Brevo CRM: Complete Guide to Free Sales & Marketing CRM (2026)

Brevo offers a free CRM that rivals paid alternatives. This guide covers everything you need to know about using Brevo CRM for sales and marketing success.

Automation Brevo Multi-Channel Brevo only CRM All plans Loyalty With Tajo

Brevo · Automation

Visual Automation Builder

Drag-and-drop workflow editor with multi-channel triggers — email, SMS, and WhatsApp in a single flow. Brevo is the only platform with native WhatsApp automation built in.

• Email + SMS + WhatsApp in one workflow
• Behavioural triggers (cart, browse, purchase)
• A/B split within automations
• 20+ pre-built templates

What is Brevo CRM?

Brevo CRM is a free customer relationship management system included with all Brevo plans. Unlike competitors that charge extra for CRM features, Brevo includes it at no additional cost.

Key Capabilities

• Contact management - Unlimited contacts with detailed profiles
• Deal pipeline - Visual sales tracking
• Task management - Follow-up reminders
• Email integration - Connected to marketing
• Automation - Workflow triggers
• Reporting - Sales analytics

Why Choose Brevo CRM?

Free Forever

Feature	Brevo CRM	HubSpot Free	Zoho Free
Contacts	Unlimited	1,000,000	5,000
Deals	Unlimited	Unlimited	Limited
Email integration	Full	Basic	Basic
Marketing connected	Yes	Separate	Separate
Cost	$0	$0	$0

Unified Platform

Brevo CRM connects directly to:

• Email marketing
• SMS campaigns
• WhatsApp messaging
• Automation workflows
• Transactional emails

This eliminates data silos common with separate tools.

Getting Started with Brevo CRM

Step 1: Enable CRM

1. Log into Brevo account
2. Navigate to CRM in sidebar
3. Click “Activate CRM”
4. Configure initial settings

Step 2: Import Contacts

From CSV:

1. Go to Contacts → Import
2. Upload CSV file
3. Map fields
4. Complete import

From other CRMs:

• Direct integrations available
• API for custom migration
• Support assistance available

Step 3: Set Up Pipeline

1. Go to Deals → Pipeline
2. Create stages (e.g., Lead, Qualified, Proposal, Closed)
3. Customize stage properties
4. Set automation triggers

Core CRM Features

Contact Management

Contact Profiles Include:

• Basic information (name, email, phone)
• Company details
• Custom attributes
• Interaction history
• Email engagement
• Deal associations
• Notes and tasks

Segmentation:

• Create lists based on attributes
• Dynamic segments that update automatically
• Use for targeted marketing

Deal Pipeline

Pipeline Features:

• Visual kanban board
• Drag-and-drop deals
• Multiple pipelines
• Custom stages
• Deal values
• Expected close dates
• Win probability

Best Practices:

1. Keep stages clear and distinct
2. Limit to 5-7 stages
3. Define stage criteria
4. Set expected timeframes

Task Management

Task Types:

• Call reminders
• Email follow-ups
• Meeting scheduling
• Custom tasks

Automation:

• Auto-create tasks when deals move
• Reminder notifications
• Overdue alerts
• Team assignments

Notes and Activity

Track Everything:

• Meeting notes
• Call summaries
• Email threads
• Document attachments
• Status updates

CRM Automation

Workflow Triggers

When Contact:

• Is created
• Attribute changes
• Opens email
• Clicks link
• Visits page

When Deal:

• Is created
• Moves to stage
• Is won/lost
• Value changes

Automation Examples

Lead Nurturing:

1. New contact added

2. Add to welcome email sequence

3. Create follow-up task (3 days)

4. Notify sales team

Deal Stage Automation:

1. Deal moves to Proposal

2. Send proposal email template

3. Create task: follow up in 2 days

4. Update contact attribute

Win/Loss Tracking:

1. Deal marked as Won

2. Send thank you email

3. Add to customer list

4. Create onboarding task

CRM + Marketing Integration

Unified Customer View

Brevo CRM shows:

• Marketing email history
• SMS/WhatsApp interactions
• Website behavior (with tracking)
• Campaign responses
• Automation journeys

