Bitrix24 flexible and efficient?

Bitrix24 offers many features suitable for smaller businesses and well-funded startups. However, with non-customizable plans, you might pay for features you don’t often use.

It’s an excellent choice for any small business, with vast optimization features, free options, and reasonably priced premium packages.

4. HoneyBook – build better client relationships with time-saving project, finance, and contract management tools

🏆 Best for:	Client-based businesses and freelancers looking for advanced automation
⚡ Top features	Client management, project tracking, finance automation, and contract handling
💰 Starting price:	From $29/month
🔑 Free trial:	Yes

Try HoneyBook free

With HoneyBook, you can:

• Schedule meetings, create assignments, and manage documents for clients
• Setup automatic invoices, track overdue payments, process orders, and send reminders
• Use digital signatures and document templates to build and manage customer contracts
• Connect your communication apps with automated emails and personalized messaging

How user-friendly is HoneyBook?

HoneyBook features an intuitive design, so most beginners find it easy to navigate features without training. However, complex tasks take time to learn.

It provides excellent customer service, live chat and email support, and an extensive help center library.

Is HoneyBook flexible and efficient?

HoneyBook offers affordable plans with unrestricted features and easy integration with commonly used business apps, making it flexible and suitable for many businesses.

It delivers a fair-priced solution to everyday management challenges with helpful automation, customization, and reporting tools.

5. Vcita – handle client interactions from marketing to payment processing professionally with a complete system

🏆 Best for:	Service businesses in need of a budget-friendly management tool
⚡ Top features	Scheduling tools, payment processing, customizable notifications, and marketing campaign optimation
💰 Starting price:	From $29/month
🔑 Free trial:	Yes

With Vcita, you can:

• Manage client requests, schedule meetings, and build employee rosters
• Process payments for your services directly
• Send reminders for upcoming meetings, bills, follow-ups, and submission deadlines
• Automate everyday marketing tasks, including report generation, email promotions, and SMS campaigns

How user-friendly is Vcita?

Vcita provides many marketing features, customizable templates, automated scheduling, and communication tools designed for ease of use. However, customizations and feature navigation require some extra IT skills.

It responds quickly on live chat and email. However, some users have found staff unhelpful in solving tech issues.

Is Vcita flexible and efficient?

Vcita is suitable for businesses with growing needs, offering customizable tools for client management, scheduling, invoicing, and marketing.

It also offers a fair price. However, lower-priced plans have limited app integrations and functions.

6. Striven – use advanced features to improve the efficiency of your rapidly growing business

🏆 Best for:	Well-funded startups and growing small businesses looking to develop complex automation
⚡ Top features	HR management, financial oversight, performance analytics, and project coordination
💰 Starting price:	From $35/seat/month
🔑 Free trial:	Yes

With Striven, you can:

• Simplify HR with automatic workflows for recruiting, onboarding, and performance monitoring
• Manage all finances, including payroll, tax filing, and invoicing, with accounting tools
• Track business performance with real-time insight into project progress, budget, and live orders
• Coordinate projects and teams with task assignments, milestones, and advanced communication tools

How user-friendly is Striven?

Striven includes easy-to-follow setup wizards, drag-and-drop task builders, and straightforward reporting for ease of use.

It offers helpful email and phone customer support and a comprehensive knowledge base for quick answers.

Is Striven flexible and efficient?

Striven doesn’t restrict features on lower-tier plans – pricing is usage-based. So, you can access CRM, accounting, project management, and HR tools regardless of your budget.

It streamlines workflows, organizes data, and automates core business functions, which boosts efficiency at an affordable cost.

7. Zapier – centralize all your small company’s resources with broad third-party app support

🏆 Best for:	Businesses looking to centralize information with limited IT resources
⚡ Top features	Vast app integration, workflow automation, complex customization, and trigger-based actions
💰 Starting price:	From $19.99 /seat/month
🔑 Free trial:	Yes

With Zapier, you can:

• Create a unified platform with 3,000+ app integrations supported
• Set up triggers for particular actions, like receiving a new task submission, and automatically perform jobs like sending emails
• Connect apps from various sources and automate your everyday business management tasks
• Customize workflows using conditional logical, multi-step automation, and dynamic data mapping

How user-friendly is Zapier?

Zapier supports one-click integrations, drag-and-drop builders, and automated error handling for a pleasant user experience. However, it’s very feature-rich and requires some IT resources and training.

It has an excellent community forum, and many customers are satisfied with the customer service and help center.

Is Zapier flexible and efficient?

Zapier integrates with many apps and offers an extensive package range suitable for the fastest-growing businesses.

