Is there a free version of Salesforce CRM?

Salesforce has been around since 2005 and was one of the first enterprise CRMs on the market. Despite its age, it remains in use by many businesses today. However, with so much competition out there, how do I choose which platform will be best for my organization? Is Salesforce still a CRM?

There's no doubt that Salesforce is still relevant in 2019 as an industry standard. It has become synonymous with the term "CRM" (for Customer Relationship Management) thanks to companies such as Microsoft, Oracle, IBM, ServiceNow, Zendesk, Pipedrive, HubSpot, and others adopting the technology. But what about if your company doesn't need all the bells and whistles that come with cloud-based software? Or maybe you're just starting up and don't have any customers yet. In this case, are there other cheaper, more affordable options available?

Well, while we can certainly say yes to these two questions, let us start off by saying that most modern CRMs offer some sort of free tier. Some even allow you to try before you buy! So, whether you want to see what the product looks like before making a purchase decision or if you simply want to play around without committing to anything, you'll likely find something useful out there. That said, there are also plenty of cheap CRMs out there -- but they may not suit your needs either. Here's everything you need to know when choosing between free and paid CRMs.

Is Salesforce still a CRM?

Before answering the question above, it's important to note that Salesforce isn't technically a CRM anymore. The company stopped calling itself a CRM back in 2016 (although it did continue to support them), and now calls itself a customer relationship management solution instead. This shift came after Salesforce acquired ExactTarget in 2015, and ExactTarget had previously adopted the name HubSpot.

So why does this matter? Well, because Salesforce started using the CRM moniker long ago, meaning that there's already a lot of people who assume that every piece of software under the banner of CRM includes features similar to those offered by Salesforce Connect Cloud. While this might still work for smaller organizations, larger ones should think twice before purchasing from Salesforce given that their products aren't really comparable.

If you're wondering where all the old names went, check out our list of the top 10 CRM tools. There are several new entrants into the space that have replaced the older brands, including Adobe Experience Manager and Apptio.

Which CRM is better than Salesforce?

As mentioned earlier, Salesforce is only one option out there. Depending on your specific requirements, you might actually prefer another brand over the popular CRMS provider. If you'd rather stay away from the whole cloud computing trend altogether, then consider Bitrix24, which offers both SaaS (software as a service) and PaaS (platform as a service). You can access your data through desktop apps or mobile devices.

Another alternative worth considering is HubSpot CRM. While it's a bit pricier than competitors at $50 per user per month, it comes with quite a few perks that make it worthwhile. For example, users receive unlimited email sending limits, custom dashboards, advanced analytics, reporting, workflow automation, and integrations with third parties. Plus, you get full control over your data privacy settings, allowing you to decide who sees what information.

But if you're looking for a fully-featured CRM that's inexpensive, look no further than Freshsales. Not only is it super easy to set up, but it also allows you to create marketing campaigns based on your customer behavior. On top of that, you can sync your contacts across multiple platforms, integrate directly with Facebook, Twitter, Google Analytics, Mailchimp, PayPal, and more. And finally, it works great on Android tablets too.

Freshsales also makes it easier to track leads and manage conversions throughout the entire lifecycle of each contact. With integrated templates for lead generation forms, you can customize your campaign pages to show visitors exactly what they need to provide in order to qualify for a sale.

It goes without saying that pricing varies depending on the plan you select. As of right now, Freshsales costs $29/month for 1 user. However, for teams up to 5 members, the price drops significantly to $19/user/month. Meanwhile, HubSpot starts at $35/month for 2 users and drops to $20/month for teams up to 30.

Who is the biggest competitor of Salesforce?

For starters, there are dozens of competing CRMs out there. So far, we've covered the main players, but there are tons of lesser-known options that deserve attention as well. One of the oldest CRMs out there is Kobojo. Their solution supports team collaboration and provides real-time updates via webhooks. They also boast a clean interface and excellent mobile compatibility. Pricing starts at $39/month for 3 users and scales upwards to $99/month for 50 users.

Next, take a gander at Jive Software. Its offering combines traditional phone systems with messaging capabilities, call recording, video conferencing, document sharing, and more. Users can easily connect with teammates and clients alike via internal social networks and external services like Slack and Zoom. Best of all, the app integrates seamlessly with Outlook, Gmail, Skype, Yammer, Dropbox, Box, SharePoint, and other productivity suites. All plans start at $59/month for 11 users.

