ActiveCampaign vs Salesforce Sales Cloud comparison

ActiveCampaign and Salesforce are both solutions in the CRM category. ActiveCampaign is ranked #30 with an average rating of 8.5, while Salesforce is ranked #1 with an average rating of 8.2. ActiveCampaign holds a 0.6% mindshare in CRM, compared to Salesforce’s 2.1% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of ActiveCampaign users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 94% of Salesforce users who would recommend it.

ActiveCampaign

Read 2 ActiveCampaign reviews

574 Views
574 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Salesforce Sales Cloud

Read 118 Salesforce Sales Cloud reviews

5,540 Views
4,100 Comparison Views

94% willing to recommend

ActiveCampaign

Salesforce Sales Cloud

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 19, 2024

Salesforce Sales Cloud and ActiveCampaign are competing in the sales efficiency and customer interactions sector. Salesforce Sales Cloud seems to have the upper hand due to its comprehensive feature set, while ActiveCampaign is favored for its price-value balance and ease of use.

Features: Salesforce Sales Cloud offers lead and opportunity management, customizable dashboards, and advanced analytics with seamless enterprise integration. ActiveCampaign is known for email marketing automation, customer segmentation, and CRM capabilities, focusing on small-to-medium businesses.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Salesforce Sales Cloud's deployment requires significant time and often third-party assistance, but provides comprehensive support services. ActiveCampaign allows for simpler deployment with an easy setup process and responsive customer support catering to businesses seeking fast deployment.

Pricing and ROI: Salesforce Sales Cloud typically requires higher initial setup costs but offers extensive features justifying the investment for larger enterprises. ActiveCampaign provides affordable pricing options emphasizing marketing value, ideal for budget-conscious businesses. Salesforce may offer higher ROI for large enterprises, while ActiveCampaign offers accessible ROI for smaller businesses.

To learn more, read our detailed ActiveCampaign vs. Salesforce Sales Cloud Report (Updated: December 2025).

Buyer's Guide

ActiveCampaign vs. Salesforce Sales Cloud

December 2025

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

ActiveCampaign

Ranking in CRM

30th

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

7.2

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Salesforce Sales Cloud

Ranking in CRM

1st

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

6.9

Number of Reviews

118

Ranking in other categories

Opportunity Management (1st), Sales Force Automation (1st), Conversation Intelligence Software (2nd)

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the CRM category, the mindshare of ActiveCampaign is 0.6%, up from 0.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Salesforce Sales Cloud is 2.1%, down from 9.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

CRM Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Salesforce Sales Cloud	2.1%
ActiveCampaign	0.6%
Other	97.3%

CRM

Featured Reviews

Laura Oosterbroek

Head of Markting at Vanderkamp

Easy to use, efficient marketing automation and CRM tool

AI is upcoming, so for reporting and dashboarding, it would be nice to have some AI integrated into the system. Overall, some AI features can be added. For example, I can ask, like, we have imported conversion rates, and you can ask like, "What is the trend of the conversion of the last half year?" So, more on a reporting side you can get those kinds of AI skills. Not that you have to download an Excel and put it into another AI system to do the analysis, but that it would be possible to do it on its own.

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Jonny Katz

VP of Business Operations at PeerSpot

Uses data-driven insights to improve workflows and highlights a need for simpler automation tools

Salesforce Sales Cloud can be improved in several areas. First, the UI is an area for enhancement. Even though they've launched Lightning, it's clunky at times with page load speeds. It also needs to be made extremely more user-friendly. For new people using Salesforce Sales Cloud, there is a steep learning curve. Additionally, giving non-admins the ability to make changes on the fly is something that I feel is necessary. Currently with Salesforce Sales Cloud, you need to have a consultant. It's hard to build the flows or workflows. Making it easier for that end-user who's not so technically minded to help themselves is essential. I choose seven out of ten because I think you need a consultant or a consulting company to help you build it out. Certain changes should be made much easier and more user-friendly where an admin can do it. The automation processes need to be much simpler. If you're looking at other tools out there, for example SalesLoft or HubSpot, it's much easier to build those workflows and do automation.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"ActiveCampaign is for medium-sized companies is the better solution because it’s way less complex than the other solutions."

"The reporting features are useful."

"The most valuable feature of Salesforce Sales Cloud is for teams the ability to do marketing on our page and to manage their marketing leads. You are able to close a deal and do the renewal. For the life cycle management for customer management, we use Salesforce Sales Cloud. The performance of the solution is good."

