# What CRM software actually costs in the UK

> The parts of a CRM budget - licences, tiers, setup, data import, integrations and time - and how to compare suppliers fairly.

**URL:** https://cubecrm.co.uk/guides/what-crm-costs-uk

**Published:** 2026-09-24 | **Updated:** 2026-09-24 | **Reading time:** 9 min

CRM pricing pages are designed to make one number look small. The real cost of a CRM is made up of several numbers, some recurring and some one-off, and some that never appear on an invoice at all.

This guide sets out what those numbers are, what drives them, and how to compare suppliers on a like-for-like basis. We deliberately do not quote other vendors’ prices - they change too often to be fair.

## The parts of a CRM budget

- Licences - usually per user per month, sometimes with minimum seat counts or bundles.
- Tiers and add-ons - features such as quoting, automation, forecasting or telephony may sit in higher tiers or cost extra.
- Contact or usage charges - some products charge by the number of marketing contacts, emails or automation runs.
- Setup - configuration, data import and training, whether done by the vendor, a partner or yourselves.
- Integrations - connectors to accounts, email or telephony, sometimes licensed separately.
- Administration - the internal or external time needed to maintain the system after go-live.
- Your own time - the hours your team spends on setup, import checks and training.

## What drives the number

Users are the obvious driver, but not the biggest variable. Data quality usually is: importing one clean spreadsheet is quick, while merging four inconsistent lists, an old CRM and years of email history takes considerably longer.

The next driver is how unusual your process is. Standard pipelines, quotes and follow-ups are configuration. A unique calculation, a customer portal or an integration with an obscure system is development, and should be quoted separately.

## How to compare suppliers fairly

1. Write down the users you expect in two years, by role.
2. List the features you actually need, and identify which tier of each product includes them.
3. Ask for setup, data import and training as fixed prices, not estimates.
4. Ask what integrations cost, including any per-connector or middleware fees.
5. Ask what administration the system needs and who would do it.
6. Compare the three-year total, in writing, across your shortlist.

> If a supplier cannot give you a three-year total in writing after one proper conversation, that tells you something.

## When cheap is expensive, and the reverse

A low licence price can be the most expensive option if the features you need sit in a higher tier, or if nobody uses the system and the business carries on as before. A higher licence price can be cheaper overall if it includes setup, integrations and support you would otherwise buy separately.

The cheapest CRM is the one your team actually uses. Everything else is a cost with no return.

## How CubeCRM is priced, for reference

CubeCRM is priced per named user per month with every module included, plus a one-off setup fee covering configuration, data import and training, quoted as a fixed price after discovery. The API and standard integrations are included. We describe it here so you can put it into the comparison above, not because it is the only sensible model.

## Key takeaways

- Compare the three-year total of the configuration you need, not the headline licence.
- Data quality is usually the biggest variable in setup cost.
- Check which tier contains the features you are buying for.
- The cheapest CRM is the one your team actually uses.

## Frequently asked questions

**Is there a typical cost per user?**

Prices range from free tiers to well over a hundred pounds per user per month for enterprise editions, and they change often. The useful number is the total cost of your configuration, not the per-user headline.

**Are free CRMs really free?**

The free tier is, within its limits. Costs usually arrive when you need a feature from a paid tier or pass a contact limit. Free is a perfectly good choice if you stay within those limits.

**How much should setup cost?**

It depends on data and process. For a small team with one clean spreadsheet, setup can be modest; for a larger team with several data sources and integrations, it is often the largest first-year cost. Insist on a fixed price.

**Should we pay monthly or annually?**

Annual is usually cheaper, and monthly is more flexible. For a new system, some flexibility in the first year is worth having.

## Relevant solution pages

- **CRM Software** - Contacts, enquiries, pipeline, quotes, follow-ups and service in one shared customer record - built in the UK for growing businesses. https://cubecrm.co.uk/software/crm-software
- **Small Business CRM** - A CRM a small team can set up in weeks and actually keep up to date - contacts, enquiries, quotes and follow-ups without the enterprise baggage. https://cubecrm.co.uk/software/small-business-crm
- **Cloud CRM Software** - An online CRM hosted in UK data centres - nothing to install, nothing to back up, and the same customer record on every desk and every phone. https://cubecrm.co.uk/software/cloud-crm-software
- **Sales Pipeline Software** - Every opportunity on one board, by stage, with value, likelihood and next step - so the whole team can see what is live and what is stuck. https://cubecrm.co.uk/software/sales-pipeline-software

## Related guides

- **How to choose a CRM for a growing UK business** - A practical way to shortlist and choose a CRM - what to decide before you look, the questions that separate suppliers, and the traps to avoid. https://cubecrm.co.uk/guides/how-to-choose-a-crm
- **Moving to a CRM: getting the data across and the team on board** - A step-by-step approach to moving from spreadsheets, inboxes or an old CRM - data import, setup, training and the first ninety days. https://cubecrm.co.uk/guides/crm-implementation-guide
- **Signs your customer list has outgrown a spreadsheet and a shared inbox** - How to tell the difference between a sales team that is busy and one whose tools have stopped keeping up - and what to do about it. https://cubecrm.co.uk/guides/signs-you-have-outgrown-spreadsheets

## Contact

- **Product:** CubeCRM
- **Trading name of:** Cube Systems Limited (company number 17220899, ICO registration number ZC216972)
- **Email:** hello@cubecrm.co.uk
- **Sales:** sales@cubecrm.co.uk
- **Support:** support@cubecrm.co.uk
- **Telephone:** 01234 672 617 (+441234672617)
- **Address:** Unit 11, Olney Business Park, Osier Way, Olney, Buckinghamshire, MK46 5FP
- **Opening hours:** Monday to Friday, 9am to 5.30pm
- **Part of:** Crushed Ice Group (https://crushedicegroup.co.uk)