Top Salesforce Alternatives & Competitors based on 712 Reviews
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| Brand | Pricing |
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Salesforce Essentials offers two pricing tiers: $25 per user/month for the Essentials plan and $75 per user/month for the professional plan. The Essentials plan is aimed at small businesses with up to 10 users, while the professional plan includes more advanced features and customization options. |
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ActiveCampaign provides three pricing tiers: Lite starting at $9/month, Plus at $49/month, and Professional at $129/month, with an Enterprise option available. Pricing varies based on the number of contacts, with more features and automation capabilities available at higher tiers. |
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Close offers three plans: Starter at $99 per user/month, Professional at $149 per user/month, and Ultimate at $199 per user/month. All plans include a 14-day free trial, and features scale with each tier including CRM tools, calling automation, and more integrations. |
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HubSpot has a free plan option, while its paid Marketing Hub plans start at $45/month for the Starter plan, $800/month for the Professional plan, and $3,600/month for the Enterprise plan. Pricing is tiered based on the number of contacts and additional features are available in the higher tiers. |
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Keap offers three pricing plans: Lite at $79/month, Pro at $169/month, and Max at $199/month. Each tier has a set number of contacts included with pricing increasing based on the number of users and features like CRM, marketing automation, and sales pipeline tools. |
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Marketo does not publicly display pricing, as it is primarily enterprise-focused and based on specific business needs. Prospective customers typically need to contact sales for a quote, which depends on company size, features required, and other factors. |
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Pipedrive offers a range of pricing plans starting from $14.90/month for the Essential plan, $24.90/month for Advanced, $49.90/month for Professional, and $99/month for the Enterprise plan. The pricing is based on a per-user basis and offers a free trial period. |
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Zendesk Sales pricing includes the Suite Team plan at $49 per user/month, Suite Growth at $79 per user/month, Suite Professional at $99, and Suite Enterprise at $150. Each tier includes various features aimed at improving customer relationship management and sales processes. |
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Zoho offers several pricing plans, including a free tier for up to 3 users. Paid plans start at $12/user/month for the Standard plan, $20/user/month for the Professional plan, and $35/user/month for the Enterprise plan, with additional capabilities and integrations at higher tiers. |
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Why should you be looking for a Salesforce alternative?
Users often seek alternatives to Salesforce due to specific feature needs, ease of use, budget constraints, and varying support options. For businesses looking for tailored solutions, options like ActiveCampaign, Close.io, HubSpot, Keap, Marketo, Pipedrive, Zendesk, and Zoho offer diverse capabilities. Each platform caters to distinct target users: from robust marketing automation to streamlined sales processes, and affordable pricing tiers. This exploration will delve into how these alternatives stack up against Salesforce in terms of features, cost, and user experience.
Quick Overview of Top Salesforce Competitors
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ActiveCampaign – Best Salesforce Alternative for Automation
Focuses on email marketing automation, providing advanced features for CRM, marketing automation, and customer experience. Strengths include marketing automation workflows and robust segmentation capabilities that are often simpler and more intuitive than Salesforce. -
Close.io – Best Salesforce Competitor for Sales Teams
Designed for sales-driven organizations, emphasizing call automation and built-in communication tools directly within the platform. Offers excellent CRM capabilities without the extensive complexity of Salesforce, allowing for faster sales cycles. -
HubSpot – Most Comprehensive Salesforce Alternative
Provides an all-in-one marketing, sales, and service platform with a free tier that offers vital CRM features. HubSpot stands out with user-friendly interfaces and a rich suite of tools for inbound marketing, offering extensive educational resources. -
Keap – Best Budget-friendly Salesforce Alternative
Formerly Infusionsoft, Keap specializes in small business marketing and sales automation. Unique strengths include easy-to-use templates and automation capabilities tailored for small to medium-sized businesses, making it simpler compared to Salesforce’s expansive features. -
Marketo – Preferred Salesforce Competitor for B2B Marketing
Focuses on marketing automation, particularly for B2B businesses, with strengths in lead generation, email marketing, and analytics. It provides deep insights and marketing tools that can integrate seamlessly with other systems, giving it an edge as a dedicated marketing platform. -
Pipedrive – Most User-Friendly Salesforce Alternative
Known for its visual pipeline management and simplicity, Pipedrive is built for sales professionals looking for an intuitive CRM experience. Its streamlined approach focuses on sales activities, making it less cumbersome than Salesforce for teams focused on closing deals. -
Zendesk – Top Salesforce Competitor for Customer Support
Primarily known for its customer service solutions, Zendesk offers a CRM with strong ticketing and customer interaction features. It excels in support functionalities, making it a go-to solution for businesses looking to enhance customer communication alongside CRM capabilities. -
Zoho – Best Overall Salesforce Alternative for Small Businesses
Part of a larger suite of business applications, Zoho CRM offers extensive customization options and integration capabilities at a competitive price point. It’s particularly advantageous for small to medium-sized businesses looking for value without sacrificing functionality compared to Salesforce.
