Zoho alternatives: top competitors compared
Named alongside Zoho
HubSpotBest forStartups, small and mid-sized businesses and enterprises wanting marketing, sales and service on one CRM.33% of Zoho answersSalesforceBest forBusinesses from small companies to large enterprises wanting sales, service, marketing and commerce on one CRM platform29% of Zoho answersFreshworks19% of Zoho answersZendeskBest forSupport teams from startups to enterprises that need omnichannel ticketing with AI automation16% of Zoho answers
Data from SlateIndex weekly runs
Zoho has a visibility score of 44.8 in CRM, #3 of 39. AI answers that name Zoho most often also name these 4.
What AI answers fault Zoho for
Less premium user experience
Raised in 1 collected answer.
Pricing varies dramatically across products
Raised in 2 collected answers.
Quick reference
| Alternative | Best for | Starting price | Visibility | Key differentiator |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HubSpot | Startups, small and mid-sized businesses and enterprises wanting marketing, sales and service on one CRM. | Free; paid from $7 per seat / mo | 73.1% | All hubs share one Smart CRM database, with a free tier that never expires. |
| Salesforce | Businesses from small companies to large enterprises wanting sales, service, marketing and commerce on one CRM platform | — | 46.2% | One unified platform combining CRM apps, data, and AI agents |
| Freshworks | — | — | 61.5% | — |
| Zendesk | Support teams from startups to enterprises that need omnichannel ticketing with AI automation | $19 per seat / mo | 49.3% | AI agents priced per automated resolution, built into a unified ticketing, messaging and voice platform |
Alternative 1
HubSpot vs Zoho →HubSpot
HubSpot suits startups, small and mid-sized businesses and enterprises wanting marketing, sales and service on one CRM..
Quick facts
- Free; paid from $7 per seat / mo · per seat
- Free plan available
- 73.1% visibility score · #1 in Marketing Automation
- 2000+ native integrations
Key features
- Marketing Hub — Marketing automation software for lead generation, campaigns and analytics.
- Sales Hub — Sales software for prospecting, pipeline management, sequences and forecasting.
- Service Hub — Customer service software with help desk workspace, ticketing, knowledge base and customer success tools.
- Content Hub — Content marketing software for websites, landing pages, blogs and podcasts.
HubSpot vs Zoho
| Dimension | HubSpot | Zoho |
|---|---|---|
| Visibility score | 73.1% | 44.8% |
| Pricing model | Per seat | — |
| Entry price | Free; paid from $7 per seat / mo | — |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Trial | Free plan available | — |
Pros
- intuitive, user-friendly interface
- generous free tier
- all-in-one CRM and marketing platform
- tight CRM integration for live chat and service
- good fit for startups and small businesses
Cons
- higher-tier costs and onboarding fees
- higher month-to-month pricing than annual plans
Alternative 2
Salesforce vs Zoho →Salesforce
Salesforce suits businesses from small companies to large enterprises wanting sales, service, marketing and commerce on one CRM platform.
Quick facts
- Pricing not available
- 46.2% visibility score · #1 in Field Service Management
Key features
- Agentforce — Platform for building, deploying and running AI agents for customers and employees.
- Sales Cloud — Sales pipeline, forecasting and sales process management.
- Service Cloud — Customer support case management across channels.
- Marketing Cloud — Building and personalizing campaigns and customer journeys.
Salesforce vs Zoho
| Dimension | Salesforce | Zoho |
|---|---|---|
| Visibility score | 46.2% | 44.8% |
| Pricing model | — | — |
| Entry price | — | — |
| Free plan | — | — |
| Trial | — | — |
Pros
- Powerful reporting, automation and customisation
- Market leader and gold standard CRM
- Deep ecosystem and strong CRM integrations
- Built for large enterprises and scaling
- Free trial to test its features
Cons
- Requires a dedicated administrator to manage
- High enterprise pricing
- Heavy, slow implementation that suits large budgets
Alternative 3
Freshworks vs Zoho →Freshworks
Freshworks is ranked #1 in Help Desk.
Quick facts
- Pricing not available
- 61.5% visibility score · #1 in Help Desk
Key features
- Freshservice — AI-powered service operations platform for IT service management.
- Freshdesk — Cloud-based help desk software for customer support.
- Freshsales — CRM with built-in phone, email and chat, workflows and sales sequences.
- Freshdesk Contact Center — Contact center product in the Freshdesk line.
Freshworks vs Zoho
| Dimension | Freshworks | Zoho |
|---|---|---|
| Visibility score | 61.5% | 44.8% |
| Pricing model | — | — |
| Entry price | — | — |
| Free plan | — | — |
| Trial | — | — |
Pros
- Affordable pricing and good value
- Free tier or free trial available
- Intuitive, easy-to-use interface
- Fast deployment and quick time-to-value
- Strong AI and automation features
Cons
- Per-minute charges for advanced calling features
Alternative 4
Zendesk vs Zoho →Zendesk
Zendesk suits support teams from startups to enterprises that need omnichannel ticketing with AI automation.
Quick facts
- $19 per seat / mo · per seat
- 49.3% visibility score · #1 in Live Chat & AI Support
- 1800+ native integrations
Key features
- Customer Service — Omnichannel ticketing, messaging, live chat, voice and help center for resolving customer inquiries.
- Employee Service — Service management for internal requests, including IT service management.
- Contact Center — AI-powered contact center across voice and digital channels.
- AI agents — Autonomous agents that resolve issues on any channel, billed per automated resolution.
Zendesk vs Zoho
| Dimension | Zendesk | Zoho |
|---|---|---|
| Visibility score | 49.3% | 44.8% |
| Pricing model | Per seat | — |
| Entry price | $19 per seat / mo | — |
| Free plan | No | — |
| Trial | — | — |
Pros
- Industry leader in omnichannel customer support
- Scalable platform for large enterprise teams
- Mature ticketing operations and SLA management
- Extensive marketplace and broad integrations
- Free trial available for 14 days
Cons
- Heavy, slow deployment compared with lighter tools
- High per-agent costs
- AI add-ons billed separately on top of base fee
How to choose
Match the pricing model to your cost driver: headcount, usage or features.
| Platform | Pricing model | Starting price |
|---|---|---|
| Zoho | — | — |
| HubSpot | Per seat | Free; paid from $7 per seat / mo |
| Salesforce | — | — |
| Freshworks | — | — |
| Zendesk | Per seat | $19 per seat / mo |
More alternatives
Ranked by how often AI answers name them alongside Zoho in the latest weekly run.