Salesforce Sales Cloud alternatives (2026): 8 tools compared for buyers
Looking for an alternative to Salesforce Sales Cloud? These 8 tools do the same job with a different focus. Each one is compared on who it suits, its key features, pros and cons, and what each vendor publishes on security, admin and contract terms.
Why buyers look beyond Salesforce Sales Cloud
- Support and ease of use score lower than rivals on G2.
- Costs climb quickly once AI, API and support add-ons are included.
- Teams under about 10 reps that want flat, simple pricing.
- Buyers who need monthly flexibility above Starter: Pro Suite and up are annual only.
From Salesforce Sales Cloud's published plan limits and recurring themes in public reviews. See the Salesforce Sales Cloud review for the full picture.
Salesforce Sales Cloud alternatives at a glance
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan or trial |
|---|---|---|---|
 Salesforce Sales Cloud Current | Mid-size and large sales orgs that need deep customization, forecasting and a huge app ecosystem. | $25/user/month (Starter Suite) | Free trial |
 HubSpot CRM | Teams starting free with up to 2 users. | Free for up to 2 users; Sales Hub Starter from 7 USD per seat per month | Free plan |
 Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales | Organizations already standardized on Microsoft 365, Teams and Power Platform. | $65/user/month paid yearly (Sales Professional) | Free trial |
 Zoho CRM | Small businesses that want a free start and cheap per-user editions. | Free for up to 3 users; Standard $14/user/month billed annually | Free plan, Free trial |
 Pipedrive | Small sales teams that live in a visual deal pipeline. | $14/user/month billed annually (Lite) | Free trial |
 Freshsales | Small to mid-size teams wanting a cheap entry tier. | $9/user/month billed annually (Growth) | Free trial |
 HubSpot Sales Hub | Teams already running their CRM on HubSpot. | $7/seat/month (Starter) | No |
 Salesloft | Revenue teams that need structured cadences and AI-guided prioritization. | Contact sales | No |
 Apollo.io | Small and growing sales teams buying data and engagement together. | Basic $49/user/month billed annually; Free plan available | Free plan |
The 8 best Salesforce Sales Cloud alternatives
HubSpot CRM
Free-to-start CRM that grows into paid Sales Hub tiers with per-seat prices and mandatory onboarding fees at the top.
Teams can start free with up to two users and grow into paid Sales Hub seats, backed by a marketplace of 2,000+ integrations. Plan for the step to Professional, roughly 90 to 100 USD per seat plus a 1,500 USD onboarding fee, before depending on automation.
- Best for
- Teams starting free with up to 2 users.
- Company size
- SMB to enterprise.
Key features
- Pipeline management
- Deal pipelines, deal scoring.
- Email and calendar integration
- HubSpot Sales Extensions in Gmail and Outlook.
- Sales automation
- Multi-channel sequences.
- Reporting and forecasting
- Sales analytics and AI pipeline projections.
Cons
- Large price jump from Starter to Professional.
Pricing: Free for up to 2 users; Sales Hub Starter from 7 USD per seat per month · Free plan
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales
Microsoft's CRM sold per user in Professional, Enterprise and Premium tiers, tied to Dataverse, Teams and Copilot.
Dynamics 365 Sales is Microsoft's CRM, sold per user in Professional, Enterprise and Premium tiers and tied to Dataverse, Teams and Copilot. It stands out for AI agents and Microsoft integration, but reviewers cite long customization time.
- Best for
- Organizations already standardized on Microsoft 365, Teams and Power Platform.
- Company size
- Mid-size to enterprise.
Key features
- Pipeline management
- Lead-to-cash sales process, forecasting and quota tracking in Enterprise.
- Email and calendar integration
- Outlook app and enhanced email; Teams integration.
- Sales automation
- Sequences, sales accelerator, Sales Qualification and Opportunity agents.
- Reporting and forecasting
- Power BI embedded dashboards; predictive forecasting in Premium.
Pros
- Tight fit with the Microsoft stack.
Cons
- Time-consuming setup and customization.
- Cluttered interface and slow performance.
Pricing: $65/user/month paid yearly (Sales Professional) · Free trial
Zoho CRM
A low-cost, wide-feature CRM with a free 3-user plan and four paid editions priced per user.
