Odoo CRM vs. Salesforce: Choosing the Right CRM for Your Business

Choosing the right CRM software is no longer optional—it’s essential for sustainable business growth. The decision to choose the right CRM system, like Odoo CRM vs Salesforce, shapes how a business manages customer interactions, drives sales growth, and builds strong customer relationships.

According to Statista, the CRM software market is projected to reach $89.03 billion in revenue by 2024. It is expected to grow steadily at an annual rate of 10.34% from 2024 to 2029, reaching a market volume of $145.60 billion by 2029. 

The CRM market is growing day by day, and a plethora of CRM software is available in the market. So, the question arises—which is the most popular CRM software? The two popular players in the market are Odoo CRM and Salesforce. 

This detailed blog of Odoo CRM vs Salesforce comparison will help you choose the best CRM for your business. By the end, you’ll know which CRM system aligns with your goals for long-term success and improve overall business performance.

Overview of Odoo CRM

Odoo CRM is a part of the larger Odoo suite—comprehensive open-source ERP systems. The Odoo CRM system or module is built for effective customer relationship management, enhanced sales productivity, and improved team collaboration. 

Odoo offers CRM to manage leads, opportunities, and customer communications effectively. It is ideal for businesses seeking a customizable platform that is easily able to adapt to meet their unique sales management or workflows.

The Odoo CRM key features include pipeline management, sales tracking, lead scoring, real-time reporting, automated follow-up, and integrated marketing tools for email campaigns.

One of Odoo CRM’s standout features is its seamless email integration, which simplifies customer communication and improves response efficiency. Learn more about email integration with Odoo CRM.

Overview of Salesforce

Salesforce was founded in March 1999 by Marc Benioff, Parker Harris, Dave Moellenhoff, and Frank Dominguez. The company emerged from the novel concept of delivering customer relationship management (CRM) software via the cloud. 

Salesforce is a well-established customer success platform known for its vast ecosystem and comprehensive offerings to manage business needs and processes. A cloud-based model helps businesses sell, service, market, analyze, and connect with customers. 

Salesforce supports various business processes, including sales and opportunities management, customer support, marketing automation, and analytics. Its customization feature allows it to fit specific requirements, from startups to global enterprises.

The additional features include Einstein AI, which provides predictive analytics and automates data-driven insights to support decision-making. It also excels in customer support management, offering omnichannel service capabilities that streamline sales orders and interactions through chat, email, and social media.

“Despite Salesforce CRM’s extensive capabilities, it comes with a higher price tag and often requires technical expertise or dedicated IT support for integrations, configuration, and management.”

Head-to-Head Features Comparison – Odoo CRM vs Salesforce CRM

Parameters	Odoo	Salesforce
Free plan	Yes (1 module)	No free plan
Cost	Budget-friendly	Expensive
Easy of use	Yes	Yes, with technical expertise
Customization	Highly customizable	Customizable but with expert resource
Free-trial lenth	15 days trial available	30 days trial available
Type of software	Open-source ERP software	Cloud-based
Deployment	On-premises or cloud	Only on cloud
eSignature	Yes	No
Supported platforms	Ubuntu Windows MacOS Linux	Ubuntu Windows MacOS Linux
Device	Desktop Mobile Tablet iPad	Desktop Mobile Tablet iPad
Support	Phone, Email, Communities	Email, Communities
Workflow management	Yes, streamlines business processes for improved efficiency and task coordination.	Yes, automates business workflows with drag-and-drop logic and approval processes.
Contact enrichment	Yes, enhances contact details with additional information for personalized engagement.	Yes, enhances customer records using AI-powered insights and third-party data.
Product catalogue	Yes, display and organize your product for seamless management and sales.	Yes, organizes and displays product offerings for streamlined quoting and selling.
Customizable pipeline	Yes, tailor the sales pipeline to fit specific business processes and workflows.	Yes, adapts sales pipelines with flexible drag-and-drop tools to match your workflow.
Quotation builder	Yes, simplify quote creation customizable templates, and automation tools.	Yes, creates professional, branded quotes with easy customization options.
Marketing campaign tracking	Yes, monitor the campaign to maximize ROI.	Yes, tracks campaign performance and provides detailed analytics to improve ROI.
Third-party app integrations	Yes, connect third-party tools for efficient use of the Odoo CRM platform.	Yes, integrates with apps via AppExchange to extend platform capabilities.

