
Sales is only half the job. The real customer experience starts after the deal is won. If your CRM can’t smoothly hand off work to delivery, onboarding, implementation, or client success, you end up with the classic problems: missed deadlines, broken promises, scattered communication, and unhappy customers.
- Key Takeaways
- Table of Contents
- Quick Picks (Fast Recommendations)
- How We Reviewed These CRMs
- Comparison Table
- The 8 Best CRM with Project Management in 2026 (Full Reviews)
- 1) monday sales CRM — Best Overall for CRM + Work Delivery
- 2) Zoho CRM + Zoho Projects — Best All-in-One Suite for SMBs
- 3) Pipedrive (Projects) — Best for Simple Pipelines + Delivery Tracking
- 4) HubSpot — Best for Campaign-Driven Teams (Marketing + Sales + Tasks)
- 5) Insightly — Best for Professional Services & Client Projects
- 6) Bitrix24 — Best Budget-Friendly All-in-One (CRM + Tasks + Collaboration)
- 7) Salesforce + Project Management Apps — Best for Enterprise Ecosystems
- 8) Odoo (CRM + Project) — Best for Modular, Integrated Business Apps
- Buyer’s Guide: What to Look For
- 1) Deal-to-project handoff (non-negotiable)
- 2) Templates and repeatable playbooks
- 3) Visibility across departments
- 4) Permissions and client access
- 5) Integrations that match your stack
- Best Options by Use Case
- For agencies (web, design, marketing)
- For SaaS onboarding and implementation
- For budget-conscious small businesses
- For enterprises needing deep governance
- Setup Playbook: Pipeline → Project in 7 Steps
- FAQs
- 1) Can a CRM replace a project management tool?
- 2) What’s the biggest mistake teams make with CRM + projects?
- 3) Which is better: built-in project management or integrations?
- 4) What should I automate first?
- 5) Do these tools support Kanban boards?
- 6) What if I need time tracking for billing clients?
- 7) What’s best for a small team that wants easy adoption?
- 8) Can I give clients access to project status?
- 9) Which CRM is best for enterprise project management workflows?
- 10) How do I choose quickly?
- References & Helpful Resources
That’s why CRMs that include project management (or connect to it cleanly) are winning in 2026. The best platforms help you:
- Turn a “Closed Won” deal into a real delivery plan
- Assign owners and timelines automatically
- Track project status alongside customer history
- Keep sales, operations, and support aligned in one view
Key Takeaways
- Choose “built-in” PM if you want one system for pipeline → delivery (less integration work).
- Choose “CRM + integration” if you already use a PM tool (Asana/Jira/monday/ClickUp) and need a reliable handoff.
- Prioritize these features: deal-to-project automation, templates, clear ownership, status reporting, permissions, and time tracking.
- For agencies & professional services, project visibility per client matters more than advanced sales features.
- For enterprise teams, look for governance, roles, audit logs, and integration ecosystems.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks (Fast Recommendations)
- Best overall “CRM + work delivery” platform: monday sales CRM
- Best all-in-one suite for SMBs: Zoho CRM + Zoho Projects
- Best for simple sales pipelines + delivery projects: Pipedrive (Projects)
- Best marketing-to-delivery workflows (campaign-driven): HubSpot (Projects tool)
- Best for professional services & client projects: Insightly
- Best budget-friendly “everything in one place”: Bitrix24
- Best for enterprise ecosystems & app marketplace options: Salesforce + AppExchange PM apps
- Best for customization & modular build: Odoo (CRM + Project modules)
How We Reviewed These CRMs
To keep this review practical, we focused on what actually matters when you’re running real projects for real customers:
Our evaluation criteria
- Pipeline → Project handoff: Can you convert a deal into tasks/projects without manual chaos?
- Project visibility in the CRM: Can sales and success teams view delivery status at a glance?
- Task & timeline depth: Kanban, list, calendar, Gantt/timeline, dependencies, milestones, templates.
- Automation: Assign owners, create checklists, set due dates, trigger emails/updates.
- Collaboration: Comments, file sharing, mentions, client access (where relevant).
- Integrations: Email, calendar, accounting, support desk, and popular PM tools.
- Scalability & governance: Roles, permissions, audit trails, data controls.
