If you’re tired of switching between a CRM for sales and a separate tool for email campaigns, you’re not alone. In 2026, the “best” setup for many teams is a CRM that can also run email marketing—so you can track leads, segment contacts, personalize campaigns, automate follow-ups, and measure results in one place.

This guide reviews the 13 best CRMs with email marketing (built-in, suite-based, or add-on) and helps you pick the right fit based on your business size, marketing complexity, and budget.

Key Takeaways

• One database wins: the best setups keep sales + marketing data together, so segmentation and personalization are effortless.
• Email “inside CRM” can mean 3 things: built-in email marketing, a native marketing suite, or a paid add-on.
• Automation quality matters more than templates: good workflows and triggers usually outperform fancy email designs.
• Pick by use case: a solo creator’s needs are wildly different from enterprise lead scoring and multi-team governance.
• Don’t ignore deliverability: proper list hygiene, authentication (SPF/DKIM/DMARC), and consent tracking are essential.

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Quick Picks (Best for Each Use Case)

• Best all-in-one CRM + email marketing: HubSpot
• Best automation-first CRM for SMB: ActiveCampaign
• Best value ecosystem suite: Zoho CRM + Zoho Campaigns
• Best lightweight pipeline CRM + email marketing: Bigin by Zoho + Zoho Campaigns
• Best sales CRM with an email marketing add-on: Pipedrive + Campaigns
• Best unified sales + marketing suite for growing teams: Freshsales Suite + Freshmarketer
• Best for solopreneurs & service businesses: Keap
• Best budget-friendly all-in-one alternative: EngageBay
• Best for teams needing CRM + projects + marketing: Bitrix24
• Best modular “build-your-own” CRM: Apptivo
• Best simple CRM + email marketing for small teams: Nutshell
• Best enterprise marketing automation on a CRM: Salesforce (Marketing Cloud / Account Engagement)
• Best Microsoft ecosystem option: Dynamics 365 + Customer Insights – Journeys

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What “CRM with Email Marketing” Really Means

When people search for a “CRM with email marketing,” they usually want one tool to:

• Store leads/contacts and track sales activity
• Send newsletters, broadcasts, and promotions
• Run drip campaigns and follow-up sequences
• Segment audiences based on CRM fields and behavior
• See engagement (opens/clicks/replies) inside contact records

In practice, CRMs deliver email marketing in three common models:

1) Built-in email marketing inside the CRM

You get campaigns, lists/segments, automation, and reporting without needing another product. Great for simplicity.

2) A native marketing suite that connects tightly to the CRM

Think “same company, same ecosystem.” Data sync is usually smooth, and reporting is unified.

3) A paid add-on that upgrades the CRM into a marketing tool

Often best for sales-first CRMs. You keep the pipeline strength and add marketing capabilities when needed.

Pro tip for 2026: If your team depends heavily on email for revenue, prioritize (1) automation depth, (2) segmentation, and (3) deliverability controls over “pretty templates.”

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How We Reviewed & Ranked These Tools

To keep this list practical (not hype), the reviews focus on what impacts real results:

• CRM strength: pipeline, contact timelines, tasks, notes, deal tracking
• Email marketing depth: campaigns, templates, personalization, scheduling
• Automation: triggers, branching, scoring/tagging, sequence controls
• Segmentation: dynamic lists, tags, custom fields, behavior filters
• Reporting: campaign analytics + contact-level engagement
• Integrations: forms, landing pages, ecommerce, calendars, ads
• Usability: how quickly a small team can run real campaigns

I also added a “Best for” line under each CRM, because the right choice depends on your business model.

