SugarCRM vs Salesforce Starter

Salesforce Sales Cloud

Zoho CRM

NetSuite

Odoo 

Bigin by Zoho CRM

Salesforce for Retail

Compare SugarCRM and Salesforce Starter based on features, pricing, verified reviews, integrations & more on GetApp. Find out which software is best for your business in 2026.

Salesforce Sales Cloud is a cloud-based Customer Relationship Management (CRM) application from Salesforce. The platform combines human sales professionals with AI-powered automation, data, and intelligence. This integrated solution is designed to help businesses of all sizes and industries.

HubSpot CRM

HubSpot CRM is a lead management solution that helps businesses with recording calls, logging emails and managing customer data. It has been designed from the ground up and is ready to eliminate manual work and actually help sales teams. It was built ready for the modern world to help users get running and start selling.

Zoho CRM is a cloud-based customer relationship management (CRM) solution that helps businesses of all sizes close deals smarter, better and faster. The solution lets businesses reach customers through every channel, including telephone, email, social media, and live chat.

SugarCRM is an all-in-one CRM platform that aligns sales, marketing, and service teams to drive enhanced productivity and growth. It's a cost-effective, realiable CRM solution, highly regarded for its user-friendly design, and robust integrations. 
Ideal for B2B medium to large-sized companies.

A/B Testing

Activity Dashboard

Activity Tracking

AI/Machine Learning

Alerts/Notifications

Audience Targeting

Batch Processing

Brand Tracking

Calendar Management

Calendar/Reminder System

Calendar Sync

Campaign Analytics

Campaign Management

Channel Management

Collaboration Tools

Commission Management

Communication Management

Configurable Workflow

Contact Database

Contact Management

Content Management

Contract/License Management

Conversion Tracking

Customer Database

Customer Engagement

Customer Segmentation

Customer Social Profiles

Customer Support

Customizable Branding

Customizable CTAs

Customizable Fields

Customizable Forms

Customizable Reports

Customizable Scoring

Customizable Templates

Dashboard

Data Enrichment

Data Import/Export

Data Visualization

Demographic/Firmographic Data

Document Storage

Drag & Drop

Drip Campaigns

Dynamic Content

Email Management

Email Marketing

Email Templates

Email Tracking

Engagement Tracking

Event Triggered Actions

Field Sales Management

Forecasting

For iPad Devices

For Small Businesses

For Startups

Interaction Tracking

Internal Chat Integration

Knowledge Base Management

Landing Pages/Web Forms

Lead Capture

Lead Distribution

Lead Generation

Lead Management

Lead Nurturing

Lead Qualification

Lead Scoring

Lead Segmentation

Live Chat

Marketing Automation

Marketing Calendar

Mobile Access

Mobile App

Monitoring

Multi-Campaign

Multi-Channel Communication

Multi-Channel Marketing

Multi-Channel Social Integration

Multiple Scoring Models

Multivariate Testing

Opportunity Management

Performance Metrics

Pipeline Management

Pipeline Reports

Predictive Analytics

Prioritization

Process/Workflow Automation

Proposal Generation

Prospecting Tools

Quotes/Estimates

Real-Time Data

Real-Time Notifications

Real-Time Reporting

Referral Tracking

Reminders

Reporting/Analytics

Reporting & Statistics

ROI Tracking

Role-Based Permissions

Some reviewers find SugarCRM cost-effective, especially for small businesses and nonprofits, and they appreciate affordable customization options. However, some users report rising costs for extra features, minimum user requirements, and accumulating customization expenses.

Value for money

Reviews for SugarCRM come from a wide variety of industries, including information technology and services (13% of reviewers), computer software (11%), and marketing and advertising (5%). The most frequent use case for SugarCRM cited by reviewers is CRM (73% of reviewers).

SugarCRM

Windows

Linux

Web-based

Android

iPhone

iPad

Sugar Sell Essentials

Sugar Sell Standard

Sugar Sell Advanced

Sugar Sell Premier

Sugar Serve

Sugar Market

Regional Manager - Sales

Great, completely allowed for tracking and moving business along with reporting on the business to stakeholders.

Digital Marketing coordinator

I loved the high level of customizability

Business Development Manager

Great forecasting tool and I really liked the contact & account management tools

Product Manager 

Permissions for the entire team proved to be one of the worst tasks next to getting contacts imported which I had to do manually.