Note: Pricing and plan names change frequently. In each review, you’ll find official links so you can confirm current pricing and availability before buying.
Comparison Table
| CRM hookup | Best for | Project management style | Why it stands out | Official link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| monday sales CRM | Teams that want CRM + work delivery in one system | Work boards + automations + dashboards | Highly customizable workflows for sales + execution | monday.com/crm |
| Zoho CRM + Zoho Projects | SMBs wanting an integrated suite | Dedicated Projects app synced to CRM | Strong “deal won → project created” flow | Zoho CRM Projects |
| Pipedrive (Projects) | Sales-first teams that need light delivery tracking | Kanban projects + tasks + automation | Simple pipeline UI with add-on projects | Pipedrive Projects |
| HubSpot (Projects tool) | Marketing + sales teams running structured campaigns | Project checklists & guided task lists | Campaign planning inside a unified HubSpot portal | HubSpot Projects |
| Insightly | Professional services & client delivery | Projects, tasks, milestones tied to contacts | Built for managing customer work after the sale | Insightly CRM + PM |
| Bitrix24 | Budget-friendly all-in-one workspace | Tasks & projects + collaboration features | “Everything platform” with CRM + projects | Bitrix24 Tasks |
| Salesforce + PM apps | Enterprises needing deep customization | Depends on AppExchange app (Asana/Jira/etc.) | Huge ecosystem + governance + integrations | AppExchange PM |
| Odoo (CRM + Project) | Businesses wanting modular, integrated apps | Project app with multiple views + automation | CRM and project management in one integrated suite | Odoo CRM |
The 8 Best CRM with Project Management in 2026 (Full Reviews)
1) monday sales CRM — Best Overall for CRM + Work Delivery
If you want one platform where sales pipelines and delivery workflows live side-by-side, monday is one of the strongest picks. It’s especially good for teams that care about visibility: “Where is this client in the pipeline?” and “What’s the delivery status?” in the same place.
Best for
- Agencies, SaaS onboarding teams, service businesses
- Teams that prefer highly visual boards and dashboards
What you’ll like
- Custom pipelines and boards that can mirror your sales and delivery process
- Automations to reduce manual handoffs
- Dashboards for revenue + workload + project progress reporting
Potential downsides
- Can feel like “too many options” if you want a strict, opinionated CRM
- Complex workflows may require initial setup time
Official links:
monday sales CRM •
CRM features
2) Zoho CRM + Zoho Projects — Best All-in-One Suite for SMBs
Zoho’s advantage is the suite. When a deal closes, you can track the delivery work in Zoho Projects while keeping all customer context inside Zoho CRM. This works great for SMBs that want to standardize onboarding, implementations, and recurring client work.
Best for
- SMBs who want CRM + PM + invoicing/support as one ecosystem
- Teams that need clear “sales → delivery” visibility
What you’ll like
- Strong CRM–Projects integration (deal won → project tracking)
- Clear separation of CRM records vs. delivery tasks (less clutter)
- Great if you already use Zoho apps (Books, Desk, Campaigns, etc.)
Potential downsides
- You may need admin time to configure portals, mappings, and sync rules
- Some advanced features depend on plan level
Official links:
Zoho CRM project management •
Zoho Projects CRM integration help •
Integration overview
3) Pipedrive (Projects) — Best for Simple Pipelines + Delivery Tracking
Pipedrive is known for being easy and sales-focused. If your team loves a clean pipeline, but still needs to track delivery after the sale, Pipedrive Projects is a practical add-on (and included in some higher plans).
Best for
- Small sales teams who don’t want heavy enterprise systems
- Businesses that manage straightforward delivery checklists
What you’ll like
- Fast transition from deal pipeline to delivery project
- Kanban-style project view plus tasks and subtasks
- Good for teams that want “just enough PM”
Potential downsides
- Advanced PM (resource management, complex dependencies) may require a dedicated PM tool
- Projects availability varies by plan/add-on
Official links:
Pipedrive Projects •
Projects knowledge base •
Projects FAQ
4) HubSpot — Best for Campaign-Driven Teams (Marketing + Sales + Tasks)
HubSpot is widely used as a CRM, especially for inbound marketing and lifecycle automation. For project-style work, HubSpot offers a “Projects tool” that organizes work into guided task lists—useful for campaigns, onboarding sequences, and repeatable playbooks.