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Buyer’s Guide: What to Look For (2026 Checklist)

A. Email features you actually need

• Broadcasts + sequences: newsletters and drip campaigns
• Personalization: merge fields and dynamic content blocks
• Templates + editor: drag-and-drop + HTML option
• A/B testing: subject lines, content, and send times (if available)

B. Automation that matches your funnel

• Triggers: form fills, deal stage change, email clicks, website events
• Actions: assign tasks, move deals, tag contacts, notify reps, send emails
• Guardrails: frequency caps, suppression lists, consent handling

C. Segmentation + data hygiene

• Dynamic segments: update automatically as contacts change
• Lifecycle stages: lead → MQL → SQL → customer
• List hygiene: bounces, inactive contacts, opt-out rules

D. Deliverability & compliance basics

• Support for double opt-in (where relevant)
• Unsubscribe management + preference centers
• Authentication guidance (SPF/DKIM/DMARC) and bounce handling

E. Reporting that helps you make decisions

• Campaign analytics: opens, clicks, replies, conversions
• Contact-level insights: what each lead engaged with
• Revenue attribution: strongest in enterprise ecosystems

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Comparison Table (Fast Overview)

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Detailed Reviews (All 13)

1) HubSpot (Best All-in-One CRM + Email Marketing)

Best for: teams that want one clean system for CRM, email campaigns, automation, and reporting.

HubSpot is a top pick when you want email marketing tightly connected to CRM data—so your newsletters, nurture campaigns, and lifecycle automation can use the same contact properties and engagement history your sales team sees.

• Standout email strengths: easy campaign creation, personalization, and the ability to scale into deeper automation.
• Why people choose it: clean UI, strong ecosystem, and a “grow with you” platform approach.
• Trade-offs: advanced automation and larger databases can get costly as you scale.

Official links:
Email marketing |
Marketing Hub |
Pricing

2) ActiveCampaign (Best Automation-First CRM for SMB)

Best for: SMBs that rely on advanced automations, segmentation, and consistent lead nurturing.

ActiveCampaign is often chosen by teams who take email seriously. It blends email marketing and automation with CRM features so marketing and sales can share context—especially useful for long nurture cycles and behavior-based follow-up.

• Standout email strengths: segmentation + automation sophistication (great for drip campaigns and lifecycle journeys).
• Why people choose it: powerful automation logic without needing enterprise complexity.
• Trade-offs: setup can take time if you’re building advanced journeys from scratch.

Official links:
Email marketing |
Sales CRM |
Pricing

3) Zoho CRM + Zoho Campaigns (Best Value Ecosystem Suite)

Best for: businesses that want a cost-effective ecosystem where CRM and email marketing work together.

Zoho’s approach is “suite-first.” Zoho Campaigns integrates with Zoho CRM so you can sync leads/contacts, run email marketing, and track results back inside CRM. If you’re already using Zoho apps, this can feel seamless.

• Standout email strengths: CRM sync + campaign reporting connected to sales follow-up.
• Why people choose it: strong value when you commit to the ecosystem.
• Trade-offs: if you use many non-Zoho tools, you may spend extra time on integration design.

Official links:
CRM integration overview |
Integration help doc |
Integrations

4) Bigin by Zoho + Zoho Campaigns (Best Lightweight Pipeline CRM + Email Marketing)

Best for: small teams that want simple pipelines and practical email marketing without enterprise overhead.

Bigin is a lighter, pipeline-focused CRM in the Zoho family. If you don’t need a heavy CRM but still want email campaigns connected to your contacts, pairing Bigin with Zoho Campaigns can be a smart middle path.

• Standout email strengths: email marketing that stays connected to your CRM records via Zoho Campaigns integration.
• Why people choose it: simpler learning curve than full CRMs.
• Trade-offs: less depth than enterprise CRMs for large, complex orgs.

Official links:
Zoho Campaigns integrations (includes Bigin) |
Zoho CRM integration page

5) Pipedrive + Campaigns (Best Sales CRM with an Email Marketing Add-On)

Best for: sales-focused teams that want a strong pipeline CRM and “just enough” email marketing for newsletters and targeted outreach.

Pipedrive is famously sales-centric. With Campaigns by Pipedrive, you can create email communications and manage marketing engagement directly in your Pipedrive environment—helpful when sales wants marketing signals without leaving the CRM.

