My Salesforce Journey: Skeptic to Power User (2026)

Is Salesforce Worth It?

★★★★★ 4.5/5

Quick Verdict: Salesforce is the #1 CRM for a reason. It handles contact management, sales tracking, and marketing in one platform. Over 150,000 companies use it. The learning curve is steep. But if your business grows fast, Salesforce grows with you. It’s the best CRM for mid-size and large teams.

✅ Best For:

Growing sales teams that need a complete view of every customer and deal

❌ Skip If:

You’re a small business with a tight budget and a tiny team

📊 Customers	150,000+ companies	🎯 Best For	Sales teams & enterprises
💰 Price	$25/user/month	✅ Top Feature	Einstein AI & Agentforce
🎁 Free Trial	30 days free	⚠️ Limitation	Steep learning curve

How I Tested Salesforce

Tired of losing track of your customers?

Your sales team uses spreadsheets. Leads fall through the cracks. Nobody knows who called whom last.

Enter Salesforce.

It’s the world’s #1 CRM platform. Over 150,000 companies trust it daily.

In this review, I’ll show you what happened after 90 days of real use.

Salesforce

The #1 CRM in the world used by 150,000+ companies. Manage your sales, service, and marketing all in one place. Einstein AI helps you close deals faster. Try free for 30 days.

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What is Salesforce?

Salesforce is a cloud-based customer relationship management (CRM) platform.

Think of it like a giant digital brain for your business data.

It stores every customer detail in one place. Names, emails, phone calls, deals — everything.

Salesforce is a SaaS tool. That means it’s hosted online. You can access it from anywhere.

It includes dedicated Clouds for Sales, Service, Marketing, and Commerce functions.

Unlike old-school software you install on your computer, Salesforce lives in the cloud.

The platform offers CRM solutions that scale alongside your business as it grows.

IDC has ranked it the #1 CRM for years. It holds over 21% of the global CRM market.

Who Created Salesforce?

Marc Benioff, co founder of Salesforce, started the company in February 1999.

He was a former Oracle executive. He had a big idea: put business software in the cloud. Today, every chief digital officer knows the Salesforce name.

He built the first version in a small apartment in San Francisco.

Today, the company is huge:

• Over 150,000 customers worldwide
• 70,000+ employees across the globe
• $37.9 billion in revenue (fiscal year 2025)
• Part of the Dow Jones Industrial Average since 2020

Salesforce, Inc. is headquartered in San Francisco, California. It became the world’s largest enterprise software firm in 2022.

Top Benefits of Salesforce

Here’s what you actually get when you use Salesforce CRM:

• Complete View of Every Customer: Salesforce provides a complete view of customers. You see activity history, key contacts, and all their communications in one place. No more digging through emails.
• Close Deals Faster: Sales Cloud helps your salesforce team track every deal. Reports show what’s working. Your sales pipeline stays clean and clear.
• Automate Boring Tasks: Salesforce allows businesses to automate processes through a simple point-and-click interface. Increased automation has been shown to boost employee productivity by 30%.
• Better Customer Experiences: Service Cloud gives your support team everything they need. Salesforce’s capabilities can lead to a reported 33% improvement in customer satisfaction.
• Grow Without Limits: Salesforce technology is built to scale as your business grows. It can handle even the most complex relationship management processes.
• Connect All Your Apps: Salesforce integrates with many third-party apps. You can connect tools like Zendesk and QuickBooks easily. The AppExchange has over 5,000 apps ready to install.
• AI That Actually Helps: Einstein AI (now called Agentforce) automates tasks and personalizes customer experiences. In 2025, Salesforce adopted an AI-first strategy focused on smart automation.

Best Salesforce Features

Here are the standout features that make Salesforce the best CRM for most businesses.

1. CRM Platform

The core Salesforce CRM platform is where everything starts.

You get contact management that tracks every detail. Every call, email, and meeting is logged.

Your salesforce team can see who talked to a client last. They know what was discussed.

This gives your company a complete view of each account.

The CRM is straightforward and intuitive. It lets users focus on business rather than software management.

2. Automation

Salesforce lets you automate business processes through a simple point-and-click interface.

No coding needed. Set up rules. Let the software handle the rest.

