Sales teams drown in data but starve for real insight. Reps jump between inboxes, LinkedIn, spreadsheets, and CRMs, while deals slip through the cracks and follow ups arrive too late. Targets go up every quarter, but headcount and time stay the same.
AI sales tools change that equation. Instead of acting as static dashboards, they turn daily sales signals into action: they process emails, meetings, notes, and social touches to surface the next best move for each deal. Reps spend less time updating fields and more time talking to buyers. Managers spot risk earlier and coach with facts, not gut feeling.
In 2026, the best AI sales tools should:
- Centralize contact and deal data in one simple interface
- Suggest next actions based on live activity and pipeline health
- Draft outreach that still sounds human
- Keep records clean automatically, without constant manual updates
- Improve forecasting with real time visibility on deal risk
The 3 Best AI Sales tools in 2026 Are:
Overview
Zeliq is an AI sales tool built around outbound prospecting, enrichment, and multichannel outreach in one place. Sales teams search for ICP-fit accounts, enrich contacts with verified emails and phone numbers, and launch coordinated campaigns across email, calls, and LinkedIn. Instead of juggling multiple interfaces, reps run their entire top-of-funnel workflow from a single interface and sync outcomes back to their core tool.
Best features
- Prospecting-first AI workflow: Reps describe their ideal customer profile and Zeliq surfaces matching accounts and contacts, turning research that usually takes hours into a guided, repeatable process.
- Built-in enrichment for emails and phone numbers: Contact records are enriched with professional emails and direct dials so sequences actually connect, reducing bounced emails and dead calls.
- LinkedIn + Chrome extension for capture: A browser extension lets teams grab profiles from LinkedIn, enrich them, and send them directly into outreach sequences or sync them back to the main tool.
- Multichannel outbound in one sequencer: Email steps, call tasks, and LinkedIn actions live in one sequence builder, so reps follow a clear play by play instead of guessing the next move.
- Native sync with major CRMs: Integrations with tools like HubSpot, Salesforce, and Pipedrive keep deals, activities, and contact data aligned, so managers can trust what they see in the pipeline.
Starting price
- Free plan available
- Paid plans from $47.5/user/month
1. Folk CRM
Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐(G2)
Overview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f56GMREn9-Q&t=3s
folk CRM centers AI around everyday sales work instead of only storing contact data. Sales teams capture leads from LinkedIn via the folkX Chrome extension, enrich records automatically, and keep email, calendar, and WhatsApp touchpoints on a single shared timeline. AI suggests next best actions, drafts icebreakers and follow-ups, and updates fields in the background so reps spend more time in conversations and less time maintaining the CRM.
Best features
- LinkedIn-first capture with folkX: One-click capture from LinkedIn and Sales Navigator builds clean records with tags, owners, and lists already in place, so prospecting turns into a structured pipeline instead of scattered tabs.
- Integrations: WhatsApp, Gmail, Outlook, Instagram, X, etc.
- AI suggestions for follow-ups and next steps: AI scans timelines across email, calendar, LinkedIn, and WhatsApp to propose next actions, write icebreakers, and suggest tailored follow-ups for each contact or deal.
- Unified multi-channel timeline: Every interaction across email, WhatsApp, and LinkedIn appears on a single timeline, making SDR/AE/AM handoffs smoother and helping managers see where deals stall.
- Simple, flexible pipelines and views: Spreadsheet-style views, filters, and custom fields allow teams to adapt pipelines to their process without long implementation projects or admin-heavy setups.
- Fast rollout for growing teams: Quick setup and intuitive UI make adoption easier for startups and mid-sized sales teams that want AI support without extra complexity.
Starting price
- From $17.50/member/month
2. Hubspot
Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐ (G2)
Overview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnIREMgz-SQ
HubSpot combines CRM, sales engagement, marketing automation, and service tools in one platform. Sales teams track every deal, email, call, and meeting in a unified workspace, while AI helps draft messages, summarize calls, and highlight promising deals. Strong reporting and revenue dashboards support leaders who need visibility across the full funnel, from first touch to closed-won.
Best features
- All-in-one GTM platform: CRM, marketing, sales, and service tools live in the same stack, so contact data and deal activity stay consistent across teams.
- AI sales workspace: AI drafts outreach emails, summarizes call transcripts, and surfaces insights from deal timelines so reps move faster on active opportunities.
- Sequences and sales automation: Email sequences, tasks, and workflows reduce manual follow-ups, helping SDRs and AEs stick to a clear outreach rhythm.
- Robust reporting and dashboards: Pipeline, revenue, and activity dashboards give managers a precise view of performance across teams, segments, and products.
- Large integration ecosystem: A wide marketplace of integrations connects HubSpot to tools for calling, enrichment, billing, and project management without heavy custom work.