It boosts productivity, saves time, and reduces errors when optimized correctly.

How did we select the best small business management software?

To guarantee every recommended software meets the needs of small businesses, I, with the assistance of Cybernews’ expert research team, assessed each platform based on:

• Features: I identified key managing functions, including CRM, invoicing, project management, HR, and inventory tracking. Each software tool on my list has the core features needed for a complete management solution for small businesses.
• Usability: I selected platforms with intuitive interfaces, simplified navigation, and a wide range of accessibility features. My recommendations are easy to use and suitable for companies with limited IT and financial resources.
• Feedback: I analyzed customer experiences on third-party review sites to gauge user satisfaction. My list includes only providers delivering strong customer service and performance.
• Integrations: I checked whether each software integrated well with third-party tools, including accounting, communication, and marketing apps. I only included small business management software with broad integration support.
• Trials: I favored providers with free trials, demos, plans, and features. You can try any of the tools on my list to guarantee it’s the right fit before buying.
• Flexibility: I looked for customizable modules and changeable plans, prioritizing feature-rich offerings with functions for growing businesses. My suggestions can adapt to your new demands no matter how quickly your business changes.
• Support: I evaluated customer support quality, service options, response times, and self-help resources like knowledgebases and community forums. My list only includes well-trusted brands with timely replies, helpful responses, and comprehensive support documents.

What is small biz management software?

Small business management software is a tool that automates everyday business tasks to improve efficiency.

When you log in, you can connect with various third-party apps for payment processing, email services, CRM, and other business-related tools. Then, you can automate everyday admin tasks to reduce workload and boost productivity.

ERPs and small business management software are often confused because both offer tools to automate and optimize administrative tasks. However, these systems differ in:

• Pricing: Small business management tools are typically cheaper than enterprise solutions to cater to businesses with limited finances
• Ease of use: Management tools for smaller companies tend to have more detailed help guides and expert customer support
• Feature complexity: Small business management tools focus on basic operational needs, while ERPs offer complex functions and customizations

The lower pricing, easier-to-use nature, and carefully chosen features of small business management software make it an ideal choice for:

• Freelancers and solopreneurs: Send invoices, process payments, control projects, and improve client relationships
• Startup founders: Manage early-stage business operations and automate workflows
• Sales teams: Track leads, organize leads, and close deals efficiently with advanced CRM features
• Small business owners: Control all business operations, from financial tracking to employee management, on a unified platform

Because it is so feature-rich, it’s also an excellent choice for accountants, marketing professionals, eCommerce sellers, HR managers, and project coordinators.

Plans, feature limitations, and contract terms vary significantly between providers. To get the best value deal within your budget, you must note the key differences in pricing and contract terms.

Costs and pricing for business management software

In the table below I compare the prices, affordability, and various limitations between the top software for business management of small organizations to help you find the most affordable deal.

Software	Starting price	Free plan	Free trial	Plan 1	Plan 2	Plan 3	Plan 4
Zoho One	$37/seat/month	Yes	30 days	All employees: $37/seat – must license all employees	Flexible user: $90/seat – license any number of users	-	-
Odoo	$24.90/seat/month	Yes, limited to one app	15 days	Essentials: $31.10/seat – all apps on Odoo Online	Custom: $46.70/seat – all apps on Odoo online, Odoo studio, multi-company, API	-	-
Bitrix24	$49/seat/month	Yes, limited to 5GB	30 days	Basic: $39/seat – store management and customer service	Standard: $79/user – marketing and docs	Pro: $159/user – automation and HR	Enterprise: $399/user – multi-branch support and scalability
HoneyBook	$29/month	No	7 days	Starter: $29 – basic tools and one user	Essentials: $49 – scheduler, automation, and two users	Premium: $109 – unlimited users, detailed reports, and priority support	-
Vcita	$29/month	No	14 days	Starting small: $29 – client management, scheduling, and payments	Business: $54 – reminders, estimates, and email marketing	Platinum: $93 – staff roles, reporting, tax, and customizations	-
Striven	$35/seat/month	No	7 days	Standard: $35/seat – 50 categories, 5K API calls, and 100K inventory	Enterprise: $70/seat – 500 categories, 25K API calls, and 500K inventory	-	-
Zapier	$19.99/seat/month	Yes, limited to 100 tasks	14 days	Pro: $19.99/seat – multi-step workflows and webhooks	Team: $69/seat – 25 users and shared workspaces	Enterprise: custom pricing – advanced features and unique solutions	-

In addition to price, it’s essential to consider each provider's key features to select the software that will provide the most value.

