If your sales team is still fumbling with clunky screen sharing, endless install links, or “Can you see my screen?” awkwardness, you’re not alone. Most B2B demo tools promise the moon, but deliver a mess of plugins, firewalls, and lost prospects. This review cuts through the noise and takes a hard look at what Crankwheel actually does for remote demos, pipeline speed, and getting leads across the finish line.
If you’re a B2B sales manager, a revops lead, or just the person everyone turns to when Zoom flakes out, this one’s for you.
What Crankwheel Is (and Isn’t)
Let’s start with the basics: Crankwheel is a browser-based screen sharing tool built for sales teams who need to demo fast, with as little friction as possible. It’s not some all-in-one sales suite, and it doesn’t pretend to be. You won’t find a full CRM or deep analytics dashboard here. Instead, it’s laser-focused on getting your screen in front of a prospect—whether they’re on a desktop or their phone—without any installs, downloads, or “please enable permissions” headaches.
Who actually benefits? - Inside sales reps who book and run demos back-to-back. - SDRs/BDRs trying to catch leads while they’re still warm. - Teams selling to non-technical buyers (insurance, finance, field services, etc.). - Anyone tired of troubleshooting video calls.
If your process is already smooth with Zoom, Teams, or Google Meet, you might not need Crankwheel. But if you’re losing leads because “joining the call” is too hard, it’s worth a look.
How Crankwheel Works: The Sales Demo in 5 Steps
Here’s how a typical Crankwheel-powered demo goes, without the marketing fluff:
- You open Crankwheel in your browser.
- There’s a Chrome extension, or you can use their web app. No thick installs.
- You send the prospect a link or SMS.
- They get a one-time link (or a text) that opens in their browser. No downloads, no accounts.
- They view your screen instantly.
- On mobile or desktop. No need for them to share video or audio unless you want.
- You walk through your pitch or product.
- You can switch between tabs, show slides, fill out a form—whatever you’d normally show on your screen.
- You end the session (or hand off).
- Crankwheel logs the demo, optionally sends follow-ups, and you jump to your next call.
Pro tip: If you’re dialing leads from a call center or power dialer, you can blast out demo invites in real time. No waiting for folks to “find the calendar link.”
What Crankwheel Gets Right
Let’s talk about what actually makes a difference in the real world:
1. Zero-Install Screen Sharing
This is the killer feature. Most prospects don’t want to download anything, ever. Crankwheel’s sessions open in any browser—including mobile Safari or Chrome. That means you can demo to someone on their phone in less than 10 seconds. If your targets use locked-down work laptops (think banks, hospitals, or government), this is a lifesaver.
2. Speed
It’s fast. Really fast. You can go from “Can I show you something?” to “Here’s my screen” before the prospect’s attention wanders. There’s no “Can you check your email for the invite?” dance. This is especially handy for outbound, cold-call, or field sales.
3. Simple for Non-Techies
Your prospects don’t have to be IT wizards. If they can click a link or tap a text, they’re in. No accounts, no sign-ups, no fuss.
4. Session Tracking & Lead Capture
Crankwheel logs who attended, when, and for how long. You can also capture lead info on the fly—helpful for teams that want to track which reps are actually demoing, not just dialing.
5. Multi-Device Support
Your demo works just as well on a desktop as it does on a phone or tablet. Good news if your prospects are always on the move, or if you’re selling to field reps, contractors, or anyone who lives in their inbox.
What’s Overhyped (Or Just Missing)
Crankwheel does a few things very well, but it’s not perfect. Here’s what to know before you get sold on a slick demo:
1. Not a Full Video Call Replacement
Crankwheel’s bread and butter is screen sharing, not face-to-face calls. There’s no built-in video chat. You can add a phone call on the side, but don’t expect the warm-and-fuzzy vibe of a Zoom or Teams video meeting.
If rapport-building over video is your magic sauce, Crankwheel won’t replace that.
2. Limited Whiteboarding or Co-Browsing
You can show your screen, but you can’t annotate, draw, or co-browse in any meaningful way. If your demo involves real-time sketching or joint editing, you’ll need a different tool.
3. Basic Integrations
Crankwheel plays pretty well with CRMs like Salesforce and HubSpot via Zapier, and you can embed it on your website for instant demos. But don’t expect a deep, native integration experience. Some competitors do this better.
4. Branding & Customization
You can slap your logo on the viewer, but the customization only goes so far. If you want a fully white-labeled experience or granular control over the UI, this isn’t it.
5. Recording Support
Crankwheel doesn’t natively record sessions for playback. If you need demo recordings for compliance or training, you’ll need to use a separate screen recorder.
Real-World Use Cases: When Does Crankwheel Shine?
Here’s where Crankwheel really earns its keep:
- Instant Demos from Your Website: Embed a “Request Demo Now” button and connect prospects with a rep in seconds. They watch your screen, you capture their info, and nobody has to schedule a thing.
- Cold Calling with Visuals: If your reps are dialing lists and want to “show, not tell,” Crankwheel pairs nicely with outbound calls.
- Sales to Regulated or Non-Technical Industries: If your buyers aren’t tech-savvy (insurance agents, property managers, local businesses), the no-download, no-hassle approach wins.
- Teams with Limited IT Support: If your company can’t or won’t install new apps across every device, Crankwheel lives in the browser and keeps IT happy.
Not so great for: - Deep-dive technical walkthroughs. - Collaborative workshops or onboarding sessions. - Teams that need everything recorded and logged by default.
Setup and Onboarding: What to Expect
Getting started is refreshingly simple:
- Install the Chrome extension (or use their web portal).
- Create your account (free trial available).
- Send your first test demo (to a colleague or your own phone).
- Set up branding and lead forms (takes 10-15 minutes).
- Integrate with your CRM if you want leads to sync automatically.
There’s not much to configure, which is a plus. Most reps can be up and running in under 30 minutes, including basic training.
Pro tip: Have a one-page cheat sheet for reps. Crankwheel is intuitive, but muscle memory makes a difference when you’re trying to move fast.
Pricing: Is It Worth It?
Crankwheel’s pricing is straightforward—pay by active user per month, with a sliding scale for bigger teams. There’s a free plan for light usage (with some limits), and paid plans start in the ballpark of $75/month for a small team. Compared to the cost of a lost lead, it’s not outrageous.
What you’re really paying for: Fewer demo drop-offs, less time troubleshooting, and more “yes, I can see your screen!” moments.
But: If you already have a video platform everyone likes, or if your buyers are all tech-fluent, you might not see enough extra value to justify the spend.
Final Thoughts: Should Your Sales Team Use Crankwheel?
If your sales process lives or dies by fast, frictionless demos—especially with non-technical or “just text me the link” buyers—Crankwheel is worth a serious look. It’s not fancy, but it’s fast, reliable, and does exactly what it promises: gets your screen in front of prospects without the usual headaches.
Just don’t expect it to magically fix a broken sales process, or replace everything you love about video calls. Use it where it shines: instant demos, live lead capture, and quick one-to-one sales pitches.
Keep it simple, try it with a few reps, and see if it actually moves the needle. No need to overhaul your whole tech stack—just add the right tool for the right job, and iterate from there.