Starting price
- From $20/seat/month
3. Salesforce
Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐(G2)
Overview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIair_unXUQ&t=8s
Salesforce Sales Cloud is an enterprise-grade CRM for companies that need strict processes, complex hierarchies, and deep reporting. Account, contact, and opportunity data all live in one place, while Einstein AI scores leads, flags at-risk deals, and surfaces next best actions. Custom objects, workflows, and dashboards make it a strong fit for large or fast-scaling sales teams that need a highly tailored setup instead of a one-size-fits-all tool.
Best features
- Einstein AI for deals and forecasting: AI scores leads and opportunities, highlights stalled deals, and improves forecast accuracy by learning from past performance.
- Highly customizable CRM data model: Custom objects, fields, layouts, and automation rules adapt to complex sales cycles, territories, partner channels, and approval workflows.
- Sales engagement and automation: Built-in cadences, tasks, and workflow automation help reps follow structured outreach processes and reduce time spent on manual updates.
- Large ecosystem and AppExchange: Thousands of ready-made integrations connect Sales Cloud with calling tools, enrichment, CPQ, billing, and more, without having to build everything internally.
- Enterprise security and governance: Granular permissions, audit logs, and advanced security controls support strict compliance requirements while keeping data usable for frontline teams.
Starting price
- From $25/user/month
4. Pipedrive
Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐(G2)
Overview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHZq78MUWms&t=39s
Pipedrive is a deal-centric CRM designed to keep sales teams focused on moving opportunities from stage to stage. Pipelines are highly visual, with simple drag-and-drop stages and clear probability views. AI steps in to highlight deals that need attention, suggest activities, and help reps stay on top of follow-ups without drowning in admin work.
Best features
- Visual, intuitive pipelines: Drag-and-drop boards make it easy for reps to see where every deal stands, spot bottlenecks, and update stages in seconds.
- AI sales assistant: AI suggests activities, flags neglected deals, and highlights patterns in win/loss data so teams refine their process over time.
- Workflow automation: Rules-based automation creates activities, updates fields, and sends notifications when deals move, reducing repetitive manual tasks.
- Built-in emailing and tracking: Two-way email sync, templates, and tracking help reps manage outreach from inside the CRM instead of switching tools.
- Marketplace and integrations: A wide integration marketplace connects Pipedrive with calling, enrichment, billing, and project tools used by growing sales teams.
Starting price
- From $14.90/user/month
5. Close
Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (G2)
Overview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuP_BJu3hqI&t=3s
Close is a communication-centric CRM built for sales teams that rely heavily on calling, emailing, and SMS. Pipelines, inbox, and dialer live in one interface, while AI summarizes calls, drafts or rewrites emails, and helps reps focus on active deals. Teams run most of their day inside Close instead of juggling separate dialers, email tools, and spreadsheets.
Best features
- Sales AI in the daily workflow: AI generates and refines follow-up emails, summarizes conversations, and surfaces key details on each lead so reps ramp faster and spend less time on admin.
- Native calling and SMS: Outbound and inbound calls, SMS, and email are all logged automatically on the contact timeline, with power dialer options on higher plans for volume-focused teams.
- Visual pipelines and smart views: Multiple pipelines and customizable views let teams organize opportunities by segment, product, or territory while keeping a clear picture of deal value and stage.
- Automation for follow-ups and tasks: Workflows trigger tasks, move deals, and manage emails when conditions are met, helping reps maintain consistent follow-up without manual tracking.
- Built for high-activity SMB teams: The interface stays fast and focused on communication, which suits small and mid-sized teams that care more about activity volume and responsiveness than deep enterprise customization.
Starting price
- From $49/user/month
6. Freshsales
Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐(G2)
Overview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhuGBhgjCak
Freshsales is a sales-focused CRM with built-in AI (Freddy) that helps teams score leads, prioritize deals, and understand which opportunities are most likely to close. Deal timelines, emails, calls, and tasks sit in one workspace, while AI surfaces insights on win probability and pipeline risk so reps and managers know where to focus next.
Best features
- Freddy AI for lead and deal insights: AI scores leads and deals, flags at-risk opportunities, and suggests next best actions so reps spend time on contacts with the highest likelihood to convert.
- Multichannel communication in one place: Built-in email, phone, and chat keep activity logged on each contact automatically, reducing tool switching and giving teams a full view of every interaction.
- Multiple pipelines and advanced workflows: Teams can create separate pipelines, automate deal movements, and set rules for territories or segments, which supports more complex sales operations.
- Custom reports and dashboards: Flexible reporting and dashboards help leaders track pipeline health, activity volume, and conversion rates without exporting everything to spreadsheets.
- Strong value for SMB and mid-market teams: Pricing stays competitive while still offering AI, automation, and multichannel features, which makes Freshsales appealing for growing sales teams.