And lastly, Bitrix24 is a relatively young player in the CRM game. Although priced higher than most other solutions at $49/month for 1 user, Bitrix24 boasts a ton of impressive features. These include a drag & drop editor, calendar integration, automated tasks, customizable widgets, and more. Furthermore, Bitrix24 integrates directly with Zapier, Stripe, PayPal, QuickBooks Online, and QuickBooks Desktop.

Lastly, there's Bitrix24 Advanced ($249/month for 1 user). Compared to regular Bitrix24, Advanced adds a bunch of additional functionality, including project tracking, task scheduling, time tracking, invoicing, and time sheets.

Is there an alternative to Salesforce?

While Salesforce remains a very viable choice among CRM providers, it's definitely not the only one out there. You might even find yourself wanting to switch from Salesforce eventually, especially if you run a smaller operation. After all, there are plenty of reasons why you shouldn't go with the status quo.

One thing to keep in mind is that you probably won't save money switching to Salesforce's own CRM. Instead, you might end up paying less overall if you opt for a different solution entirely. Another consideration would be whether or not you feel comfortable working with the same vendor year after year. Many enterprises rely heavily upon legacy systems, so it could be tough to migrate away from Salesforce once you build up trust with them.

On the flip side, however, you might also benefit from jumping ship. By finding a suitable alternative, you can avoid getting trapped within the confines of Salesforce's ecosystem. For instance, you could ditch Salesforce completely and move towards a hosted CRM solution like HubSpot, which lets you focus on growing your business instead of spending hours trying to figure out how to navigate Salesforce's proprietary interfaces.

In addition to being flexible, these kinds of solutions often offer lower prices compared to traditional on premise offerings. One final point worth noting is that you may sometimes be able to negotiate discounts by signing up to an annual contract. Just remember to ask.

Salesforce has been around since 1999 and it's now one of the biggest names in cloud computing, with over 60 million users across 160 countries. This massive platform offers everything from customer relationship management (CRM) software to sales automation tools to help businesses grow their revenue.

But while Salesforce does offer some excellent products themselves like HubSpot and Chatter, they also sell other services that can be very expensive if you're not using them on a regular basis. If you want an alternative to Salesforce but don't want to pay through the nose every month then you need to look elsewhere. There are several companies out there offering similar features at much lower prices so let's take a closer look at what you should know about these choices.

Does Salesforce have a free CRM?

As we've mentioned before, Salesforce isn't exactly known as being cheap when it comes to its premium products -- even though many people believe otherwise. It doesn't stop there either. The company actually sells two versions of itself: the standard edition and the enterprise edition. You get all the same features in both except for the additional security measures and extra functionality offered by the latter.

The problem is that this doesn't mean the cheaper option will give you access to all those great features. Instead, you'll only receive a subset of them depending on which plan you subscribe to. For example, the Standard Edition gives you limited access to analytics, integrations, mobile apps, etc., whereas the Enterprise Edition includes full support for all these things.

If you want to try out Salesforce without paying anything upfront you do have another choice available: the Free Unlimited Plan. As long as you use no more than 5 seats per user, you won't incur any charges whatsoever. Just remember that with this subscription model you don't get 24/7 phone support or priority email inboxes. Also make sure that your data isn't stored on Salesforce servers because doing so means you lose control over your information.

Does Salesforce provide CRM?

Yes, although it might seem strange considering how pricey it is compared to competitors such as Microsoft Dynamics 365. But there are plenty of reasons why Salesforce would want to keep its pricing structure high. Not least of which is that it generates billions of dollars each year selling licenses for its paid plans. So instead of lowering costs, it makes more money selling its solutions to customers who aren't willing to invest in them up front.

