Zoho CRM vs act
Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, ratings, and alternatives.
Zoho CRM is a full-featured, affordable CRM that is part of the broad Zoho suite of business apps, offering sales automation, analytics, and AI at competitive pricing. It suits businesses wanting an integrated, cost-effective stack.
act is a command‑line utility that executes GitHub Actions workflows on your own machine. It reads the workflow definitions in .github/workflows/, builds the job dependency graph, and uses Docker to pull or create the required runner images. By mirroring the environment variables and filesystem layout of GitHub‑hosted runners, act gives developers instant feedback on workflow changes without needing to push commits, and can also serve as a lightweight local task runner.
Free for up to 3 users; paid plans from about $14/user/month.
- Great value
- Feature-rich
- Part of a broad suite
- Free tier for tiny teams
- Runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux
- Eliminates the need for remote pushes to test workflows
- Accurate environment replication of GitHub runners
- Integrates seamlessly with existing Docker installations
- Interface can feel dense
- Best value within Zoho ecosystem
- Setup can take time
- Requires Docker to be installed and running
- Limited to workflows that can be expressed in Docker containers
- Initial setup may be complex for beginners
What reviewers say
Zoho CRM Reviews
4.0 (2)Decent with caveats
Tried Zoho CRM recently. Upside: free tier for tiny teams. Downside: setup can take time.
Great crm
We rolled out Zoho CRM last quarter. Feature-rich. No real complaints. Would recommend.
act Reviews
No reviews yet.
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The Verdict
AI-generated from listing dataact offers a free, one‑time‑purchase CRM with strong Microsoft/Google integration but limited mobile and no API, while Zoho CRM provides a freemium cloud service with API access, broader platform support, and a richer ecosystem at a low per‑user cost.
Key differences
- •Pricing model: act is completely free with no recurring fees; Zoho charges per user after the free tier.
- •API availability: act has no API; Zoho includes a full API for custom integrations.
- •Platform reach: act runs in browsers and a Windows desktop app only; Zoho offers native iOS and Android apps.
- •Ecosystem depth: act integrates mainly with Microsoft Office, Google Apps, and QuickBooks; Zoho connects across the entire Zoho suite and many third‑party services.
Pricing & value
act is free with a one‑time purchase, whereas Zoho’s paid plans start at $14 per user per month.
Ease of use / learning curve
act’s intuitive UI reduces training time; Zoho’s dense interface can feel overwhelming for new users.
Features & depth
Zoho provides AI assistant, analytics, and extensive customization; act lacks live chat and API.
Integrations & ecosystem
Zoho integrates across its full suite and many third‑party apps; act focuses on Microsoft, Google, and QuickBooks.
Collaboration
act includes shared notes, task assignments, and an online community forum; Zoho’s collaboration features are not detailed.
Scalability
Zoho’s cloud SaaS model and per‑user pricing scale easily; act is limited to Windows desktop and browser access.
Support
act offers email, phone, and community support; Zoho’s support options are not specified.
Choose Zoho CRM if…
Teams needing API access, mobile apps, and a broader ecosystem, willing to pay per user.
Choose act if…
Small businesses wanting a free, desktop‑friendly CRM with built‑in Microsoft/Google sync and no recurring fees.
Common questions
Is there any cost to use act beyond the initial purchase?
No, act is free with a one‑time purchase; there are no recurring subscription fees.
Can I integrate custom third‑party apps with act?
act does not provide an API, so custom integrations are not supported.
What mobile options does Zoho CRM offer that act does not?
Zoho provides native iOS and Android apps; act’s mobile functionality is limited and not specified.