What is it?
- Vendor
- Constant Contact (SharpSpring)
- Category
- Marketing automation + CRM / agencies & SMB
- Target audience
- Agencies managing client accounts and SMBs that want MAP-class journeys without immediately jumping to HubSpot Enterprise
What it is
SharpSpring (now sold within the Constant Contact portfolio) pairs marketing automation—forms, landing pages, behavior tracking, lead scoring—with a practical CRM layer. The sweet spot is demand gen + handoff to sales, especially when agencies need multi-client management.
Buyer clarity
Decide whether SharpSpring’s CRM is your system of record or a satellite to Salesforce/HubSpot. Mixed models work but need explicit sync rules to avoid duplicate truths.
Core features
- Contact Management
- Sales Pipeline
- Marketing Automation
- Reporting & Analytics
Feature labels follow a fixed list across all CRM pages for consistent comparison and structured data.
Use cases
Common use cases
- Agency retainers running campaigns and pipelines per client.
- B2B SMB inbound with nurture tracks and sales follow-up.
- Visitor ID and behavior triggers where licensed and compliant.
- Lead scoring to prioritize SDR/BDR outreach.
- White-label delivery for firms productizing marketing ops.
Pricing structure
Pricing
Sold through Constant Contact with contact- and seat-based packaging; agency economics add sub-account and markup considerations. Use the current SharpSpring/Constant Contact pricing page or partner quote—ignore years-old blog posts.
In procurement, ask for pricing at your current contact tier and your 12-month growth tier, plus overage rules and any minimum term tied to onboarding discounts.
Pros & cons
Advantages
- Strong MAP + CRM combo for agencies and marketing-led SMBs.
- Behavioral automation and landing tools in one login.
- White-label story differentiates vs. some peers.
- Useful when sales just needs “enough” CRM around campaigns.
Limitations
- TCO climbs with contacts, seats, and add-ons—model growth curves.
- UI density can overwhelm new admins; training budget matters.
- Native integration breadth may lag mega-platforms—validate must-haves.
- Not the default pick for deep enterprise CPQ or global territories.
Integrations & ecosystem
Integrations
Expect Zapier, WordPress, Twilio-class hooks, and selective native connectors. For Salesforce or NetSuite as master, plan field mapping, dedupe, and conflict rules before go-live.
Alternatives & competitors
Reviews & trust
Peers: HubSpot, ActiveCampaign, Keap, HighLevel, EngageBay. Agency buyers should probe client isolation, billing, and support SLAs; SMB buyers should confirm CRM depth vs. keeping a separate sales system.
Implementation & setup
Rollout
Sequence: tracking snippet and forms, lifecycle stages, CRM pipeline, then automation waves. Agencies should template governance packs (naming, UTM discipline, unsubscribe handling) across clients.
Gate production launch behind a checklist: lead-source attribution test, form-to-owner routing test, and unsubscribe compliance test across at least two client/account templates.
Verdict
Verdict
Strong when marketing automation is the hero and sales needs a workable CRM wrapper—especially for agencies. Less ideal as a bare-bones deal board only.
Additional notes
Capability snapshot
- Visual deal pipelines with native CRM objects
- Behavior-based email, workflows, and lead scoring
- Landing pages, forms, and visitor analytics (feature-pack dependent)
- Agency multi-client and white-label options
- Integrations via Zapier and select native apps—verify in trial
Buyer shortlist checks
- Can your team enforce one lifecycle taxonomy across clients/business units?
- Are native attribution reports enough, or will you require BI exports in month one?
- Do account teams have an owner for ongoing automation QA and compliance audits?
Explore other CRMs
Same quick links as the homepage — open another profile.