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Exam Code: CRT-450 Practice exam 2023 by Killexams.com team
CRT-450 Salesforce Certified Platform Developer I
Course Outline: Salesforce CRT-450 Salesforce Certified Platform Developer I

I. Introduction to Salesforce Development
A. Overview of Salesforce platform
B. Introduction to Salesforce Developer Console
C. Understanding Salesforce development environment

II. Salesforce Data Model
A. Objects and Fields
B. Relationships and Junction Objects
C. Record Types and Page Layouts

III. Apex Programming Language
A. Apex syntax and fundamentals
B. Variables, data types, and expressions
C. Control flow statements and loops
D. Exception handling and debugging
E. DML operations and database methods

IV. SOQL and SOSL Queries
A. Basic and advanced SOQL queries
B. Relationship queries and nested queries
C. SOSL (Salesforce Object Search Language)

V. Apex Triggers
A. Trigger context variables and trigger events
B. Before and after triggers
C. Bulkification and best practices

VI. Apex Testing and Debugging
A. Unit testing with Apex
B. Testing best practices and code coverage
C. Debugging techniques and tools

VII. Lightning Components
A. Introduction to Lightning Web Components (LWC)
B. Component architecture and data binding
C. Component communication and event handling

VIII. Salesforce Security
A. User authentication and authorization
B. Profiles, roles, and permission sets
C. Sharing rules and record-level security

IX. Deployment and Version Control
A. Change sets and Salesforce DX
B. Version control with Git and Salesforce CLI
C. Deployment best practices

Exam Objectives:

Understand the Salesforce platform and development environment
Demonstrate knowledge of the Salesforce data model, including objects, fields, relationships, and record types
Write Apex code and understand its syntax, data types, control flow statements, and exception handling
Query Salesforce data using SOQL and SOSL
Develop and deploy Apex triggers, following best practices
Test and debug Apex code, ensuring proper code coverage
Build Lightning Components using Lightning Web Components (LWC)
Implement Salesforce security measures, including user authentication, authorization, and record-level security
Deploy changes using change sets, Salesforce DX, and version control with Git
Syllabus:
The syllabus for the Salesforce CRT-450 Salesforce Certified Platform Developer I course will cover the following topics:

Introduction to Salesforce Development
Salesforce Data Model
Apex Programming Language
SOQL and SOSL Queries
Apex Triggers
Apex Testing and Debugging
Lightning Components
Salesforce Security
Deployment and Version Control
The course will include lectures, hands-on exercises, and practical assignments to reinforce the concepts taught. Students will be expected to complete individual and group projects to apply their knowledge. The syllabus is designed to prepare students for the Salesforce Certified Platform Developer I exam by covering the exam objectives in detail.
Salesforce Certified Platform Developer I
Salesforce Salesforce exam success
Killexams : Salesforce Salesforce exam success - BingNews https://killexams.com/pass4sure/exam-detail/CRT-450 Search results Killexams : Salesforce Salesforce exam success - BingNews https://killexams.com/pass4sure/exam-detail/CRT-450 https://killexams.com/exam_list/Salesforce Killexams : Salesforce Change Management: 6 Tips to Simplify it

In the ever-evolving landscape of business technology, adapting to change is no longer a choice — it’s a necessity. And when it comes to managing those changes seamlessly, Salesforce stands tall as a powerhouse. However, navigating the intricate realm of Salesforce Change Management can often leave even the most seasoned professionals scratching their heads.

We unveil six invaluable tips that promise to unravel the complexities, making the process not just manageable, but downright straightforward. Whether you’re a salesforce novice or a seasoned pro, these insights will empower you to wield change as a tool for growth, without breaking a sweat.

Clear Change Identification and Prioritization

Before embarking on any salesforce changes, it’s essential to meticulously define the scope and objectives of the proposed modifications. This involves a detailed analysis of the current system, identifying pain points, and recognizing opportunities for enhancement. Once potential changes are identified, a rigorous prioritization process should be employed.

This prioritization should be based on factors such as the anticipated business impact, alignment with strategic goals, and feasibility of implementation. The impacts of any change should be thoroughly evaluated, considering both short-term and long-term consequences. This includes assessing potential disruptions to existing processes, workflows, and user experiences, as well as estimating the financial, resource, and time investments required for successful implementation.

ALSO READ: HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OUT OF YOUR SALESFORCE INVESTMENT

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Successful salesforce change management thrives on collaborative efforts across diverse departments. Forming a dedicated change management team comprising representatives from different functional areas fosters a holistic approach. Involving stakeholders early in the process ensures that all perspectives are considered, mitigating resistance and enhancing buy-in.

Open communication channels must be established to facilitate idea sharing, status updates, and issue resolution. This collaborative synergy not only promotes comprehensive change planning but also empowers a sense of ownership among stakeholders. By uniting expertise and insights from various disciplines, organizations can navigate change with collective strength and drive more successful implementations.

Comprehensive Change Documentation

Thorough documentation is the backbone of effective salesforce change management. Detailed records of change requests, requirements, and implementation plans ensure a clear roadmap for all involved. A well-maintained repository of version-controlled documentation facilitates transparency, aiding in tracing the evolution of changes and reducing confusion. This meticulous documentation also supports knowledge transfer, enabling seamless onboarding and continuity.

By meticulously capturing every step and decision, organizations establish a reliable foundation for change, ensuring that stakeholders remain informed and aligned throughout the process. Robust documentation safeguards against uncertainties and serves as a valuable resource for future enhancements.

Thorough Testing and Quality Assurance

Rigorous testing and quality assurance are cornerstones of successful Salesforce change management. Crafting comprehensive test plans and scenarios allows for the meticulous examination of new configurations and functionalities. User Acceptance Testing (UAT) involving end-users validates the changes from a practical standpoint, ensuring they meet user needs and expectations.

Addressing any detected bugs, performance issues, or discrepancies during testing guarantees a smoother transition. A robust testing phase minimizes post-implementation disruptions and fosters user confidence. By prioritizing quality assurance, organizations fortify their change management process, delivering dependable solutions that align seamlessly with business objectives.

User Training and Support

Empowering users through effective training and ongoing support is pivotal in salesforce change management. Developing comprehensive training materials, including guides and tutorials, equips users with the knowledge to navigate new features and processes. Conducting engaging training sessions and workshops enhances user proficiency and fosters a positive transition experience.

Providing accessible avenues for user support, such as help desks or forums, ensures timely issue resolution and knowledge sharing. Prioritizing user training and support cultivates user confidence, reduces frustration, and promotes efficient utilization of the salesforce platform, ultimately contributing to the success of change initiatives.

Effective Change Rollout and Monitoring

A well-executed change rollout and vigilant monitoring are pivotal to salesforce change management success. Careful planning of controlled rollouts or pilot launches ensures gradual adoption and minimizes disruption. Monitoring user adoption, feedback, and system performance provides valuable insights into the effectiveness of implemented changes. Iterative improvements based on real-time data help fine-tune configurations and address evolving needs.

This proactive approach guarantees that the change’s impact aligns with expectations, promoting sustained user satisfaction. By maintaining a watchful eye on the ongoing change process, organizations can swiftly adapt, optimize, and enhance the Salesforce environment, driving long-term success and continuous improvement.

Simplifying Salesforce change management is a multi-faceted endeavor that demands strategic planning, collaboration, documentation, testing, training, and vigilant monitoring. By adhering to these key principles, organizations can navigate transitions with clarity, engage stakeholders effectively, and ensure seamless system enhancements. Embracing change as an iterative process allows for agility and continuous improvement, leading to a Salesforce environment that not only meets current needs but also lays a solid foundation for future innovation and success.