Synced Segmentation

Create segments using:

• CRM deal data
• Marketing engagement
• Combined criteria

Example: “Contacts with open deals who clicked last email”

Cross-Channel Campaigns

1. Identify contacts in CRM
2. Create targeted segment
3. Send email campaign
4. Follow up with SMS
5. Track in CRM

Sales Reporting

Built-in Reports

• Pipeline overview - Deals by stage
• Revenue forecast - Expected revenue
• Activity summary - Tasks and interactions
• Team performance - By salesperson
• Conversion rates - Stage progression

Key Metrics

Metric	What It Shows
Win rate	% of deals closed successfully
Average deal size	Mean deal value
Sales cycle	Time from lead to close
Pipeline value	Total potential revenue
Activity rate	Interactions per deal

Team Collaboration

User Roles

• Admin - Full access
• Manager - Team oversight
• Sales rep - Own deals/contacts
• Marketing - Campaign access

Assignment Features

• Round-robin lead assignment
• Territory-based routing
• Manual reassignment
• Team visibility settings

Communication

• Internal notes
• @mentions
• Task assignments
• Activity feeds

Brevo CRM vs Alternatives

vs HubSpot CRM

Feature	Brevo	HubSpot
Contact limit	Unlimited	1M
Marketing included	Yes	Separate product
SMS/WhatsApp	Included	Paid add-ons
Learning curve	Low	Medium
Best for	SMBs	All sizes

vs Zoho CRM

Feature	Brevo	Zoho
Free tier	Generous	Limited
Email marketing	Built-in	Separate
Multi-channel	Yes	Limited
Complexity	Simple	Complex

vs Pipedrive

Feature	Brevo	Pipedrive
Cost	Free	$14+/user
Marketing	Included	No
Pipeline UI	Good	Excellent
Automation	Good	Good

Advanced CRM Tips

1. Custom Attributes

Create fields specific to your business:

• Industry
• Lead source
• Product interest
• Decision timeline
• Budget range

2. Pipeline Stages

Align with your sales process:

1. New lead
2. Contacted
3. Qualified
4. Demo scheduled
5. Proposal sent
6. Negotiation
7. Closed (Won/Lost)

3. Automation Rules

Set up time-savers:

• Auto-assign leads by source
• Move deals after X days inactive
• Send alerts for high-value deals
• Create tasks for stale deals

4. Integration Strategy

Connect Brevo CRM with:

• Website forms
• Calendar tools
• Communication apps
• Accounting software
• E-commerce platforms

E-commerce CRM Use Cases

With Tajo Integration

For Shopify stores, Tajo enhances Brevo CRM:

• Customer profiles - Full purchase history
• Loyalty data - Points and rewards
• RFM segments - Behavioral targeting
• Automated triggers - Purchase-based workflows

E-commerce Pipeline

Adapt CRM for retail:

1. Browser → First-time visitor
2. Subscriber → Email signup
3. First purchase → Customer
4. Repeat buyer → Loyal
5. VIP → High-value

Common CRM Mistakes

1. Not Using It

Problem: CRM sits empty Solution: Make it part of daily workflow

2. Incomplete Data

Problem: Missing information Solution: Require fields, use automation to enrich

3. No Process

Problem: Inconsistent usage Solution: Define clear stages and criteria

4. Siloed Data

Problem: CRM disconnected from marketing Solution: Use Brevo’s unified platform

Getting More from Brevo CRM

With Tajo for E-commerce

If you run a Shopify store:

• Automatic customer sync
• Loyalty program integration
• Enhanced customer profiles
• Better segmentation

Upgrade Path

As you grow, Brevo offers:

• More automation workflows
• Advanced reporting
• Additional users
• Priority support

Conclusion

Brevo CRM provides enterprise-level features at no cost:

• Unlimited contacts and deals
• Full marketing integration
• Automation capabilities
• Multi-channel communication

For e-commerce businesses, combining Brevo CRM with Tajo unlocks even more power through deep Shopify integration and loyalty programs.

Ready to start? Get started with Tajo + Brevo CRM.