The purpose of the following review is not to compare SugarCRM and Vtiger CRM exhaustively by discussing each and every feature (most of which are not even relevant to majority CRM users). The lists of all the features can be found just about anywhere. Instead, in this review, we will adopt a broader approach and will only discuss the pricing, major editions, features and of course the core strengths and weaknesses of each CRM, making it easy for you to decide which CRM you should go for.
If you have got time, go ahead and read it all. However, if you think that you want to discuss your exact business processes and want to map those onto either of the CRM or any other free/paid application that might give you the best ROI, you should consider looking at our CRM Services.
Okay, so let’s begin:
Brief Introduction of both CRMs
SugarCRM
SugarCRM was founded in 2004 and since then it has achieved remarkable success in terms of subscription growth, venture financing, downloads, registered developers and developed apps. Due to its business performance and successful acquisitions, it enjoys a unique brand reputation in the CRM space.
Vtiger CRM
Vtiger CRM started off in 2004 as a fork version of Sugar 1.0 and developed into a mature product enjoying a global presence with more than 100,000 companies using it. In 2009, Vtiger CRM entered the cloud market with full thrust. The product has got much to offer. However, it is still overshadowed by its competitor SugarCRM in terms of visibility and scalability.
SugarCRM versions vs Vtiger CRM Editions
Open source FREE editions
If at this point you are wondering if SugarCRM and Vtiger CRM both have a free version available, the answer is a resounding yes. Both have free, open-source versions that are available for FREE downloading. You just need to download and install them on a server and you’re all set up. Both the open source versions are supported by vibrant developer communities and partners.
SaaS/Subscription Based Editions
SugarCRM Editions
In the subscription-based model, SugarCRM has three editions. These are
1. Basic
2. Professional
3. Enterprise
Vtiger Editions
Vtiger CRM differs from Sugar. It has three different products which include Sales, HelpDesk and Ultimate CRM. Each of these has different editions as shown below:
SugarCRM Pricing vs Vtiger Pricing
SugarCRM and Vtiger CRM features compared
If we are to compare the two software with respect to features, it only makes sense to compare the Professional edition of SugarCRM to the Ultimate edition of Vtiger. Both these CRM editions provide functions including Sales, Support, Marketing and Project Management.
SugarCRM is designed to let businesses easily manage their entire customer life cycle. This means the Sales team can identify opportunities and match the products with potential buyers. The sales force automation is straightforward when it comes to contacts, accounts, opportunities, and activities. The user-friendliness is great as well; menus, shortcuts, forms and one-click accelerators help the salesperson navigate throughout the system with ease and get the job done. Overall, the sales process is designed to be ideal for sales force automation. Only a few clicks can accomplish a sales win or loss.
Vtiger CRM includes traditional CRM software tenants including sales, marketing, service and project management. Other functions include quotes management, sales order processing, inventory and billing management. Vtiger is targeted towards SMEs and it takes care of everything that small and medium-sized businesses need.
Strengths and Weaknesses of SugarCRM and Vtiger CRM
Vtiger’s Strengths
- Vtiger provides an excellent financial proposition for small businesses which want to experiment with CRM technology but don’t feel like spending too much.
- Some paid integrations, such as Gmail and Chrome integration, are free with Vtiger.
- The Vtiger UI is simple and provides ease of use.
- Vtiger’s open source CRM remains a popular choice for open source enthusiasts.
Vtiger’s Weaknesses
- The installation process of Vtiger on your own server is a bit of a headache.
- Vtiger needs to work on its visibility to remain relevant to small businesses which are experiencing rapid growth.
- Vtiger does not provide the scalability that other similar software in this class do.
SugarCRM’s Strengths
- SugarCRM customization tools, development framework and open source foundation make it one of the most versatile CRMs out there.
- SugarCRM provides great flexibility when it comes to hosting. You can host the CRM on-premise and on-demand with SugarCRM or any other cloud including Amazon EC2, Microsoft Azure or Rackspace etc.
- SugarCRM has a strong Sugar Development Community which means that you can customize your Sugar for minimal costs and some services are even offered for free.
- SugarCRM provides one of the lowest total cost of ownership in the marketplace, especially when compared to Salesforce. For a more in-depth comparison with Salesforce, check out SugarCRM vs Salesforce.
SugarCRM’s Weaknesses
- Outside of the Sugar community edition, the platform’s visibility remains weak.
- Sugar’s pricing is for a minimum of ten users which for some small business may mean more cost.
- The user interface in the previous versions was not much attractive but SugarCRM is working on it strongly with the new editions and is constantly evolving.
SugarCRM and Vtiger CRM: So which one should you go for?
Both CRMs provide excellent functionalities and ease of use at a good price. Vtiger Sales cloud is the choice if you are looking to achieve minimal functionality as its value proposition is very attractive. However, if you have more than five users of CRM and looking to use all available functionalities; then the price difference is not much and you should adopt the more scalable SugarCRM, especially if you plan to grow. Additionally, the benefits of SugarCRM will give you a competitive advantage.
There is another very important aspect of CRM success; that of user adoption. You should take free trials of both CRMs and see which one your users feel most comfortable with in terms of functionality and ease of use. This is because no CRM strategy can succeed if the user does not like the system in place.
Lastly, these are not the only CRMs available. Learn about more platforms in our infographic CRM Comparison post.
Adopting the perfect CRM solution is absolutely worth it even though finding it takes time. Trust me, you don’t want to go through the hassle of migrating your data and training your users again and again. Businesses which choose the most optimal solution and then integrate it in their overall CRM strategy are the ones who are succeeding today.
Rolustech is a SugarCRM Certified Developer & Partner Firm. We have helped more than 600 firms with various SugarCRM integrations and customization. Get in touch today for your FREE Business Analysis. We will be happy to assist you!
