Top sales automation software & tools in 2025

What is sales automation software & why you need it in 2025

Sales automation software streamlines and automates repetitive tasks in the sales process, enabling sales teams to focus on higher-value activities — like building relationships and closing deals. 

Sales automation software and tools often feature lead tracking, email follow-ups, scheduling, and data entry, automation tools can handle time-consuming tasks, which helps increase productivity and minimize errors. In an age where 60% of workers believe they could save at least six hours of work each week with automation, the technology is increasingly important for organizations wishing to compete more effectively.

Leading B2B sales automation tools integrate with your existing CRM platforms, making it easier for teams to maintain consistent, up-to-date customer records and track prospect engagement. By leveraging sales automation tools, reps can automatically send personalized follow-up emails, receive alerts when certain milestones are hit, and organize leads by priority. 

At the same time, these tools can also uncover insights on which prospects are most likely to convert — enabling teams to make more informed decisions.

Add it all up, and sales automation tools help improve team efficiency, reduce response times, and ultimately accelerate the sales cycle — all of which can translate into winning more business.

Benefits of sales automation software

• Increased efficiency. By automating repetitive tasks — like data entry and follow-up reminders — sales teams can spend more time on high-impact activities. This efficiency not only saves time but also reduces manual errors, leading to smoother sales operations.
• Improved lead management. Sales automation tools prioritize and organize leads based on engagement and behavior. With insights into which leads are most likely to convert, sales reps can focus on the highest-quality prospects, improving conversion rates.
• Enhanced personalization. Today’s customers increasingly demand personalization, and sales automation tools can be a game-changer in this regard. Leading tools send automatic reminders that enable you to send personalized follow-ups at the best times. By automating personalized touches, reps can nurture leads more effectively while building strong relationships.
• Accelerated sales cycle. Automation speeds up each stage of the sales process, from lead qualification to contract generation. This fast-tracks the journey from lead to customer, which helps companies close deals faster and accelerate revenue growth.
• Stronger data-driven decision-making. Sales automation tools gather and analyze data across the sales funnel, surfacing valuable insights into customer behavior and campaign performance. With access to actionable metrics, sales teams can make better strategic decisions about where to invest their time.

What does sales automation software actually do?

While every vendor wants to sell you sales automation tools and software, you might be asking yourself a simple question: What can B2B sales automation software actually help your team with? 

That depends! There are a number of different solutions on the market today; sales automation tools can facilitate everything from automatic lead scoring and qualification to automatic lead routing and nearly every operational task within the sales process. 

Sales automation tools can help with:

• Contact data enrichment for sales and marketing. Sales automation tools automatically enhance contact records by filling in missing details like job titles, company size, and industry. This gives sales teams a more complete view of each lead, helping them create more effective, relevant outreach.

• Lead scoring. With automation, leads are scored based on behavior, demographics, and engagement levels. As a result, reps can easily prioritize the highest quality leads, spending the bulk of their time on prospects that are most likely to convert. 

• Lead routing. Automation tools assign leads to the appropriate rep based on criteria like territory, industry, or product interest. This process reduces response time and ensures each lead is handled by the best-suited team member.

• Scheduling sales calls. Automated scheduling tools streamline the sales process by integrating with reps’ calendars and sending booking links to leads. This reduces the never-ending back-and-forth email chains trying to find a time to meet, making it easier for prospects to book calls at their convenience. 

• Drip campaigns. Sales automation tools create and schedule drip campaigns to nurture leads over time with personalized content. This keeps prospects engaged and informed until they’re ready to move further down the sales funnel.

• Sales team task reminders. With sales automation tools, reps can stay on top of key activities, like follow-up calls and emails, with automatic reminders. This ensures no leads fall through the cracks — and that the sales cycle continues moving forward.

• Sales report creation. Automation tools can help generate sales reports that compile data on performance metrics, conversion rates, and pipeline status. This saves reps time on manual reporting and gives managers real-time insights into team productivity. 

• Sales forecasting. Automated forecasting tools analyze past sales data and current trends to predict future revenue. As a result, leaders can make informed business decisions while ensuring that sales strategies align with projected goals. 

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There are dozens of different B2B sales automation tools on the market today, and many large full-suite sales software solutions may offer several automation features in one package. 

When searching for a solution, a good rule of thumb is that automation tools should make your teams more efficient and help them get through the operational side of sales so that teams can focus more on speaking to prospects and closing deals while also giving leaders deep visibility into sales performance.

Since there are so many different sales automation tools on the market today, it can be difficult to figure out which solution is best for your needs. Keep reading to learn more about some of the features your organization should look for in a sales automation solution.

Best free sales automation tools

When you’re starting out with sales automation, finding the right tools without breaking the bank can make a huge difference. In this section, we examine some of the best free sales automation tools that offer powerful features designed to streamline your sales process and boost productivity.

HubSpot

HubSpot offers all-in-one sales and marketing automation tools designed to help teams operate more effectively. The company offers a free suite of tools that include several sales automation pieces, including CRM exports, a reporting dashboard, and an AI-powered Copilot. To unlock the full power of HubSpot, you’ll likely want to upgrade to a higher tier.

Mailchimp

Mailchimp is a sales and marketing automation platform that offers a free tier with access to email writing tools, audience segmentation, and landing page creation support. The service also offers a one-month free trial of its premier subscriptions, enabling you to test out premium features at no risk. 

Pipedrive

Pipedrive is a CRM platform designed to help sales teams manage leads, track communication, and organize pipelines more effectively. Known as an easy-to-use platform, Pipedrive offers a 14-day free trial to give you an idea of what the platform’s all about.

