Top CPQ Vendors for 2025

CPQ, or Configure, Price, Quote, is a transformative tool for businesses looking to streamline complex sales processes. A strong CPQ system doesn't just automate quotes; it enhances accuracy, integrates with essential systems, and supports scalability, making it indispensable in competitive markets. But with so many CPQ vendors available, how do you decide which one is right for your business?

In this post, we’ll explore some of the leading CPQ vendors, highlighting their strengths, weaknesses, and suitability for different industries. Whether you’re a manufacturer dealing with intricate configurations or a SaaS company optimizing subscription models, this guide will help you make a more informed choice.

Salesforce CPQ

Overview: Salesforce CPQ is a cloud-based solution designed to automate and streamline the sales process, particularly for businesses dealing with complex product configurations. As a native application within the Salesforce ecosystem, it offers seamless integration with Salesforce CRM and other Salesforce products.

Key Features:

• Product Configuration: Enables sales teams to configure complex products with ease, ensuring accuracy and compliance with business rules.

• Pricing and Discount Management: Automates pricing calculations, including discounts, bundles, and promotions, to ensure accurate and competitive quotes.

• Quote Generation: Facilitates the creation of professional and customizable quotes and proposals, enhancing the customer experience.

• Contract Management: Streamlines the creation, approval, and management of contracts, reducing administrative overhead.

• Subscription Billing: Supports subscription-based pricing models, making it suitable for businesses offering recurring services.

Strengths:

• Seamless Integration: As a native Salesforce application, it integrates effortlessly with Salesforce CRM, providing a unified platform for sales operations.

• User-Friendly Interface: Offers an intuitive and customizable interface, reducing the learning curve for sales teams.

• Scalability: Capable of scaling with business growth, accommodating increasing product complexity and sales volume.

Weaknesses:

• Cost Considerations: The comprehensive feature set comes with a higher price point, which may be a consideration for small to mid-sized businesses.

• Dependency on Salesforce Ecosystem: Optimal performance is achieved within the Salesforce ecosystem; integration with third-party systems may require additional effort.

Ideal For: Businesses already utilizing Salesforce CRM seeking to enhance their sales processes with integrated CPQ capabilities.

Oracle CPQ

Overview: Oracle CPQ is a robust cloud-based solution designed to optimize the quote-to-cash process for businesses with complex product offerings. It integrates seamlessly with Oracle's suite of enterprise applications, providing a comprehensive solution for sales automation.

Key Features:

• Advanced Product Configuration: Supports intricate product configurations, ensuring accurate and feasible product combinations.

• Dynamic Pricing Engine: Calculates real-time pricing, incorporating factors such as discounts, promotions, and customer-specific pricing.

• Proposal and Document Generation: Automates the creation of professional proposals, contracts, and other sales documents.

• Approval Workflows: Facilitates configurable approval processes to ensure compliance with business policies.

• Integration Capabilities: Offers robust integration with Oracle ERP and CRM systems, as well as third-party applications.

Strengths:

• Comprehensive Functionality: Provides a wide range of features catering to complex sales processes and product configurations.

• Scalability: Designed to handle the needs of large enterprises with extensive product catalogs and global operations.

• Integration with Oracle Suite: Offers seamless integration with Oracle's enterprise applications, providing a unified solution for business operations.

Weaknesses:

• Complex Implementation: The extensive feature set may result in a longer implementation timeline and a steeper learning curve.

• Cost: May be cost-prohibitive for smaller organizations, especially those not already utilizing Oracle's ecosystem.

Ideal For: Large enterprises with complex product offerings, particularly those already invested in Oracle's suite of enterprise applications.

Tacton CPQ

Overview: Tacton CPQ is a specialized solution tailored for manufacturers dealing with highly configurable products. It focuses on providing accurate configurations and pricing for complex manufacturing scenarios.

Key Features:

• Constraint-Based Configuration: Utilizes advanced algorithms to manage complex product configurations, ensuring all combinations are viable.

• CAD Automation: Generates CAD models and drawings automatically based on configured products, streamlining the engineering process.

• Guided Selling: Assists sales representatives in identifying optimal product solutions based on customer needs.

• Integration with ERP and CRM Systems: Offers integration capabilities with major ERP and CRM platforms, enhancing data consistency across systems.

• Visualization Tools: Provides 3D visualization of configured products, enhancing customer engagement and understanding.

