Customer lifecycle software is what separates growing companies from stalled ones.
If you’re not guiding users from signup to success and keeping them engaged the whole way, you’re leaving money on the table.
Most tools only handle a slice of the journey:
- One does onboarding.
- Another handles support.
- A third sends your newsletters.
This guide breaks down the best customer lifecycle software to run the whole thing — onboarding, engagement, support, retention — all in one place.
And we’ll show you why Encharge is built to do it better than anyone else.
TL;DR → Best Customer Lifecycle Software (In 2025)
- Encharge – Best for full-funnel automation
- Salesforce – Best for enterprise multi-channel engagement
- HubSpot – Best for CRM + inbound marketing
- EngageBay – Best for budget all-in-one setups
- ChurnZero – Best for customer success and retention
- Omnisend – Best for ecommerce email + SMS
- Userpilot – Best for in-app onboarding experiences
Remember, this is just the short answer.
Join me as we go through the detailed comparison where we’ll break down the pros/cons, pricing, integrations and features for each app.
Contents
What is Customer Lifecycle Software?
Answer: Customer lifecycle software helps businesses track, understand, and influence how people move from strangers to loyal customers. It maps every key stage so you can send the right message at the right time.
Here’s what good lifecycle software does:
- Tracks behavior across email, site, and product usage
- Identifies drop-off points and retention bottlenecks
- Personalizes emails and messaging for each stage (e.g. onboarding, churn prevention)
- Improves retention by automating follow-ups and product nudges
- Boosts lifetime value by building trust and repeat habits
Customer Lifecycle Stages:
| Stage | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Awareness | They discover your brand or product through ads, search, or referrals |
| Engagement | They visit your site, open emails, follow you, or sign up |
| Conversion | They take a key action—buy, subscribe, or activate |
| Retention | They keep coming back, using your product or making repeat purchases |
| Loyalty | They advocate for your brand and refer others |
Most CRMs only focus on sales.
Encharge covers the full lifecycle, especially for SaaS and digital products,by connecting behavior data to email workflows automatically.
What to Look For in Customer Lifecycle Software
The right tool gives you full visibility and control over every stage of the journey — not just the first conversion.
Here’s what to look for:
- Full-Funnel Visibility: See where each user is in the lifecycle — from lead to customer to churn risk.
- Behavior-Based Automation: Trigger actions based on real-time user behavior, not just time delays.
- Personalization Tools: Send tailored messages based on activity, plan, or lifecycle stage.
- Segmentation and Targeting: Group users by traits or behavior to run more focused campaigns.
- Retention and Churn Insights: Spot early signs of churn and take action before it’s too late.
- Integrations With Your Stack: Connect smoothly with your CRM, product analytics, support tools, and email platform.
- Ease of Use and Flexibility: Your team should be able to build and adjust journeys fast — no devs required.
The best lifecycle software isn’t just about collecting data — it’s about turning that data into smarter actions that keep users around longer and increase customer value.
Top Picks: 7 Customer lifecycle Management Software
Currently, these are the best customer lifecycle software: Encharge, Salesforce and HubSpot. Also, EngageBay and ChurnZero work very well.
Let’s see why that is, starting with Encharge.
1. Encharge
- Our Rating: 4.9/5 ⭐️
- Why: Turns your user data into revenue, without the duct tape
Most tools show you metrics, but Encharge turns them into money. It tracks what people actually do in your product — then sends the right email, at the right time, automatically.
No more chasing users manually. No more guessing which leads are warm.
Encharge works while you sleep: onboarding users, nudging trial upgrades, and reactivating drop-offs before they vanish.
Encharge’s top features for customer lifecycle:
- Visual flows that match your actual funnel — no tech needed
- Emails triggered by what users do in your app
- CRM and Stripe sync for targeting high-intent leads
- Lead scoring and segmentation built around real behavior
- Autoresponders, newsletters, and onboarding — all in one
- Full visibility of every user’s timeline, actions, and lifecycle stage
Who should use Encharge for customer lifecycle:
Use Encharge if you’re tired of generic email tools and want something built to actually move the needle.