Market Specialist

Another main way in which I can use SugarCRM phones or tablets when out of the office, helps you to extract some data through searches and tables, you can quickly call a contact and when you have a call.

The software provides a robust search feature that allows you to search by name, phone number, and other data values that I need.

Research assistant

SugarCRM ensures the security of data and information, and now I can quickly manage the various campaigns, build new campaigns for everybody, and receive a thorough view of everything.

Marketing Specialist

By providing a platform for managing leads, assigning them to sales reps, and tracking their progress through the sales pipeline, SugarCRM enables sales teams to work more efficiently and effectively.

Specialist Marketing

With SugarCRM, I keep track of new campaigns (account management), I am regularly reminded that I have performance discussions with my customers and I can switch to the corresponding customer account to find all the important data and get in touch with the customer.

Human Resource Manager

SugarCRM has been an effective and easy to use customer relationship management tool.

Admin software provided with SugarCRM enables the setup of each screen such that The company wants, including adding personalized infinite areas, changing values on any deployable list, and arranging everything and all.

I did not find any cons, perhaps it is simply how it was set up.

Sales Manager

I do not see difficulties when using SugarCRM.

SysAdmin

Import/export tools are quite well developed, whereas other integrations and features are to be paid separately.

In addition, the tool can be linked very flexibly with other systems via APIs, such as SAP, various campaign management tools, and much more.

SugarCRM is a robust and feature-rich platform that can help businesses of all sizes improve their customer relationships and streamline their operations.

What I like most are the synergy effects of the use of the tool by our large sales teams spread over several locations (in Spain and abroad) and our various marketing teams.

Business 

Local host means having a slow CRM and also it's hard customizing reports and data visualization tool to track activities.

Freelance

The application is easy to use and provides a range of great services and features for Customer Relationship Management .

It is so easy to understand the features of SugarCRM.

This can help to reduce duplication of effort, improve collaboration between different teams, and ultimately drive higher revenues and profits.

The interface can be used very intuitively for an extensive CRM system thanks to its focus on a single clear navigation bar.

To me it doesn't look like enough care was taken to make a user friendly interface.

President 

After several months of sending emails to a handful of unresponsive people, we decided to send them a few more thousand dollars in hopes that they will delete our data and leave us alone.

Head of Sales

The mobile aspect is quite lacking... not good for a leader/manager who wants to check detailed data on the go or away from the office.

Agent 

what he doesn't like about this software is how expensive it is for small businesses

Easy for small teams to customize without requiring developers.

I don't like the learning curve that comes with it, it's hard even with great support.

We had a full-time SugarCRM admin onsite, and even he had trouble creating the level of detail we needed.

First of all SugarCRM has a great set of features that outperforms many competitors.

VP Sales

Robust CRM tool to manage contacts, daily tasks, and pipeline.  

The browser bar at the top of the screen is the preferred position, but it can be placed sideways, floating or at the bottom.

Sales Marketing Manager

The total features ensured that the common perception of a CRM will now shift from a pragmatic, reviewable database to an operational, process-driven platform which will save time, generate benefits, and, as the motto states, "Do the job for you."

Marketing Coordinator

It wasn't the most difficult system but the feel of it being out of date with the lead quality low made it difficult at times.

The templates do not fully work and thus many times the system just breaks.  

Customer Experience Manager

Between bugs with the licenses, bugs with the search/filter, email issues, and zero customer support, I cannot understate how disappointed I am in this purchase and this company as a whole.

Freelancer 

Ever since I started using it, I have been able to manage and sort out organization structures easily.

Sugar CRM is a very good marketing platform which has aided my small business to grow exponentially.

From my time using the software I have found the software to be very slow when running through Sugar's own servers.

Deputy Manager 

It allowed raising tickets within internal team

Senior Consultant

It may take some time for users to get comfortable with all of the features and functions of the platform.

It's a great pro having the possibility to host it in proprietary servers.

The way I deliver customer service and manage a relationship with them has changed for the better.

Marketing

Constant planned increases in price without keeping pace with new functionality.

Product Support

Even the latest version can be still worked on regarding visuals.

It worked very well for our business tracking.

Campaign Specialist

The platform might be times when it is bit slow time to time.

SugarCRM vs Salesforce Starter Comparison (2026)

SugarCRM

Salesforce Starter

Overview

Video & Screenshots

Pricing

User reviews

Key features

Integrations

Alternatives