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Salesforce Starter Alternatives: 12 Options Compared, Including Free (2026)

Explore 12 alternatives to Salesforce Starter — vetted by our editors with real user reviews, pricing, and feature comparisons.

Our 12 top free Salesforce Starter alternatives at a glance

Quick answer

Here's the lineup of Salesforce Starter alternatives: Pipeliner CRM, Zendesk Sell and Less Annoying CRM. Pipeliner CRM leads on SpotScore (9.1) with a 4.77★ rating. All 12 are compared on score, rating, and price below.

If Salesforce Starter isn't the right fit on price, features, or ease of use, these 12 crm software free alternatives are the strongest options. We rank them by SpotScore, which blends real-user satisfaction with market presence, then by star ratings and pricing model. Every tool here is vetted by our editors. Scan the table first, then read the full breakdown below.

ProductSpotScoreRatingPricingBest for
Pipeliner CRMStreamline your business with powerful CRM technology.9.1★★★★★ 4.77(480)Freefrom $65 /User/Monthteams of all sizes
Zendesk SellSell smarter, not harder.9.1★★★★★ 4.58(150)Freefrom $19 /User/Monthteams of all sizes
Less Annoying CRMEffortless CRM for hassle-free business management.8.9★★★★★ 4.91(516)Freefrom $15 /User/Monthsmall & mid-size businesses
CompanyHub CRMEfficiently manage your business with CompanyHub CRM.8.4★★★★★ 4.74(43)Freefrom $15 /User/Monthteams of all sizes
Cratio CRMStreamline your customer relationships with Cratio CRM.8.2★★★★★ 4.75(4)Freefrom $499 /User/Monthteams of all sizes
Bigin by Zoho CRMStreamline your sales and build better relationships.9★★★★★ 4.6(294)FreeFree Trial · Freemium · Subscriptionsmall businesses
SalesRabbitBoost your sales with streamlined contact management.9.8★★★★★ 4.61(309)FreeFree Trial · Subscriptionteams of all sizes
Agentforce Sales (formerly Salesforce Sales Cloud)AI agents for sales — Salesforce CRM with Agentforce autonomous selling, pipeline & forecasting9.8★★★★★ 4.55(710)FreeFree Trial · Subscriptionteams of all sizes
Zoho CRMEfficiency at your fingertips.9.8★★★★☆ 4.14(2488)FreeFree Trial · Freemium · Subscriptionteams of all sizes
ClickUpEffortlessly streamline your projects with ClickUp9.8★★★★★ 4.87(2889)FreeFree Trial · Freemium · Subscription · Quotation Basedteams of all sizes
Bitrix24Streamline your business with Bitrix24.9.8★★★★☆ 4.24(422)FreeFree Trial · Freemium · One-time license · Subscriptionteams of all sizes
Apollo.ioEmpower your sales team to exceed goals.9.6★★★★★ 4.97(2210)FreeFree Trial · Freemium · Subscription · Quotation Basedteams of all sizes

9.1

SpotScore

Pipeliner CRM - CRM Software

Pipeliner CRM

Streamline your business with powerful CRM technology.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

4.8

480 verified reviews

Add to compare

What is Pipeliner CRM?

Pipeliner CRM Software is an online customer relationship management system that uses advanced technology to keep your business organized and your client database updated and up to date. The Pipeliner CRM software can be accessed from any computer with an Internet connection, eliminating the ...

Read more about Pipeliner CRM
Free TrialTry Free →

9.1

SpotScore

Zendesk Sell - CRM Software

Zendesk Sell

Sell smarter, not harder.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

4.6

150 verified reviews

Add to compare

What is Zendesk Sell?

Zendesk Sell is the complete solution for selling online or in-person with any channel, product and pricing model. You can create offers, customize and personalize them, automate pricing based on specific triggers, set up and deploy pop-up carts or create a structured sales process from start ...

Read more about Zendesk Sell
Free TrialTry Free →

8.9

SpotScore

Less Annoying CRM - CRM Software

Less Annoying CRM

Effortless CRM for hassle-free business management.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market

Start Free Trial

4.9

516 verified reviews

Add to compare

What is Less Annoying CRM?

Less Annoying CRM is a contact and pipeline management tool priced at $15 per user per month, designed for small businesses that want an affordable, low-friction alternative to Salesforce or HubSpot. It replaces spreadsheet-based contact tracking with a shared pipeline, shared calendar, and ...

Read more about Less Annoying CRM
Free TrialTry Free →·

Less Annoying CRM offers custom pricing plan

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8.4

SpotScore

CompanyHub CRM - CRM Software

CompanyHub CRM

Efficiently manage your business with CompanyHub CRM.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

4.7

43 verified reviews

Add to compare

What is CompanyHub CRM?

CompanyHub CRM is an applications suite for managing contacts, deals, assets, expenses, opportunities and more. The software provides the best data entry system with intuitive reporting features to help users manage their business effectively. CompanyHub includes all the necessary functionality ...

