If you’re considering a new CRM system for your organization, as part of the evaluation and selection process, you may have discovered a host of available third-party add-on functionality for CRM systems.
CRM add-ons range from small utilities to complete productivity applications.
Not all add-ons require additional payment. For example, third-party vendors often provide free apps to connect CRM to their platforms.
Here are four general types of CRM add-on functionality:
1. Free Native Functionality
These are entirely free CRM add-ons that developers release for various reasons. Native means that the functionality runs entirely inside the CRM system.
Sometimes, vendors will offer these apps as loss leaders in order to subsequently market paid products.
In other cases, developers will post free apps out of altruism or a desire to be recognized — they’ve come up with something useful and want to share it with the world.
2. Paid Native Functionality
This type of CRM add-on generally adds a complete set of incremental functionality within a CRM application.
Examples are project management, accounting, commission tracking, and CPQ apps.
Since these are effectively entire applications within a CRM application, the vendors typically charge standard app prices.
3. Free Integration Between CRM and Standalone Apps
Third parties that offer products that run in a separate environment from CRM (i.e., non-native applications) will often provide their integration packages for free.
For example, email marketing, marketing automation, and eSignature vendors will generally not charge extra for packages that integrate CRM systems with their applications.
4. Paid Integration Between CRM and Standalone Apps
When third-party integration packages are developed by integration vendors instead of by the CRM or third-party ISV, there is an additional fee for the integration itself.
Sometimes, the add-on product ISV will charge extra for the CRM integration with their product. In these cases, three different payment streams are associated with CRM, plus a third-party app.
For specific business requirements, evaluating CRM add-ons is critical to the overall evaluation process.
For example, ensuring the selected CRM system integrates seamlessly is essential if a marketing automation system is already in place. In other cases, the evaluation of CRM add-ons can be part of a later phase.
Table of App Marketplaces
| Salesforce | Microsoft Dynamics 365 | HubSpot | SugarCRM | Creatio | |
| Marketplace Name & URL | AppExchange | Microsoft AppSource | App Marketplace | SugarCRM Marketplace | Creatio Marketplace |
| Ecosystem Scale (Approx. # of Apps) | 9,000+ | 20,000+ (Total AppSource) | ~1,900+ | ~350+ | ~480+ |
| Primary Strategic Positioning | The comprehensive, one-stop enterprise cloud superstore for every business need and industry. | A deeply integrated component of the broader Microsoft Cloud ecosystem (Azure, M365, Power Platform). | A curated, user-friendly ecosystem designed for rapid mid-market growth and ease of use. | A boutique, high-trust marketplace focused on quality-certified, enterprise-grade extensions. | A specialized frontier for no-code development, process automation, and composable applications. |
| Key Application Categories | Sales, IT & Administration, Productivity, Marketing, Customer Service | Business Central, Sales, Power Apps, Finance, Field Service | Marketing, Sales, Customer Service, Operations, Content | Sales, Marketing, Productivity, Integrations, Customer Service | Sales, Marketing, Development & Admin Tools, Service, Productivity & Collaboration |
| Developer Program & Vetting Process | Mature partner program with mandatory packaging, publishing, and security review processes. | Partnership program with technical and business validation; apps are published for specific Microsoft products. | Multi-stage program (Build, List, Certify) with all apps reviewed and certified by HubSpot’s team. | A “rigorous approval process” and “extensive certification program” with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. | Structured developer lifecycle (Idea, Develop, Publish & Certify, Promote, Support). |
| User Discovery & Experience Features | AI-powered recommendations, curated collections, industry/product pages, user reviews, “test drives”. | Advanced filtering by product, industry, and compliance; user reviews; free trials. | Search by category, user reviews, detailed data-sharing information, setup guides, free and paid tiers. | E-commerce model with user reviews, free trials, streamlined purchasing, and recurring billing. | Filtering by category and industry, “Bestsellers” and “Trending” sections, AI-enhanced app collections. |
| Core Strategic Advantage | Unmatched scale, first-mover advantage, and the largest addressable market for enterprise apps. | Seamless integration with the dominant Microsoft technology stack (M365, Azure, Power Platform). | High customer adoption and a curated experience that mirrors the brand’s ease-of-use ethos. | A strong trust signal through rigorous vetting and a satisfaction guarantee, appealing to risk-averse enterprises. | A unique focus on composable architecture, empowering citizen developers and process automation. |
