Like many business processes, sales and marketing departments are becoming less reliant on a physical office every day. Representatives are increasingly working in the field, from home, and even while traveling. This mobile workforce is more reliant than ever on mobile devices to transition seamlessly from a physical office to a virtual one.
We get a lot of inquiries from businesses experiencing this transition. They want to know which CRM vendors provide modern, functional applications for mobile devices. Today’s reps use a variety of devices, from company-issued smartphones to personal phones, laptops, and tablets. This can make it difficult for a business to choose a mobile CRM solution that will fit all of its employees’ needs.
The mobile CRM market, once a landscape of limited-functionality apps and read-only browser portals, has matured. Today, the expectation is for full-featured native applications that are enhanced with AI, provide real-time analytics, and offer a seamless experience from desktop to mobile.
Below is a quick guide to the current mobile CRM landscape to help businesses understand what CRM vendors now offer for mobile access.
Salesforce
Salesforce offers CRM solutions for SMBs, mid-market, and enterprise customers. For mobile users, Salesforce offers a robust, unified mobile app that integrates both its “Sales Cloud” application and its “Slack” collaboration tools.
- Dedicated mobile apps available: iOS | Android
- Access from mobile browser: Yes, via its responsive mobile web experience.
Microsoft Dynamics 365
Microsoft’s platform serves all market segments, from small businesses (with Business Central) to large enterprises. Their mobile strategy is integrated into the wider Microsoft 365 ecosystem.
- Dedicated mobile apps available: Yes, the “Dynamics 365 for phones” app is available for iOS and Android, providing core CRM functionality. There is also a heavy focus on integrating sales data directly into the Microsoft Teams and Outlook mobile apps.
- Access from mobile browser: Yes, the web application is responsive and designed for mobile browsers.
Oracle
Oracle’s customer base skews towards large and very large enterprise customers. Its “Oracle CX Sales” platform is a key part of the broader Oracle software ecosystem.
- Dedicated mobile apps available: Yes, the “Oracle CX Sales Mobile” app is available for both iOS and Android, offering features like AI-driven recommendations and call logging.
- Access from mobile browser: Yes, mobile browser access is supported.
SAP
SAP CRM also offers solutions from the SMB to the large-enterprise markets. Its modern offering, “SAP Sales Cloud,” is a standalone cloud product, not just an ERP add-on as it was in the past.
- Dedicated mobile apps available: Yes, the “SAP Sales Cloud” app is available for iOS and Android.
- Access from mobile browser: Yes. (Note: While an additional platform, SAP BTP, is available for customizing or building mobile apps, it is not required for using the standard app.)
Sage CRM
Sage CRM is a vendor that deals primarily with SMBs and mid-market businesses. It integrates tightly with Sage’s accounting and ERP products.
- Dedicated mobile apps available: Yes, Sage CRM provides a dedicated mobile app for iOS and Android users to access key customer, lead, and opportunity data.
- Access from mobile browser: Yes, Sage CRM’s responsive web interface is optimized for use on mobile and tablet browsers.
SugarCRM
Sugar offers CRM solutions for SMBs, mid-market, and enterprise clients, with a strong focus on the mid-market. While it began as an open-source project, SugarCRM no longer offers a free, open-source version. It now provides its commercial customers with “open” access to the source code for deep customization.
- Dedicated mobile apps available: Yes, the “SugarCRM Mobile” app is available for iOS and Android devices.
- Access from mobile browser: Yes, the application is accessible via mobile web browsers.
Zoho
Focused on businesses of all sizes, from budding entrepreneurs (with its “Bigin” product) to large enterprises, Zoho CRM offers a broad suite of business tools.
- Dedicated mobile apps available: Yes, the “Zoho CRM – Sales & Marketing” app is available for both iOS and Android devices, and is recognized for its comprehensive feature set, which includes analytics and offline access.
- Access from mobile browser: Yes, the web application is fully featured and accessible from mobile browsers.
Nimble
Focused on small businesses and teams, Nimble excels at integrating social media insights and contact management into its platform.
- Dedicated mobile apps available: Yes, “Nimble Mobile” is available for both iOS and Android.
- Access from mobile browser: Yes, web access is available, though the native apps are the primary mobile solution.
GoldMine
A classic CRM designed for small- to medium-sized businesses, GoldMine’s modern mobile solution has shifted away from native apps.
- Dedicated mobile apps available: No, the previous native apps have been replaced by a web-based solution.
- Access from mobile browser: Yes, via “GoldMine Web,” a mobile-responsive web client that provides real-time access to the full CRM database.
Netsuite
Now owned by Oracle, NetSuite CRM is packaged as part of a comprehensive business management system (ERP, financials, etc.) targeted at small and mid-market businesses.
- Dedicated mobile apps available: Yes, the “NetSuite” mobile app is available for both iOS and Android, allowing users to manage expenses, track time, and access core CRM records.
- Access from mobile browser: Yes, the web application is accessible from mobile browsers.
Keap (formerly Infusionsoft)
Keap services the SMB market with a focus on sales and marketing automation. The company has consolidated its mobile offerings into a single, modern application.
- Dedicated mobile apps available: Yes, the “Keap Mobile” app for iOS and Android is the company’s standard. (Note: The older “Infusionsoft by Keap” and “Max Classic” mobile apps are being sunset.)
- Access from mobile browser: Browser access for users is not the recommended method; the native mobile app is the intended solution for on-the-go access.
The Bottom Line
The mobile CRM market is no longer in a state of change; it has matured. The debate has shifted from “who has an app?” to “how good is the mobile experience?” Today’s mobile CRM applications are expected to provide full functionality, integrate with AI assistants, and equip sales representatives with all the tools they need to close a deal from their pocket.
If mobile access is at or near the top of your CRM selection requirements, the good news is that nearly every major vendor has a viable solution. We strongly recommend testing the mobile app and browser experience of your top contenders before committing to a purchase.
