Three MVPs in the CRM space are Zoho, Salesforce, and HubSpot. Each offers a broad selection of tools to help you manage your customer relationships, and they have distinct differences in terms of features, customization, and price.
As a business owner, choosing a CRM is an important decision that will affect your day-to-day operations and bottom line. If you need convincing, keep these numbers in mind:
- The return on investment (ROI) of a properly implemented CRM can exceed 245%. [IBM]
- The right CRM software can boost conversion rates by up to 300%. [Finances Online]
- About 74% of companies agree that CRM technology provides better access to customer data. [Resco.net]
CRM software is one of those “you need to spend money to make money” situations, and we assure you that it will be worth every dime. Here, PrimeView compares Zoho vs. Salesforce vs. HubSpot to help determine which reigns supreme. By the end, you’ll have a better sense of which CRM is the best for your business needs.
Overview of the Top CRM Software Options
Let’s get to know the big three.
1. Zoho CRM
Zoho CRM is an easy-to-use, customizable platform for small to midsize businesses. With Zoho, you get sales pipeline management, contact management, email integration, and more. In particular, you can personalize the interface, create custom modules and fields, and automate everyday tasks like email marketing, lead assignment, and sales alerts. Zoho also connects with popular email services, so you can log emails, schedule follow-ups, and track email opens and clicks.
In addition, Zoho’s live chat feature, SalesIQ, uses advanced algorithms to predict the chances of a lead converting, allowing you to focus your sales and marketing efforts on those high-quality leads. This CRM powerhouse also prioritizes privacy and strong ethical standards, developed through 25+ years of serving global business customers.
Whether optimizing sales through its award-winning CRM system or developing customized applications for unique processes, Zoho leverages its own products internally. Zoho provides customers with the same comprehensive tools and deep technological expertise used successfully in running an enterprise, enabling the consistent creation of engaging customer experiences.
Standard pricing starts at $14 per user monthly. So, if you’re on a budget, Zoho is a solid choice.
2. Salesforce
This software solution is available for companies of all sizes. It has advanced automation, lead scoring, opportunity management, and robust integrations with marketing tools like Pardot. The interface is more modern than Zoho’s, but the platform has a steep learning curve. It’s also more expensive, starting at $25 per user monthly.
Salesforce is ideal for large-scale corporations with extensive resources and complex needs, but it may be overkill for small and midsize businesses.
3. HubSpot CRM
HubSpot CRM is 100% free, offering contact management, deal tracking, email integration, and so much more. As your needs grow, HubSpot offers paid marketing and sales software that combines seamlessly with the CRM. However, the free version lacks some features of paid CRMs, and you’ll need to upgrade to access tools like advanced predictive lead scoring, custom reporting, omnichannel support, and social media integrations, among others.
For simpler needs, HubSpot CRM is a great free option, but may require additional investment as your business expands.
Comparing Key Metrics: Pricing, Integrations, and More
When comparing CRMs, pricing, integrations, and metrics are vital factors in determining which platform is right for your business.
Pricing
Pricing varies between Zoho, Salesforce, and HubSpot. As discussed earlier, Zoho’s starter plan begins at $14/user/month, while Salesforce and HubSpot CRMs charge $25 and $20 per user each month, respectively.
As for enterprise plans, which offer more powerful sales, marketing, CMS, customer service, and operations software, Zoho charges $40/user/month, Salesforce charges $165/user/month, and HubSpot CRM charges $5,164 per month billed at $61,957 a year.
Evaluate how many users and what features you need to decide whether the cost is justified.
Integrations
All three CRMs integrate with various third-party apps, but Salesforce and HubSpot have a slight edge with over 2,500 and 1,000 integrations, respectively. Some popular ready-to-use extensions include Slack, MailChimp, and SMS-Magic.
Review the systems you currently use and check whether they are compatible with these CRM options.
Also read: Top 10 Zoho CRM Extensions for Enhanced Productivity
Metrics and Reporting
Robust reporting and metrics tools allow you to gain valuable insights into your business. Zoho CRM, Salesforce, and HubSpot CRM all provide custom reporting, dashboards, and sales metrics out-of-the-box, but may require additional configuration.
Identify which key performance indicators (KPIs) and goals are most critical to track to evaluate how well each platform can serve your needs. If you need help identifying or improving your KPIs, PrimeView can help. Contact us at +1-480-970-4688 for more information.
Why Zoho CRM Is the Winner (In Our Humble Opinion)
Zoho CRM reigns supreme over Salesforce and HubSpot for several reasons:
- High performance at fair prices: Zoho CRM provides superior performance compared to alternatives at very competitive pricing. For more than 25 years, the company has been self-funded and profitable by choosing not to spend heavily on promotional activities, allowing costs to remain low for clients. Savings from limited marketing are redirected toward offering clients outstanding value and return on investment. Users can rely on Zoho CRM to deliver unmatchable quality at a price that ensures the greatest benefits.
- User-friendly and highly customizable: Compared to the complexity of alternative CRMs, Zoho is a breeze to use. You don’t need a degree in computer engineering or information technology to operate Zoho. You can easily adjust layouts, fields, and workflows to meet your needs using its drag-and-drop interface. And, whether you need to track pending tickets, previous sales, marketing contacts, or all of the above, you can tailor Zoho CRM based on your needs.
- Hundreds of extensions: Zoho has 800+ extensions with platforms like Gmail, Outlook, Quickbooks, MailChimp, and more. These apps allow you to combine multiple, if not all, areas of your business and gain a complete view of your customers and operations in one place. The broad range of extensions, from marketing automation to accounting, gives you the flexibility to build the perfect all-in-one solution for your business.
Additional resources:
While enterprise-level CRMs like Salesforce certainly have their merits, for most small to midsize businesses, Zoho CRM can provide an easy-to-use CRM solution at a price that won’t break the bank. By focusing on an intuitive interface, essential features, broad integrations, and unmatched affordability, Zoho CRM reigns supreme for companies looking to organize their business without complication or exorbitant costs.
Let’s Wrap It Up
So there you have it, a breakdown of the leading CRM solutions on the market today. Any one of these platforms would be an excellent choice for helping you gain insights into your sales pipeline and customer relationships. At the end of the day, though, you need to go with the solution that best fits your team.
If you need help choosing the best CRM based on your needs and budget, the PrimeView team is happy to lend a hand.