Zoho CRM vs Salesforce

03.09.23 04:23 AM By Noe

In this post we are going to compare Salesforce for small businesses and Zoho CRM. These are two of the best CRM apps out there, so we will compare them in 4 different categories to see which one is the right for you and your business:

  1. User interface and ease of use
  2. Top features
  3. Integrations
  4. Pricing

User interface & Ease of use

Salesforce
  • Outdated interface. 
  • Modules like campaigns, cases and quotes. 
  • Customizable home screen.
  • The search bar is always visible. 
  • The Opportunities module is organized in a kanban view, and easy to use.
  • The record page shows basic information, related record, activities.
  • The settings page has more options than Zoho. But if you are not sure what you are looking for, it will take you some time to find the setting.
Salesforce user interface
Zoho CRM
  • Modern user interface in comparison with Salesforce. 
  • There are a lot of modules available besides the basics. 
  • Customizable home screen. 
  • Hidden search bar (when you start typing, the results start showing up).
  • The Deals module looks very similar to the one in Salesforce.
  • The record page has a super customizable layout.
  • The settings menu has many options (you can always use the search bar to find what you are looking for).
Zoho CRM user interface

Personal opinion (User interface & Ease of use)

I think neither of these two CRMs have a great design, but in general, they are both relatively simple to use, giving the amount of modules and options we have available.
Zoho CRM is better organized and has a slightly better design in my opinion, but like I mentioned, there are other CRMs out there that are more polished.

Top features

Salesforce
  • Has a lot of useful features.
  • Automations.
  • Customizable fields in the layout.
  • Gmail add is available.
  • Service console module (tickets management).
  • Email marketing campaigns.
Zoho CRM
  • Has a lot of good features out of the box.
  • Customizable fields in the layout.
  • Customizable modules through Canvas.
  • Advanced workflows and automations. It is possible to trigger custom functions which expands your possibilities.
  • Blueprints are available (to make sure your employees follow their process)
  • The sandbox allows you to test your changes before deploying them to your live CRM. 

Personal opinion (top features)

In this category, I think Salesforce is slightly better because it has a few more features out of the box, including the email marketing module and the cases module. But keep in mind that these 2 features are available as a separate app in the Zoho ecosystem, so if you are looking for that functionality, you can get Zoho One, which includes all the Zoho apps, so you will have access to the CRM, the Marketing App, and the Cases management app.

Integrations

Salesforce

  • Salesforce AppExchange (with integrations and add-ons)
  • Integrates with Google Workspaces, Docusing, Asana, Formstac, Linkedin.
  • Most of the useful apps are paid (for example, Zapier).
  • Integrations or add-ons made by Salesforce.
Zoho CRM
  • Marketplace available (with integrations and extensions). 
  • Integrates with Google or Microsoft Email, Calendar and Contacts, Zapier, Voice over IP phone systems.
  • Most of the useful apps are free.
  • Zoho products (Zoho Projects, Survey, Desk, Analytics, Webinar, Sign, Campaigns, Contracts).

Personal opinion (integrations)

Salesforce has a more robust marketplace, better organized, and with more apps than the Zoho Marketplace. So make sure to review the integrations that you need before choosing one of these apps. But if you already use other Zoho products, Zoho CRM will integrate better with them.

Pricing

Salesforce

$75/user/month

(Min 5 users)

Free version

Zoho CRM

$40/user/month

                                                                

Free version

Zoho One

+40 apps (Zoho CRM included)

$37/user/month

So, I recommend Zoho CRM if you need a high level of customization, and you have the time and resources to set up the customizations and automations. The support team is ok, but most of the time you will have to do the work by yourself. Also if you are on a budget, Zoho is the best option. And keep in mind that Zoho CRM is included in the Zoho One suite, with other 40 apps to run your business, so if you are interested I'll leave a link in the description.


I recommend Salesforce if you are looking for the most advanced CRM on the market, that you can customize and automate. The support team is good, but for advanced workflows or automations, you will have to do it on your own. Also if you want to have a ticket system and marketing automation app all in one place, this CRM is for you. There are more integrations available for Salesforce, but most of them are paid, which increases the overall cost.