Top 15 Salesforce competitors and alternatives for 2023

Salesforce is a cloud-based software provider with various tools and features designed to centralize customer data, automate sales tasks, and provide insights into customer behavior. Salesforce is also customizable and integrates with best-of-breed solutions.

However, users have reported the interface is not intuitive and has a steep learning curve, which can limit the platform’s agility and your team’s ability to make changes. Salesforce’s integration process has been described as particularly cumbersome and slow because there tends to be substantial third-party involvement, and integration may become even more difficult for smaller businesses due to complex functionalities and high costs. Users also criticize Salesforce for its high total cost of ownership (TCO), which includes not only subscription costs but also customization, integration, and maintenance expenses.

While Salesforce’s customer relationship management (CRM) platform has many capabilities, it may not be the best choice for businesses seeking a strong focus on customer experience (CX) due to its broad applications. For instance, when using Salesforce’s service solution, Limeade, a well-being software company, struggled to spot trends and track overarching issues that affected the business.

Luckily, there are other options out there. Let’s take a look at some Salesforce alternatives.

More in this guide:

• Best 15 Salesforce alternatives and competitors at a glance

• A deep dive into the top 15 competitors and alternatives to Salesforce

• Frequently asked questions

• How to choose the best alternative to Salesforce

The chart below shows the top Salesforce competitors to help you quickly identify the software that’s the best fit for your needs.

Salesforce alternative	Starting price	Free trial	Key features
Zendesk	$19 per agent/month (billed annually)	14 days	Reporting and analytics AI and automation Apps and integrations Knowledge base Completely native omnichannel solution Extensive SLAs and OLAs
Microsoft Dynamics 365	$50 per user/month	30 days	Reporting and analytics AI and automation Apps and integrations Knowledge base
Zoho	$0 per month (3 agents)	15 days	Reporting and analytics AI and automation Apps and integrations Knowledge base
HubSpot	$0 per month (limited tools)	Unavailable	Reporting and analytics AI and automation Apps and integrations Knowledge base
Pipedrive	$14.90 per user/month (billed annually)	14 days	Reporting and analytics AI and automation Apps and integrations
SugarCRM	$49 per user/month	Unavailable	Reporting and analytics AI and automation Apps and integrations Knowledge base
Insightly	$349 per month (billed annually)	Available	Reporting and analytics Apps and integrations Knowledge base
Bitrix24	$0 per month (5 GB of storage)	Unavailable	Reporting and analytics Apps and integrations Knowledge base
Oracle NetSuite	Contact sales for pricing	Unavailable	Reporting and analytics AI and automation Apps and integrations Knowledge base
SAP	Contact sales for pricing	30, 60, or 90 days	Reporting and analytics AI and automation Apps and integrations Knowledge base
Freshworks	$0 per month (up to 10 agents)	14 or 21 days	Reporting and analytics AI and automation Apps and integrations Knowledge base
Sage CRM	Contact sales for pricing	Unavailable	Reporting and analytics Apps and integrations Knowledge base
Copper	$25 per user/month (billed annually)	14 days	Reporting and analytics Apps and integrations
Keap	$159 per month (billed annually)	14 days	Reporting and analytics Apps and integrations
monday.com	$0 per month (2 seats)	14 days	Reporting and analytics Apps and integrations

Salesforce software has many use cases, but some options may provide better results for the same functions. We compiled these competitors to Salesforce to help you choose the right alternative or replacement.

1. Zendesk

Zendesk is customer service software that helps businesses of all sizes deliver exceptional customer experiences. We provide comprehensive tools that empower support teams to engage with customers efficiently and effectively. Through our native features and large marketplace of integrations, agents operate in a flexible workspace and get a 360-degree view of the customer, connecting customer information from your CRM software with your ticketing system.

Zendesk uses AI for customer service operations, too. Our chatbots come pre-trained on billions of CX interactions, making them fast and simple to set up. Meanwhile, intelligent automations improve workflows and boost agency productivity. With the help of our chatbots and automations, support teams can focus on more complex customer queries. Additionally, AI-driven insights help identify trends, enabling businesses to proactively address customer issues and anticipate their needs.

Additionally, we provide an omnichannel Agent Workspace, so support teams can engage with customers seamlessly across various channels—including email, live chat, social media, and phone—all from a single interface. This ensures consistent and efficient customer interactions, regardless of the communication channel.

