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.
Additional Integration Queries
Common integration requests for this platform include connections with: Follow Up Boss Constant Contact, Fullcontact, Nimble, Salesforce. Verify current connector availability and sync depth in the vendor’s integration marketplace or with a certified implementation partner before committing to a specific integration architecture.
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?
How It Compares
Teams evaluating SharpSpring from Constant Contact often also research Hubspot, Nimble, Salesforce. The right choice depends on team size, integration requirements, automation depth, and budget. Review those platforms’ pages for a direct feature and pricing comparison before making a final decision.
Explore other CRMs
Same quick links as the homepage — open another profile.