14 Best Sales Automation Software & Tools [Our Top Picks]

This list uncovers the key features, pricing and pros and cons of the best sales automation software and tools.

1. Cognism

Cognism is a sales automation tool that simplifies prospecting by providing users with the data they need across their target accounts. In addition, Cognism is the European leader in GTM intelligence and a trusted data infrastructure partner for mid-market and enterprise organisations. 

On average, sales teams can save 1 hour of prospecting time per SDR per week by using Cognism. Check out more of the ROI metrics by hearing from our case studies.

Cognism will help automate the following sales tasks:

• Prospect list building: Auto-generates lists by ICP and intent filters.
• Data entry: Auto-enriches sales data and syncs it to your CRM.
• Lead prioritisation: Surfaces warm leads via sales triggers and buying signals.
• Compliance checks: Automatic DNC, GDPR, and CCPA filtering.
• Workflow integration: Seamlessly imports contact data to your sequencing tools.

Key features:

• Sales prospecting tool: Automatically find your ideal target prospects with the web app and Browser extension. 
• Access Cognism’s database: Featuring unmatched data quality across Europe, with over 90% EU decision maker coverage.
• Verified mobile phone numbers: Which delivers 3x the connect rate.
• Data quality and compliance: Cognism is the only B2B contact data provider purpose-built for mid-market and enterprise companies selling into Europe, with local expertise and data models that self-correct for accuracy.
• Data infrastructure and delivery: Cognism’s API and DaaS solution automates data delivery to wherever you need it.

Pricing:

Choose a package to suit your needs:

1. Grow, which offers essential contact and company data for prospecting.
2. Elevate, which combines Cognism’s high-quality data with advanced intelligence and actionable signals.
   
   

Pros and cons

2. Salesforce

Salesforce is one of the most popular sales automation tools for enterprises. This CRM software has everything you need to sell faster and smarter, from contact and lead management to sales forecasting and pipeline tracking.

The automation features help you save time with their AI sales agent, insight dashboards, and automated lead scoring.

Key features:

• Improve sales follow-ups with AI-powered insights.
• Automated reporting and sales performance tools.
• Integrated CPQ solutions help automate quoting and approvals.

Pricing:

Did you know Cognism integrates with Salesforce? Check out what our customers say:

“Having been in sales for years, I used to spend hours of my life formatting and importing excel spreadsheets to the CRM. Cognism’s automatic integration with Salesforce means I no longer spend time manually inserting leads to our CRM. It merits 5 stars!”

Read the full case study

Filipa Enes
Sales Administrator @Simpleshow

425

meetings booked by October 2022

Pros and cons

3. HubSpot Sales Hub

HubSpot Sales Hub is a sales automation CRM that includes sales engagement tools, configure-price-quote (CPQ) functionality, and robust sales analytics for teams who want richer insights, hotter leads, and aligned enablement materials.

Key features:

• Automates your sales process with personalised emails and follow-up tasks, ensuring you stay top of your buyers’ minds.
• Prioritises your day’s sales calls, makes and records calls directly from your browser, and automatically logs them in your CRM for maximum efficiency.
• Automatically captures details from every call to uncover the “why” behind team performance. 
• Know the second a lead opens an email so you can follow up at the right time and close deals faster.

Pricing:

Choose from three pricing plans: Starter, Professional, or Enterprise. Prices start at $20 per user per month. HubSpot offers a 14-day free trial.

Did you know Cognism integrates with HubSpot? Check out what our customers say:

“With Cognism, it’s effortless to create large lists that you can seamlessly put into HubSpot. Before this process took multiple laborious steps. Now, with Cognism, I can get through triple the amount of accounts in half the time.”

Read the full case study

Mike Morrissey
SDR @UserEvidence

Pros and cons

4. LinkedIn Sales Navigator

The next sales automation solution is LinkedIn Sales Navigator.

This tool is normally used alongside prospecting tools like Cognism for online outreach. Although it doesn’t offer contact data, the tool enhances LinkedIn outreach with advanced search and filtering options.

Key features:

• Advanced lead searches and automated list building based on your filters.
• Real-time sales updates when someone new matches your list.
• Notes and tags are automatically synced with your CRM.

Pricing:

LinkedIn Sales Navigator offers three pricing plans: Core, Advanced, and Advanced Plus. Visit its website to compare features and costs.

