Quick Overview
- 1#1: HubSpot - All-in-one CRM platform that powers inbound marketing, sales, customer service, and operations to engage customers across the entire lifecycle.
- 2#2: Salesforce - Leading cloud-based CRM platform offering comprehensive customer engagement tools for sales, service, marketing, and commerce.
- 3#3: Intercom - Customer messaging platform that enables personalized conversations via chat, email, and in-app messaging to boost engagement.
- 4#4: Zendesk - Customer experience platform providing omnichannel support, ticketing, and self-service tools to enhance customer interactions.
- 5#5: Braze - Customer engagement platform for orchestrating personalized experiences across email, push, SMS, and in-app channels.
- 6#6: ActiveCampaign - Email marketing and automation platform that connects customer data to deliver personalized campaigns and automations.
- 7#7: Iterable - Cross-channel growth platform using AI to create personalized customer experiences via email, SMS, and push notifications.
- 8#8: Klaviyo - Email and SMS marketing platform tailored for ecommerce brands to drive personalized customer engagement and revenue.
- 9#9: Marketo Engage - Marketing automation platform from Adobe that helps B2B marketers engage leads and customers with account-based strategies.
- 10#10: Drift - Conversational marketing platform that uses AI chatbots and live chat to engage website visitors and qualify leads in real-time.
Tools were evaluated based on comprehensive feature sets, intuitive usability, consistent performance, and overall value, ensuring they deliver impactful results for engaging customers throughout their journey.
Comparison Table
Customer engagement remains a cornerstone of business growth, and selecting the right software can transform how brands connect with audiences. This comparison table explores top tools like HubSpot, Salesforce, Intercom, Zendesk, Braze, and more, outlining features, pricing, and use cases to help users identify the best fit for their goals.
| # | Tool | Category | Overall | Features | Ease of Use | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | HubSpot All-in-one CRM platform that powers inbound marketing, sales, customer service, and operations to engage customers across the entire lifecycle. | enterprise | 9.4/10 | 9.6/10 | 8.8/10 | 9.1/10 |
| 2 | Salesforce Leading cloud-based CRM platform offering comprehensive customer engagement tools for sales, service, marketing, and commerce. | enterprise | 9.4/10 | 9.8/10 | 7.6/10 | 8.2/10 |
| 3 | Intercom Customer messaging platform that enables personalized conversations via chat, email, and in-app messaging to boost engagement. | specialized | 8.8/10 | 9.4/10 | 8.5/10 | 7.9/10 |
| 4 | Zendesk Customer experience platform providing omnichannel support, ticketing, and self-service tools to enhance customer interactions. | enterprise | 8.7/10 | 9.2/10 | 8.4/10 | 7.9/10 |
| 5 | Braze Customer engagement platform for orchestrating personalized experiences across email, push, SMS, and in-app channels. | enterprise | 9.1/10 | 9.6/10 | 7.8/10 | 8.3/10 |
| 6 | ActiveCampaign Email marketing and automation platform that connects customer data to deliver personalized campaigns and automations. | specialized | 8.7/10 | 9.4/10 | 7.9/10 | 8.3/10 |
| 7 | Iterable Cross-channel growth platform using AI to create personalized customer experiences via email, SMS, and push notifications. | enterprise | 8.7/10 | 9.3/10 | 7.9/10 | 8.2/10 |
| 8 | Klaviyo Email and SMS marketing platform tailored for ecommerce brands to drive personalized customer engagement and revenue. | specialized | 8.7/10 | 9.3/10 | 8.4/10 | 8.0/10 |
| 9 | Marketo Engage Marketing automation platform from Adobe that helps B2B marketers engage leads and customers with account-based strategies. | enterprise | 8.5/10 | 9.3/10 | 6.8/10 | 7.6/10 |
| 10 | Drift Conversational marketing platform that uses AI chatbots and live chat to engage website visitors and qualify leads in real-time. | specialized | 8.2/10 | 9.0/10 | 8.5/10 | 7.5/10 |
All-in-one CRM platform that powers inbound marketing, sales, customer service, and operations to engage customers across the entire lifecycle.
Leading cloud-based CRM platform offering comprehensive customer engagement tools for sales, service, marketing, and commerce.
Customer messaging platform that enables personalized conversations via chat, email, and in-app messaging to boost engagement.
