9 Salesforce alternatives for 2026

If you want something different from Salesforce, start with what you want to change. Perhaps your team wants calling and texting in the CRM, a simpler pipeline, or a plan that doesn't require an annual contract.

Below are nine options for different needs, including Close, our own sales CRM. For each, we'll explain why you might consider it, what to weigh, and what its plans cost.

By the Close team · Last verified Oct 21, 2026 · How we made this list

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Start with what you're looking for#

Salesforce brings several business functions together and offers extensive customization. Its small-business plans don't list a phone system, though you can call from your phone using its mobile app or add a calling tool. Its Pro Suite plan is billed annually under a contract.

Where to start, based on what you need:

Calling in the CRM: Consider Close, Zoho CRM, Freshsales, or HubSpot's paid plans. Check each plan's calling setup and usage charges.
Texting from the CRM: Look at Close or Nutshell, which offers texting through a paid add-on.
A visual deal pipeline: Look at Pipedrive.
A flexible workspace: Explore monday CRM's boards or Attio's workflows.
A free starting point: HubSpot, Zoho CRM, and Attio offer free plans with user limits.
One simple price: Less Annoying CRM has a single plan.

Salesforce's own Sales Dialer is a paid license and is scheduled for retirement. Salesforce recommends Salesforce Voice for calling inside the CRM. When you compare alternatives, make a list of the Salesforce customizations, connected apps, and forecasting your team uses, alongside the calling and follow-up workflow you want to improve.

Which alternative might fit your team?#

Use the table to narrow your list, then check the plan that supports your actual sales process. An entry price is a starting point, not necessarily the price of the setup you'll need.

CRM and who it fits	Entry plan and what it includes	Billed annuallyper user/month	Billed monthlyper user/month	Calling
ClosePeople who sell by calling, texting and emailing leads	Solo (one user)Core CRM with calling for 1 user and 10,000 leads, plus AI agents; no workflows	$9	$19	Built in; usage billed separately
PipedriveTeams that manage deals stage by stage in a pipeline	Lite (per seat)Web-based CRM built around the pipeline	$14	$24	Check calling-app integrations
HubSpotUp to two users starting on a free CRM	Starter (new-customer offer)One phone number; up to 50 workflows	$7	$10	Phone number included; limited-time new-customer price
Zoho CRMTeams wanting built-in calling and automation on a budget	StandardBuilt-in calling, mass email, multiple pipelines	$14	$20	Built in
FreshsalesTeams wanting phone and email on a low-cost entry plan	GrowthChat, email, phone and basic workflows	$9	$11	Phone listed
monday CRMTeams customizing boards for pre- and post-sale work	Basic (3-user minimum)Leads, contacts and deals; 1,000 active contacts and deals	$12	$18	Three-user minimum; AI caller listed from Standard
AttioTeams building their own workflows and AI agents	PlusPaid CRM with 1,000 emails a month	$35	$44	Agent call recaps; check calling setup
NutshellSmall teams wanting free live support and add-on texting	FoundationUnlimited contacts, email and calendar sync	$13	$19	SMS through a paid add-on; check calling
Less Annoying CRMSolo sellers wanting one flat price, no tiers	Everything included (one plan, billed monthly)Unlimited pipelines, custom fields, email logging	No annual plan listed	$15	No phone system listed
Salesforce (for reference)Teams that want sales, service, marketing and commerce in one app	Starter SuiteSales, service, marketing and commerce; built-in sales flows	$25	$25	No phone system listed; Sales Dialer is a paid add-on

Pricing notes

List prices per user (or seat) per month for the lowest-priced paid plan, from each vendor's pricing page, checked Oct 21, 2026. Compare annual with annual and monthly with monthly. Free plans, taxes, add-ons and calling usage are not included.

These entry-plan list prices were checked October 21, 2026. They exclude taxes, add-ons, calling and AI usage, and onboarding. HubSpot, Zoho CRM, and Attio also list free plans with user limits. monday CRM starts at three seats. The pricing and product pages reviewed list 14-day trials for Close, Pipedrive, HubSpot Sales Hub, monday CRM, and Nutshell; 21 days for Freshsales; and 30 days for Less Annoying CRM and Salesforce. Confirm current terms before buying.

What do automation plans cost?#

The table compares selected plans for 10 users. Salesforce Pro Suite is shown for reference at $12,000 a year, billed annually. The Sales Engagement add-on is excluded because its availability on Pro Suite wasn't confirmed.

