Top Salesforce Alternatives for African Businesses

Ntende Kenneth
May 28
4 min read

Salesforce is a globally recognized Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform, offering comprehensive tools for sales, marketing, customer service, and more. However, for many African small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), Salesforce's complexity and cost can be prohibitive.

Fortunately, several CRM solutions cater specifically to the unique needs of African businesses.

In this blog post we will break down the to salesforce alternatives you can rely on as a business on the African continent.

RELATED: Top CRM tools in Africa

1. Trembi Sales Platform

Trembi is an all-in-one sales and marketing automation platform designed to empower African SMEs. With a focus on simplicity, affordability, and localization, Trembi provides tools that help businesses find leads, engage prospects, automate follow-ups, and close deals efficiently.

Key Features:

Sales AI: Automate lead generation and engagement processes, allowing businesses to interact with potential clients even while offline.
Comprehensive CRM: Manage contacts, track interactions, and monitor sales pipelines with an intuitive interface.
Multi-Channel Communication: Engage customers through SMS, email, WhatsApp, and social media platforms from a unified dashboard.
Free Marketing Automation: Create personalized campaigns and automate customer onboarding, conversion, and retention messages.
Analytics and Reporting: Gain insights into campaign performance, customer behavior, and sales metrics to inform strategic decisions.

Pricing:

Lite Plan: $99.99/month – Suitable for startups, includes 1,440 AI-generated leads, 2,000 prospecting credits, 500 SMS, and 20,000 email credits.
Pro Plan: $199/month – Designed for growing teams, offers 7,000 AI leads, 10,000 prospecting credits, 1,000 SMS, and 50,000 email credits.
Ultimate Plan: $599/month – Ideal for large teams, provides 15,000 AI leads, 15,000 prospecting credits, 1,000 SMS, and 100,000 email credits.

Trembi's commitment to supporting African businesses is evident in its localized features, such as integration with mobile money platforms and support for regional communication channels. Trusted by over 500 companies across 59 countries, Trembi is a proven solution for businesses aiming to streamline their sales and marketing efforts.

Why consider Trembi:

Local payment integrations: Pay for services in
Send SMS' locally in Africa
Connects to local African services
Works well as part of the Trembi sales, marketing and support ecosystem

2. Zoho CRM

Zoho CRM offers a versatile platform suitable for businesses of all sizes. Its user-friendly interface and affordable pricing make it a popular choice among African SMEs. It is ideal for businesses on the Zoho ecosystem.

Key Features:

Sales Automation: Streamline sales processes with lead management, deal tracking, and workflow automation.
Multichannel Communication: Engage customers via email, phone, social media, and live chat.
Analytics: Access real-time reports and dashboards to monitor performance.

Pricing:

Standard: $18/month
Professional: $20/month
Enterprise: $35/month
Ultimate: $45/month

3. Pipedrive

Pipedrive is a sales-focused CRM designed to help teams manage leads and deals efficiently. Its visual pipeline interface simplifies the sales process, making it easier to track progress and close deals.

Key Features:

Visual Sales Pipeline: Drag-and-drop interface to manage deals.
Email Integration: Sync emails and schedule follow-ups directly from the CRM.
Reporting: Generate customizable reports to analyze sales performance.

Pricing:

Advanced: $29/month
Professional: $59/month
Enterprise: $99/month

4. Freshsales by Freshworks

Freshsales is a robust CRM built for sales teams that want to automate workflows, gain deeper customer insights, and close deals faster. It's ideal for growing businesses that need an all-in-one platform without excessive complexity.

Key Features:

AI-Based Lead Scoring: Uses predictive algorithms to help prioritize leads most likely to convert.
Email Tracking: See when prospects open emails or click on links—perfect for timely follow-ups.
Built-in PhoneMake calls directly from the CRM and log call details automatically.
Sales SequencesAutomate follow-up emails and tasks based on lead behavior.

Ideal For:

B2B sales teams that heavily rely on email outreach.
Businesses looking to streamline their sales pipeline with automation.

Pricing:

Growth: $15/month
Pro: $39/month
Enterprise: $69/month

5. Insightly

Insightly merges CRM and project management, making it perfect for teams that need to track both customer relationships and project progress.

Key Features:

Project Management: Link tasks and milestones to CRM contacts, deals, and opportunities.
Workflow Automation: Automate sales and project tasks like assigning leads or sending reminders.
Email Integration: Send, receive, and track emails within the CRM environment, with Gmail/Outlook plugins.
Custom Dashboards: Visualize your pipelines and KPIs for better team alignment.

Ideal For:

Agencies, consultancies, or service businesses managing multiple client projects.
Businesses needing CRM and project tracking in one place.

Pricing:

Plus: $29/month
Professional: $49/month
Enterprise: $99/month

Conclusion

While Salesforce remains a powerful CRM solution, its complexity and cost may not align with the needs of many African SMEs. Trembi emerges as a top alternative, offering a comprehensive suite of tools tailored for the African market. With its AI-driven features, multi-channel communication capabilities, and affordable pricing, Trembi empowers businesses to streamline their sales and marketing processes effectively.

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