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Dynamics 365 Sales vs Salesforce Essentials comparison

Microsoft and Salesforce are both solutions in the CRM category. Microsoft is ranked #14 with an average rating of 8.5, while Salesforce is ranked #17 with an average rating of 7.8. Microsoft holds a 0.4% mindshare in CRM, compared to Salesforce’s 0.3% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Microsoft users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 91% of Salesforce users who would recommend it.
Dynamics 365 Sales
Read 12 Dynamics 365 Sales reviews
  • 163 Views
  • 88 Comparison Views
100% willing to recommend
Salesforce Essentials
Read 13 Salesforce Essentials reviews
  • 108 Views
  • 55 Comparison Views
91% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 19, 2024

Dynamics 365 Sales and Salesforce Essentials are competing CRM solutions. Dynamics 365 Sales has the upper hand in integration with Microsoft products, while Salesforce Essentials is praised for its comprehensive feature set.

Features: Dynamics 365 Sales offers seamless integration with Microsoft's business tools, AI-driven insights, and advanced analytics capabilities. Salesforce Essentials stands out with intuitive sales tracking, effective customer interactions, and the inclusion of both Sales Cloud and Service Cloud for comprehensive customer relationship management.

Room for Improvement: Dynamics 365 Sales could improve user-friendliness for non-Microsoft users, lower setup costs for small businesses, and enhance mobile features. Salesforce Essentials may benefit from more robust AI functionalities, increased scalability for larger enterprises, and enhanced customization options.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Dynamics 365 Sales provides simplified deployment within the Microsoft ecosystem and extensive training resources. Salesforce Essentials offers cloud-based deployment with guided onboarding and strong customer support, appealing to smaller teams.

Pricing and ROI: Dynamics 365 Sales involves higher setup costs, offset by long-term ROI through comprehensive feature utilization. Salesforce Essentials provides a cost-effective initial investment with accessible pricing, offering quicker ROI for budget-conscious businesses.

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To learn more, read our detailed Dynamics 365 Sales vs. Salesforce Essentials Report (Updated: April 2025).
Buyer's Guide
Dynamics 365 Sales vs. Salesforce Essentials
April 2025
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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Categories and Ranking

Dynamics 365 Sales
Ranking in CRM
14th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
12
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Salesforce Essentials
Ranking in CRM
17th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
13
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the CRM category, the mindshare of Dynamics 365 Sales is 0.4%, up from 0.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Salesforce Essentials is 0.3%, up from 0.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
CRM
 

Featured Reviews

IlyasAhmad - PeerSpot reviewer
A versatile and scalable CRM solution that streamlines business processes with its user-friendly interface and seamless integration with Microsoft platforms
The support they provide is quite commendable. When I was exploring various features of Office 365, being relatively new to it, I encountered a few challenges. Upon raising a support ticket on the Microsoft platform, I not only received prompt emails but also phone calls and engaging sessions. The Microsoft support engineers proved to be very helpful, and I appreciated their structured escalation metrics. Starting with basic assistance, they escalate the ticket to senior technicians if needed, ensuring comprehensive problem resolution. Another notable aspect is the abundance of Microsoft support resources, including videos, articles, and documentation, providing ample guidance for users. The support system offers a wealth of information, making it a valuable resource for problem-solving. I would rate it nine out of ten.
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Srini-Dhanaraj - PeerSpot reviewer
Manages service requests and dispatches engineers to resolve issues
I work from home for a heater manufacturing company. They wanted to move away from their current SAP CRM system to Salesforce. There is a fulfillment process, which involves taking an order, delivering it, and providing service. Salesforce is used to manage the order-taking process. Once an order is taken, the backend system, SAP ERP, handles product manufacturing, delivery, and installation. After installation, the Service Cloud in Salesforce takes over for ongoing service management. Once your order is confirmed, integration with the SAP ERP backend will be seamless. The system takes the sales order from Salesforce and starts processing it for procurement, starting with creating a production order, manufacturing, and then delivery. Once the product is delivered, this information is passed back to Salesforce Service Cloud. In the Service Cloud, a service engineer receives a notification indicating that a product needs to be delivered to a specific location for installation. The engineer then inspects and installs the product at the designated site. SAP ERP manages the product manufacturing and delivery processes. After the product is delivered to the customer, Salesforce Service Cloud takes over. It manages service requests and dispatches engineers to resolve issues reported by customers. Service Cloud captures the information and creates an incident record when a customer reports a product fault. Engineers receive this information and promptly visit the client site to fix the issue. The solution is easy to implement. Overall, I rate the solution a nine out of ten.
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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"Microsoft 365, in its entirety, provides a collaborative environment that allows me to connect to multiple tools, including email, drive, and cloud hosting folders."
"It allows effective management of the follow-ups of leads and potential opportunities."
"Dynamics 365 Sales assists in streamlining the sales cycle by reducing it by 30%."
"It stands out as an exceptional choice for businesses seeking a comprehensive ERP solution that offers a range of features, including finance, payroll, and HR modules, making it more than just a retail tool."
"Dynamics 365 Sales offers robust integration capabilities with third-party tools, complemented by our in-house developed applications. We've tailored our pricing within Dynamics 365 to suit our specific needs, collaborating closely with our teams for its development. Leveraging Azure and Microsoft Office 365 integration, Dynamics 365 becomes even more powerful."
"The solution is fast."
"Dynamics 365 Sales facilitates remote access, allowing sales teams to work efficiently from mobile devices."
"The tool is on the same screen as Microsoft and Windows, which makes it easier for end users to learn. Its features are good, and the solution's integration is without challenges."
More Dynamics 365 Sales pros
"In terms of features, the cloud-based solution and easy deployment are standout elements that have made a difference."
"High availability is really important for us when getting our reports as a vendor."
"Salesforce Essentials is a reliable and powerful application."
"The combination of product and service are exceptional."
"Salesforce provides the best they have with the current version. Most of the features we need are already there, and it's very easy to use."
"I've found the product's basic AI functionalities, such as predictive analytics and workflow automation useful for optimizing processes and improving productivity."
"The most important feature is how Salesforce Essentials brings together information from multiple channels. The nature of our complex custom product data has been challenging due to our manufacturing nature. Salesforce also allowed business processes like finance, credit lines, customer complaints, and quality issues to integrate seamlessly. I haven’t used the mobile app functionality, because we haven't fully utilized because of our preferance of more personal interactions over using mobile apps."
"The solution is very scalable and flexible. It can be customized as per the business need."
More Salesforce Essentials pros
 

