All-in-one sales CRM for high-velocity sales teams
Freshsales is a cloud-based CRM solution by Freshworks designed for high-velocity sales teams. It offers AI-powered lead scoring, built-in phone and email, sales automation, and visual pipeline management. Part of the Freshworks ecosystem alongside Freshdesk, Freshservice, and Freshmarketer.
Patterns extracted from real user feedback — not raw reviews.
Most reviewers report recurring bugs and system errors that disrupt daily operations. Users report issues including the system failing to run sequences, failing to remove people from sequences, losing data, and stopping email sends. One user noted they've been using Freshsales for about a year and 'it's been nothing but glitchy and problematic.'
Users report support tickets being left open for weeks without resolution. Customer support chat fails mid-conversation, causing chat history to be lost. Multiple reviews describe the support team as having 'a lack of understanding of their product' and blaming issues on customers instead of fixing problems. Some users report waiting for refunds since April 2025.
Users complain that Freshsales won't cancel subscriptions even when account cancellation is requested, and will continue charging monthly. The company claims they 'need to get approval and the process is long.' Users report Freshsales won't refund feature add-ons used for less than 7 days and keeps money if customers cancel one day after renewal.
Users complain that Freshsales is 'very expensive for what it offers and requires too many add-ons' including charges for email volume, contacts, and API connections. The API Extension add-on costs $250/month for increased limits. There's a significant price jump between subscription tiers that catches users off guard when scaling.
Cheaper plans only offer one pipeline, which is extremely problematic for businesses selling multiple products or services. Being stuck with one pipeline on the Growth plan is described as 'frustrating if you sell different products.' Users don't realize this limitation until after committing to the platform.
Reporting capabilities lack customization options, and the complexity of reporting tools is a significant drawback. Customizing reports to fit specific business needs proves challenging, especially without advanced technical skills. Users report having to create separate dashboards for basic email metrics since Freshsales 'offers only basic email open and click rates.'
Users note that 'things they think should be basic features just don't exist or don't work in Freshsales.' Email sequences don't exist on lower subscription plans. Duplicate contact management requires expensive plans. Features that are standard in competitors are locked behind higher tiers or simply absent.
Freshsales UI is described as 'data-heavy and might be overwhelming for small businesses that are new to CRMs or don't need to collect as much information as much bigger companies.' The interface complexity doesn't match the needs of simpler sales operations.
Users report that 'attempting to program against the FreshSales API is a joke' with 'non-existent or incomplete' documentation and inconsistent support responses. Advanced workflow examples and integration troubleshooting documentation is lacking, forcing users to resort to trial-and-error. API limits can block integrations unexpectedly.
Users report instances where the system gets stuck or is slow to sync, delaying the appearance of new deals or contacts in searches. This hinders the process of linking emails or creating new deals. The interface bounces to the bottom or top unexpectedly when entering notes, disrupting workflow.
The mobile app doesn't deliver the full depth of features available on desktop, potentially hindering on-the-go productivity. Users report audio quality issues: 'When making calls through the app, people sometimes say they can't hear clearly and get frustrated and hang up.' The login procedure and mobile experience have been criticized.
Users experienced bugs during data import and received minimal support, with follow-up communications simply stating issues were 'at the technical team' without further updates. Migration from other CRMs can be problematic when data doesn't import correctly and support is unresponsive.
Intuitive setup with minimal learning curve
Most reviewers describe ease of use as a key benefit, highlighting straightforward setup, intuitive navigation, and minimal learning curve. Teams can become productive quickly without extensive training or technical expertise.
Affordable entry-level pricing
Freshsales offers competitive pricing starting at $9/user/month for the Growth plan, making it accessible for small businesses. The free tier for up to 3 users allows teams to test the platform before committing financially.
Visual pipeline management for sales tracking
Users appreciate the visual sales pipeline that makes deal tracking straightforward. The drag-and-drop interface for moving deals through stages is intuitive and helps teams understand their sales funnel at a glance.
Seamless Freshworks ecosystem integration
Freshsales integrates seamlessly with other Freshworks products like Freshdesk and Freshmarketer. For companies already using Freshworks tools, this creates a unified platform for sales, support, and marketing.
Built-in phone and email functionality
The built-in phone and email features eliminate the need for separate communication tools. Users can make calls, send emails, and track all communications within the CRM, streamlining the sales process.
AI-powered lead scoring (Freddy AI)
Freddy AI provides automated lead scoring and insights that help sales teams prioritize their efforts. The AI identifies high-potential leads and suggests next best actions, though advanced features require higher tiers.
Users: 3 users
Storage: Limited
Limitations: No workflow automation, No lead scoring, No email sequences, Basic features only
Users: Unlimited users
Storage: 2GB per user
Limitations: Single pipeline only, No territory management, Limited automation, No advanced analytics
Users: Unlimited users
Storage: 5GB per user
Limitations: No territory management, No advanced Freddy AI, Limited governance features
Users: Unlimited users
Storage: 10GB per user
Limitations: Still has API limits, Complex features require training investment
Small teams new to CRM software
The intuitive interface and straightforward setup make Freshsales accessible for CRM newcomers. The free tier allows experimentation, and the visual pipeline is easy to understand. Good for teams learning CRM fundamentals.
