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Microsoft Dynamics CRM vs Salesforce Marketing Cloud comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

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

Microsoft Dynamics CRM
Ranking in Marketing Management
2nd
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
7.0
Number of Reviews
76
Ranking in other categories
CRM Customer Engagement Centers (1st), CRM (2nd), Local Government CRM (1st), Sales Force Automation (2nd)
Salesforce Marketing Cloud
Ranking in Marketing Management
1st
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.3
Number of Reviews
55
Ranking in other categories
Social CRM (2nd), Marketing Automation (1st), Social Media Management Solutions (2nd)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of February 2025, in the Marketing Management category, the mindshare of Microsoft Dynamics CRM is 23.7%, up from 22.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Salesforce Marketing Cloud is 14.9%, down from 20.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Marketing Management
 

Featured Reviews

Rishabh Chhajer - PeerSpot reviewer
Intuitive APIs, customizable design, but dashboards could improve
The most advantageous aspect of Microsoft Dynamics CRM is its periodic updates. Every quarter, Microsoft releases upgrades that address bugs and vulnerabilities. As a company governed by the Reserve Bank of India and SAP security regulations for our stock operations, we conduct periodic reviews of our applications, including Microsoft Dynamics CRM. Whenever we submit an audit report and identify bugs, we reach out to the Microsoft team for assistance. They assure us that the issues will be fixed in the next quarterly release. As a result, we have not experienced any outstanding bugs that have not been recorded or addressed.
SantoshKrishna - PeerSpot reviewer
Easy to deploy, stable, and scalable
The encryption and decryption have room for improvement. We need to be confident that the customer's data is secure when shared outside of the organization. I would like to request additional mobile app features that go beyond push notifications. As the mobile development industry continues to advance with new technologies, such as AI components, it is important to consider these advancements when setting up campaigns. Currently, campaigns are scheduled to be sent to customers at a prescribed time, but they may not be relevant to the customer unless they see them as valuable. For example, if I want to run a campaign offering loans, I would need to consider the customer's needs and balance. In the future, I hope Salesforce can incorporate an AI component that utilizes the shared data, rather than just scheduling campaigns.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The initial setup is very easy."
"The most valuable features are the integration capabilities with other third-party software. It has an easy user interface and in terms of security, it has permission-based access for different users."
"Compared to other partners, the most valuable aspect of Microsoft Dynamics CRM is its intuitive APIs, which are customizable and allow for the addition of multiple parameters and attributes. This feature enhances the purpose call in our services. Additionally, the learning curve for contact center agents using Microsoft Dynamics CRM is shorter than with other solution providers. Finally, the commercial aspects of Microsoft Dynamics CRM are superior to those of other solution providers."
"One of the most useful features is we can configure Microsoft Dynamics CRM in the way that we need. This is configurable."
"I have used many Microsoft solutions and I am comfortable using the solution. Additionally, it is secure."
"The most valuable feature of Microsoft Dynamics CRM is the flexibility with Microsoft Office 365."
"I like the fact that I can keep track of everything I do in relation to my own job."
"The CRM is very fast, with customization and integration options, and easy migration."
"It is easy to use."
"This is a very powerful and scalable solution."
"The user interface is easy to use, especially for my staff who use assistive technology."
"In Salesforce Marketing Cloud, the ability to send emails effectively is very valuable."
"The solution is very, very scalable."
"Salesforce Marketing Cloud's integrations are seamless since it is a native application. It helps us with B2B and B2C send-outs and can handle large columns."
"It makes it easy for a business to use any module based on their preference."
"It is straightforward to set up."
 

Cons

"The solution's interface has room for improvement."
"It could be less complicated for smaller organizations."
"The setup with other email servers, other than Microsoft Outlook, could be improved. Alternatively, we'd like to have some feature that allows us to send emails directly from our inboxes to the CRM and assign it to a certain client."
"Microsoft Dynamics CRM is not that customizable, you can customize it, but a lot of it is still pre-built in a way that you have a lot of details in there that you don't need."
"Overall, the solution could be made to be more user friendly."
"Microsoft Dynamics CRM's customer support could be improved as tickets usually take a long time to resolve."
"I am happy with it. If anything, its interface could be improved."
"If there was a bit more automation, specifically for marketing tasks, that would be ideal."
"If you want to use advanced features in Salesforce Marketing Cloud, they are extremely difficult to use."
"Salesforce Marketing Cloud should be linked to an email ID, so the features after 15 days can update on the opportunity. You should not have to update them manually to the next step."
"The dashboards should be more intuitive, as there are far too many items on them. You're not always sure what you're looking for."
"The customization of Salesforce, a generic CRM software, has room for improvement."
"We'd like to see more integrations with third-party products."
"Salesforce Marketing Cloud is expensive. The email functionality should be more modern and user-friendly."
"Marketing Cloud's forecasting could be improved."
"The general setup and understanding of how to use it can be improved. There should be easier self-service for setting up dashboards. Currently, we have someone setting them up for us. I wish it was easier."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The cost could be cheaper. I would rate them 3 out of 5."
"On a scale from one to ten with one being expensive and ten being of great value, I would rate Microsoft Dynamics CRM at six on pricing."
"It is a very comprehensive package. We get everything from Access to D 365. We get Microsoft's suite of tools. I'm not too sure about the pricing, but I can't imagine it being cheap."
"Microsoft Dynamics CRM's price is too high."
"Microsoft Dynamics CRM is an expensive solution. However, most good CRMs are expensive."
"The solution is expensive."
"The solution is not expensive."
"Microsoft often encourages customers to commit to multi-year enterprise-level agreements, such as three or five-year deals with a minimum commitment of, for example, $200,000 dollars. However, in order to acquire more customers, I believe Microsoft should offer this same rate for one-year commitments for customers who want to experience it."
"We have two types of licensing. We have a yearly license for end users and we have a concurrent login for selling."
"We did a yearly license. We negotiated and got a great deal. I don't think we would have gotten far with the regular price, but they negotiated, so it was worth that."
"It's normal pricing."
"This solution is priced in the medium to high price range."
"My company pays to use this solution."
"The licensing cost for the solution is on a yearly basis."
"Salesforce Marketing Cloud is affordable, considering the significant improvements it brings to our campaign results."
"It is a license per user."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
13%
Financial Services Firm
11%
Government
10%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Educational Organization
60%
Computer Software Company
7%
Financial Services Firm
5%
Manufacturing Company
4%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Microsoft Dynamics CRM?
The most valuable features of Microsoft Dynamics CRM are all the filters and possible reports.
What needs improvement with Microsoft Dynamics CRM?
Costing might be a reason for concern. It could be an issue for the organization, or maybe not. It's uncertain.
What is your primary use case for Microsoft Dynamics CRM?
I use the solution to manage the lead sales pipeline and enable the marketing department to maintain customer data.
What do you like most about Salesforce Marketing Cloud?
Datorama is part of Salesforce Marketing Cloud, which is quite a valuable feature that provides customer analytics.
What needs improvement with Salesforce Marketing Cloud?
In the SMS area, it is not up to the mark, compared to what has been developed for email.
 

Also Known As

Dynamics CRM, MS Dynamics CRM
ExactTarget
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Metro Bank, Nissan, Pandora, Delta, Haynes International, City of London, Trek and many more market leaders.
American Express, Financial Conduct Authority, KPN, Merck KGaA, Peterborough City Council, The Chapar, ADP, Financial Times, Stanley Black & Decker, SureFlap, Western Union, Philips
Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft Dynamics CRM vs. Salesforce Marketing Cloud and other solutions. Updated: January 2025.
837,501 professionals have used our research since 2012.