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Marketo vs SAP CRM comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on May 21, 2025

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

ROI

Sentiment score
6.7
Marketo's ROI varies; its value depends on business needs, setup quality, and may not suit email-focused strategies.
Sentiment score
6.6
Sales and revenue increased; operational efficiency justifies costs, but Salesforce suits large organizations more than smaller ones long-term.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
5.9
Marketo's customer service receives mixed reviews, with areas for improvement in technical support, response time, and communication.
Sentiment score
7.0
Customer service is responsive and reliable, with 24/7 support, although customization and response times can vary.
I am satisfied with their response time and quality.
CRM administrator at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.6
Marketo is highly scalable, handling large databases efficiently post-Adobe acquisition, despite longer Salesforce sync times and higher costs.
Sentiment score
8.1
SAP CRM excels in scalability, efficiently supporting numerous users and large data volumes while integrating various business functions.
We handle a huge amount of data in our CRM without any problems.
CRM administrator at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.6
Marketo is reliable with minor disruptions, efficient syncing, and generally rated highly for stability despite occasional Salesforce delays.
Sentiment score
8.1
SAP CRM is stable and reliable, with occasional issues, but generally offers smooth operation and minimal downtime.
Stability depends on the data center.
Engineer - Technology at a marketing services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
 

Room For Improvement

Marketo users request improvements in UI, pricing, integration, analytics, support, scalability, and features for better efficiency and functionality.
SAP CRM requires UI enhancements, better integration, real-time analytics, increased flexibility, and modern tech adoption for future growth.
Marketo filters are not very efficient, and timely updates or features could improve this aspect.
Engineer - Technology at a marketing services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
The user interface could be improved.
CEO at a tech vendor with 51-200 employees
I am happy with SAP CRM because whenever we have requirements for changes or customization as per our needs, we get them, and the downtime is minimal.
CRM administrator at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees
 

Setup Cost

Marketo's pricing varies by size and features, proving costly for small businesses but relatively affordable compared to some competitors.
SAP CRM is costly, targeting large enterprises, with high setup costs but competitive features; price cuts could increase appeal.
The solution is cheaper than Alacor.
Engineer - Technology at a marketing services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
SAP CRM is not suitable for small companies because of the cost.
CRM administrator at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees
 

Valuable Features

Marketo excels in automation, Salesforce integration, user interface, analytics, support, integrations, and community training, enhancing marketing efficiency.
SAP CRM provides customizable reporting, seamless ERP integration, real-time data, enhancing customer management and improving business processes globally.
Marketo helps us segment leads into very specific buckets, allowing us to send the right email at the right time.
CEO at a tech vendor with 51-200 employees
We are scoring based on behavior without pressure, and it keeps producing excellent results.
Engineer - Technology at a marketing services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
If there is any error in our machine, a log is automatically generated, and from SAP CRM, we can see that the machine has problems.
CRM administrator at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees
 

Categories and Ranking

Marketo
Ranking in Marketing Management
5th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.0
Number of Reviews
25
Ranking in other categories
Marketing Automation (3rd)
SAP CRM
Ranking in Marketing Management
3rd
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
44
Ranking in other categories
CRM (4th), Local Government CRM (2nd)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of March 2026, in the Marketing Management category, the mindshare of Marketo is 9.4%, down from 10.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SAP CRM is 14.4%, down from 20.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Marketing Management Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
SAP CRM14.4%
Marketo9.4%
Other76.2%
Marketing Management
 

Featured Reviews

Anika Gaur - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Digital Solutions Analyst at Rich Products
Effective lead management and useability with room for reporting improvements
Customer support could be more helpful. The reporting could be better, with more engaging reports and the ability to collaborate more objects, like opportunities. Incorporating AI features similar to tools like HubSpot and Salesforce account engagement would be beneficial. Additionally, Marketo should work on automating tools and updating the product since it looks similar to how it did five years ago.
FA
CRM administrator at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees
Customization and automation drive effective user training and insights sharing
Recently, the price of SAP CRM has increased, which is one concern. Another issue is that sometimes we experience slow performance. Reports in SAP CRM itself can become very slow. Other than that, it is a very good CRM system. I am happy with SAP CRM because whenever we have requirements for changes or customization as per our needs, we get them, and the downtime is minimal. We are getting very good support from the incident team and the in-house support team who are responsible for customization. Some customer centers have moved to Salesforce, but I don't have any experience with Salesforce to make a comparison.
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Marketing Management solutions are best for your needs.
884,873 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
12%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Computer Software Company
8%
Insurance Company
7%
Manufacturing Company
13%
Financial Services Firm
9%
University
9%
Computer Software Company
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business12
Midsize Enterprise5
Large Enterprise10
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business14
Midsize Enterprise5
Large Enterprise27
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Marketo?
One of the most important things about Marketo is its focus on GDPR compliance. It helps you follow GDPR and CAN-SPAM rules. For example, with Marketo, I won't accidentally target audiences without...
What needs improvement with Marketo?
The user interface could be improved. I would like to see an updated UI for 2025.
What is your primary use case for Marketo?
As a seasoned Marketo Expert with a decade of experience and a deep understanding of Adobe's ecosystem, I can confidently say that the primary use case for Marketo lies in empowering businesses wit...
What do you like most about SAP CRM?
Getting the right information at the right time across different programs is important. These programs lack interaction between them. IPA is a good option to bring them together.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for SAP CRM?
SAP CRM is not suitable for small companies because of the cost. It is suitable for medium and large enterprise companies.
What needs improvement with SAP CRM?
Recently, the price of SAP CRM has increased, which is one concern. Another issue is that sometimes we experience slow performance. Reports in SAP CRM itself can become very slow. Other than that, ...
 

Comparisons

 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Marketo has a customer base of thousands of companies, including Sony, Citrix, BrightTALK, Curves International, HootSuite, Hyundai, SanDisk, and Samsung Electronics.
Brau Union Osterreich AG, Nu Skin Enterprises Inc., AOK Bundesverband, RAK Ceramics, NHS 24, Wholesale Sports Outdoor Outfitters, FC Bayern Munchen AG, Tumi, The Kellogg Company, MVV Energie AG, Anglian Water Services, German Football Association (DFB), Nebraska Book Company Inc.
Find out what your peers are saying about Marketo vs. SAP CRM and other solutions. Updated: March 2026.
884,873 professionals have used our research since 2012.