ALSO READ: SALESFORCE GENIE CAN TRANSFORM YOUR SALES STRATEGY

 Sun, 13 Aug 2023 23:03:00 -0500 en-US text/html https://pctechmag.com/2023/08/salesforce-change-management-6-tips-to-simplify-it/ Killexams : What 37 Analyst Ratings Have To Say About Salesforce

Salesforce CRM has observed the following analyst ratings within the last quarter:

Bullish Somewhat Bullish Indifferent Somewhat Bearish Bearish
Total Ratings 11 17 8 1 0
Last 30D 1 0 0 0 0
1M Ago 1 1 1 0 0
2M Ago 3 2 0 0 0
3M Ago 6 14 7 1 0

In the last 3 months, 37 analysts have offered 12-month price targets for Salesforce. The company has an average price target of $238.16 with a high of $278.00 and a low of $153.00.

Below is a summary of how these 37 analysts rated Salesforce over the past 3 months. The greater the number of bullish ratings, the more positive analysts are on the stock and the greater the number of bearish ratings, the more negative analysts are on the stock

This average price target has increased by 5.59% over the past month.

Stay up to date on Salesforce analyst ratings.

Benzinga tracks 150 analyst firms and reports on their stock expectations. Analysts typically arrive at their conclusions by predicting how much money a company will make in the future, usually the upcoming five years, and how risky or predictable that company's revenue streams are.

Analysts attend company conference calls and meetings, research company financial statements, and communicate with insiders to publish their ratings on stocks. Analysts typically rate each stock once per quarter or whenever the company has a major update.

Some analysts publish their predictions for metrics such as growth estimates, earnings, and revenue to provide additional guidance with their ratings. When using analyst ratings, it is important to keep in mind that stock and sector analysts are also human and are only offering their opinions to investors.

If you want to keep track of which analysts are outperforming others, you can view updated analyst ratings along withanalyst success scores in Benzinga Pro.

This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

© 2023 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

 Wed, 16 Aug 2023 08:00:00 -0500 text/html https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/23/08/33882307/what-37-analyst-ratings-have-to-say-about-salesforce Killexams : Salesforce Unveils Einstein Studio: Develop and Implement Your Custom AI Models

In an exciting announcement, Salesforce has introduced Einstein Studio, empowering users to create and deploy their bespoke AI models. This innovation opens doors for businesses to harness AI’s potential in a personalized and tailored manner, driving enhanced insights and efficiency.

Einstein Studio is designed to offer a user-friendly environment for building AI models that suit specific business requirements. This cutting-edge platform empowers users to take charge of their AI journey, even without extensive technical backgrounds. By combining intuitive tools and robust capabilities, Einstein Studio ensures that the power of AI is accessible to a broader spectrum of professionals.

With Einstein Studio, companies can tailor AI models to match their unique data and challenges. This level of customization allows for a deeper understanding of customer behaviors, more accurate predictions, and optimized decision-making processes. The ability to deploy these custom models directly within the Salesforce ecosystem enhances user experiences and drives intelligent automation across various touchpoints.

Furthermore, Einstein Studio’s integration within the Salesforce platform simplifies the deployment process. This seamless integration eliminates the need for complex integrations, ensuring that businesses can swiftly implement their custom AI models into their existing workflows. In this case, Salesforce integration services are becoming very significant. 

This announcement underscores Salesforce’s commitment to democratizing AI and making it a practical tool for businesses of all sizes. By putting the power of AI model creation and deployment in the hands of users, Einstein Studio empowers organizations to unlock new dimensions of growth and innovation.

In the rapidly evolving landscape of AI, Einstein Studio stands as a testament to Salesforce’s dedication to staying at the forefront of technological advancements. This tool not only amplifies the capabilities of businesses but also reinforces Salesforce’s position as a leader in providing solutions that bridge the gap between technology and business needs.

In conclusion, the unveiling of Einstein Studio marks a significant stride in the AI arena. Businesses now have the means to develop and implement AI models that resonate with their unique objectives, fostering better insights and smarter decision-making. As this cutting-edge platform becomes an integral part of the Salesforce ecosystem, it ushers in a new era of customized AI solutions that drive success across industries.

 Sun, 13 Aug 2023 17:02:00 -0500 Adil Husnain en-US text/html https://techbullion.com/salesforce-unveils-einstein-studio-develop-and-implement-your-custom-ai-models/ Killexams : Salesforce places guardrails around how customers can use its AI

Dive Brief:

  • Salesforce updated its AI acceptable use policy to place guardrails around its AI services, according to a document published Wednesday. The update comes amid increased industry scrutiny over generative AI data use.
  • Customers are not allowed to leverage the company's AI products — or any third-party services linked to Salesforce services — for purposes related to child abuse, deepfakes, prediction of protected categories or automating decisions with legal effects, among other use cases.
  • "These policy updates allow customers to use Salesforce products with confidence, knowing they and their end users are receiving a truly ethical AI experience from product development to deployment," said Paula Goldman, chief ethical and humane use officer at Salesforce, in a blog post Wednesday.

Dive Insight:

The policy update from Salesforce is the latest effort from the provider to address the risk concerns of would-be enterprise technology adopters. 

In June, the company rolled out Einstein GPT Trust Layer, a service designed to let customers access enterprise-ready data security and compliance safeguards while leveraging generative AI tools. 

"The GPT Trust Layer gives connected LLMs secure, real-time access to data without the need to move all of your data into the LLM itself," said Marc Benioff, Salesforce chairman and co-CEO, speaking in May during the company's Q1 2024 earnings call. "While they're using the LLMs, the data itself is not moving and being stored in the LLM. That is what our customers want."

As enterprise adoption of generative AI advances, more than half of IT leaders say inaccuracies and cybersecurity are associated risks of the emerging technology, according to a report from QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey. 

Salesforce, with its guidelines clearly stating usage limitations, is showing leadership among the provider ecosystem in terms of responsible AI, according to Juliette Powell and Art Kleiner, professors at New York University.

"On the surface, the new policy may look unenforceable, but it's an addition to Salesforce's Acceptable Use and External Facing Services Policy, which clearly states that violators could lose their Salesforce licenses," the professors said via email. "It will be really interesting to see which companies are targeted first." 

The new policy from Salesforce comes as another major provider updated its own terms of service in response to criticisms over data use. 

Zoom updated its terms and conditions to clarify the provider would be able to access customer content for safety and legal purposes, but not use any customer data to train third-party or its own AI models. 

 Wed, 23 Aug 2023 09:18:00 -0500 Roberto Torres en-US text/html https://www.ciodive.com/news/salesforce-generative-AI-acceptable-use/691694/ Killexams : Salesforce Pricing 2023: Everything You Need To Know

While Salesforce has many different products with pricing structures that often require a quote from the company, we’ve compiled the basic pricing for their sales CRM only.

It should be noted that the pricing is the same no matter how large your business is, but Salesforce markets a small business plan for each of its three main products of Sales, Service and Pardot. The prices are listed by Salesforce as being the same as they are listed for larger businesses. Their small business offering is more of a summary of what they recommend for businesses with smaller teams and less-needed accounts.

As you can see in the table above, as you scale up your pricing plan you’ll be able to get access to more rich features meant for larger or scaling businesses. The Essentials plan should be great for most small businesses with fewer than five sales team members, unless you are looking for something with accurate sales forecasting.

Features of Salesforce CRM

As you grow your business, you’ll be able to take advantage of the more advanced features like workflow automation. All businesses will have sales team members with a lot to juggle who can benefit from this. But more importantly, the larger your team is, the more automation you’ll need to make sure all processes are the same and tie back into your analytics correctly.