Understanding the Core Difference – Odoo CRM vs Salesforce

The Odoo CRM is cost-effective and open-source, making it the preferred choice for businesses compared to Salesforce CRM. 

1. Free Plan

Odoo offers a free plan for users who want to give a try to its features. It includes access to one module for free, allowing businesses to explore its basic functionality before committing to a paid plan.

Salesforce does not offer any free plan. Users are required to choose one of their paid plans for even checking the basic functionality. It is more suitable for businesses that are ready for investment.

2. Cost

Odoo is known for its budget-friendly pricing structure of its paid plans. They have an attractive option for all the business categories, either small to mid-size or enterprise. The cost of Odoo depends upon the module you use, so it is considered best for businesses in terms of pay for what you use.

Salesforce is often considered an expensive solution for small to medium-sized businesses. Its pricing is generally higher due to its extensive feature set and cloud-based structure. Salesforce is considered ideal for larger enterprises with higher budgets.

3. Ease of Use

Odoo is recognized for its user-friendly interface and intuitive design, making it easy for businesses to get started and use its features without extensive training.

Salesforce is relatively easy to use, but it may require more technical expertise, especially for customization and advanced features. Businesses with in-house IT teams or technical resources will find it more manageable.

4. Customization

Odoo excels in customization. As an open-source platform, it offers a high degree of flexibility, allowing businesses to adapt the system to their specific needs without requiring specialized expertise.

Salesforce is also customizable but typically requires expert resources to fully tailor it to business needs. Customizations often involve using specific development tools or consulting services, which can increase both cost and complexity.

5. Type of Software

Odoo is an open-source ERP software, making it highly accessible for businesses that want to control their systems and avoid subscription-based models. The open-source nature allows for extensive customization and flexibility.

Salesforce is a cloud-based software that offers a broad range of CRM and business management tools. Being cloud-based means Salesforce handles all maintenance and updates, but it also means businesses are reliant on their subscription model.

6. Deployment

Odoo provides flexibility in deployment options. It can be deployed either on-premises or in the cloud, allowing businesses to choose the setup that best fits their IT infrastructure and data security needs.

Salesforce operates exclusively in the cloud. All data and applications are hosted online. While this simplifies management and ensures automatic updates, it may not meet the preferences of businesses that require on-premises solutions for compliance or security reasons.

Pricing Comparison of Odoo CRM vs Salesforce CRM

Pricing is a key factor that businesses must consider alongside features and capabilities while selecting CRM systems. Both Odoo and Salesforce have distinct pricing structures that cater to different company sizes and budgets.

Odoo pricing structure

Aspects	One App Free Plan	Standard Plan	Custom
Cost	$0	$24.90 per user / per month / billed annually $31.10 per user / per month / billed monthly	$37.40 per user / per month / billed annually $46.80 per user / per month / billed monthly
Try for free	Free forever/unlimited users	15-days free trial	15-days free trial
Contract type	None	Monthly and annually	Monthly and annually
Other Odoo apps	1 free app	All apps	All apps
Hosting type	Odoo online	Odoo online	Odoo online / Odoo.sh / on-premises
API	No	No	Yes
Maintenance	Yes	Yes	Yes
Support	Yes	Yes	Yes
Implementation	Paid plans	Paid plans	Paid plans

Note: Additional costs may be incurred for implementation, custom development, or premium add-ons.

