Today, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software has become a part and parcel of most of companies; be it small, medium, or large-sized. When we think of CRM software, one name that tops the list is Salesforce. With its wide range of features and benefits, Salesforce has managed to create and establish a strong presence in the CRM market.
However, Salesforce is not the only CRM software that has a strong foothold in the market. There are several other CRM software as well which are considered as the best alternatives to Salesforce. In this post, we will take a look at the top five Salesforce CRM alternatives, their features, pros and cons, pricing plans, and more!
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Why Look for Salesforce CRM Alternatives?
If Salesforce is the leading contender in the CRM market, why do we need to look for its alternatives? Well, similar to all the other CRM software, Salesforce also has various disadvantages or factors which result in the need for its alternatives. These factors can either be with regards to the pricing of the software, the size of the business and their CRM requirements, an unfavorable experience with Salesforce, etc. The three major areas where the Salesforce CRM alternatives can score more include:
1. Reports – Though the reporting feature of Salesforce is top-notch, it can be quite complex for certain businesses. So, a Salesforce alternative will be in demand by companies who are looking for reports that are easier to create, understand, and apply to their business-specific sales cycle.
2. Customization – Having customizable CRM software is on the top of every business’s requirement and Salesforce slightly lacks in this department. There are several Salesforce alternatives that offer better customization features at better pricing as well.
3. Support – Having the right customer support at the right time ensures that businesses can run their CRM software smoothly and solve any issues immediately. Compared to other CRM software, the support offered by Salesforce is pricier and available usually at an additional cost.
Best Salesforce CRM Alternatives To Explore
If you are in search of some of the best Salesforce CRM alternatives, then read on as we provide details on five of the best alternatives to Salesforce.
HubSpot CRM
When we talk about CRM software, one name which is quite popular is HubSpot CRM. This forever-free CRM software offers the best solutions for all your CRM needs. HubSpot CRM offers a very easy-to-use interface which makes it a preferred choice for companies of all sizes. One of the key USPs of this software is its simplicity which enables employees to improve their productivity and efficiency. With a clean and easy-to-understand dashboard, HubSpot CRM allows teams to work in tandem and collaborate in real-time.
Features
Contact and Account Management
Campaign Management
Case Management
Opportunity and Pipeline Management
Lead Management
Dashboards
Forecasting
Desktop Integration
Pros
– User-friendly and easy-to-use interface.
– Third-party integration with several apps.
– Easy to manage inbound sales.
– HubSpot CRM provides excellent connectivity with Marketing, Sales, and Service Hubs.
– Efficient tracking of interactions with prospects.
Cons
– Reporting capabilities need to be improved.
– Compared to other CRM software, there are some features lacking in HubSpot CRM.
– Lacks sufficient flexibility.
– Premium features are available at additional costs which can be expensive for the company.
Pricing Plans
HubSpot CRM is known for its free-for-all plan which offers a wide range of features. If you need more advanced features, you can check out the various plans under Marketing, Sales, Customer Service, CMS, and Operations. These categories include Starter Pack, Professional Pack, and Enterprise Pack. The basic package starts form $50 per month and the cost for successive packages can go up to $1,200 per month.
Zoho CRM
If you are looking for a fully-featured Salesforce CRM alternative, then Zoho CRM is one of the best options. This feature-rich CRM software is useful for businesses of all sizes – small, medium, and large. This easy-to-use and learn software provides several customization features, allowing businesses to tailor the software according to their business requirements. Compared to Salesforce, Zoho CRM is definitely more affordable as it also offers a free version. This cloud-based CRM software also comes with an AI-powered assistant which enables you to better manage the CRM data.
Features
Contact and Account Management
Opportunity and Pipeline Management
Customer Contract Management
Campaign Management
Email Marketing
Lead Management
Knowledge Base
Reporting
Dashboards
Task Management
Quote and Order Management
Pros
– As one of the oldest CRM software, you can rest assured that you are investing in a genuine and trusted software.
– A clean and straightforward interface makes it extremely easy-to-use and navigate.
– The AI-powered assistant called Zia takes the brunt of the work and provides all the required information within minutes.
– You can use the Zoho CRM platform to handle all your social media management.
Cons
– Compared to other CRM software, Zoho CRM offers limited customer support.
– Though you have access to several features, the depth of their functionality is limited.
– Modifications require din terms of project management.
