If you're getting fewer than a handful of inquiries a week, a spreadsheet or a simple notes app tracking each lead's status might genuinely be enough - a CRM adds overhead that isn't worth it until volume justifies it. Once you're past that, tracking leads by memory starts costing you real follow-ups.
For contractors specifically, GoHighLevel is a strong fit because it bundles the CRM with SMS/email automation, calendar booking, and review requests in one tool - useful because contractor follow-up (missed-call text-back, quote chasing) needs those features anyway, not just a place to log names.
Lighter alternatives like a simple pipeline tool paired with a separate automation platform can work too, and cost less, but require more setup and stitching together. The right choice depends on whether you want one tool that does everything reasonably well, or several tools that each do one thing very well.