Credit unions have a reputation for truly being part of the local community, with bankers knowing their customers personally and even greeting them by name as they walk in the door. Today, many credit unions still offer that friendly, local environment - but they also need to provide digital tools for customers. A website is a must-have for any credit union, allowing customers to apply for accounts or loans, access online banking, and more.
A website is also a valuable source of information for credit unions. This data can be put to good use with customer relationship management (CRM) software, a tool that can be utilized to nurture and grow customer relationships, develop targeted marketing campaigns, automate tasks, and more. Our list of the top CRM software for credit unions can help you pick a platform that is right for your credit union’s specific needs.
Based in Delaware, Inclind works with credit unions throughout the country to help them build smart, effective websites. In addition to website design and development, we work with clients to help them discover tools that will maximize their investment in technology - and help their business or organization grow. If you’d like to learn more about working with our award-winning website design and development team for your credit union, reach out today.
What Is a CRM?
Customer relationship management (CRM) platforms are a specialized type of software that organizations use to track and manage their relationships with customers or clients. These systems handle all of a company’s interactions with both current and potential customers with a goal of improving relationships and growing profits.
CRM software can replace the patchwork of spreadsheets, databases, and apps that many businesses use to track client data. These platforms can hold and organize all relevant data, such as communications from customers, documents, sales leads, quotes, purchases, and tasks for each client or customer. It does this work automatically through the use of artificial intelligence (AI), which can reduce the burden on staff. For example, rather than an employee manually entering customer contact information and interactions into a spreadsheet, the CRM will update it automatically.
For credit unions, CRMs can be incredibly helpful. They offer numerous benefits, including:
- More precise targeting: CRMs allow credit unions to get a better understanding of their customers’ needs, allowing them to better market products and services to them.
- Greater efficiency: A CRM can increase productivity because all customer information and documents are stored (and updated) in a single location. More personalized service: Because your credit union will have a more in-depth understanding of its customers’ needs, you can provide better service, leading to increased customer retention.
- Better use of data: Your credit union website can be a goldmine of information when it comes to business needs. A CRM allows you to generate reports based on website data that can be used to track sales and trends, the success of various campaigns, and more. This can allow you to better tailor services to clients and grow as a business.
CRMs aren’t just a nice thing to have - they are a necessity. This software is essential to providing optimal customer service and to increasing sales. Below, we discuss some of the features that are key for credit union CRMs and list our top choices for this software product.
What Features Should a Credit Union Look For in a CRM?
If your credit union doesn’t currently have a CRM platform, then you might be uncertain about what you need in this type of software. While every institution is different, there are some features that are particularly helpful for credit unions. This includes:
- Automation: A good CRM platform will offer the option to create custom automations so that manual tasks are handled automatically by the platform.
- Document sharing: Credit unions often need to store and collaborate on documents such as signed loan documents and account applications. A CRM should offer an easy way to quickly share these documents between employees.
- Integrations: Any CRM that you license should be able to connect (integrate) with your existing software to share data.
- Security: Credit unions are required to safeguard customer data, so any CRM that you use should be secure, with access controls, encryption, and security updates.
- Analytics: A CRM should provide up-to-date customer data that can be used to generate reports on sales, customer satisfaction, campaign performance, and more.
- Mobile access: To ensure that your staff can access data when necessary, a CRM should offer mobile access (such as an app).
- Lead management: A credit union CRM should track and manage leads, including both potential clients as well as existing clients interested in new products, to allow for follow-up by your staff.
Depending on your credit union’s needs, you might look for other features as well. Keep reading to learn more about 9 great options for credit union CRMs.
Best CRM Software for Credit Unions
Salesforce
Salesforce Financial Services Cloud is a fully customizable CRM that is a great choice for financial institutions that want software that is specifically geared towards banking. It allows credit unions to collect, store, and access data for better decision-making. Some of its features include AI for onboarding, disclosure, and consent processes, financial discovery, automation for customer service and self-service options, and a dashboard for viewing customer relationships and data in one place. Salesforce Financial Services Cloud’s pricing starts at $300 per user per month.