That said, Salesforce also provides various add-ons and extensions that enable you to customize certain aspects of its service. These include:

Cloud App Launcher: enables you to install applications directly into Salesforce rather than having to go via the browser

AppExchange: allows developers to upload apps directly into Salesforce that can then be used by anyone within the organization

Analytics API: helps IT departments monitor performance metrics related to Salesforce

Enterprise Mobility Suite: lets employees easily connect to Salesforce from anywhere

Forums: enables admins to create forums where team members can discuss issues together

To sum up, yes, Salesforce definitely does provide CRM. However, it's worth noting that you won't find any dedicated CRM features included in the product unless you buy the right upgrades. That means you could end up spending hundreds of thousands of dollars buying the best possible suite of add-on packages.

Is there a better CRM than Salesforce?

Not really. While Salesforce may not be the cheapest solution out there, it certainly performs well enough and it's easy to set up. Plus, most of the competition only focus on providing basic contact management features and leave it up to you to decide whether you need something else.

With this in mind, we'd recommend checking out HubSpot. Although it's nowhere near as popular as Salesforce, it still boasts millions of active accounts worldwide. And unlike many rivals, HubSpot offers a range of different products that cover pretty much everything you need for managing relationships between clients, vendors, prospects, partners, and others.

It also has a number of cool marketing tools on top too, including landing pages, social media campaigns, webinars, live chat, and video conferencing. All of this is made easier thanks to its intuitive interface which is suitable for beginners as well as experts alike. Best of all, HubSpot is completely free!

You also have the ability to integrate HubSpot with third party systems like Google Analytics, Mailchimp, Zendesk, Marketo, Slack, and Zapier. In addition, you can manage multiple projects simultaneously, collaborate effectively with co-workers, and track progress through reports. To put it simply, HubSpot is perfect for everyone involved in running your business -- regardless of experience level.

HubSpot has a lot going for it, but it's important to note that it's not always the easiest thing to navigate. Even so, there are lots of resources online that show you how to get started quickly. For instance, you can learn how to build your profile page, set up forms, and perform simple searches right away. Or perhaps you just want to watch quick videos showing you how to use specific functions. Either way, there are tons of tutorials to choose from.

Does Salesforce have a CRM?

While it's true that Salesforce does offer a few CRM tools under its umbrella, you shouldn't confuse these with its core product. Instead, consider them as part of its ecosystem. They're designed to complement the main feature, which is built entirely upon connecting contacts to opportunities and tracking activity throughout the lifecycle of the deal. Still, there are a couple of handy add-ons that you can purchase separately if you wish. Here are five examples:

Opportunity Navigator: enables you to see all leads, deals, conversations, tasks, meetings, and events associated with a particular opportunity

Lead Scoring & Profiling: helps you identify hot leads based on criteria such as age, gender, location, job title, industry, etc.

Conversation Flow: shows you how emails were sent and received during the course of a conversation

Chatter Feeds: creates feeds containing all mentions of your brand name, keywords, hashtags, and phrases

Case Management Dashboard: displays all your cases and case details

These are useful additions if you're already familiar with Salesforce. Alternatively, you can check out our list of the best CRMs for small businesses.

We hope you enjoyed learning about Salesforce alternatives and finding a free CRM for your business. As ever, feel free to drop us a comment below if you spot any errors or omissions.

Salesforce offers a wide variety of tools and services to help businesses grow their customer relationships. The company has created the widely popular cloud software suite as well as several add-on products that can be used separately or together.

However, even with all these offerings, many organizations are still hesitant about using it because they don't want to pay $10 per user each month. If this sounds like you, then we have some good news! There's no need to worry anymore – Salesforce CRM is now completely free for students, nonprofits, and other organizations who fall under certain criteria. It might not sound like much at first glance but it'll come in handy when you're trying to find out which CRM is right for you. Here's everything you should know about Salesforce Free Edition.

Which CRM platform is best?

There are a few different types of CRMs available on the market today, including enterprise solutions such as Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and Oracle NetSuite. However, Salesforce isn't just another typical CRM product. Instead, it's one of the most powerful platforms around thanks to its unique features and functionality.

The main reason why so many people choose to use Salesforce over competitors is due to its ability to integrate seamlessly into other applications. This makes it easy for users to manage multiple accounts while also allowing them to access data from anywhere, anytime. Even better, if you already own an application built by Salesforce, chances are you won't have any trouble integrating it with the new system.