See how Cognism compares to LinkedIn Sales Navigator.

Pros and cons

5. Pipedrive

Pipedrive ensures that nothing falls through the cracks in your sales process.

The CRM tool automates your sales teams’ most time-consuming tasks, allowing them to spend more time selling and building customer relationships.

Key features:

• One-click contact data collection.
• Customisable sales reports and insights.
• Sales goal setting, activity tracking, and easy lead qualification.

Pricing:

Visit its website to sign up for a 14-day free trial or compare pricing plans.

Cognism integrates with Pipedrive - click the link to find out more.

Pros and cons

6. Kluster

Kluster helps you predictably beat your revenue targets with revenue analytics and sales forecasting.

It automates your sales process through online pipeline management and strategy execution.

Key features:

• Embeds forecasting processes and augments them with multiple AI and analytical methods for crystal clarity.
• Assigns lead generation KPI targets to your team to track real-time progress.
• Real-time interactive dashboards.

Pricing:

Kluster doesn’t disclose its pricing online. Visit its website to request a demo.

Pros and cons

7. Gong

If you’re looking for sales automation software that helps you understand your customers and make data-driven decisions, Gong is for you.

The patented Gong Revenue Intelligence Platform™ captures and understands every customer interaction. It delivers insights at scale to improve win rates, increase deal sizes, and accelerate employee ramp times.

Key features:

• Records and analyses calls for consistency.
• See how often competitors are mentioned and in what context.
• Sends alerts when deals are about to slip through or be lost.

Pricing:

Gong doesn’t disclose its pricing. Visit its website to fill in a form and get a customised quote.

Pros and cons

8. Zapier

Zapier is a codeless sales platform that lets you automate workflows across 8,000+ web apps. You can automate anything quickly and eliminate repetitive tasks that slow your team down.

The “Zaps” connect across CRMs, email tools, ad platforms, form builders, and more, making it an ideal tool for lead capture, deal updates, and post-sales handoffs. Zapier works with the sales tools you already have in place. 

Key features:

• Choose from thousands of pre-made templates and build a Zap in just a few clicks.
• Tailor automated solutions to your team’s needs by adding multiple steps and workflow logic.
• Tweak a ready-made template or start from scratch.

Pricing:

Choose from four pricing packages: Free, Pro, Team, and Enterprise. Costs start at $14.95 per month. You can also sign up for a 14-day free trial.

Pros and cons

9. Customers.ai

Customers.ai is a sales automation platform for Shopify brands using Klaviyo. It claims to boost revenue by 25% and cut your bill in half. The main features it offers include an audience builder, inbox warmer, and predictions about what will happen based on your customer data.

Key features:

• Abandoned cart recovery automation emails.
• Manage inbound and outbound sales conversations in a unified inbox.
  
• Direct message automation across Meta platforms like Instagram.

Pricing:

Sign up for a 7-day free trial or choose from one of its paid packages. Costs start at $600 per user per month.

Pros and cons

10. Chili Piper

Chili Piper is a scheduling and routing platform for B2B sales.

It helps teams double their inbound conversion rates, increase customer satisfaction, and reach new productivity levels.

Key features:

• Set up distribution rules based on round-robin, territories, and account ownership.
• Track reschedules, no-shows, reassignments, and more in Salesforce.
• Create advanced meeting distribution reports.

Pricing:

This sales process automation tool offers pricing packages tailored to your needs, spanning concierge, chat, calendar scheduling and more. Visit the website for more information.

Pros and cons

11. Calendly

Calendly is the best sales automation software for booking meetings.

It makes scheduling, rescheduling, and meeting with sales prospects much easier.

Key features:

• Set availability rules.
• Send guests your Calendly link or embed it on your website.
• Meetings are scheduled without calendar conflicts, reminders go out automatically, and rescheduling is a breeze for everyone.

Pricing:

Choose from a free package or three paid options. Pricing starts at $10 per user per month.

Pros and cons

12. Mailchimp

Mailchimp is an all-in-one outbound sales automation tool. It allows you to send sales campaign emails and automated messages.

It also creates targeted ad campaigns, builds landing pages, sends postcards, facilitates reporting and analytics, and sells online.

Key features:

• Automated email responses.
• High-volume email sending.
• Data import and export tools.
• Personalised outbound email marketing.