Small businesses that want to start free for up to three users, then step into low-cost per-user editions, will find a lot here, especially if Zoho apps are already in use. Mobile apps and basic workflows are included free. Ask about SSO and audit details before shortlisting.
- Best for
- Small businesses that want a free start and cheap per-user editions.
- Company size
- Small to mid-size (62% of G2 reviewers are small business)
Key features
- Pipeline management
- Multiple pipelines from Standard; forecasting from Standard.
- Email and calendar integration
- Calendar integration from Standard; Slack/Zoom/Teams integration.
- Sales automation
- Workflows in Free; process management from Professional; approvals from Enterprise.
- Reporting and forecasting
- Standard reports in Free; unlimited reports from Professional.
Pros
- Low price for the feature set.
- Broad feature range and customization.
Cons
- Interface and setup can feel complex.
Pricing: Free for up to 3 users; Standard $14/user/month billed annually · Free plan, Free trial
Pipedrive
A pipeline-first CRM for small sales teams with four tiers, all cheaper when billed annually.
Small sales teams that think in deals moving across a visual pipeline will feel at home. Full email sync, automations and sequences arrive at Growth, around $39 per user. Choose annual billing where possible, since monthly costs 40 to 70 percent more on lower tiers. There is no free plan.
- Best for
- Small sales teams that live in a visual deal pipeline.
- Company size
- Small teams.
Key features
- Pipeline management
- Core visual pipeline from Lite.
- Email and calendar integration
- Full email sync from Growth.
- Sales automation
- Automations and sequences from Growth.
Pros
- Easy, intuitive interface (about 574 G2 reviews mention it)
Cons
- Add-ons raise the real price above list.
- Limited depth in reporting and automation on lower tiers.
Pricing: $14/user/month billed annually (Lite) · Free trial
Freshsales
Freshworks' sales CRM with three tiers from $9 per user, reserving audit logs and field-level permissions for the top tier.
Small and mid-size teams on a tight budget, particularly those already using Freshdesk or other Freshworks products, can start at $9 per user. Check the tier grid first: forecasting insights belong to Enterprise only, and audit logs and field-level permissions also wait for the $59 top tier.
- Best for
- Small to mid-size teams wanting a cheap entry tier.
- Company size
- Startups through mid-large businesses.
Key features
- Pipeline management
- Kanban view on Growth.
- Sales automation
- Basic workflows on Growth; sales sequences from Pro.
- Reporting and forecasting
- Forecasting insights on Enterprise only.
Pros
- Responsive customer support (about 50 G2 mentions)
- Ease of use.
Cons
- Limited features and reporting or automation gaps (about 32 G2 mentions of limited features)
Pricing: $9/user/month billed annually (Growth) · Free trial
HubSpot Sales Hub
CRM-native sales engagement, meetings and deal reporting with seat-type and edition gates.
Sales Hub reduces system handoffs for existing HubSpot customers; Professional Sales Seats differ from Starter Core Seats.
- Best for
- Teams already running their CRM on HubSpot.
- Company size
- Growing HubSpot-centric sales teams.
Key features
- Sequences and tasks
- Sequences are an advanced Sales Hub capability; verify Professional/Enterprise entitlement.
- Channel coverage
- Email tracking, meetings, calls and CRM tasks by edition.
- CRM synchronization
- Native HubSpot CRM record and deal context.
- Outcome reporting
- Deal and activity reporting with edition-specific features.
Pros
- G2 synthesis highlights centralized contacts, deals and tasks.
Cons
- G2 synthesis flags cost and setup of advanced features.
Pricing: $7/seat/month (Starter)
Salesloft
Revenue orchestration with Cadence outreach, Rhythm prioritization and enterprise governance.
Salesloft offers Cadence, Rhythm, configurable user groups and SSO; evaluate rollout complexity and quote scope.
- Best for
- Revenue teams that need structured cadences and AI-guided prioritization.
- Company size
- Mid-market and enterprise.
Key features
- Sequences and tasks
- Cadence coordinates structured follow-ups and prospect touchpoints.
- Channel coverage
- Cadence outreach, calls and conversation workflows; confirm edition.
- CRM synchronization
- Salesforce sync and integration controls documented in governance materials.
- Sending controls
- Cadence enrollment controls and deliverability checklist documented.
