Software · head to head
Salesforce vs Zoho CRM
The short version
- Only Zoho CRM has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Salesforce sales Cloud tiers as captured 2 January 2024: Starter Suite $25/user/month, Professional $80/user/month, Enterprise $165/user/month, all USD billed annually; Zoho CRM free tier limited to 3 users only
- They diverge on capability: Salesforce covers Opportunity management, Zoho CRM covers Deal tracking.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Salesforce and Zoho CRM actually diverge.
| Attribute | Salesforce | Zoho CRM |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $25/month | Free |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Founded | 1999 | 1996 |
Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), platforms (Web, Ios, Android, Api), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Salesforce
- Opportunity management
- Reports & dashboards
- Email integration
- Workflow automation
- Mobile access
- AppExchange
- Microsoft 365
- Google Workspace
Only in Zoho CRM
- Deal tracking
- Sales automation
- Analytics
- Mobile CRM
- Email marketing
- AI assistant (Zia)
- G Suite
- Office 365
Both cover
- Contact management
- Lead management
- Slack
- Mailchimp
- SOC2
- ISO27001
- HIPAA
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Salesforce
- Sales managementnot Zoho CRM
- Customer servicenot Zoho CRM
- Marketing automation
- Lead generationnot Zoho CRM
- Analytics & reporting
Zoho CRM
- Sales automationnot Salesforce
- Lead managementnot Salesforce
- Customer supportnot Salesforce
- Marketing automation
- Analytics & reporting
Both are used for marketing automation, analytics & reporting, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Salesforce
- Sales Cloud tiers as captured 2 January 2024: Starter Suite $25/user/month, Professional $80/user/month, Enterprise $165/user/month, all USD billed annually
Zoho CRM
- Free tier limited to 3 users only
- Steep pricing when scaling beyond 10 users
- Limited offline capabilities compared to some competitors
- Setup and configuration can require significant customization
Pricing, plan by plan
Salesforce
$25/month- Essentials$25/month
- Account & contact management
- Opportunity tracking
- Lead management
- Professional$80/month
- Everything in Essentials
- Complete CRM
- Lead scoring
- Enterprise$165/month
- Everything in Professional
- Workflow automation
- Advanced analytics
- Unlimited$330/month
- Everything in Enterprise
- Unlimited customizations
- 24/7 support
Zoho CRM
Free- FreeFree
- Up to 3 users
- Basic modules
- Standard dashboards
- Standard$14/month
- Sales forecasting
- Custom dashboards
- Workflow automation
- Professional$23/month
- Inventory management
- AI predictions
- Advanced customization
- Enterprise$40/month
- Zia AI assistant
- Multi-currency
- Advanced analytics
Which should you pick?
Choose Salesforce if
- You need opportunity management.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
- You also want reports & dashboards.
Choose Zoho CRM if
- You need deal tracking.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
- You also want sales automation.
Questions people ask
- Is Salesforce or Zoho CRM better?
- Neither clearly leads. Salesforce starts at $25/month and Zoho CRM at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Salesforce or Zoho CRM?
- Zoho CRM has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $25/month for Salesforce and Free for Zoho CRM.
- Does Salesforce or Zoho CRM run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, Ios, Android, Api, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use Zoho CRM for free?
- Yes. Zoho CRM has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Salesforce starts at $25/month.
- What is Salesforce best used for?
- Salesforce is most often used for sales management, customer service, marketing automation, lead generation. Of those, sales management and customer service are not what Zoho CRM is typically brought in for.
- What can Salesforce do that Zoho CRM cannot?
- Salesforce covers Opportunity management, Reports & dashboards, Email integration, Workflow automation. Zoho CRM covers Deal tracking, Sales automation, Analytics, Mobile CRM. Both handle Contact management, Lead management, Slack, Mailchimp.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Zoho CRM: Does Zoho CRM have a free tier?
Yes. Zoho CRM offers a free plan for up to 3 users that includes core CRM functionality like lead, contact, and account management, basic workflow automation, and customizable dashboards.
SourceZoho CRM: What does Zoho CRM cost for a paid plan?
Zoho CRM pricing ranges from $14 per user per month for the Standard plan up to $52 per user per month for the Ultimate plan when billed annually. Most sales teams use the Professional plan around $23/user/month or Enterprise at $40/user/month.
SourceZoho CRM: Is Zoho CRM independent or owned by another company?
Zoho CRM is part of Zoho Corporation, which is independent and bootstrapped. The parent company was founded in 1996 as AdventNet, rebranded to Zoho in 2009, and has never accepted external venture funding.
Source