• Standout email strengths: campaign layouts + tracking/analytics designed to complement sales workflows.
• Why people choose it: excellent pipeline experience + add marketing only when needed.
• Trade-offs: marketing depth may be lighter than automation-first platforms.

Official links:
Email marketing software |
Campaigns knowledge base |
Campaigns tiers/features

6) Freshsales Suite + Freshmarketer (Best Unified Sales + Marketing Suite)

Best for: growing teams that want a unified customer view across sales and marketing, with multi-channel engagement options.

Freshworks offers a “suite” approach: Freshsales Suite bridges CRM + marketing automation so you can nurture leads with a single customer view. Freshmarketer adds marketing automation capabilities and supports multi-channel engagement (including email) depending on your plan.

• Standout email strengths: strong integration between sales context and marketing journeys.
• Why people choose it: unified system without jumping into full enterprise platforms.
• Trade-offs: you’ll want to map roles carefully (who owns marketing journeys vs. sales sequences).

Official links:
Freshsales Suite |
Freshmarketer |
Sales sequences help doc |
Freshmarketer pricing

7) Keap (Best for Solopreneurs & Service Businesses)

Best for: small service businesses that want CRM + email automation + follow-ups in one tool.

Keap is built around the idea of helping small businesses reduce chaos by combining CRM with automation. If you need to follow up consistently—welcome sequences, reminders, basic nurturing—Keap is a practical option.

• Standout email strengths: email marketing plus automation and CRM under one roof.
• Why people choose it: strong small-business orientation and automation-first mindset.
• Trade-offs: may feel less flexible than building a custom stack with separate best-of-breed tools.

Official links:
Email marketing |
Automation |
Keap platform

8) EngageBay (Best Budget All-in-One Alternative)

Best for: small businesses that want CRM + email marketing automation at a budget-friendly starting point.

EngageBay positions itself as an all-in-one platform combining marketing and CRM. If you want bulk emails, templates, engagement tracking, and basic automation tied to CRM records—without paying enterprise-level pricing—this is worth a look.

• Standout email strengths: email marketing CRM features and automation-focused messaging.
• Why people choose it: affordability and “many features in one login.”
• Trade-offs: may not match the ecosystem depth of larger platforms.

Official links:
Email marketing CRM |
EngageBay homepage

9) Bitrix24 (Best for Teams Needing CRM + Marketing + Collaboration)

Best for: teams that want CRM + communication + marketing features (and often projects/tasks) in one workspace.

Bitrix24 includes CRM marketing tools that can reach clients via multiple channels, including email. If your organization prefers a “single workspace” approach, Bitrix24 can replace several separate tools—but it’s best when your team embraces the suite model.

• Standout email strengths: email inside a broader CRM marketing toolkit.
• Why people choose it: one platform for sales, marketing, and collaboration.
• Trade-offs: the suite breadth can feel overwhelming at first.

Official links:
CRM marketing tools |
Bitrix24 CRM |
Pricing

10) Apptivo (Best Modular “Build-Your-Own” CRM)

Best for: businesses that want a modular CRM and prefer adding only the apps they need (including campaigns).

Apptivo is known for modularity. Its email marketing capabilities live in dedicated solutions/apps (like Campaigns) so you can design, launch, and track email campaigns while keeping CRM data connected. This is ideal when you want customization without building a full custom system.

• Standout email strengths: campaign tracking and CRM-linked engagement.
• Why people choose it: flexibility—turn features on as you need them.
• Trade-offs: you’ll do some setup work selecting the right modules and flows.

Official links:
Email marketing solution |
Campaigns app |
Pricing

11) Nutshell (Best Simple CRM + Email Marketing for Small Teams)

Best for: small teams who want email marketing connected to CRM contacts without a huge learning curve.

Nutshell’s marketing features focus on turning CRM contacts into marketing audiences and running campaigns like broadcasts, newsletters, and drip sequences. It emphasizes practical CRM-linked automations (like triggers tied to pipelines) and reporting to see what’s working.

• Standout email strengths: CRM audiences + drip campaigns + reporting (simple, sales-friendly).
• Why people choose it: straightforward UX and focus on SMB sales workflows.
• Trade-offs: not intended to replace enterprise marketing clouds.