Our intuitive interface and ease of use let organizations realize a fast time to value (TTV), as they don’t need to worry about extensive training or implementation timelines. Our flexibility and agility also contribute to a low total cost of ownership because businesses can adapt Zendesk to their specific needs without incurring significant customization costs.

Features:

• Reporting and analytics

• AI and automation

• Knowledge base

• Apps and integrations

• Native omnichannel solution

• Extensive service level agreements (SLAs) and operational level agreements (OLAs)

• Agent efficiency tools

• AI-powered chatbots

Pricing:

• Suite Team: $55 per agent/month

• Suite Growth: $89 per agent/month

• Suite Professional: $115 per agent/month

• Suite Enterprise: Contact sales

• Suite Enterprise Plus: Contact sales

  *Plans are billed annually.

Free trial:

14 days

2. Microsoft Dynamics 365

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Microsoft Dynamics 365 encompasses an extensive suite of products that include CRM, customer service, and enterprise resource planning (ERP) software. And since it’s part of the Microsoft ecosystem, Dynamics 365 integrates with other products like Microsoft 365 (formerly Office) and Teams. Its intelligent routing capabilities help automate workflows by routing leads, opportunities, and cases to the most appropriate team members.

Additionally, Dynamics 365 incorporates knowledge management tools, facilitating the creation, organization, and access to information within the system. The platform employs AI to analyze data, predict trends, and offer actionable insights, enabling businesses to make data-driven decisions and tailor their strategies.

Features:

• Reporting and analytics

• AI and automation

• Apps and integrations

• Knowledge base

• Intelligent routing

Pricing:

• Customer Service Professional: $50 per user/month

• Customer Service Enterprise: $95 per user/month

• Field Service: $95 per user/month

• Remote Assist: $65 per user/month

Free trial:

30 days

Learn more about the Dynamics 365 integration for Zendesk.

3. Zoho

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Zoho provides a suite of business software applications designed for a range of needs, from CRM and email marketing to accounting and project management. Its CRM system encompasses sales and marketing automation, analytics, and multichannel communication. It also has a customer service platform that helps agents with ticket management and customers with self-service.

Zoho's AI-driven assistant, Zia, provides predictive sales analytics, lead scoring, and sentiment analysis, enabling businesses to make informed decisions and prioritize their efforts. Additionally, Zoho has tools to aid knowledge management, helping customer service teams create, organize, and share content.

Features:

• Reporting and analytics

• AI and automation

• Apps and integrations

• Knowledge base

• Live chat

Pricing:

• Zoho CRM Standard: $14 per user/month

• Zoho CRM Professional: $23 per user/month

• Zoho CRM Enterprise: $40 per user/month

• Zoho CRM Ultimate: $52 per user/month

• Zoho CRM Flex: $14 per user/month

• Zoho CRM Plus: $57 per user/month

  *Plans are billed annually.

Free trial:

15 days

Learn more about the Zoho integration for Zendesk.

4. HubSpot

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HubSpot is an inbound marketing, sales, and service platform designed to help businesses attract and engage customers. HubSpot has evolved from its initial focus on inbound marketing to offer a suite of tools. The CRM system centralizes customer data, allowing businesses to track interactions, manage leads, and analyze sales pipelines.

On the customer service front, HubSpot offers a knowledge base for businesses to create and share informative articles. It also offers ticketing tools that help teams manage and prioritize support requests. Additionally, HubSpot's live chat and chatbot functionalities facilitate customer communication.

Features:

• Reporting and analytics

• AI and automation

• Apps and integrations

• Knowledge base

• Live chat

Pricing:

• Free tools: $0 per month (limited tools)

• Service Hub Starter: starts at $18 per month

• Service Hub Professional: starts at $450 per month

• Service Hub Enterprise: starts at $1,200 per month

• CRM Suite Starter: starts at $20 per month

• CRM Suite Professional: starts at $1,600 per month

• CRM Suite Enterprise: starts at $5,000 per month

  *Plans are billed annually.

Free trial:

Unavailable

Learn more about the HubSpot integration for Zendesk.

5. Pipedrive

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Pipedrive is a CRM software designed to help sales teams manage leads and track communication. The platform’s visual sales pipeline allows users to monitor deals at various stages and identify potential bottlenecks. It also lets users drag and drop deals between stages and get a clear overview of their sales progress.

Plus, the software can automate repetitive administrative tasks, and email tracking notifies users when their emails are opened, providing timely insights into audience engagement. Additionally, its reporting and analytics tools can give sales teams insights into their performance to help refine strategies.

