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Heralded

The most visible CRM tools, October 2026

October 2026 · 12 questions asked in English, worldwide · ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Gemini and Google AI Mode · 96 answers read

Leader

HubSpot

89%of answers name it

Most cited source

salesforce.com

40citations

From Google AI Mode, Gemini, Google AI Overviews and ChatGPT

Where engines disagree most

Pipedrive

2/4engines put it in their top three

Top three on Google AI Mode and ChatGPT, not on Gemini and Google AI Overviews

Brands

Rank Brand Rank change Heralded Score Score trend Mentioned Recommended By engine Mentioned by Change
– Agile CRM US Unranked Too few answers
–
  • : Unranked
 1% 1% First reading
– Apptivo US Unranked Too few answers
–
  • : Unranked
 3% 0% None First reading
– Brevo FR Unranked Too few answers
–
  • : Unranked
 3% 0% None First reading
– ChetsCRM Unranked Too few answers
–
  • : Unranked
 2% 1% None First reading
– ClientNest Unranked Too few answers
–
  • : Unranked
 2% 1% None First reading
– Eggy CRM Elite - Self-Hosted PHP CRM Unranked Too few answers
–
  • : Unranked
 1% 0% None First reading
– EspoCRM Unranked Too few answers
–
  • : Unranked
 1% 0% First reading
– Firmao PL Unranked Too few answers
–
  • : Unranked
 2% 0% First reading
– folk FR Unranked Too few answers
–
  • : Unranked
 1% 0% First reading
– Intercom US Unranked Too few answers
–
  • : Unranked
 1% 0% First reading

“=” marks brands whose score ranges overlap, so the test cannot separate them. Every brand named in at least three answers is ranked. By engine has one dot per engine (ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Gemini and Google AI Mode), darker the more often it names the brand.

This month's moves

First reading. No comparable previous month yet.

Biggest risers

No clear rise.

Biggest fallers

No clear fall.

Drop-outs

No drop-outs.

Most cited sources

Rank Source Type Cited in Engines Pages cited Brands its pages mention
1 salesforce.com Brand site 27.1% 4 of 4 29 12
2Withheld. Run a full Snapshot to see it.
3 google.com Vendor site 12.5% 2 of 4 34 1
4 hubspot.com Brand site 24.0% 4 of 4 20 16
5 reddit.com Community 17.7% 3 of 4 10 30
6Withheld. Run a full Snapshot to see it.
7 zapier.com Vendor site 13.5% 3 of 4 2 12
8Withheld. Run a full Snapshot to see it.
9 microsoft.com Brand site 7.3% 2 of 4 11 3
10Withheld. Run a full Snapshot to see it.

The questions, and who wins each

QuestionLanguageWins it
best CRM software for a SaaS company English HubSpot and Salesforce, tied
CRM software recommendations for a sales director English HubSpot
top CRM software English HubSpot and Zoho CRM, tied
how to choose CRM software English HubSpot, Pipedrive and Zoho CRM, tied
what to look for in CRM software English No brand recommended
CRM software for a team of 20 to 200 English HubSpot
CRM software that integrates with Gmail English HubSpot
CRM software with GDPR-compliant hosting English HubSpot and Pipedrive, tied
CRM software for manufacturing English HubSpot
most reliable CRM software English Salesforce

Each engine's top three

Method

Each month Heralded asks every engine the same buyer questions, twice each, and reads every answer. An answer counts 0 for a brand it leaves out, 50 for a brand it names and 100 for a brand it recommends, and the Heralded Score is built from those. A brand named in at least three answers gets a score and a place.

How the leaderboards are measured