Salesforce is the enterprise CRM: endless customization, an admin to run it, and per-seat contracts that assume a sales organization. Orbit is a simple all-in-one CRM for one person, free for up to 250 contacts, with one AI assistant (Hiro) that drafts follow-ups, proposals, and invoices for your approval. If you have a RevOps team, buy Salesforce. If you are the whole org chart, Orbit keeps it simple.
Salesforce is the system of record for enterprise sales, and it earned that. Custom objects, validation rules, approval processes, territory management, and forecasting that a CFO will actually sign off on. When a deal touches legal, finance, and three departments, Salesforce is built for exactly that traffic.
The ecosystem is the moat. AppExchange covers nearly any need, certified admins and consultants are everywhere, and security and compliance teams already know how to review it. Agentforce is Salesforce's push into AI agents for enterprise teams, configured by your admins, check their site for what it requires and costs. For a 50-rep org with RevOps, there is usually no real debate.
These tools are not competing for the same buyer. The table shows why.
| Orbit | Salesforce | |
|---|---|---|
| AI assistant that drafts and does the busywork | Hiro drafts follow-ups, proposals, invoices, and pages | Agentforce for enterprise teams, admin setup, check their site |
| All-in-one: invoices, proposals, and booking pages | Included, even on the free plan | Via CPQ and add-ons, check their site |
| Human approval gates on AI output | Every draft waits for you to approve, edit, or dismiss | Configurable approval processes, built by your admin |
| Works out of the box for one person | Yes, no implementation phase | Built for sales organizations, admin required |
| Built-in email inbox with tracking | 100 sends/mo free, tracking on Pro | Via add-ons, check their site |
| On-device meeting transcription | Pro, audio stays on your machine | |
| Built-in MCP server to connect Claude | Pro, revocable per-workspace keys | Check their site |
| Free plan | Free plan, no credit card | Free trial only, check their site |
| Pricing model | Free, then Pro at $14/mo or Team at $20/seat | Per-seat contracts, often annual, check their site |
Salesforce assumes someone's job is Salesforce. For a solo consultant or founder, that someone is you: you become the admin, the rep, and the data-entry clerk for a system designed to coordinate departments you do not have. The license is the small cost. The configuration and upkeep are the real one.
Orbit is the opposite. There is no implementation phase and no admin. Everything lives in one simple app: contacts with a full timeline, pipelines, tasks, notes, a built-in email inbox, proposals, invoices, and a booking page. One assistant does the busywork. Hiro can create and update records, manage tasks and the calendar, write and send proposals and invoices, draft follow-ups and replies, and build pages, all with your approval. On Pro, the meeting recorder transcribes on your device and Hiro can summarize it. See what Orbit AI can do for the full list.
Control stays human. Nothing auto-sends, and every draft waits for you to approve, edit, or dismiss. The CRM is free with no credit card, and AI credits are included free every month with no API key to paste. Pro is $14 a month, and the first 100 members can use code FIRST100 for 50% off Pro for life.
Salesforce assumes you have an admin. Orbit assumes you have nobody, and keeps it simple.
For a solo founder, consultant, or tiny team, usually yes: Orbit covers contacts, pipelines, tasks, proposals, invoices, and booking pages free (up to 250 contacts), and one AI assistant drafts follow-up and paperwork with your approval. For an enterprise sales org with RevOps and compliance requirements, no, Salesforce remains the appropriate tool.
Agentforce is Salesforce's AI agent platform for enterprise teams, configured by your admins within their ecosystem, check their site for details. Orbit ships one assistant, Hiro, that works out of the box for one person on a free plan, with free monthly AI credits and every output landing as a draft you approve.
Salesforce is known for per-seat paid contracts with free trials rather than a permanent free tier, check their site for current offers. Orbit's base plan is free with no credit card, and AI credits are included free every month with no API key to paste.
Orbit is built around that worry. Nothing auto-sends: every draft and suggestion from Hiro waits for you to approve, edit, or dismiss. AI is optional, and you can use Orbit as a plain CRM and ignore the assistant entirely. When you do use it, you stay in control of every action.
Orbit's CRM is free, Pro is $14 a month or $112 a year, and AI credits are included free every month. Salesforce uses per-seat contracts, often annual, plus implementation effort, check their site for current pricing. Orbit works out of the box with no admin.
Free plan, no credit card. One assistant does the legwork, and every draft waits for your approval.
Free forever plan. No credit card. No spam.