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CRM · head to head

Scratchpad vs SugarCRM

Scratchpad logo

Scratchpad

CRM

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SugarCRM logo

SugarCRM

CRM

Customer relationship software for your business

From
$59/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

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.; SugarCRM every plan carries a 15 user minimum, so the entry cost is 15 seats regardless of team size
  • They diverge on capability: Scratchpad covers Spreadsheet pipeline views, SugarCRM covers Contact management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Scratchpad and SugarCRM actually diverge.

Attributes where Scratchpad and SugarCRM differ
AttributeScratchpadSugarCRM
Starting priceFree$59/month
Pricing modelPer user per monthsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Chrome extensionWeb, Ios, Android
FoundedUnknown2004

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 SugarCRM

  • Contact management
  • Sales pipeline
  • Lead management
  • Marketing automation
  • Customer service
  • Reporting
  • Mobile app
  • Salesforce

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 SugarCRM
  • A rep who wants to update twenty opportunities in a grid rather than opening twenty Salesforce recordsnot SugarCRM
  • A sales manager wanting stale and incomplete pipeline records flagged automatically instead of chased by emailnot SugarCRM
  • A revenue operations lead trialling AI notetaking that writes back to CRM fields before committing budget, using the free tiernot SugarCRM

SugarCRM

  • CRM for sales, marketing and service teamsnot Scratchpad
  • Managing accounts, opportunities and customer history at mid market scalenot 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.

SugarCRM

  • Every plan carries a 15 user minimum, so the entry cost is 15 seats regardless of team size
  • At $59 per user on Standard that minimum makes the real floor $885 a month
  • All three tiers are billed annually with no monthly option
  • The vendor still directs buyers to sales for a package rather than treating the published rate as final

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

SugarCRM

$59/month
  • Standard$59/month
    • Accounts management
    • Lead tracking
    • Quotes
  • Advanced$85/month
    • Mail and calendar integration
    • Case management
    • Sugar Intelligence
  • Premier$135/month
    • Geo mapping
    • Enhanced storage 2x
    • LinkedIn connector

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.
Scratchpad review

Choose SugarCRM if

  • You need contact management.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want sales pipeline.
SugarCRM review

Questions people ask

Is Scratchpad or SugarCRM better?
Neither clearly leads. Scratchpad starts at Free and SugarCRM at $59/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Scratchpad or SugarCRM?
Scratchpad has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Scratchpad and $59/month for SugarCRM.
Does Scratchpad or SugarCRM run on more platforms?
Scratchpad runs on Web, Chrome extension. SugarCRM runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Scratchpad for free?
Yes. Scratchpad has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. SugarCRM starts at $59/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 SugarCRM is typically brought in for.
What can Scratchpad do that SugarCRM cannot?
Scratchpad covers Spreadsheet pipeline views, Call recorder and notetaker, AI field updates, Deal and account agent. SugarCRM covers Contact management, Sales pipeline, Lead management, Marketing automation.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Scratchpad: Does Scratchpad work with HubSpot?

No. It is Salesforce-only.

SugarCRM: How much does SugarCRM cost?

SugarCRM costs $59 per user per month for the Standard plan, $85 per month for Advanced, and $135 per month for Premier. All plans require annual billing and a 15-user minimum.

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.

SugarCRM: What is included in the Advanced plan?

The Advanced plan at $85 per user per month includes everything in Standard plus mail and calendar integration, case management, Sugar Intelligence, and Sugar Predict features.

Source
Scratchpad: Does it replace Salesforce licences?

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

SugarCRM: What distinguishes the Premier plan?

The Premier plan costs $135 per user per month and adds geo mapping, 2x enhanced storage, LinkedIn connector integration, and enhanced support compared to the Advanced plan.

Source
Scratchpad: What are AI credits spent on?

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

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