Pricing:

Visit Mailchimp’s website to compare plans or request a demo.

Pros and cons

13. ActiveCampaign

ActiveCampaign is a sales automation platform that integrates features like email marketing, automation, and customer relationship management (CRM). 

Unlike standalone platforms, ActiveCampaign provides a comprehensive solution ideal for B2B marketing, sales, and e-commerce teams. 

Its versatility doesn’t stop at email; it fosters cross-team collaboration and ensures seamless coordination across various organisational functions.

Key features:

• Email marketing.
• Create personalised customer campaigns.
• Built-in CRM sales automation.
• Build and segment contact lists.

Pricing:

Choose from Starter, Plus, Pro, or Enterprise plans. Prices start at $15 per user per month. The tool offers a 14-day free trial.

Pros and cons

14. Zoho One

Zoho One is a sales automation system that combines all your business processes under one subscription.

It simplifies communication, collaboration, data management, and integration, and is hosted on the cloud for easy access from any device.

Key features:

• CRM mobile app.
• Sales process management. 
• Sales target tracking.
• Business card scanning into CRM.

Pricing:

You can purchase Zoho One licenses for all employees on your payroll or choose flexible pricing for any number of employees. Costs start at $37 per user per month.

Pros and cons

What are sales automation tools?

Sales automation tools are software platforms that streamline, automate, and optimise repetitive sales tasks. They help sales teams close more deals, faster.

These tools handle time-consuming processes such as:

• Lead capture and routing.

• Email outreach and sales follow-ups.

• CRM data entry and updates.

• Meeting scheduling.

• Sales forecasting and reporting.

The goal is to reduce manual work so reps can focus on higher-value activities like relationship-building and closing deals.

What are the benefits of sales automation platforms?

Tools like Cognism provide numerous benefits to a B2B sales team. Here are some examples:

• Shorter sales cycles: Automate follow-ups and qualification steps.

• Improved conversion rates: Timely, personalised outreach at scale.

• Increased sales productivity: Free up reps from admin tasks.

• Ensure consistency: Standardised processes across the team.

How do you choose the right sales automation software? 

Picking the right sales software for your business can be tricky. Here are a few factors to look at:

Price

Not all budgets are created equal. 

Consider the ROI of the sales automation tool you’re considering, and always do your research. 

Take a look at alternatives for an idea of a reasonable price. Once you have a ballpark figure, you can make an informed choice.

Plus, you might find that some sales teams are open to custom pricing or discounts. 

Growth

Where is your company headed, and will the tool you choose grow with you? 

Always look to the future when investing in sales automation software and check if the brand is actively growing with its customers.

Ask yourself these questions:

• Are they doing funding rounds? 
• Are they regularly updating their product? 
• Do they listen to current customers’ complaints?  

All of this makes a big difference in how innovative they will be in the future. 

Customer support

Always, always check what users have to say about different sales automation tools. Read the good reviews and the bad, and look out for one major tell-all:

What do users say about the support received after they’ve purchased? 

If it’s bad, that’s a red flag!

SaaS support teams need to be on point to ensure you know how to use their software and that you’re getting the most out of it. 

They must pay attention to your likes and dislikes in order to make ongoing improvements.

And most of all, they should be building customer relationships, not breaking them down by ignoring concerns. 

Ease of use

Of course, you want sales automation that’s easy to use!

And that means looking at how well the tool you’ve chosen integrates with your existing sales tech stack.

If you can’t set your software up and figure out how it works on your own, then it’s not the software you should invest in. 

Yes, onboarding is important to use a tool in the best possible way. But you want to be able to quickly troubleshoot problems in-house, easily teach new staff how it works and integrate it with any software you use going forward.

Once you find an automated system like that, you’ve found a winner.

There’s one rule of thumb you absolutely need to implement when considering automated sales software:

Always sign up for a demo

Sales demos give you a good idea of each automation tool and how it can benefit you and your team. If you can’t schedule one, it’s best to read user reviews or take advantage of a free trial.

You might find it’s not the right fit. Or it might change the way you do sales forever.

What is the best sales automation tool? 

Cognism’s automation features prevent sales teams from wasting time on manual research, admin, and dialling the wrong numbers.

It also integrates with the tools you use every day, including Salesforce, HubSpot, and Salesloft.

Want to see how Cognism can make your sales skyrocket? Request a data sample today.