These plans automate different work. Check that the workflows or sequences cover your process, then include any required calling tools, add-ons, usage, onboarding, and minimum seats.

CRM	Plan	Per user, per month		10 users, per year
CRM	Plan	Billed annually	Billed monthly	Billed annually	Billed monthly
Close	Growthwith calling, texting, workflows, a power dialer, and monthly AI credits	$99	$109	$11,880	$13,080
Pipedrive	Growthwhere automations and sequences start	$39	$49	$4,680	$5,880
HubSpot	Professionalwhere sequences and fully customizable workflows start	$90	$100annual commitment	$10,800	$12,000
Zoho CRM	Standardfirst paid plan; workflow automation is listed from the Free plan	$14	$20	$1,680	$2,400
Freshsales	Prowhere sales sequences start	$39	$47	$4,680	$5,640
monday CRM	Standardwhere custom automations start	$17	$25	$2,040	$3,000
Attio	Propitched for teams scaling revenue with automation	$79	$99	$9,480	$11,880
Nutshell	Prowhere sales automation is listed	$42	$49	$5,040	$5,880
Salesforce (for reference)	Pro Suitemore automation and customization	$100	Billed annually only	$12,000	Billed annually only

Pricing notes

Per user per month at list price × 10 users × 12, checked Oct 21, 2026. What each plan adds is how the vendor describes it. Annual billing saves a different share on each plan: Close 9%; Pipedrive 20%; Zoho CRM 30%; Freshsales 17%; monday CRM 32%; Attio 20%; Nutshell 14%. Excludes taxes, add-ons, onboarding fees, minimum-seat rules and calling or AI usage. Not shown: Less Annoying CRM (one plan, or no plan-level automation price we could match).

Annual totals multiply the listed monthly per-user price by 10 users and 12 months. Prices were checked October 21, 2026. Totals exclude taxes, add-ons, onboarding, calling and AI usage, and minimum-seat rules. HubSpot Professional has a required one-time onboarding fee. Less Annoying CRM isn't listed because it has one plan and no separate automation tier.

The plans don't automate the same work. Salesforce Starter includes sales flows; scheduled cadences may need Sales Engagement, whose eligibility for Pro Suite wasn't confirmed. Check each workflow before treating the rows as equivalents.

1. Close: for teams that call, text, and email leads#

Close is our sales CRM. Calling, texting, and email are built in, and calls are logged on the lead alongside your other conversations. Growth adds workflows and a power dialer for working through a call list. AI agents can call and qualify leads and book meetings, using AI credits. 98% of Close users say it saves them at least three hours a week of admin and manual work.

Price: Plan Billed annuallyper user/month Billed monthlyper user/month
Soloone user $9 $19
Essentialscalling, texting and email for a team $35 $49
Growthwith calling, texting, workflows, a power dialer, and monthly AI credits $99 $109
Calling: Calling is built in. Minutes are billed by usage and numbers monthly, starting at $1 per line.

Plan	Billed annuallyper user/month	Billed monthlyper user/month
Soloone user	$9	$19
Essentialscalling, texting and email for a team	$35	$49
Growthwith calling, texting, workflows, a power dialer, and monthly AI credits	$99	$109

Why consider it

Your team can work from the lead's record without adding a separate phone system. Scale also includes a predictive dialer, and reps can drop a pre-recorded voicemail.

What to weigh

Solo is for one user, and workflows start on Growth. Calling minutes, phone numbers, and AI usage beyond included credits cost extra.

Close pricing

2. Pipedrive: for a visual deal pipeline#

Pipedrive centers the sales process on a pipeline. You can customize stages and track each deal's value, probability, and expected close date. It also offers email tools, a mobile app, and app integrations.

Price: Plan Billed annuallyper user/month Billed monthlyper user/month
Liteper seat $14 $24
Growthwhere automations and sequences start $39 $49
Premium $59 $79
Ultimate $79 $99
Calling: No phone system appeared in the plan features reviewed. Check calling-app integrations and their cost.

Plan	Billed annuallyper user/month	Billed monthlyper user/month
Liteper seat	$14	$24
Growthwhere automations and sequences start	$39	$49
Premium	$59	$79
Ultimate	$79	$99

Why consider it

It may suit a team that wants to manage deals stage by stage and have a monthly billing option.

