While Salesforce is well-known for offering a comprehensive customer relationship management (CRM) system for larger, enterprise-size companies, it also offers a Starter Suite for smaller teams. Salesforce’s Starter Suite is an excellent choice for small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) looking for an affordable CRM solution for managing sales deals, marketing campaigns, service functions, and core CRM features and functionality.
Salesforce Starter Suite
| Base price: | Starting at $25.00 per user, per month* |
| Free trial length: | 30 days |
| Free plan available: | No |
at Salesforce
Pros
- Account, contact, lead, and opportunity management
- Lead assignment and routing
- Web-to-lead capture
- Customizable email templates
Cons
- Lacks AI tools
- No advanced reporting or forecasting features
- Lacks sales territory features
- No built-in quote or contract tools
- Limited collaboration features
at Salesforce
Salesforce Sales Suite service plan overview
While Salesforce Starter Suite does not offer a free-forever plan, it provides a 30-day free trial to test out the features before making a monthly or annual commitment. It’s an affordable CRM solution with a popular provider that offers excellent tools, such as account and deal management, customizable reports and dashboards, and an intuitive mobile app for iOS and Android users.
Best Salesforce CRM plan for small businesses: Starter Suite
Salesforce is a popular brand name for enterprise-sized businesses and is often considered an expensive, complicated CRM tool that is difficult to learn. However, the Starter Suite is designed for smaller teams that need a CRM that’s user-friendly and easy to use right out of the box.
Pros
- Monthly pricing available
- Affordable for small or growing teams
- Robust deal and contact management tools
- User-friendly platform
Cons
- Limited automation and collaboration features
- Lacks ecommerce tools
- Lacks application programming interface (API) access for developers
- No AI tools
Other services Salesforce Starter Suite offers
Aside from sales pipeline management features, Salesforce Starter Suite offers other valuable tools that help teams collaborate and streamline business functions. Some of the top additional CRM benefits this provider has include:
- Einstein activity capture: Captures sales activities automatically and syncs email and calendar content to reduce the need for manual data entry.
- Lead and assignment routing: Set rules to automate how which sales representatives leads are assigned to within the CRM.
- Lead duplicate blocking: The CRM merges duplicate contacts automatically for simplified contact management.
- Web-to-lead capture: Store leads in the CRM system that are generated from website visitors automatically.
- Mass email campaigns: Create and send emails to targeted lists and track email opens.
- Customizable sales process creation: Design personalized sales milestones with Salesforce’s Sales Path tool.
- Customizable reports and sales dashboards: Create custom reports and dashboards that are updated in real-time.
- Product and price books: Develop a product catalog with prices for different sales scenarios.
Salesforce Starter Suite platform and customer support
Compared to the higher-tier, more complex Salesforce plans, the Starter Suite offers novice CRM users a more simplified platform that’s easy to navigate. However, the customer support offerings are limited unless a company is prepared for an additional cost.
All paid plans include access to a knowledge base, documentation, and Salesforce’s Global Trailhead Community. Companies that want the Premier Success Plan package that includes expert coaching sessions, technical and developer guidance, and CRM health checks must pay an extra 30% of their overall monthly subscription fee.
Additionally, Salesforce offers a Premier Success Plan that requires contacting a sales rep for pricing information. This plan includes a dedicated customer success manager, proactive monitoring, and 24/7 live support.
Is Salesforce Starter Suite secure?
While Salesforce’s website makes it difficult to determine what security features are included with a paid plan, they provide a variety of tools to customize the level of security businesses want. Potential subscribers must contact the Salesforce sales team for pricing. Some of the main security features Salesforce offers include:
- Shield: Teams who view who accesses Salesforce data in real time, including any data changes.
- Salesforce Backup: Companies can back up data and have it restored easily in the case of a breach.
- Security Center: Users can view and analyze a dashboard of security health metrics.
Salesforce Starter Suite user reviews
Overall, Salesforce Starter Suite user reviews indicate users like the platform for its ease of use and affordable price point. The provider earned a score of 4.4 out of five stars on 5 with around 200 user reviews on Capterra. Many users commented they appreciate the intuitive interface, email integration features, and responsive customer support. However, some users noted frustration with the limited collaboration features and steep learning curve.
Salesforce Starter Suite earned 8.2 stars out of 10 on TrustRadius. Users said they like the built-in guidance and reminders within the CRM tool, guided setup, and the intuitive mobile app. Some reviewers said they wish it included more automation features.
Compare Salesforce Starter Suite alternatives
 Zoho CRM |  Pipedrive |  Freshsales |
|---|---|---|
| Base monthly cost per user | Base monthly cost per user | Base monthly cost per user |
| Starts at $20.00; free plan for up to three users | Starts at $24.00 per user, per month | Starts at $11.00; free plan for up to three users |
| Maximum number of users | Maximum number of users | Maximum number of users |
| Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Free trial length | Free trial length | Free trial length |
| 15 days | 14 days | 21 days |
| Learn more | Learn more | Learn more |
| View offer at Zoho | View offer at Pipedrive | View offer at Freshsales |
Is Salesforce Starter Suite right for you?
Salesforce Starter Suite is an ideal CRM solution for small or growing sales teams looking for core CRM features, such as pipeline management, deal tracking, and basic email campaign deployment. It’s also a good choice for teams that want to use the well-known and trusted brand of Salesforce but want an affordable price and the option for monthly billing.
Furthermore, it’s a solid option for teams looking for customizable customer support rather than prebuilt packages included in the plan’s overall cost. Plus, Starter Suite users enjoy the included service features such as case management and knowledge management that make it easy to support customers without paying for separate customer service software.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Salesforce Pro Suite and Salesforce Starter Suite?
Salesforce Starter Suite is a more affordable option than the Pro Suite and is designed for smaller teams that need basic sales, marketing, and service features. The Pro Suite is more expensive and comprehensive and is designed for enterprise-sized teams.
Does Salesforce have a free option?
No, Salesforce does not offer any free-forever plans. However, users can use the software for 30 days to try out the platform before committing to a paid plan.
Is Salesforce difficult to learn to use?
While some Salesforce plans offer complex customization options made for larger teams and typically require a dedicated onboarding success specialist, the Starter Suite is designed to be simple to set up and operate with a minimal learning curve.
