Insightly: what it is, how it works & who it's for

CRM platform with marketing, service desk and integration add-on products

Updated · Pricing checked October 2026

What is Insightly?

Insightly is a customer relationship management platform for growing businesses that want pipeline management, workflow automation and project tracking in one system. It stores leads, contacts, organizations and opportunities, logs emails and calls, and lets teams route leads and automate repetitive steps. A built-in AI assistant called Copilot helps users work with CRM data, and an MCP connector links that data to outside AI assistants.

Around the core CRM, Insightly sells separate products that share the same data: Insightly Marketing for email campaigns and customer journeys, Insightly Service for ticketing and customer portals, and AppConnect for integrations and automations between apps. These can be bought individually or as an All-in-One bundle. CRM plans are priced per user and billed annually, and the company requires paid onboarding for new customers.

Insightly at a glance

Insightly infographic: how it works in 5 steps, key features, pricing model and who it is best for
Insightly at a glance. Share or embed this infographic with a link to this page.

How does Insightly work?

  1. Start a trial

    Sign up for the 14-day trial and import leads, contacts and organizations. Existing data can be mapped to standard or custom fields.

  2. Configure pipelines and records

    Set up opportunity pipelines, custom fields and lead statuses that match your sales process. Records link emails, calls and deals together.

  3. Automate routing and tasks

    On Professional and above, assign leads automatically and build workflows for follow-up and handoffs. Routing rules send each new lead to the right owner.

  4. Deliver projects

    Convert won opportunities into projects so delivery teams can track milestones and tasks. Projects keep delivery visible to sales.

  5. Report and expand

    Use dashboards and reports, then add Marketing, Service or AppConnect as needs grow. Bundles can lower the combined cost of several products.

Insightly key features

Lead and contact management

Central records for leads, contacts and organizations with linked emails, calls and deals.

Project management

Track post-sale projects and milestones connected to the original opportunity.

Workflow automation and lead routing

Automate tasks, approvals and lead assignment on Professional and Enterprise plans.

AI Copilot and CRM MCP

An in-app AI assistant plus a connector that brings CRM data into tools like Claude and ChatGPT.

Insightly Marketing

Email automation, prospect scoring, A/B testing and customer journeys, priced per account.

Insightly Service

Ticketing, SLA tracking, satisfaction surveys and customer portals for support teams.

AppConnect

An integration and automation layer that syncs Insightly with other business apps.

Why use Insightly?

  • Sales, marketing and service can share one database instead of separate silos.
  • Built-in project management helps teams that deliver work after the sale.
  • Workflow automation reduces manual lead handling.
  • Phone and email support is included on every plan.
  • Integrations cover common tools such as QuickBooks, Shopify and Slack.
  • Enterprise adds sandboxes, quotes and audit logging for teams with stricter processes.

Who is Insightly best for?

A good fit for

  • Growing small and midsize businesses
  • Teams that manage projects after closing deals
  • Companies wanting CRM, marketing and service from one vendor
  • Professional services and B2B firms

Less suited to

  • Solo users or tiny teams on a tight budget, due to required onboarding fees
  • Teams that want month-to-month billing
  • Buyers looking for a free plan

Insightly pricing

Pricing modelSubscription
Free planNo
Free trial14 days
Starting price$29/user/month billed annually (Plus)

Professional costs $49 and Enterprise $99 per user per month billed annually. Guided onboarding ($1,500) and a support package are listed as required, and Marketing, Service and AppConnect are priced separately.

Prices checked October 2026. Vendors change plans often, so confirm on the official Insightly pricing page before you buy.

Insightly pros and cons

Pros

  • CRM with built-in project management
  • Add-on products share one data model
  • Wide range of business integrations

Cons

  • Required onboarding and support fees raise the total cost
  • Plans are billed annually only
  • No free plan

Insightly integrations and platforms

Works with

  • Gmail
  • Slack
  • Gong
  • QuickBooks Online
  • Xero
  • Shopify
  • Jira
  • Asana
  • Calendly
  • Okta

Available on

  • Web

Insightly alternatives

Insightly FAQ

Is Insightly free?

No. Insightly does not list a free plan. It offers a 14-day free trial with no credit card required. Paid CRM plans start at $29 per user per month billed annually, and the pricing page lists guided onboarding and a support package as required extras. The trial is the best way to check whether the CRM fits before paying setup fees.

What is Insightly used for?

Insightly is used to manage leads, contacts, opportunities and projects in one CRM. Businesses use it to track sales pipelines, automate follow-ups and lead routing, manage post-sale project delivery and, with add-on products, run email marketing and customer support ticketing. Integrations with tools such as QuickBooks, Gmail and Slack extend it into finance and communication.

Insightly vs Salesforce: what's the difference?

Insightly is a simpler, lower-priced CRM aimed at growing businesses, with project management built in and optional marketing and service products. Salesforce is a much larger platform with extensive customization and an enormous app ecosystem, suited to bigger organizations with admin resources. Insightly also offers an All-in-One bundle that combines CRM, marketing and service, which the company says can save up to 30% compared with buying separately.

Does Insightly integrate with QuickBooks?

Yes. Insightly lists QuickBooks Online among its integrations, along with Xero, Shopify, Slack, Gmail and others. For more complex syncing between apps, Insightly also offers AppConnect, a separately priced integration and automation product. Popular connections also include Shopify, Jira and Calendly for ecommerce, development and scheduling teams.

Does Insightly have AI features?

Yes. Insightly includes Copilot, an AI assistant inside the CRM, on the Professional plan and above. It also offers a CRM MCP connector that lets AI assistants such as Claude and ChatGPT work with Insightly data. Lower tiers do not include Copilot, so teams wanting AI help should look at Professional.

Sources

This overview is based on Insightly's official website and documentation, checked October 2026.