Features:

• Reporting and analytics

• AI and automation

• Apps and integrations

• Mobile app

• Drag-and-drop sales pipeline

Pricing:

• Essential: $14.90 per user/month

• Advanced: $27.90 per user/month

• Professional: $49.90 per user/month

• Power: $64.90 per user/month

• Enterprise: $99 per user/month

  *Plans are billed annually.

Free trial:

14 days

Learn more about the Pipedrive integration for Zendesk.

6. SugarCRM

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SugarCRM is a versatile CRM software that delivers marketing and customer service tools. Its sales automation tools assist sales teams in managing leads, opportunities, and accounts, ensuring that potential deals are nurtured and tracked through the sales pipeline. The platform also offers analytics and reporting capabilities, which can enable businesses to derive insights from their data and make informed decisions.

SugarCRM offers a case management system for customer support, assisting agents with tracking and resolving customer inquiries. The platform's marketing automation features include campaign management and email marketing, allowing businesses to target their audience and measure the return on investment (ROI) of their marketing efforts.

Features:

• Reporting and analytics

• AI and automation

• Apps and integrations

• Knowledge base

• Drag-and-drop Interface

Pricing:

• Sell: starts at $49 per user/month

• Serve: starts at $80 per user/month

• Enterprise: starts at $85 per user/month

• Market: starts at $1000 per month for 10,000 contacts

Free trial:

Unavailable

Learn more about the SugarCRM integration for Zendesk.

7. Insightly

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Insightly is a cloud-based CRM software offering customer service and marketing tools. With Insightly CRM, users can manage contacts and sales opportunities and monitor all customer touchpoints. The platform offers relationship linking, allowing users to understand the connections between contacts, organizations, and projects.

Insightly offers task tracking, milestone setting, and workflow automation for project management. The software’s reporting and analytics tools also enable businesses to measure performance and identify trends, and the dashboard can track keywords in tickets and provide an SLA countdown.

Features:

• Reporting and analytics

• Apps and integrations

• Knowledge base

• Role-based permissions

Pricing:

• All-in-One Plus: $349 per month

• All-in-One Professional: $899 per month

• All-in-One Enterprise: $2,599 per month

  *Plans are billed annually.

Free trial:

Available

8. Bitrix24

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Bitrix24 is a collaboration platform that combines different business tools, making it a suitable alternative to Salesforce. With its cloud-based and on-premise options, the platform offers organizations the flexibility to choose a deployment method that best suits their needs. Its CRM system provides sales automation and analytics tools so businesses can track customer interactions and analyze sales performance.

The platform's project management and task-tracking capabilities allow teams to plan, coordinate, and monitor projects in real time. Communication tools, including chat, video conferencing, and social intranet, foster team collaboration. Additionally, Bitrix24 offers document management, workflow automation, and time-tracking functionalities.

Features:

• Reporting and analytics

• Apps and integrations

• Knowledge base

• Screen sharing

Pricing:

• Free: $0 per month (5 GB)

• Basic: $49 per month (5 users)

• Standard: $99 per month (50 users)

• Professional: $199 per month (100 users)

• Enterprise: starts at $399 per month (250 users)

  *Plans are billed annually.

Free trial:

Unavailable

9. Oracle NetSuite

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Oracle NetSuite is a cloud-based ERP and business management software suite that helps organizations manage their customer relationships along with their financials and larger organizational operations. Oracle NetSuite analytics and reporting tools assist organizations in making data-driven decisions.

Its financial management tools help organizations manage their accounting, invoicing, and budgeting reports. It offers CRM capabilities, allowing businesses to track leads, sales opportunities, and customer interactions while providing insights into customer behavior. It also includes e-commerce and inventory management tools for online stores.

Features:

• Reporting and analytics

• AI and automation

• Apps and integrations

• Knowledge base

• Call monitoring

Pricing:

• Contact Oracle NetSuite

Free trial:

Unavailable

10. SAP

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SAP is a multinational software company known for its enterprise-level software solutions. One of SAP's offerings is its CRM and CX software solutions meant to help businesses manage customer interactions. SAP marketing automation tools can help businesses create and execute targeted marketing campaigns, segment customer data, and measure the effectiveness of marketing efforts.

The sales module allows for lead management, opportunity tracking, and sales forecasting. Meanwhile, the service module offers case management, ticketing, and service analytics. SAP's CRM and CX solutions also include customer analytics, providing insights into customer behaviors and preferences.