If you’re running a SaaS or B2B product, Encharge helps you stop churn, convert trials, and scale without needing a team of marketers watching dashboards all day.
Encharge’s useful integrations for customer lifecycle: Stripe, Intercom, Segment, HubSpot, Calendly — all plug in directly.
That means your product events, payments, meetings, and support activity flow straight into your automation. No Zapier circus needed.
Encharge charges the following for customer lifecycles:
- Growth Plan: $79/month (billed yearly) – Covers up to 2,000 contacts, unlimited automation flows, and live chat support.
- Premium Plan: $129/month (billed yearly) – Adds deep integrations with HubSpot, Salesforce, and other advanced tools.
- Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing – For larger teams with complex automation needs.
You get serious automation power, rich integrations, and support that actually helps you grow—without making things complicated.
2. Salesforce Marketing Cloud
- Our Rating: 4.3/5 ⭐️
- Why: Huge feature set — but feels like using a spaceship to send an email
Salesforce Marketing Cloud is built for enterprises that already live inside the Salesforce ecosystem. It connects every customer touchpoint (ads, email, social, even SMS), but requires serious setup and team alignment to actually make it work.
It’s packed with tools, but that’s also the problem.
For most teams, it’s way more than they need — and making changes usually means logging a ticket or calling IT.
Salesforce’s top features for customer lifecycle:
- Multi-channel messaging across email, SMS, ads, and chat
- Journey Builder for mapping complex lifecycle paths
- AI-powered insights via Salesforce Einstein
- Deep CRM integrations (if you’re already on Salesforce)
- Advanced audience segmentation tools
- Centralized data management with Customer 360
Who should use Salesforce for customer lifecycle: Enterprise teams already running Salesforce across sales and support will feel at home here. If you have the team, budget, and setup time — it can deliver serious lifecycle depth.
Salesforce’s useful integrations for customer lifecycle: Naturally plays well with other Salesforce products.
Also connects to ad platforms, SMS providers, and external data sources, but most power comes when you’re all-in on their stack.
Salesforce charges the following for managing the customer lifecycle:
- Starter Suite: $25/user/month – Includes basic CRM tools for sales, marketing, service, and storefront setup.
- Pro Suite: $100/user/month – Adds real-time chat, automation, quoting tools, and access to AppExchange.
- Enterprise: $165/user/month – Offers AI-powered service features, workflow automation, and a help center.
- Unlimited: $330/user/month – Adds 24/7 support, advanced chatbots, and AI-driven service tools.
- Einstein 1 Service: $500/user/month – Full suite with Slack integration, digital channels, and Salesforce’s top-tier AI features.
3. HubSpot
- Our Rating: 4.4/5 ⭐️
- Why: Clean CRM-first experience, but it’s more nurturing than nudging
HubSpot is great if you want an all-in-one CRM that wraps sales, marketing, and support into one clean dashboard. It’s especially strong for inbound marketing — blog-first brands, lead magnets, and nurturing long-term interest.
But when it comes to building behavior-based, product-led journeys — it can feel a bit like trying to customize a Swiss Army knife.
The tools are there, but they weren’t built for that kind of job.
HubSpot’s top features for customer lifecycle:
- Unified CRM with marketing, sales, and service in one place
- Lead nurturing through landing pages, blogs, and forms
- Workflow automation based on contact activity
- Reporting and attribution tools for lifecycle stages
- In-app messaging and live chat
- Sales pipeline and deal tracking
Who should use HubSpot for customer lifecycle: Great for marketing teams that love inbound — think blogs, lead magnets, webinars, and gated content.
It works best when your sales motion is long, consultative, and form-driven.
HubSpot’s useful integrations for customer lifecycle: Connects easily with CRMs, CMSs, and ad platforms. Integrates well with LinkedIn, Google Ads, and form tools — but less tuned for live product event data without extra tools or add-ons.
