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Salesforce Essentials vs Sage CRM vs Bigin by Zoho CRM Comparison

Last updated:

Salesforce Essentials

4.2(963 reviews)

Starting at $25 /User/Month

  • Free Trial
  • Small Business

Salesforce Essentials includes a complete set of customer relationship management software, the industry’s leading customer service solution, Salesforce Chatter, and training to get you up and running quickly in the clou…

Sage CRM

Starting at Contact for pricing

  • Large Enterprises
  • Medium Business

Sage CRM is a user-friendly customer relationship management (CRM) software with an intuitive interface, integrated e-mail and web conferencing, and enhanced security--all to help you focus on what matters: growing your…

Bigin by Zoho CRM

4.3(119 reviews)

Starting at $7 /User/Month

  • Free Trial
  • Small Business

Bigin by Zoho CRM is a solution for managing business contacts, creating sales opportunities, monitoring the pipeline and recording activities. The solution integrates email, calendar, tasks and more. It can be accessed…

Salesforce Essentials leads on user satisfaction with a 4.2-star rating across 963 reviews.

Salesforce Essentials vs Sage CRM vs Bigin by Zoho CRM — at a glance

FeatureSalesforce EssentialsSage CRMBigin by Zoho CRM
Rating4.2 / 54.3 / 5
Reviews963119
Starting price$25 /User/MonthContact for pricing$7 /User/Month
Free trial Yes No Yes
Free version No No No
Best forSmall BusinessLarge Enterprises, Medium Business, Small BusinessSmall Business
CategoryCRM SoftwareCRM SoftwareCRM Software
PlatformsSaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Mobile - iOSSaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Installed - WindowsSaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Mobile - iOS
APIAvailableAvailableAvailable
Support modesOnlineOnlineBusiness Hours, Online
CertificationsSOC 2
Data residencyGlobalUSGlobal

Key differences between Salesforce Essentials and Sage CRM

  • Pricing: Salesforce Essentials starts at $25 /User/Month. Sage CRM pricing is not publicly listed.
  • Free trial: Salesforce Essentials offers a free trial; Sage CRM does not.
  • Target audience: Salesforce Essentials is built for Small Business, while Sage CRM targets Large Enterprises and Medium Business.
  • Deployment: Salesforce Essentials supports SaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Mobile - iOS; Sage CRM supports SaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Installed - Windows.

Compare Salesforce Essentials vs Sage CRM vs Bigin by Zoho CRM — and walk away knowing which one fits.

01

Which tool fits your team best

02

Which is actually cheaper for your team size

03

Where each product wins, per real buyers

Most CRM Software tools look identical on paper. This comparison cuts to the differences that matter — pricing structure, team fit, and what real buyers found after signing up.

Salesforce Essentials - CRM Software
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Sage CRM - CRM Software
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Biggest differences

Start here before you go deeper into features.

Salesforce Essentials

Best for

Small Business

Sage CRM

Best for

Large Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business

Bigin by Zoho CRM

Best for

Small Business

Salesforce Essentials typically suits Small Business. Sage CRM tends to fit Large Enterprises and Medium Business better. The right choice depends on your team size, workflow, and whether a free trial matters.

Description

Salesforce Essentials includes a complete set of customer relationship management software, the industry’s leading customer service solution, Salesforce Chatter, and training to get you up ... Read More about Salesforce Essentials

Sage CRM is a user-friendly customer relationship management (CRM) software with an intuitive interface, integrated e-mail and web conferencing, and enhanced security--all to help you focus ... Read More about Sage CRM

Bigin by Zoho CRM is a solution for managing business contacts, creating sales opportunities, monitoring the pipeline and recording activities. The solution integrates email, calendar, ... Read More about Bigin by Zoho CRM

Entry Level Pricing

  • Starts from $25 , Billed Yearly
  • Not Available
  • Starts from $7 , Billed Yearly

Free Trial Availability

  • No free trial

Spotsaas Score

What's this? ↗

8.7/10

8.4/10

9.0/10

User Ratings

Based on verified Spotsaas reviews
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Software Demo

Demo

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How do Salesforce Essentials, Sage CRM and Bigin by Zoho CRM Compare on Features?

Total Features

8 Features

9 Features

10 Features

Unique Features

No unique features

No unique features

No unique features

Get Quote
Get Quote

Compare Salesforce Essentials, Sage CRM and Bigin by Zoho CRM on pricing

Review starting price, plan structure, and free-trial access side by side so you can see which option fits your budget and buying process.

Pricing Option

        Starting From

        • $25 , Billed Yearly
        • Not Available
        • $7 , Billed Yearly

        Pricing Plans

        • Salesforce Essentials

          • Manage contacts

          • Track relationships and deals

          • Respond to customers

          Show more +

        • Not Available
        • Free

          • Single Pipeline

          • 500 Records

          • Instant Workflows (3)

          Show more +

        • Express

          • Includes features of Free plan, plus

          • Team Pipelines (3)

          • 50,000 Records

          Show more +

        • Premier

          • Includes features of Express Edition plan. plus

          • Team Pipelines (5)

          • 100,000 Records

          Show more +

        Pricing Page

        Salesforce Essentials pricing

        Pricing information not available

        Bigin by Zoho CRM pricing

        Other Details

        Organization Types supported

        • Large Enterprises
        • Medium Business
        • Small Business
        • Freelancers
        • Individuals
        • Large Enterprises
        • Medium Business
        • Small Business
        • Freelancers
        • Individuals
        • Large Enterprises
        • Medium Business
        • Small Business
        • Freelancers
        • Individuals

        Platforms Supported

        • Browser Based (Cloud)
        • Mobile - Android
        • Mobile - iOS
        • Installed - Windows
        • Installed - Mac
        • Browser Based (Cloud)
        • Browser Based (Cloud)
        • Mobile - Android
        • Mobile - iOS
        • Installed - Windows
        • Installed - Mac
        • Browser Based (Cloud)
        • Browser Based (Cloud)
        • Mobile - Android
        • Mobile - iOS
        • Installed - Windows
        • Installed - Mac
        • Browser Based (Cloud)

        Modes of support

        • 24/7 (Live rep)
        • Business Hours
        • Online
        • 24/7 (Live rep)
        • Business Hours
        • Online
        • 24/7 (Live rep)
        • Business Hours
        • Online

        API Support

        • Available
        • Available
        • Available
        Get help choosing
        Get help choosing

        Security & Compliance

        Certifications, data handling, and security controls for IT and compliance evaluators.