Lead routing, follow-up emails, task creation — all on autopilot.

This frees up your employees to focus on closing deals.

Salesforce takes advantage of workflow rules that save hours every week.

3. Analytics and Reporting

Salesforce’s integration with tools like Tableau enables data-driven decisions.

You get real-time dashboards. See your sales numbers at a glance.

Custom reports show exactly what you need. No more guessing.

The analytics features help you spot trends in your business data.

You can forecast sales with high accuracy.

4. Track Customer Support

Service Cloud provides case management for better customer success.

When a client has a problem, it’s tracked from start to finish.

Your service team sees every past interaction. No customer has to repeat themselves.

Salesforce offers 24/7 customer support tools on higher tiers.

This keeps your clients happy and loyal.

5. Email Templates

Salesforce’s customization options allow users to add custom email templates.

Create templates once. Use them over and over.

Your sales team sends consistent messages every time.

Track who opens your emails. See who clicks your links.

This helps your marketing team know what works.

6. AI Automation with Einstein

Einstein AI is Salesforce’s built-in AI agent.

It scores your leads. It predicts which deals will close.

The AI agent can handle customer questions 24/7.

Salesforce says AI agents now resolve 85% of customer service inquiries at their own company.

This is a groundbreaking AI innovation for CRM solutions.

7. Agentforce and AI App Development

In 2025, Salesforce launched Agentforce. It’s their biggest AI commitment yet. Salesforce’s AI commitments keep growing every year.

Salesforce calls itself the “customer company.” Their Salesforce products are built to put customers first.

You can build custom AI agents for your business. No heavy coding needed.

These agents automate tasks, qualify leads, and answer customer questions.

Salesforce’s reviews highlight its ability to help teams work more efficiently with AI.

The sneak peek at Agentforce shows this is just the beginning of innovation.

8. Marketing and Advertising

Marketing Cloud allows for marketing automation and personalized campaigns.

Create email campaigns. Run social ads. Track every click.

Salesforce’s AppExchange features popular apps like MailChimp for even more marketing power.

Commerce Cloud handles your online store too.

All your marketing data connects to your sales data. You see the full picture.

9. Visual Analytics

Data Cloud is a “data lakehouse” that unifies real-time data from many sources.

Salesforce gives you drag-and-drop dashboards. They look great.

Share reports with your team in seconds. Everyone stays on the same page.

The reporting tools work for any industry. Finance, retail, healthcare — you name it.

These visuals help you make better decisions, faster.

Salesforce Pricing

Salesforce pricing is billed annually. Each plan is per user, per month.

Here’s what each plan costs:

Free trial: Yes — 30 days free. No credit card needed.

Money-back guarantee: No. All contracts are annual. You commit for 12 months.

The total cost depends on add ons you choose. Extra services like training, premium support, and extra storage all cost more. The cloud infrastructure behind Salesforce is solid. It rarely goes down.

📌 Note: Salesforce also offers Pro Suite at $100/user/month and higher tiers like Unlimited ($350/user/month). The pricing can increase significantly with add-ons and customizations.

Is Salesforce Worth the Price?

Salesforce pricing is generally considered high compared to other CRM solutions. But you get what you pay for.

Salesforce is the market leader in CRM. It offers near-endless customization. The integration with 5,000+ apps is hard to beat.

You’ll save money if: You have 10+ users and need a CRM that scales with complex sales processes. The automation alone can save hundreds of hours per year.

You might overpay if: You’re a small business with fewer than 5 employees. Salesforce is often considered overkill for very small and less mature businesses.

Salesforce Pros and Cons

✅ What I Liked

❌ What Could Be Better

Is Salesforce Right for You?

✅ Salesforce is PERFECT for you if:

• You manage a sales team with 10+ employees
• You need a CRM that handles sales, marketing, and service
• You want to integrate with hundreds of other apps
• Your business is growing fast and you need enterprise-level tools

❌ Skip Salesforce if:

• You’re a solo business owner or a team under 5 people
• You need a simple CRM with a quick setup and low cost
• You don’t have budget for training or implementation

My recommendation:

If your business has more than 10 users and complex sales processes, Salesforce is your best bet. Nothing else comes close for customization and growth.