"Salesforce highlights what are we selling in different regions and which regions or areas offer opportunities. We are able to view sales by month, quarter or year."

"Salesforce's user interface is easy to use, and the reporting is good. It worked well with Excel, so I was okay with it. I don't know about integration with any other software because I didn't have to deal with them."

"We can implement checks to ensure proper data entry with validation rules."

"The company wants to implement the idea of democracy within IT. As an end user, you can do a lot by yourself, so you do not have to write code. The idea is that they go for low-code and they use flow. It's possible to update records and do things like automation without writing real codes. I think this is one of the advantages of the solution."

"Salesforce Sales Cloud is very stable."

"I would rate Salesforce Sales Cloud's scalability as very good. We have scaled from 30 to 150 within three years without a glitch."

More Salesforce Sales Cloud pros

Cons

"AI is upcoming, so for reporting and dashboarding, it would be nice to have some AI integrated into the system."

"Even though they've launched Lightning, it's clunky at times with page load speeds and needs to be made extremely more user-friendly."

"Sometimes, it is difficult to integrate it with my emails. I've had trouble integrating it with my emails. There were a couple of things I did try as well, but I wasn't able to do so. I've had difficulty in other areas too with integration. It was related to syncing my calendars. I want the tasks that I put in to automatically sync to my calendars and update my calendars, but I couldn't figure out how to do it."

"Salesforce is a powerful tool and you need specialists to create or to develop new functionalities. It is a difficult platform to learn to manage and you need years to know the whole product."

"Salesforce must build some connectors and features to make integrations easier."

"I would like to see a more affordable licensing model."

"I need to do a lot of customization to implement an ERP solution for an energy and utilities client versus a BFS client. Salesforce should look at the common customizations each client wants and see how much of that can be standardized into industry-specific specific solutions. That would speed up implementation, so we don't need to go through the same steps a hundred times. Salesforce could do it once and put it out for the rest of the clients to use it."

"The high price of the product is an area of concern where improvements are required."

"It is a bit pricey."

More Salesforce Sales Cloud cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The development costs are lower because you don’t have to have consultants changing and all that stuff."

"The price is fair."

"The licensing fees are reasonable."

"We pay a yearly subscription fee."

"Price-wise, the product does not fall under the category of cheaply priced products."

"I've seen the prices for Salesforce Sales Cloud, but I haven't been the one to handle the money. As someone who's only visually looked at the price, I would imagine it's on the pricier side, but they do have a ton of leverage, and seeing that everyone I've worked for has always been dedicated to continuing Salesforce. I've never worked for anyone who has threatened to leave. Everyone has accepted the pricing for what they offer."

"Salesforce Sales Cloud is an expensive solution."

"The tool's pricing is based on the number of users. It has a different pricing for 0-100 and another for 100-500 users."

"Sales Cloud is quite expensive."

More Salesforce Sales Cloud pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

No data available

Manufacturing Company

11%

Computer Software Company

10%

Financial Services Firm

Performing Arts

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	55
Midsize Enterprise	26
Large Enterprise	40

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for ActiveCampaign?

The development costs are lower because you don’t have to have consultants changing and all that stuff. I feel that it’s a bit cheaper than the other systems.

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What needs improvement with ActiveCampaign?

See all answers

What is your primary use case for ActiveCampaign?

I use it For marketing automation purposes and for share repurpose purposes.

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What do you like most about Salesforce Sales Cloud?

The features of Sales Cloud most useful for testing and running email campaigns are highly valuable.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Salesforce Sales Cloud?

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Salesforce Sales Cloud?

Salesforce Sales Cloud serves as our primary tool for our sales team and reviews team to document and keep all our information in one place as a source of truth. We use it to manage our business pr...

