4 Salesforce Alternatives for Your Business

A good customer relationship management (CRM) platform is key for any modern business. However, not all are created equal. Although Salesforce is popular, there are other options that offer a streamlined, intuitive experience. 

Why You May Need a Salesforce Alternative

Salesforce is a comprehensive, enterprise-grade CRM platform. Beyond standard features, it provides AI agents to accelerate processes and tools that enable custom services. However, it has many notable flaws. 

For one, the quality of customer support varies. The standard plan receives case responses within two days, even if the technical issue is critical. Only those subscribed to the premier or signature plans receive 24/7 responses.

Businesses need robust technical skills or external consultants to handle pressing issues. Since the user interface is clunky and the customization capabilities are complex, setup and navigation can feel unmanageable. 

Salesforce is also more expensive than most alternatives, with pricing starting at $25 per month. Advanced analytics, third-party integrations and marketing automation are industry standards but cost extra. The insufficient support, learning curve and expensive add-ons make this CRM a tough sell for small and midsized businesses. 

What’s a Reliable Salesforce Alternative for Your Business?

These four top alternatives to Salesforce offer improved user experience, competitive cost-effectiveness and significant overall value. 

1. Nutshell

Nutshell is a reliable Salesforce alternative for your business. Over 5,000 firms across 50 countries use this AI-first CRM because it has enterprise-grade capabilities and the service quality of a boutique business. It helps close sales 14.9% faster, raise new sales revenue by 26.4% and increase leads won by 13.4%.

This user-friendly, cost-effective platform received the “Grid Leader” badge from G2 in numerous categories in 2025. It also made G2’s top 50 software list that year. Further demonstrating its quality, G2 reviewers have said they wouldn’t use anything else. 

The foundation plan starts at $13 per user per month. The highest tier offers additional enterprise-grade features for just $79 per user per month. All customers receive support for free. You can try any tier for free with the 14-day free trial — no credit card required. 

Key features: 

• Customizable pipelines with multiple views
• Email automation with personalized campaign capabilities 
• Ready-to-run AI agents and generative tools 
• Meeting creation, management and synchronization tools 
• In-depth reporting and analytics 

2. HubSpot

HubSpot offers AI-powered CRM tools to over 268,000 customers in 135 countries. Since it provides setup guides, prebuilt templates and onboarding assistance, you can get set up in minutes without the information technology team’s help. 

The free version of the CRM provides limited access to basic tools for up to two users. You also get 2,000 email sends per calendar month. Access never expires — you can upgrade when you’re ready. However, everything is branded with HubSpot’s logo. 

The Starter plan is $15 per month per seat. You get everything in the free tier, plus additional functions. The Professional package is the most comprehensive at $1,300 per month for six seats. You can add more for $45 per month per seat. 

Key features: 

• Generative AI template creation and lead qualification
• CRM data importing and exporting 
• Data synchronization between over 1,900 third-party integrations
• Sharable inboxes and payment links 
• Reporting and analytics dashboard 

3. Microsoft Dynamics 365

Microsoft Dynamics 365 is a suite of CRM and enterprise resource planning applications covering marketing, sales, customer service and the supply chain. Users decrease call handling time by 40% and save 75% more time on customer journey development. You can integrate it with Microsoft solutions like Power BI or Copilot. Custom applications are also available. 

Pricing varies depending on the solutions you choose. For instance, Dynamics 365 Sales Professional starts at $65 per user per month, while Customer Insights costs $1,700 per tenant per month. If you are unsure which to select, you can use the 30-day free trial. 

Key features: 

• Robust reporting and dashboards 
• Advanced sales engagement 
• End-to-end customer journey orchestration 
• Sales force automation 

4. Zendesk Sell

Zendesk Sell is a CX solution with a suite of CRM tools and features like ticketing, messaging and support. Over 50% of its users have seen double-digit revenue growth. Like other top Salesforce alternatives, it offers AI functionality through customizable agents. It has thousands of pre-built integrations available through the Zendesk Marketplace. Alternatively, you can build custom apps via the developer’s application programming interface.

The free trial offers access to all features on the Zendesk Suite Professional plan. It typically costs $115 per agent per month. The starting price for the Support Team Tier is $19 per agent per month, which includes standard email and ticketing support. Optional add-ons include quality assurance, workforce management and data privacy features. 

Key features: 

• Email synchronization for tracking and alerts
• Pipeline analysis with advanced analytics and forecasting 
• Call logging, recording and referencing 
• Trigger-based workflow automation 
• Targeted prospect lists with custom email sequences 

How the Top Options Compare to Salesforce

Review this table to help you decide between the most reliable Salesforce alternatives for your business. Pricing, free trial availability and use cases are among the most important factors. 

It May Be Time to Get a New CRM Platform 

A high-quality CRM can provide consistent support from customers’ preferred channels, nurturing lasting, growth-driving relationships. To engage customers across the entire life cycle and increase sales revenue, you need a reliable Salesforce alternative. It’s time to decide which one of these top options is the right fit for your business.