Pros
- G2 review synthesis highlights cadence consistency and guided prioritization.
Cons
- G2 review synthesis flags occasional AI recommendation gaps and call issues.
Pricing: Contact sales
Apollo.io
B2B contact data, enrichment and sales sequences in one credit-metered prospecting workspace.
Apollo.io is a prospecting tool for B2B contacts and companies with list building and CRM enrichment. It stands out for bundling data and outbound sequences, with a free plan, a Basic trial and Salesforce and HubSpot integrations.
- Best for
- Small and growing sales teams buying data and engagement together.
- Company size
- SMB to mid-market B2B revenue teams.
Key features
- Sequences and tasks
- Basic tier includes unlimited sequences.
- Channel coverage
- Email sequences, calling and tasks; dialer tier depends on plan.
- CRM synchronization
- Native CRM integrations included in Basic and higher tiers.
- Data and enrichment
- B2B database and credit-metered enrichment; usage ceilings depend on tier.
Pros
- G2 product reviews describe consolidated prospecting and outreach workflows.
Cons
- Buyers should test data coverage and credit consumption on their own ICP; results vary by segment.
Pricing: Basic $49/user/month billed annually; Free plan available · Free plan
How to choose a Salesforce Sales Cloud alternative
Start with what made you look: a missing feature, a team that outgrew the plan or a bill that grew faster than the team. Then compare the shortlist on the points that matter most for this kind of software.
- Pipeline management: Visual deal stages and forecasting are the core reason sales teams buy a CRM.
- Email and calendar integration: Automatic logging of Gmail/Outlook threads decides whether reps actually keep data current.
- Sales automation: Task, sequence and lead-routing automation separates light contact managers from real CRMs.
- Reporting and forecasting: Managers need pipeline and revenue reports without exporting to spreadsheets.
- Mobile app: Field and remote reps update deals on the go.
- Integrations and marketplace: Connections to accounting, marketing and support tools avoid double entry.
Security, admin and contract terms compared
Switching tools means a new security review. This is what Salesforce Sales Cloud and each alternative state publicly about single sign-on, provisioning, audit logs and the contract; a blank means the vendor does not say.
| Tool | SAML SSO | SCIM | Audit logs | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salesforce Sales Cloud | SAML federated authentication available in all editions per Salesforce docs. | Not published | Not published | Starter monthly or annual; Pro Suite and above annual. |
| HubSpot CRM | Not published | Not published | Not published | Monthly or annual commitment. |
| Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales | Not published | Not published | Not published | Prices shown paid yearly. |
| Zoho CRM | Not published | Not published | Not published | Monthly billing available on paid editions. |
| Pipedrive | Not published | Not published | Not published | Monthly plans available. |
| Freshsales | Not published | Not published | Enterprise only. | Billing-period toggle; monthly prices not published. |
| HubSpot Sales Hub | Not published | Not published | Not published | Professional/Enterprise onboarding and seat conditions require quote review. |
| Salesloft | Salesloft supports SSO providers including Duo, Okta and OneLogin; verify plan gate. | Not published | Not published | Custom quote; request rollout, minimum seats and renewal terms. |
| Apollo.io | Organization plan adds SSO and advanced administration. | SCIM create/update/deactivate with Okta and Microsoft Entra ID when SAML is active. | Not published | Organization tier has three-user minimum on annual billing. |
When to stay with Salesforce Sales Cloud
- Mid-size and large sales orgs that need deep customization, forecasting and a huge app ecosystem.
- Teams that want one platform for sales, service and analytics (Slack, Tableau bundled from Core)
Salesforce Sales Cloud alternatives: frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to Salesforce Sales Cloud?
HubSpot CRM is the closest alternative for most teams: teams starting free with up to 2 users. Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales suits teams that organizations already standardized on Microsoft 365, Teams and Power Platform.
Is there a free alternative to Salesforce Sales Cloud?
HubSpot CRM, Zoho CRM and Apollo.io offer a free plan. Free plans usually cap users, features or history, so check the limits against your team size.
What is cheaper than Salesforce Sales Cloud?
For 20 users on the cheapest plan that fits, Freshsales ($2,160 a year), Zoho CRM ($3,360 a year) and Pipedrive ($3,360 a year) cost less than Salesforce Sales Cloud ($6,000 a year), based on published list prices.