Existing Freshworks ecosystem users
If you already use Freshdesk or other Freshworks products, Freshsales integrates seamlessly. The unified platform reduces context-switching and keeps customer data connected across sales and support.
Budget-conscious startups with simple needs
At $9/user/month for Growth, Freshsales is affordable for startups that need basic CRM functionality without complex requirements. Just be aware of the single pipeline limitation on lower tiers.
Sales teams
AI-powered lead scoring, built-in phone and email. Sales teams get CRM + communication tools without extra integrations.
Customer support teams
Part of Freshworks suite - integrates with Freshdesk. Support teams get unified customer view across sales and support.
Field sales teams relying on mobile
The mobile app is functional but lacks full desktop feature parity. Audio quality issues during calls have been reported. Test the mobile experience thoroughly before committing if your team works primarily on mobile.
Enterprise with complex needs
Growing enterprise features but less mature than Salesforce. Complex enterprises should evaluate customization limits.
Businesses selling multiple products/services
The Growth plan's single pipeline limitation is a dealbreaker for businesses with multiple product lines or service offerings. You'll need to upgrade to Pro ($39/user) just to get multiple pipelines—a basic feature in many competing CRMs.
Teams requiring reliable customer support
Support tickets left open for weeks, chat disconnections that lose history, and staff who lack product knowledge are recurring complaints. If you need reliable support when issues arise, Freshsales may frustrate you significantly.
Heavy API/integration users
Poor API documentation, inconsistent support, and aggressive rate limits create problems for technical teams. The API Extension add-on costs $250/month for higher limits. Consider alternatives with better developer experience.
Teams needing advanced reporting
Reporting customization is limited and complex. Users frequently complain about having to create separate dashboards for metrics that should be built-in. If analytics drive your decisions, look elsewhere.
Common buyer's remorse scenarios reported by users.
Teams sign up for the affordable Growth plan, complete onboarding and training, then realize they can only have one sales pipeline. Businesses with multiple products or services must either cram everything into one pipeline or upgrade to Pro ($39/user)—a 4x price increase.
Users encounter a serious bug affecting sales operations—sequences not running, data not syncing, emails not sending. Support tickets sit open for weeks while revenue is impacted. The realization hits that reliable support isn't available when you need it most.
What started as an affordable $9/user/month CRM becomes significantly more expensive with API limits ($250/month add-on), email add-ons, and contact limits. Teams realize the true cost is much higher than advertised base pricing.
Teams try to cancel but discover the process requires 'approval' and takes weeks. Meanwhile, charges continue. Some users report still being charged months after requesting cancellation, with support unresponsive to refund requests.
Development teams attempt to integrate Freshsales with other systems but find the API documentation 'non-existent or incomplete.' Trial-and-error wastes engineering time, and rate limits block production usage. The integration vision never materializes.
Teams realize the reporting capabilities can't produce the analytics they need. Customization is limited and complex. They end up maintaining separate dashboards and spreadsheets, defeating the purpose of having data in a CRM.
Scenarios where this product tends to fail users.
When a business expands to sell multiple products or services, the single pipeline limitation on Growth plan becomes untenable. The workarounds (cramming everything into one pipeline or using tags) become messy. Upgrade to Pro becomes mandatory, quadrupling per-user costs.
When operations require data sync with external systems (ERP, marketing automation, custom apps), the poor API documentation and rate limits create roadblocks. The $250/month API add-on may not even be enough for heavy usage. Integration projects stall or fail.
When a bug affects sequences, data, or emails during crucial sales periods, support response times of 'weeks' become unacceptable. Revenue is lost while waiting for fixes. The lack of reliable support escalation paths leaves teams helpless.
When executives need detailed reporting on sales performance, Freshsales' limited customization becomes apparent. Creating reports for specific business needs is challenging without technical skills. Teams resort to manual data exports and spreadsheet analysis.
When field sales becomes the primary use case, the mobile app's limitations surface. Missing desktop features, audio quality issues during calls, and sync delays impact productivity. Teams may need supplementary tools for mobile work.
When business needs change and cancellation or downgrade is required, the difficult process kicks in. Claims of needing 'approval,' continued charges after cancellation requests, and unresponsive support create frustration and unexpected costs.
HubSpot CRM
Users switch to HubSpot for a more comprehensive solution that integrates sales, marketing, and customer service. HubSpot offers more generous free tier features and better support reputation, though at higher prices for advanced features.
Zoho CRM
Teams switch to Zoho CRM for deeper customization options and broader ecosystem integration. Zoho offers more features per dollar, though with its own learning curve trade-offs.
Salesforce Sales Cloud
Growing companies switch to Salesforce when they need enterprise-grade scalability and deeper customization. While significantly more expensive, Salesforce offers unmatched flexibility and ecosystem.
Nutshell
Mid-market B2B teams switch to Nutshell for account-based selling support, longer sales cycles, and multiple stakeholder management. Nutshell is built specifically for B2B execution that Freshsales doesn't handle as well.
Close
High-velocity teams switch to Close. Gain: power dialer, calling-focused. Trade-off: less feature-rich CRM.
Pipedrive
Teams wanting visual pipeline switch to Pipedrive. Gain: better deal visualization, simpler. Trade-off: no built-in phone.
HubSpot
Teams wanting marketing switch to HubSpot. Gain: marketing automation, content tools. Trade-off: expensive add-ons.