Your team will get access to the Salesforce mobile app no matter what plan you choose, which allows you to input data on any lead right from your phone. You’ll also be able to check any information you need as you’re on the go attempting to sell in person. It’s a great time-saver to help your sales team take their customer relationships to the next level.

If you’re looking for advanced developer tools, such as a sandbox or the ability to add custom applications, then you’ll want to check with your dev team for their specific needs. Some of these tools are unlocked with the Professional plan but most do not become available until you pay for Enterprise.

Finally, no matter what plan you choose, you can use Salesforce with any major email provider as you’ll be able to integrate your Gmail or Outlook service directly into the platform. This is a huge time-saver as you’re communicating either via cold reach out or a back-and-forth with your leads.

 Wed, 02 Feb 2022 02:52:00 -0600 Jeff White en-US text/html https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/salesforce-pricing-guide/ Killexams : Salesforce layoffs continue, employees from Sales and Customer Success teams impacted by fresh round No result found, try new keyword!And now, Salesforce employees have been affected by the layoffs yet again and this time, people from Sales and Customer Success teams got the axe. According to a report by Bloomberg, Salesforce ... Thu, 03 Aug 2023 04:43:00 -0500 en-us text/html https://www.msn.com/ Killexams : Salesforce Pricing: How Much Does Salesforce Cost in 2023?

Salesforce pricing starts at $25 per user, per month for its Sales Cloud and Service Cloud platforms, with more expensive plans getting as high as $330 per user, per month. These monthly fees will vary depending on the needs and scale of your business. The difference between the above two figures is startling, so the smartest move you can make is to get a direct price quote from Salesforce for how much Salesforce will cost for your exact business needs.

You can also use our CRM quote comparison tool to receive quotes from a range of CRM providers, in addition to Salesforce. It's worth noting that, in August 2023, Salesforce changed its pricing across most of its prominent plans, increasing most plans by an average of 9% each. Luckily, the $25 per user, per month plan was unchanged, but more expensive plans did see an increase.

The most popular Salesforce platform is the Sales Cloud, which is why we've outlined this in the table below. Scroll down for all of Salesforce's plans and pricing information, including Sales and Marketing solutions.

File storage: 1GB
Data storage: 10GB + 20MB per license

File storage: 10GB + 2GB per license
Data storage: 10GB + 20MB per license

File storage: 10GB + 2GB per license
Data storage: 10GB + 20MB per license

File storage: 10GB + 2GB per license
Data storage: 10GB + 20MB per license

$15/user/month

Salesforce's most expensive solutions are its robust marketing automation platforms. Prices for this come in at between $1,250 per month and $15,000 per month, so you can see the price tag can vary wildly depending on exactly what you're looking for.

Worried about how much Salesforce will cost your business? Compare price plans in a few simple steps with our custom quote tool.

Salesforce CRM Pricing

When it comes to determining the best price your business can get for Salesforce, or any software, the most important thing is to understand which pricing plan is sufficient for your exact business needs so you're not overpaying for features you won't use.

That’s why we’ve created our unique quote matching tool – it takes seconds to fill out but can save your business time and money. Last year, we helped thousands of businesses like yourself find the right services and products. Fill in a few quick questions about your business and we'll match you to the best solution.

Keep scrolling to work out for yourself which Salesforce price plan might best meet your needs. We'll look at Salesforce's costs for each tier and product. Plus, help you decide if this Salesforce is the right CRM system for your company, or if an alternative might offer you better value.

Since our last update...

For the first time in more than seven years, Salesforce has increased its prices on the majority of its popular plans, with the changes effective from August 2023. The Professional, Enterprise, and Unlimited plans all saw an average increase of around 9%, while the Starter plan fortunately stayed at the competitive $25 per user, per month.

What's the reason for the increase? According to the official Salesforce press release, it's because the company has substantially increased its generative AI offerings, including AI Cloud, Einstein GPT, and Sales GPT and Service GPT. As a result, the platform has increased prices to make up for the increased functionality of Salesforce as a whole.

Salesforce Pricing Plans

Salesforce divides its various services into what it calls “clouds.” Unsure about what service your business might need? Tired of the ambiguous pricing models of business software? We get it – comparing the different pricing plans is confusing and it can be extremely costly should you get it wrong. If you want to save time, you can join the dozens of other businesses who have used our quote-finding form and get matched to a pricing plan much quicker this way.

  • Sales Cloud Costs – from $25 per month, is the company's basic CRM system; it includes all the basics you need for client management, including client records, lead tracking, deals, notes, and more.
  • Service Cloud Costs – from $25 per month, allows for online customer service on any device, and the ability to integrate customer service data with client records in other Salesforce clouds.
  • Marketing Cloud Engagement Costs– from $1,250 per month, allows you to create one-to-one marketing campaigns.
  • Marketing Cloud Account Engagement Costs (Formerly Pardot)– from $1,250 per month, this marketing automation platform can streamline a lot of your marketing.
  • Salesforce Quip Pricing – from $100 per month, this collaboration platform helps ease the transition to remote work.

Sales, Marketing, and Service are the primary clouds Salesforce offers. Beyond that, the company has a variety of other services, including a development platform for building Salesforce-powered apps, online forums connected to CRM data, and more.

For those just starting out, however, Sales Cloud is the place to start.

For pricing, Salesforce offers a wide variety of pricing levels. Essentials is for teams of five or less and applies only to the Sales and Service clouds. As you go up in pricing tiers, Salesforce becomes more customizable and adds higher levels of support.

There's also Lightning Professional, Lightning Enterprise, and Lightning Unlimited. The Lightning suite of services all use a different user interface than the classic versions of these plan tiers but offer the basically same features (albeit with a few new productivity tools).

You can read more about the Lightning services here. Ultimately, while the “Lightning” name can be a little confusing, the services it offers are just a mildly revamped version of the services we discuss here and come with the same benefits and price tags.
Marketing Cloud - Engagement
Marketing Cloud - Engagement
Marketing Cloud - Engagement
Marketing Cloud - Account Engagement
Marketing Cloud - Account Engagement
Marketing Cloud - Account Engagement
Marketing Cloud - Account Engagement

Salesforce Marketing Cloud

Salesforce Marketing Cloud

Salesforce Marketing Cloud

Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement (Formerly Pardot)

Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement (Formerly Pardot)

Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement (Formerly Pardot)

Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement (Formerly Pardot)

Salesforce Sales Cloud Costs

The Sales Cloud is the standard Salesforce software. The main features will allow every employee in a company to easily manage their accounts, contacts, leads, and opportunities, all from a single interface. It's also one of the few CRM options that allows for sales forecasting functionality across all its pricing plans. AI-powered tools and customizable templates can further streamline and automate daily chores, cutting down on costs and helping agents focus on what matters.

Each of the four tiers offers more features and functionality than the last. Sales Essentials costs $25 per user, per month; Lightning Professional is $80 per user, per month; Lightning Enterprise is $165 per user, per month; and Lightning Unlimited is $330 per user, per month.

It's worth noting that the Unlimited plan is where you can unlock the built-in AI features, which provide in-depth lead and opportunity scoring, as well as insights into customer interactions and deal health at your business.

As is often the case, the closest competitor to Salesforce Sales Cloud is the HubSpot Sales Hub, which offers many of the same features at a slightly lower price (starting at $23 per user per month). You are required to have at least two users though, so starting price is actually a minimum of $45 per month.

Salesforce is a good option, but it isn't the best CRM for sales, according to our research. That honor goes to Zoho CRM, which offers lots of features but at a reasonable price point that won't scare off smaller businesses. Salesforce does, however, offer some of the most robust sales dashboards on the market.

