Salesforce Account Engagement (Pardot) review (2026): features, pros and cons, and what to check before you buy
Salesforce's B2B marketing automation product, priced per org per month by edition.
Rebranded: Pardot is now Marketing Cloud Account Engagement; editions on the pricing page carry a plus sign (Growth+, Plus+, Advanced+, Premium+)
Our take for buyers
Pardot has been rebranded and is now Marketing Cloud Account Engagement, Salesforce's B2B marketing automation product. It is aimed at mid-market B2B teams already running Salesforce CRM, where the native connector is the main selling point. Capterra shows a 4.1 rating from 649 reviews, and reviewers praise the Salesforce integration and granular customer data. Pricing is per org, not per seat.
It is a poor fit for companies without Salesforce CRM, and a heavy one for small teams. Capterra and GetApp reviewers cite interface complexity and lengthy onboarding, so plan implementation time and ownership before you shortlist. Ask who will own the tool day to day, and whether your team has Salesforce admin skills in house. Also confirm which add-ons your use case needs, since several are billed separately each month.
Pros
- Integration with Salesforce and granular customer data.
Cons
- Interface complexity.
- Lengthy onboarding.
- Best for
- B2B teams already running Salesforce CRM.
- Starting price
- $1,250/org/month billed annually (Growth+)
- G2 rating
- No G2 rating found
What is Salesforce Account Engagement (Pardot)?
Salesforce's B2B marketing automation product, priced per org per month by edition. B2B teams already living in Salesforce CRM get a native connector and published edition prices, from $1,250 per org monthly billed annually. Expect a heavy interface and a long onboarding, as reviewers report. Contact growth costs $100 per extra 10,000, so model that against your list size. Salesforce Account Engagement (Pardot) was founded in 2007 and is based in San Francisco, US (Salesforce).
Category: Marketing Automation Software
Salesforce Account Engagement (Pardot) key features
| Criterion | What we found |
|---|---|
| CRM integration | Native Salesforce CRM connector (vendor product) |
| Email and multichannel campaigns | SMS and WhatsApp credits from $10 per 1,000 credits. |
| Reporting and attribution | B2B Marketing Analytics Plus add-on at $3,000 per user per month. |
| Pricing model | Edition price per org with contact allotment; extra contacts $100 per 10,000/month. |
| Target company size | Mid-market B2B. |
Salesforce Account Engagement (Pardot) plans and pricing
| Plan | Price | Unit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Growth+ | $1,250 | per org per month, billed annually | 10,000 contacts; includes Marketing Cloud Next Growth Edition |
| Plus+ | $2,750 | per org per month, billed annually | 10,000 contacts |
| Advanced+ | $4,400 | per org per month, billed annually | 10,000 contacts |
| Premium+ | $15,000 | per org per month, billed annually | 75,000 contacts |
Additional contacts $100 per 10,000 per month. Pricing page says informational and subject to change.
Who should shortlist Salesforce Account Engagement (Pardot)
A strong fit for
- B2B teams already running Salesforce CRM.
- Teams that want published edition prices rather than quotes.
A weak fit for
- Companies without Salesforce CRM.
- Small teams that find the interface complex and onboarding long (Capterra/GetApp reviewers)
Salesforce Account Engagement (Pardot) alternatives
Adobe Marketo EngageMid-size and enterprise B2B teams with a dedicated marketing ops admin.
HubSpot Marketing HubTeams already on HubSpot CRM that want marketing, forms and reporting in one system.
ActiveCampaignSmall and mid-size teams that want automation plus a light CRM.
KeapSmall service businesses wanting CRM, automation and invoicing in one tool.
Zoho Marketing AutomationTeams already on Zoho CRM.
BrevoEmail, SMS and CRM platform (formerly Sendinblue) with Free, Starter, Standard, Professional and Enterprise plans.
Security, admin and compliance
Logins require Salesforce SSO on all editions since February 2021, and Pardot-only users can take a Salesforce identity license. SCIM, audit logs, data residency and a DPA are not published on the pricing page, so request them from Salesforce. An annual contract is required for per-month products. Premier Success is listed as an add-on on some editions, so ask what support level is included. The pricing page says prices are informational and subject to change.
- SAML SSO
- Login via Salesforce SSO required on all editions (since Feb 2021)
Contract and buying terms
- Contract
- Annual contract required.
- Support
- Premier Success listed as add-on on some editions.
- Starting price
- $1,250/org/month billed annually (Growth+)
- Pricing model
- Per org per month by edition, contacts included.
- Free plan or trial
- No.
What to test in a Salesforce Account Engagement (Pardot) demo or trial
Test it inside your own Salesforce org, not a demo sandbox, because the CRM connector is the reason to buy. Walk one campaign from form to lead handoff, and confirm what data syncs both ways. Reviewers describe a complex interface and lengthy onboarding, so ask a marketer who has not used it to build a simple campaign and time it. Check which edition you need: Advanced Dynamic Content, Custom Object Integration and Advanced Email Analytics are paid add-ons, so confirm each requirement before scoping the edition.
Questions to ask Salesforce Account Engagement (Pardot) before you sign
These are the points Salesforce Account Engagement (Pardot)'s public pages leave open. Get the answers in writing before procurement signs off.
- Is SCIM provisioning included, or a paid add-on?
- Which plan includes audit logs, and how long are they kept?
- Where is our data stored, and can we choose the region?
- Can we sign your standard DPA without changes?
- What will the price be at renewal, and is the increase capped?
Things to know before a demo
- Advanced Dynamic Content, Custom Object Integration and Advanced Email Analytics each cost $400/month as add-ons; Dedicated IP $500/month.
- Plus+ and above include Marketing Cloud Next Advanced Edition; Growth+ includes the Growth Edition.
- Logins require Salesforce SSO since February 2021; Pardot-only users can take a Salesforce identity license.
- Older third-party sources list Plus at $2,500 and Advanced at $4,000; current page shows $2,750 and $4,400, no dated announcement found.
Salesforce Account Engagement (Pardot) FAQ
What is Salesforce Account Engagement (Pardot) used for?
B2B teams already living in Salesforce CRM get a native connector and published edition prices, from $1,250 per org monthly billed annually. Expect a heavy interface and a long onboarding, as reviewers report. Contact growth costs $100 per extra 10,000, so model that against your list size. It suits B2B teams already running Salesforce CRM.
Does Account Engagement (Pardot) support SSO?
Login through Salesforce SSO is required on all editions and has been since February 2021. Pardot-only users can take a Salesforce identity license.
Who is Pardot best for?
B2B teams already running Salesforce CRM, and teams that want published edition prices rather than quotes. It is not a good fit for companies without Salesforce CRM.
Is Pardot the same as Marketing Cloud Account Engagement?
Yes. Pardot is now called Marketing Cloud Account Engagement, and editions carry a plus sign. Plus+ and above include Marketing Cloud Next Advanced Edition, while Growth+ includes the Growth Edition.
Vendor profile
- Founded
- 2007.
- Headquarters
- San Francisco, US (Salesforce)
- Funding or owner
- Part of Salesforce. Pardot (founded 2007 in Atlanta) was acquired by ExactTarget in 2012; Salesforce acquired ExactTarget in 2013 for $2.5B.
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from Salesforce Account Engagement (Pardot)'s own pricing, product or documentation pages, G2 and company records, checked on October 24, 2026. Unknown values are left out instead of estimated.