Zoho One or Individual Apps: What’s Best for Growing Businesses?

Like you, most businesses in the UK have probably hit that tricky question: “should I go all-in with Zoho One or just pick up the individual apps I need?” It’s a common dilemma.

On the one hand, Zoho One promises an “operating system for business” with 45+ apps under one roof. On the other hand, buying apps separately gives you the freedom to pay only for what you’ll actually use. The real challenge is now about balancing cost, flexibility, and growth.

In this article, we’ll look at Zoho One vs individual apps in plain English. We will break down what’s included, how the pricing works in the UK, and the pros and cons of each approach. By the end, you’ll have a clear idea of which option makes the most sense for your business today (and as you scale).

What Is Zoho One?  

Before we dive into the comparison, let’s get clear on what Zoho One actually is.

Zoho itself isn’t a newcomer. It’s a global software company that’s been building business tools for over 25 years. They’re best known for Zoho CRM, but the product line goes way beyond sales: finance, HR, marketing, project management, IT, and more.

Zoho One is their big “all-in-one” offer. Think of it as a business toolbox with 45+ integrated apps. Everything from CRM to accounting, email, HR, and analytics is all under one subscription. Instead of juggling separate logins or bolt-on integrations, the idea is that your sales team, finance team, and operations team can work off the same system without extra challenges.

When it comes to Zoho One pricing in the UK, there are two main models:

• All-Employee Pricing – every employee gets access, billed per user per month.

• Flexible-User Pricing – only certain staff get full access, billed at a higher per-user rate.

Zoho markets Zoho One as an “operating system for business” and in practice, that’s not far off. It’s designed to be the single backbone that holds your business processes together as you grow.

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Benefits of Zoho One as a Suite  

So why do so many SMEs consider Zoho One instead of just cherry-picking apps? The answer comes down to how well it works as a complete package. Here are the big benefits:

1. A unified ecosystem (one login, connected data).
With Zoho One, your sales, finance, HR, and marketing apps are all connected. That means no more logging into five different platforms or exporting spreadsheets just to get a clear picture. Everything speaks the same language, and data flows across teams without extra effort.

2. Cost-effectiveness.
Instead of paying for apps one by one, you pay a flat fee per user and unlock the full suite. For most growing businesses, this works out cheaper than stacking up separate subscriptions for CRM, accounting, project management, and marketing tools.

3. Scalability as you grow.
Need to add a project management tool? Or HR software for new hires? With Zoho One, it’s already there. You can switch on apps as your needs evolve without having to buy, test, and integrate something new every time.

4. Simplified IT and administration.
Because Zoho One is one platform, you don’t need your IT team (or an expensive consultant) constantly patching integrations or managing licenses from five different vendors. This means less complexity and fewer headaches for users.

5. Integration with third-party tools.
Even though Zoho One has nearly everything built-in, it still connects with popular apps like Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and Slack. That makes adoption easier if your team is already using some of these tools.

6. Real-world example (UK SME scenario).
Imagine a 15-person marketing agency in London. They could run their client pipeline in Zoho CRM, send invoices through Zoho Books, manage projects in Zoho Projects, and run email campaigns with Zoho Campaigns, all within one platform, all talking to each other. That means less admin, better collaboration, and more time spent serving clients instead of wrestling with software.

All of this makes Zoho One more than just a collection of apps. It’s a best business software suite for SMEs that want to keep costs predictable while avoiding the headaches of managing separate systems.

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Pros and Cons of Buying Apps Individually  

Not every business is ready to jump straight into Zoho One. Sometimes, starting small with just one or two apps feels safer, and that’s perfectly valid. Here’s what you gain (and give up) when you go the individual app route:

✅ The Pros

• Pay only for what you use. If your team only needs Zoho CRM to manage leads, or Zoho Books for accounting, you won’t be paying for dozens of apps you don’t touch.

• Lower costs for very small teams. For a two- or three-person business, individual apps can be cheaper than Zoho One’s per-user pricing.

• Gradual adoption. You can dip your toes in with one app, see how it fits, and then add more later if needed. It’s a slower, lower-risk way to adopt Zoho.

❌ The Cons

• Costs creep up as you grow. A single app may be affordable, but once you add CRM, Books, Projects, and Campaigns, the monthly bills can overtake Zoho One pricing quickly.

• More juggling. Multiple subscriptions mean more invoices, more logins, and more admin.

• Integration challenges. While Zoho apps do talk to each other, connecting standalone apps (and third-party tools) can take extra setup.

• Limited visibility. When sales, finance, and operations aren’t fully connected, you often miss the big picture of how your business is performing.

Bottom line: Buying apps individually makes sense if you’re just starting out, only need one or two tools, or want to test Zoho without committing to the full suite. But if you’re planning to scale beyond the basics, the balance usually tips in favour of Zoho One.