File storage: 1GB
Data storage: 10GB + 20MB per license

File storage: 10GB + 2GB per license
Data storage: 10GB + 20MB per license

File storage: 10GB + 2GB per license
Data storage: 10GB + 20MB per license

File storage: 10GB + 2GB per license
Data storage: 10GB + 20MB per license

$15/user/month

Salesforce Service Cloud Costs

Service Cloud is a key part of Salesforce's products. It's a fully functional customer service platform that integrates seamlessly with Salesforce, putting your customer data at the fingertips of all those in your company that need it.

The Community 360 feature, for example, allows customer service agents to see if your clients have looked for help already on your website or filed any support tickets. This helps the agents get a better picture of what's going on with any given client.

With Service Cloud, Salesforce says you can reach any customer on any device to meet their needs as they arise.

The costs for Service Cloud are the same as for the Sales Cloud. Essentials is $25 per user, per month, Lightning Professional starts at $80 per user, per month, Lightning Enterprise costs $165 per user, per month, and Lightning Unlimited starts at $330 per user, per month.

The availability of Einstein AI features is relegated to the Enterprise plan and Unlimited plan only. Additionally, the functionality will cost extra, running businesses an additional $50 per month for advanced analytics and smart service features.

While Salesforce Service Cloud is a respectable option when it comes to customer support platforms, our research showed that Zendesk is actually the better option, depending on your needs. It's more affordable, easier to use, and allows support across virtually every channel you can imagine, whereas Salesforce is missing some, like phone support.

Read our full Salesforce vs Zendesk comparison here.

Website Live Chat Comms Channel

Requires Telephony Integration

Requires Telephony integration

Requires Telephony Integration or Service Cloud Voice Add-on

Yes – but limited to 1 license

Additional cost

Yes (Maximum of 2).

Yes (maximum of 2)

Yes (maxium of 2)

Yes (maximum of 2)
  • Internal knowledge base
  • Agent monitoring
  • Unified Case Queue
  • Task Dashboard
  • Team Comms
  • Manual Ticket Routing
  • User hierarchy
  • Int. knowledge base
  • Team SLAs
  • Agent monitoring
  • Ind. Targets
  • Unif. Case Queue
  • Calendar
  • Task Dashboard
  • Team Comms
  • Manual Ticket Routing
  • User hierarchy
  • Int. knowledge base
  • Team SLAs
  • Agent monitoring
  • Ind. Targets
  • Unif. Case Queue
  • Calendar
  • Task Dashboard
  • Team Comms
  • Manual Ticket Routing
  • User hierarchy
  • Int. knowledge base
  • Team SLAs
  • Agent monitoring
  • Ind. Targets
  • Unif. Case Queue
  • Calendar
  • Task Dashboard
  • Team Comms
  • Manual Ticket Routing

Salesforce Marketing Cloud

Salesforce also offers a Marketing Cloud, which is made up of a wide range of different platforms, each with their own set of pricing plans. For the average business, there are two platforms that our research shows are the best fit for you: the Marketing Cloud Engagement platform and the Marketing Cloud Account Engagement platform.

As for the difference between the two platforms, Marketing Cloud Engagement is intended for B2C businesses whereas Marketing Cloud Account Engagement is intended for B2B businesses. The difference in the max number of contacts per plan is the key indicator here because Marketing Cloud Account Engagement has a lot less contacts allocated to customers as B2B businesses have less need for a huge library of customer details.

Read on for the pricing information about each of these two Marketing Cloud platforms.

Salesforce Marketing Cloud Engagement Costs

The Marketing Cloud Engagement platform is Salesforce's one-to-one marketing platform, which integrates with other Salesforce “clouds” for a more complete understanding of your customers' history.

The idea with Marketing Cloud Engagement is to meet your customers wherever they are. You can use Salesforce's platform to send out marketing emails, advertise to them online, send them mobile alerts, and encourage them to land on your e-commerce pages.

Salesforce says this can all happen at scale, giving your customers a more personalized experience without handcrafting every single message that goes out the proverbial door.

Marketing Cloud Engagement's pricing is a little more expensive than the Sales and Service Clouds. It offers three distinct plans: Pro, Corporate, and Enterprise. The Pro plan costs $1,250 per month, and the Corporate plan rounds it out at $3,750 per month. The Enterprise plan requires you to contact Salesforce to get a quote.

For the best AI-powered results, you'll need to subscribe to the Corporate or Enterprise plans, as the Pro plan does not have AI functionality built in. With these features, you can supercharge your marketing campaign with smart insights to reach and convert customers.

In our research, we found that Salesforce Marketing Cloud Engagement platform isn't the best CRM for marketing, particularly if you're worried about price. It's very expensive and outside of extensive data visualizations, doesn't offer as much as our top pick, HubSpot Marketing Hub. With this robust option, you'll be able to take care of all your marketing needs from a single hub, including email, social, content, and paid. It's also quite expensive, but at least you're getting a lot of bang for your buck.

Custom automation builder

30 days

30 days

30 days

Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement Costs (Formerly Pardot)

Salesforce acquired the marketing automation service Pardot in 2012, and now offers it as an add-on for Salesforce users. Formerly known as Salesforce Pardot and now referred to as the Marketing Cloud Account Engagement platform, the service streamlines a marketing team's daily and long-term tasks, from automating all the simple chores to sending custom alerts that can jog agents' memories to ensure they follow up on all of their clients' needs.

Marketing Cloud Account Engagement offers an impressive range of features in four main marketing categories: lead generation, thanks to tools covering lead tracking, email, social media, landing pages, and A/B testing; lead management, due to custom-designed engagement and nurturing programs; sales alignment, with tools including customer activity tracking, campaigns, and CRM integration; and, finally, ROI reporting, with metrics tracking tools that cover the whole sales funnel.

Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement comes in four plans — Growth, starting at $1,250 per month; Plus, starting at $2,500 per month; Advanced, starting at $4,000 per month; and Premium, starting at $15,000 per month. All four plans cover up to 10,000 contacts at this base price — except for Premium which allows for 75,000 and are differentiated mainly by the features each offers.

You'll need to grab the Advanced or Premium plans if you're interested in using artificial intelligence to Excellerate your business. These plans come with Einstein AI built in, so you can reach out to your leads at the perfect moment to ensure a sale is as likely as possible.

If Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement sounds right for you, or you just want to check out whether it will work for your specific business needs, then you can join the thousands other businesses we helped to get set up with the platform. Save time and money by taking a minute to fill out our free, no-commitment form right now.

You can check out the pricing table below to see a few main differences, though you'll need to head over to our dedicated Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement pricing and benefits page to get the full breakdown.

Salesforce Quip Pricing

If your team has gone remote during the pandemic, you might be in need of some kind of collaboration platform. With Salesforce Quip, you can connect with your team in a meaningful way alongside your Sales, Marketing and Customer Service tasks, while keeping within the Salesforce suite.

Salesforce Quip costs $100 per user, per month on top of other Salesforce plans, and allows for activities including document and spreadsheet sharing, real time updates on team progress, mobile optimization for business on the go, and team messaging to stay in touch easily and effectively.

Does Salesforce Have a Free Plan?

No, Salesforce does not offer a free plan. The cheapest basic plan is the Sales or Service cloud, either one of which starts at $25/user/month.

A few big names in CRM – Apptivo, HubSpot, and Zoho CRM – do offer free plans, although all of them come with one big caveat: a limited feature set. Apptivo's free plan only supports a maximum of three users, for instance, compared to Salesforce's minimum of five.

Cost is not the only issue to consider, of course: You also have to decide whether the CRM platform you pick has the right features, integrations, and storage capacity for your needs. Not all CRM systems are the same, and any free option is unlikely to have all the features you'll need, particularly if you plan to expand your operation in the future.