Official links:
Email marketing |
Marketing suite |
Nutshell CRM

12) Salesforce (Best Enterprise Option: Marketing Cloud / Account Engagement)

Best for: enterprise organizations needing governance, scale, and deep marketing automation tied to CRM data.

Salesforce is a powerhouse in CRM, and its marketing products are built for complex segmentation, orchestration, and enterprise-grade data use. If you’re running large campaigns, multi-team operations, and need advanced alignment between marketing and sales, Salesforce is a common long-term platform choice.

• Standout email strengths: enterprise email marketing + automation with strong CRM alignment.
• Why people choose it: scale, ecosystem, and enterprise capabilities.
• Trade-offs: heavier implementation effort; best with dedicated admins/partners.

Official links:
Marketing Cloud |
Account Engagement (B2B automation) |
Account Engagement pricing |
Email automation guide

13) Dynamics 365 + Customer Insights – Journeys (Best for Microsoft Ecosystem Teams)

Best for: organizations already invested in Microsoft who want marketing email + personalization + journeys tied to CRM and customer data.

Dynamics 365 Customer Insights – Journeys supports building and sending marketing emails with a guided process, and Microsoft documentation highlights capabilities like personalization controls and advanced editor features. It’s a strong fit when your business runs on Microsoft tools and you want your marketing and customer data strategy aligned.

• Standout email strengths: guided email creation flow + personalization features.
• Why people choose it: Microsoft ecosystem alignment and enterprise-readiness.
• Trade-offs: like most enterprise suites, setup and governance matter.

Official links:
Email marketing overview |
Email editor features |
Design marketing emails

FAQs

What is the best CRM with email marketing for most businesses in 2026?

If you want a balanced all-in-one platform that’s easy to adopt and scales well, HubSpot is a common “default” recommendation. If you want automation-first nurturing, ActiveCampaign is often the better fit.

Should I choose a CRM with built-in email marketing or integrate a separate email tool?

Choose built-in (or suite-based) if you want simplicity and shared data. Choose separate tools if you need best-of-breed email features and your team can maintain clean integrations.

What’s the difference between email sequences and email campaigns?

Campaigns are usually one-time broadcasts like newsletters or promotions. Sequences (or drip campaigns) are automated multi-step emails triggered by actions or timing.

Do these CRMs support newsletters?

Most of them do—either natively (HubSpot, ActiveCampaign, Zoho Campaigns, Nutshell, Apptivo, Bitrix24, EngageBay) or via a dedicated add-on (Pipedrive Campaigns).

Which option is best for a sales team that mainly wants pipeline + occasional marketing emails?

Pipedrive + Campaigns is a strong match for sales-first teams that want email marketing without switching platforms.

Which CRMs are best for solopreneurs and service providers?

Keap is built around automation for small businesses. EngageBay is also popular for budget-friendly all-in-one needs.

How do I know if automation is “good enough”?

Before buying, map your ideal lead journey (signup → nurture → booked call → onboarding). If the tool can trigger emails and tasks based on those events and supports segmentation, it’s likely sufficient.

What’s the biggest mistake people make when choosing a CRM with email marketing?

Buying based on features they’ll never implement. Instead, pick the tool that makes your weekly workflow easier: segmentation, follow-ups, and reporting.

Can I migrate emails and contacts later if I outgrow my CRM?

Usually yes (exports/imports exist), but workflows and automations can be painful to rebuild. That’s why choosing the right “data home” early is valuable.

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References

• HubSpot Email Marketing
• ActiveCampaign Email Marketing
• Zoho Campaigns CRM Integration
• Campaigns by Pipedrive
• Freshsales Suite
• Keap Email Marketing
• EngageBay Email Marketing CRM
• Bitrix24 CRM Marketing
• Apptivo Email Marketing
• Nutshell Email Marketing
• Salesforce Marketing Cloud
• Dynamics 365 Customer Insights – Journeys Email Overview