The useful number is the cost for your whole team, doing the work you actually need. Count the people using each tool, add the usage charges, and check how long you are committing to pay.
A CRM might include some support features. A help desk might include calling. A workspace might include all three. Compare what you will use before adding three separate subscriptions together.
Start with the whole monthly bill
Use this simple calculation:
Software subscriptions + phone and AI usage + any optional hardware costs = your monthly budget.
Keep the subscription and usage figures separate. One tells you what you pay for access to the software. The other depends on how much your team uses it.
For the subscription, check whether the price is per user, per support agent, or for the whole workspace. Then count the people who need each kind of access.
Count users and support agents separately
Imagine a business with 12 employees. All 12 use customer records and make calls, but only three answer support requests.
If the CRM and phone service charge per user, you may need 12 of each. If the help desk charges per paid agent, you may need three agent licenses. Those three agents are part of the 12-person team.
Ask how the other nine people can look up a support request when they need customer context. Some plans offer limited viewing roles; others require another paid license. The answer belongs in the quote.
A simple budget example
These are illustrative prices in US dollars, not quotes from named vendors. They show how to do the calculation for that 12-person team.
| Monthly item | Calculation | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| CRM software | 12 users × $30 | $360 |
| Help desk software | 3 agents × $50 | $150 |
| Phone subscription | 12 users × $20 | $240 |
| Optional desk-phone rental | All 12 users × $5 | $60 |
| Subscriptions and rental | $810 | |
| Phone usage and provider charges | Example monthly budget | $90 |
| AI usage | Example monthly budget | $45 |
| Estimated monthly total | $945 |
With no desk-phone rental, the same example totals $885 a month. The example excludes taxes and assumes the subscriptions do not already cover the budgeted usage.
Hardware is a choice. A browser-based phone can use the computers your team already has, with suitable audio equipment. If you choose desk phones, compare their purchase or rental cost too. Our browser-phone guide explains the everyday choices.
For current named plans, use our software cost calculator. It lets you count support agents separately and include desk-phone rental for everyone or no one.
A monthly rate can still mean an annual contract
“Per month” describes the rate. It does not always describe how often you pay or when you can cancel.
For example, on October 4, 2026, Salesforce’s small-business pricing page lists Starter Suite at $25 per user per month, with monthly or annual billing, and Pro Suite at $100 per user per month, billed annually with a contract required. Ten Pro Suite users have a $12,000 annual base subscription at that list rate, before extras.
Ask for both the monthly equivalent and the amount you are committing to pay. Also ask when you can reduce the number of paid users. A lower advertised rate may still involve a longer commitment than your team wants.
Put usage next to the subscription
For phone costs, include the destinations you call, number or service charges, and any forwarding charges in the provider’s quote. For AI, ask what is included and what is billed as you use it: transcription, automated follow-ups, or other work.
Start with a recent month of activity, then estimate a busier month. That gives you a useful budget range without pretending every month will be identical.
If a quote says “at cost,” ask whether that means the vendor’s actual charge or a rate with added markup. If it says “unlimited,” read which calls or activities are covered.
Compare the work each quote covers
A cheaper subscription is useful when it still handles your team’s everyday work. Check customer records, support replies, calls, and the next step after a conversation. Ask for a short demonstration using one typical customer situation.
Then compare the same team size and usage budget across the quotes. Include the features you use, the paid roles you need, and the commitment period. You will have a much clearer number than the headline CRM price alone.
We make Zen & Zen. Its CRM, support and phone software are included in Standard at $99/month or Pro at $199/month, within each plan’s limits. AI, phone-minute and VoIP costs are separate, at the underlying vendor cost with zero additional markup: you pay exactly what we pay ourselves. See plans and usage costs and the cost calculator.