Another thing worth mentioning is how customizable Salesforce is compared to other CRMs. You can easily change fonts, colors, layouts, themes, and more without having to spend money upfront. In addition, Salesforce includes tons of integrations with third party apps, meaning that it works perfectly with almost anything else you could possibly use. So whether you work directly with customers or run a startup, it's hard to go wrong with Salesforce.

How long is Salesforce Free Trial valid for?

If you think that you've found the perfect solution for handling your entire workflow, it's important to make sure that Salesforce will actually work the way you expect it to. Unfortunately, Salesforce doesn't give you enough time to test things out before locking you into paying monthly subscriptions.

In fact, you can only get 30 days of free usage after signing up for a subscription plan. After that, you'll have to start shelling out cash. On top of that, there's usually a limited number of seats available to purchase during signup periods. The good news is that Salesforce does allow you to upgrade your account once every 90 days instead of renewing annually, making it possible to avoid getting locked into a contract.

Does Salesforce offer a free trial?

Yes, Salesforce does offer a free 14 day trial for everyone (whether student or not). All you have to do is create an account and activate the service within those two weeks. Once activated, you'll receive full access to the app's core functions and be able to customize it however you see fit.

Unfortunately, though, you can't use the free edition if you intend to sell anything through the tool. While Salesforce does include marketing automation functionalities that are similar to HubSpot, you must buy a license to use either product individually. For example, if you were hoping to use HubSpot along with Salesforce, you'd have to shell out $150/month. That means that unless you're planning on selling something online, you shouldn't bother going with the free option.

How do I extend a trial period in Salesforce?

As mentioned above, there's currently a limit on the amount of time you can try out the standard version of Salesforce. Fortunately, you can always ask Salesforce to extend your trial period. To do so, head back to your dashboard and click on "My Account" next to the tab labeled "Your Licenses." From there, select "Extend My License," followed by clicking "Start Extension Period."

You'll then enter your current expiration date into the field provided and press "Submit Extension Request". A message confirming your request will appear shortly thereafter. Just keep checking your email until you receive confirmation that your extension was approved. Now, you'll be able to continue testing the app for longer than what you originally signed up for.

Of course, if you decide to continue using the paid plan, you'll simply log into your existing account and follow the same steps outlined above to re-activate your previous payment method. But since it's unlikely that you'll ever use all of that time again, extending your trial period will save you both time and hassle in the future.

Bitrix24 vs. Salesforce

While Salesforce is undoubtedly one of the biggest names in the industry, it's far from the only choice you have. Other companies provide pretty comparable features and benefits, especially considering they charge less than half of what Salesforce costs. One notable competitor would be Bitrix24.

Both companies boast robust feature sets, but Bitrix24 comes with a slightly lower price tag. With Bitrix24, you'll only need to pay $5 per person per month, whereas Salesforce charges $20 - $30 depending on the type of plan you choose. Plus, unlike Salesforce, Bitrix24 lets you host unlimited clients on your website or mobile device.

Overall, however, Salesforce seems to be the clear winner based on our comparisons. Not only is it cheaper, but it also adds a ton of value to your organization. And if you're interested in learning more about how Salesforce compares to Bitrix24, check out this article comparing the two.

Download: Salesforce  (Free) | Bitrix24  ($19.99)

Salesforce

The most common tool in Salesforce is its customer relationship management (CRM) system, which provides an online database where companies can track interactions with customers.

Leads - Each lead represents potential sales opportunities. A lead might require additional follow up emails, phone calls, or visits before it becomes a sale. Leads are often generated from salespeople's activities like cold calling or prospecting.

Opportunities - An opportunity exists when a buyer decides they want what you sell enough to make a purchase decision. Opportunities represent sales leads at different stages along the buying process.

Customers - Customers are people who have made purchases from you. They may also become repeat buyers if you provide them with good service.

You can use Salesforce to build custom workflows to automate tasks such as automatically following up on new leads or managing orders after they've been placed. You can also create forms so that clients can enter information about themselves directly into your database instead of having to fill out paper documents first.

If you need more advanced functionality than Salesforce currently supports, you'll probably find something similar through one of the many third party solutions available. For example, HubSpot offers a number of useful features including email marketing, website tracking, social media monitoring, analytics and reporting, and mobile apps.

Selling Features

One feature unique