Strengths:

• Expertise in Manufacturing: Deep focus on manufacturing industries, making it well-suited for companies with complex product structures.

• Advanced Configuration Capabilities: Handles highly complex configurations with ease, reducing errors and improving efficiency.

• CAD Integration: Automates the generation of engineering documents, reducing time-to-market for custom products.

Weaknesses:

• Niche Focus: May not be suitable for industries outside of manufacturing or for companies with simpler product offerings.

• Learning Curve: The specialized features may require additional training for sales and engineering teams.

Ideal For: Manufacturing companies with complex, configurable products seeking to streamline their sales and engineering processes.

Configure One

Overview: Configure One is a CPQ solution designed to serve the manufacturing and engineering sectors, focusing on product configuration, pricing, and quoting needs.

Key Features:

• Product Configurator: Allows for the creation of complex product configurations.

• Proposal Generation: Automates the creation of detailed and professional proposals, ensuring consistency and accuracy in customer-facing documents.
• ERP Integration: Provides seamless integration with ERP systems like SAP and Oracle, ensuring smooth data flow across business processes.
• Visualization and 3D Modeling: Enables customers to visualize configurations in real-time, reducing misunderstandings and increasing buyer confidence.

Strengths:

• Industry-Specific Expertise: Configure One has carved out a niche in the manufacturing and engineering sectors, offering specialized features tailored to these industries.
• Customization: Its flexibility and ability to handle intricate product configurations make it an excellent choice for manufacturers.
• High-Quality Documentation: The platform excels in generating detailed proposals, quotes, and engineering documents.

Weaknesses:

• Narrow Industry Focus: Configure One’s specialization may not appeal to businesses outside of its target industries.
• Costs for Advanced Features: While the base package is robust, adding advanced features can increase the total cost significantly.

Ideal For: Manufacturing and engineering firms seeking a solution designed specifically to handle industry-specific complexities.

SAP CPQ

Overview: SAP CPQ, part of the SAP ecosystem, offers a comprehensive set of tools for sales configuration, pricing, and quoting. It is designed to work seamlessly with SAP’s ERP and CRM systems, making it an excellent choice for businesses already utilizing SAP solutions.

Key Features:

• Dynamic Pricing Engine: Adjusts prices in real-time based on factors like location, currency, and customer-specific discounts.
• Omnichannel Sales Support: Provides consistency across different sales channels, including online stores, sales teams, and partners.
• Proposal and Quote Automation: Generates accurate, professional quotes and proposals with minimal manual intervention.
• Workflow Automation: Streamlines approval processes to ensure compliance with pricing and business rules.
• Integration: Works seamlessly with SAP ERP, SAP CRM, and SAP Commerce Cloud for a unified business process.

Strengths:

• Robust Integration: Its deep integration with SAP solutions makes it an ideal choice for businesses within the SAP ecosystem.
• Global Capabilities: Supports multi-language, multi-currency, and region-specific compliance requirements, making it suitable for global enterprises.
• Scalability: Handles the needs of large-scale enterprises with ease, accommodating complex product catalogs and pricing rules.

Weaknesses:

• High Cost: SAP CPQ is often priced at a premium compared to competitors, which may deter small-to-medium businesses.
• Implementation Time: The setup and integration process can be lengthy, requiring significant time and resources.

Ideal For: Large, global enterprises already invested in SAP systems looking for an integrated solution to manage complex pricing and quoting.

Emerging CPQ Vendors to Watch

While the aforementioned vendors dominate the CPQ market, emerging players are introducing innovative features that challenge traditional systems:

1. Cincom CPQ: Specializes in guided selling and integrates well with a variety of ERP systems, including Microsoft Dynamics.
2. Configit: Focused on advanced product configuration, Configit is gaining traction in the automotive and industrial sectors.
3. KBMax: Offers 3D visual product configuration, making it a great choice for e-commerce and custom manufacturing.

Comparison Table: CPQ Vendors

Conclusion: Choosing the Right CPQ Vendor

Selecting the right CPQ solution is not just about software; it’s about finding a partner that aligns with your business’s goals, challenges, and future aspirations. Start by evaluating your existing systems, your team's needs, and your budget.

If you’re still uncertain, the experts at cpq.se can guide you through the selection process, ensuring a seamless implementation tailored to your requirements.

Let’s get started: Book a consultation with Magnus Fasth or Patrik Skjelfoss today. Schedule your meeting (link) and unlock the potential of CPQ for your business.