Salesforce vs Zoho CRM
Salesforce and Zoho CRM are both CRM tools. Salesforce is aimed at enterprise, while Zoho CRM is aimed at small businesses and enterprise. Zoho CRM costs less, from $20/mo versus $25/mo for Salesforce. Both have a free plan.
The enterprise CRM standard
Affordable CRM inside the Zoho suite
| Pricing | Freemium · $25 | Freemium · $20 |
| Starting price | $25/mo | $20/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | 30 days | 15 days |
| Built for | Enterprise | Small businesses, Enterprise |
| Platforms | web, ios, android | web, ios, android |
| Country | US · 1999 | IN · 2005 |
| Rating | — | — |
Choose Salesforce if
Mid-market and enterprise companies with dedicated CRM administration and complex processes.
- Unmatched customization and ecosystem
- Scales to the largest sales organizations
- Rich AI roadmap with Agentforce
Look elsewhere if: Startups and SMBs; HubSpot, Pipedrive or Attio will be faster and cheaper.
Choose Zoho CRM if
Cost-conscious SMBs and mid-market companies, especially those using other Zoho products.
- Very strong value per feature
- Deep customization at mid tiers
- Seamless with other Zoho apps
Look elsewhere if: Teams prioritizing UX polish (Attio, Pipedrive) or already on Google/HubSpot ecosystems.
Salesforce vs Zoho CRM pricing
Salesforce
- Free Suite$0Listed in Sales Cloud edition comparison
- Starter Suite$25/user/moBilled monthly or annually; sales, service, marketing
- Pro Suite$100/user/moBilled annually; quoting, forecasting, customization
- Core$195/user/moBilled annually; Momentum, Slack Business+, Tableau Next
- Advanced$395/user/moBilled annually; enhanced security, more AI
Zoho CRM
- Free$0Up to 3 users
- Standard$20/user/mo$14/user/mo billed annually
- Professional$35/user/mo$23/user/mo billed annually
- Enterprise$50/user/mo$40/user/mo billed annually
- Ultimate$65/user/mo$52/user/mo billed annually
Salesforce · Key features
- Fully customizable objects, fields, layouts and flows
- Forecasting, territories, quoting and CPQ
- Einstein AI scoring, Agentforce agents, Data Cloud
- AppExchange marketplace and MuleSoft integration
- Sandboxes, APIs and developer platform (Apex, LWC)
- Reports and dashboards with Tableau integration
Cons
- Expensive licenses and add-ons
- Requires admin resources or partners
- User experience can be cluttered
Zoho CRM · Key features
- Leads, contacts, deals with scoring and assignment rules
- Workflow automation and Blueprint process guidance
- Omnichannel: email, telephony, social, WhatsApp, live chat
- Zia AI for predictions, anomaly detection and writing
- Custom modules, functions, Canvas UI designer
- Analytics, dashboards and Zoho suite integration
Cons
- Dense, dated-feeling UI in places
- Support can be slow
- Learning curve for setup
Salesforce vs Zoho CRM: FAQ
Which is cheaper, Salesforce or Zoho CRM?
Zoho CRM starts at $20/mo and Salesforce at $25/mo. Both prices are checked on the vendors' own pricing pages.
Do Salesforce and Zoho CRM have a free plan?
Yes, both Salesforce and Zoho CRM have a free plan; paid plans add more usage and features.
Which is better for small businesses, Salesforce or Zoho CRM?
Zoho CRM lists small businesses as a core audience, while Salesforce is aimed more at enterprise.