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CRM · head to head

Scratchpad vs Zoho CRM

Scratchpad logo

Scratchpad

CRM

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zoho CRM logo

Zoho CRM

CRM

The world's favorite CRM

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • 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.; Zoho CRM free tier limited to 3 users only
  • They diverge on capability: Scratchpad covers Spreadsheet pipeline views, Zoho CRM covers Lead management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Scratchpad and Zoho CRM actually diverge.

Attributes where Scratchpad and Zoho CRM differ
AttributeScratchpadZoho CRM
Pricing modelPer user per monthsubscription
PlatformsWeb, Chrome extensionWeb, Ios, Android, Api
FoundedUnknown1996

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Zoho CRM

  • Lead management
  • Deal tracking
  • Contact management
  • Sales automation
  • Analytics
  • Mobile CRM
  • Email marketing
  • AI assistant (Zia)

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

Zoho CRM

  • Sales automationnot Scratchpad
  • Lead managementnot Scratchpad
  • Customer supportnot Scratchpad
  • Marketing automationnot Scratchpad
  • Analytics & reportingnot 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.

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

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

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 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 Zoho CRM if

  • You need lead management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want deal tracking.
Zoho CRM review

Questions people ask

Is Scratchpad or Zoho CRM better?
Neither clearly leads. Scratchpad starts at Free and Zoho CRM at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Scratchpad or Zoho CRM?
Scratchpad starts at Free and Zoho CRM at Free.
Does Scratchpad or Zoho CRM run on more platforms?
Scratchpad runs on Web, Chrome extension. Zoho CRM runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
Can I use Scratchpad for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Zoho CRM is typically brought in for.
What can Scratchpad do that Zoho CRM cannot?
Scratchpad covers Spreadsheet pipeline views, Call recorder and notetaker, AI field updates, Deal and account agent. Zoho CRM covers Lead management, Deal tracking, Contact management, Sales automation.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Scratchpad: Does Scratchpad work with HubSpot?

No. It is Salesforce-only.

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.

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.

Zoho 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.

Source
Scratchpad: Does it replace Salesforce licences?

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

Zoho 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
Scratchpad: What are AI credits spent on?

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

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