Salesforce Alternatives: Feature by Feature Comparison
| Feature/Tool | ActiveCampaign | Close.io | HubSpot | Keap | Marketo | Pipedrive | Zendesk | Zoho | Salesforce |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CRM Capabilities | Strong CRM with a focus on automation | Sales-focused CRM with calling features | Complete CRM with integrated marketing | Built-in CRM tailored for small businesses | Advanced CRM with marketing integrations | Visual sales pipeline to manage leads | Full-featured CRM with customer service | Highly customizable CRM for any size | Comprehensive CRM solution with extensive customization |
| Email Marketing | Advanced automation and segmentation | Basic email functions | Powerful email marketing tools | Simple email campaigns | Email automation with advanced analytics | Email integration with sales tools | Basic email support capabilities | Integrated email campaigns | Robust email marketing capabilities with detailed tracking |
| Automation | Highly rated for marketing automation | Limited automation | Strong workflow automation | Automation focused on small scale | Excellent campaign automation | Sales automation | Service-oriented automation features | Process automation across functions | Advanced automation features for sales and marketing |
| Lead Management | Excellent lead scoring and nurturing | Strong focus on managing leads | Comprehensive lead tracking | Basic lead tracking | Advanced lead nurturing capabilities | Visual lead management | Lead management through support tickets | Robust lead scoring features | Advanced lead management capabilities |
| Integrations | Over 850 integrations available | Integrates with various tools | Extensive 3rd party integrations | Various integrations available | Strong integrations with Adobe Suite | Connects with numerous sales tools | Integrations with various business applications | Wide array of integrations | Extensive integrations with various software |
| User Interface | Intuitive and user-friendly | Focused on sales workflows | Easy-to-use interface | Simplistic and straightforward | Advanced dashboard, can be complex | Clean and simple visual pipelines | Modern support-centric interface | User-friendly interface with flexibility | Complex, robust interface often requiring training |
| Support | Comprehensive customer support | Focused on customer success | Extensive knowledge base | Personalized support for small businesses | Strong customer support for enterprise | Available support but varies | Dedicated support with various options | Support options proliferate with complexity | Extensive support resources including training programs |
| Analytics | Deep analytics with predictive features | Basic reporting tools | Advanced analytics and reporting | Basic analytics capabilities | Advanced marketing analytics | Strong sales forecasting capabilities | Insights driven by support metrics | Strong analytics features | Comprehensive reporting and analytics |
| Pricing | Affordable pricing tiers | Higher-priced for call features | Freemium model available | Competitive pricing for small business | Higher tiered pricing model | Flexible pricing based on activity | Flexible pricing with various plans | Higher pricing usually aligned with features | Premium pricing models for extensive features |
| Unique Features | Advanced segmentation and personalization | Built-in calling features | Free tier with comprehensive features | Built for small businesses’ needs | Comprehensive marketing automation | Highly visual and intuitive CRM | Integrates support and sales workflows | Highly customizable platform | Extensive features with a robust ecosystem |
Unique/Superior Aspects:
- ActiveCampaign: Unmatched email marketing capabilities focused on automation and customer journey tracking, ideal for businesses seeking in-depth engagement with their leads and customers.
- Close.io: Unique in offering built-in calling features, enhancing productivity for sales teams, allowing them to manage calls and emails within the same system.
