For decades, ACT! Pro was a trusted name in customer relationship management (CRM) software, helping businesses track leads, manage contacts, and use a sales pipeline. However, as of 2023, ACT! Pro is no longer available for purchase. While this marks the end of an era, it also opens the door to new opportunities. Enter Zoho CRM: a modern, cloud-based solution that’s more than capable of filling ACT! Pro’s shoes—and then some.
Why ACT! Pro Was Phased Out
ACT! Pro served its purpose well for over 30 years, but like many desktop-based solutions, it struggled to keep up with the rapid pace of technological advancements. Desktop software requires manual updates, takes up local storage, and often lacks the flexibility businesses need in today’s fast-paced, remote-friendly world. Recognizing these limitations, many companies are now turning to cloud-based CRMs that offer greater agility and scalability. Many Pro users resorted to trying Act Premium Cloud and found that it was missing many of the features that Act users had come to expect.
Zoho CRM: The Perfect Alternative
Zoho CRM is an ideal substitute for ACT! Pro, providing all the features you loved—and then some. Here’s why Zoho CRM is a game-changer:
- Ease of Use: Unlike ACT! Pro’s complex installation process, Zoho CRM is ready to go right out of the box. All you need is an internet connection—no downloads or installations required. No more worrying about SQL updates and compatibility. It just works.
- Automatic Updates: Forget manually updating software. Zoho CRM updates automatically, ensuring you always have access to the latest features and security patches.
- Anywhere, Anytime Access: Since Zoho is cloud-based, you can access your CRM from any device, whether you’re in the office, at home, or on the go. You can view your data on your office or home computer, your tablet and your smart phone all in real-time without the need to setup a complicated “remote synchronization.”
- Customizability: Zoho CRM offers robust customization options, allowing you to tailor the platform to fit your business needs perfectly.
- Functionality: While the most recent Act Pro updates concentrated on bug fixes, Zoho releases new features several times a month. As an example, Zoho’s “Enrish Data” feature harnesses the power of AI to easily update your contact information.
- Integration-Friendly: Need to connect with other tools? Zoho CRM integrates seamlessly with popular apps like Gmail, Calendly and virtually any VoIP phone system.
- Pricing: Over the last several years of its existence the price of Act Pro doubled from $199 to its final price of $450. The current price of Act Premium Desktop is $468/year plus tax. At the same time the feature set of the product has gradually declined; additional features are available through the use of costly “addon products.” On the other hand, Zoho has rarely increased its price and has versions ranging from free to $444/year depending on your needs. The $444 version includes 50+ apps, eliminating the need to purchase additional addon products.
Making the Transition
Switching from ACT! Pro to Zoho CRM might sound intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. We have a Zoho onboarding process that is designed to make the transition smooth and straightforward. With plenty of online resources, customer support, and even data migration services, you’ll be up and running in no time.
Why Now?
The discontinuation of ACT! Pro is a nudge in the right direction. By moving to Zoho CRM, you’re not just replacing an outdated tool; you’re stepping into a new era of efficiency, collaboration, and growth. It’s an opportunity to future-proof your business and embrace the convenience and power of modern technology.
Final Thoughts
Change can be challenging, but it’s also an opportunity to grow. Zoho CRM is more than a replacement for ACT! Pro—it’s an upgrade that offers everything you need to manage your customer relationships with ease. So, as we bid farewell to ACT! Pro, let’s welcome Zoho CRM—a tool built for the demands of today and the possibilities of tomorrow.
Need help transitioning from Act to Zoho? We’re here to help! Contact the Zoho Consultants at Tech Benders today!
I would love to improve my CRM … it can be an Act! upgrade or something completely new.
My criteria would be:
• Must integrate with Outlook 2019 Plus
• Must be configurable (so that my custom data fields can be imported)
• Must (if at all possible) be a perpetual license
• Must (if at all possible) be spooled off of my internal servers (currently running Win2022)
• Presently I have five seats; ten would be better
I don’t really want to invest the time to do all of this, so propose the software and the time to remotely install it. (Remotely means that I will be your physical hands here on site, and someone from your organization will remote in to do the digital manipulations.)
Hi Larry,
It’s a good thing that Act! is “limping along” as you’re probably going to have to limp along until Act! just stops working one day. Unfortunately my crystal ball can’t predict the future but I’m fairly certain that at some point Act! will stop working. I can also tell you that I believe the company is in serious financial condition so I would be VERY careful not to invest any money into newer Act! versions.
I am moving most of my clients to Zoho; it’s less expensive and it just works without having to deal with upgrades, installations, etc.
At some point the newer versions Act! will not work with Outlook 2019. That’s always their ploy to get you to upgrade. Zoho on the other hand doesn’t require a specific version of Microsoft Office. Yes, all of your custom fields and data could easily move to Zoho. I don’t know of ANY CRM product that offers “perpetual” licenses anymore.
If you go with Act! Desktop the price would be $4680 plus tax per year for 10 users. Zoho would run you $1680 – 4440 depending on how many custom fields you have and how much functionality you are looking for. And they don’t charge tax. Plus my customers get 3 months free.
To install Act! on 10 machines and a server would run roughly $1000 including upgrading your database. You, of course, would be responsible for future updates, backups, etc. Conversely you could convert your Act data to Zoho for probably near the same price, save money on the software, and not have to deal with ongoing support issues.