Read more about CompanyHub CRM
Free TrialTry Free →

8.2

SpotScore

Cratio CRM - CRM Software

Cratio CRM

Streamline your customer relationships with Cratio CRM.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

4.8

4 verified reviews

Add to compare

What is Cratio CRM?

Cratio CRM is a leading cloud-based Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software for managing customers, marketing channels, sales teams and business processes. With Cratio, you can manage your customers' data through all your business processes: lead generation and nurturing with marketing ...

Read more about Cratio CRM
Free TrialTry Free →

9.0

SpotScore

Bigin by Zoho CRM - CRM Software

Bigin by Zoho CRM

The Best Overall

Streamline your sales and build better relationships.

Best for: SMB teams

4.6

294 verified reviews

Add to compare

What is Bigin by Zoho CRM?

Bigin is Zoho's lightweight CRM designed for small teams under 50 people running straightforward sales cycles. Its drag-and-drop pipeline and email sync with Gmail and Outlook allow reps to get productive within a day without extensive onboarding. Direct integrations are largely limited to ...

Read more about Bigin by Zoho CRM
Free TrialTry Free →·

Starts from $7/User/Month when Billed Yearly, also offers free forever plan

9.8

SpotScore

SalesRabbit - Contact Management Software

SalesRabbit

Boost your sales with streamlined contact management.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

4.6

309 verified reviews

Add to compare

What is SalesRabbit?

SalesRabbit is a contact management software that helps sales teams organize and sell more effectively. The contact info of a prospect is one of the most important elements while selling to them. SalesRabbit acts as the middleman to manage sales process and streamline workflow, making it easy ...

Read more about SalesRabbit
Free TrialTry Free →·

Starts from $25/User/Month when Billed Yearly

9.8

SpotScore

Salesforce - CRM Software

Agentforce Sales (formerly Salesforce Sales Cloud)

AI agents for sales — Salesforce CRM with Agentforce autonomous selling, pipeline & forecasting

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

4.5

710 verified reviews

Add to compare

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What is Agentforce Sales (formerly Salesforce Sales Cloud)?

Agentforce Sales (formerly Salesforce Sales Cloud) is Salesforce's flagship AI-powered sales CRM. It combines core CRM — lead, contact, opportunity and pipeline management, forecasting and analytics — with Agentforce, Salesforce's suite of autonomous AI agents that prospect, answer rep ...

Read more about Agentforce Sales (formerly Salesforce Sales Cloud)
Free TrialTry Free →·

Starts from $25/user/month when monthly

9.8

SpotScore

Zoho CRM - CRM Software

Zoho CRM

Efficiency at your fingertips.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

4.1

2488 verified reviews

Add to compare

watch-demo

Watch Demo

What is Zoho CRM?

Zoho CRM is an intuitive and powerful customer relationship management solution designed to enhance business workflows and improve collaboration. With its user-friendly interface and drag-and-drop functionality, it simplifies data sharing within organizations and with customers, ensuring ...

Read more about Zoho CRM
Free TrialTry Free →·

Starts from $9/user/month when yearly, also offers free forever plan

9.8

SpotScore

ClickUp - Collaboration Software

ClickUp

Effortlessly streamline your projects with ClickUp

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

4.9

2889 verified reviews

Add to compare

watch-demo

Watch Demo

What is ClickUp?

ClickUp is a versatile cloud-based project management platform designed to cater to both individual project needs and the complex demands of enterprise-level teams. Offering a customizable planning experience, it allows users to toggle between two distinct views, providing flexibility based on ...

Read more about ClickUp
Free TrialTry Free →·

Starts from $7/User/Month when yearly, also offers free forever plan

9.8

SpotScore

Bitrix24

Bitrix24

Streamline your business with Bitrix24.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

4.2

422 verified reviews

Add to compare

What is Bitrix24?

Bitrix24 is a business management software solution for small and medium sized businesses that allows users to communicate and collaborate effectively, centralize all important business processes and documents, build company's corporate intranet, manage customer relations and provide new levels ...

Read more about Bitrix24
Free TrialTry Free →

9.6

SpotScore

Apollo.io - Sales Engagement Software

Apollo.io

Empower your sales team to exceed goals.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

5.0

2210 verified reviews

Add to compare

watch-demo

Watch Demo

What is Apollo.io?

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 easier to set and hit with the right dashboards that provide relevant ...

Read more about Apollo.io
Free TrialTry Free →·

Starts from $0/user/month when monthly, also offers free forever plan

Salesforce Starter competitors, compared

Buyers comparing Salesforce Starter usually weigh it against these 12 crm software competitors, starting with Pipeliner CRM, Zendesk Sell and Less Annoying CRM. Each is compared against Salesforce Starter on rating, pricing and feature coverage below.