Cons

"The solution needs to include accurate and free online tutorials."
"The solution needs an improved connection to AI."
"However, having more dashboards and customizable templates, specifically tailored for sales in Dynamics 365, would enhance its usability even further. Being able to create custom dashboards would be particularly beneficial."
"The solution’s stability could be improved."
"Making it more budget-friendly would be beneficial."
"The product's pricing needs improvement."
"I found it significantly complex and not user-friendly."
"The pricing must be improved."
More Dynamics 365 Sales cons
"Improvements in connectivity issues, especially for the online version, would enhance the user experience for the product."
"The solution needs to be more user-friendly. It's difficult for a senior to track leads when a salesperson uploads leads. The solution should also improve its integration capabilities."
"When we use mixed languages, it can be uncomfortable because there seems to be no consideration for right-to-left speakers. It feels like these tools were developed by people who only speak left-to-right languages and didn't consider other language types' needs."
"Salesforce should encourage new users by offering smaller license packages, such as packages for three or two users."
"Areas that could be improved or upgraded in the next release include analytics, automation capabilities, and stability."
"The solution could be cheaper."
"The primary area for improvement in Salesforce Essentials is its pricing. There are other competitors, like Zoho CRM, that offer similar features at a lower cost."
"Less integration would be better. It should work independently."
More Salesforce Essentials cons
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The platform is expensive."
"The pricing is challenging, which is particularly relevant for countries like Pakistan and others with limited budgets."
"The cost of the solution is very similar to that of other solutions like Salesforce CRM."
"Dynamics 365 Sales operates on an annual licensing basis."
"Dynamics 365 Sales' pricing is in the middle. It's not expensive like SAP and Oracle."
"There is a need to make yearly payments towards the licensing costs attached to the solution."
"The tool is moderately priced."
"Salesforce Essentials is quite expensive, almost 10 out of 10. I don't have the exact cost, but we found it to be very expensive based on our budget constraints."
"The pricing is a bit on the expensive side."
"We chose quarterly payments."
"I rate Salesforce Essentials' pricing an eight out of ten."
"The pricing is on the higher side, especially with additional costs for professional services like consultants."
"It's a perpetual license, and the subscription can be expensive."
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Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Dynamics 365 Sales?
It integrates well with other Microsoft products, enhancing sales workflow.
See all answers
What needs improvement with Dynamics 365 Sales?
I have not noticed anything that I would recommend for improvement so far.
See all answers
What is your primary use case for Dynamics 365 Sales?
I work at a company focused on managing sales and customer connectivity.
See all answers
What do you like most about Salesforce Essentials?
Salesforce provides the best they have with the current version. Most of the features we need are already there, and it's very easy to use.
See all answers
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Salesforce Essentials?
The pricing is a bit on the expensive side, maybe when we compare it with other solutions. I would rate the pricing a nine out of ten, with one being low price and ten being high price. The licensi...
See all answers
What needs improvement with Salesforce Essentials?
I have seen Salesforce evaluate a lot of AI and analytics into that. But as an end user, I don’t have that much input. So, I would like to have more AI functionality here. That would be really help...
See all answers
 