HubSpot charges the following for managing the customer lifecycle:
- Sales Hub: Starts at $20/mo per seat. Automation features only unlock on the $100/mo Pro plan (with a $1,500 onboarding fee).
- Marketing Hub: Starts at $20/mo per seat. Full workflows and automation start at $890/mo. Enterprise jumps to $3,600/mo with a $7,000 onboarding fee.
- Service Hub: Starts at $20/mo per seat. Pro costs $100/mo, Enterprise $150/mo — both require onboarding.
- Content Hub: Starts at $20/mo. Pro is $500/mo, Enterprise is $1,200/mo for advanced personalization and memberships.
- Operations Hub: Starts at $20/mo. Webhooks and automation unlock at $800/mo Pro tier.
I know, HubSpot can get complicated.
That’s why we have this HubSpot pricing explainer guide for you!
4. EngageBay
- Our Rating: 4.6/5 ⭐️
- Why: Great starter kit — but not built for complex lifecycles
EngageBay is an all-in-one tool that combines CRM, email, landing pages, support, and basic automation — all at a price almost anyone can afford.
It’s a solid pick for bootstrapped teams that just need something simple and functional.
But once you want to track product usage, trigger emails based on user behavior, or run anything more than a linear funnel… you’ll start to feel the ceiling.
It’s a solid foundation, not a scale-up machine.
EngageBay’s top features for customer lifecycle:
- Basic email and marketing automation
- CRM with contact scoring and tasks
- Landing pages and forms included
- Help desk and live chat tools
- Unified view across marketing, sales, and service
- Simple drag-and-drop email builder
Who should use EngageBay for customer lifecycle: If you’re just getting started, have a lean team, and need a cheap all-in-one to send emails, capture leads, and follow up — EngageBay gets the job done.
For instance, it’s more than Mailchimp, but not quite automation-grade.
EngageBay’s useful integrations for customer lifecycle: Connects with Gmail, Zapier, Stripe, and some CRM tools — but integrations are limited compared to more SaaS-focused platforms.
Still, it covers the basics for most bootstrapped stacks.
EngageBay charges the following for managing the customer lifecycle:
- Free Plan: $0/month – Includes 250 contacts, basic email marketing, CRM, helpdesk, and live chat.
- Basic Plan: $14.99/user/month (yearly) – Adds landing page builder, lead scoring, SMS, and social tools.
- Growth Plan: $64.99/user/month – 5,000 contacts, full marketing automation, A/B testing, and service features.
- Pro Plan: $119.99/user/month – Unlimited contacts, advanced analytics, reporting, support, and a dedicated manager.
5. ChurnZero
- Our Rating: 4.5/5 ⭐️
- Why: Built to fight churn — not run your whole lifecycle
ChurnZero is laser-focused on customer success.
It gives CS teams the tools to track health scores, see usage patterns, and step in before customers bounce. If your revenue depends on renewals and handholding, it’s a strong ally.
But it’s not made for full-funnel automation.
You won’t build onboarding sequences, upsell flows, or email journeys here. It’s more of a retention radar, not the engine behind your whole customer lifecycle.
ChurnZero’s top features for customer lifecycle:
- Customer health scores and alerts
- In-app playbooks for CS teams
- Usage tracking and onboarding checklists
- NPS surveys and sentiment analysis
- Account-based dashboards and segmentation
- Integrates with CRMs like HubSpot and Salesforce
Who should use ChurnZero for customer lifecycle: If you’ve got a big CS team and retention is the main KPI — ChurnZero gives you the tools to intervene early, rescue at-risk accounts, and keep customers happy long-term.
It’s more for managing existing customers than activating new ones.
ChurnZero’s useful integrations for customer lifecycle: Plays well with CRMs like Salesforce, HubSpot, and analytics platforms. You’ll need another tool to run actual lifecycle campaigns, but it feeds usage data and health scores into your broader stack.
ChurnZero charges the following for managing the customer lifecycle:
- Pricing is custom – Median deal size is $39,313/year
- Actual prices range from $16K to $92K based on company size and setup.
