Choosing the best CRM for project management isn’t always straightforward. For businesses like mine—where sales, customer relationships, and team collaboration go hand-in-hand—having a CRM that does more than track leads is essential. In today’s competitive digital landscape, CRMs have evolved into multifunctional platforms that go far beyond customer data. One of the most important of these expanded capabilities is project management.
Over the past few years, I’ve personally tested and implemented several leading CRM solutions across multiple client projects, internal workflows, and product launches. What I’ve found is that while many CRMs claim to offer project management features, only a few truly deliver the depth, flexibility, and ease-of-use required to manage both customer relationships and project workflows from one place.
So, let’s dive into what makes a CRM great for project management, which platforms stand out, and how to choose the right one for your unique needs.
What Makes a CRM Great for Project Management?
Before jumping into specific platforms, it’s worth understanding what separates a CRM with basic task tracking from one with true project management capabilities. At the heart of it, project management within a CRM should help you:
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Coordinate teams across departments (sales, marketing, support, etc.)
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Organize tasks, timelines, deliverables, and milestones
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Track dependencies, priorities, and team workloads
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Keep client data and project data connected and accessible
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Generate reports for both sales pipelines and project progress
In my experience, the CRMs that excel in this area typically integrate familiar project management tools (like Kanban boards, Gantt charts, task automation, and file sharing) directly into their core interface—without needing half a dozen add-ons or workarounds.
HubSpot: CRM Power with Project Coordination
Let’s start with HubSpot, one of the most recognized names in CRM software. HubSpot is widely known for its marketing automation and sales tools, but over the years it has significantly expanded into project management territory.
What I appreciate about HubSpot is how seamlessly it blends marketing campaigns, customer support tickets, and project tasks. For example, if your sales team closes a deal, you can automatically trigger a project for onboarding the new client using predefined templates. This automation saves time and reduces manual errors.
HubSpot offers task creation, checklists, team assignments, due dates, and progress tracking. However, it lacks more advanced project management features like Gantt charts or detailed resource management. For teams looking for light-to-moderate project oversight—particularly those already deep into the HubSpot ecosystem—it’s a solid choice.
Pros:
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Excellent integration between marketing, sales, and tasks
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Clean UI and intuitive for teams already using HubSpot
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Strong automation tools
Cons:
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Limited for complex project timelines
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Some features locked behind higher-tier plans
Monday.com: A Project-First CRM
When I think about the best CRM for project management, Monday.com is often top of mind. Although Monday started as a project management platform, it has evolved into a highly customizable work operating system that also offers CRM capabilities.
The beauty of Monday is that project tracking is built into its DNA. You can create workflows for sales pipelines, client onboarding, creative production, or software sprints—all in the same space. It supports timelines, automation, time tracking, and collaboration tools that go beyond what most CRMs offer.
In fact, when I worked with a mid-sized marketing agency last year, we used Monday.com to track both leads and post-sale deliverables. The ability to move a contact from the CRM board to a project board without losing data made handoffs between sales and production almost seamless.
Pros:
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Built-in project templates and boards
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Highly customizable workflows
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Strong visual project tracking tools
Cons:
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CRM features are solid but not as deep as HubSpot or Salesforce
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Customization takes time to master
ClickUp: One Workspace, All Teams
If your team juggles multiple client accounts, project types, and internal initiatives, ClickUp deserves serious attention. While ClickUp is often labeled as a project management platform, it also includes CRM functionality that rivals many traditional platforms.
I used ClickUp for a tech startup launch that involved coordinating marketing, development, customer outreach, and investor relations. ClickUp let us centralize everything—deals, tasks, documents, and progress reports—without the need to integrate a separate CRM.
The platform includes features like lead tracking, task automation, time estimates, milestones, and dashboards. It’s incredibly versatile and ideal for businesses that value flexibility and want a fully customizable system.
Pros:
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Combines CRM and full project management
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Custom fields and views tailored to any process
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Affordable pricing with a generous free tier
Cons:
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Can feel overwhelming at first due to its depth
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Requires thoughtful setup to avoid chaos
Zoho CRM + Zoho Projects: Best of Both Worlds
Zoho takes a modular approach. Zoho CRM is robust on its own, offering detailed lead tracking, automation, email integration, and analytics. But when paired with Zoho Projects, the duo becomes a powerhouse for managing both customer data and complex projects.
I’ve implemented this combo for a professional services firm that needed granular project management, including task dependencies, budget tracking, and client collaboration. Zoho Projects delivered, especially with built-in Gantt charts and time tracking tools. Meanwhile, Zoho CRM kept all the customer-related communications and deal insights in one place.
The integration between the two is smooth, and there’s the added bonus of the Zoho ecosystem—if you want HR, invoicing, or helpdesk tools down the line, they’re right there.
Pros:
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Strong CRM and project features when combined
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Good for businesses needing modular tools
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Cost-effective for growing teams
Cons:
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Requires syncing two products
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UI can feel dated compared to newer tools
Salesforce: Enterprise-Level Customization
No discussion about CRMs is complete without Salesforce. For large organizations with complex sales processes and cross-functional project teams, Salesforce is a natural fit. While it’s not a project management tool out of the box, Salesforce offers extensive add-ons and integrations, such as Salesforce Tasks, Service Cloud, and tools like Mavenlink or Asana for Salesforce.
I’ve seen Salesforce work well in enterprise environments where CRM and project data need to live under strict compliance and data governance rules. The customization options are virtually endless, though that also means implementation can be complex and costly.
Pros:
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Enterprise-grade flexibility and scalability
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Deep reporting and analytics
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Strong ecosystem of integrations
Cons:
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Steep learning curve and expensive setup
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Project management often relies on third-party tools
So, Which Is the Best CRM for Project Management?
That depends on your team’s size, goals, and how heavily you rely on either CRM or project management functionality. If you’re looking for the best CRM for project management in a balanced, all-in-one format, Monday.com and ClickUp stand out as the most capable options for most small to medium-sized teams. They offer powerful project tools with respectable CRM capabilities baked in.
For sales-first organizations needing moderate project tracking, HubSpot is a great fit—especially if you’re already using its marketing or support hubs. And for more traditional setups, the Zoho CRM + Zoho Projects combo offers modular strength at a reasonable price point.
Salesforce, of course, is the go-to for enterprise teams with complex needs, but it’s not ideal for teams looking for simplicity or low-cost solutions.
Final Thoughts
Choosing a CRM that supports strong project management features can dramatically improve how your team collaborates, serves clients, and scales processes. I recommend thinking beyond just “CRM vs. project management tool” and instead asking: How do I want my teams to work together from first contact to final delivery? Your answer will guide you to the right platform.
Whether you’re managing client onboarding, internal development cycles, or multi-phase campaigns, the tools are out there—and the right CRM can make all the difference.
