In 2023, businesses are looking for powerful and flexible customer relationship management (CRM) software solutions to help them manage and grow their customer base. Two popular options in the market are Pega and Salesforce. There are a lot of comparisons drawn to understand which is better, hence, this blog revolves around, Pega vs Salesforce and which one to opt for. According to a survey conducted by the Garter Peer Insights, on the reviews conducted by the verified users, Pega has a rating of 4.6 stars, and Salesforce has 4.4 stars. In this comparison, we will examine the key features and differences between these two CRM software solutions.

Pega vs Salesforce: What Exactly Do These CRM Stand For

Pega is a low-code platform that allows businesses to easily build and implement custom CRM applications. It has a wide range of built-in features, such as customer service, marketing automation, and analytics, as well as advanced capabilities for automation, artificial intelligence, and decision management. Pega also offers a flexible and scalable architecture that allows businesses to adapt their CRM solution as their needs change.
Salesforce, on the other hand, is a well-established CRM solution that offers a wide range of built-in features, such as sales automation, customer service, and marketing automation. Salesforce also offers a wide range of customization options and third-party integrations, allowing businesses to tailor their CRM solution to their specific needs. Salesforce has a variety of options for small businesses to enterprises, offering various products like Sales Cloud, Service Cloud, Marketing Cloud, Commerce Cloud, and more. Therefore, it has been reviewed by users to be the best CRM software.

Pega vs Salesforce: Detailed Comparison

Customization-

Pega is a low-code platform that allows businesses to easily create custom CRM applications, while Salesforce offers a wide range of customization options and third-party integrations. This means that Pega may be a better option for businesses that need a highly customized CRM solution, while Salesforce may be a better option for businesses that need a more out-of-the-box solution.

Scalability-

Pega has a flexible and scalable architecture that allows businesses to easily adapt their CRM solution as their needs change. Salesforce also scales well but with its enterprise-level customization options, it might be a bit complex as compared to Pega.

Ease of Use-

Salesforce is a well-known name in SaaS applications and has a focus on cloud-based technology.

  • Despite this, some companies are hesitant to store data on the cloud.
  • Pegasystems CRM offers the flexibility of local installation, public cloud, or Pega Cloud, but with an unmanaged cloud computing environment.
  • Salesforce as a SaaS product can have a delay between activating a license and receiving it but can be beneficial in managing sales processes.
  • Utilizing Salesforce effectively may require hiring someone with knowledge and possibly a third-party vendor.
  • Both Salesforce and Pegasystems are investing in AI to make their products more user-friendly.

Customer Support-

Both Salesforce and Pegasystems provide exceptional customer support to be named as the best CRM for small business

  • Salesforce has also created a large community of end-users where sales administrators and developers can share information and provide mutual support. 

Cost-

Salesforce has a base cost of $25 per user per month, but the cost can increase as additional features are added. Salesforce is also known for having inflexible pricing.
Pega CRM offers a range of options, with a subscription to “customer service applications” on a single tenant cloud platform managed by Pegasystems ranging from $97 for “case management” to $295 per user per month for an “omnichannel experience.” However, it should be noted that third-party vendors may list Pega CRM at a higher price of $200 per user per month. If Pega CRM is deployed on-premises, the total cost can be even higher.
As with any enterprise software, the total cost of an application can vary greatly depending on the modules selected, the number of users, and the negotiation skills of the customer. It’s worth noting that Pega CRM has a higher cost of entry compared to Salesforce CRM by quite a margin.

Features & Ad-ons-

New features have been added to Salesforce CRM application. Salesforce has a significant advantage in terms of the depth and breadth of its app store. This allows users to explore a wide range of add-ons and a plethora of additional functionality, such as advertising automation technology created by Salesforce.
The CRM application from Salesforce now has updated functionality. In terms of the breadth and depth of its app store, Salesforce has a significant edge. This enables customers to investigate several add-ons and extra functionality, such as advertising automation technologies created by Salesforce and its third-party partners. The core of Salesforce’s strategy is the primary customer data, which it makes accessible to all of its add-on products and third-party partner software via a common object model.
Salesforce wants to apply that idea to acquired products, but third-party suppliers’ interface designs might vary greatly, leading to unequal integration.
To provide a more consistent user experience throughout its portfolio of apps, Pegasystems has made sure that all of its applications use the same code base. that results in a consistent user experience. 

Implementation

Salesforce, being one of the pioneers in offering Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) products, has a strong focus on cloud-based solutions. On the other hand, Pegasystems CRM provides flexibility in deployment, allowing it to be implemented on-premises, in the public cloud, or through Pega Cloud, which is a Pegasystems-managed single-tenant cloud-based environment.
While Salesforce is a SaaS platform, the process of effectively using it to manage the sales process often requires additional efforts, such as using a Salesforce or a third-party service provider. In contrast, implementing Pegasystems CRM, particularly when utilising the company’s Business Process Management (BPM) platform, would almost always require specialised knowledge from a system integrator, resulting in higher total costs for ongoing maintenance and acquisition.

Pega vs Salesforce: Which is The Best CRM For Small Businesses?

The choice between Pega CRM and Salesforce for your business will largely depend on the specific goals and objectives of your company. If the primary aim is to improve sales and revenue, Salesforce may be the better option given its wide recognition and established capabilities in this area.
On the other hand, if the goal is to effectively manage and execute a digital transformation strategy, Pega CRM may prove to be a more cost-effective solution in the long run. Though the initial investment may be higher, the ability to standardise on a single codebase provides flexibility and can result in significant savings when it comes to modifications and updates.