Customer experience platform providing omnichannel support, ticketing, and self-service tools to enhance customer interactions.
Customer engagement platform for orchestrating personalized experiences across email, push, SMS, and in-app channels.
Email marketing and automation platform that connects customer data to deliver personalized campaigns and automations.
Cross-channel growth platform using AI to create personalized customer experiences via email, SMS, and push notifications.
Email and SMS marketing platform tailored for ecommerce brands to drive personalized customer engagement and revenue.
Marketing automation platform from Adobe that helps B2B marketers engage leads and customers with account-based strategies.
Conversational marketing platform that uses AI chatbots and live chat to engage website visitors and qualify leads in real-time.
HubSpot
enterpriseAll-in-one CRM platform that powers inbound marketing, sales, customer service, and operations to engage customers across the entire lifecycle.
Unified CRM as the single source of truth, powering intelligent automation and 360-degree customer views across all hubs
HubSpot is an all-in-one customer platform offering CRM, marketing, sales, service, and operations hubs to attract, engage, and delight customers throughout their lifecycle. It excels in inbound marketing automation, lead nurturing, sales pipelines, customer service ticketing, and analytics, all unified under a single powerful CRM. With seamless integrations and AI-driven insights, it scales from startups to enterprises, enabling data-driven customer engagement at every touchpoint.
Pros
- Comprehensive all-in-one platform with seamless integration across marketing, sales, service, and operations
- Generous free CRM with unlimited users and contacts, ideal for scaling businesses
- Advanced AI tools like predictive lead scoring and content optimization for personalized engagement
Cons
- Premium features across multiple hubs can become expensive for small teams
- Steep learning curve for mastering the full suite despite intuitive interfaces
- Some advanced customizations require developer expertise or additional costs
Best For
Growing businesses and marketing/sales teams seeking a scalable, integrated platform for end-to-end customer engagement.
Pricing
Free CRM forever; Starter plans from $20/user/month, Professional from $800+/month (billed annually), Enterprise custom pricing.
Salesforce
enterpriseLeading cloud-based CRM platform offering comprehensive customer engagement tools for sales, service, marketing, and commerce.
Customer 360, which unifies data across all clouds for a single, real-time customer view and seamless engagement.
Salesforce is a leading cloud-based CRM platform that powers customer engagement through its integrated Sales Cloud, Service Cloud, Marketing Cloud, and Commerce Cloud. It offers a unified 360-degree customer view, AI-driven insights with Einstein, automation tools, and omnichannel support to manage interactions across the entire customer lifecycle. With thousands of integrations via AppExchange, it enables personalized marketing, efficient sales processes, and superior customer service at scale.
Pros
- Extremely customizable with low-code tools like Flow and Lightning
- Powerful AI (Einstein) for predictive analytics and personalization
- Vast ecosystem with 7,000+ AppExchange integrations
Cons
- Steep learning curve requiring training and admins
- High cost, especially for advanced features and add-ons
- Can feel bloated for small teams without proper configuration
Best For
Mid-to-large enterprises seeking a scalable, enterprise-grade platform for comprehensive customer engagement across sales, service, and marketing.
Pricing
Starts at $25/user/month for Essentials; Professional/Enterprise at $75-$150/user/month; Unlimited at $300+/user/month; Marketing Cloud uses contact- or revenue-based pricing from $1,250/month.
Intercom
specializedCustomer messaging platform that enables personalized conversations via chat, email, and in-app messaging to boost engagement.
Fin AI agent, which autonomously resolves up to 50% of customer queries using generative AI.
Intercom is a powerful customer engagement platform that combines live chat, AI chatbots, email marketing, and in-app messaging to help businesses connect with users across multiple channels. It provides a unified inbox, customer data platform, and automation workflows to streamline support, marketing, and sales teams. With advanced segmentation and analytics, Intercom enables personalized interactions that drive retention and growth.
Pros
- Robust AI-powered bots and automation for efficient scaling
- Unified customer profiles with deep analytics and segmentation
- Seamless integrations with 300+ tools including CRMs and analytics
Cons
- Pricing escalates quickly with usage and scale
- Steep learning curve for advanced customization
- Limited flexibility in lower-tier plans
Best For
Growing SaaS and tech companies needing omnichannel engagement and automation at scale.
Pricing
Starts at $74/month (Essential, billed annually) based on active users and messages; Advanced at $139/month, with Expert and Enterprise plans custom-priced.