Pricing Plans
1. Free Plan
2. Standard Plan – $14/user/month/billed annually
3. Professional Plan – $23/user/month/billed annually
4. Enterprise Plan – $40/user/month/billed annually
Pipedrive
When it comes to investing in a one-stop CRM platform offering a wide range of CRM solutions, Pipedrive is a good option. The Pipedrive platform has clean layouts, intuitive interfaces, and an easy user experience, all of which together enable a business to manage its customer relations efficiently and successfully. Compared to Salesforce, the learning curve of Pipedrive is much simpler and easier to understand. One of the key USPs of this CRM software is that it provides round-the-clock customer support, a feature that is missing in most CRM software.
Features
Contact and Account Management
Opportunity and Pipeline Management
Quote and Order Management
Product and Price List Management
Task Management
Campaign Management
Lead Management
Email Marketing
Reporting
Dashboards
Forecasting
Customer Contract Management
Pros
– Intuitive interface
– Third-party apps integration
– Affordable options compared to Salesforce
– One of the best communication tracking feature
Cons
– Bulk email activities cannot be tracked
– Schedule reports option not available
– No PRM capabilities
Pricing Plans
1. 14-days free trial
2. Essential Plan – $12.50/user/month/billed annually
3. Advanced Plan – $24.90/user/month/billed annually
4. Professional Plan – $49.90/user/month/billed annually
5. Enterprise Plan – $99.00/user/month/billed annually (minimum 10 users required)
Insightly
If you are in search of an all-rounder and top-rated CRM software, then Insightly is the ideal option. This is another great Salesforce CRM alternative that offers a wide range of CRM features and benefits which are beneficial for different types of businesses – from professional services to retail to education to media and more. Insightly offers a unified dashboard that facilitates different teams from sales, project management, and marketing to collaborate seamlessly. It also allows continuous and efficient integration with apps, such as Google Drive, Box, Dropbox, Microsoft OneDrive, etc. If you are looking for CRM software that can organize all your leads and sales in a dedicated space and provide required insights using analytics, then you must try out Insightly.
Features
Contact and Account Management
Email Marketing
Task Management
Opportunity and Pipeline Management
Desktop Integration
Lead Management
Social Collaboration Features
Case Management
Knowledge Base
Reporting
Forecasting
Dashboards
Customer Contract Management
Pros
– Intuitive interface and easy opportunity management features.
– Reliable CRM tool allowing easy maintenance of sales cycles.
– Efficient documentation for each customer.
– Several features are available for free which are usually charged by other CRM software.
Cons
– More task and sales functions are required.
– The storage offered in the free plan is limited.
– Several advanced features are not available, such as predictive opportunity scoring, custom forecast periods, opportunity splits, etc.
Pricing Plans
1. Free Plan
2. Plus Plan – $29/user/month/billed annually
3. Professional Plan – $49/user/month/billed annually
4. Enterprise Plan – $99/user/month/billed annually
Nimble
When it comes to CRM software that works across all social networks, Nimble tops the list! This comprehensive CRM software allows its users a 360-degree view of all their customers and leads. It offers a wide range of CRM features which makes it one of the best Salesforce CRM alternatives. Nimble offers CRM solutions for G-Suite and Office 365 teams and users. This CRM software has the perfect balance of traditional CRM software, contact management, social media, marketing automation, and sales intelligence. All these together, allow the businesses to grow and succeed.
Features
Contact and Account Management
Task Management
Customer Contract Management
Lead Management
Knowledge Base
Opportunity and Pipeline Management
Reporting
Dashboards
Forecasting
Social Network Integration
Pros
– Excellent integration with social networks, email tools, and other business apps.
– User-friendly user interface.
– Different channels available to better manage potential customers.
-Efficient organization and distribution of campaigns.
Cons
– Mobile application needs to be improved.
– Compared to some of the other CRM software, the storage allowed on Nimble is less.
– No hierarchies for account management.
Pricing Plans
1. Nimble Business – $19/user/month/billed annually
Conclusion
These are our top five Salesforce CRM alternatives. Of course, there are several other alternate CRM software available as well and the best Salesforce CRM alternative depends completely upon your business needs. Irrespective of what your reasons are for looking for Salesforce CRM alternatives, we recommend you thoroughly go through all the features and pricing plans offered by a respective CRM software before investing in it.