Features of small business management software

Small business management software features differ from provider to provider. Generally, you can:

• Manage customer relationships. Control data from a central CRM system, track interactions, follow up leads, handle communications, and analyze buyer behavior.
• Control billing. Generate and send invoices, then process payments, track invoices, set up recurring billing, and send reminders for overdue payments.
• Organize projects. Create tasks, set deadlines, and organize workflows using visual displays and timeline tracking.
• Track inventory levels. See stock levels in real time, record sales data, and automate reordering processes.
• Collaborate with your team. Use built-in messaging, video calling, and file-sharing tools, and connect to third-party sources to centralize all of your communications.
• Automate workflows and integrate apps. Set up automated workflows for tasks like sending emails, scheduling meetings, and analyzing data.
• Generate reports. Make detailed sales, expenses, and performance reports, then apply custom filters, use analytics tools, and export results in various file formats.
• Manage employees. Calculate salaries automatically, handle tax requirements, store documents, and monitor performance.
• Secure and store documents. Use a centralized platform to upload, organize, and manage business documents with access controls, version tracking, and cloud backups.
• Handle customer support. Generate support tickets, track customer inquiries, automate responses, and integrate live chat or helpdesk tools.

Choosing the right management software with ideal functionality, ease of use, and affordable pricing greatly benefits small businesses.

Benefits of small business management software

Many small businesses love using management software because it’s an affordable and flexible solution to many common problems.

• It saves time. Tasks like data entry, invoicing, and scheduling meetings take up valuable time that small businesses with limited resources can’t afford to lose. Small business management software automates these tasks, allowing staff to focus on essential growth-building tasks instead of administrative work.
• It improves customer relationships. With fewer employees, smaller businesses can quickly become overwhelmed when managing customer interactions, which can cause miscommunication, errors, and poor buyer experiences. The best small business management tools have built-in CRMs that centralize customer data, making communication easier.
• It enhances productivity. Bad financial tracking, time-consuming manual tasks, and disorganized workflows often lead to missed opportunities, reduced efficiency, and hindered growth. Management software for small businesses integrates information from all third-party sources, organizes everything in one location, and automates tasks to enhance productivity.
• It provides financial oversight. Many small businesses use separate systems to track sales, expenses, and taxes, which can cause confusion and costly accounting mistakes. Financial data is viewable from a central location using management software, and real-time insights are delivered to help small business owners manage their finances.
• It improves project coordination. Poor communication and disorganization in project management are more common in small businesses with limited resources and skilled employees. The best manager tools integrate messaging and project management tools to align teams and manage tasks more effectively.

Now, fully understanding small business management tools' capabilities and potential benefits, you can choose a suitable tool.

How do I choose the right small biz management software for my needs?

Analyze functionality, usability, flexibility, and pricing to select the right administration software for a small business’ needs.

Assess features:

• Determine the key functions your business needs, like CRM, invoicing, and project management
• Ensure the software offers the advanced features you need to run operations effectively
• Compare the features included in various plans and compare against competitors to see which suits you best
• Use free trials and demos to test functions for yourself and to evaluate feature value for your business properly

Prioritize ease of use:

• Consider how easy it is to use features and whether it’s intuitive
• Look for onboarding resources like tutorials or help guides
• Test integration capabilities to ensure it works with your current business apps
• Estimate how much time and money is likely required for your team to adopt the software

Measure flexibility:

• Check if you can customize the tools to suit your unique business needs
• Identify an adjustable plan that can adapt as your company grows
• Evaluate the software’s current support for third-party apps and how it compares to competitors
• Pick software with easy workflow builders, user roles, permission handling, and communication tools

Set a transparent pricing:

• Determine whether or not the software aligns with your existing budget
• Account for the total cost, including any hidden fees, taxes, and implementation costs
• Choose software with a flexible pricing structure that can scale with your business needs
• Find discounts on long-term subscriptions and introductory offers to get the best value

The final word on best small business management software

Zoho is the best small business management software overall, in my opinion. It offers various useful tools for CRM, sales, marketing, finances, project management, and HR. It’s highly affordable, features top-tier customer support, and offers extensive third-party app support.

However, the best software for your small business depends on your needs. You may choose Odoo for a budget-friendly solution, provided you don’t require much customer support assistance. Or, to enhance team collaboration on projects, you might opt for Bitrix24.

HoneyBook and Vcita are excellent for client-based businesses. Additionally, advanced systems like Striven or Zapier suit well-funded startups with complex needs.

Assess functions, measure flexibility, analyze pricing, and determine how easy it is to use before buying. This way, you can pick the perfect small business management software for your company.

FAQ