Zendesk
enterpriseCustomer experience platform providing omnichannel support, ticketing, and self-service tools to enhance customer interactions.
Sunshine Platform for open, developer-friendly customization of customer experiences
Zendesk is a leading customer engagement platform that unifies support across email, chat, voice, messaging apps, and social media channels into a single workspace. It provides ticketing, AI-powered bots, knowledge bases, and analytics to streamline customer interactions and boost satisfaction. The Sunshine platform enables extensive customization and integrations for tailored engagement experiences.
Pros
- Comprehensive omnichannel support
- Robust AI automation and analytics
- Extensive marketplace with 1000+ integrations
Cons
- Expensive for small teams or startups
- Complex setup for advanced customizations
- Some premium features locked behind higher tiers
Best For
Mid-to-large businesses seeking a scalable, omnichannel customer service solution with deep customization options.
Pricing
Starts at $55/agent/month (Suite Team, billed annually); scales to $115/agent/month (Suite Growth) and custom Enterprise pricing.
Braze
enterpriseCustomer engagement platform for orchestrating personalized experiences across email, push, SMS, and in-app channels.
Canvas: a drag-and-drop visual composer for building dynamic, multi-step customer journeys with real-time decisioning.
Braze is a powerful customer engagement platform designed for delivering personalized, real-time interactions across channels like email, SMS, push notifications, in-app messaging, and web. It excels in orchestrating complex customer journeys using its visual Canvas tool and leverages a robust data platform for dynamic segmentation and personalization. With deep integrations to CRMs, data warehouses, and apps, Braze helps brands scale engagement while optimizing for retention and conversion.
Pros
- Exceptional omnichannel orchestration with real-time personalization
- Canvas visual journey builder for complex, scalable campaigns
- Strong analytics, A/B testing, and experimentation tools
Cons
- Steep learning curve for non-technical users
- High, usage-based pricing that scales quickly
- Overkill for small businesses without enterprise-scale needs
Best For
Mid-to-large enterprises with mobile-first apps and sophisticated data teams seeking advanced, cross-channel engagement.
Pricing
Custom enterprise pricing based on monthly active users or engagements; typically starts at $10,000+/month for mid-tier plans.
ActiveCampaign
specializedEmail marketing and automation platform that connects customer data to deliver personalized campaigns and automations.
Visual automation builder with conditional logic and machine learning for predictive content and sending optimization
ActiveCampaign is an all-in-one customer engagement platform that integrates email marketing, marketing automation, CRM, and multi-channel messaging like SMS and site chat. It excels in creating personalized customer journeys through advanced segmentation, behavioral tracking, and automated workflows. Businesses use it to nurture leads, boost sales, and improve customer retention with data-driven insights and machine learning features.
Pros
- Powerful automation builder for complex, multi-step workflows
- Integrated CRM with sales automation and lead scoring
- Strong personalization, segmentation, and multi-channel support (email, SMS, WhatsApp)
Cons
- Steep learning curve for advanced features and setup
- Pricing increases significantly with contact list size
- Interface can feel cluttered and overwhelming for beginners
Best For
Small to mid-sized businesses seeking advanced marketing automation and CRM capabilities in a single platform.
Pricing
Starts at $29/mo (Lite, 500 contacts), $49/mo (Plus), $149/mo (Professional), Enterprise custom; annual billing discounts available.
Iterable
enterpriseCross-channel growth platform using AI to create personalized customer experiences via email, SMS, and push notifications.
Real-time User Profile API for instant data unification and hyper-personalized messaging across channels
Iterable is a powerful cross-channel customer engagement platform that enables brands to deliver personalized experiences across email, SMS, push notifications, in-app messaging, and web. It excels in real-time data activation, AI-driven optimization, and journey orchestration, helping teams unify customer profiles and automate sophisticated campaigns. Ideal for data-rich organizations, it provides deep analytics and experimentation tools to drive retention and revenue.
Pros
- Advanced AI-powered personalization and predictive analytics
- Seamless omnichannel orchestration with real-time behavioral triggers
- Robust integrations with CRMs, data warehouses, and 300+ apps
Cons
- Steep learning curve for non-technical users
- High cost unsuitable for small businesses or startups
- Custom pricing with limited public transparency
Best For
Mid-market to enterprise brands with mature data stacks seeking scalable, hyper-personalized customer engagement.