What you'll notice from the pricing table above is that Salesforce – like pretty much all CRM platforms – charges on a per user, per month basis. Salesforce Essentials for Sales Cloud, for example, charges $25 per user, per month. There's a set minimum of five users, but no maximum.

If, however, you need help with marketing, we'd recommend the Salesforce Marketing Cloud Account Engagement platform. This option is just a simply monthly fee, but prices can up from there depending on your needs — it starts at $1,250 per month and goes all the way to $15,000 per month.

Annoyed by complicated pricing models? Compare the cost of Salesforce plans in a minute or two with our free quotes tool.

Per-user pricing schemes are typical for business software. It ensures the pricing structure is scalable, so it won't break the bank for the smallest companies that only need Sales Cloud for a few users, while still charging a fair price for larger companies.

If you need a CRM system for a full five users, you'll be paying around $1,500 per year for Salesforce. If you're a small company of 10 users moving up to the Lightning Professional tier, then you'll be paying about $9,000 per year.

When you're considering which clouds to pay for, keep in mind the number of current employees as well as how quickly you plan to expand. Keeping the per-user pricing in mind means you'll always know how much you'll be paying for Salesforce at any given time, which you can evaluate with our price comparison form.

New Salesforce Pricing: August 2023 Price Increase Explained

Salesforce recently announced in August 2023 that the platform would be undergoing a price increase across the majority of its Clouds and pricing plans. The move is a rare one from Salesforce, as the company hasn't seen a price increase to its popular CRM platform in more than seven years. Still, it can be a bit jarring for those familiar with Salesforce, which is why we wanted to explain it as effectively as possible.

For starters, it's not a massive increase, which is always good to hear. Pricing plans are getting on average a 9% increase, which certainly won't break the bank. The Professional plan has gone from $75 to $80 per user, per month, the Enterprise plan has gone from $150 to $165 per user, per month, and the Unlimited plan has gone from $300 to $330 per user, per month.

As for the reason behind the price increase, the development and rollout of generative AI technology to the platform is the main driver – at least according to the company itself.

“Salesforce is leading the way on delivering trusted generative AI for the enterprise and helping customers in all industries adopt and deploy AI.” – Salesforce

Salesforce has been hard to work to bring generative AI functionality to its wide variety of platforms. More specifically, Salesforce recently launched an Einstein GPT tool that can Excellerate sales, service, and marketing efforts at your business. On top of that, it has rolled out AI Cloud and Sales GPT and Service GPT, so it's safe to say that the slight price increase is more than worth it.

Alternatives to Salesforce CRM Prices

While Salesforce is an undeniably popular choice when it comes to CRM, it's not ideal for everyone. In fact, given the higher price and the robust nature of the platform, Salesforce can be a bit intimidating for certain businesses. Fortunately, the CRM market is riddled with amazing platforms that can get the job done.

Here are some of our top picks for CRM alternatives to Salesforce that can handle marketing, sales, customer service, and small businesses:

HubSpot pricing vs Salesforce pricing

Salesforce Marketing Hub is a competitive, albeit very expensive option when it comes to CRM, but our research found that HubSpot is your best bet in that regard. Both are quite expensive, with the HubSpot Marketing Hub starting at $45 per month, but HubSpot offers a great free plan, whereas Salesforce merely has a 30-day free trial. Simply put, HubSpot is just more accessible to users than Salesforce, particularly when it comes to marketing.

Zendesk pricing vs Salesforce pricing

For customer service, we highly recommend Zendesk for your business as a low-cost alternative to Salesforce. This platform offers a whole bunch of pricing plans and options — starting at $19 per user per month — so you can cater the cost to your particular needs. Zendesk offers the most built-in communication channels on the market, as well as some great perks like offline customer service options and ticketing functionality.

Zoho CRM pricing vs Salesforce pricing

Obviously, Salesforce is known for its sales platform, and if you can afford the cost and have a bigger team, we definitely recommend going with Salesforce. Still, Zoho CRM provides a great sales platform that can handle your needs at a lower price, starting at $14 per user per month and offering free plan to try, too. In fact, we found that Zoho CRM is the best option for small businesses, thanks to low prices and still plenty of features.

Verdict: Is Salesforce Worth the Cost?

As you can tell, Salesforce pricing varies dramatically from plan to plan, with options starting at $25 per user, per month for basic sales and service software, all the way to $15,000 per month for more robust marketing tools.

As you can imagine, smaller teams won't need to pay that much for a comprehensive platform that can get work done. Small businesses should stick to the lower priced Sales Cloud and Service Cloud options, as costs are low and competitive with other platforms. For marketing, Salesforce gets pretty complicated and expensive, and there are better options out there, like HubSpot.

Still unsure about Salesforce pricing? For a quick price comparison, use our free CRM price comparison tool and receive exact prices matched to your business requirements. It only takes a minute but can save you a lot!

No, all Salesforce plans are billed annually, despite Salesforce prices being broken down on a monthly basis. So, you'll have to sign up for at least a full year of service when it comes time to pay.

Unfortunately, Salesforce does not offer a free plan. However, if you're wary about purchasing the software for a full year without having a chance to try it out first, have no fear. Salesforce does offer a free trial of 30 days, so you can decide whether or not it's the right CRM software for you and your business.

Salesforce pricing starts at $25 per user, per month for basic sales and service plans, with more expensive plans as high as $330 per user, per month. For more advanced tools like Marketing Cloud, you'll pay between $1,250 per month and as much as $15,000 per month. Simply put, an average Salesforce cost is hard to nail down, but we'd say you can expect to pay around $80 per user, per month for a standard plan as a small business.

The cheapest Salesforce licenses are the Sales Cloud and the Service Cloud, which individually cost $25 per user, per month.

Our research shows that Salesforce is not a great value for the money, due to its high price and somewhat limited feature offering for its less expensive plans. Larger businesses may be interested in its enterprise offerings, but smaller businesses should likely look elsewhere to save a few bucks.

Compared to other top CRM providers, Salesforce isn't expensive, but it isn't super cheap, either. With a price range of $25 per user per month to $330 per user per month depending on the plan, Salesforce comes in at about the average for the industry. To find out exactly how much Salesforce will cost for your business, check out our Salesforce quote tool.

As far as value for money is concerned though, Salesforce does offer a robust features package as well as impressive support options, so you're definitely getting some serious bang for your buck.

Salesforce is considered one of the best CRM software choices on the market today. Between the robust customer support options, the vast catalog of CRM features, and the frequently updated platform to keep up with changing trends, Salesforce offers a high quality, efficient platform across the board.

However, it's always important to consider exactly what you need CRM software for at your business before making a decision, and Salesforce may not always match those needs, which is why a little bit of research on other CRM providers can go a long way.

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Our research found that HubSpot is the best Salesforce alternative, offering a similarly scalable platform with lots of features and impressive analytics. Plus, HubSpot offers a robust free plan with plenty of functionality to get started right away.

Salesforce is the most popular CRM in the world and for good reason. It's become an incredibly comprehensive platform over its 20+ years of life, known for its in-depth reporting dashboards and helpful tools for sales, marketing, and customer service organizations. It's not perfect, though, with a high price tag, no free plan, and a complicated interface, which is why we've collected some alternatives to Salesforce for you to choose from.

Best Salesforce Alternatives Overview

  • HubSpot is a far better choice for marketing than any other CRM including Salesforce.
  • SugarCRM offers a great budget option, although it seriously lacks when it comes to customer service.
  • Freshworks CRM has a genuinely good free tier (something Salesforce can't offer).
  • Microsoft Dynamics 365 is a pretty expensive option but offers great integration with other Microsoft products.
  • Zoho CRM is the best CRM for small businesses, offering low-cost plans and a free plan to get started fast.

