If you’ve been watching the CRM world lately, you’ll notice how it feels like everyone is taking shots at Salesforce.
With competitors like HubSpot, Microsoft Dynamics and newer players gaining ground, many businesses are questioning whether the CRM giant still deserves its throne.
Kustomer says it’s “too rigid.”
Zendesk waves red flags about “surprise costs.”
Shopify brags about “poaching customers.”
Creatio even launched a campaign called the Salesforce Recovery Effort.
Yet beneath the criticism is a platform that doesn’t just become the target of every competitor unless they are doing something right.
As a CRM agency that works closely with all partners, big and small, CRM implementations across various industries, we believe it’s worth looking at both sides of this conversation. While yes, some criticisms are absolutely valid, others may overlook the great value that Salesforce continues to bring to so many businesses. So while everyone’s busy throwing stones, let’s have an honest conversation about what’s really going on with Salesforce.
The Public Opinion
As a CRM agency, we see multiple CRM platforms up close every day. It’s easy to criticise from pricing digs to platform complexity jokes. But you can’t change the fact that Salesforce has been the #1 CRM heavyweight champ for 12 straight years (yes, twelve!), consistently topping Gartner, Forrester, and IDC reports year after year. It’s still the OG and, in our opinion, the undisputed leader in a growing market, and rivals naturally want to position themselves as the “alternative” or the “future.”
In other words, all this attention is less about Salesforce’s failings and more about its dominance! But let’s address the elephant or many elephants in the room…
Salesforce’s Pricing Structure
There is no way to sugarcoat this – Salesforce’s pricing structure is one of the most common concerns we hear about. You’ve figured out what you need, then suddenly you realise the feature you actually want needs a different licence, or add-on or complete upgrade. We see you, we hear you, we get it. Being caught off guard by costs is not going to give you much love for the platform.
And the proof is in the pudding; recent price increases haven’t helped this perception at all. This year’s 6% increase for Enterprise and Unlimited editions has prompted many finance teams to reassess their CRM investments, particularly when competitors offer more straightforward pricing models.
That said, a lot of businesses still see Salesforce as a smart long-term investment—and we couldn’t agree more. It’s got the depth, flexibility, and future-proofing that other CRMs just can’t quite match. The real trick is ensuring your budget and strategy are ready to grow alongside the platform, so you can maximise its benefits without any surprises.
Implementation Complexity
Salesforce’s extensive customisation capabilities can be both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, the platform can be tailored to fit almost any business process. On the other hand, that flexibility often comes with longer implementation timelines and higher consulting costs, which can feel overwhelming if you’re looking for quick wins.
But never fear, WeDoCRM are here! That’s exactly where our Salesforce experts here at our company step in. We know the ins and outs of the platform, and we’re here to streamline the setup, cut through the complexity, and get you to value faster. You can meet our salesforce experts here: (WeDoCRM & Salesforce Experts – Meet the Team).
Why Competitors Are Gaining Ground
We are seeing it every day; the competition has gotten seriously good. HubSpot feels like it was designed by actual humans for actual humans. Microsoft Dynamics 365 makes sense if you’re already living in the Microsoft world. Other CRM platforms are focusing on Salesforce’s flaws and thriving by getting value from day one. So we can see why switching can make strategic sense.
Why Salesforce Remains the Leader
First things first, Salesforce grows with you, and we mean really grow. When your startup becomes a scale-up, your scale-up becomes an enterprise, and Salesforce is still there, handing whatever crazy workflow you throw at it.
Secondly, they’re not standing still on innovation. While everyone’s complaining about it being old and clunky, they’re quietly building some impressive AI features. Einstein has been around for a while now, but their new Agentforce initiative is fantastic, AI that can handle customer service interactions autonomously.
Salesforce Isn’t for Everyone
The criticism of Salesforce isn’t really about it being bad; it’s about the market evolving. For years, Salesforce was the only serious CRM, so everyone used it whether it was fit for purpose or not. Now we have real alternatives, and businesses are realising they have choices.
This is actually healthy! Competition makes everyone better. Salesforce is being pushed to improve its user experience, simplify its pricing, and justify its premium costs.
We aren’t here to convince everyone to stay with or go. If you’re a small business that just needs to track contacts and deals, you’re probably overpaying and overcomplicating things.
You might want to look elsewhere if:
- You need something simple, and you need it yesterday
- Your budget is tight, and predictable costs matter more than advanced features
- Your team values ease-of-use over customisation possibilities
- You don’t have (or want) someone dedicated to managing your CRM
But Salesforce might still be your best bet if:
- Your sales process is complicated or likely to get more complicated
- You’re planning to grow significantly and need a platform that won’t limit you
- You need serious integrations with other business systems
- Compliance and security keep you up at night
- You want to be at the forefront of AI-driven sales and marketing
Instead of asking “Is Salesforce good or bad?” maybe we should be asking “Is Salesforce right for us, right now, given our specific situation and goals?”
For many businesses, despite all the valid complaints, the answer is still yes. For others, it’s absolutely not, and that’s okay too.
The beautiful thing about 2025 is that we finally have options. Use them wisely, and don’t let the internet’s loudest voices make the decision for you. Your business is unique, and your CRM choice should be too. If you are looking at alternatives, you can take a look at our trusted partners here.
At WeDoCRM, we’re not tied to one CRM or ESP platform; we’re a dedicated CRM agency that’s helped businesses migrate, optimise, and succeed across Salesforce and many other platforms. We’ve seen the wins, navigated the pitfalls, and know what it takes to make CRM work for you.
So before you get lost in the noise, book a chat with us! Whether it’s Salesforce or another solution, we’ll help you find the right fit. We look forward to hearing from you!