Pricing
Custom enterprise pricing based on monthly tracked users (MTUs) and send volume; typically starts at $10,000-$50,000 annually.
Klaviyo
specializedEmail and SMS marketing platform tailored for ecommerce brands to drive personalized customer engagement and revenue.
Built-in CDP with predictive analytics for automatic segment suggestions and behavior-based personalization
Klaviyo is a data-driven customer engagement platform specializing in email, SMS, and push notification marketing, primarily tailored for e-commerce businesses. It leverages a robust customer data platform (CDP) for advanced segmentation, personalization, and automation flows like abandoned cart recovery and win-back campaigns. With deep integrations to platforms like Shopify and BigCommerce, it provides actionable insights through revenue tracking and A/B testing to maximize customer lifetime value.
Pros
- Advanced segmentation and hyper-personalization using first-party data
- Seamless e-commerce integrations with real-time revenue attribution
- Powerful automation flows and predictive analytics for optimized timing
Cons
- Pricing escalates quickly with growing contact lists and send volumes
- Steeper learning curve for complex segmentations and custom flows
- Limited native support for channels beyond email, SMS, and push
Best For
E-commerce brands scaling personalized marketing to drive repeat purchases and revenue growth.
Pricing
Free for up to 250 contacts; paid plans start at $20/month, scaled by active profiles (e.g., $60 for 1,001-5,000) plus overage for sends.
Marketo Engage
enterpriseMarketing automation platform from Adobe that helps B2B marketers engage leads and customers with account-based strategies.
Revenue Cycle Analytics for precise attribution of marketing efforts to revenue
Marketo Engage is a powerful B2B marketing automation platform that enables marketers to orchestrate personalized customer journeys across email, mobile, web, ads, and more. It excels in lead management, scoring, nurturing, and revenue attribution, with deep integrations into CRM systems like Salesforce and the Adobe Experience Cloud. Designed for complex enterprise needs, it provides robust analytics to measure marketing's impact on revenue.
Pros
- Exceptional B2B lead nurturing and scoring capabilities
- Seamless integrations with Salesforce and Adobe ecosystem
- Comprehensive multi-channel campaign orchestration
Cons
- Steep learning curve and complex interface
- High implementation and ongoing costs
- Overwhelming for small teams or beginners
Best For
Mid-to-large B2B enterprises with experienced marketing ops teams needing advanced automation and revenue analytics.
Pricing
Custom enterprise pricing based on contacts, users, and features; typically starts at $1,200+/month with annual contracts.
Drift
specializedConversational marketing platform that uses AI chatbots and live chat to engage website visitors and qualify leads in real-time.
Drift Playbooks: Dynamic, guided conversation flows that adapt in real-time to qualify leads and route them to sales.
Drift is a conversational marketing and sales platform that uses AI-powered chatbots, live chat, and automated messaging to engage website visitors in real-time. It enables businesses to qualify leads, book meetings, answer questions, and personalize interactions to accelerate revenue. With deep integrations to CRMs like Salesforce and HubSpot, Drift focuses on aligning sales and marketing efforts throughout the customer journey.
Pros
- Powerful AI chatbots for lead qualification and meeting booking
- Seamless CRM integrations and real-time personalization
- Intuitive no-code playbook builder for conversation flows
Cons
- High pricing unsuitable for small businesses
- Advanced features have a learning curve
- Reporting and analytics limited in base plans
Best For
Mid-to-large B2B sales and marketing teams seeking real-time website visitor engagement to drive revenue.
Pricing
Custom quote-based pricing starting at ~$2,500/month for Professional plans, with higher tiers for enterprises.
Conclusion
The top customer engagement tools excel in connecting brands with customers, with HubSpot leading as the most comprehensive choice, integrating all lifecycle stages. Salesforce and Intercom follow closely, offering robust solutions—Salesforce’s cloud-based CRM for broad engagement and Intercom’s conversational focus for personalized interactions—each tailored to specific business needs. Together, they underscore the importance of aligning technology with unique goals to build lasting customer connections.
Begin leveraging top-tier engagement today: start with HubSpot for an all-in-one platform, or explore Salesforce or Intercom based on your priorities, and unlock meaningful customer relationships.
Tools Reviewed
All tools were independently evaluated for this comparison