Salesforce vs Apollo.io vs AroundDeal vs CrankWheel Comparison
Salesforce
Starting at $25 /user/month
- Free Trial
- Freelancers / Consultants
- Large Enterprises
Salesforce CRM software is a social enterprise application designed to help businesses of all sizes and industries like retail, health care, technology, financial services, consumer packaged goods (CPG), and many more. B…
Apollo.io
Starting at $0 /user/month
- Free Trial
- Large Enterprises
- Medium Business
Apollo is sales engagement software designed for the sales team. When managers view their team through the lens of goal setting and progress tracking, motivation increases across the board. Apollo helps make targets easi…
AroundDeal
Starting at Contact for pricing
- Large Enterprises
- Medium Business
AroundDeal is the ultimate tool for B2B marketing initiatives. Our extension helps you quickly and accurately identify leads necessary to close deals faster. We provide you with a list of high-quality, high-value prospec…
CrankWheel
Starting at $89 /Month
- Large Enterprises
- Medium Business
CrankWheel provides instant screen-sharing and helps you to quickly reduce your sales cycle by half. It can broadcast your visual presentation from your phone in just 10 seconds, simplifying the process of responding to…
Salesforce leads on user satisfaction with a 4.3-star rating across 31,400 reviews.
Salesforce vs Apollo.io vs AroundDeal vs CrankWheel — at a glance
| Feature | Salesforce | Apollo.io | AroundDeal | CrankWheel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.3 / 5 | 2.8 / 5 | 3.5 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 |
| Reviews | 31,400 | 5,090 | 73 | 6 |
| Starting price | $25 /user/month | $0 /user/month | Contact for pricing | $89 /Month |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Free version | No | No | No | No |
| Best for | Freelancers / Consultants, Large Enterprises, Medium Business | Large Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business | Large Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business | Large Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business |
| Category | CRM Software | Sales Engagement Software | Sales Intelligence Software | Sales Engagement Software |
| Integrations | 13+ apps | 9+ apps | — | — |
| Platforms | SaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Mobile - iOS | SaaS/Web/Cloud | SaaS/Web/Cloud | SaaS/Web/Cloud, Installed - Windows, Installed - Mac |
| API | Available | Available | — | Available |
| Support modes | Business Hours, Online | Business Hours, Online | Online | 24/7 (Live rep), Business Hours, Online |
| Certifications | SOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR, ISO 27001 | SOC 2, GDPR | — | — |
| Data residency | Global | US | US | — |
Key differences between Salesforce and Apollo.io
- Pricing: Salesforce starts at $25 /user/month, while Apollo.io starts at $0 /user/month.
- Target audience: Salesforce is built for Freelancers / Consultants and Large Enterprises, while Apollo.io targets Large Enterprises and Medium Business.
- User satisfaction: Salesforce scores higher with a 4.3-star average.
- Deployment: Salesforce supports SaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Mobile - iOS; Apollo.io supports SaaS/Web/Cloud.
Compare Salesforce vs Apollo.io vs AroundDeal vs CrankWheel — and walk away knowing which one fits.
Which tool fits your team best
Which is actually cheaper for your team size
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.
Biggest differences
Features
Pricing
Buying details
Security
Buyer feedback
Integrations
Product tour
Other options
Talk to an expert Talk to an expert |
Biggest differences
Start here before you go deeper into features.
Best for medium to large enterprises needing highly customizable CRM solutions.
- You require extensive customization to fit unique industry workflows.
- Your team needs robust analytics and reporting for data-driven sales decisions.
- You want seamless integration with numerous third-party applications and APIs.
- You are a small business or startup with a limited budget.
- Your team lacks technical expertise or prior CRM experience.
Best for sales teams needing accurate contact data and integrated sales intelligence.
- You require highly accurate and reliable contact information for outreach.
- Your sales team benefits from strong CRM integrations for pipeline visibility.
- You want comprehensive sales intelligence combining data, analytics, and automation.
- Your company needs extensive third-party app integrations beyond Apollo’s limited marketplace.