- HubSpot: Its freemium model provides extensive features at no cost, making it accessible for startups and small businesses, while also offering robust marketing tools.
- Keap: Focused on small businesses with its user-friendly automation and CRM features that simplify operations without overwhelming users.
- Marketo: Superior marketing automation features compared to Salesforce, especially for larger enterprises needing comprehensive campaign management.
- Pipedrive: Highly visual interface unique for visualizing the sales pipeline, greatly facilitating tracking and managing sales processes for small to medium-sized businesses.
- Zendesk: Provides a seamless integration between customer support and sales, which helps teams collaborate better in servicing clients.
- Zoho: Offers an extensive suite of business applications that combine CRM with project management, accounting, and more in one customizable platform, leading to streamlined operations across teams.
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Integration Capabilities for each Salesforce competitor
| Alternative | Supported Integrations | Compatibility Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Salesforce | Over 3,000 integrations | Integrates seamlessly with numerous CRM tools and marketing platforms. |
| ActiveCampaign | Shopify, WordPress, Zapier, Magento, WooCommerce | Strong focus on marketing automation and email, integrates well with eCommerce and CMS platforms. |
| Close.io | Zapier, Slack, QuickBooks, Pipedrive | Primarily focuses on sales CRM, minimal direct integrations but uses Zapier for broader connectivity. |
| HubSpot | Shopify, WordPress, Salesforce, Mailchimp, Zapier, LinkedIn, Eventbrite | Comprehensive integrations covering sales, marketing, and customer service tools. |
| Keap | QuickBooks, PayPal, Zapier, WooCommerce, WordPress | Primarily focused on small business tools, offers payment and eCommerce related integrations. |
| Marketo | Salesforce, Eloqua, Google Analytics, Microsoft Dynamics, Slack | Primarily for enterprise marketing, extensive support for CRM and analytics tools. |
| Pipedrive | Zapier, Trello, Mailchimp, Slack, Google Drive | Strong integration with productivity tools, relies on Zapier for additional connections. |
| Zendesk | Salesforce, Slack, Zoom, Shopify, Mailchimp, Jira | Focused on customer support tools with integrated CRM capabilities. |
| Zoho | Google Workspace, Salesforce, Mailchimp, QuickBooks, Microsoft Teams | Offers extensive integration within its own suite but also connects well with other popular tools. |
Pros and Cons of each Salesforce Alternative
Here’s a comparison table outlining the primary pros and cons of each alternative compared to Salesforce:
| Alternative | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| ActiveCampaign | – Strong email marketing capabilities | – Limited CRM functionality compared to Salesforce |
| – User-friendly interface | – Less robust reporting features | |
| – Affordable pricing for small businesses | – Integrations may be limited | |
| Close.io | – Built for sales teams with robust calling features | – Not as feature-rich for marketing automation |
| – Highly intuitive user experience | – Higher cost tier for advanced features | |
| – Strong focus on performance analytics | – Limited integration options | |
| HubSpot | – Comprehensive free tier available | – Can become expensive as you scale |
| – Excellent inbound marketing tools | – Customization options can be overwhelming | |
| – Strong community support and resources | – Sales features may lag behind dedicated CRMs | |
| Keap | – Great for small business automation | – Limited scalability for larger organizations |
| – Simple pricing structure | – Less capable for complex reporting | |
| – Strong customer support | – Outdated user interface can be a drawback | |
| Marketo | – Powerful marketing automation features | – High cost, typically suited for larger businesses |
| – Extensive integration capabilities | – Steeper learning curve for new users | |
| – Effective for lead nurturing | – Limited CRM features compared to Salesforce | |
| Pipedrive | – Simple and intuitive interface | – Less focus on marketing automation |
| – Flexible and customizable sales pipeline | – Limited advanced analytics | |
| – Affordable for small to mid-sized businesses | – Lacks extensive integration options | |
| Zendesk | – Strong customer support ticketing system | – Not inherently a CRM system |
| – Excellent for customer service management | – May require additional tools for full CRM functionality | |
| – Rich reporting and analytics tools | – Can become costly with add-ons | |
| Zoho | – Comprehensive suite of applications | – User interface may be less polished |
| – Affordable pricing for businesses of all sizes | – Complexity can overwhelm new users | |
| – Highly customizable workflows | – Integration complexity with other platforms |
This table summarizes the relevant strengths and weaknesses of each alternative compared to Salesforce, aimed at helping businesses make informed decisions based on their specific needs.