LeadIQ’s Chrome extension

What sales automation tools list would be complete without mention of LeadIQ’s Chrome extension? 😉 

You can add LeadIQ to Chrome for free, allowing you to work more effectively without having to jump to another platform. Our tool mirrors your LinkedIn Sales Navigator, enabling you to easily see contact information — including emails and mobile numbers — right in your browser.

BDOW!

BDOW! (formerly Sumo) is a lead generation tool that helps businesses find new prospects by optimizing their digital properties using tools like pop-ups, welcome mats, scroll boxes, and lead capture forms. The platform offers a free tier which is best for companies with one website and fewer than 10,000 monthly visits.

Bonus: Zapier

Zapier is a workflow automation tool that connects different apps and services, enabling users to create streamlined workflows without having to write any code. By enabling users to automate repetitive tasks between apps, Zapier accelerates processes, enabling workers to accomplish more every day. 

While Zapier does offer a free tier, most organizations are probably best off upgrading to a paid plan for more advanced features — like the ability to set up multi-step “zaps” that take care of several actions from a single trigger.

Best sales automation tools for startups

When startups look for sales automation tools, they typically seek solutions that can improve lead management, streamline productivity, and optimize overall sales efficiency. These tools can range from CRM systems that track customer interactions to lead scoring systems that prioritize potential clients based on engagement. 

Some tools, like LeadIQ Scribe, enable you to effortlessly personalize emails in just a few clicks, harnessing the power of generative AI — functionality that changes the game for teams of all sizes.

By implementing effective sales automation tools, startups can save time, minimize errors, and ultimately increase revenue. If you’re at a startup, here are some sales automation tools you may want to check out:

• LeadIQ
• HubSpot
• Salesforce
• Pipedrive
• Zapier
• Outreach
• Salesloft
• Gong

Best sales automation tools for small businesses

Small businesses tend to look for sales automation tools that enhance efficiency and streamline sales processes — like solutions that automate lead generation, track customer interactions, and manage follow-ups. This enables reps to focus more on building relationships instead of handling administrative tasks.

Additionally, sales automation tools can also help small businesses unlock valuable insights through analytics, enabling them to make data-driven decisions that drive growth and improve over sales performance. 

Looking to bake more automation into the sales processes of your small business? Consider testing out these tools:

• LeadIQ
• Salesforce
• HubSpot
• Freshsales
• Outreach
• Salesloft
• Gong
• Groove

Best sales automation software for enterprises

Enterprises often look for automation solutions that enhance their existing tech stacks, focusing less on acquiring new tools and more on maximizing the potential that they already have. This includes integrating and automating workflows across platforms to streamline operations and improve efficiency. Additionally, enterprises are more focused on data privacy and security beyond just the features and functionality. 

These days, many enterprises can’t do much without tools like Salesforce, which keeps adding new features at a regular clip. Over the last year, Salesforce unveiled several new features — including AI-driven analytics and enhanced automation capabilities.

If your enterprise is searching for new sales automation software, here are some tools to check out:

• LeadIQ
• Salesforce
• HubSpot
• Marketo
• LinkedIn Sales Navigator
• DocuSign
• Clearbit

Sales automation software FAQs

As you continue your search for sales automation, you’re bound to have some questions. Good news: We’ve got answers.

Can I use sales automation software without my manager’s permission?

Using sales automation software — or any software, for that matter — without your manager’s permission might not be a great idea. Sales processes are often closely monitored, and adding new tools could interfere with team workflows, data consistency, or company policies.

Instead of testing something on your own, consider approaching your manager and explaining how specific tools could improve your team’s efficiency and productivity. By making a case for certain tools and highlighting how, specifically, tools can help your team accomplish more, you’re more likely to get a green light for investing in a new technology.

You can always do the research and even have a demo of a tool so you’re prepared when making the pitch on implementing a new sales automation tool.

How do I pitch a sales automation tool or feature to my manager?

To get your manager to buy into a new tool, focus on how it’ll save time, improve efficiency, and lead your team to better results. Start with specific problems the tool could solve — like automating repetitive tasks or streamlining lead follow-up — and back your proposal with data or real-world examples from other companies if possible. 

By highlighting potential ROI and encouraging your manager to explore a potential trial, you can increase the chances you’ll be able to convince them to give it a try to see what impact it could have on your team.

How do I know the sales automation software is worth it?

To determine whether sales automation software is worth it, look for improvements in key performance metrics — like lead response time, conversion rates, and overall sales cycle speed. While you’re at it, consider how much time the tool saves on repetitive tasks, freeing your team to focus on what’s most important. If the tool is able to help your team automate six hours worth of busywork away each week, they’ll have more time to spend selling.

Additionally, check to see whether the tool integrates well with your existing tech stack. That way, you’ll be able to unlock even more efficiency gains. 

Bottom line? If the sales automation tools deliver a noticeable uptick in team productivity and sales outcomes, the technology is almost certainly worth the investment.

How much does sales automation software cost?

Sales automation technology costs can vary widely depending on features, number of seats, and level of customization. While some offer totally free solutions, others have freemium offerings that will give your team a few features that can help them work more effectively, you’ll likely spend somewhere between $50 and $100 per user for a feature-rich tool. At the same time, enterprise-grade options — which often have extensive integrations and robust analytics — may reach several thousand dollars per year but will likely cover the whole team. 

In other words, sales automation software costs are highly variable and will depend on what you’re in need of; even so, the right tool is more than worth the investment. Instead of buying a standalone sales automation platform, you may want to consider full-suite sales solutions like HubSpot and Salesforce, which could offer many of the sales automation capabilities you need and then some.

To learn more about the transformative nature of sales automation technology, take LeadIQ for a test drive today.

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