The short answer: HubSpot is the most common Salesforce alternative for small and mid-size businesses, with a free CRM and Sales Hub Professional at $90 to $100 a seat. Zoho CRM is the best value if you want Salesforce-style depth on a budget (Enterprise is $40 a user against $195 for Salesforce’s Core edition). Pipedrive suits sales teams that want a simple, visual pipeline, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales suits organisations built on Microsoft 365, and Freshsales suits teams that want sales and support from one vendor. Every price below is vendor-published and was checked on the vendor’s own pricing page in September 2026.
Salesforce Alternatives Compared on Price
| CRM | Best for | Entry paid price | Mid tier | Top published tier | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salesforce (for reference) | Complex, customised enterprise sales | Starter Suite $25 | Core $195 | Max $550 | Yes, Free Suite |
| HubSpot Sales Hub | SMBs wanting marketing and sales together | Starter $20 (monthly) | Professional $90 (annual) | Enterprise $150 | Yes, 2 users |
| Zoho CRM | Feature depth on a budget | Standard $14 | Professional $23 | Enterprise $40 | Yes, 3 users |
| Pipedrive | Pipeline-focused sales teams | Lite $14 | Growth $39 | Ultimate $79 | No (14-day trial) |
| Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales | Microsoft 365 organisations | Professional $65 | Enterprise $105 | Premium $150 | No |
| Freshsales | Sales plus support from one vendor | Growth $9 | Pro $39 | Enterprise $59 | No (21-day trial) |
| Creatio | No-code customisation and AI automation | Quote (no public price list) | Not published | ||
Per user or seat per month, billed annually unless stated. Vendor-published, checked September 2026. Excludes taxes, onboarding fees (HubSpot Professional $1,500, Enterprise $3,500) and add-ons.
Want the full list of Salesforce competitors with user ratings? See Spotsaas’ Salesforce alternatives page.
Why Businesses Look for Salesforce Alternatives
- Cost: Salesforce’s Core edition is $195 per user/month billed annually. A 25-person sales team pays $58,500 a year in licences before add-ons or implementation.
- Complexity: Salesforce is built to be configured, and most serious deployments need a dedicated administrator and often implementation partners.
- More than small teams use: small businesses frequently pay for customisation depth they never configure.
- Total cost: sandboxes, extra storage, premium support, AI add-ons and training sit on top of the licence.
How Much Does Salesforce Cost in 2026?
| Salesforce edition | Price per user/month (billed annually) |
|---|---|
| Free Suite | $0 |
| Starter Suite | $25 |
| Pro Suite | $100 |
| Core | $195 |
| Advanced | $395 |
| Max | $550 |
Vendor-published on salesforce.com (Sales Cloud, now marketed as Agentforce Sales), checked September 2026. AI can be added to Core and above; contact Salesforce for AI pricing.
Many comparisons still quote the older Enterprise ($175) and Unlimited editions. Salesforce’s pricing page now lists Core, Advanced and Max instead, so use Core at $195 for a like-for-like comparison. The licence is rarely the only line: complex builds need a certified admin and often consultants, and budgeting the licence alone is the most common costing error with this platform.
The Best Salesforce Alternatives in 2026
1. HubSpot: Best for Small and Mid-Size Businesses
HubSpot is the most common Salesforce alternative for small and mid-size businesses. It has a free CRM, puts marketing, sales and service on one record, and is designed to run without a dedicated admin.
- Pricing (vendor-published, checked September 2026): Free for 2 users; Sales Hub Starter $20 per seat/month billed monthly; Professional $90 annual ($100 monthly) plus $1,500 onboarding; Enterprise from $150 plus $3,500 onboarding.
- Watch out for: less customisable than Salesforce for complex, multi-object processes; Marketing Hub Professional is a separate $800 a month on annual billing.
2. Zoho CRM: Best Value for Salesforce-Style Features
Zoho CRM is one of the most complete Salesforce alternatives at a fraction of the price, and it connects to the wider Zoho suite.
- Pricing (vendor-published, checked September 2026): Free for 3 users; Standard $14, Professional $23, Enterprise $40 per user/month.
- Watch out for: a smaller consultant and admin talent pool than Salesforce.
3. Pipedrive: Best for Sales-Focused Teams
Pipedrive is built around a visual pipeline and activity-based selling, and is quick to roll out.
