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CRM · head to head

Scratchpad vs SharpSpring

Scratchpad logo

Scratchpad

CRM

Faster workspace over Salesforce for sales reps to update pipeline, take notes and manage deals

From
Free
Rated
-
SharpSpring logo

SharpSpring

CRM

Marketing automation for agencies

From
$50/month
Rated
-

The short version

  • Only Scratchpad has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Scratchpad scratchpad works with Salesforce and nothing else, with no HubSpot support, so it is off the shortlist entirely for any company on a different CRM regardless of how good the interface is.; SharpSpring still operates under the SharpSpring brand name (footer copyright SharpSpring 2026) as a Constant Contact product, serving over 2000 agencies and 10000 businesses per the vendor site
  • They diverge on capability: Scratchpad covers Spreadsheet pipeline views, SharpSpring covers Contact management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Scratchpad and SharpSpring actually diverge.

Attributes where Scratchpad and SharpSpring differ
AttributeScratchpadSharpSpring
Starting priceFree$50/month
Pricing modelPer user per monthsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Chrome extensionWeb
FoundedUnknown2014

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (CRM).

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 Scratchpad

  • Spreadsheet pipeline views
  • Call recorder and notetaker
  • AI field updates
  • Deal and account agent
  • Hygiene monitor
  • Notes linked to records
  • Custom prompts
  • Kanban and forecast views

Only in SharpSpring

  • Contact management
  • Email marketing
  • Landing pages
  • Marketing automation
  • CRM
  • Reporting
  • White labeling
  • Zapier

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Scratchpad

  • A 60-rep Salesforce team whose forecast is unreliable because opportunity fields are updated once a week in a panic before the pipeline callnot SharpSpring
  • A rep who wants to update twenty opportunities in a grid rather than opening twenty Salesforce recordsnot SharpSpring
  • A sales manager wanting stale and incomplete pipeline records flagged automatically instead of chased by emailnot SharpSpring
  • A revenue operations lead trialling AI notetaking that writes back to CRM fields before committing budget, using the free tiernot SharpSpring

SharpSpring

  • Marketing automationnot Scratchpad
  • Lead generationnot Scratchpad
  • Client managementnot Scratchpad

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Scratchpad

  • Scratchpad works with Salesforce and nothing else, with no HubSpot support, so it is off the shortlist entirely for any company on a different CRM regardless of how good the interface is.
  • AI credits are metered per user per month at 400 on Solo and 800 on Team, which means heavy notetaking use pushes teams towards Enterprise for capacity rather than for features.
  • There is no proper native mobile application, so representatives who wanted to update records from a car park between meetings are back in a mobile browser.
  • Sync with Salesforce and call processing can lag, and a pipeline view showing yesterday state during a forecast call undermines the exact meeting the tool was bought to improve.
  • It creates a second notes surface alongside native Salesforce notes, so organisations end up with deal history split across two places unless they explicitly ban one of them.

SharpSpring

  • Still operates under the SharpSpring brand name (footer copyright SharpSpring 2026) as a Constant Contact product, serving over 2000 agencies and 10000 businesses per the vendor site

Pricing, plan by plan

Scratchpad

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Workspace limited to 3 views
    • 10 hours a month of call recording and notetaking
    • AI field updates
  • Solo$19/month
    • Unlimited views with sheets and notes
    • Call recorder and notetaker
    • AI field updates
  • Team$49/month
    • Everything in Solo
    • 800 AI credits per user per month
    • Gong integration
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Unlimited AI credits
    • White-glove agent services included
    • Enterprise security and administration

SharpSpring

$50/month
  • Professional$50/month
    • Contact management
    • Email marketing
    • Landing pages
  • Agency$100/month
    • Everything in Professional
    • Client management
    • White labeling
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Everything in Agency
    • Custom integration
    • Dedicated support

Which should you pick?

Choose Scratchpad if

  • You need spreadsheet pipeline views.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Chrome extension.
  • You also want call recorder and notetaker.

Choose SharpSpring if

  • You need contact management.
  • You also want email marketing.

Questions people ask

Is Scratchpad or SharpSpring better?
Neither clearly leads. Scratchpad starts at Free and SharpSpring at $50/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Scratchpad or SharpSpring?
Scratchpad has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Scratchpad and $50/month for SharpSpring.
Does Scratchpad or SharpSpring run on more platforms?
Scratchpad runs on Web, Chrome extension. SharpSpring runs on Web.
Can I use Scratchpad for free?
Yes. Scratchpad has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. SharpSpring starts at $50/month.
What is Scratchpad best used for?
Scratchpad is most often used for a 60-rep salesforce team whose forecast is unreliable because opportunity fields are updated once a week in a panic before the pipeline call, a rep who wants to update twenty opportunities in a grid rather than opening twenty salesforce records, a sales manager wanting stale and incomplete pipeline records flagged automatically instead of chased by email, a revenue operations lead trialling ai notetaking that writes back to crm fields before committing budget, using the free tier. Of those, a 60-rep salesforce team whose forecast is unreliable because opportunity fields are updated once a week in a panic before the pipeline call and a rep who wants to update twenty opportunities in a grid rather than opening twenty salesforce records are not what SharpSpring is typically brought in for.
What can Scratchpad do that SharpSpring cannot?
Scratchpad covers Spreadsheet pipeline views, Call recorder and notetaker, AI field updates, Deal and account agent. SharpSpring covers Contact management, Email marketing, Landing pages, Marketing automation.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Scratchpad: Does Scratchpad work with HubSpot?

No. It is Salesforce-only.

SharpSpring: Does SharpSpring offer different pricing for agencies versus enterprise customers?

SharpSpring explicitly tailors pricing to three customer segments: SMBs, Agencies, and Enterprise. Agencies receive month-to-month plans with flexible billing, while enterprise customers get custom plans designed to scale.

Source
Scratchpad: Is the free plan usable in production?

Yes for an individual: full workspace with three views, 10 hours of recording and 100 AI credits a month. Teams outgrow it on views and credits.

SharpSpring: Are SharpSpring's agency plans billed monthly?

Yes. The site specifically mentions that agencies receive affordable month-to-month plans, indicating monthly billing flexibility rather than annual-only contracts.

Source
Scratchpad: Does it replace Salesforce licences?

No. Every user still needs their own Salesforce licence; Scratchpad is an interface on top.

SharpSpring: What payment options are available for SharpSpring?

The site does not specify payment methods or models. Specific pricing details and payment options require contacting SharpSpring directly or visiting their dedicated pricing pages.

Source
Scratchpad: What are AI credits spent on?

Notetaking, summarisation, field update suggestions and agent queries. Enterprise removes the cap.

SharpSpring: Is SharpSpring more affordable than competitors?

SharpSpring describes itself as offering a full feature set for a fraction of the cost of leading competitors, particularly for SMBs. However, specific pricing amounts are not disclosed on the homepage.

Source
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