6. Omnisend
- Our Rating: 4.6/5 ⭐️
- Why: Smart for ecom — not made for SaaS flows or app logic
Omnisend is built for online stores that want to send email and SMS together. It makes sense for abandoned carts, product promos, and personalized offers — all without needing custom code or developers.
But if you’re building a SaaS or product-led funnel, you’ll quickly hit a wall.
You can’t trigger flows based on usage events or product behavior, and there’s no real logic for onboarding, trial nudges, or upsell triggers.
It’s ecom-first — and stays there.
Omnisend’s top features for customer lifecycle:
- Pre-built email + SMS automation for ecommerce
- Cart abandonment, browse recovery, and order tracking
- Product recommendations and dynamic content
- Drag-and-drop email and SMS builder
- Built-in forms and popups
- Shopify, BigCommerce, and WooCommerce integrations
Who should use Omnisend for customer lifecycle: Ecommerce teams. Full stop.
If your funnel lives inside Shopify and your lifecycle = browse > buy > upsell, Omnisend gives you the tools to personalize and automate it fast.
Omnisend’s useful integrations for customer lifecycle: Tightly integrated with ecommerce platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce.
Also connects to Facebook Ads, Google, and SMS providers — but limited value for SaaS or app teams.
Omnisend charges the following for managing the customer lifecycle:
- Standard Plan: $30.80/month (2,500 contacts) – 30K emails/month, unlimited push, basic automation, and $1 in free SMS.
- Pro Plan: $41.30/month – Unlimited emails, push, advanced reporting, plus $41.30 in free monthly SMS credits.
- Custom Plan: Tailored pricing for high-volume needs, includes free migration and onboarding.
7. Userpilot
- Our Rating: 4.5/5 ⭐️
- Why: Great for onboarding inside the app — but doesn’t cover the full journey
Userpilot helps product teams create in-app experiences without writing code. Think tooltips, checklists, and modals that show new users how to get started.
It’s all about activation and adoption — once they’re already inside.
But that’s where it stops.
There’s no email automation, no behavior-based reactivation, no external engagement. It’s good at one slice of the lifecycle, not the whole pie.
Userpilot’s top features for customer lifecycle:
- No-code onboarding flows (modals, tooltips, checklists)
- In-app messaging triggered by user behavior
- Feature adoption and usage analytics
- NPS surveys and feedback widgets
- A/B testing for in-app experiences
- Segment targeting for onboarding experiences
Who should use Userpilot for customer lifecycle: If you want to guide new users inside your app without engineering help — Userpilot nails that. But it ends at onboarding. You’ll still need another tool to send lifecycle emails, run campaigns, and bring people back.
Userpilot’s useful integrations for customer lifecycle: Works well with Segment, Mixpanel, Heap, and some CRMs.
But there’s no real messaging engine — it’s for in-app UX, not full-funnel lifecycle marketing.
Userpilot charges the following for managing the customer lifecycle:
- Starter Plan: From $249/month (billed annually) – Includes up to 2,000 monthly active users, in-app engagement, segmentation, and NPS surveys.
- Growth Plan: From $799/month – Adds product analytics, surveys, resource center, and optional session replay.
- Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing – Offers premium integrations, SAML SSO, security audits, and advanced user permissions.
The 9 Benefits of Using Customer Lifecycle Software
Most SaaS teams obsess over acquisition and forget the value of a well-managed customer lifecycle.
But the truth is, your revenue grows fastest when users stay longer, upgrade more often, and actually engage with your product.
Lifecycle software helps you systematize that — without relying on guesswork or last-minute fixes.
- See the full journey in one place.
You’re no longer guessing where people drop off. A good lifecycle tool maps out your customer journey — from signup to expansion — so you can spot friction points and improve each stage. - Catch churn before it happens.
Behavior-based alerts let you know when users are slipping — fewer logins, dropped activity, ignored emails. This gives you time to step in before they leave for good. - Personalize without manually segmenting.