Best for
- Marketing + sales teams managing repeatable campaigns
- Businesses that want CRM + content + email workflows together
What you’ll like
- Projects checklists that keep teams consistent
- Easy alignment of marketing work and CRM activity
- Large ecosystem of integrations if you prefer a separate PM tool
Potential downsides
- Not a full replacement for advanced PM platforms in complex delivery environments
- Project organization is more “task-list” oriented than heavy project planning
Official links:
How to use HubSpot Projects •
HubSpot Academy Projects
5) Insightly — Best for Professional Services & Client Projects
Insightly is built with the reality of services work in mind: you win a client, then you have to deliver. That makes it a strong pick if your “projects” are client implementations, onboarding, consulting, or ongoing service retainers.
Best for
- Professional services, consultancies, implementation teams
- Client delivery workflows tied closely to customer records
What you’ll like
- Project and task management features designed around client outcomes
- Good tracking and reporting for delivery progress
- Strong fit when your business is “selling projects” (not just products)
Potential downsides
- Some advanced automation/integration capabilities may require higher tiers or add-ons
- May be less “marketing-suite” heavy than HubSpot
Official links:
Insightly CRM project management •
Project & task management
6) Bitrix24 — Best Budget-Friendly All-in-One (CRM + Tasks + Collaboration)
Bitrix24 positions itself as an “everything workspace”: CRM, tasks, projects, chat, docs, and more. If your team wants a single tool for communication plus execution—without expensive add-ons—Bitrix24 is worth a look.
Best for
- Small businesses needing CRM + task management on a budget
- Teams that want collaboration tools bundled in
What you’ll like
- Tasks and projects built into the same platform as CRM
- Multiple project views (great for different working styles)
- Good option for teams replacing multiple tools at once
Potential downsides
- All-in-one platforms can feel busy; onboarding matters
- Depending on your needs, you may outgrow it and want specialized tools later
Official links:
Bitrix24 Tasks & Projects •
Bitrix24 Project Management overview
7) Salesforce + Project Management Apps — Best for Enterprise Ecosystems
Salesforce is a powerhouse CRM, but for project management it often shines through its ecosystem. The big advantage is flexibility: you can connect Salesforce to project management apps via the AppExchange—so enterprises can standardize CRM while choosing the right PM layer for each department.
Best for
- Enterprises with complex processes, multiple teams, and strict governance
- Companies that need a large integration/app ecosystem
What you’ll like
- Huge marketplace of PM solutions that work within/alongside Salesforce
- Strong controls, roles, permissions, and extensibility
- Fits organizations that already run Salesforce as the “system of record”
Potential downsides
- Best “CRM + PM” experience typically requires additional apps/configuration
- Can be expensive and admin-heavy compared to SMB tools
Official links:
Explore Project Management apps on AppExchange
Helpful reading:
SalesforceBen: PM tools for Salesforce pros
8) Odoo (CRM + Project) — Best for Modular, Integrated Business Apps
Odoo is an integrated suite that includes CRM and project management as separate but connected apps. This is ideal for businesses that want to build a full operating system over time (CRM today, projects next, accounting later, and so on) while keeping data connected.
Best for
- Teams that want modular apps that still work as one suite
- Businesses that value customization and integration across departments
What you’ll like
- CRM and project management available within the same ecosystem
- Project views and automation options for structured delivery workflows
- Scales well if you plan to unify multiple business functions
Potential downsides
- To get the most value, you may need setup effort and process design
- Some workflows may require additional modules or configuration
Official links:
Odoo CRM •
Odoo Project features
Buyer’s Guide: What to Look For
1) Deal-to-project handoff (non-negotiable)
The best CRM+PM workflows feel automatic. Look for triggers like:
- When stage = Closed Won → create project
- Assign delivery owner based on product/service
- Create task checklist from a template
- Set due dates relative to close date (e.g., +7 days)
2) Templates and repeatable playbooks
If your business delivers the same kind of work repeatedly (onboarding, implementation, audits, service), templates are your margin. A good system should let you standardize delivery while still customizing per client.
3) Visibility across departments
Sales should see delivery status. Delivery should see customer history. Leadership should see both. The best tools solve this with dashboards, roll-ups, and linked records.