Click the links above to get started, or use the button below to generate custom price quotes for Salesforce and its alternatives today.

So, with all these great Salesforce alternatives on the market, would we ward you off choosing Salesforce entirely? No chance – Salesforce is a market leader for good reason, and between best-in-class features and some surprisingly competitive tailored pricing plans there are plenty of reasons to opt for Salesforce.

In this guide, we'll examine the merits of each of Salesforce's main competitors, and those of Salesforce itself, helping you to decide which is the best CRM software for your own business, whether it be for marketing, sales, or customer service.

Choosing a CRM platform is all about finding the right fit – something that offers the features you need, and the customizability every business requires. Our advice is to always seek out a personalized quote for the needs and scale of your business – and you can do this using our simple, no-obligation CRM quotes form. That way, you can make sure you're investing in a CRM solution that's fit for your purposes and budget.

Top Alternatives to Salesforce CRM

It's tempting to think that all CRM platforms must be the same, since they all have similar goals in mind, but nothing could be further from the truth. Each platform has its own focus and specialization, as well as various supporting services that will create a unique fit for each company. Here's a quick rundown of the Salesforce alternatives we'll be looking at in this article:

  • HubSpot — A “freemium” CRM that offers its basic-tier CRM platform for free, and features stellar marketing tools for your business.
  • Freshworks CRM — A highly intuitive, feature-packed CRM that has a respectable free plan.
  • Microsoft Dynamics — A top choice if integration with existing Microsoft business services and platforms is key.
  • SugarCRM — A flexible, intuitive CRM platform with loads of customization options.
  • Zoho CRM — An easy to use CRM that is ideal for small businesses that still need a lot of functionality.

Customer Relationship Management is a key part of any business strategy. With the right CRM platform, companies can keep better track of their customers, convert leads into recurring customers, and retain current customers with the right attention. If you're having trouble deciding which CRM platform to use, this article will help by running through the highlights of the biggest competitors to Salesforce, as well as taking a brief look at Salesforce itself.

HubSpot CRM

The key appeal of HubSpot is also its biggest differentiation from Salesforce: it starts by offering the basic HubSpot CRM for free, with virtually no limits on users or features for the basic CRM for following up on leads, opportunities, and tracking your customer database. The company prides itself on offering a product that takes “minutes to learn,” and provides a dashboard with an at-a-glance view for all ongoing deals. It also integrates with Gmail and Outlook to easily pull in email data, for better visibility of customer interactions within your organization.

HubSpot Features

For any business that needs to go beyond the basic CRM, HubSpot offers additional CRM-related platforms called ‘hubs' for one-to-one marketing, sales (beyond the basic CRM), and customer service. All of these hubs have free tiers; however, the added features that most businesses would want requires a monthly subscription.

HubSpot Pricing

HubSpot pricing varies pretty dramatically based on which hubs you're interested in taking advantage of, with each adhering to three pricing plans: Starter, Professional, and Enterprise. If you're interested in marketing, sales, and service hubs, the price is going to be pretty hefty, particularly for the enterprise-level plans. That's the benefit of HubSpot, though: you can mix and match depending on your needs to save a bit of money.

Why HubSpot Is a Good Salesforce Alternative

HubSpot is a better alternative to Salesforce because of the marketing features available. In fact, HubSpot is the best CRM available for marketing features, according to our research. HubSpot's marketing hub offers ad management and retargeting, conversational chatbots, and landing pages, and that's all found in the Starter plan. Simply put, if you're looking for a CRM with marketing capabilities, HubSpot is your absolute best bet.

On top of that, HubSpot offers a free plan, which Salesforce doesn't, but it's also better than other free plans on this list, like Zoho CRM. It offers significantly more functionality across sales, marketing, and customer service, with Zoho CRM offering the most basic options compared to HubSpot's surprisingly advanced free offerings.

Check out our guide HubSpot Pricing for more, or see our full HubSpot vs Salesforce guide

Pros

  • Free plan available
  • Provides sales, marketing, and service functionality
  • Tidy, easy to navigate interface

Cons

  • Limited customization
  • Basically no customer support
  • File storage limit to 5 documents

Freshworks CRM

Freshworks is the umbrella under which Freshsales, Freshmarketer, and Freshdesk operate under. These offerings are typically a bit more affordable than your average CRM and offers enough features to get you through. With a highly intuitive UI and a powerful feature set including built-in phone and email, AI-based lead scoring, visual deal pipeline, intelligent workflow automation, and customizable visual reports and dashboards, it gives businesses everything they need to manage their sales without having to juggle multiple tools.

Freshworks CRM Features

At these prices, it's understandable that Freshworks doesn't have all the features of a Salesforce or a Hubspot, particularly when it comes to data visualization and analytics. However, at this price, it offers quite a lot of features, especially those that are used to engage new customers online. Simply put, if you're trying to save a bit of money without sacrificing a lot, Freshworks is a great place to start.

Freshworks CRM Pricing

Freshworks CRM offers three different pricing plans across its many offerings: Growth, Pro and Enterprise. You'll also get access to a free plan across the board, allowing you unlimited users with obviously stripped-down functionality compared to the paid plans. Still, it's a great way to test out the software before making a financial commitment.

Why Freshworks CRM Is a Good Salesforce Alternative

It's got to be the price on this one. Freshworks is infinitely less expensive than Salesforce, as well as other options on this list like HubSpot, even when it comes t infamously expensive marketing plans. In fact, on average Freshworks plans are nearly ten times less expensive than their Salesforce counterparts, making it a good to budget option that doesn't sacrifice too much.

A lower cost option with sales, marketing, and service functionality

Pros

  • Packed with a great catalog of features
  • Highly intuitive user interface, easy for beginners
  • Free tier available

Cons

  • Reporting tools are a bit limited
  • Some key features exclusive to expensive plans

Microsoft Dynamics

Microsoft's newest mission is to bring its software to every platform with seamless integration between its various products, and the company's CRM, Microsoft Dynamics, is no exception. If your company already lives and breathes the Microsoft platform, with products such as Office 365 and Outlook for email, then the Dynamics CRM can make a lot of sense. Dynamics is also a good platform if you've been wanting to try out Microsoft HoloLens as a business tool, since it integrates with that as well. Dynamics feels very much like a tool that is ideal for large enterprises and active medium-sized businesses but may be overkill for smaller companies.

Microsoft Dynamics Features

Microsoft offers some unique tools that go beyond the CRM within the Dynamics umbrella of services. These include platforms for finance, operations, and talent recruiting, as well as services we've seen elsewhere, such as customer service and marketing platforms. It's incredibly robust as far as features are concerned, which is why it's such a great option.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Marketing

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Service

30 days

30 days

30 days

An expensive, robust tool for analytics that's better suited to current Microsoft users

A bit too expensive for most, but great for managing teams closely

A great, customizable platform aimed at larger businesses

Microsoft Dynamics Pricing

The Microsoft Dynamics pricing scheme is certainly different than what you might be used to. Like HubSpot, it offers a wide range of specific options, so that you can mix and match exactly what you're looking for. It can get pretty expensive if you're looking to add every piece of it, which includes field service, customer service, marketing, sales, finances, operations, commerce, and human resources, but hopefully you're only looking for a few of these.

Why Microsoft Dynamics Is a Good Salesforce Alternative

Microsoft Dynamics is similarly robust when it comes to comparisons with Salesforce, but the biggest edge it has over everyone's favorite CRM is that it's from Microsoft. This means that it integrates flawlessly with Office, Outlook, and many other Microsoft systems. So if your company is already set up with Microsoft, then the Dynamics platform is the way to go.

