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salesforce Best Competitors & Alternatives updated September 2026

salesforce Best Competitors & Alternatives updated September 2026

Top Salesforce Alternatives & Competitors based on 2199 Reviews

Reviews collected from capterra.com trustpilot.com trustradius.com sitejabber.com gartner.com reviews.io .

Brand Pricing
salesforce.com favicon Salesforce
Salesforce Essentials offers two pricing tiers: $25 per user per month billed annually for the Essentials plan, which includes features like lead management and email integration. An expanded version costs $300 for 5 users, with scalable features based on the number of users.
activecampaign.com favicon ActiveCampaign
★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
3.2
ActiveCampaign offers four pricing tiers: Lite starts at $9/month, Plus at $49/month, Professional at $129/month, and Enterprise with custom pricing. Each tier provides various features like automation, CRM capabilities, and reporting, with additional features available at higher tiers.
close.com favicon Close.io
★ ★ ★ ★
4.4
Close offers three pricing plans: Starter at $29 per user per month, Basic at $69, and Professional at $99, all billed annually. Higher tiers unlock advanced features such as reporting, integrated calling, and lead scoring.
hubspot.com favicon HubSpot
★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆
1.9
HubSpot’s pricing structures offer a free tier, with paid plans starting at $45/month for the Starter plan, and progressing to Pro at $800/month and Enterprise at $3,200/month. Pricing adjusts based on the number of contacts and includes features like automation, reporting, and integration.
keap.com favicon Keap
★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
2.9
Keap pricing starts at $79/month for the Lite plan, $149/month for the Pro plan, and $199/month for the Max plan with various features including CRM, automated marketing, and e-commerce functionalities. A free trial is also available.
marketo.com favicon Marketo
Marketo’s pricing is flexible and based on the size of the database and features selected. There are several tiers including Engage and custom Enterprise solutions, generally starting from several thousand per year, reflecting its enterprise-focused offerings.
pipedrive.com favicon Pipedrive
★ ★ ★ ★
4
Pipedrive has four pricing tiers: Essential at $14.90/user/month, Advanced at $29.90, Professional at $59.90, and Enterprise at $99.00, all with varying levels of features for sales pipeline management and integration.
zendesk.com favicon Zendesk
★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆
1.7
Zendesk offers a sales solution with several pricing tiers: Team at $19/user/month, Professional at $49, and Enterprise at $99. Each tier adds more collaborative tools, automation, and analytics capabilities for sales teams.
zoho.com favicon Zoho
★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆
2.3
Zoho CRM pricing begins with a free plan, followed by the Standard plan at $14/user/month, Professional at $23/user/month, and Enterprise at $40/user/month. Features expand significantly with higher tiers, including advanced automation, AI capabilities, and extensive support.

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Why should you be looking for a Salesforce alternative?

Users often seek alternatives to Salesforce due to specific feature requirements, budget constraints, ease of use, and varying support options. ActiveCampaign, Close.io, HubSpot, Keap, Marketo, Pipedrive, Zendesk, and Zoho emerge as top alternatives, catering to diverse business needs from marketing automation to CRM solutions. This exploration will delve into each platform’s unique features, pricing structures, and target user demographics, helping businesses identify the best match for their operational goals.

Quick Overview of Top Salesforce Competitors

  • ActiveCampaign – Best Salesforce Alternative for Email Marketing Integration
    Focuses on email marketing and automation, offering powerful tools for customer engagement. Unique features include advanced segmentation, automation workflows, and CRM functionality integrated with marketing tools.

  • Close.io – Salesforce Competitor for Sales-Focused Teams
    Designed for inside sales teams with built-in calling, SMS, and email capabilities. Its standout features include a user-friendly interface, call tracking, and lead management, streamlining sales processes more efficiently than Salesforce.

  • HubSpot – Free Salesforce Alternative for Inbound Marketing
    Offers a robust free tier for small businesses, focusing on inbound marketing. Key strengths include user-friendly dashboards, integrated marketing tools, and an extensive knowledge base, making it accessible for users who prefer a simplified approach compared to Salesforce.

  • Keap – Affordable Salesforce Competitor for Small Businesses
    Tailored for small businesses with tools for CRM, marketing automation, and eCommerce. Its strengths lie in easy-to-use automation, client management, and payment processing features that are less complex than Salesforce.

  • Marketo – Advanced Salesforce Alternative for Enterprise Marketing Automation
    Focuses on marketing automation and lead management for larger enterprises. It excels in features such as advanced analytics, multi-channel marketing, and account-based marketing that can outperform Salesforce in these areas.

  • Pipedrive – Best Salesforce Competitor for Sales Pipeline Management
    Geared toward improving sales pipeline management with ease of use and visualization. Notable features include customizable pipelines, sales forecasting, and powerful reporting, making it a straightforward alternative to Salesforce for sales teams.

