Zoho is a family of business apps. Zoho CRM handles leads and sales. Zoho FSM is a separate app for field service: appointments, dispatch and technicians. Zoho One bundles dozens of apps under one subscription. Alori is the all-in-one app for service businesses, starting with HVAC. You describe the business in plain words, and Alori assembles an app for customers, quotes, scheduling, jobs and invoices. The better pick depends on how many separate tools you want to connect, and how much setup you are ready to take on.
Looking at a bigger suite instead? Read Alori vs Odoo. For the wider choice, read field service software vs building your own.
The short version
- Pick Zoho if you want a sales CRM with marketing and many other business apps from one vendor, and you have the time to connect and configure them.
- Pick Alori if you run a service company like plumbing, electrical or HVAC (or build apps for them), and you want customers, quotes, scheduling, jobs and invoices in one app that uses your words, with no per-user fee.
Different starting points
Zoho offers separate products with overlapping capabilities. Zoho FSM includes customers, estimates, work orders, appointments and invoicing. Add Zoho CRM when you need deeper sales tools, or Zoho Books for accounting. Zoho One Standard bundles many apps, including CRM, but Zoho FSM is sold separately.
Alori starts from the service business. Customers, quotes, scheduling, jobs and invoices already exist as modules in one app. You describe how you work, or paste your website, and the app uses your words. You change a screen by asking in a sentence.
| Zoho | Alori | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A family of apps: CRM, field service, books, and many more | One app built from service-business modules |
| Field service | A separate app (Zoho FSM) next to the CRM | Scheduling and jobs are part of the same app |
| How you customize | Settings in each app, then scripting and integrations | Ask in a sentence |
| Setup | Configure each app, then connect them | Describe the business, answer a couple of questions |
| Users | Zoho CRM is priced per user. Zoho FSM is priced by appointment volume | Unlimited users on every Alori plan |
What Zoho includes that Alori does not
Be straight about the gap. Zoho covers far more than Alori does:
- A full sales CRM with pipelines, forecasting, email marketing and lead scoring across many channels.
- Dozens of other apps, from accounting to HR to support desks, which Zoho One bundles together.
- A large marketplace and developer tools for connecting Zoho to other systems.
Alori creates and emails quotes and invoices, connects to QuickBooks, and lets customers pay invoices by card through a pay link. Its Booking module lets customers choose an available time. It does not replace your accounting or include a complete client portal by default. If you need a deep marketing suite or a general ledger, keep those tools beside Alori.
What it costs
These Zoho pricing details were checked on October 18, 2026. Prices and availability vary by region, so check the linked vendor pages before you budget.
- Zoho CRM: priced per user per month. The free plan supports up to 3 users. Standard starts at US$14 per user per month, billed annually.
- Zoho FSM: priced by plan and monthly appointment volume. The free plan includes 30 appointments per month and up to 20 users; paid plans have their own user limits.
- Zoho One: its Standard bundle has two licensing models. All Employee pricing requires licenses for every employee; Flexible User pricing lets you license only the users who need access. FSM is not included.
Compare the combination you actually need. CRM bought separately and CRM included in Zoho One Standard are alternatives, not two charges to add together. FSM can cover the core field-service loop; add other subscriptions only for needs it does not cover.
Alori is free to start, with no credit card and 10 credits, on the pricing page. Every plan includes unlimited users. Solo starts at $99 a month. Business starts at $249 a month. Extra credits are $0.30 each. Prices are in US dollars, and the page is the source of truth.
Zoho's bill depends on the apps or bundle you choose, CRM user counts and FSM appointment volume. Alori charges for its plan and credits, with unlimited users.
How you set Alori up
- Describe the business in a sentence, or paste its website. Alori picks up the business name, colors and what it does.
- Answer a couple of simple multiple-choice questions where your description is unclear. Alori asks instead of guessing.
- Get an app with the modules you need, working at the office and on a phone.
- Change anything by asking in a sentence.
You preview screen changes before publishing them. The preview and live app share data, and backend changes take effect when saved. Restoring an earlier version brings back screens and compatible logic, not earlier data. Apps are available in English and French.
More on the process in how Alori builds your app.
If you are leaving Zoho or another tool
Moving is the part owners dread. We offer a done-for-you switch-over service where our team moves your data and sets up the app with you. It is priced separately, and it is a good fit when you have years of customers and jobs to bring over. Ask us for a quote.
When Zoho is the better pick
- Sales and marketing are the center of the business. Zoho CRM goes deep there.
- You want many business apps from one vendor, and you have someone to configure them.
- You already run on Zoho, and the cost of leaving is retraining, not the subscription line.
- You need developer tools and a large marketplace to wire the CRM into other systems.
When Alori is the better pick
- You run a trades or service company and want one app for customers, quotes, scheduling, jobs and invoices.
- You are tired of paying for several apps that you then have to connect.
- Headcount drives the bill. Crews, office staff and helpers all count on a per-user plan. Alori includes unlimited users.
- You would rather describe the shop than configure modules, and change a screen by asking.
Questions to ask before you choose
| Question | If the answer is yes |
|---|---|
| Is a sales CRM with marketing the main need? | Zoho goes deeper there. |
| Is the main need quotes, jobs, scheduling and invoices? | Alori starts there. |
| Would we need two or three Zoho apps to cover the loop? | Add up their prices before you compare. |
| Will many crew members need access? | Compare Zoho's per-user and per-appointment pricing with Alori's unlimited users. |
| Do we want screens in English or French, in our words? | Alori starts there. |
The simplest test: set up the Alori app from a sentence about your company, and open a Zoho trial with the apps you would really use. A week with both tells you more than this table.
Product details change. Check each vendor's site for current features and pricing.
Frequently asked questions
Is Alori a Zoho alternative?
For the core of a service business, it can be. Zoho is a large family of apps. Alori is the all-in-one app for customers, quotes, scheduling, jobs and invoices, set up from a description of your shop. If you need Zoho's sales and marketing depth, or its other apps, Zoho covers ground Alori does not.
Does Zoho have field service software?
Yes. Zoho FSM is a separate app for appointments, dispatch and technicians, and it sits next to Zoho CRM. Alori puts scheduling and jobs in the same app as customers, quotes and invoices.
How much does Zoho cost?
It depends on the apps. Zoho CRM is priced per user, Zoho FSM mostly by appointment volume, and Zoho One as a bundle. Check the current CRM, FSM and Zoho One plans. Compare the apps or bundle you need without counting an included app twice.
Can Alori do my accounting?
No. Alori creates and emails quotes and invoices and connects to QuickBooks, but it is not accounting software. Keep your accountant's tool for the books.
Try Alori on your business
Describe your service business in a sentence or paste your website, and see the all-in-one app. It is free to start, with no credit card and no account needed. Try it free.