- Pricing (vendor-published, checked September 2026): Lite $14, Growth $39, Premium $59, Ultimate $79 per seat/month billed annually; 14-day free trial.
- Watch out for: lighter on marketing and service; email campaigns are a paid add-on.
4. Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales: Best for Microsoft Shops
Dynamics 365 Sales is the enterprise alternative for organisations already on Microsoft 365, Teams and Outlook, and it connects to Dynamics 365 Business Central for ERP.
- Pricing (vendor-published, checked September 2026): Sales Professional $65, Sales Enterprise $105, Sales Premium $150 per user/month, paid yearly.
- Watch out for: implementation usually involves a Microsoft partner.
5. Freshsales: Best for Ease of Use
Freshsales (by Freshworks) includes chat, email and phone, contact scoring and deal insights, and pairs with Freshdesk for support.
- Pricing (vendor-published, checked September 2026): Growth $9, Pro $39, Enterprise $59 per user/month billed annually; 21-day trial.
- Watch out for: a smaller app ecosystem than Salesforce.
6. Creatio: Best for No-Code Customisation and AI Automation
Creatio is an AI-native, no-code CRM that unifies marketing, sales and service on one platform. Where Salesforce often needs developers and admins to customise, Creatio lets teams build and change workflows, apps and automations without code, a strong fit for companies that want Salesforce-level flexibility without the implementation overhead.
- Pricing: quote-based; Creatio does not publish a price list (checked September 2026).
- Best for: teams that want deep customisation and automation without developers.
- Watch out for: a smaller partner ecosystem than Salesforce.
Salesforce Competitors Compared: What 25 Users Pay
| Plan | Per user/month | 25 users, per year (licences only) |
|---|---|---|
| Salesforce Core | $195 | $58,500 |
| Salesforce Pro Suite | $100 | $30,000 |
| Dynamics 365 Sales Enterprise | $105 | $31,500 |
| HubSpot Sales Hub Professional | $90 (annual) | $27,000 + $1,500 onboarding |
| Pipedrive Ultimate | $79 | $23,700 |
| Freshsales Enterprise | $59 | $17,700 |
| Zoho CRM Enterprise | $40 | $12,000 |
Calculated from vendor-published list prices, checked September 2026. Real quotes vary with discounts, add-ons and contract length.
The gap is wide enough to change the decision: moving 25 users from Salesforce Core to Zoho CRM Enterprise saves $46,500 a year in licences. What you give up is customisation depth, the size of the app ecosystem and the pool of people who already know the platform.
Who Is Salesforce’s Biggest Competitor?
Microsoft Dynamics 365 is the closest competitor at enterprise scale, especially in organisations already running Microsoft 365. HubSpot is the strongest challenger in small and mid-market, and Zoho CRM competes hardest on price. Which one is “biggest” depends on the segment you are in.
What Is a Cheaper Alternative to Salesforce for Small Business?
For small teams, HubSpot’s free CRM (2 users), Zoho CRM’s free edition (3 users) and Salesforce’s own Free Suite and $25 Starter Suite are the cheapest starting points. Among paid tools, Freshsales Growth ($9), Pipedrive Lite ($14) and Zoho CRM Standard ($14) are the lowest per-user prices in this guide. For more options, see our guide to the best CRM for sales teams.
Open-Source Salesforce Alternatives
SuiteCRM is the most established open-source option, a fork of the original SugarCRM open-source edition. EspoCRM is lighter and more modern, with a paid cloud option if you would prefer not to self-host. Odoo CRM sits inside a wider business suite, which makes sense if you want accounting and inventory alongside sales.
The licence cost goes to zero; hosting, upgrades, security patching and customisation work do not. Open-source CRM suits organisations with in-house technical capacity and a strong reason to keep data on their own infrastructure. For a sales team that simply wants a cheaper Salesforce, a commercial tool at $14 to $40 per user usually costs less once staff time is counted.
Salesforce vs HubSpot: The Comparison Most Teams Make
Salesforce starts from customisation: nearly everything can be reshaped through configuration and code, which is why it leads where sales processes are complex, span business units or face regulatory rules. That flexibility is why it expects an administrator.
HubSpot starts from usability: it makes opinionated choices so teams can run it without a dedicated admin, and it bundles marketing, sales and service on one record. The trade-off is depth for complex, multi-object processes.