Starting price
- From $9/user/month
7. Zoho CRM
Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐(G2)
Overview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yVgZWgR2dQ&t=7s
Zoho CRM is a flexible CRM platform with a built-in AI assistant, Zia, that helps sales teams prioritize leads, predict deal outcomes, and spot anomalies in the pipeline. It suits growing teams that need strong automation, forecasting, and sentiment analysis without the weight of a full enterprise stack.
Best features
- Zia AI for sales predictions: Zia analyzes past performance to score leads, predict win probability, and forecast revenue so reps focus on the most promising deals.
- Anomaly and sentiment detection: AI flags unusual trends in sales data and negative sentiment in conversations, helping teams react before deals or accounts go cold.
- Customizable pipelines and workflows: Layouts, fields, and Blueprints adapt to different sales cycles, approval steps, and territories, giving teams tighter process control.
- Multichannel engagement: Email, telephony, social, and chat interactions log on the same record so reps always see full context before reaching out.
- Large integration ecosystem: Integrations connect Zoho CRM to productivity, calling, billing, and collaboration tools used across the GTM stack.
Starting price
- From about $9-13/user/month
8. Apollo
Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (G2)
Overview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bnr5Xqzr-Ec
Apollo is an AI sales platform that combines a large B2B database, sales engagement, and lightweight CRM in one product. SDRs and AEs search for ICP-fit accounts, enrich contacts with verified emails and phone numbers, and run multichannel sequences while AI assists with email writing and prioritization. It fits outbound-heavy teams that want data, outreach, and simple deal tracking in a single stack.
Best features
- Massive B2B database with enrichment: Access to hundreds of millions of contacts and companies, with enrichment for work emails, phone numbers, and firmographic data.
- AI-assisted outbound: AI drafts and optimizes outreach emails, suggests talking points, and supports research so reps can scale personalized outreach faster.
- Multichannel sequences: Email, calls, and LinkedIn steps live in one sequencer, with rules to control timing, order, and follow-up so nothing falls through the cracks.
- Built-in CRM and pipeline view: Basic deal tracking lets smaller teams manage opportunities directly in Apollo instead of plugging into a separate CRM from day one.
- Credit-based model with integrations: A credit system governs data exports and reveals, while integrations connect Apollo to CRMs and other tools for more advanced setups.
Starting price
- From $49/user/month
9. monday sales CRM
Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐(G2)
Overview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxLOw_YbNrE
monday sales CRM runs on top of the monday.com Work OS, giving sales teams a flexible, no-code way to design pipelines, dashboards, and automations. AI helps generate emails and updates, summarize records, and surface insights on deals, while boards and views adapt to each team’s process. It suits companies that want their CRM tightly aligned with projects, marketing, and operations.
Best features
- Customizable boards and views: Teams build deal boards, list views, and dashboards with drag-and-drop configuration instead of custom development.
- AI assistant for emails and updates: AI drafts and edits sales emails, summarizes notes, and turns raw updates into structured items, reducing manual writing and data entry.
- Automations for repetitive work: Rules move deals between stages, assign owners, send alerts, and update fields when triggers fire, helping teams keep pipelines accurate.
- AI-driven sales workflows: AI suggestions help identify priority deals, generate follow-up tasks, and keep pipelines moving based on live CRM data.
- Connection to broader work management: Because it sits on monday.com, sales can pass accounts to project, service, or CS teams on the same platform without losing context.
Starting price
- From $12/seat/month
An AI CRM for sales teams is more than a database. It analyzes emails, calls, meetings, and pipeline movement to recommend next actions, clean data in the background, and keep every deal moving without constant manual effort.
Zeliq stands out for outbound-heavy teams that want AI, prospecting data, enrichment, and multichannel sequences in one place. folk CRM fits sales teams that live on LinkedIn and need an assistant-like CRM to centralize relationships and suggest smart follow-ups. HubSpot remains a strong choice for organizations that want AI features inside a broader all-in-one GTM platform combining marketing, sales, and service.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to use AI to optimize your CRM?
Focus on a few concrete use cases first: drafting emails, suggesting follow-ups, or scoring leads. Clean your data (stages, fields, owners), then turn on native AI features to summarize timelines and propose next steps. Track impact on reply rates, win rates, and admin time before rolling AI out to more workflows.
How to integrate generative AI into existing enterprise CRM systems?
Start in a sandbox with a narrow scope like call summaries or email drafts. Use official apps or secure APIs, apply role-based permissions, and define tone and templates so outputs stay on-brand. Keep humans in the loop for customer-facing content and validate security, storage, and data access with IT and legal.
How to implement AI-driven sales forecasting in existing CRM systems?
Standardize deal stages and required fields so history is trustworthy. Enable an AI forecasting module that uses past wins/losses and pipeline velocity to predict outcomes by rep and segment. Compare AI predictions with manager forecasts, refine data hygiene, and only then use AI-enhanced forecasts to inform quotas and capacity planning.
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