What to weigh

A phone system wasn't listed in the plan features we checked, so investigate calling integrations. Email marketing campaigns require a paid add-on, and listed prices exclude VAT.

Pipedrive pricing

3. HubSpot: for a free start and room to grow#

HubSpot offers a free CRM for up to two users and a wider set of sales, marketing, and service tools. Starter includes a HubSpot-provided phone number and limited workflows. Sequences and fully customizable workflows start on Professional.

Price: Plan Billed annuallyper user/month Billed monthlyper user/month
Starternew-customer offer $7 $10
Professionalwhere sequences and fully customizable workflows start $90 $100paid monthly with an annual commitment
HubSpot shows these as "starts at" prices; Starter appears next to a crossed-out $20, and Professional's monthly option reads "Commit annually." Professional also requires a one-time $1,500 onboarding fee.
Calling: Professional requires a one-time $1,500 onboarding fee. Starter lists one HubSpot-provided phone number, with country restrictions; Professional lists 3,000 calling minutes. Check the plan and number requirements for the dialer and voicemail drops.

Plan	Billed annuallyper user/month	Billed monthlyper user/month
Starternew-customer offer	$7	$10
Professionalwhere sequences and fully customizable workflows start	$90	$100paid monthly with an annual commitment

Why consider it

You can start small and explore how its sales tools fit alongside your current CRM.

What to weigh

Starter's listed price is a limited-time offer for new customers. Professional requires an annual commitment and a one-time onboarding fee. Check calling availability in your country and sequence limits before choosing a plan.

HubSpot pricing

4. Zoho CRM: for calling and automation on a budget#

Zoho CRM lists workflow automation on its free plan for three users. Standard, its first paid plan, lists built-in calling, mass email, email integrations, and multiple pipelines.

Price: Plan Billed annuallyper user/month Billed monthlyper user/month
Standard $14 $20
Professionalunlimited reports and customer journeys $23 $35
Enterpriseadds account-based marketing $40 $50
Calling: Standard lists built-in calling; check number and call charges.

Plan	Billed annuallyper user/month	Billed monthlyper user/month
Standard	$14	$20
Professionalunlimited reports and customer journeys	$23	$35
Enterpriseadds account-based marketing	$40	$50

Why consider it

It's worth a look if you want to test automation on a free plan and add calling on a paid plan.

What to weigh

Zoho says integrations may require paid licenses for both Zoho CRM and the connected app. Price the tools you depend on together.

Zoho CRM pricing

5. Freshsales: for phone and email on an entry plan#

Freshsales lists phone, email, chat, and basic workflows on Growth. Sales sequences that mix email, calls, and SMS start on Pro.

Price: Plan Billed annuallyper user/month Billed monthlyper user/month
Growth $9 $11
Prowhere sales sequences start $39 $47
Enterpriseforecasting insights and custom modules $59 $71
Calling: Growth lists phone; check calling credits and SMS-provider costs.

Plan	Billed annuallyper user/month	Billed monthlyper user/month
Growth	$9	$11
Prowhere sales sequences start	$39	$47
Enterpriseforecasting insights and custom modules	$59	$71

Why consider it

You can make one-click calls from the CRM and add call logs and recordings to conversations.

What to weigh

Texting requires a connected SMS provider. Its Freddy AI Agent is a paid add-on priced by session.

Freshsales pricing

6. monday CRM: for teams that want to shape their workspace#

monday CRM lets teams customize boards, fields, views, automations, and dashboards without a developer. It covers work before and after a sale. Pro lists mass emails and email sequences, while Standard lists an AI outreach caller.

Price: Plan Billed annuallyper user/month Billed monthlyper user/month
Basic3-user minimum $12 $18
Standardwhere custom automations start $17 $25
Promass emails and email sequences $28 $41
monday CRM plans start from 3 seats.
Calling: Plans start at three seats. Standard lists an AI outreach caller; check AI usage costs.

Plan	Billed annuallyper user/month	Billed monthlyper user/month
Basic3-user minimum	$12	$18
Standardwhere custom automations start	$17	$25
Promass emails and email sequences	$28	$41

Why consider it

It may fit a team that wants to adapt its workspace to its own process.

What to weigh

Plans start at three users. Basic also limits active contacts and deals and the number of columns per board. Check AI usage and the calling setup you need.

monday CRM pricing

7. Attio: for teams building their own workflows#

Attio workflows can start from record changes, schedules, webhooks, or manual actions, and support branches, loops, and code. Attio also describes agents that send sequences, score and route leads, and recap calls.

Price: Plan Billed annuallyper user/month Billed monthlyper user/month
Plus $35 $44
Propitched for teams scaling revenue with automation $79 $99
Calling: Attio doesn't list a built-in phone system. It describes an agent that recaps calls; check the calling provider you'll need.

Plan	Billed annuallyper user/month	Billed monthlyper user/month
Plus	$35	$44
Propitched for teams scaling revenue with automation	$79	$99

Why consider it

It offers flexibility for teams that want to build and inspect their own processes. Its free plan supports up to three seats.

What to weigh

Email sending is capped on Free and Plus. The plan features we checked didn't describe a built-in phone system, so check how calls would work for your team.

Attio pricing

8. Nutshell: for small teams that value live support#

Nutshell combines a sales CRM with free live support on every plan. Its entry plan includes unlimited contacts and email and calendar sync. Sales automation starts on Pro.

Price: Plan Billed annuallyper user/month Billed monthlyper user/month
Foundation $13 $19
Growthactivity reports, quotas and lead assignment rules $25 $32
Prowhere sales automation is listed $42 $49
Business $59 $67
Calling: Texting requires the paid Engagement add-on. Nutshell's plans don't list a phone system.

Plan	Billed annuallyper user/month	Billed monthlyper user/month
Foundation	$13	$19
Growthactivity reports, quotas and lead assignment rules	$25	$32
Prowhere sales automation is listed	$42	$49
Business	$59	$67

Why consider it

Alongside support, Nutshell lists forms, landing pages, and ways to manage social messages from the CRM.

What to weigh

Two-way texting and a unified inbox require the paid Engagement add-on. A phone system wasn't listed in the plan features we checked.

Nutshell pricing

9. Less Annoying CRM: for one straightforward price#

Less Annoying CRM has one plan at $15 per user per month, with no tiers, contracts, or setup fees. It's designed with solo users in mind and includes free human support.

Price: Plan Billed annuallyper user/month Billed monthlyper user/month
Everything includedone plan, billed monthly No annual plan listed $15
Calling: Its single plan is listed at $15 per user/month, billed monthly, plus applicable tax. No annual plan or built-in phone system was listed.

Plan	Billed annuallyper user/month	Billed monthlyper user/month
Everything includedone plan, billed monthly	No annual plan listed	$15

Why consider it

If you want a simple price and a place to manage contacts, pipelines, and reminders, it's a useful option to try.

What to weigh

It doesn't list a phone system or an automation tier. Bulk email uses Mailchimp, and automation between apps uses Zapier. Less Annoying CRM recommends staying under 50,000 contacts and companies.

Less Annoying CRM pricing

When does it make sense to stay with Salesforce?#

If your team relies on custom apps, connected tools, forecasting, or one platform across sales, service, marketing, and commerce, Salesforce may be worth keeping. Starter Suite may also cover your needs if its sales flows and marketing tools are enough.

A move takes time. If the problem is a setup your team can simplify or learn to use, compare that work with the cost of migrating before deciding.

How to choose#

Write down what's missing or too costly in your current setup.
Shortlist two or three CRMs that solve that problem.
Find the plan where the features you need start.
Price the full setup, including seats, add-ons, usage, and onboarding.
Check your Salesforce contract and renewal date.
Try the workflow with real leads before committing to a move.

Frequently asked questions#

What can I use instead of Salesforce?

The nine CRMs above fit different needs. If your team sells by calling and texting, try Close. If you need a visual pipeline, look at Pipedrive; for a free starting point, check the user limits on HubSpot, Zoho CRM, and Attio.

Is there a cheaper alternative?

Several entry plans list prices below Salesforce Starter's $25 per user/month. Compare the plan that supports your work, then include the calling app, add-ons, usage, and onboarding you need.

Which CRM is easiest to use?

That depends on your process. Try two options with a few real leads and ask each rep to make a call, log the result, and find the next step.

Try a real day of sales in Close

Import a sample of your leads, make a call, and follow up from the same record. The 14-day trial requires no credit card.

Try Close free Compare Close and Salesforce

How we put this list together

Close makes one of the CRMs on this list. We list Close first because we publish this page. The other options are grouped by the reason you might consider them, not ranked.

We used vendor product and pricing pages checked Oct 21, 2026. We did not run hands-on trials of these products for this version. Plans and prices change, so confirm details with each vendor before buying.