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Cost Comparison  

Here’s a side-by-side cost comparison of using Zoho One vs buying Zoho CRM + Zoho Books + Zoho Projects + Zoho Campaigns separately. For this cost comparison, we’ve assumed a UK SME with 10 users who need all four tools. These figures are estimates based on publicly listed UK pricing (billed annually where possible) and are designed for illustration.

Subscription Item	Zoho One (all-in-one suite)	Individual Apps (CRM + Books + Projects + Campaigns)
Users	10 users	10 users each app
Zoho One Approx Price	£37–£45 per user/month (typical range seen in UK G-Cloud / marketplace listings)	—
Zoho CRM	Included in Zoho One	~ £12/user/month for Standard edition (~£20 for Professional), depending on feature tier.
Zoho Books	Included	~ £20–£25/month for the “Professional” plan for a small business, and possibly more per user if multiple users. (UK pricing tiers: Free, £12, £24, £30 etc.)
Zoho Projects	Included	~ £4–£5/user/month for small/medium team, billed annually.
Zoho Campaigns	Included	(Pricing not as clearly published as core apps; campaigns/email marketing often depends on list size, sends, etc. Could add a monthly cost of, say, £15-£30 or more, depending on volume.)
Total Monthly Cost for Individual Apps	—	Rough estimate: CRM (£12) + Books (say £20) + Projects (£4) + Campaigns (say £20) = £56/user/month (plus possible extras)
Total Monthly Cost via Zoho One	~ £37-£45/user/month	—
Monthly Savings per User via Zoho One	—	£10-£20+ per user/month, depending on app tiers and usage

What This Table Suggests  

• If you need all four tools for your 10-person team, Zoho One is likely to save you £10-£20+ per user per month versus buying the core apps separately possibly more if your email campaigns app is heavy-use.

• For businesses that only need one or two of those tools, the individual-app route can still make sense short-term, but the cost advantage of Zoho One becomes stronger as you add more apps.

• Also remember: individual app plans often have usage limits (numbers of users, emails sent, or campaigns) and may require paying extra for add-ons. Zoho One tends to unify those limits more cleanly (though there can still be constraints).

Caveats & What to Check in Your Case  

• Feature tiers matter. The cheapest CRM or Books plan may not include everything you need (e.g. advanced automations, multi-currency, inventory, etc.). If you have to jump up a tier, costs could creep up.

• User access / seats. Some apps charge per user; others have a set number of users included. If only some of your team needs access to certain apps, that shifts the math.

• Campaign volume. For email/marketing apps (like Zoho Campaigns), pricing often hinges on how many contacts or sends you have, so low usage may cost very little, but high volume can add up.

• Add-ons & support. Extra support, integrations, or add-on modules (e.g. extra storage, advanced analytics) might not be included in base price, pushing up total cost.

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Which Option Is Right for Your Business?  

So after looking at features, benefits, and costs, how do you decide between Zoho One vs individual apps? The answer really depends on where your business is today and where you want it to be in the next 12–24 months.

Go for Zoho One if:

• You’re a growing SME with different departments (sales, finance, marketing, operations) that all need software.

• You value scalability and integration in one system that grows with you rather than constantly patching together tools.

• You want predictable long-term costs instead of juggling multiple subscriptions that creep up over time.

Stick with individual apps if:

• You only need 1–2 tools right now (say, just CRM or just Books).

• You’re testing Zoho for the first time and want to start small before committing.

• Your budget is razor-thin and you can’t justify paying for unused tools yet.

A simple decision framework:

• Business size → The more employees and departments you have, the more Zoho One makes sense.

• Growth stage → Startups and micro-businesses often save with individual apps, while scaling SMEs benefit from the suite.

• Tech adoption → If your team is comfortable with software and ready to standardise on one platform, Zoho One gives you more bang for your buck.

Bottom line: if you’re planning for growth, Zoho One is usually the smarter investment. If you’re still testing the waters, starting with a single app is a perfectly safe first step.

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Let’s Help you Make the Right Decision  

Choosing between Zoho One vs individual apps doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. It really comes down to your stage of growth and how much software your business needs to run smoothly.

• If you’re a lean team that only needs one or two tools today, starting with individual apps can keep costs low and let you test the waters.

• But if you’re planning to scale or already juggling sales, finance, projects, and marketing, Zoho One often delivers far better value, with everything connected under one roof.

The good news is that there’s no “wrong” choice. You can start small and upgrade later, or go straight into Zoho One if you’re ready to bring your whole business onto one platform.

If you’re still unsure which path fits your business best, the easiest next step is to book a quick demo or consultation with us. We’ll walk you through the numbers using your own setup, show how the apps connect, and help you build a simple plan that fits your goals and budget.

That way, you can make the decision with confidence and focus on growing your business, not second-guessing your software.

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