Microsoft Dynamics 365 Alternative for Small Business: Act! CRM Comparison

Dynamics 365 is built for enterprise. Your business isn’t.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 is a powerful platform—but it was designed for large organizations with dedicated IT teams, implementation budgets of $15,000 to $150,000+, and months to spare before going live. If you’re an SMB that just needs a smart, fast, connected CRM and marketing platform, you’re paying for an aircraft carrier when all you need is a speedboat. Act! Advantage was purpose-built for businesses like yours.

The Real Cost of Dynamics 365 vs Act!

Licensing is only part of the story. Here’s what SMBs actually spend.

Dynamics 365 Sales Professional: $65/user/month (base license only)
Typical SMB Implementation: $15,000–$150,000+ one-time, consultant-required
Ongoing Support Contract: 15–25% of annual licensing, per year
Act! Advantage Standard: $30/user/month — all-in, no surprises

Feature Comparison: Dynamics 365 Sales Professional vs Act! Advantage Standard

Feature for feature—here’s what you’re actually getting.

Features	Dynamics 365 Sales Professional	Act! Advantage Standard
CRM (contacts, accounts, opportunities, pipelines)	Included	Included
Sales Automation & Activity Tracking	Included	Included
Email Marketing (campaigns, drip sequences, newsletters)	Requires Dynamics 365 Customer Insights — separate license at $1,700/tenant/mo	Included
Online Appointment Scheduling	Requires Microsoft Bookings (additional M365 license)	Included
Surveys & Customer Feedback Tools	Requires Microsoft Forms or Customer Voice add-on	Included
Interactive Quotes & Proposals	Requires Sales Enterprise upgrade ($105/user/mo)	Included
Live Website Chat	Requires Dynamics 365 Customer Service add-on	Included
Event Management	Requires Customer Insights–Journeys module	Included
Mobile CRM App	Included	Included
Out-of-the-Box Setup (no consultant required)	No — implementation requires certified Microsoft partner	Yes — free guided onboarding included
Free Onboarding & Dedicated Account Manager	Not included — support contracts start at ~15–25% of annual license	Included — a real human on day one
Time to Go Live	Weeks to months (implementation-dependent)	Days
Outlook & Microsoft 365 Integration	Deep native integration	Included
Predictable All-In Monthly Price	No — modular licensing grows with each added capability	Yes — one flat price, nothing hidden
Starting Price per user/month	~$65/user/mo (+ implementation + add-ons)	$30/user/mo — all-in
*Estimated 2-Year Subscription Cost per user. Dynamics 365 implementation for a 10-user SMB typically adds $15,000–$50,000+ in year one. Act! requires no implementation partner.	~$65 × 24 = $1,560 (before implementation & add-ons)	$30 × 24 = $720 (all-in, no implementation fee)

*Non-Act! pricing may vary.

What Dynamics 365 Users Say After the Sale.

Real feedback from verified reviews on Capterra, G2, Gartner Peer Insights, and Trustpilot.

“Steep learning curve—even after months of use.” Dynamics 365 reviewers on Gartner consistently cite overwhelming navigation and setup, especially without dedicated training. Most teams don’t fully adopt it for 6–12 months post-launch.
You need a consultant just to get started. Dynamics 365 deployments nearly always require a certified Microsoft partner. For a 10–50 user SMB, first-year implementation costs typically run $15,000 to $150,000—before you send a single email campaign.
“The base license is just the beginning.” Email marketing, event management, chat, scheduling, and quoting each require separate modules or license upgrades. The modular pricing model makes budgeting unpredictable and costly.

Built for enterprise. Awkward for everyone else. Multiple Capterra reviewers note that Dynamics 365 “does not feel like an industry-leading CRM” for their needs—and that the platform’s power is largely wasted on teams without IT departments.
Budget overruns are the norm, not the exception. Industry analysts estimate that for every $1 spent on Dynamics 365 licenses, SMBs spend $2–$5 on implementation. Support contracts add 15–25% of annual licensing on top of that, every year.
“We expected to be up and running in weeks. It took months.” Configuration, data migration, integration setup, and user training take far longer than most SMBs anticipate. Act! Advantage is designed to get teams productive in days, not quarters.

What You Get with Act! Advantage Standard

Everything Dynamics 365 charges extra for is included in Act! Advantage at $30/user/month.

Up and Running in Days: Free guided onboarding, no implementation partner, no six-figure setup bill.
Built-In Email Marketing: Campaigns, drip sequences, and engagement tracking — all inside your CRM. No Customer Insights license needed.
One Flat Price: $30/user/month. No module upgrades, no surprise invoices. Every feature, every user, day one.
Online Appointment Scheduling: Customers self-book, calendar syncs, contact records update, automatically.
Surveys & Feedback: Capture responses directly on contact records. No Customer Voice add-on, no data gaps.
Interactive Quotes & Proposals: Send quotes, collect e-signatures, and process payments — no license upgrade required.
Live Website Chat: Route conversations straight into your CRM pipeline. In Dynamics 365, that’s an add-on. In Act!, it’s included.
Event Management: Registrations, automated follow-ups, and attendee data — all connected to your CRM.
Dedicated Account Manager: A real human, included. Dynamics 365 charges 15–25% of your annual license for comparable support.
Dashboards That Make Sense: Actionable reporting your whole team can use — no Power BI license or data analyst required.

