# Salesforce Sales Cloud alternative

> Salesforce can be made to do almost anything. The question is whether you need it to, and who will keep it that way.

**URL:** https://cubecrm.co.uk/alternatives/salesforce

**Vendor:** Salesforce, Inc. | **Category:** Enterprise CRM platforms | **Last reviewed:** 2026-09-24

## What Salesforce actually is

Salesforce Sales Cloud is the reference point every other CRM is measured against. It is sold in editions priced per user, with capability and customisation limits rising by edition, and it sits on a platform that can be extended with custom objects, automation and thousands of apps from the AppExchange marketplace. Larger implementations are typically delivered by Salesforce partners, and many organisations employ or contract a Salesforce administrator to maintain the system once it is live. For a business with complex, global sales operations and the resources to run it properly, it is a formidable choice. People usually talk to us about it from the other end: a smaller team that bought it for its reputation and is paying for far more platform than it uses.

## What Salesforce does well

- A vast platform: almost any sales, service or marketing process can be modelled on it.
- The largest CRM app marketplace and partner ecosystem, so somebody has usually solved your problem before.
- Deep capability for large, multi-country sales organisations with complex territories and forecasting.
- Enormous market familiarity - many sales professionals and administrators already know it.

## Side by side

| Dimension | Salesforce | CubeCRM |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Scale it is built for | Organisations of any size, including very large and global ones | UK businesses of roughly five to two hundred people |
| Editions and add-ons | Several editions priced per user; further capability via add-ons and marketplace apps | One edition. All 12 modules included |
| Who implements it | Typically a Salesforce partner, chosen separately | The people who built the platform, in person where it helps |
| Ongoing administration | Commonly a dedicated administrator for larger configurations | Set up to be maintained by the business, with UK support behind it |
| Hosting | Global cloud infrastructure; regional hosting options vary by product | UK data centres managed by the group |
| Pricing shape | Per user per edition, plus add-ons and partner fees | Per named user, everything included, plus a fixed-price setup |

## Worth checking before you sign

- **Editions decide what you get:** Capabilities, API access and customisation limits vary by edition. Map what you need against each edition before you commit, including the features you expect to need in two years.
- **Configuration needs an owner:** The flexibility that makes Salesforce powerful also means it needs looking after. Budget for an administrator, internal or contracted, and ask how changes will be made after go-live.
- **Add-ons and apps add up:** Many businesses extend Sales Cloud with marketplace apps and additional Salesforce products. Each may carry its own licence, so ask for the full cost of the configuration you actually need.
- **Implementation through a partner:** Your experience depends heavily on the partner who configures it. Ask who will support it after go-live and what that costs.

## When Salesforce is the better choice

If you run a large or multi-country sales organisation, need highly bespoke processes across sales, service and marketing, or are already invested in the Salesforce ecosystem with an administrator in place, Salesforce is very likely the better answer and we will say so. It is also the safer choice if your parent company or major customers standardise on it.

## What leaving Salesforce involves

- **Start with what is actually used:** Most Salesforce orgs contain objects, fields and automations nobody uses any more. We list what is live before migrating anything, which usually makes the move far smaller than expected.
- **Data first, automation second:** Accounts, contacts, opportunities, activities and attachments move first. Automations are rebuilt as simpler rules where they are still needed, rather than copied line for line.
- **Mind the contract dates:** Salesforce contracts typically run on annual terms. Plan the switch around your renewal date so you are not paying for two systems for long.

## Frequently asked questions

**Is CubeCRM cheaper than Salesforce?**

For a small or mid-sized UK team, usually - largely because everything is included in one edition and there is no administrator to employ. The fair comparison is total cost over three years including editions, add-ons, partner fees and administration. Ask both suppliers for that figure in writing.

**Can CubeCRM do everything Salesforce can?**

No, and we would not claim it can. Salesforce is a vast platform. The question is whether you need what it does beyond core CRM, and for most businesses of our target size the answer is no.

**Can we bring our Salesforce data across?**

Yes. Accounts, contacts, opportunities, activities, notes and files can be exported from Salesforce and imported into CubeCRM, with custom fields mapped during setup.

**How long does a switch take?**

For a team of up to fifty with a fairly standard configuration, typically a matter of weeks. Heavily customised orgs take longer, and we scope that at discovery rather than guessing.

## Related comparisons

- **Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales alternative** - https://cubecrm.co.uk/alternatives/dynamics-365-sales
- **HubSpot alternative** - https://cubecrm.co.uk/alternatives/hubspot
- **Zoho CRM alternative** - https://cubecrm.co.uk/alternatives/zoho-crm

> Salesforce Sales Cloud is a trade mark of Salesforce, Inc.. Cube Systems Limited is not affiliated with, endorsed by or a partner of Salesforce, Inc.. This comparison is based on information published by the vendor and was last reviewed on 2026-09-24. Verify current details with the vendor before making any decision.

## Contact

- **Product:** CubeCRM
- **Trading name of:** Cube Systems Limited (company number 17220899, ICO registration number ZC216972)
- **Email:** hello@cubecrm.co.uk
- **Sales:** sales@cubecrm.co.uk
- **Support:** support@cubecrm.co.uk
- **Telephone:** 01234 672 617 (+441234672617)
- **Address:** Unit 11, Olney Business Park, Osier Way, Olney, Buckinghamshire, MK46 5FP
- **Opening hours:** Monday to Friday, 9am to 5.30pm
- **Part of:** Crushed Ice Group (https://crushedicegroup.co.uk)