Salesforce pricing structure

Aspects	Starter Suite	Pro Suite/Professional Edition	Enterprise Edition	Unlimited Edition	Einstein AI Edition
Cost	$ 25 user/month	$ 100 user/month	$ 165 user/month	$ 330 user/month	$ 500 user/month
Try for free	30-days free trial	30-days free trial	30-days free trial	30-days free trial	30-days free trial
Contract type	(Billed monthly or annually)	(Billed monthly or annually)	(Billed monthly or annually)	(Billed monthly or annually)	(Billed monthly or annually)
Other apps	Paid	Paid	Paid	Paid	Paid
Hosting type	Salesforce-managed AWS Hyperforce infrastructure	Salesforce-managed AWS Hyperforce infrastructure	Salesforce-managed AWS Hyperforce infrastructure	Salesforce-managed AWS Hyperforce infrastructure	Salesforce-managed AWS Hyperforce infrastructure
Web Services API	NA	Additional USD 25/user/month	Yes	Yes	Yes
Maintenance	Routine updates and maintenance	Routine updates and maintenance	Routine updates and maintenance	All system updates, security patches, and proactive monitoring	All system updates, security patches, and proactive monitoring to enhance predictive capabilities and insights
Support	Self-service resources such as guides, community forums, and documentation.	Customer service during business hours	Salesforce Premier support	24/7 support	24/7 support

What are the Pros and Cons of Odoo CRM?

Odoo CRM offers an integrated approach to managing customer data and relationships with a modular structure that supports various business needs. However, like any CRM system, it has advantages and drawbacks that need consideration.

Pros of Using Odoo CRM	Cons of Using Odoo CRM
Cost-effectiveness: Free pricing for the community version and competitive pricing for the enterprise version.	Learning curve: Lacks adequate support for certain features like marketing tools, domain ranking, and SEO.
Highly customizable: Open-source nature allows the complete customization of features, workflows, and integrations.	Customer support: Support is difficult to access for issues not covered in guides, causing delays in resolving problems.
Modular structure: Easy option to add modules (inventory, accounting, HR) as business grows within the Odoo ERP system.
User-friendly interface: The platform’s design is simple and intuitive, reducing the learning curve for new representatives.
Deployment flexibility: Cloud-based and on-premise deployments based on their security, data privacy, and budget preferences.

These are the pros and cons of Odoo CRM. Still unsure about leveraging Odoo CRM for your business? Don’t worry—we’ve got you covered in our comprehensive blog on how to use Odoo CRM.

What are the Pros and Cons of Salesforce CRM?

Salesforce is a CRM powerhouse known for its feature-rich ecosystem and scalability. It is highly versatile and suitable for a range of business sizes, but it comes with certain trade-offs.

Pros of Using Salesforce	Cons of Using Salesforce
Comprehensive features: Covers sales, customer service, and marketing.	High cost: Premium pricing with additional costs for add-ons and support.
AI & automation: Streamlines tasks and supports smarter decisions.	No free plan: No free version, requiring immediate paid subscription.
Scalable & integrations: Grows with your business and integrates with third-party tools.	Steep learning curve: Requires expertise and often certified consultants.
Powerful reporting: Customizable dashboards and analytics for performance tracking.	Complicated setup: Complex customization requiring knowledge of proprietary languages.

Salesforce provides a comprehensive suite of features, scalability, and AI-driven automation. However, it comes with a high cost, no free plan, and a steep learning curve, requiring expertise for setup and customization.

Which CRM is Right for You, Odoo CRM vs Salesforce?

When we compare Odoo vs Salesforce for the right CRM choice, it depends on your business workflows, budget, and expertise. Both Odoo and Salesforce offer comprehensive features, but Odoo’s ERP functionality provides additional tools like website building, HR, inventory, and invoicing, which Salesforce needs to include. 

• If you’re managing a firm with various departments like Sales, HR, Marketing, and Accounting, Odoo might be a more suitable choice due to its all-in-one approach.
• However, Salesforce excels with its specialized CRM features, making it ideal for companies looking for focused sales and customer management.

At Growsherpa, our CRM consultants will assess your company requirements and help you choose between Odoo and Salesforce. With our expertise, we ensure you select a CRM solution that fits your needs, scale, and technical capabilities.