Pros
- Highly customizable: Ideal for tailoring workflows to member engagement, lending, or marketing.
- Robust integrations: Connects with core banking systems, LOS, and third-party fintech tools.
- Strong automation & AI (Einstein): Helps surface insights, detect churn risk, and improve cross-selling.
- Dedicated Financial Services Cloud: Offers features built for credit unions and banks.
Cons
- Expensive: High licensing and customization costs, especially for smaller credit unions.
- Steep learning curve: Requires training and potentially a full-time admin to manage.
- Complex setup: Not ideal if you’re looking for a quick out-of-the-box deployment.
Microsoft Dynamics 365
Microsoft Dynamics 365 offers two products in one: both CRM and enterprise resource planning (ERP) for financial institutions. This makes it a great option if your credit union requires both customer data management as well as business insights. The platform uses AI to increase productivity and improve customer service. It seamlessly integrates with other Microsoft products, offers Copilot AI to create more personalized services, and creates automated sales sequences. Pricing for Microsoft Dynamics 365 starts at $65 per user per month.
Pros
- Tight integration with Microsoft tools: Seamless use with Outlook, Teams, Excel—great for internal collaboration.
- Modular flexibility: Use only what you need (e.g., customer service, sales, marketing).
- Security & compliance: Strong support for data governance and regulatory compliance.
Cons
- Customization-heavy: Can require significant developer time to tailor to credit union workflows.
- Unintuitive interface: Especially compared to lighter CRMs.
- Modest support for 3rd-party integrations: Integration with non-Microsoft tools can be less seamless.
SugarCRM
Sugar CRM is a good choice for credit unions and other financial institutions that want to retain more customers. It offers actionable insights based on historical data and AI. These analytics can be used to improve customer retention, support business growth, and automate marketing tasks. Some of its critical features include automations to optimize lead qualifications, a focus on individual sales, and the use of AI to provide insights. Sugar CRM plans start at $19 per user per month.
Pros
- Strong workflow automation: Good for marketing campaigns, member lifecycle, and case resolution.
- Open platform: Flexible APIs allow for integrations with core systems.
- Great value: Good balance of features and affordability for mid-sized credit unions.
Cons
- Unpolished interface: UI is less polished than Salesforce or HubSpot.
- Fewer financial industry-specific features: Would need custom modules for credit union workflows.
- Smaller vendor ecosystem: Much smaller ecosystem when compared to larger players.
Oracle NetSuite
Oracle NetSuite is a good choice for credit unions that want an integrated, cloud-based CRM and ERP platform. It offers a 360-degree view of customers with a flow of information throughout the customer journey. It also offers simplified compliance and risk management, the ability to build customer profiles from website data, and segmentation to personalize customer experiences with targeted promotions. Oracle offers quotes for this product upon request.
Pros
- Integrated with ERP: If your credit union uses NetSuite ERP, this is a seamless choice.
- Comprehensive view of member interactions: Marketing, service, and sales touchpoints in one place.
- Scalable for growth: Works well for credit unions expanding to offer more financial services.
Cons
- Not built with financial institutions in mind: Requires custom tailoring for credit union use cases.
- Expensive: High cost and implementation effort.
- Geared towards larger organizations: Can feel overly enterprise for smaller institutions.
Creatio
Creatio is a good CRM option for credit unions that want to automate business processes. It uses marketing, sales, and customer service in one platform. This allows credit union employees to review data and analytics for the entire customer journey. Its features include a comprehensive database for tracking, capturing, and nurturing leads, a 360-degree view of clients’ history, loyalty, portfolio, and more, plus loan application management and automated debt collection tools. Creatio plans start at $25 per user per month.
Pros
- No-code customization: Staff with minimal technical background can build custom workflows.
- Strong process automation engine: Excellent for streamlining member onboarding, lending, and support.
- Specific banking features: Industry-specific templates available for financial services.
Cons
- Smaller community: Less brand recognition/support ecosystem compared to Salesforce or MS Dynamics.
- Requires more in-house work: You’ll need more internal IT ownership for long-term success.
