Sales engagement is the engine that keeps modern sales teams moving. It’s the combination of tools, workflows, and automations that make sure no prospect slips through the cracks and every follow-up gets done on time.
But not all CRMs are built with sales engagement in mind. Some are too focused on data storage, while others lack the automation features sales teams need to actually close deals. That’s why specialized sales engagement platforms have taken center stage.
In this article, I’ll walk you through the best CRMs for sales engagement in 2025, including SalesLoft, Outreach.io, LeadLoft, Apollo.io, Lemlist, and Groove. Each has its strengths, weaknesses, pricing, and ideal use cases.
SalesLoft
Website: salesloft.com
Pricing: Starts around $125/user/month (for all major features)
SalesLoft has become a household name for sales engagement. It’s designed to help SDRs, AEs, and managers run multi-channel cadences across email, phone, and social, all while giving leadership deep visibility into performance.
Where SalesLoft really shines is in its analytics and coaching tools. Leaders can track which sequences are performing, review call recordings, and even use AI-powered insights to forecast pipeline.
Pros:
- Multi-channel sequences with strong automation
- Excellent analytics and coaching tools
- Enterprise-level integrations and support
Cons:
- Pricing adds up quickly as teams grow
- Can be overwhelming for smaller teams or those new to sales engagement
Best Use Case:
SalesLoft is best for larger teams that want advanced engagement features, performance visibility, and coaching tools all in one.
Outreach.io
Website: outreach.io
Pricing: Around $100/user/month (for all major features)
Outreach.io is another heavyweight in the sales engagement world. Like SalesLoft, it focuses on automating sequences across email, phone, and social, but it adds strong forecasting and pipeline management features.
Outreach.io feels like a platform designed for high-growth teams that need to scale fast. It’s powerful, but it does require time and effort to set up correctly.
Pros:
- Advanced automation and sequencing
- Strong forecasting and pipeline insights
- Robust integrations with major CRMs
Cons:
- High cost for smaller teams
- Learning curve during onboarding
Best Use Case:
Outreach.io is perfect for teams that want advanced engagement tools and revenue forecasting in one system, especially when scaling a fast-growing outbound team.
LeadLoft
Website: leadloft.com
Pricing: $99/month (for all major features)
LeadLoft takes a different approach than SalesLoft and Outreach. Instead of just focusing on engagement, it combines prospecting, AI tools, and communication sync into one platform. That means you can find leads, enrich contact data, run outreach, and manage conversations across channels without juggling multiple tools.
It’s a strong option for teams that want sales engagement but also need prospecting and automation bundled in.
Pros:
- Combines prospecting + engagement in one system
- AI prospecting and playbook tools save time
- Unified inbox for email, phone, and LinkedIn
Cons:
- Not as feature-rich in enterprise forecasting compared to bigger players
- More tool than necessary if you only need basic outreach sequences
Best Use Case:
LeadLoft is ideal for startups and growing teams that want prospecting and engagement together, especially if LinkedIn plays a big role in their sales process.
Apollo.io
Website: apollo.io
Pricing: $79/month (for all major features)
Apollo.io straddles the line between a data platform and a sales engagement tool. Its biggest advantage is access to a massive database of verified contacts. On top of that, Apollo offers email and phone sequences, making it a strong all-in-one tool for teams that need both data and outreach.
Pros:
- Large and affordable contact database
- Solid email and phone automation
- Good balance of features for the price
Cons:
- Data accuracy can vary by industry or region
- Advanced features like dialers are locked in higher tiers
Best Use Case:
Apollo.io is great for teams that want an affordable all-in-one solution with a focus on outbound email and phone outreach.
Lemlist
Website: lemlist.com
Pricing: $99/month (for all major features)
Lemlist is best known for its personalized cold email outreach. It allows you to add custom images, GIFs, and even videos to your emails, helping them stand out in crowded inboxes. It’s not as strong on phone outreach, but for teams that lean heavily on email, it’s a creative powerhouse.
Pros:
- Exceptional personalization features for email
- Great deliverability tools
- Easy to use for small teams
Cons:
- Weak on phone and multi-channel engagement
- Limited forecasting and analytics compared to bigger platforms
Best Use Case:
Lemlist is perfect if email is your main channel and you want to stand out with personalized, creative outreach.
Groove
Website: groove.co
Pricing: $80/user/month (for all major features)
Groove focuses on simplicity and Salesforce integration. It’s designed to plug directly into Salesforce, making it easy for teams to run sequences, log activity, and automate tasks without a heavy learning curve.
Pros:
- Excellent Salesforce integration
- Easy to adopt and use
- Affordable compared to larger platforms
Cons:
- Fewer advanced features compared to SalesLoft or Outreach
- Less effective for teams not using Salesforce
Best Use Case:
Groove is best for teams that already use Salesforce and want an engagement tool that works seamlessly with it.
Wrapping Up
Sales engagement platforms are not all the same. Some focus on enterprise forecasting and advanced analytics, while others combine prospecting with outreach or double down on creative personalization.
- SalesLoft and Outreach.io are top picks for larger teams that need enterprise-level engagement and analytics.
- LeadLoft stands out as the best choice if you want engagement plus prospecting, AI, and communication sync in one affordable package.
- Apollo.io gives you both a database and outreach tools at a strong price point.
- Lemlist is unbeatable if email personalization is your main play.
- Groove makes the most sense for Salesforce-heavy organizations.
At the end of the day, the best CRM for sales engagement depends on your channels, team size, and growth goals. But if you want the most complete balance of automation, AI, and communication sync, the best alternative to all these tools is LeadLoft.