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Act! has been the CRM of choice for SMBs for 40+ years. Not enterprise software in disguise—purpose-built from day one for businesses like yours.

See what our other customers are saying about Act!

"The biggest upside of using Act! CRM at Landform is its incredible value for cost — offering the sophistication of enterprise-level CRMs like Salesforce or HubSpot at a fraction of the price."

"The initial set up of Act! was incredibly easy. A representative from the company helped transfer our old data into the new setup which was very straightforward."

"Act! is very easy to use and helps me stay organized for day-to-day tasks. It helps me stay on top of my sales funnel, and I really value the ability to send mass emails when I need to."

"I have been using Act! for over 20 years and love the customizable front end and the flexibility."

"I like the configurability of Act!. We have used it for over 15 years and tailored it to reflect the data we need."

"I really love the Marketing Automation which allows me to quickly and easily send email campaigns to targeted audiences."

"I've depended on Act! since the beginning. It remains the hub for managing the many relationships under my watch."

"The best tech support people!"

"I really like Act! because it is user-friendly, which significantly enhances my work efficiency. The intuitive design streamlines my daily operations, allowing me to maintain organization with ease. The initial setup was straightforward and easy, enabling me to get up and running quickly without any hassles."

"Act! is an affordable way to stay organized, track all client management, maintain touch points, and connect with clients so we don't miss sales."

"Act! saves me time and increases my productivity by having all my information for clients, and the tools to help, in one, easily navigable place."

"I have been using Act! for years and their database is the best. Their Customer Service is excellent and have been helpful through the years. I highly recommend this product!"

"Couldn't imagine doing my job without Act!"

"Customer Support team is knowledgeable and assists even when you don't quite know what you are asking as a non-IT person."

CRM that grows with your business

Act! CRM isn’t just software – it’s your growth partner. Whether you’re a small startup or a growing business, our flexible, cost-effective plans ensure you get the right tools to scale efficiently.

Act! Advantage
Standard

$30

USD/user/mo
(billed annually)

Full-featured CRM & Mobile App
Basic Email Marketing (includes 2,500 sends/mo)
Office 365 & Gmail Integration
Standard Interactive Quotes and Payments + Online Appointment Scheduling
Standard Forms, Surveys, Website Chat & Event Management
Reports & Interactive Dashboards
Standard Support w/ Dedicated Onboarding Specialist
15 Gb Cloud Storage w/ Nightly Backups & Automatic Updates

We're with you every step of the way.

At Act!, your success is our priority, and we’re here to help make it happen. Unlike other CRMs that leave you to figure things out on your own, we provide personalized assistance from day one. You'll have a dedicated Account Manager (a real human, not a chatbot!) and free onboarding with your subscription by a team of experts ready to get you up and running fast.

Integrate with the apps and tools you love.

Customers love our award winning software!

Act! Reviews

Comparing more options?
We’ve got you covered.

Our guide to the best Microsoft Dynamics 365 alternatives breaks down the top choices for small businesses with features pricing and what to look for before you switch.

Read Free Guide

TL;DR:

Dynamics 365 starts at $65/user/month — more than double Act!’s $30/user/month—and that’s before implementation, add-ons, or support contracts are factored in.
Implementation for a typical 10–50 user SMB runs $15,000 to $150,000+, requires a certified Microsoft partner, and takes weeks to months. Act! requires no implementation partner and includes free onboarding.
Email marketing, event management, chat, and scheduling are all separate purchases in Dynamics 365. In Act! Advantage, every feature is included in one flat subscription.

For every $1 spent on Dynamics 365 licenses, SMBs typically spend $2–5 on implementation. Act! inverts that equation—your spend goes into the product, not the setup.
Act! includes a dedicated account manager at no extra cost. Dynamics 365 support contracts typically add 15–25% of your annual licensing cost on top of subscription fees.
Act! Advantage gets teams productive in days. Dynamics 365 reviewers consistently note that full adoption takes 6–12 months. Time is money—and Act! gives you both back faster.

See Why SMBs Choose Act! Over Dynamics 365.

Try Act! Advantage free for 14 days—no credit card, no consultant, no catch.

Microsoft and Microsoft Dynamics 365 are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Act! is not affiliated with or endorsed by Microsoft Corporation. All product names, logos, and brands are property of their respective owners and are used for identification purposes only. Pricing based on publicly available information and is subject to change.

Powerful CRM Shouldn’t Require a Six-Figure Implementation.