For small businesses, look at HubSpot or Pipedrive first. They’re easier to set up and cheaper to run.

Salesforce vs Alternatives

How does Salesforce stack up? Here’s the competitive landscape:

Quick picks:

• Best overall: Salesforce — unmatched customization and scale for most businesses
• Best budget option: Zoho CRM — enterprise features at small business prices
• Best for beginners: HubSpot — free plan and easy setup for new users
• Best for pure sales teams: Pipedrive — clean pipeline view and fast onboarding

🎯 Salesforce Alternatives

Looking for Salesforce alternatives? Here are the top options:

• 🌟 HubSpot: Best all-in-one CRM with a free plan. Great for marketing-focused teams with tight budgets.
• 💰 Zoho CRM: Budget-friendly CRM that starts at $14/user/month. Offers deep customization for less money.
• ⚡ Pipedrive: Sales-first CRM with the cleanest pipeline view. Perfect for teams that want fast setup.
• 🧠 Freshsales: AI-powered lead scoring starts at just $9/user/month. Best value for smaller sales teams.

⚔️ Salesforce Compared

Here’s how Salesforce stacks up against each competitor:

• Salesforce vs HubSpot: Salesforce wins on customization and scale. HubSpot wins on ease of use and free access.
• Salesforce vs Zoho CRM: Salesforce has more features and apps. Zoho CRM costs much less per user.
• Salesforce vs Pipedrive: Salesforce is better for large teams. Pipedrive is faster to set up for small sales teams.
• Salesforce vs Freshsales: Salesforce offers deeper analytics. Freshsales is cheaper and simpler for small teams.

My Experience with Salesforce

Here’s what actually happened when I used Salesforce:

The project: I managed 3 client accounts with full sales pipeline tracking.

Timeline: 90 consecutive days of daily use.

Results:

What surprised me: The automation saved more time than I expected. Once I set up the workflow rules, tasks created themselves. I stopped forgetting follow-ups completely.

What frustrated me: The first two weeks were rough. Setting up custom fields and reports took longer than I planned. I had to watch training videos just to find basic settings.

Would I use it again? Yes. For managing multiple clients and complex sales processes, nothing else compares. The initial investment in learning pays off fast.

Final Thoughts

Get Salesforce if: You’re running a growing business with 10+ users who need powerful CRM solutions with AI and deep integrations.

Skip Salesforce if: You’re a small business that needs something simple and cheap. The cost and complexity aren’t worth it for tiny teams.

My verdict: After 90 days, I understand why Salesforce is the #1 CRM. It’s the best CRM for companies that need to manage complex sales and customer relationships. Yes, it’s pricey. Yes, the learning curve is real. But for mid-size to enterprise teams, it’s the best bet you can make.

Rating: 4.5/5

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Salesforce worth it?

Yes, for most businesses with 10+ users. Salesforce offers CRM solutions that scale alongside your business. The customization options, AI features, and app marketplace make it worth the cost. For very small businesses, cheaper options like Zoho CRM or Freshsales may be a better fit.

Why is Salesforce expensive?

Salesforce pricing starts at $25/user/month. But the cost grows with add-ons, higher tiers, and implementation fees. You’re paying for the most complete CRM platform on the market. Salesforce has a tiered pricing structure with different levels for various business needs. The higher tiers offer advanced features like collaborative forecasting and premium support.

How much does Salesforce cost per month?

Salesforce Essentials starts at $25 per user per month, billed annually. Professional is $75/user/month. Enterprise is $150/user/month. Prices go up from there. Most businesses land on the Enterprise plan for the best balance of features and cost.

Is Salesforce better than HubSpot?

It depends on your needs. Salesforce is better for large teams that need deep customization and enterprise features. HubSpot is better for small teams that want an easy-to-use CRM with free access. Salesforce offers more integrations and AI tools. HubSpot offers simpler setup and lower starting costs.

Is Salesforce safe to use?

Yes. Salesforce is one of the most secure CRM platforms available. It’s used by 80%+ of Fortune 500 companies. The platform meets strict security standards and holds many compliance certifications. You can check their real-time security status at trust.salesforce.com.