CRM.com 5.8 Review: WhatsApp Messaging, Commerce Tools and Pricing

CRM.com 5.8 review shows the London-based platform added one-way WhatsApp messaging, expanded commerce controls and refined subscription tools in the October 2026 release. The update targets media, telecom and retail operators that rely on repeat revenue from branded wallets and usage billing. Existing customers gained access immediately after the October 8 announcement.

CRM.com 5.8 Review: Messaging and Commerce Changes

The release introduces one-way WhatsApp sends through communication plans and templates. All external messages log automatically into the unified customer history view inside the self-service portal. Users can now configure app registration fields after sign-up, including gender, date of birth, email and phone, with optional display toggles.

Commerce features received several targeted upgrades. Customers can set substitution preferences for orders, and SKUs now support multiple barcodes. The system adds bill preview for termed services, per-subscription invoicing analysis and notes on cancellations or returns. Wallet journal entries gained validity and expiry period controls. Product imports expanded to include translated names, descriptions and contact demographic data.

Automation improvements focus on device management and payment segmentation. New webhooks and comms adaptors handle device service enablement and community rules. Contacts can be segmented by primary payment method, and the Contacts Summary view filters on the same field. Audit trails now cover payments, invoices and related processes. Inactive accounts can be reactivated unless they were closed for fraud reasons.

CRM.com Pricing Tiers and HubSpot Comparison

CRM.com uses a usage-based model tied to active contacts and transaction volume. At 1,000 contacts the core package starts near €5 per month plus 0.5 percent on wallet spend. Add-ons such as native apps begin at €75 monthly, subscriptions at €0.02–0.03 per active contact, and order processing at 4 percent or higher of transaction value. No long-term contracts apply and volume discounts reduce rates at scale.

HubSpot follows seat-based pricing with a limited free tier. Starter plans run roughly $15–20 per user monthly on promotion, Pro near $90 and Enterprise around $150 plus onboarding fees. HubSpot provides broad inbound marketing and sales workflows while CRM.com focuses on subscription billing, loyalty wallets and B2B settlement in specific verticals.

Teams handling high-volume repeat transactions often find CRM.com lower cost at scale because fees tie directly to activity rather than user seats. Organizations needing broad marketing automation may prefer HubSpot workflows and its free entry point for smaller teams.

Practical Use Cases and Limitations

Media and telecom operators use the new device automations to manage service enablement without manual intervention. Retail brands apply substitution preferences and multi-barcode support to reduce order friction in Quick Commerce flows. Finance teams segment contacts by payment method to run targeted retention campaigns.

Current limits include one-way WhatsApp only and reliance on external payment gateways for full processing. No native AI customisation appears in the 5.8 notes, though the platform continues to evolve in that direction. Full release notes and demo access remain available on the official site for qualified users.