Set rules based on user actions or traits, then automate emails, product messages, or offers that feel personal. No need to rebuild segments over and over. - Automate key touchpoints.
From onboarding flows to upgrade nudges, lifecycle tools help you build automations once and let them run in the background — saving time and keeping engagement high. - Fix onboarding leaks.
If users don’t activate quickly, they churn. Lifecycle software helps guide new signups through the right steps with timely, behavior-based messages and product nudges. - Retain more customers.
Ongoing value = longer retention. Tools help you keep users engaged with educational emails, progress milestones, and win-back campaigns triggered by behavior. - Identify upsell opportunities.
Track usage trends and expansion signals. When users are hitting limits or showing high engagement, you can offer upgrades or add-ons with perfect timing. - Align teams with shared visibility.
Support, marketing, and product all see the same lifecycle data. That means faster collaboration and smarter decisions across the entire customer journey. - Grow without growing headcount.
Automate the repeatable work, personalize at scale, and reduce churn — all without adding more people to your team.
Lifecycle software isn’t just about retention — it’s about building leverage.
The more consistent your customer experience is, the easier it becomes to grow without burning out your team or over-relying on acquisition.
That’s how you scale with control.
All Customer Lifecycle Platforms Compared
| # | App Name | Starting at | Rating | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Encharge | $79/month | ⭐️ 4.9/5 | Full-funnel SaaS automation |
| 2 | Salesforce | Custom pricing | ⭐️ 4.3/5 | Enterprise multi-channel teams |
| 3 | HubSpot | $50/month | ⭐️ 4.4/5 | Inbound marketing + CRM |
| 4 | EngageBay | $14/month | ⭐️ 4.6/5 | Budget all-in-one for small teams |
| 5 | ChurnZero | Custom pricing | ⭐️ 4.5/5 | Customer success + retention |
| 6 | Omnisend | $16/month | ⭐️ 4.6/5 | Ecommerce email + SMS |
| 7 | Userpilot | $249/month | ⭐️ 4.5/5 | In-app onboarding experiences |
The smarter way to run your lifecycle? Encharge.
You’ve seen the tools. Some are great at onboarding. Some at nurturing. Some at saving churn.
But only Encharge connects every stage, from first visit to paid plan to winback, in one clean flow.
✅ Send the right message based on what users do in your app
✅ Convert trials, onboard users, and prevent churn — on autopilot
✅ Syncs with Stripe, Intercom, Segment, HubSpot, and more
✅ Visual flow builder made for product-led teams (no devs needed)
✅ See what’s working at every stage — from lead to upgrade to expansion
Ready to turn your product into your best salesperson?
Start your free trial with Encharge and see what real lifecycle automation feels like.
FAQ: Customer Lifecycle Tools
1. What are the best integrations for managing the customer lifecycle?
To manage your full customer lifecycle, connect tools like:
- Segment → User event tracking
- Intercom or Zendesk → Customer support
- Stripe → Billing events
- Calendly → Calls and Meetings
- HubSpot, Salesforce → CRM
With Encharge, these are all built-in or 1-click integrations — so your onboarding, support, and engagement flows actually talk to each other.
2. What is the difference between CRM and CLM?
Answer: CRM manages customer interactions to support sales and service, while CLM focuses on optimizing the entire customer journey from acquisition to retention.
CRM (Customer Relationship Management) focuses on managing relationships, communication, and data related to sales, marketing, and customer support. It’s mainly used to organize and track interactions with leads and existing customers.
CLM (Customer Lifecycle Management), on the other hand, looks at the full customer journey—from first touch to repeat purchases and loyalty. It’s about understanding and improving every stage of the customer experience over time.
3. Is there an AI customer lifecycle software?
Yes — Encharge uses AI to help you build smarter lifecycle flows, faster.
It can suggest automations, write emails, segment users, and even improve your onboarding — all based on real user behavior.
Thank you so much for reading this,
David Ch
Head of Marketing at Encharge
