Braze vs Salesforce Marketing Cloud
Braze
Cross-channel engagement with real-time journeys
Publishers using it: 9 · incl. Discovery, FiveThirtyEight, Fox News
Salesforce Marketing Cloud
Enterprise marketing cloud for multi-channel journeys
Publishers using it: 1
Last verified Oct 19, 2026
At a glance
- Braze scores 3.5/5 and Salesforce Marketing Cloud scores 3.2/5 in Benchmark Grid's independent cross-channel marketing platforms benchmark, both assessed on the same 10 criteria.
- Braze and Salesforce Marketing Cloud are within 0.3 of each other on every criterion they share.
- Braze is built for mid-market and enterprise publishers; Salesforce Marketing Cloud for enterprise.
- On total cost of ownership Braze scores 1.6 and Salesforce Marketing Cloud 1.4 (higher means better value, not a lower price).
- In our tracking 9 publishers use Braze and 1 use Salesforce Marketing Cloud.
- Scores last verified 19 Oct 2026. Vendors cannot pay for a score or a position.
Where they differ
Braze is stronger on cross-Channel Orchestration (4.7 vs 4.4), journey Automation & Triggering (4.5 vs 4.3) and personalisation & Content Delivery (4.2 vs 4.1).
Salesforce Marketing Cloud is stronger on integration & Data Connectivity (4.2 vs 4.0).
Which one fits
Choose Braze if…
- You publish at mid-market and enterprise scale.
- You weight cross-Channel Orchestration, journey Automation & Triggering and personalisation & Content Delivery heavily — Braze leads on those in this benchmark.
Choose Salesforce Marketing Cloud if…
- You publish at enterprise scale.
- You weight integration & Data Connectivity heavily — Salesforce Marketing Cloud leads on it in this benchmark.
Also weighing these
The nearest-scored tools to Braze and Salesforce Marketing Cloud in this benchmark, listed A to Z.
- 2.6IterableCross-channel growth platform for scaling teamsRead review
- 2.7KlaviyoData-driven email and SMS with deep segmentationRead review
- 2.6MailchimpAccessible email marketing with journeysRead review
- 3.3MoEngageInsights-led cross-channel engagementRead review
All 11 scored tools are in Best Cross-Channel Marketing Platforms for Publishers.
Who uses them
Publishers we have detected running each tool, from ads.txt, site code and published case studies. Agencies, brands and vendors are excluded.
Braze · 9
Salesforce Marketing Cloud · 1
Head to head
| Criterion | Braze | Salesforce Marketing Cloud |
|---|---|---|
| Audience Segmentation & Identity14% of capability | 4.6 | 4.6 |
| Cross-Channel Orchestration14% of capability | 4.7 | 4.4 |
| Analytics & Attribution12% of capability | 3.8 | 3.8 |
| Journey Automation & Triggering12% of capability | 4.5 | 4.3 |
| Personalisation & Content Delivery12% of capability | 4.2 | 4.1 |
| Integration & Data Connectivity10% of capability | 4.0 | 4.2 |
| Compliance & Consent Management8% of capability | 3.5 | 3.5 |
| Deliverability & Channel Performance8% of capability | 3.9 | 3.9 |
| Pricing & Scalability6% of capability | 2.8 | 2.8 |
| Support & Implementation4% of capability | 2.5 | 2.5 |
| Capability45% of composite | 4.1 | 4.0 |
| Publisher fit40% of composite | 3.5 | 3.0 |
| Total cost of ownership15% of composite | 1.6 | 1.4 |
Cost of ownership
| Sub-score | Braze | Salesforce Marketing Cloud |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing transparency | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| Entry cost | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| Implementation cost | 0.5 | 0.5 |
| Hidden-fee risk | 2.5 | 2.0 |
| Ongoing cost | 3.0 | 2.5 |
Braze pricing
Volume-based tiers, custom
Salesforce Marketing Cloud pricing
Per-contact tiers; custom enterprise
What users say
Braze
11 positive · 13 neutral · 2 negative
Salesforce Marketing Cloud
1 positive · 32 neutral · 8 negative
Mentions we could not tie to a real user, and those flagged as promotional, are excluded. Sentiment is opinion, and is independent of the verified publisher adoptions above.
Braze scores 3.5 and Salesforce Marketing Cloud scores 3.2 in Benchmark Grid's independent Best Cross-Channel Marketing Platforms for Publishers benchmark (benchmarkgrid.com/vs/braze/salesforce-marketing-cloud, verified Oct 19, 2026)
Common questions
How do Braze and Salesforce Marketing Cloud differ?
Braze is stronger on cross-Channel Orchestration (4.7 vs 4.4), journey Automation & Triggering (4.5 vs 4.3) and personalisation & Content Delivery (4.2 vs 4.1). Salesforce Marketing Cloud is stronger on integration & Data Connectivity (4.2 vs 4.0). Neither is better in the abstract — which one suits you depends on which of those dimensions carries the most weight in your operation.
Which is cheaper, Braze or Salesforce Marketing Cloud?
On total cost of ownership — pricing transparency, entry cost, implementation, hidden-fee risk and ongoing cost — Braze scores 1.6/5 and Salesforce Marketing Cloud scores 1.4/5. A higher score means better value, not a lower sticker price.
How are these scores calculated?
Each tool is assessed against its category's published criteria (10 in this benchmark), which make up Capability (45% of the composite), Publisher fit (40%) and Total cost of ownership (15%). Assessment is carried out by SODP's editorial team against a published methodology. Vendors cannot pay for inclusion, scores or positions.
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Both tools are scored in Best Cross-Channel Marketing Platforms for Publishers. See alternatives to Braze or alternatives to Salesforce Marketing Cloud.
Weighing a third option? Add a tool to this comparison.
Where to next
Four questions, and a scored stack across every benchmark — not just Best Cross-Channel Marketing Platforms for Publishers
Every scored tool in Best Cross-Channel Marketing Platforms for Publishers, with the criteria behind each number
Every category, independently scored
Related comparisons
Other head-to-heads publishers look at in Best Cross-Channel Marketing Platforms for Publishers.