        SOC 2

        ✓ Yes

        HIPAA

        ✗ No
        ✗ No

        Single Sign-On (SSO)

        ✓ Yes

        Multi-Factor Auth (MFA)

        ✓ Yes

        Data Encryption

        ✓ Yes

        Audit Logs

        ✓ Yes

        Data Residency

        🌐 Global
        🇺🇸 US

        Salesforce Essentials vs Sage CRM User Reviews & Rating Comparison

        User Ratings

        No reviews available for the product

        Rating Distribution

        28

        10

        0

        0

        0

        41

        49

        18

        7

        5

        204

        66

        7

        1

        1

        Spotsaas Editor’s POV generated by AI

        Buyer sentiment

        Buyer sentiment is positive across 38 reviews, with strong overall satisfaction.

        What buyers like

        • Highly customizable platform that easily adapts to specific business needs, with extensive integration capabilities and a wide variety of third-party app options.
        • Intuitive and user-friendly interface for both admins and end users, making adoption and daily operations seamless.
        • Out-of-the-box functionality enables quick implementation with minimal setup, allowing businesses to hit the ground running.

        Common complaints

        • The extensive customizability and breadth of features can be overwhelming for new users or small businesses without significant technical expertise and support.
        • The user interface, while powerful, can occasionally feel clunky or unintuitive, especially for first-time users or non-technical team members.
        • Documentation and tutorials are not always comprehensive or localized, making it harder for users to grasp advanced features in some regions.

        What buyers like

        • Streamlines communication and collaboration by centralizing customer data, conversations, and updates, improving productivity.
        • Offers robust integration capabilities with Sage accounting software, ERP, Outlook, and other platforms for seamless workflows.
        • Highly customizable with flexible fields, screens, and reports, providing adaptability for specific business needs.

        Common complaints

        • The user interface looks dated and lacks modern design, needing significant improvement.
        • Limited native features for advanced functionalities, often relying on third-party add-ons.
        • Customer support is inconsistent and often slow in resolving queries or technical issues.

        Buyer sentiment

        Buyer sentiment is positive across 279 reviews, with strong overall satisfaction.

        What buyers like

        • Simple, intuitive design with a short learning curve, making it easy to use and implement, even for non-technical users.
        • Affordable pricing tailored for startups and small businesses, offering great value for core CRM functionalities.
        • Effective pipeline management and workflow automation, enabling businesses to streamline sales processes.

        Common complaints

        • Limited integrations with third-party tools (e.g., social media apps, direct LinkedIn or Facebook ad imports), making data syncing challenging.
        • Lack of advanced features and scalability, restricting use for larger enterprises or complex workflows.
        • Inconsistent customer support with restricted availability, affecting issue resolution during critical times.

        Pros and Cons

        • Comprehensive feature set supports diverse business needs.

        • Strong customer service tools enhance client interactions.

        • Cloud-based access allows for remote collaboration.

        • Complexity may overwhelm new users.

        • Higher pricing could be a barrier for small businesses.

        • Strong focus on security and compliance

        • Customizable workflows to fit business needs

        • Integrated communication tools enhance collaboration

        • Can be expensive for small businesses

        • Setup may require IT support

        • Real-time updates keep teams informed.

        • Integration with email and calendar enhances productivity.

        • User-friendly interface simplifies navigation.

        • Customization options may not meet all needs.

        • New users may find the interface complex.

        Positive Reviews

        No reviews available for the product

        No reviews available for the product

        No reviews available for the product

        Negative Reviews

        No reviews available for the product

        No reviews available for the product

        No reviews available for the product

        List of Customers

        Customers

        Mashgin

        Mashgin

        No Customers information available.

        Antech Microsystem Pvt.Ltd

        Antech Microsystem Pvt.Ltd

        Investacc

        Investacc

        Hire

        Hire

        Media and Screenshots

        Screenshots

        2 Screenshots

        No screenshots available.

        Videos

        video-0

        2 Videos

        video-0

        1 Videos

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        Disclaimer: This research has been collated from a variety of authoritative sources. We welcome your feedback at [email protected].

        Frequently asked questions

        Which is better, Salesforce Essentials or Sage CRM?
        Salesforce Essentials edges out the other on user ratings (4.2 vs -1.0). That said, the best pick depends on your use case — use the comparison tables above to evaluate each dimension.
        Do Salesforce Essentials and Sage CRM offer a free trial?
        Salesforce Essentials offers a free trial. Sage CRM does not.
        What is the starting price of Salesforce Essentials vs Sage CRM?
        Salesforce Essentials starts at $25 /User/Month. Sage CRM starts at Contact for pricing.
        What are the top alternatives to Salesforce Essentials?
        Top alternatives to Salesforce Essentials include Bigin by Zoho CRM, ClickUp, Zoho CRM, Freshsales, HubSpot CRM.
        What are the top alternatives to Sage CRM?
        Top alternatives to Sage CRM include Bigin by Zoho CRM, ClickUp, Zoho CRM, Freshsales, Salesforce.

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