  • Zendesk – Salesforce Alternative for Customer Support Excellence
    Primarily known for customer service solutions, it integrates well with CRM tools to enhance support. Its unique strengths include robust ticketing, multi-channel support, and customer self-service features that can deliver superior customer satisfaction compared to Salesforce’s offerings.

  • Zoho – Comprehensive Salesforce Competitor with Cost-Effective Solutions
    Provides a wide range of applications across various business functions. Its strengths include a modular approach and affordable pricing, with features that cover sales, marketing, support, and finance, effectively offering a full-suite alternative to Salesforce.

Salesforce Alternatives: Feature by Feature Comparison

Feature ActiveCampaign Close.io HubSpot Keap Marketo Pipedrive Zendesk Zoho Salesforce Comparison
Email Marketing Advanced email automation, segmented campaigns, and personalization based on user behavior and triggers. Email sequences with built-in reminders; good for outreach and follow-ups. Comprehensive email marketing tools, including A/B testing and templates. Automated follow-up emails with client reminders; focus on small business efficiency. Email targeting based on user interactions and engagement history. Simple, intuitive email marketing automation that integrates with CRM functions. Email campaigns with ticketing integration for support follow-up. Email marketing tools including segmentation and target-specific follow-ups. Salesforce has robust email features but can be less user-friendly.
CRM Capabilities Integrated CRM features but more focused on email marketing automation. Fully integrated CRM that’s strong on communication tracking. Full-fledged CRM with free basic version; extensive reporting and integration options. CRM focused on small businesses with invoicing and payment features integrated. Advanced segmentation and lead scoring with CRM functions. Easy-to-use CRM features with customizable pipelines. CRM-like capabilities focused on customer support and ticket systems. Tiered pricing with flexible CRM capabilities designed for various business sizes. Salesforce’s CRM is very complex but highly customizable; typically requires more training.
Automation Powerful marketing automation workflow; triggers based on customer behavior. Limited automation features primarily around communication. Extensive marketing and sales automation, including lead scoring. Basic automation for follow-ups and client management. Advanced lead nurturing automation tailored to user engagement. Simple drag-and-drop automation workflows for sales processes. Automations can create seamless connections between customer service and sales. Automated workflow solutions across various business functions. Salesforce offers high-level automation but can be overwhelming to set up.
Integration Over 850+ integrations, strong support for third-party apps. Good integration with communication tools but fewer overall options. Integrates well with various platforms, especially its own ecosystem. Limited but essential integrations for small businesses. Wide-ranging integrations with marketing and analytics tools. Many integrations with popular sales tools and applications. Integrates well with various applications, particularly in customer service. Vast integration options across business applications, including accounting and marketing tools. Salesforce has an extensive ecosystem but can be more costly for integrations.
User Interface Intuitive design with a focus on user experience in marketing automation. Simplistic interface, great for those focused on calling and outreach. User-friendly interface with easy navigation, especially in CRM tools. Simple UI aimed at small businesses; designed for ease of use. Complex interface that can be overwhelming but offers depth. Clean, visual sales pipeline interface; easy to navigate. User-friendly interface focused on support and service needs. Intuitive dashboards but can feel cluttered with added features. Salesforce’s UI is powerful but generally requires a learning curve.
Reporting/Analytics In-depth campaign reporting and analytics for marketing performance. Sales dashboard provides key metrics around calling and follow-ups. Comprehensive reporting features for both sales and marketing performance. Basic reporting capabilities focused on small business needs. Advanced analytics and reporting features tailored for marketers. Custom reporting tools focused on sales performance metrics. Strong reporting on support interactions and customer satisfaction metrics. Robust reporting across various business functions but can be complex. Salesforce provides extensive analytics but often requires customization to get actionable insights.
Pricing Structure Competitive pricing with advanced features even at lower tiers. Transparent pricing structure; competitive for sales teams. Freemium model available, scaling pricing based on feature set. Simple pricing plans aimed at small businesses with clear value. Premium pricing with advanced features; best suited for larger enterprises. Affordable pricing with essential features for small to medium businesses. Pricing based on the number of agents; competitive for service focus. Flexible pricing based on the required applications. Salesforce is typically more expensive compared to others and may require purchasing additional features.
Support/Training Offers help center articles, webinars, and responsive support teams. Support includes chat and email, with good training resources. Extensive knowledge base and community support; robust tutorials. Access to training resources, webinars, and good customer support. Premium customer support with onboarding options available. Great support with detailed tutorials and customer resources. Strong emphasis on customer support and training resources for agents. Comprehensive support options available, but variable quality. Salesforce offers premium support options, but they can be costly.