4) Permissions and client access
Agencies and professional services teams often need client-facing collaboration. If you plan to share project status with customers, check whether the tool supports guest access, portals, or restricted views.
5) Integrations that match your stack
At minimum, check integrations for:
- Email and calendar (Google/Microsoft)
- Accounting (QuickBooks/Xero/Zoho Books)
- Support desk (Zendesk/Freshdesk/Zoho Desk)
- PM tools (Asana/Trello/Jira/monday/ClickUp)
Helpful external resources:
Jira •
Asana •
Trello •
Project Management Institute (PMI)
Best Options by Use Case
For agencies (web, design, marketing)
- monday for flexible boards + client delivery workflows
- Insightly for client projects tied to customer records
- Zoho CRM + Projects for a full suite approach
For SaaS onboarding and implementation
- Zoho for standardized onboarding projects after close
- HubSpot for lifecycle + campaign-style playbooks
- Salesforce for enterprise onboarding with ecosystem integrations
For budget-conscious small businesses
- Bitrix24 as an all-in-one workspace
- Pipedrive if you want a clean pipeline + light projects
For enterprises needing deep governance
- Salesforce + AppExchange PM to build tailored workflows
Setup Playbook: Pipeline → Project in 7 Steps
- Map your delivery workflow (what happens after a deal closes?).
- Create a project template per service/product (tasks, milestones, owners).
- Define the trigger: “Closed Won” or “Contract Signed”.
- Assign ownership rules (delivery lead, account manager, support owner).
- Set time rules (e.g., kickoff within 3 days, first deliverable within 10).
- Build a status dashboard (revenue + delivery progress + overdue tasks).
- Run a 2-week pilot and refine templates before full rollout.
Tip: If you already use a dedicated PM tool, aim for a two-way sync (customer context stays in CRM, execution stays in PM) and track “project status” back inside the CRM record.
FAQs
1) Can a CRM replace a project management tool?
Sometimes. If your “projects” are mostly checklists and deadlines (onboarding, implementation, delivery steps), a CRM with built-in PM can be enough. If you need deep planning (dependencies, resource leveling, complex timelines), you’ll still want a dedicated PM tool.
2) What’s the biggest mistake teams make with CRM + projects?
Not defining a standard handoff. If “Closed Won” doesn’t automatically create tasks and assign owners, the workflow becomes inconsistent and fails under pressure.
3) Which is better: built-in project management or integrations?
Built-in is better when you want simplicity and one system. Integrations are better when teams already love their PM tool and you don’t want to force a change.
4) What should I automate first?
Start with: deal stage → project creation, owner assignment, kickoff scheduling, and a template checklist for delivery.
5) Do these tools support Kanban boards?
Most do in some form. Pipedrive Projects and many suites use Kanban-style views. Always check the product’s current feature page for confirmation.
6) What if I need time tracking for billing clients?
Look for time tracking inside the project tool, or integrations with time tools. This is especially important for agencies and professional services.
7) What’s best for a small team that wants easy adoption?
Pipedrive is often praised for pipeline simplicity, while monday and Zoho can be easy if you start with templates and keep the initial setup lean.
8) Can I give clients access to project status?
Some platforms allow guest access or portals; others require workarounds. If client visibility is a requirement, verify this early.
9) Which CRM is best for enterprise project management workflows?
Salesforce is often the enterprise default because of its ecosystem—project management is typically handled via AppExchange solutions.
10) How do I choose quickly?
If you want one platform: choose monday or Zoho. If you want sales simplicity: choose Pipedrive. If you’re enterprise: choose Salesforce. If you’re services-first: choose Insightly.
References & Helpful Resources
- monday sales CRM (official)
- Zoho CRM project management (official)
- Zoho Projects CRM integration help (official)
- Pipedrive Projects (official)
- Projects by Pipedrive knowledge base (official)
- HubSpot Projects tool (official)
- Insightly CRM project management (official)
- Bitrix24 tasks & projects (official)
- Salesforce AppExchange project management category (official)
- Odoo CRM (official)
- Odoo Project features (official)
Disclosure: This post may include links to vendor websites for reference. Always verify current pricing, plan availability, and feature access on official pages.