Comparisons

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Service vs Dynamics 365 Sales Logo
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Service vs Dynamics 365 Sales
Compared 100% of the time
More Dynamics 365 Sales Competitors
No data available
 

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
Dynamics 365 Sales
April 2025
Dynamics 365 Sales reportDownload Dynamics 365 Sales product report
Buyer's Guide
Salesforce Essentials
March 2025
Salesforce Essentials reportDownload Salesforce Essentials product report
 

Overview

Dynamics 365 Sales empowers teams with capabilities in lead management, scheduling, and workflow organization. Its Office 365 integration and comprehensive ERP features enhance productivity and control.

Dynamics 365 Sales offers powerful tools for managing leads and customer interactions. Its integration with third-party apps and REST APIs simplifies workflows, providing comprehensive visibility and reliable performance. Teams benefit from its robust documentation and Power Platform compatibility, enhancing productivity with flexible pricing and a user-friendly interface. Despite some complexities, improvements in Outlook integration, AI features, and affordability are areas for enhancement.

What are the key features of Dynamics 365 Sales?
  • Lead Management: Simplifies tracking and organizing potential sales opportunities.
  • Office 365 Integration: Seamlessly works with Office applications for increased efficiency.
  • Customization Options: Allows for tailored solutions to meet business processes.
  • Third-party Integration: Connects with external apps to streamline operations.
  • Power Platform Compatibility: Enhances development and functionality.
What benefits should users expect from Dynamics 365 Sales?
  • Increased Productivity: Enhances efficiency with streamlined workflows and tools.
  • Enhanced Visibility: Provides comprehensive insights into sales activities.
  • Reliable Performance: Offers stability with robust platform support.
  • Cost-effectiveness: Flexible pricing options cater to varying business needs.
  • Improved Collaboration: Facilitates teamwork through seamless integrations.

Companies in industries like retail and sales management implement Dynamics 365 Sales to track opportunities and manage customer interactions. It helps in generating customized offers, managing orders, and supports sales reporting and CRM capabilities. Teams utilize it for sales management, lead follow-ups, and aligning targets with objectives, making it essential for daily operations.

Microsoft

Salesforce Essentials is a cloud-based CRM tool for businesses seeking flexible, scalable, and customizable solutions to enhance sales and customer support processes.

Designed for seamless integration across multiple channels, Salesforce Essentials includes Sales and Service Cloud to simplify sales tasks and customer management. It enhances finance, credit, and quality processes with user-friendly AI capabilities and predictive analytics. Despite its strengths, there is room for improvement in SAP integration, interface simplicity, and report generation. Cost-effectiveness and support for diverse languages are also potential upgrade areas. Businesses use this CRM solution for lead management, opportunity tracking, and automating sales workflows, transitioning from paper-based methods to digital efficiency.

What are the essential features of Salesforce Essentials?
  • Scalability and Flexibility: Accommodates growth and customization needs.
  • Multiple Channel Integration: Enhances finance and quality processes.
  • User-Friendly: Easy navigation with AI capabilities.
  • Cloud Deployment: Includes Sales and Service Cloud features.
  • Predictive Analytics: Improves productivity and tracking.
  • Mobile App Support: Facilitates on-the-go access and management.
What benefits or ROI can users expect from Salesforce Essentials?
  • Improved Productivity: Automation features save time and streamline tasks.
  • Enhanced Customer Management: Centralizes interaction and data handling.
  • Ease of Transition: From manual to automated workflows.
  • Performance Monitoring: Standardizes processes for better oversight.

In the retail industry, businesses employ Salesforce Essentials for customer data management and transparency in order processing. Healthcare providers use it for patient engagement and streamlined communication. Financial services utilize it for billing management and compliance, harnessing automation tools for efficient data handling.

Salesforce
Buyer's Guide
Dynamics 365 Sales vs. Salesforce Essentials
April 2025
Free Report: Dynamics 365 Sales vs. Salesforce Essentials
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