Copper
Copper (formerly ProsperWorks) is a CRM built natively for Google Workspace. The core UI lives in a Gmail sidebar: open an email, see the contact and deal history, log activities, and update deal stages without leaving Gmail. The platform syncs automatically with Google Contacts, Calendar, and Drive, reducing manual data entry. Copper is lightweight and relationship-focused: it excels at tracking who you talked to and when, but lacks complex territory rules, marketing automation, and deep customization. Data model is simple (contacts, companies, opportunities; limited custom fields).
Why it ranks here
Copper ranks eighth because it is the best CRM for Google Workspace-centric teams doing relationship-driven sales (consulting, agencies, professional services). If your team lives in Gmail and Google Calendar, Copper removes friction. Rank 8 (not higher) because it lacks depth: no marketing automation, weak reporting, and limited API for complex workflows.
Where it sits
Copper sits at rank 8 in the situational tier. It competes with HubSpot and Pipedrive for SMB sales teams and wins on Google Workspace integration. If you are a Microsoft shop (Office 365), Dynamics 365 or HubSpot are better. If you need complex territory or automation, Salesforce wins.
How GTM Systems teams use it
Sales teams use Copper from the Gmail sidebar: read an email, click the Copper panel, see the contact and deal history, log a note or call, and move the deal to the next stage. Activities (emails, calendar events) log automatically, reducing manual CRM updates. Admins configure custom fields, pipelines, and activity types to match the sales process. The platform integrates with Google Workspace (Contacts, Calendar, Drive, Sheets) and external tools (Slack, Zoom, Zapier). RevTech teams use the API for custom workflows (enrichment, reporting).
In-depth notes
Pricing is per-user edition tiers: Basic (3 pipelines, limited automation), Professional (10 pipelines, workflows, reporting), Business (unlimited pipelines, advanced permissions, API access). Free trial is 14 days. Data model is intentionally simple: limited custom fields (25 per object on Business tier), no custom objects, basic relationship types. API is RESTful but rate-limited (120 requests/minute). Reporting is basic; export to Google Sheets for deeper analysis. Copper pushes AI features (relationship insights, lead scoring) on higher tiers; effectiveness varies.
Best for
Google Workspace teams, relationship-driven sales (consulting, agencies, professional services), and teams prioritizing Gmail-native UI over admin control.
Avoid if
You use Microsoft Office 365 (Dynamics 365 or HubSpot integrate better), need marketing automation (HubSpot wins), or require deep customization (Salesforce or Zoho are more flexible).
The rest of CRM platform
Salesforce Leader Enterprise system of record with deepest object model, territory/sharing logic, and near-infinite customization. #2 
HubSpot Leader Unified CRM with native marketing, sales, and service hubs; best for inbound-led SMB and mid-market teams. #3 
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Leader Enterprise CRM and ERP suite for Microsoft-centric orgs; deep Azure, Office 365, and Power Platform integration. #4 
Zoho CRM Strong Feature-rich CRM for mid-market teams; strong automation, AI, and analytics at a fraction of Salesforce cost. #5 
Pipedrive Strong Sales-first CRM with visual pipeline management; simple, fast, and built for transactional sales teams. #6 
Freshsales Strong Modern CRM from Freshworks with AI, email tracking, and phone; strong mid-market alternative to HubSpot. #7 
SugarCRM Situational Open-source CRM with on-premise and cloud options; strong customization for teams needing full control. #9 
Attio Situational Modern, flexible CRM with customizable data model; built for product-minded teams needing relational data. #10 
Close Situational Inside sales CRM with built-in calling, SMS, and email; optimized for high-velocity SDR and closing teams. #11 
Creatio Niche Low-code CRM and BPM platform; strong process automation for teams needing custom workflows beyond standard CRM. #12 
Insightly Niche CRM with built-in project management; popular with agencies and professional services needing client + project tracking. Learning guide
Setup
Sign up for a Copper trial (14 days, Business tier features) at copper.com using your Google Workspace admin account. Grant Copper access to Gmail, Contacts, and Calendar during OAuth setup. Import your first 50 contacts from Google Contacts; Copper auto-syncs them and creates Companies from email domains.
First thing to build
Create one pipeline with 5 stages (Contact Made, Qualified, Proposal Sent, Negotiation, Closed Won). Open Gmail, click the Copper sidebar, and create 10 test opportunities linked to contacts. Log activities (emails auto-log, manually add calls and meetings). Drag opportunities through stages on the Copper board and verify that Gmail sidebar updates show activity history in real time.
What actually matters
- Pipeline and stages: Each pipeline represents a sales process (New Business, Renewal, Upsell). Configure stages, expected close date, and deal owner per pipeline. Copper auto-assigns opportunities to the Gmail user who creates them. Use visibility settings (private, shared with team, shared with company) to control who sees which deals.
- Custom fields: Add custom fields to People (contacts), Companies, and Opportunities (limit 25 fields per object on Business tier). Use field types: text, number, dropdown, date, URL, or relationship (link to another record). Avoid adding too many fields; Copper is designed for simplicity, and every field adds friction to the Gmail sidebar UI.
- Google Workspace sync: Copper syncs Gmail (emails auto-log to linked contacts and opportunities), Google Calendar (meetings auto-log as activities), Google Contacts (two-way sync), and Google Drive (attach files to records). Sync is automatic; no manual import or export required. Monitor sync status in Settings to catch failures.
- Integrations and API: Copper API is RESTful (120 requests per minute). Use native integrations for Slack (notifications), Zapier (custom workflows), and PandaDoc (contract generation). Avoid heavy API usage; Copper is built for lightweight, relationship-driven sales, not high-volume data operations.
Watch out
Do not assume Copper scales beyond relationship-driven sales. The data model is too simple for complex GTM motions (no custom objects, limited fields, weak reporting). If you need territory assignment, marketing automation, or custom objects, Copper is the wrong tool. The first mistake is trying to build Salesforce-level workflows in Copper; it will not work. Keep it simple (pipeline stages, activity logging, Gmail sidebar) and migrate to HubSpot or Salesforce if complexity grows.