- May be incompatible with legacy systems: May need integration work for compatibility with legacy credit union systems.
monday CRM
monday CRM is a great option for credit unions that want to close deals faster, offering visibility into the entire sales process. One of its great features is the ability to create boards for customer management, adding customized columns based on how your team works. Other features include custom automations for repetitive tasks, built-in AI for automatic lead evaluation, an analytics dashboard, and integration with more than 200 popular software tools. Plans start at $12 per month per team member.
Pros
- User-friendly and visually intuitive: Easy for teams to adopt without extensive training.
- Custom workflows: Adaptable for tracking member touchpoints and loan progress.
- Affordable: Pricing geared towards small-to-mid-size credit unions.
Cons
- Not geared towards the financial service industry: Limited financial services features out of the box.
- Limited CRM functionality: More of a project management platform than full CRM—lacks native depth in reporting and automation.
- Limited integration support: Integrations with core systems often require third-party tools or middleware.
Nextiva
Nextiva uses AI to allow credit unions to personalize the customer journey, providing real-time insights along the way. Employees can view insights from customer data and engage with customers from the platform. Other features include a centralized communications center for voicemails, chats, call notes, and more, advanced security, and automated application processing. Plans start at $20 per user per month.
Pros
- All-in-one communication & CRM: Great if your credit union uses voice/SMS/email channels heavily.
- Good for member service teams: Combines contact center tools with CRM capabilities.
- Low pricing: Affordable for smaller organizations.
Cons
- Not tailored to financial institutions: lacks financial workflows or security nuances needed in credit unions.
- Not as robust: Limited automation and customization compared to more robust platforms.
- Basic analytics: Reporting isn’t as in-depth when compared to competitors.
HubSpot CRM
HubSpot CRM is a popular brand for sales, marketing, and customer service. If your credit union is already using other HubSpot products, then its CRM may be a perfect choice. It allows users to track leads and customers throughout their journey by managing contacts, digital marketing, sales, leads, and more. Key features include one centralized dashboard for tracking contacts, emails, and leads, a meeting scheduler, and AI-enabled email templates. HubSpot CRM offers both free and paid plans, with paid plans starting at $15 per month for each user.
Pros
- Very easy to use: Fast onboarding and intuitive UI.
- Great marketing automation: Strong tools for email campaigns, member nurturing, and lead tracking.
- Free tier available: Useful for smaller credit unions testing CRM features.
Cons
- Less customizable: Can hit limits with complex workflows or integrations.
- Financial services features are limited: more geared toward sales/marketing teams.
- Costly to scale: Expensive at scale once you move beyond free/basic plans.
Vymo
Vymo is a mobile-first CRM that is great for any financial institution that wants to manage customer relationships on the go. It offers a unified platform that can be used to handle sales, collections, lending, and more. Some of its features include digital debt collection tools and options to help employees nurture client relationships. Pricing for Vymo is not publicly listed.
Pros
- Purpose-built for financial institutions: Tailored for sales and relationship managers in banking and insurance.
- Mobile-first experience: Great for credit union staff on the go.
- Time-saving reporting & automation: Strong activity tracking and automation for field teams.
Cons
- Focus is mostly on sales productivity: Not a full-service CRM with deep marketing or support capabilities.
- Limited adoption: integration/local support may vary.
- Small community: Smaller ecosystem than platforms like Salesforce or HubSpot.
Integrate Your Website With A Powerful CRM
It is easy to get overwhelmed when deciding on technology products for your business or organization. Yet the right tool can transform your operations, allowing you to become more efficient while providing even better customer service and increasing profits. One great example of this type of technology is CRM software.
Inclind knows how beneficial CRM platforms and other tech tools can be for our clients. When consulting with credit unions, we offer our expertise on how to make their website beautiful, functional, and useful for their business purposes. We can help you choose the right CRM for your credit union and can even integrate the software with your website and other tools for you.
If you’d like to learn more about our website design and development services for credit unions, we’re happy to chat. Fill out our online contact form or give us a call at 800-604-8139 to talk to one of our experts about your website.