See all answers

Comparisons

Odoo vs ActiveCampaign

Compared 40% of the time

Microsoft Dynamics CRM vs ActiveCampaign

Compared 32% of the time

Vtiger CRM vs ActiveCampaign

Compared 28% of the time

More ActiveCampaign Competitors

Microsoft Dynamics CRM vs Salesforce Sales Cloud

Compared 13% of the time

SAP CRM vs Salesforce Sales Cloud

Compared 10% of the time

Oracle CX Sales vs Salesforce Sales Cloud

Compared 5% of the time

Campfire Interactive vs Salesforce Sales Cloud

Compared 4% of the time

Siebel CRM vs Salesforce Sales Cloud

Compared 3% of the time

More Salesforce Sales Cloud Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

CRM

January 2026

Download ActiveCampaign product report

Buyer's Guide

Salesforce Sales Cloud

January 2026

Download Salesforce Sales Cloud product report

Also Known As

No data available

Sales Cloud, SFDC, Salesforce

Overview

ActiveCampaign provides marketing automation, email marketing, and CRM capabilities tailored for businesses looking to enhance customer engagement. Known for its rich feature set, it offers flexible solutions to help businesses streamline processes and improve marketing efforts.

ActiveCampaign serves as a key tool for businesses aiming to integrate automation with CRM functions. Its platform offers a robust range of features that help businesses engage effectively with their audience. Known for its flexibility, ActiveCampaign helps create personalized customer experiences. The platform is continually updated, reflecting feedback from a diverse user base. Some areas for improvement include intuitive navigation and analytics capabilities. Despite these, ActiveCampaign remains a popular choice among professionals who desire comprehensive marketing solutions.

What are the essential features of ActiveCampaign?

Marketing Automation: Offers sophisticated workflows for scheduling messages and segmenting contacts.
Email Marketing: Provides customizable templates and advanced reporting tools.
CRM Integration: Automates customer data management for efficient workflow processing.
Customer Experience Automation: Creates personalized experiences with data-driven insights.
Sales Automation: Streamlines sales processes through task management and deal updates.

What benefits should users look for in reviews of ActiveCampaign?

Enhanced Efficiency: Saves time through automation of repetitive tasks.
Improved Engagement: Increases interaction rates with personalized communications.
Scalable Solutions: Grows alongside business needs, adapting to larger campaigns.
Comprehensive Support: Provides extensive resources and support for seamless use.

In specific industries like e-commerce, ActiveCampaign is implemented to manage customer journeys from lead generation to purchase conversion. Retail businesses leverage its automation features to target promotions and optimize customer retention strategies. In the service sector, companies use its CRM functionality to maintain client relationships and streamline communication. These tailored approaches demonstrate the adaptability of ActiveCampaign across different market needs.

ActiveCampaign

Salesforce Sales Cloud is a comprehensive tool lauded for its customization, ease of use, and integration capabilities. Its cloud-based nature offers seamless access and scalability, helping manage leads, opportunities, and workflows efficiently. Powerful reporting and dashboards enhance visibility and productivity.

Salesforce Sales Cloud serves as an essential aid for companies aiming to streamline sales processes. It integrates sales and marketing, manages customer data, and supports automation, which increases efficiency. Despite its expense and complex interface, its ability to forecast, track customer engagement, and automate key workflows stands out. Companies encounter challenges with system costs and integration issues, particularly regarding third-party applications and mobile functionality. Reporting and dashboards offer significant insights, although room for improvement exists. Licensing costs and storage fees are considerations for prospects, alongside the need for improved training and AI features. Users maximize the platform for sales pipeline management, forecasting, and operational analytics.

What are the most important features?

Customization: Tailor the platform to fit exact business objectives.
Integration: Seamlessly connect with apps and platforms, improving workflow.
Automation: Streamline lead management and workflows, reducing manual tasks.
Reporting and Dashboards: Gain insights for informed decision-making.
Cloud-based Access: Ensure scalability and accessibility from anywhere.

What benefits can users expect?

Enhanced Productivity: Automation and robust tracking improve efficiency.
Increased Sales Efficiency: Manage pipelines and opportunities seamlessly.
Better Forecasting: Advanced features provide valuable foresight into sales trends.
Operational Efficiency: Analytics and reporting fortify strategic planning.

Organizations across industries utilize Salesforce Sales Cloud from finance to healthcare for business development and CRM tasks. It is integral to managing accounts, leading pipelines, and aligning sales with marketing strategies. Firms improve customer relations and operational efficiency through its analytics and reporting capabilities.

Salesforce

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

Coca-Cola Enterprises, Kuoni Global Travel Services, Financial Times, Just Eat, Jobsite, H.R. Owen, PlayerLayer, O2, DMGT, Philips, Xtreme.ie, Business Stream, Remote Asset Management, Dialogue Group

Buyer's Guide

ActiveCampaign vs. Salesforce Sales Cloud

December 2025

Free Report: ActiveCampaign vs. Salesforce Sales Cloud

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