Salesforce vs Zoho CRM

Two CRM tools side by side: what each does, what it costs and who it suits.

The verdict Side by side Plans and pricing Who each is for Other options

The verdict

On the data we hold, it's close: neither pulls ahead on features, a free plan or AI access. The choice comes down to how you work.

What the data says

Both cover 6 of the 6 features we compared.
Both have a free plan, so you can try each before you pay.
Zoho CRM starts lower, at €14/mo against €25/mo.
Both have an API and an MCP server, so either works with AI employees.
In our CRM ranking, Salesforce places 1 and Zoho CRM 8 of 20.

Side by side

Salesforce and Zoho CRM compared
10 points compared	Salesforce	Zoho CRM
Starts at	€25/mo	€14/mo
Free plan	Yes	Yes
API	Yes	Yes
MCP server	Yes	Yes
Gmail or Outlook sidebar	Yes	Yes
Lead capture forms	Yes	Yes
Sales goals and quotas	Yes	Yes
Sandbox environment	Yes	Yes
Territory management	Yes	Yes
WhatsApp messaging	Yes	Yes
Links	Visit	Visit

Plans and pricing

Salesforce

Free SuiteFree CRM suite per user per month with basic sales, service and marketing tools.Free
Starter SuiteEUR 25 per user per month, billed monthly or annually.€25/mo/seat
Pro SuiteEUR 100 per user per month, billed annually; more automation, quoting and forecasting.€1,200/yr/seat
Sales Cloud CoreEUR 195 per user per month, billed annually; built-in AI, Slack and Tableau Next.€2,340/yr/seat
Sales Cloud AdvancedEUR 395 per user per month, billed annually; enhanced security and more AI.€4,740/yr/seat
Sales Cloud MaxEUR 550 per user per month, billed annually; full Agentforce for Sales suite.€6,600/yr/seat

Zoho CRM

FreeFree forever for up to 3 users: leads, deals, workflows, reports and a mobile app.Free
StandardPer user per month; EUR 14 per user per month billed yearly.€20/mo/seat
ProfessionalPer user per month with automation and AI; EUR 23 per user per month billed yearly.€35/mo/seat
EnterprisePer user per month with deep customization; EUR 40 per user per month billed yearly.€50/mo/seat
UltimatePer user per month with the highest limits and tailored setups; EUR 52 per user per month billed yearly.€65/mo/seat

Prices as the vendors list them. They change often; the final price is on their sites.

Who each is for

Choose Salesforce if…

B2B sales teams, from a small team to mid-market and enterprise, that need a CRM they can shape around complex pipelines, partner channels and heavy reporting.

Visit Read the review

Choose Zoho CRM if…

A small or mid-sized sales team, or a company already on Zoho apps, that wants pipelines, workflows and forecasting at a low cost per seat.

Visit Read the review

Other options worth a look

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Freshsales
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HubSpot
Combines CRM, marketing, sales and customer service around a shared contact database with a free tier.
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From $7/mo yearlyFree plan
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Nutshell
Dedicated customer relationship management platform for sales teams managing leads, deals and pipelines.
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From $13/mo yearlyAffiliate link
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Pipedrive
Manage your sales pipeline visually with drag-and-drop deals, contact management and workflow automation.
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From €14/mo yearlyAffiliate link
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Folk
Centralise contacts and deal pipelines in a spreadsheet-like CRM with automatic data enrichment.
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From €22/mo yearlyAffiliate link
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Attio
Build a flexible CRM that mirrors exactly how you sell, not how a vendor says you should.
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From €31/mo yearlyFree plan
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