Unique/Superior Aspects

  • ActiveCampaign excels in marketing automation, offering advanced segmentation and behavior-triggered campaigns that are highly effective for marketers.
  • Close.io focuses on communication efficiency, providing strong tools for outreach that are tailored for sales teams relying on calls.
  • HubSpot offers a comprehensive free version of its CRM and seamless integration of marketing, sales, and service tools.
  • Keap stands out for its small business-friendly approach, combining CRM with automation and invoicing in one platform.
  • Marketo is specialized for larger enterprises needing advanced marketing automation capabilities.
  • Pipedrive is distinguished by its user-friendly sales pipeline management and simplicity, making it ideal for smaller sales teams.
  • Zendesk provides superior customer support integration, making it well-suited for businesses focused heavily on service rather than sales.
  • Zoho offers a highly flexible and affordable suite of applications, catering to diverse business functions beyond just sales and marketing.

Overall, while Salesforce is a capable CRM platform with robust features, the alternatives listed provide unique benefits that cater to specific user needs and preferences.

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Integration Capabilities for each Salesforce competitor

Alternative Supported Integrations Compatibility Notes
ActiveCampaign Shopify, WordPress, WooCommerce, Magento, Salesforce, Zapier Strong e-commerce integrations; Salesforce integration allows data sync.
Close.io Slack, Zapier, QuickBooks, Intercom, Google Sheets, Segment Focus on sales and communication tools; limited CRM options.
HubSpot Salesforce, Shopify, WordPress, Zapier, Zoom, Mailchimp Extensive integrations; direct sync with Salesforce and e-commerce platforms.
Keap QuickBooks, PayPal, Shopify, Zapier, WordPress, Xero Good for small businesses; fewer enterprise-level integrations compared to Salesforce.
Marketo Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, Shopify, Zapier, Google Ads Strong marketing focus; direct integration with Salesforce for marketing analytics.
Pipedrive Zapier, Slack, Trello, Mailchimp, QuickBooks, WordPress Focus on sales process; integrates well with popular productivity tools.
Zendesk Salesforce, Slack, Zoom, Mailchimp, Shopify, Jira Excellent for customer service tools; strong ties with Salesforce for ticketing and CRM.
Zoho Gmail, QuickBooks, Mailchimp, Shopify, Microsoft Teams Versatile integration capabilities; can replace Salesforce for small teams but lacks some advanced CRM features.
Salesforce Extensive CRM and marketing tools including HubSpot, Marketo, and Zendesk Industry-leading CRM with a vast ecosystem of third-party applications.

Pros and Cons of each Salesforce Alternative

Here’s a comparative overview of alternatives to Salesforce, highlighting their primary pros and cons relevant to typical use cases.

Alternative Pros Cons
ActiveCampaign – Strong email marketing automation
– Affordable pricing
– User-friendly interface
– Limited CRM features compared to Salesforce
– Less robust for large sales teams
Close.io – Built-in calling and SMS features
– Intuitive user interface
– Focus on B2B sales
– Limited integrations compared to Salesforce
– Higher cost for added features
HubSpot – Free entry-level CRM
– Comprehensive marketing and sales tools
– Easy to scale
– Costs can escalate quickly with additional features
– Limited customization options in lower tiers
Keap – Strong automation features for small businesses
– Good invoicing capabilities
– User-friendly
– Limited scalability for larger teams
– Basic reporting features
Marketo – Advanced marketing automation capabilities
– Strong analytics and reporting
– Enterprise-level features
– High learning curve
– Expensive compared to other alternatives
Pipedrive – Sales-focused CRM with user-friendly design
– Visual pipeline management
– Affordable
– Limited marketing features
– Not as robust for larger enterprises
Zendesk – Excellent customer support features
– Strong ticketing system
– Good for service-oriented industries
– Primarily focused on customer support rather than sales
– Steeper pricing for additional features
Zoho – Extensive suite of applications (CRM, marketing, finance)
– Cost-effective pricing
– Highly customizable
– Interface can feel cluttered
– Customer support may be less responsive

This table provides a clear comparison of each alternative to Salesforce based on their particular strengths and weaknesses that are most relevant to typical use cases.

Salesforce vs Competitors: Traffic & Marketing Comparison

Traffic Comparison:
Analyzing the organic traffic data reveals that HubSpot leads the pack with substantial monthly traffic, peaking at over 14 million visits in December 2025. Zendesk follows closely, with traffic consistently over 19 million. ActiveCampaign shows a strong upward trend, reaching nearly 1.1 million visits in August 2026, while Keap lags significantly with monthly traffic barely surpassing 66,000. Notably, Close.io and Marketo lack sufficient traffic data, which diminishes their visibility and market presence in comparison.

