Choosing CRM vs email plans on AzAd Workspace is simpler when you separate two products: mailbox storage (per user) and the AzAd CRM add-on (per organization). Buy mail when inbox and sending matter; buy CRM when pipeline, invoices, and customer ops matter — or buy both when sales lives in both places.
Mailbox plans vs CRM add-on
| Question | Mailbox storage | AzAd CRM add-on |
|---|---|---|
| Billed how? | Per mailbox / storage tier | Per organization (not per seat) |
| Typical price | 15 GB ≈ US$2.86/mo (800 PKR ÷ 280) | US$10/mo or US$100/yr |
| Includes webmail? | Yes | No — CRM product |
| Includes pipeline / invoices? | No | Yes (Phase 17 CRM features) |
| Can start alone? | Yes — mail trial at /start/ | Yes — CRM-only at /start/crm/ |
| Best for | Corporate email first | Sales + customer ops first |
Mailbox plans
Pay per user for storage (for example about US$2.86/mo for 15 GB on monthly display USD). Webmail, contacts, and admin are included. IMAP/SMTP and the Android app entitlement apply on eligible tiers (typically 15 GB+). Choose this path when email is the priority — also marketed on azademail.com.
Self-serve mail evaluation uses a 14-day card-required trial with 15 GB. Essential 5 GB (~US$1.43/mo) is available via contact-assisted setup when you need a smaller webmail footprint.
CRM add-on
AzAd CRM is US$10/month or US$100/year per organization — not per seat. You can start CRM-only without mailboxes, then add storage later for inbox and sending on the same org. Shipped CRM capabilities include companies and people, pipeline deals, tasks, projects, proposals, estimates, invoices, payments, contracts, expenses, support tickets, knowledge base, reports, and a client portal for shared invoice links — see the AzAd CRM product page.
When to buy both
Sales teams that live in email and pipeline usually want mail storage plus CRM. A simple rule: if more than a few people need mailboxes, start mail; if revenue process needs a shared system of record, add CRM. Many orgs add CRM in month two after mail is stable.
Use pricing for numbers and /start/ for a 15 GB mail trial or /start/crm/ for CRM-only evaluation.
Practical buying steps
- List how many people need a mailbox vs how many only need CRM login.
- Pick a storage tier (15 GB is the usual self-serve default) or CRM-only if mail can wait.
- Run the matching trial (14-day mail trial is card-required; CRM-only has its own verify flow).
- After trial, add the missing piece — CRM add-on on a mail org, or mail storage on a CRM-first org.
- If you still need Google or Microsoft MX for other users, consider hybrid mail instead of a forced full cutover.
Worked examples
Eight-person services firm, mail-first: eight × 15 GB mailboxes ≈ 8 × US$2.86 ≈ US$22.88/mo display USD for mail. Add CRM at US$10/mo when two sellers need invoices and pipeline — total ≈ US$32.88/mo, not eight CRM seats.
Two founders, CRM-first: start CRM-only, create companies and estimates, postpone mailboxes until a custom domain is ready. Add two 15 GB seats later without rebuilding the CRM org.
Hybrid Google shop: twenty Google seats remain; three AzAd mailboxes for addresses without licenses. Mail storage for three; CRM optional; Google MX stays. See hybrid mail.
What CRM includes (so you are not buying blind)
Shipped modules include companies and people, pipeline deals, proposals, estimates, invoices, payments, credit notes, projects, tasks, support tickets, knowledge base, contracts, expenses, reports, and client portal invoice links. That is a full small-business ops surface — still not Salesforce parity. Read the module list on /crm/.
Sequencing mistakes to avoid
- Buying CRM seats metaphors — AzAd CRM is not per seat; do not over-provision.
- Turning on CRM before anyone will update deals — empty CRMs die quietly.
- Choosing Essential 5 GB for sellers who need IMAP/Android, then blaming the product.
- Forcing MX cutover the same week you introduce CRM — change one major system at a time.
Trial flows explained
Mail trials start at /start/ with a card on file and 15 GB storage for 14 days. Cancel before the trial ends if you are not continuing — no charge during the trial when you cancel on time. CRM-only trials use a separate path at /start/crm/ with its own verify flow; you do not need mailboxes to evaluate pipeline and invoices.
A mail-first org can attach CRM during or after trial from billing. A CRM-first org can add mailbox storage later without recreating companies, deals, or invoices. The organization identity stays the same — only the product mix changes. Use our organization email trial checklist if stakeholders want a structured go/no-go.
Finance and renewal math
Mail renews per mailbox and storage tier. CRM renews once per organization whether you have three sellers or eight. Yearly CRM (US$100/yr) lowers effective monthly cost versus monthly billing (US$10/mo). Mail yearly tiers similarly reduce effective monthly spend — confirm live numbers on pricing.
When presenting to finance, separate line items: “N mailboxes × storage tier” plus “1 × CRM org add-on if needed.” Avoid comparing AzAd to suite SKUs that bundle mail with apps you will not use. Hybrid Google or Microsoft MX does not change CRM or mailbox pricing — it only changes how inbound mail routes for selected addresses.
How mail and CRM work together
CRM does not replace inboxes. Sellers still send quotes and follow-ups from mail; CRM holds the system of record for deals, estimates, invoices, and client portal links. Same org means one admin console for users and domains — CRM login is part of the workspace, not a second vendor identity. When mail is stable, CRM adoption is faster because addresses and company records already match how the team communicates.
Read the blog on AzAd CRM invoices and projects for a week-one pilot outline, or CRM add-on vs mailbox plans for a shorter decision guide.
Finance sometimes asks whether CRM users need mailboxes. Often they do not — CRM login is not the same as a mailbox seat. Count CRM operators separately from inbox recipients before you multiply anything by headcount.
Procurement sometimes asks for one SKU. AzAd intentionally separates mailbox storage from CRM so mail-only departments are not taxed for sales tooling. Present two line items in quotes — clearer for finance and closer to how billing actually works.
Annual renewals: CRM yearly (US$100/yr) and mail yearly tiers reduce effective monthly cost — confirm live numbers before budget season so mail and CRM renew on the schedule finance expects.
Objections
"CRM should be free with email." Bundling CRM into every mailbox seat forces people who only need mail to subsidize sales tooling. AzAd keeps CRM optional and flat per org so five sellers do not multiply the CRM bill by five.
"We only need a shared inbox." Start with mail. Add CRM when deals, invoices, or tickets outgrow spreadsheets.
"Is CRM a full Salesforce replacement?" AzAd CRM is built for small organizations on the same workspace platform — strong on sales docs, projects, and support basics. It is not marketed as enterprise Salesforce parity.
Still unsure? Use pricing as the source of truth for numbers, then run the smaller trial first — mail at /start/ (14-day card-required 15 GB) or CRM at /start/crm/.