Salesforce
Salesforce Inc.
4.5
Overall Score / 10
Freshsales
Freshworks Inc.
7.3
Overall Score / 10
Our Verdict
Choose Salesforce if:
- —Large enterprises needing maximum CRM customization
- —Organizations requiring a massive app ecosystem (AppExchange)
- —Companies with complex sales processes and large teams
Choose Freshsales if:
- —SMBs wanting an affordable CRM with AI features
- —Teams using other Freshworks products (Freshdesk, Freshchat)
- —Sales teams needing built-in phone and chat
The biggest difference: Salesforce wins on customization depth, ecosystem, and enterprise scale. Freshsales at $11/seat/mo is a fraction of Salesforce's cost and includes built-in phone and AI scoring, making it viable for SMBs that don't need Salesforce-level complexity.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Criteria | Salesforce | Freshsales |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest Paid Plan | $25/mo (Starter Suite)Source: Salesforce Inc. pricing page → | $11/mo (Growth)Source: Freshworks Inc. pricing page → |
| Free Tier | No | Yes Up to 3 users, contact management, built-in chat, email, and phone |
| Value for Money | 4 | 8 |
| Ease of Use | 3 | 8 |
| Feature Power | 10 | 7 |
| Setup Ease | 2 | 7 |
| Migration Ease | 2 | 6 |
| Transparency | 3 | 7 |
| Deployment | cloud | cloud |
| API Available | Yes | Yes |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android | Web, iOS, Android |
| Compliance | SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, GDPR, HIPAA, FedRAMP | SOC 2 Type II, GDPR, ISO 27001 |
Feature Comparison
Feature Comparison Matrix
18 features compared · 15 differences
| Feature | Salesforce | Freshsales |
|---|---|---|
| Core | ||
| Activity timeline | None | Full |
| AppExchange marketplace | Full | None |
| Built-in phone | None | Full |
| Contact and account management | None | Full |
| CPQ (Configure-Price-Quote) | Full | None |
| Lead and opportunity management | Full | None |
| Mobile app | Full | None |
| Sales forecasting | Full | None |
| Territory management | Full | Full |
| Visual deal pipeline | None | Full |
| Advanced | ||
| Custom objects and fields | Full | None |
| Einstein AI | Full | None |
| Email sequences | None | Full |
| Freddy AI (lead scoring, deal insights, forecasting) | None | Full |
| Reports and dashboards | Full | Full |
| Workflow automation | Full | None |
| Workflows | None | Full |
| Integrations | ||
| API Access | Full | Full |
Pricing Comparison
Salesforce Pricing
Basic CRM features, lead/contact/opportunity management, email integration
Complete CRM, forecasting, quotes, custom dashboards
Advanced customization, workflow automation, API access
Unlimited customization, 24/7 support, sandbox, Einstein AI
Freshsales Pricing
Up to 3 users, contact and account management, built-in chat/email/phone
Visual pipeline, AI contact scoring, sequences, 2,000 bot sessions/mo
Multiple pipelines, AI deal insights, sales teams, territory management
Custom modules, AI forecasting, audit logs, dedicated account manager
Who Should Choose Which?
Who should choose Salesforce
Best for
- Large enterprises needing maximum CRM customization
- Organizations requiring a massive app ecosystem (AppExchange)
- Companies with complex sales processes and large teams
Avoid if
- You're a small business on a budget
- You want simple, quick setup without a consultant
- You need a lightweight CRM for a small sales team
Who should choose Freshsales
Best for
- SMBs wanting an affordable CRM with AI features
- Teams using other Freshworks products (Freshdesk, Freshchat)
- Sales teams needing built-in phone and chat
Avoid if
- You need the deepest third-party integration ecosystem
- You need advanced marketing automation in the CRM
- You want the most customizable CRM (Salesforce is better)
Switching Guidance
Switching from Salesforce
Common triggers to leave:
- •Cost for small/mid-size teams
- •Complexity and admin overhead
- •Need for Salesforce-certified consultants
Potential blockers:
- •Deep customizations (Apex, Flows, custom objects)
- •AppExchange integrations
- •Years of sales data and reporting
Switching from Freshsales
Common triggers to leave:
- •Need deeper integrations
- •Need advanced customization
- •Need marketing automation
Potential blockers:
- •Freshworks suite integration
- •AI scoring models trained on your data
- •Built-in phone setup
Try Salesforce
Plans from $25/mo
Try Freshsales
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