Along with all that, Microsoft Dynamics allows for seamless integration with other Microsoft services like Teams and Outlook. And while options like Zoho CRM and Pipedrive offer similar integrations through third-party services, you really can't beat the original when it comes to functionality.

Interested in Microsoft Dynamics? Head to our Microsoft Dynamics review

A robust CRM that embeds with Microsoft products

Pros

  • Integrates with Microsoft products
  • Features on par with Salesforce catalog
  • Robust, 24/5 support options

Cons

  • Decidedly expensive
  • Limited API
  • No free plan

SugarCRM

SugarCRM isn't the biggest name in the business, but it prides itself on being able to hang with the big boys. It has a simple, easy to understand interface, with deep customization options — making it incredibly flexible and adaptable. Sugar also has no hidden fees, offering three standard pricing plans ranging from $40 to $150 per user, per month, each providing a different service: Sugar Sell, Sugar Market, and Sugar Serve.

SugarCRM Features

SugarCRM has a range of tools to facilitate collaboration between different business functions and works seamlessly across mobiles and tablets making it great for mobile workers. SugarCRM is easy to integrate with your existing IT infrastructure, offering SaaS and on-premises installations.

7 days

A reasonably priced platform offering solid customization options

A good budget option for covering multiple marketing channels

A weak offering with few native service channels available

SugarCRM Pricing

SugarCRM's pricing model is similar to that of HubSpot, with different options for service, marketing, and sales. Additionally, you can combine all of them in two different plans, Professional and Enterprise, which cater to small and large companies depending on your needs.

Why SugarCRM Is a Good Salesforce Alternative

Customizability is the name of the game when it comes to SugarCRM. With a widely flexible platform designed for particular needs, this platform can be molded to suit whatever metrics and functionality you need. Plus, with a stylish, easy to use interface, you can't go wrong with SugarCRM when it comes to customizability.

Additionally, the starting price may seem a bit higher than average, but you get a lot, which makes it actually more affordable than Salesforce and HubSpot when it comes to lead conversion features at nearly half the price of both.

Flexible CRM with lots of customizability

Pros

  • Incredibly customizable for specific needs
  • On-premise installations available
  • No hidden fees

Cons

  • No free plan available
  • A bit expensive compared to the rest of the industry
  • Less well-known brand

Zoho CRM

To be clear, Zoho CRM isn't exactly a good alternative to Salesforce, as it doesn't offer a good solution for enterprise-level businesses. However, if you're a smaller business that needs a high-powered CRM to handle your sales, marketing, or customer service needs, Zoho CRM is the best option out there, according to our research. It has low-cost plans, including a free forever version, more than enough features to handle your needs as a small business, and a very easy to use platform, even for beginners.

Zoho CRM features

Lower prices doesn't mean Zoho CRM skimps on features. Even at the Standard plan, you'll get access to tools like sales forecasting, custom reports, and workflow automation. The problem with Zoho CRM in comparison to Salesforce is that it's enterprise plan has a lot of limitations, which could pose a problem for larger businesses. Overall, though, small businesses can't do much better than Zoho CRM on features.

Custom automation builder

User: 50MB
Org (<200 users): 10GB
Org (>200 users): 15GB

User: 100mb
Org (<200 users): 10GB
Org (>200 users): 30GB

Max 100

Zoho CRM pricing

Zoho CRM pricing is pretty low, but it offers a lot of different pricing plans along the way. The CRM offers five different pricing plans, including a free forever plan that can get you started. You'll also be able to take advantage of a 30-day free trial for all paid plans, so you can really test it out before you buy. It's worth noting, also that Zoho CRM's most expensive plan is less expensive than Salesforce's second cheapest plan.

Why Zoho CRM Is a Good Salesforce Alternative

Zoho CRM is a better Salesforce alternative for small businesses, because it offers low-cost pricing plans and a robust free plan to get you started. On top of that, you don't miss out on features with these low-cost plans, but there will be limits on actions, so enterprise-level businesses in need of an alternative to Salesforce at scale could run into some issues. Honestly, if you're looking for an enterprise-level replacement for Salesforce, options like HubSpot are much better suited than Zoho CRM.

The best CRM available for small businesses

Pros

  • 15-day free trial
  • Fully customizable dashboard and interface
  • Includes sales, marketing, and service functionality

Cons

  • Small amount of storage
  • No spam prevention on web forms
  • Onboarding assistance costs extra

Reasons to Choose Salesforce

And then there's Salesforce, a popular choice among businesses of many different sizes. The key with Salesforce is the absolute breadth of its services beyond the basic CRM platform, including services for running ecommerce, one-to-one marketing, customer service, and many others.

While we've stated that Pipedrive, Freshworks, and Zoho are all cheaper than Salesforce, that doesn't mean it's expensive by any means. In fact, compared to contemporaries like HubSpot and Zendesk, Salesforce is extremely affordable.

Salesforce also has a robust application programming interface (API), allowing developers to create custom apps for Salesforce and integrate your Salesforce data with programs you might already be using.

While Salesforce might have more services than a small or medium-sized business might need, it can still be a useful platform for companies of any size. Plus, as the CRM platform in widest use, it's much easier to find support and tutorials on how to get the most from your subscription.

Salesforce also offers a wide range of great add-ons that can really Excellerate your growing business if you can afford them. Salesforce Anywhere, for example, is perfect for a newly remote business due to the pandemic, as it allows for team collaboration, real-time chat, and document sharing. Plus, with Tableau, the platform's new analytics tool, you'll get all the data you need about your customers to make the best decisions every time.

Best for growing businesses

Pros

  • 30-day free trial
  • Tailored pricing plans
  • Provides sales and service functionality
  • Lots of analytics and data provided

Cons

  • Lacks basic marketing features
  • Limited help and support functionality
  • Busy interface can be hard to use

Free Salesforce Alternatives

Many customer relationship management platforms offer free versions, but there are downsides to be aware of. Most are limited by the number of users, or require you to pay for upgrades beyond the core service. One of our top-choice Salesforce alternatives, Freshworks CRM, has a genuinely impressive free CRM tier. However, to unlock the very best of Freshworks, it's likely you'll need to upgrade to the premium plans.

A free taster is still a great option for testing the various features and interfaces of multiple CRM platforms, or experimenting with a platform to see if it's right for you.

The reality, however, is that a free option is not a long term solution. Free CRM software, even from reputable companies, can be open to changes and downgrades, and offer far fewer options for customization and added features.

Salesforce Alternatives for Sales

As the name might suggest, Salesforce is a great CRM for sales. However, it can be a bit intimidating to smaller teams that don't need all those features and data visualizations, which opens the door to some of the alternatives below. Whether it be lead capture or the ability to accept payments, these providers offer a lot when it comes to sales. Take a look at some of our top picks below:

Salesforce Alternatives for Marketing

We mentioned earlier that HubSpot is easily the best CRM for marketing, but there are plenty of other options out there that do a great job. Like Salesforce, HubSpot is geared towards larger businesses, so if you're looking for something a bit less intense, these alternatives should get the job done without too much of a hit to your budget. And don't forget to check out our best CRM for marketing guide for a more in-depth look at these providers:

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Microsoft Dynamics 365 Marketing

14 days

21 days

30 days

A suitable all-in-one platform for sales and marketing but a bit expensive

The best option for businesses looking to scale

A very expensive option that provides robust email and omnichannel features

A good option for email, but not great for scalability

A bit too expensive for most, but great for managing teams closely

A good budget option for covering multiple marketing channels

Salesforce Alternatives for Customer Service

The importance of customer service cannot be overstated when it comes to business, and a good CRM can help a lot. Salesforce does a fine job of this, but there are plenty of other options that are specifically geared towards helping customers that might be a better fit. Take a look at some of the options below to get a better idea of what kind of CRM are aimed at customer service:

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Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Service

30 days

21 days

15 days

30 days

30 days

30 days

A robust platform aimed at businesses looking to scale

A practical option with lots of channels but no survey functionality

An affordable option with plenty of features for smaller businesses

An fully-featured yet pricey CRM solution with excellent team management tools.

