Salesforce launched Agentforce - their autonomous AI agent platform. We analyze how it compares to independent AI agent solutions for B2B companies considering automation investments.
TL;DR
On October 9, 2024, Salesforce launched Agentforce - their autonomous AI agent platform that promises to automate sales, service, and marketing workflows within Salesforce CRM. With 150,000+ Salesforce customers, this launch significantly impacts the AI automation landscape for B2B companies.
If you're evaluating AI agents for your business, here's how Agentforce compares to independent AI agent solutions like Athenic, Make.com, and custom-built agents.
Agentforce is Salesforce's platform for building and deploying AI agents that autonomously handle tasks like:
Key features:
Pricing: £2 per conversation (launched pricing model November 2024)
Availability: Requires Salesforce Enterprise or Unlimited editions (£125-£250 per user/month)
| Salesforce Agentforce | Independent AI Agents (Athenic, Make, n8n) | |
|---|---|---|
| Salesforce CRM | Native, deep integration | Via API (good integration) |
| Other CRMs (HubSpot, Pipedrive) | Not supported | Native support |
| Marketing tools (Mailchimp, HubSpot, etc.) | Limited (via Salesforce Marketing Cloud only) | Native integrations to 100+ tools |
| Finance tools (Xero, QuickBooks, NetSuite) | Via AppExchange connectors (limited) | Native integrations |
| Custom APIs | Requires Apex/Flow development | Visual workflow builders, no code needed |
Winner: Independent AI agents (if you use tools beyond Salesforce ecosystem)
Best for Agentforce: Salesforce-only tech stacks
Agentforce strengths:
Agentforce limitations:
Independent AI agent strengths:
Winner: Independent AI agents (broader use case coverage)
Best for Agentforce: Pure CRM workflows with no external system dependencies
Agentforce pricing:
Independent AI agent pricing (Athenic example):
Cost comparison (company with 500 service conversations daily):
| Solution | Monthly Cost | Annual Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Salesforce Agentforce | £30,000 (conversations only) | £360,000 |
| Athenic AI Agents | £1,200 (20K automations) | £14,400 |
| Difference | -£28,800 | -£345,600 |
Note: Agentforce cost assumes 500 conversations/day × 30 days × £2/conversation
Winner: Independent AI agents (25× lower cost at scale)
Best for Agentforce: Low-volume use cases (<100 conversations/month)
Agentforce:
Independent AI agents:
Winner: Tie (both relatively fast, depends on existing tech stack)
Agentforce:
Independent AI agents:
Winner: Independent AI agents (greater flexibility and control)
Best for Agentforce: Teams happy with out-of-the-box capabilities, no custom requirements
Scenario: Automate tier-1 customer support inquiries (password resets, order status, basic troubleshooting)
Agentforce solution:
Athenic solution:
Winner: Athenic (33× lower cost, works with any support tool)
Scenario: Automatically score and route incoming leads based on fit and intent
Agentforce solution:
Athenic solution:
Winner: Athenic (can incorporate non-Salesforce data sources, 33× cheaper)
Scenario: Automatically enrich contact records with company data, job titles, social profiles
Agentforce solution:
Athenic solution:
Winner: Athenic (platform flexibility, lower cost)
You should choose Agentforce if:
Salesforce-exclusive tech stack - You use only Salesforce products (Sales Cloud, Service Cloud, Marketing Cloud) and don't need external integrations
Low volume - Processing <500 conversations/month (below cost crossover point)
Enterprise Salesforce customer - Already paying for Enterprise/Unlimited edition (no incremental platform cost)
Prefer vendor lock-in - Value single-vendor support and accountability over flexibility
Simple use cases - Out-of-the-box SDR Agent or Service Agent meets your needs without customization
You should choose independent AI agents if:
Multi-tool tech stack - Use Salesforce + HubSpot + Zendesk + Slack + dozens of other tools
High volume - Processing 1,000+ conversations or workflows monthly (independent agents become 10-30× cheaper)
Cross-platform workflows - Need automation across CRM, finance, operations, marketing tools
Custom use cases - Building unique workflows beyond pre-built agent templates
Cost-sensitive - Working within tight budgets or want to maximize ROI
Model flexibility - Want to switch between OpenAI, Anthropic, Google models based on performance/cost
If you're currently using Salesforce Einstein or other automation:
Path to Agentforce:
Path to Independent AI Agents:
"Agentforce is a great option if you're a Salesforce purist and don't mind the per-conversation pricing. For most mid-market B2B companies, independent AI agents offer 10× better ROI and far more flexibility. We migrated from Einstein to Athenic and cut automation costs 78% while adding capabilities Salesforce couldn't support." - Michael Rodriguez, VP Operations at EngageFlow (B2B SaaS, 180 employees) - interviewed October 2024
Decision framework:
| Your Situation | Recommended Solution |
|---|---|
| Salesforce-only stack, <500 conversations/month | Agentforce (try it) |
| Multi-tool stack, any volume | Independent AI agents |
| High volume (1,000+ conversations/month) | Independent AI agents (cost savings significant) |
| Custom/complex workflows | Independent AI agents (more flexibility) |
| Tight budget | Independent AI agents (lower cost) |
Some companies use both:
Pros: Best tool for each job Cons: Managing two agent platforms, potential overlap/confusion
Verdict: Only recommended for large enterprises with dedicated automation teams.
Athenic AI agents provide:
Compare Athenic vs Agentforce for your use case →
Considering AI agents for your business? Athenic provides flexible, cost-effective AI automation that works with your entire tech stack - not just Salesforce. Start free trial →
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