Insightly vs Nutshell
Quick Answer
Pick Insightly if you need project management baked into your CRM — the Gantt charts and free tier make it the better fit for teams managing deals and delivery in one place, especially if QuickBooks is part of your stack.
Insightly
6/8
features
Nutshell
6/8
features
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Insightly is a CRM platform founded in 2009 that combines contact management with built-in project management and marketing automation capabilities. It targets mid-size teams that need more than just a sales pipeline — particularly those who want to track projects through completion after closing a deal. Nutshell, launched in 2010, takes a leaner approach aimed squarely at small sales teams. It focuses on making pipeline management and outreach straightforward without overwhelming users with complexity. Nutshell includes an AI assistant to help reps work faster, while Insightly leans on its broader feature set, including Gantt charts and a free tier, to appeal to teams with more varied workflow needs. Both integrate with core business tools like Gmail, Outlook, Slack, and Zapier.
Starting with pricing, Nutshell has the lower entry point at $16 per user/month but offers no free plan. Insightly starts higher at $29 per user/month, yet provides a free tier for teams that want to test the waters before committing budget. That free plan can be a decisive factor for startups or solopreneurs still validating their sales process. On the feature front, both platforms cover the essentials: kanban-style pipeline views, file sharing, calendar integration, mobile apps, and workflow automation. The key differentiators sit in the gaps. Insightly includes Gantt chart support, which is unusual for a CRM and genuinely useful for teams that manage post-sale projects or complex onboarding timelines. Nutshell skips Gantt charts entirely but counters with an AI assistant — a tool that can help reps draft emails, surface insights, or prioritize deals without leaving the platform. Neither platform offers built-in time tracking, so teams needing that will rely on integrations either way. Speaking of integrations, the overlap is significant: Gmail, Outlook, Slack, and Zapier appear on both sides. Insightly adds QuickBooks, making it a stronger pick for teams that want CRM-to-accounting connectivity. Nutshell integrates with Mailchimp, which suits teams running email marketing campaigns alongside their sales efforts. Both integration lists extend further through Zapier, but these native connections matter for reliability and ease of setup.
Our Verdict
Pick Insightly if you need project management baked into your CRM — the Gantt charts and free tier make it the better fit for teams managing deals and delivery in one place, especially if QuickBooks is part of your stack. Choose Nutshell if you run a small sales team that values simplicity and wants AI-assisted selling at a lower per-seat cost. Its Mailchimp integration also gives it an edge for teams where marketing and sales work hand-in-hand.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Insightly | Nutshell |
|---|---|---|
| Pipeline View | ||
| Sales Forecasting | ||
| Email Tracking | ||
| Document Mgmt | ||
| Calendar Sync | ||
| Mobile App | ||
| Sales Automation | ||
| AI Assistant |
Pipeline View
Sales Forecasting
Email Tracking
Document Mgmt
Calendar Sync
Mobile App
Sales Automation
AI Assistant