Nutshell is a sales CRM for small teams, with pipelines, reporting, quotas, and built-in email marketing, priced per seat. Orbit is a simple, solo-first CRM with an AI assistant, Hiro, that drafts follow-ups, writes proposals, and manages tasks on your approval. Nutshell is built to manage a sales team. Orbit is built so one person does not need one.
Nutshell is a capable team sales CRM at a friendly price. It covers the fundamentals well: pipelines you can customize, activity tracking, and reporting that managers actually use, plus quota and goal tracking to keep a team honest. The built-in email marketing and sequences mean a small team can run drip campaigns without bolting on another tool.
For a small sales team that wants forecasting, leaderboards, and team email all in one place without enterprise cost, Nutshell is a solid middle-ground choice. It is opinionated enough to set up fast and flexible enough to grow with a handful of reps. Check their site for current per-seat plans.
Side by side on what matters when you are the only rep.
| Orbit | Nutshell | |
|---|---|---|
| AI assistant that drafts and does the busywork | Hiro drafts follow-ups, proposals, and invoices on your approval | AI writing assist, not one assistant that acts for you |
| All-in-one: invoices, proposals, and booking pages | Included, free plan covers the basics | Via integrations, check their site |
| Team reporting and quota tracking | Simple pipeline view for one person | Yes, a core strength for teams |
| Email sequences | Campaigns and sequences on Pro, Hiro drafts, you approve | Built-in email marketing and drips |
| Built for one person | Yes, solo-first | Built for small sales teams |
| Built-in email inbox with tracking | Free inbox, open and click tracking on Pro | Yes, check their site |
| Nothing sends without your approval | Every Hiro draft waits for you to approve first | Not applicable, reps act |
| Free plan | Free CRM plan, no credit card | Free trial, then per seat, check their site |
| Pricing model | Free CRM, Pro $14/mo or $112/yr, AI included free | Per seat, per month, check their site |
Nutshell is built around the idea that a manager needs to see what reps are doing. Orbit is built around the idea that there is no manager and no reps, just you. So instead of leaderboards and quota dashboards, Orbit keeps the CRM simple and puts one assistant on the busywork. Ask Hiro to draft the follow-up, write the proposal, turn a call note into a recap email, or send an invoice, and it returns a draft you approve.
You do not lose the sales discipline, you just stop doing every keystroke. Hiro helps keep the sales pipeline from stalling because the next action can arrive as a draft. Nutshell's email marketing blasts on a schedule. Orbit's follow-up is personal and waits for your approval, which fits a solo brand where every message should sound like you.
Nothing sends on its own. The free plan covers 250 contacts, one pipeline, unlimited tasks, a calendar, notes, a built-in email inbox (100 sends a month), and basic Tables, plus 10 invoices, 10 proposals, and a booking page. Campaigns and sequences (up to 2,000 emails a month) come with Pro at $14/mo, and Hiro runs on free monthly AI credits, included on every plan.
Nutshell helps a manager run a sales team. Orbit helps one person run sales without one.
Yes. Orbit gives one person a simple CRM plus one assistant that drafts follow-ups, proposals, and invoices, all with your approval, and built-in email. Nutshell is the better pick if you manage a sales team and need quota tracking and team reporting across reps.
Nutshell is sold per seat with a free trial rather than a permanent free tier. Check their site for current pricing. Orbit has a free CRM plan with no credit card: 250 contacts, one pipeline, unlimited tasks, and a built-in email inbox. Pro is $14/mo or $112/yr, with an optional 30-day free trial (card required).
Yes, on Pro. Nutshell offers scheduled email marketing and drips. Orbit includes campaigns and sequences on Pro (up to 2,000 emails a month), and Hiro can draft the messages, which wait for your approval before sending. That suits a solo brand where every message should sound like you.
Yes. Orbit has a simple pipeline and smart views so a solo operator can see deals, tasks due, and what needs attention, without building manager dashboards. You can also ask Hiro to summarize what is open and what to follow up on next.
AI credits are included free every month on every plan, with no API key to paste and nothing to configure. You can top up with credit packs, and paid plans can bring their own AI key when credits run out. Orbit does not make phone calls.
Orbit's CRM is free, no credit card. Start a 30-day Pro trial (card required), let Hiro draft with the AI credits already included, and approve every draft before it sends.
Free forever plan. No credit card. No spam.