A great, customizable platform aimed at larger businesses

A solid budget option with low costs and few features

A weak offering with few native service channels available

Requires Telephony integration on Support plans, available on Suite plans

Available with Omnichannel plans

Requires Telephony integration/Voice add-on on all plans

Available with Enterprise plan

Available with Omnichannel plans

Available with Enterprise plan

Limited to 1 license (Essentials), unavailable (Pro), additional cost (Enterprise)

Salesforce Alternatives for Small Businesses

While Salesforce is considered one of the top CRM around the world, it's not exactly suited to small businesses. Between the extensive feature catalog and the high price, smaller teams can take a larger hit to their budget than they need, for a lot of functionality they might not need. Plus, given the robust nature of Salesforce, your small team could get bogged down by complicated dashboards, which is never helpful.

Fortunately, we've done some research and found out which options are the best CRM for small business. Take a look at the table below of small business alternatives to Salesforce.

What to Look for in a Great Salesforce Alternative

Not all Salesforce competitors are created equal, which is why having a eager eye for features is key to picking the right one. The following are a few key features to look out for when deciding on a Salesforce alternative.

Reporting

One of the major benefits of any CRM software is its ability to provide analytics on a wide range of metrics within your business. From conversion rates to customer attrition, a good CRM platform will have reporting tools designed to let you know exactly what's working for your business, and more importantly, what isn't.

Customization

If you're looking for CRM software that can do exactly what you want it to do, customizability is going to a big consideration for you. Salesforce has a robust feature offering, but doesn't offer features like an open API or a wide range of flexible options. Basically, if you've got niche CRM needs, make sure to take a look at customizability.

Automation

The whole point of CRM software is to save you a little time, which is why automation features are so necessary in a good provider. After all, what's the point of installing business software if it isn't going to take care of the small projects for you? Finding the right software means discovering exactly what each provider can do for your automation needs, so make sure not to overlook that.

What's more, automation allows you to expedite leads through your sales pipeline based on pre-programmed criteria, making it easier for your business to generate sales.

Ease of Use

Whether you're an expert or a beginner, having an easy to use platform can make a huge difference when it comes to improvements in productivity. Salesforce, in particular, is quite complicated for beginners due to its robust feature catalogue and reporting tools. If you're giving CRM software a go for the first time, ease of use needs to be at the top of your list.

Support

Speaking of beginners, having a little help from an expert support team can go a long way when adapting to new software, which is why noting the customer service options is invaluable to understanding a provider. From 24/7 service to sporadic ticket systems, providers run the gamut as far as customer support goes, so if you're just starting out, it's certainly worth noting.

Pricing

Let's be honest of course you're looking at price when it comes to CRM software. From pricing plans to providers, there are hundreds of different price points to consider. Fortunately, compared to Salesforce, most CRM software is markedly more affordable, but the range is still pretty substantial. Not that we have to say it, but seriously: take a look at your pricing options before pulling the trigger on your new CRM software.

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Methodology: How We Test Salesforce Alternatives

We take our impartial research and analysis seriously, so you can have complete confidence that we're giving you the clearest, most useful recommendations.

After conducting an initial exploration to identify the most relevant, popular, and established tools in the market, we put them through their paces with hands-on testing to see their real strengths and weaknesses. In this case, we put 13 CRM systems to the test across 84 areas of investigation.

Based on years of market and user needs research, we've established a CRM testing methodology that scores each product in six main categories of investigation and 13 subcategories; this covers everything from the available features and scalability capacity to the product's value for money, and much more.

Our main testing categories for CRM systems are:

Features: the functionalities and capabilities provided by the CRM software, such as contact management, lead and opportunity tracking, and task and activity management.

Help and Support: the resources and assistance available to users when they encounter issues or require guidance while using the CRM software.

Customisation: the ability to tailor the CRM software to suit the specific needs and processes of the organization, e.g. customizing fields, layouts, and workflows.

Scalability: the ability of the CRM software to accommodate the growth and changing needs of the organization, such as the capacity to handle a growing customer database.

Price: the cost associated with using the CRM software. It includes factors such as licensing fees, subscription plans, and additional charges for add-on modules or features.

Team Structure – Sales CRM: determining if a platform makes it easier to manage large sales teams, including team dashboards, team hierarchies, and team inboxes.

Usability – Small Business CRM: assessing the simplicity of the interface, the ease of navigating through menus and options, and the overall user experience.

When it comes to calculating a product's final score, not all testing areas are weighted evenly, as we know some aspects matter more to our readers than others, which are merely "nice to have." After hundreds of hours, our process is complete, and the results should ensure you can find the best solution for your needs.

At Tech.co, we have a number of full time in-house researchers, who re-run this testing process regularly, to ensure our results remain reflective of the present day

Learn more about our research.

Verdict: What Is the Best Salesforce Alternative?

Our research found that HubSpot is the best alternative to Salesforce, because of its serious scalability for growing and enterprise-level businesses, along with its large feature catalog and robust analytics.

Still, Salesforce is the most popular CRM in the world for a good reason – it's a genuinely great CRM software that warrants all recommendations for this or any other website. But it is geared to larger businesses with no free plan, which means there might be a better option out there for your particular business, especially with so many attractive pricing bundles you can seek quotes for.

Remember, if you're a small business, Salesforce isn't ideal, as it can get a bit expensive and overwhelming with all those features. Our top-rated CRM for small business is Zoho CRM, so give that a try if you're still growing.

A great way to find the CRM that's right for you is to use our helpful form to get a customized quote from multiple CRM platforms. This process takes into account your business' needs, and lets you compare the different services first.

Frequently Asked Questions

CRM is, at its core, an organizational aid. Even if you only had 10 customers, the ability to keep tabs on them cannot be overstated, so there really is no audience too small to warrant passing on CRM software. However, it's not just for organization, as it can provide insights on your business and demographics, as well as allowing for smoother teamwork within your business.

One of the core features of CRM is automation, which will allow you to expedite leads through your sales pipeline based on pre-programmed criteria. This means that sales can happen faster, and more sales can be processed by the same amount of people.

Yes, the best CRM for you depends on a variety of factors, but the three biggest are price, features, and support. Salesforce offers a lot of features and support, but at a high price. If you know exactly which features you need, you don't want to overpay, which means that a range of more appealing CRM tools are worth considering instead. Our top pick for a Salesforce alternative is Pipedrive, particularly for small or growing teams, as it's far cheaper and extremely simple to use.

SugarCRM is one of the best CRMs when to comes to ease of use: The platform is flexible and intuitive, with a large array of customization tools that helps a team further streamline their daily use. Another option is Zendesk, thanks to an open API that developers will be able to use in their integrations and apps, as well as a great customer support system. Act! CRM is also a good option, although it specifically doesn't offer a lot of features in service of an easy-to-use platform, but the price is quite competitive.

The Salesforce CRM starts with the Sales Cloud's Essentials tier, costing $25 per user per month, though you'll need to get the next tier up, the $80 per user per month Professional tier, for expanded features. In addition to the Sales Cloud, you can buy the Service Cloud, also starting with a $25 per user per month Essentials tier; the Marketing Cloud, starting at $400 per month. If you're still confused, check out our guide to Salesforce pricing — we've spent an entire article explaining how it all works.

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