The buyer test protocol
Every one of the 32 CRMs we track goes through the same seven checks, scored out of 100. Payment is never an input.
The seven checks
| Check | Points | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Published pricing | 20 | 20 if the vendor publishes a starting price; 8 if only a third-party estimate exists; 0 if quote-only. |
| Plan transparency | 15 | 15 if three or more plans show a price; 10 for two; 5 for one; 0 for none. |
| No hidden fees | 15 | 15 with no extra costs found (onboarding fees, seat minimums, usage charges, paid add-ons); minus 5 for each one found. |
| Free plan | 10 | 10 if a free plan exists; 0 if not. |
| Small-team access | 15 | 15 if one user can buy; 10 if the minimum is 2–3 users; 5 for up to 10; 0 above that. |
| Industry integrations | 15 | 15 if it connects to industry systems (LOS, practice management, IDX); 0 otherwise. |
| Google and Microsoft fit | 10 | 5 each for Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 integration. |
Verdicts
Pass means 75 or more: you can price and buy it with confidence before talking to sales. Pass with notes is 50–74. Needs a quote is below 50, usually because the vendor doesn't publish pricing.
What the test is not
It isn't a hands-on usability review or a measure of support quality. It measures what a buyer can verify before signing: price, plans, fees, access and integrations.
Sources
Every check uses the vendor's own pricing page, or a third-party estimate labeled as one. The current test cycle was run Oct 14, 2026.
How we make money
Some links to vendors are referral links that may earn a fee. Fees are never an input to the score, and scores are never for sale.