Why one CRM plus project management wins

Running two systems means context switching, duplicate fields, and missed follow‑ups. Sales promises get lost between a CRM and a PM board. That costs margin and trust.

A single platform ties lead capture, conversations, proposals, and delivery tasks together. Handoffs are automatic. Accountability is visible. Deals close faster because the work to deliver is already queued.

If you’re a 5–20 person team, simplicity beats “app-mix alchemy.” Every extra integration is another way to drop the ball.

Must haves in a CRM and project management tool

You need a visual, drag‑and‑drop pipeline that links directly to tasks. Every stage change should create the next action without manual work.

Integrated calling or VOIP matters. Click‑to‑call, logged recordings, and local presence lift connect rates and eliminate “did we call?” debates.

Email and calendar sync keeps timelines honest. Two‑way sync means your CRM mirrors reality, not hopes.

Proposal and quote generation should live in the same flow. Fewer tabs, fewer errors, faster “yes.”

Simple automations. Triggers like “proposal sent” or “deal won” should create tasks, schedule follow‑ups, and notify owners.

Role permissions are non‑negotiable. Keep finance notes private and limit who edits pricing.

A mobile app should cover calls, notes, tasks, and pipeline moves. Not just read‑only dashboards.

Reporting must answer: Where are deals stuck? Who needs help? What revenue is forecasted this month and next?

Integrations to Google/Microsoft, accounting, and e‑sign remove admin tax. Use them to extend, not to patch missing basics.

Best CRM and project management software to compare 2025

Below is a fast, founder‑focused shortlist. Use it to pick 2–3 to trial.

Product	Positioning	Who it’s for	Notes
Leadchee	CRM‑first with light projects	Startups, consultants, small agencies	Flat $29/seat, integrated calling, proposals, tasks. Fast onboarding. Leadchee
HubSpot + Asana	CRM hub + PM add‑on	Teams needing ecosystem depth	Starts free, scales to pricey bundles. Powerful, more setup.
Zoho One	Broad suite including CRM + Projects	Cost‑sensitive teams wanting many apps	Deep features, steeper learning curve.
Monday Sales CRM	PM‑first with CRM modules	Delivery‑heavy teams adding sales	Visual, flexible. Adds CRM features as you go.
ClickUp	All‑in‑one work platform	Cross‑functional teams	CRM + Projects in one product; Free Forever tier with unlimited tasks/members. ClickUp
Pipedrive + Projects	Deal‑driven CRM with add‑on projects	Sales‑led services	Strong sales UX; projects require extra setup/add‑ons.
Notion‑based stacks	DIY database wiki	Tinkerers with time	Flexible but manual. Requires heavy templating.

Pipedrive shines with ecosystem and integrations. But add‑ons, plug‑ins, and per‑feature fees add complexity. Leadchee favors speed, built‑ins, and predictable pricing.

CRM with projects vs PM with CRM

CRM‑first tools extend into projects. You get accurate forecasting, activity tracking, and proposals where reps live. Project features are lighter but tightly connected to deals.

PM‑first tools add light CRM. You get deep task views, dependencies, and workload. Forecasting and pipeline health feel bolted on, often needing extra integrations.

Match to your work:

Sales‑led services: prioritize CRM‑first for pipeline accuracy and quote‑to‑cash speed.
Delivery‑heavy agencies: PM‑first is fine if you accept lighter CRM and add a quoting tool.
Hybrid teams: pick the platform your bottleneck lives in today.

CRM pricing reality for small businesses

Market bands matter when you budget 5–10 seats. Recent breakdowns from EngageBay and ExpertMarket show clear tiers.

Tier	Typical price (per user/month)	What you get	5 seats/mo	10 seats/mo
Entry	$10–$20	Basic CRM, limited automation	$50–$100	$100–$200
Mid	$50–$80	Automations, reporting, some calling	$250–$400	$500–$800
Enterprise	$150+	Advanced suites, governance	$750+	$1,500+

Bundles can jump. HubSpot’s “Customer Platform” bundles can reach around $4,300/month as you scale features and contacts, per industry trackers like EngageBay.

Flat, bundled pricing avoids death‑by‑add‑on. Leadchee is $29/seat with calling, proposals, and projects included. Forecasting TCO becomes trivial.

From CRM pipeline to project management tasks

A smooth path looks like this, end‑to‑end.

Lead captured from form or email. Contact and company are created automatically.

Rep qualifies, calls from the CRM, and logs notes. Recordings attach to the deal.

Proposal is generated from a template. Client approves via e‑sign.

Mark won. A project and task list auto‑create from the deal type.

Owner and deadlines assign based on rules. Calendar events sync.

Delivery runs in the same system. No lost context. Every promise stays visible.

One week CRM and project setup plan

Move fast without chaos. Here’s a 7‑day rollout.

Day	What to do
1	Define pipeline stages and required fields. Name them plainly.
2	Import contacts and deals. Clean duplicates now, not later.
3	Build task templates per service. Map to stages.
4	Connect email and calendar. Test two‑way sync and logging.
5	Enable calling/VOIP. Set numbers and recording policies.
6	Add proposal templates and taxes/terms. Standardize pricing.
7	Build a won‑deal handoff automation. Train the team. Ship a simple dashboard.

Why small teams pick Leadchee CRM

Leadchee is built for founders who want deals closed and work delivered without tool bloat. Visual pipelines, integrated VOIP, proposal generation, tasks, and calendar come standard. Onboarding is quick, and the UI is clean and multilingual. Leadchee

At $29 per seat, everything’s included. No guessing which tier unlocks calling or proposals. That predictability is rare in this market.

Not ideal if you need deep ERP, custom dev workflows, or heavy resource leveling. For that, consider PM‑first platforms or full suites.

Compared to Pipedrive, Leadchee trades ecosystem sprawl for built‑ins and speed. You get fewer add‑on decisions and a simpler stack to run.

CRM and project management decision checklist

Pressure‑test your choice before rollout.

Item	Ask this
Sales volume	Can the pipeline show stuck deals and next actions clearly?
Proposal needs	Are quotes and e‑sign built‑in and templatized?
Calling	Is VOIP integrated with recordings and local presence?
Project depth	Do templates and dependencies match how you deliver?
Onboarding time	Can a rep be productive in under a week?
Reporting	Can you forecast revenue and capacity by owner?
Integrations	Does it cover Google/Microsoft, accounting, and e‑sign?
Budget cap	What’s the 10‑seat, all‑in monthly cost including add‑ons?

If speed and clarity are your priority, start with Leadchee. Trial it against one PM‑first contender like Monday or ClickUp. Run a real handoff from lead to delivery. Pick the stack that ships faster with fewer tabs.

References for pricing context: EngageBay, ExpertMarket, ClickUp, Magier.

Best CRM and Project Management for Small Business in 2025