Salesforce vs Workday Recruiting
A head-to-head comparison to help you pick the right tool
Last updated: April 30, 2026
Salesforce
Salesforce is the world's leading CRM platform used by over 150,000 businesses of all sizes. It offers a highly customizable suite of sales, service, marketing, and analytics tools. Salesforce is the gold standard for enterprise CRM but has solutions for businesses of all sizes through its Starter and Pro plans.
Workday Recruiting
Workday Recruiting is an enterprise-grade applicant tracking system built into the broader Workday HCM suite. It offers end-to-end recruiting from sourcing to offer management within a unified platform.
Pros
- ✓Most powerful and customizable CRM on the market
- ✓Massive ecosystem with 3,000+ AppExchange integrations
- ✓Industry-leading reporting and analytics
- ✓Strong community and support resources
Cons
- ✗Expensive and complex for small teams
- ✗Long implementation timelines for enterprise deployments
- ✗Requires dedicated admin resources to get the most out of it
Pros
- ✓Seamlessly integrated with Workday HR and Payroll
- ✓Strong reporting and analytics
- ✓Excellent for large enterprises
- ✓Unified candidate and employee data
- ✓Configurable workflows
Cons
- ✗Very expensive for small businesses
- ✗Complex implementation process
- ✗Requires dedicated admin
- ✗Overkill for teams under 500 employees
Salesforce vs Workday Recruiting: Side by Side
| Factor | Salesforce | Workday Recruiting |
|---|---|---|
| User Rating | N/A | N/A |
| Category | CRM Software | Applicant Tracking |
| Pricing Model | Paid | Paid |
| Starting Price | Custom pricing | Contact for pricing |
| Best For | Mid to large enterprises needing a highly customizable CRM | Large enterprises already using Workday HCM wanting unified recruiting and HR data |
| Our Pick | — | — |
Salesforce Features
- ✓Contact and lead management
- ✓opportunity tracking
- ✓workflow automation
- ✓AI insights
- ✓reporting and dashboards
- ✓AppExchange integrations
- ✓mobile app
Workday Recruiting Features
- ✓Applicant tracking
- ✓interview management
- ✓candidate sourcing
- ✓onboarding
- ✓analytics
- ✓compliance
Pricing Comparison
Our Take
Choose Salesforce if mid to large enterprises needing a highly customizable crm. Choose Workday Recruiting if large enterprises already using workday hcm wanting unified recruiting and hr data.
Best For
Mid to large enterprises needing a highly customizable CRM
Best For
Large enterprises already using Workday HCM wanting unified recruiting and HR data
Also Consider
If neither Salesforce nor Workday Recruiting is the right fit, Monday.com CRM is worth evaluating.
Monday.com CRM
Teams that want CRM and project management combined in one visual platform
From $12/user/mo
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Salesforce and Workday Recruiting?
Salesforce is best for mid to large enterprises needing a highly customizable crm. Workday Recruiting is best for large enterprises already using workday hcm wanting unified recruiting and hr data.
Which is better, Salesforce or Workday Recruiting?
Choose Salesforce if mid to large enterprises needing a highly customizable crm. Choose Workday Recruiting if large enterprises already using workday hcm wanting unified recruiting and hr data.
How much does Salesforce cost?
Salesforce starts at Custom pricing. Pricing model: Paid.
How much does Workday Recruiting cost?
Visit Workday Recruiting website for current pricing.
Who should use Salesforce?
Mid to large enterprises needing a highly customizable CRM
Who should use Workday Recruiting?
Large enterprises already using Workday HCM wanting unified recruiting and HR data