17hats vs Apptivo: Complete Comparison (2026)
An in-depth comparison of 17hats and Apptivo to help you choose the right tool for your business.
Last updated: November 2026
17hats
4.8/10
17hats is an all-in-one business management app for solopreneurs and small service businesses, combining CRM, projects, to-dos, invoicing, contracts, scheduling and workflows.
Apptivo
6.3/10
Apptivo is a modular cloud CRM and business suite that combines sales, help desk, projects, invoicing and campaigns for small and mid-sized businesses.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| Overall Rating | 4.8/10 | 6.3/10 |
| Analytics | 5/10 | 5/10 |
| Cost | 5/10 | 8/10 |
| Customization | 5/10 | 8/10 |
| Ease of Use | 6/10 | 5/10 |
| Integration | 4/10 | 5/10 |
| Scalability | 3/10 | 5/10 |
| Security | 4/10 | 6/10 |
| Support | 6/10 | 8/10 |
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Cheapest paid plan | $60/mo Core | $20/user/mo Lite |
| Estimated cost for 10 users | Free Free CRM | $200/mo Lite |
| Features | ||
| Contact Management | Not listed | |
| Customer Support Management | Not listed | |
| Integrations | Not listed | |
| Lead Management | Not listed | |
| Marketing Automation | Not listed | |
| Mobile Access | Not listed | |
| Opportunity Management | Not listed | |
| Reporting & Analytics | Not listed | |
| Sales Automation | Not listed | |
| More features | ||
| Scheduling | Not listed | |
| Client collaboration | Not listed | |
| App integrations | Not listed | |
| Task lists | Not listed | |
| Timeline view | Not listed | |
| Task management | Not listed | |
| Time tracking | Not listed | |
| Workflow automation | Not listed | |
| Reporting | Not listed | |
17hats vs Apptivo cost by team size
17hats costs less at every team size we checked.
| Team size | 17hats | Apptivo |
|---|---|---|
| 1 user | FreeFree CRM | $20/moLite |
| 5 users | FreeFree CRM | $100/moLite |
| 10 users | FreeFree CRM | $200/moLite |
| 25 users | FreeFree CRM | $500/moLite |
| 50 users | FreeFree CRM | $1,000/moLite |
The plan that fits each team size, billed monthly, before add-ons and usage charges. Each cost opens that tool's pricing calculator for the team size.
Which One Should You Choose?
Why choose 17hats
- Has a free plan (Apptivo does not)
- Lower estimated cost for 10 users: Free vs $200/mo
- Higher Ease of Use score (6/10 vs 5/10)
- Better fit for freelancers (9/10 vs 5/10)
Why choose Apptivo
- Higher Cost score (8/10 vs 5/10)
- Higher Customization score (8/10 vs 5/10)
- Better fit for mid-market (6/10 vs 2/10)
- Better fit for enterprise (4/10 vs 1/10)
Pros & Cons
17hats
Pros
- Combines CRM, contracts, invoicing, payments, scheduling and to-dos, so a solo business can replace several tools with one.
- To-do workflows and advanced workflows automate recurring tasks and document or email sends for each client.
- Unlimited contacts and projects and three users are included, with one predictable flat price.
- A free CRM plan, a restartable 7-day trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee lower the risk of trying it.
- Built-in financial reports such as profit and loss and sales tax suit owners who handle their own books.
Cons
- It has no Kanban boards, Gantt charts or team chat, so it is weak as a team project management tool.
- Time tracking, scheduling, recurring billing and QuickBooks sync are all paid add-ons.
- Reviewers cite a limited mobile app, a cluttered interface and limited form customization.
- Users have reported QuickBooks sync errors that created duplicate payments, and some scheduled emails failing to send.
- It has no live chat support, and records are inaccessible after cancellation unless exported first.
Apptivo
Pros
- Entry pricing of $15 per user per month on annual billing is low for a suite that also covers projects, invoicing and help desk.
- Support is the most praised area, with 94% positive mentions on Capterra and responsive help even on entry-level plans.
- Modular apps and up to 500 custom fields per app let teams tailor the system without switching tools.
- Built-in estimates, invoicing, expenses and accounting integrations with QuickBooks and Xero suit businesses that bill for services.
- Native apps for iOS, Android and Windows, with offline use reported.
Cons
- Reviewers describe the interface as dated and navigation as cumbersome.
- There is a learning curve, and complex customizations often need developer help.
- Users report glitches and slowdowns, especially with large datasets.
- Email integration and email marketing are reported to be limited and clunky.
- There is no free-forever plan, and marketing email volume is capped per user.
Not sold on either?
Frequently Asked Questions
Apptivo scores higher on our CRM criteria: 6.3/10 against 4.8/10 for 17hats. The largest gap is in Cost: 5/10 for 17hats and 8/10 for Apptivo.
17hats costs less for 10 users: free on its Free CRM plan, against about $200/mo on its Lite plan for Apptivo, billed monthly.
17hats has a free plan; Apptivo does not list one.
17hats is the better fit for freelancers: we rate it 9/10 for them, against 5/10 for Apptivo.