Features:

• Reporting and analytics

• AI and automation

• Apps and integrations

• Knowledge base

• Guided agent workflows

Pricing:

Contact SAP

Free trial:

30, 60 or 90 days

11. Freshworks

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Freshworks is a software company that provides a suite of cloud-based business software solutions, namely Freshsales and Freshdesk. Freshsales is a CRM software designed to assist sales teams in managing leads, tracking deals, and automating sales processes. It offers lead scoring, email tracking, and sales automation to help sales representatives prioritize their efforts.

Freshdesk is customer support software that enables businesses to manage customer inquiries and support requests. It offers multichannel support, allowing businesses to engage with customers across channels. However, since these different channels aren’t centralized, users must toggle between different systems and tabs to locate information and reach customers.

Features:

• Reporting and analytics

• AI and automation

• Apps and integrations

• Knowledge base

• Community forums

Pricing:

• Freshdesk Free: $0 per month (up to 10 agents)

• Freshdesk Growth: $15 per agent/month

• Freshdesk Pro: $49 per agent/month

• Freshdesk Enterprise: $79 per agent/month

  *Plans are billed annually.

Free trial:

14 or 21 days

12. Sage CRM

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Sage CRM provides various CRM solutions to aid businesses’ customer service, sales, and marketing endeavors. The software's integration with other Sage products, such as Sage accounting and ERP solutions, provides a unified ecosystem where businesses can manage their operations. Its sales automation tools enable sales teams to manage leads and proposals, making it one of the more functional competitors to Salesforce.

The platform provides a visual sales pipeline, allowing users to track deals at various stages and prioritize efforts accordingly. For marketing, Sage CRM offers campaign management tools, enabling businesses to plan, execute, and measure the success of their marketing initiatives. And the platform's customer service module helps support teams manage customer inquiries, track issues, and ensure timely resolution.

Features:

• Reporting and analytics

• Apps and integrations

• Knowledge base

• Customer segmentation

Pricing:

• Contact Sage

Free trial:

Unavailable

13. Copper

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Copper is a cloud-based CRM software designed to integrate with Google Workspace. By embedding directly into applications like Gmail and Google Calendar, Copper helps users manage their customer relationships without toggling between multiple platforms.

Users can view contact details, update CRM records, and add new leads directly from their email interface. The platform automates data entry by capturing interactions and populating the CRM with relevant information. And Copper's visual sales pipeline allows sales teams to manage leads and opportunities, tracking deal progress and identifying potential bottlenecks.

Features:

• Reporting and analytics

• Apps and integrations

• Lead scoring

• Website tracking

Pricing:

• Basic: $25 per user/month

• Professional: $59 per user/month

• Business: $119 per user/month

  *Plans are billed annually.

Free trial:

14 days

Learn more about the Copper integration for Zendesk.

14. Keap

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Keap provides multiple forms of automation software, making it one of the leading Salesforce alternatives for small businesses. It offers tools that combine CRM, email marketing, and sales automation to help businesses simplify their operations. Users can design and automate personalized email campaigns, segmenting their audience based on preferences and previous interactions.

The platform's CRM system allows businesses to track leads, manage contacts, and monitor sales pipelines. Keap also offers e-commerce tools, enabling businesses to set up online stores, manage inventory, and process payments. Additionally, the software boasts appointment scheduling features, allowing clients to book appointments directly.

Features:

• Reporting and analytics

• Apps and integration

• Appointment scheduler

• Invoicing and payment processing

Pricing:

• Pro: Starts at $159 per month (1,500 contacts)

• Max: Starts at $229 per month (2,500 contacts)

• Max Classic: Contact Keap

  *Plans are billed annually.

Free trial:

14 days

15. monday.com

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As a work management software, monday.com can help teams manage projects, tasks, and workflows with greater efficiency and transparency. With its drag-and-drop capabilities and integration options, monday.com is a popular Salesforce competitor. Its customizable boards and workflows let users set up boards for specific projects, departments, or processes.

The platform supports automations, allowing users to define triggers and actions to automate repetitive tasks and processes. For instance, when a task status changes to "Completed," an automation can notify a team member or move the task to another board. Monday.com also has collaboration tools, including real-time commenting, file sharing, and visual timelines.

Features:

• Reporting and analytics

• Apps and integrations

• Time tracking

• Activity log

Pricing:

• Free: $0 per month (2 seats)

• Basic: $8 per seat/month

• Standard: $10 per seat/month

• Pro: $16 per seat/month

• Enterprise: Contact monday.com

  *Plans are billed annually.

Free trial:

14 days

Learn more about the monday.com integration for Zendesk.