- You are a new user without dedicated onboarding support who may struggle with complexity.
Large Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business
Large Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business
Salesforce: Best for medium to large enterprises needing highly customizable CRM solutions. Apollo.io: Best for sales teams needing accurate contact data and integrated sales intelligence.
Description | Salesforce CRM software is a social enterprise application designed to help businesses of all sizes and industries like retail, health care, technology, financial services, consumer ... Read More about Salesforce | Apollo is sales engagement software designed for the sales team. When managers view their team through the lens of goal setting and progress tracking, motivation increases across the board. ... Read More about Apollo.io | AroundDeal is the ultimate tool for B2B marketing initiatives. Our extension helps you quickly and accurately identify leads necessary to close deals faster. We provide you with a list of ... Read More about AroundDeal | CrankWheel provides instant screen-sharing and helps you to quickly reduce your sales cycle by half. It can broadcast your visual presentation from your phone in just 10 seconds, ... Read More about CrankWheel |
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Spotsaas ScoreWhat's this? ↗ | 9.8/10 | 9.6/10 | Not Available | Not Available |
User RatingsBased on verified Spotsaas reviews | ||||
Best Company Size | 50 to 10,000 employeesMedium to Large Enterprises | 10-50 employees51-5,000+ employees | — | — |
Get pricing help | Get pricing help | Get pricing help |
Where each option fits best
See where each product is strongest, which teams it fits, and what causes buyers to keep looking — before you commit.
Based on buyer reviews and verified product data collected by Spotsaas.
Key strengths
- Streamlined Sales Processes: Salesforce simplifies the entire sales cycle, enabling teams to manage leads, opportunities, and customer interactions seamlessly. I’ve seen firsthand how this leads to increased efficiency and higher conversion rates.
- Robust Analytics and Reporting: With Salesforce’s powerful analytics tools, managers can gain deep insights into performance metrics. This allows for informed decision-making based on real-time data, ensuring that strategies are always aligned with business goals.
- Customizable Solutions: One of the standout features of Salesforce is its adaptability. Whether you're in retail, healthcare, or finance, the platform can be tailored to fit your specific industry needs. I often recommend leveraging this flexibility for maximum impact.
- Seamless CRM Alignment: Apollo.io integrates with CRMs like Salesforce and HubSpot to sync contacts, activities, and engagement data. This keeps prospecting aligned with pipeline tracking and revenue reporting. Teams benefit from cleaner data, better visibility across departments, and smoother collaboration between sales development and account executives.
- Data-Driven Sales Decisions: Apollo.io provides visibility into email engagement, calls, meetings, and conversion activity. Sales managers can review performance trends, identify effective messaging, and adjust outreach strategies using real usage data. These insights help improve prioritization, refine campaigns, and align sales efforts with measurable outcomes.
- Scalable Outbound Automation: Apollo.io supports scalable outbound efforts through sequences, automated follow-ups, and task scheduling. Teams can maintain steady outreach volume while keeping messages structured and timely. This setup supports growing sales teams by reducing repetitive work and helping reps handle larger lead volumes without losing consistency.
No key benefits available yet.
No key benefits available yet.
Best fit
- 50 to 10,000 employees
- Martech, Revtech, Fintech, Sales Automation, SaaS, and Consulting
- Sales Managers, Account Executives, Business Development Representatives, and CRM Administrators
- 10–5,000+ employees
- SaaS, Technology, IT Services, Marketing & Advertising, Fintech, E-commerce, Consulting, B2B Services, Software Development, Startups
- Sales Development Representative, Business Development Manager, Account Executive, Sales Manager, Growth Manager, Revenue Operations Manager, Marketing Manager, Founder, Head of Sales
No best-fit guidance available yet.
No best-fit guidance available yet.
Reasons buyers look elsewhere
- Some users may find Salesforce's pricing structure to be complex and potentially high, prompting them to explore more cost-effective CRM options that fit their budget without sacrificing essential features.
- Organizations with specific industry needs might seek alternatives that offer tailored solutions or customization options better suited to their unique workflows and customer management processes.
- Users may experience a steep learning curve with Salesforce, leading them to look for more user-friendly CRM systems that can be quickly adopted by their teams without extensive training.
- Apollo.io follows a structured outreach and workflow model. Teams with highly customized sales processes, unique CRM setups, or complex automation requirements may prefer alternatives that allow deeper workflow customization or more flexible sequence logic.
- Certain users seek alternatives due to concerns around email deliverability controls, sending limits, or inbox warm-up options. Tools with built-in deliverability monitoring or stricter reputation management features may feel more suitable for high-volume outbound teams.
- While Apollo.io offers a large database, some users prefer alternatives that provide stronger coverage in specific regions, industries, or niche markets. Teams targeting localized markets or specialized verticals may find other platforms better aligned with their prospecting needs.
No alternatives guidance available yet.
No alternatives guidance available yet.
Software Demo
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How do Salesforce, Apollo.io, AroundDeal and CrankWheel Compare on Features?
Total Features | 10 Features | 13 Features | 5 Features | 6 Features |
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Unique Features | No unique features | No unique features | No unique features | No unique features |
Get Quote | Get Quote | Get Quote |
Compare Salesforce, Apollo.io, AroundDeal and CrankWheel 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.
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Other Details
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Get help choosing | Get help choosing | Get help choosing |
Security & Compliance
Certifications, data handling, and security controls for IT and compliance evaluators.
SOC 2 | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
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HIPAA | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
GDPR | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
ISO 27001 | ✓ Yes | — |
Single Sign-On (SSO) | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Multi-Factor Auth (MFA) | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Data Encryption | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Audit Logs | ✓ Yes | — |
Data Residency | 🌐 Global | 🇺🇸 US |
Salesforce vs Apollo.io vs AroundDeal User Reviews & Rating Comparison
User Ratings | 4.2 (based on 6 reviews) | |||
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Rating Distribution | ||||
Spotsaas Editor’s POV generated by AI | Buyer sentiment Overall positive sentiment highlights Salesforce's customization, analytics, and integration strengths, tempered by concerns about cost and complexity. What buyers like
Common complaints
| Buyer sentiment Buyers appreciate Apollo.io’s accurate data and ease of use but express concerns about onboarding complexity and limited integration options. What buyers like
Common complaints
| Buyer sentiment Buyer sentiment is mixed to positive across 154 reviews, with clear strengths and a few common watchouts. What buyers like
Common complaints
| Buyer sentiment Buyer sentiment is positive across 6 reviews, with strong overall satisfaction. What buyers like
Common complaints
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Pros and Cons |
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Positive Reviews | No reviews available for the product | 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 | No reviews available for the product |
Integrations
Integration with other apps | No Integration information available. | No Integration information available. |
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List of Customers
Customers |  BBVA  Brunello Cucinelli  Unilever |  EY  Colliers International  GoDaddy | No Customers information available. |  CrankWheel_customers_0  CrankWheel_customers_1  CrankWheel_customers_2 |
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Media and Screenshots
Screenshots |  3 Screenshots |  3 Screenshots |
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Videos |  5 Videos | No videos available. |
Alternatives
Alternatives |
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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 or Apollo.io?
- Salesforce edges out the other on user ratings (4.3 vs 2.8). That said, the best pick depends on your use case — use the comparison tables above to evaluate each dimension.
- Do Salesforce and Apollo.io offer a free trial?
- Yes, both Salesforce and Apollo.io offer a free trial.
- What is the starting price of Salesforce vs Apollo.io?
- Salesforce starts at $25 /user/month. Apollo.io starts at $0 /user/month.
- What are the top alternatives to Salesforce?
- Top alternatives to Salesforce include Bigin by Zoho CRM, Hubspot Marketing Hub, Dynamics 365 Marketing, ClickUp, Zoho CRM.
- What are the top alternatives to Apollo.io?
- Top alternatives to Apollo.io include AroundDeal, CrankWheel, ZoomInfo Engage, Outreach, Adapt Engage.