Comparisons
Compare before deciding, with your case in front of you
We help you compare CRM and tools with what your company needs, without paid rankings or promises that cannot be verified.
First, what you need
We start from your process and what you already use; with that, the options narrow themselves down.
- Requirements in writing
- Options you can compare with each other
- The decision is yours
Try it with your data
Our CRM can be tried without a card: you can test it with your real process before committing to anything.
- No card to start
- With your ForgeNEX account
- Export your data whenever you want
And if you switch, you lose nothing
We bring over your contacts, opportunities and history from the tool you use today.
- Phased migration
- We check that everything arrives
- Without interrupting the team’s work
Compare with written requirements, not brochures
Almost every tool looks good in a demo. What tells one from another appears later: when you import your data, when the third person on the team joins or when you want to leave. That is why it is worth starting the other way round: write on a sheet what you need, how many people will use it, what you use today, what has to keep working during the change and which data cannot be lost.
With that in front of you, each option comes down to a yes or a no per criterion. A note of honesty: ForgeNEX sells a CRM, so we have an interest in you trying it. That is why this page compares by category and gives you the questions to verify things yourself, instead of asking you to believe us.
- Which processes have to be covered (appointments, quotes, follow-up, payments, tasks...).
- Who is going to use it and from where (mobile, office, on the road).
- Which data has to be brought over and in what format it is today.
- What it costs to maintain, not just to sign up for.
The four categories that are usually compared
Instead of comparing brands, which change prices and features every few months, we compare categories. Almost any option you are offered falls into one of these four:
- Spreadsheet: a table that you build and maintain. Flexible and familiar, but with no alerts, signatures or email sending.
- Generic subscription CRM: a general-purpose, highly configurable product, paid per user per month. You have to set up your business’s fields, stages and alerts.
- Industry CRM or program: made for a specific trade. It starts up quickly, but is usually closed and harder to extend.
- ForgeNEX: a CRM with 57 ready-made solutions by type of business (you pick yours on signing in and it is installed with its modules, views and automations), with time tracking, invoicing and the Pix AI assistant in the same account.
Comparison table by criteria
This table rates each category in general, not a specific brand; within each one there are products that depart from the norm. Use it to know what to ask, not as a verdict.
| Criterion | Spreadsheet | Generic subscription CRM | Industry CRM | ForgeNEX |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Set-up | Immediate, but you build it yourself | Quick to open, slow to configure for your business | Quick if your trade matches theirs | You pick your solution and it is installed; adjusted afterwards |
| Fit to your sector | Total, by hand | Total, but it has to be built | Very good in its trade, limited outside it | 57 ready-made solutions, editable in the designer |
| Artificial intelligence | Not included | Varies by product and plan; ask what is included | Varies; ask whether it exists | Pix, the AI assistant, included in the platform |
| Data in the EU | Depends on where you store the file | Depends on the provider and the region chosen: ask for it in writing | Depends on the provider: ask for it in writing | Servers in the EU (Germany) |
| Cost of ownership | Almost zero in licences; a lot in time and mistakes | Per-user fee plus hours of configuration and maintenance | Fee or licence, with less configuration | See the plans on the pricing page; the ready-made solution comes already configured |
A qualitative comparison by ForgeNEX by category, without naming third-party products (2-11-2026). If you want to compare a specific tool, ask the provider in writing for the points in the table: their prices, plans and terms change and only the ones they publish count.
When each alternative is enough
No category is the best for everyone. This is our honest opinion:
- A spreadsheet is enough if you work alone or almost, have few customers and do not need alerts or signed documents.
- A generic CRM is enough if someone on your team has the time and the taste for configuring it, or if your sales process is very particular and no industry solution covers it.
- An industry CRM is enough if it does everything you need today and you do not expect to need anything more; it is worth asking how the data is taken out.
- ForgeNEX fits if you want to start with your sector already set up, bring CRM, time tracking and invoicing together in one account, and be able to change it later without starting from zero.
Cost of ownership: more than the monthly fee
When comparing prices we tend to look only at the fee. The real cost of a tool over three years adds up more things. The formula: (fee per user × users × 36 months) + configuration hours × hourly cost + team training hours × hourly cost + monthly maintenance hours × 36 × hourly cost + the cost of migrating the data in and, if you ever switch, out.
Questions to ask any provider, including us
These six questions rule out almost every bad surprise. If a provider cannot answer them in writing, you already know something.
- Can I export all my data, in what format and at no cost?
- Where is my data stored and who has access to it?
- What does the artificial intelligence do with my information and on which servers does it run?
- Who helps me bring my data over and what does that service include?
- What happens to the fee when the team grows or I need another module?
- Can I try it with my data before paying?
Case study: an academy leaving spreadsheets behind
Illustrative case, not a specific customer. An academy with 120 students keeps enrolments in one sheet, receipts in another and attendance in a notebook. Every September someone takes days to cross-reference them.
Case study: an estate agency with a generic CRM
Illustrative case, not a specific customer. An estate agency of five people uses a generic CRM to follow contacts and opportunities. It works well for that. The properties, keys, viewings and deposits go in separate spreadsheets.
How we compare with you
We start from your process and what you already use, write the requirements with you and narrow the options down to the ones that really fit, whether they are ours or not. Then, the test with your real data: our CRM can be tried without a card. The decision is yours.
If you decide to switch, we bring over contacts, companies, opportunities, notes, tasks and files from the tool you use today, in phases, checking that everything arrives. It is a custom service: ask us for a quote. To see what the product is like, the CRM page; for the plans, pricing.
Frequently asked questions
Why do you not compare specific brands?+
Because third-party prices and features change often and only what each provider publishes counts. We compare by category and give you the questions to verify each option against its documentation.
Is it true that ForgeNEX is better than another CRM?+
It depends on your case. For a local business whose sector is among our 57 solutions, starting from something already set up saves time. For a very particular process, another product may fit better. That is why we suggest trying it with your data.
Can I try the CRM before deciding?+
Yes. It can be tried without a card, with your ForgeNEX account and your real process.
Can I take my data with me if I leave?+
Yes: you can export your data whenever you want. It is one of the questions we recommend asking any provider.
Can you bring my data over from another tool?+
Yes: contacts, companies, opportunities, notes, tasks and files, in phases and checking that everything arrives. It is a custom service: ask us for a quote.
Where is ForgeNEX data kept?+
In the European Union, on servers in Germany. The AI runs in EU data centres.
How much does it cost compared with other options?+
ForgeNEX prices are on the pricing page. To compare, use the cost-of-ownership formula on this page with the figures published by each provider and your own hours.
What we do best
Our products
CRM, tasks, invoicing, time tracking, Pix and more, with one account.
Custom software and websites
If no standard tool fits, we build around the way you work and connect it to the tools you already use.
Microsoft 365 for business
Email, Teams, SharePoint and OneDrive, properly set up, migrated and secured. We are a Microsoft Partner.
Remote IT support
Remote IT support across Spain, with a report for every intervention.