Tools similar to Salesforce Starter

Searches for "sites like Salesforce Starter" and "apps like Salesforce Starter" land on the same shortlist as "Salesforce Starter alternatives" — the 12 options below cover both, whether you want a like-for-like replacement or something lighter.

What each Salesforce Starter alternative is good at

Pipeliner CRM9.1Best for teams of all sizes

Integrates with existing tools; simple interface reduces setup time.

Watch for: Some users find editing saved records limited, slowing quick data updates.

Zendesk Sell9.1Best for teams of all sizes

Minimal learning curve, even for non-technical users.

Watch for: Limited built-in options for bulk emails, phone systems, or advanced automation without third-party tools.

Less Annoying CRM8.9Best for small & mid-size businesses

Extremely simple to use, making it accessible even for users with no technical expertise.

Watch for: Limited advanced features, which may not suffice for larger businesses or complex use cases (e.g., no automated "drip" campaigns or built-in direct email solutions).

CompanyHub CRM8.4Best for teams of all sizes

Fields, tables, and processes are customizable to fit various industries and workflows.

Watch for: Missing calendar, reminders, social media integration, and SMS functionality.

Cratio CRM8.2Best for teams of all sizes

Cloud-based accessibility

Watch for: Can be complex to set up

Bigin by Zoho CRM9Best for small businesses

Simple design with a short learning curve — accessible for non-technical users.

Watch for: Limited integrations with social media apps and LinkedIn or Facebook ad platforms.

SalesRabbit9.8Best for teams of all sizes

Streamlines daily workflow and enhances productivity by offering a wide range of features.

Watch for: Initial overwhelm due to the abundance of features, requiring time to explore and understand the full potential.

Agentforce Sales (formerly Salesforce Sales Cloud)9.8Best for teams of all sizes

Highly customizable, allowing businesses to tailor processes and workflows to their specific needs.

Watch for: Licensing costs are high, with additional charges for features, making it less accessible for small businesses or startups.

Zoho CRM9.8Best for teams of all sizes

Easy to use with a clear interface requiring minimal technical expertise.

Watch for: Limited scalability and depth for larger businesses with more complex requirements.

ClickUp9.8Best for teams of all sizes

Versatile platform with constant updates and amazing customer support that prioritizes user feedback promptly.

Watch for: Steep learning curve initially, which may be challenging for newcomers without a technical background.

Bitrix249.8Best for teams of all sizes

CRM covers customer management, project management, and collaboration in one platform.

Watch for: Overwhelming number of features can make adaptation and navigation challenging for first-time users.

Apollo.io9.6Best for teams of all sizes

Easy to use and user-friendly interface for locating contacts and companies, with convenient filters for narrowing down searches.

Watch for: Potential complexity for newcomers due to the richness of features without proper support.

Why teams look for a Salesforce Starter alternative

Before comparing options, it helps to name why teams leave Salesforce Starter in the first place:

  • Lacks deeper automation and complex workflow capabilities
  • Users report performance slowdowns under load
  • Basic plan might not cover all business needs, triggering extra costs

How to choose among Salesforce Starter alternatives

Here's the data-driven picture across all 12 crm software free alternatives: 12 offer a free tier; paid plans run $15–$499, with Less Annoying CRM the cheapest entry point; and Apollo.io is the highest rated at 4.97★ across 2210 reviews.

How positions are set.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Stuck on something? We're here to help with all the questions and answers in one place.

The top-rated alternatives to Salesforce Starter are Apollo.io (5.0★), Less Annoying CRM (4.9★), ClickUp (4.9★). Compare all 12 alternatives side-by-side above.

When evaluating alternatives to Salesforce Starter, prioritize: Sales Pipeline Management, Contact Database, Contact Management, Data Import-Export, Customizable Branding, transparent pricing, free trial availability, and integrations with your existing tools. Use the filters above to compare by feature, budget, and team size.

Salesforce Starter starts from $25 /user/month. Many alternatives offer similar functionality at different price points — some with free tiers, others with more flexible per-seat pricing. Use the filters above to narrow by budget.

Migration difficulty depends on how deeply Salesforce Starter is integrated into your workflows. Most alternatives offer data export/import tools and dedicated onboarding support. We recommend narrowing to 2–3 options, running a free trial, and checking each vendor's migration guides before committing.

How to settle on the best Salesforce Starter alternative

  • On a budget / just exploring: start with a free tier — Pipeliner CRM, Zendesk Sell and Less Annoying CRM let you evaluate without paying upfront.
  • If real-user ratings matter most: Apollo.io has the strongest star rating (4.97★) among the options with verified reviews.
  • Want the safest pick: Pipeliner CRM has the highest Spotsaas Score (9.1) in this list — a strong default if you're unsure.

How to cut over from Salesforce Starter

Before switching off Salesforce Starter, run the checks that prevent headaches later. Export your data, verify the import, and confirm feature parity for your must-have workflows. Pilot the new tool free, then migrate, leaving Salesforce Starter active until you're done.

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