Salesforce vs Competitors: Traffic & Marketing Comparison
Traffic Comparison
Salesforce leads the pack in organic traffic with an impressive peak of over 37 million visitors, showing strong consistency throughout 2023. HubSpot follows closely behind with significant traffic, surpassing 124 million at points, indicating robust market engagement. Zendesk also maintains a solid position, while ActiveCampaign, Close.io, and Marketo exhibit comparatively lower traffic figures, especially in the 1-3 million range for the latter. Zoho and Pipedrive hover between 21-30 million, reflecting strong market participation but trailing behind leaders.
Top Performing Keywords
Salesforce excels with multiple top-ranking keywords, such as "salesforce free" and "sales software," securing positions that bolster its visibility in CRM and sales automation. HubSpot’s strategy is diversified, focusing on "hubspot crm" and marketing automation terms, while Zendesk emphasizes customer support-related keywords. ActiveCampaign shines with a focus on email marketing, showing niche strength. Notably, keywords for Close.io and Marketo appear less competitive, revealing strategic opportunities to strengthen their presence within specific markets.
Conclusions on Visibility and Reach
Salesforce and HubSpot emerge as the dominant players in visibility and reach, each leveraging strong keyword strategies to capture substantial traffic. Particularly, HubSpot’s traffic spikes indicate robust market penetration in marketing automation and CRM solutions. Zendesk showcases considerable strength in customer support niches, while ActiveCampaign and Zoho’s focused efforts in email marketing and cloud services respectively suggest potential growth opportunities. Brands like Close.io and Marketo, while lower in traffic, can enhance visibility through targeted keyword optimization strategies.
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Other “Salesforce” Alternatives & Competitors that you can find for free
Here are five Salesforce alternatives and competitors, along with their key features, strengths, and value propositions:
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Freshsales
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Key Features:
- AI-based lead scoring
- Built-in phone and email communication
- Contact management
- Pipeline management
- Reporting and analytics
- Strengths: User-friendly interface, strong automation capabilities, and effective integration with other Freshworks products.
- Value Proposition: Freshsales offers an easy-to-use CRM solution that can scale with businesses while providing a comprehensive suite of tools for sales teams to manage leads and customer relationships efficiently.
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Key Features:
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SugarCRM
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Key Features:
- Customizable CRM features
- Sales automation
- Marketing campaigns
- Customer support and case management
- Mobile access
- Strengths: Highly customizable to fit diverse business needs, with strong focus on customer relationship management and analytics.
- Value Proposition: SugarCRM provides a tailored CRM experience, enabling businesses to adapt the platform to their unique processes and workflows, driving better customer engagement.
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Key Features:
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SalesLoft
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Key Features:
- Sales engagement tools
- Email tracking and analytics
- Call tracking and coaching
- Cadence automation
- Integration with various CRM systems
- Strengths: Strong focus on sales engagement with tools designed to improve communication and effectiveness of sales teams.
- Value Proposition: SalesLoft empowers sales teams to effectively engage with prospects and customers, enhancing communication and driving higher conversion rates through structured engagement processes.
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Key Features:
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Nutshell
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Key Features:
- Lead management
- Customizable sales pipeline
- Email tracking and integration
- Reporting and performance analytics
- Automated follow-ups
- Strengths: Easy to use for small to medium-sized businesses, with an intuitive interface and strong support.
- Value Proposition: Nutshell offers a simple yet effective CRM solution, designed for small business teams seeking to improve their sales processes without the complexity often associated with larger CRM platforms.
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Key Features:
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Insightly
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Key Features:
- Project management capabilities
- Relationship linking feature
- Email integration
- Custom dashboards and reports
- Workflow automation
- Strengths: Combines CRM and project management in one platform, providing a holistic view of customer relationships and project timelines.
- Value Proposition: Insightly provides a unified tool for managing customer relationships alongside projects, making it ideal for businesses that require both CRM and project management functionalities in a single platform.
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Key Features:
