Best Salesforce alternatives in 2026 (compared)

Salesforce is often the first name that comes to mind when you think of CRM solutions. It is loved because it's powerful, flexible, and widely adopted.

But for many growing businesses, the shine wears off over time, costs rise, complexity grows, and day-to-day adoption becomes a struggle.

One of the biggest struggles is managing customer data effectively, as Salesforce often requires extra modules or admins just to keep records accurate.

For many teams, Salesforce also presents a steep learning curve, making it more challenging for representatives to adopt the system fully.

If you've found yourself questioning whether Salesforce is still the right fit, you're on the right resource.

In this guide, we'll explore the best Salesforce alternatives for 2026, what to look for when comparing options, and how to make a smooth transition without disrupting your sales process.

When and how to evaluate Salesforce alternatives?

Switching away from Salesforce isn't a small move. It involves handling data migration, retraining your team, and ensuring that critical workflows remain uninterrupted.

But if Salesforce no longer feels like it's helping you grow, that's usually a sign it's time to explore alternatives.

Many companies also find themselves stacking multiple business tools alongside Salesforce to cover gaps in marketing, calling, or quoting.

Common signs you've outgrown Salesforce

• Costs keep climbing: One Reddit user reported that their company was paying $5,000 per year for just four seats and still had to pay extra for basic services, such as backup. If that sounds familiar, the ROI may no longer be worthwhile.
• Too much admin work: A frequent complaint is that "every small change feels like a project." If you need a full-time admin or consultants to keep Salesforce running smoothly, it may be time to rethink your approach.
• Low adoption: Many teams echo the same frustration: "Salesforce is great for sales management, but painful for reps." If your sales team avoids using the CRM, your data will always be incomplete, which undermines the whole purpose of having one.

What to look for in Salesforce competitors

When you start comparing Salesforce competitors, focus on what will make life easier for your team:

• Ease of use: Will reps pick it up quickly without weeks of training?
• Integrations: Does it connect with your existing tools, such as email, calling, accounting, or marketing automation?
• AI built-in: Look for CRMs (Customer Relationship Management) systems that offer automation, lead scoring, or conversation insights out of the box, not as expensive add-ons.
• Transparent pricing: Many leaders complain about Salesforce's nickel-and-diming. Choose vendors that clearly disclose their costs upfront.
• Migration support: Good vendors don't just sell you software; they help you switch without the headaches.

Here are the most credible competitors to Salesforce for 2026, catering to both SMBs and enterprise sales.

7 Best Salesforce alternatives to explore in 2026

Salesforce may be the market leader, but alternatives to Salesforce CRM now deliver comparable power with simpler adoption.

Businesses today have access to flexible, affordable, and AI-driven CRMs that solve pain points more quickly and cater to companies of different sizes and industries.

We'll break down Salesforce's main competitors by use case and company size.

1. Salesmate (Best all-in-one alternative to Salesforce)

Salesmate is designed as a revenue operating system for growing businesses that find Salesforce too heavy or expensive.

It brings sales, marketing, and support together in one intuitive platform, powered by AI agents, Skara, that automate repetitive tasks such as prospect research, follow-ups, meeting scheduling, and call summaries.

Salesmate focuses on fast adoption and practical automation, helping teams stay organized, engage leads effectively, and scale.

Key features

• Visual sales pipelines & deal tracking – Sales pipeline management system will let you organize opportunities in drag-and-drop boards to see exactly where deals stand.
• Built-in calling, SMS, and email – Communicate with prospects directly from the CRM without juggling multiple apps.
• Smart campaign management & automation – Launch targeted campaigns with behavior-based triggers, segmentation, and A/B testing to nurture leads.
• Sales automation tools – Automate sales processes like lead assignment, follow-ups, and email reminders to keep deals moving without manual effort.
• Omnichannel customer support – Ticketing software and AI Copilot to manage tickets, live chat, and surveys in one place for faster, consistent responses.
• AI agents for productivity – Automate research, call transcription, meeting notes, and follow-ups so reps spend more time selling.
• 700+ integrations – Connect seamlessly with Google Workspace, Microsoft, Slack, and other tools already in your stack.

Pricing plans

• Basic: $23/user/month – essentials for small teams
• Pro: $39/user/month – automation, reporting, marketing tools
• Business: $63/user/month – advanced workflows, AI, and calling suite
• Enterprise: Custom pricing – tailored solutions & priority support

Why consider Salesmate as a Salesforce alternative

Many growing businesses find Salesforce overwhelming, especially when simple needs require pricey add-ons or dedicated admins.

Salesmate is easier for reps to adopt, quicker to customize, and far more transparent in pricing. Plus, its automation tools ensure your marketing efforts are aligned with sales for consistent customer engagement.

For teams that want Salesforce-level outcomes without the overhead, Salesmate is among the Salesforce alternatives that are easier to implement

2. Microsoft Dynamics 365 (Best Salesforce competitor for enterprises)

Microsoft Dynamics 365 is often cited as one of Salesforce's biggest competitors at the enterprise level. With a strong foundation in data, productivity, and AI, Dynamics 365 helps businesses connect sales, service, marketing, and operations.

Its agentic apps bring AI agents and Copilot features into core workflows, such as opportunity scoring, email insights, and record updates.

For organizations already in the Microsoft ecosystem (Office, Azure, Power Platform), Dynamics offers a coherent path to unify systems, enrich data, and manage growth without stitching together multiple tools.

Key features

• Sales force automation & forecasting – manage pipelines, territories, and product catalogs with accurate forecasts.
• AI & Copilot Capabilities – Boost Productivity with Meeting Assistance and Contextual Insights.
• Seamless Microsoft 365 integration – connect Outlook, Teams, and Power BI for unified workflows.
• Low-code customization & Power Platform extensibility – tailor CRM processes without heavy coding.
• Unified data & cross-application workflows – streamline operations across CRM and ERP for better efficiency.
• Customer service tools – empowering customer service teams with case management, routing, and a knowledge base.

Pricing plans

• Sales Professional: ~$65/user/month (core sales CRM)
• Sales Enterprise: ~$105/user/month (adds customization, advanced tools)
• Sales Premium: ~$150/user/month (full intelligence & analytics)
• Microsoft Relationship Sales: Variable pricing (Sales Enterprise + LinkedIn Sales Navigator, 10-seat minimum)

Why consider Dynamics 365 as a Salesforce alternative

If your business already relies heavily on Microsoft technology (Office 365, Azure, Power Platform), Dynamics 365 offers a significant integration advantage.

Rather than managing separate systems and connectors, you gain a unified, familiar environment with deep workflow connectivity.

Explore head-on comparison: Salesmate vs Salesforce.

3. Freshsales (best AI-powered CRM for mid-market teams)

Freshsales, part of the Freshworks suite, is an AI-powered sales CRM built for fast-growing teams that want smarter selling without the weight of enterprise platforms.

With Freddy AI at its core, Freshsales helps reps qualify leads, predict deal outcomes, draft emails, and eliminate manual busywork.

It unifies sales and marketing into a single platform, providing teams with a 360-degree view of customers across all channels.

For companies scaling quickly, Freshsales offers a balanced approach: advanced AI-driven insights and automation in an interface that feels lightweight, modern, and easy to adopt.

Key features

• Freddy AI intelligence – intent scoring, deal recommendations, email drafting
• 360° customer view – complete profile with activities, customer interactions, and touchpoints across all channels
• Kanban-style deal pipeline – drag-and-drop sales stages for easy organization
• Omnichannel communication – engage via phone, email, chat, and social
• Smart sales campaigns – generate, capture, and route leads automatically
• Workflow automation – reduce manual tasks, improve adoption, and boost morale

Pricing plans

• Growth: $9/user/month – basic CRM essentials
• Pro: $39/user/month – advanced automation + AI features
• Enterprise: $59/user/month – AI insights, governance, and full-scale customization

Why consider Freshsales as a Salesforce alternative

Freshsales offers a lighter, AI-driven CRM that's easier to set up, faster to adopt, and significantly more budget-friendly (starting at just $ 9 per user per month).

Freddy AI provides predictive insights and automation directly within everyday workflows, enabling sales reps to spend less time on administrative tasks and more time closing deals. That makes Freshsales one of the most effective alternatives to Salesforce for SMBs seeking AI-powered insights.

4. HubSpot CRM (best free alternative for startups and scaling businesses)

HubSpot positions itself as more than just a CRM; it's a complete growth platform.

By combining its Marketing Hub, Sales Hub, Service Hub, CMS Hub, and Operations Hub, HubSpot helps businesses align teams, pull insights, and deliver better customer experiences.

It's designed for both SMBs and enterprises, offering an intuitive interface, automation for manual tasks, and a single source of truth that keeps marketing, sales, service, and ops connected.

With seamless Gmail integration and a generous free plan, HubSpot has become one of the most approachable alternatives to Salesforce for scaling businesses.

Key features

• CRM & Contact Management – Manage up to 1 million contacts with full activity timelines, providing startups with complete visibility into customer data.
• Marketing Hub – email campaigns, forms, landing pages, social posting, and ad management
• Sales Hub – deal pipelines, meeting scheduler, email tracking, lead scoring, and automations
• Service Hub – ticketing system, shared inbox, live chat, and knowledge base tools
• CMS Hub – drag-and-drop website builder, blog management, and SEO tools
• Operations Hub – data sync, workflow automation, and quality control across platforms
• Extensive integrations – Gmail, Outlook, Slack, Zapier, and 1,000+ apps

Pricing plans

• Free plan: $0/month – core CRM, pipeline management, email marketing basics
• Starter: ~$45/user/month – removes HubSpot branding, adds permissions & enriched data.
• Professional: ~$450/user/month – advanced automations, reporting, and customization
• Enterprise: ~$1200/user/month – AI insights, custom objects, advanced governance

Why consider HubSpot as a Salesforce alternative

For many teams, Salesforce can feel burdensome, with expensive licenses, complex setups, and high administrative overhead.

HubSpot flips that script with an easy-to-use, free entry point, fast Gmail/Outlook integration, and automation baked into every hub. It's especially appealing if you want an all-in-one system that seamlessly integrates marketing, sales, and service without requiring endless add-ons.

5. Pipedrive (best pipeline-focused alternative)

Pipedrive is a sales-first CRM and considered one of the most affordable Salesforce alternatives for teams focused on pipeline execution.

Its hallmark is simplicity, an intuitive pipeline view that makes it easy to track opportunities, manage follow-ups, and spot bottlenecks before they derail revenue.

With workflow automation, built-in reporting, and customizable dashboards, Pipedrive keeps reps organized and managers informed.

Add-ons like Campaigns extend its functionality into email marketing at a fraction of Salesforce's cost, making it particularly attractive to SMBs and mid-sized companies that want efficiency and results without enterprise-level overhead.

Key features

• Pipeline management – visual, drag-and-drop boards to monitor deals
• Contact management – centralized records for sales, marketing, and support teams
• Workflow automation – cut repetitive tasks and save time for selling
• Customizable dashboards – tailor views by team, role, or deal stage
• Sales reporting – generate performance insights and track KPIs
• Email marketing add-on – affordable campaigns and templates with tiered pricing
• Mobile CRM apps – manage deals and activities on iOS and Android
• 400+ integrations – Gmail, LinkedIn, Slack, and other popular apps

Pricing plans

• Lite: $14/user/month – basic contact & pipeline management
• Growth: $24/user/month – adds automation & email tracking
• Premium: $49/user/month – advanced reporting & custom dashboards
• Ultimate: $69/user/month – enhanced collaboration features

Why consider Pipedrive as a Salesforce alternative

Salesforce can feel bloated and over-engineered for teams that primarily need to manage pipelines and close deals.

Pipedrive offers a streamlined, sales-first approach, quick setup, and far lower total cost of ownership. Its add-ons, like Campaigns, deliver marketing automation for under $24, a sharp contrast to Salesforce's $1,250+ monthly Marketing Cloud.

For sales-focused teams that want clarity, efficiency, and affordability, Pipedrive is a practical alternative that delivers exactly what reps and managers need.

6. Creatio (best no-code Salesforce alternative for process-heavy firms)

Creatio is a no-code, AI-native CRM platform designed for enterprises seeking maximum flexibility without the heavy developer overhead associated with Salesforce.

Its Sales, Marketing, and Service solutions provide teams with end-to-end tools to track opportunities, run personalized campaigns, and resolve cases more efficiently, all powered by role-specific AI agents.

What makes Creatio stand out is its composable, no-code architecture, which enables business users (not just IT) to design workflows, build applications, and deploy AI agents tailored to their specific processes.

For companies seeking innovation and agility, Creatio combines analyst recognition with real-world results, such as a 35% increase in leads and 50% higher conversions.

Key features

• Agentic CRM for sales, marketing & service – streamline pipelines, campaigns, and support workflows

• Prebuilt CRM AI agents – automate repetitive tasks, speed up operations, and boost productivity

• No-code AI agent builder – design and deploy AI agents with natural language and visual designers

• Composable architecture – adapt CRM processes for any industry or use case without coding

• Industry-specific solutions – out-of-the-box templates for 20+ verticals

• Creatio Marketplace – 400+ apps and add-ons for extending functionality

• Straightforward pricing – transparent model with no hidden costs

Pricing plans

• Growth: $25/user/month – core platform access

• Enterprise: $55/user/month – advanced workflows & scalability

• Unlimited: $85/user/month – full functionality and customization

Why consider Creatio as a Salesforce alternative

Salesforce often requires specialized developer skills and expensive customizations. Creatio flips this model with its no-code, composable platform, empowering business users to adapt workflows quickly without relying on scarce IT resources.

This makes it more cost-effective, faster to implement, and less risky in environments where agility is crucial.

With prebuilt AI agents, deep customization, and industry-specific solutions, Creatio offers enterprises a powerful yet flexible alternative to Salesforce, recognized by Gartner and validated by clients.

Insightful: Salesforce for small businesses: Why it's an expensive choice?.

7. Monday CRM (best collaboration-first Salesforce alternative)

Monday sales CRM is a visual, highly flexible CRM platform designed to adapt to the way your team works.

Instead of forcing you into rigid processes, it lets you build customizable workflows and automate tasks with advanced AI features.

Sales teams can track every stage of their pipeline on intuitive deal boards, while AI assists with email writing, forecasting, and performance tracking.

With its approachable interface, strong collaboration features, and quick onboarding, monday CRM is a strong alternative to Salesforce for SMBs and teams that value ease of use and visual project-style management.

Key features

• AI email composer – draft personalized, targeted emails in seconds
• Custom dashboards – track sales and team performance with AI assistance
• AI-driven content – generate nurturing materials for every pipeline stage
• Sales forecasting – probability vs. actual insights powered by AI
• Mobile app – log calls, track activity, and manage contacts on the go
• Project management features – track tasks, deadlines, and workflows alongside sales pipelines
• Visual deal boards – manage pipelines with drag-and-drop simplicity

Pricing plans

• Basic: from $12/seat/month – core CRM tools
• Standard: from $17/seat/month, mid-tier with automations and collaboration features
• Pro: from $28/seat/month, advanced workflows, analytics, and AI features
• Enterprise: large-scale customization & governance

Why consider monday CRM as a Salesforce alternative

Monday CRM focuses on simplicity and flexibility, making it ideal for SMBs and non-technical users who want a tool they can quickly customize.

Its visual interface, AI-powered automations, and lower entry pricing make it far easier to adopt, while still supporting advanced forecasting and performance tracking.

For teams that want a more approachable, affordable CRM without sacrificing automation or collaboration, monday CRM is a strong Salesforce alternative.

Salesforce alternatives comparison table (2026)

Below is a snapshot of the leading Salesforce CRM competitors, including pricing, G2 ratings, and best-fit use cases, all at a glance.

Note: *G2 ratings are averages as of 2026 and may vary slightly.

While customer relationship management (CRM) is the system of record for managing customer relationships, quoting and billing often operate on separate systems.

Many Salesforce users also rely on its CPQ (Configure, Price, Quote) module to generate quotes, apply discounts, manage approvals, and handle renewals.

If you're considering leaving Salesforce, it's not enough to replace the CRM alone; you also need to ask: what happens to quoting and billing? Our next section will bring clarity.

Salesforce CPQ alternatives (quoting & billing tools)

CPQ impacts pricing accuracy, approvals, renewals, and billing workflows, areas directly tied to revenue.

Even if you migrate your CRM, your quoting process may still fail if the CPQ replacement doesn't align with your business model.

This is why CPQ tools deserve a separate lens: they manage complexity that CRM alone can't solve. (Check the CRM and CPQ differences.)

Top Salesforce CPQ competitors

• Conga (formerly Apttus) – One of the most established CPQ solutions, Conga is built for enterprises with complex product catalogs, approval layers, and contract lifecycle management. It's robust, but also costly and slower to implement.
• PandaDoc – A lightweight alternative focused on ease of use. It combines proposals, e-signatures, and payments in one platform. Great for SMBs and mid-market firms, but less suited to highly complex configurations.
• QuoteWerks – A long-standing option popular with SMBs and resellers. It integrates with multiple CRMs and accounting systems, making it flexible. However, its interface feels dated, and advanced functionality often requires add-ons.
• DealHub.io – A modern, fast-moving alternative that combines guided selling, CPQ, and subscription management. It's quick to roll out and user-friendly, though not yet as proven in very large enterprise deployments.

Key trade-offs in CPQ replacement

When evaluating a Salesforce CPQ alternative, consider three areas:

• Approvals: If you require flexible, multi-stage approvals, only enterprise-grade CPQs, such as Conga, will meet your needs. Lighter tools may only support simple approval paths.
• Guided selling: Complex product bundles demand robust rule engines. Without them, sales reps risk creating invalid or unprofitable quotes.
• Renewals & subscriptions: If you sell recurring products or services, ensure your CPQ can handle amendments, prorations, and renewals—otherwise your finance workflows will break.

Just like quoting software, Salesforce Marketing Cloud alternatives should also be evaluated if marketing is a critical part of the workflow.

How do I migrate from Salesforce to another CRM software?

When transitioning to CRM alternatives to Salesforce, break the migration process into distinct phases: clean, map, rebuild, test, and train.

Here is the migration playbook:

1. Clean and export your Salesforce data

Start by tidying up. Eliminate duplicates, outdated leads, and incomplete records to avoid cluttering your new CRM. Once your data is lean, export contacts, deals, activities, and any custom objects you have created.

2. Map fields, workflows, and custom objects

Every CRM system categorizes things slightly differently. Create a mapping sheet that shows where each Salesforce field should land.

Pay special attention to workflows and custom objects, as they may require adjustments or even reevaluation in the new system.

3. Rebuild or replace integrations

List the tools you rely on daily (Gmail, Slack, accounting apps). Check which ones connect natively to your new CRM and which ones may need rebuilding.

Sometimes, you'll even discover features that replace third-party tools altogether.

4. Test migration before full cutover

Don't flip the switch on day one. Run a pilot migration using a small dataset to test the process.

This way, you'll catch field mismatches, formatting quirks, or permission issues before they snowball.

5. Train teams for adoption and minimize disruption

Even the smoothest migration fails if your team isn't on board.

Schedule short training sessions, create role-specific cheat sheets, and explain why the switch makes their jobs easier. Adoption is just as important as data accuracy.

CRM migration checklist

The above checklist will smooth your migration process.

Closing thoughts

Today's Salesforce CRM alternatives offer greater flexibility, faster adoption, and more transparent pricing.

Whether you're a small team, a fast-scaling company, or an enterprise, there's a platform that can match your needs without the overhead.

The future of CRM is even more exciting. AI-driven platforms, such as Salesmate with its AI Agent, HubSpot's Smart CRM, and Microsoft's Copilot, are transforming everyday tasks into automated workflows.

At the same time in the global CRM market, we're seeing a rise in vertical-first CRMs built for industries such as real estate, finance, and eCommerce.

Additionally, there are composable CRM stacks that allow businesses to mix and match tools, rather than being locked into a single vendor.

Your next step? Build a simple decision matrix with your must-haves, run a test migration, and do a proof of concept with your shortlist.

And if you want to experience how an AI-powered Salesforce alternative feels in action, you can start a free trial with Salesmate.