On price, HubSpot Sales Hub Professional is $90 a seat on annual billing against $195 for Salesforce Core, but add Marketing Hub Professional ($800 a month on annual billing) if you need HubSpot’s marketing tools. Compare the full bundle you would buy. The practical test: if you cannot name who will administer Salesforce, you are buying capability you will not configure. Read the full Salesforce vs HubSpot comparison.
How to Choose the Right Salesforce Alternative
- Team under 100 people: HubSpot or Pipedrive
- Budget first: Zoho CRM or HubSpot’s free CRM
- Microsoft shop: Dynamics 365 Sales
- Marketing and sales on one record: HubSpot
- Sales and support from one vendor: Freshsales with Freshdesk
- Heavy customisation without developers: Creatio
Migrating Off Salesforce: What to Plan For
Export everything before you cancel. Accounts, contacts, opportunities, activity history, attachments and custom object data. Historical activity is what teams most often find missing afterwards.
Map custom fields deliberately. Mature orgs accumulate custom objects, validation rules and automations; not all of it will map, and some of it is no longer used.
Rebuild integrations, do not assume them. Confirm that each marketing, support, billing and data connector exists for the new platform before committing.
Plan for reporting to change. Saved reports and dashboards do not transfer; rebuild the handful leadership uses first.
Run in parallel for one full cycle. Keep both systems live through a complete sales month to find gaps before they affect a forecast.
When Salesforce Is Still the Right Answer
You have a working admin function. The main complaint about Salesforce is the expertise it needs; if you have that expertise, the biggest objection disappears.
Your process is genuinely complex. Multiple business units, territory hierarchies, layered approvals and heavy compliance are what the platform was built for.
You depend on the ecosystem. AppExchange is one of the largest CRM app marketplaces; if critical integrations exist only there, replacing the CRM means replacing them too.
You are hiring for it. Salesforce experience is common in the job market, which makes staffing easier than for niche platforms.
For deeper analysis, see our complete CRM buyer’s guide and HubSpot vs Salesforce vs Zoho CRM. Comparing the other direction? See our guide to HubSpot alternatives, or browse every Salesforce alternative on Spotsaas.
Related reading: Salesforce Pricing 2026: Sales Cloud Editions, Add-Ons and Real Costs
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best alternative to Salesforce?
HubSpot is the most common alternative for small and mid-size businesses, Zoho CRM is the best value for Salesforce-style features, Pipedrive suits pipeline-focused sales teams and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales suits Microsoft-centric enterprises.
What is the cheapest Salesforce alternative?
HubSpot (2 users) and Zoho CRM (3 users) have free plans. Among paid plans, Freshsales starts at $9 per user and Pipedrive and Zoho CRM at $14, against $195 for Salesforce Core (vendor-published, checked September 2026).
How much does Salesforce cost per user?
Salesforce lists a Free Suite at $0, Starter Suite at $25, Pro Suite at $100, Core at $195, Advanced at $395 and Max at $550 per user/month billed annually (vendor-published, checked September 2026).
Can I migrate data from Salesforce to HubSpot?
Yes. HubSpot has a native Salesforce integration and import tools for contacts, companies, deals and notes. Custom objects and complex configuration need to be rebuilt, so audit them before you move.
Is there an open-source Salesforce alternative?
Yes. SuiteCRM, EspoCRM and Odoo CRM are the best-known open-source options. They remove per-user licence fees but need hosting, upgrades and technical expertise.
Who is Salesforce’s biggest competitor?
Microsoft Dynamics 365 at enterprise scale, HubSpot in small and mid-market, and Zoho CRM on price. Which one is biggest depends on the segment.
What are the top 3 CRM systems?
Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics 365 and HubSpot are the three CRMs most often compared. Salesforce is the default at enterprise scale, Dynamics suits Microsoft-centric organisations, and HubSpot is popular with small and mid-sized businesses that want sales and marketing in one platform.
Does Salesforce have a future?
Yes. Salesforce remains one of the most widely deployed CRMs and is expanding its AI agent products under the Agentforce name. For a buyer, the relevant question is fit: teams without admin capacity or complex customisation needs usually get more from a lighter platform at a fraction of $195 per user.
Why is Salesforce falling?
The question usually refers to share price, not the product. Market sentiment about growth is separate from whether the platform suits your team; judge it on fit and total cost.