Top Performing Keywords:
Notable keywords driving traffic include "best email marketing" and "email marketing software," crucial for HubSpot and ActiveCampaign, which rank well. Salesforce dominates keywords like "customer support software" and "contact management software," establishing strong authority in those areas. Close.io and Zendesk also rank for similar terminology, enhancing their visibility. However, Keap’s strategy appears less effective, with low rankings and minimal traffic, indicating a need for stronger keyword optimization and a refined marketing approach.

Conclusions on Visibility and Reach:
In terms of online visibility, HubSpot and Zendesk exhibit the strongest presence, bolstered by high traffic and diverse keyword strategies. HubSpot especially thrives in email marketing-related niches, while Zendesk excels in customer support market visibility. ActiveCampaign shows promising growth, but needs to further optimize for competitive keywords. Close.io and Marketo, with data limitations, risk underrepresentation in the market. Overall, HubSpot stands out for having the most comprehensive traffic and keyword reach across the analyzed brands.

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Other “Salesforce” Alternatives & Competitors that you can find for free

Here are five alternatives and competitors to Salesforce, along with their key features, strengths, and value propositions:

  1. Freshsales (by Freshworks)

    • Key Features: AI-based lead scoring, built-in phone and email, visual sales pipeline, custom reporting, workflow automation.
    • Strengths: User-friendly interface, strong integration with other Freshworks products, and good customer support.
    • Value Proposition: Freshsales offers a complete CRM solution that simplifies the sales process for businesses of all sizes while keeping costs manageable.
  2. SugarCRM

    • Key Features: Customizable dashboards, advanced reporting and analytics, multi-channel communication tools, workflow automation.
    • Strengths: Highly customizable to fit specific business needs, strong in data privacy and security, and comprehensive analytics capabilities.
    • Value Proposition: SugarCRM allows businesses to tailor their CRM experience precisely to their requirements, enhancing productivity and customer interactions.
  3. Oracle CRM (Oracle CX Cloud)

    • Key Features: Advanced analytics, AI-driven insights, marketing automation, integrated sales and customer service tools.
    • Strengths: Robust customization options, scalability for large enterprises, and strong data integration capabilities.
    • Value Proposition: Oracle CRM provides a comprehensive solution that integrates with existing enterprise systems, making it ideal for large organizations looking for a data-driven approach to customer relationship management.
  4. Salesloft

    • Key Features: Cadence automation, email tracking, sales analytics, and integration with CRM platforms like Outlook and Salesforce.
    • Strengths: Focused on the sales engagement process; strong collaboration tools; effective metrics for tracking and improving sales performance.
    • Value Proposition: Salesloft helps sales teams streamline their outreach and engagement processes, resulting in improved conversion rates and stronger relationships with prospects.
  5. Insightly

    • Key Features: Project management features, visual pipeline management, advanced reporting, and integration with popular apps like G Suite and Office 365.
    • Strengths: Combines CRM with project management capabilities, making it ideal for teams that require both functionalities.
    • Value Proposition: Insightly offers a versatile solution that not only manages customer relationships but also integrates project management to help teams work together more effectively.

These competitors provide diverse functionalities and target different market segments, making them suitable alternatives to Salesforce for various business needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Salesforce and what does it offer?

Salesforce is a cloud-based customer relationship management (CRM) platform that provides a suite of tools for sales, customer service, marketing automation, analytics, and application development. Its flexibility and extensive ecosystem allow companies to manage customer interactions and data effectively.

What are the main competitors of Salesforce?

Salesforce’s main competitors include HubSpot, Microsoft Dynamics 365, Zoho CRM, Oracle CX Cloud, and SAP Customer Experience. Each of these platforms offers unique features, pricing models, and integration capabilities.

Is Salesforce suitable for small businesses?

Yes, Salesforce offers a range of products that cater to small businesses, including Salesforce Essentials, which is designed specifically for small teams with simpler CRM needs. However, some users find the platform’s complexity and pricing to be more suited for larger enterprises.

How does Salesforce pricing compare to its competitors?

Salesforce pricing generally starts higher than some competitors, such as HubSpot or Zoho CRM. However, it offers a comprehensive range of features that may justify the cost for medium to large businesses. Small businesses should evaluate their specific needs and consider the potential return on investment.

What kind of integrations does Salesforce support?

Salesforce supports a vast array of integrations with third-party applications and services. It features a robust AppExchange marketplace where users can find various add-ons and extensions, as well as APIs for custom integrations, enhancing its versatility in business operations.

How does Salesforce handle data security?

Salesforce places a strong emphasis on data security, employing encryption, multi-factor authentication, and regular security audits. It adheres to compliance standards such as GDPR and CCPA, giving businesses confidence in the protection of their customer data.

Can Salesforce be used for marketing automation?

Yes, Salesforce offers marketing automation capabilities primarily through Salesforce Marketing Cloud, which includes tools for email marketing, social media marketing, advertising management, and customer engagement analytics, making it a comprehensive choice for marketers.

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