Those new to customer relationship management (CRM) are often surprised that many certifications are available in their industry. Many CRM platforms offer training and licensure, but some organizations offer more generalized certifications. We evaluated dozens of programs to find the eight best CRM certification programs to help you get the most out of your CRM.
- HubSpot Marketing Software Certification: Best for new marketers using HubSpot
- Certified Salesforce Administrator: Best for resume-boosting
- Zoho CRM Certified Administrator: Best for administrators wanting to customize Zoho
- Freshdesk Product Expert Certification: Best for fast-track admin certification
- Zendesk Omnichannel Agent Specialist Certification: Best for service reps using Zendesk
- Predictable Revenue Pipedrive Mastery Course: Best for revenue operations teams
- Microsoft Dynamics 365 Fundamentals: Best for broad CRM knowledge
- NetSuite Administrator Fundamentals: Best for advanced NetSuite users
Best CRM Certification Programs at a Glance
Provider | Certification | Key Topics | Price | Course Layout and Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | HubSpot Marketing Software Certification | Automation and email and content marketing in HubSpot | Under 5 hours of self-paced videos, quizzes, practical exercises, and an exam | |
 | Certified Salesforce Administrator | Salesforce CRM configuration, customization, and user management | Course: Free Exam Fee: $200 Retake Fee: $100 | Over 56 hours of courses and exam prep |
 | Zoho CRM Certified Administrator | Administrators, developers, sales reps, and sales managers using Zoho CRM | Contact Zoho for custom pricing | 4 days (over 7 hours per day) |
 | Freshdesk Product Expert Certification | Setting up and operating Freshdesk and scaling the platform | Free | 60-minute test plus optional courses |
 | Zendesk Omnichannel Agent Specialist Certification | Zendesk interface navigation and omnichannel ticket management | $199 per exam attempt | 225 minutes of courses plus a 45-minute exam |
 | Predictable Revenue Pipedrive Mastery Course | Setting up and operating Pipedrive and executing the Predictable Revenue system | $54.99 | 4 hours and 44 minutes of self-paced videos and downloadable resources |
 | Microsoft Certified: Dynamics 365 Fundamentals | Dynamics 365 sales, marketing, and service app features and automation capabilities | Course: Free Exam Fee: $99 | Over 6 hours of lessons |
 | NetSuite Administrator Fundamentals | NetSuite configuration, account management, and support | Course: Free Exam Fee: $250 Retake Fee: $150 | 5 hours and 39 minutes |
1. HubSpot Marketing Software Certification: Best for Entry-level Marketers Using HubSpot
Pros
- Course and educational modules are free.
- Other HubSpot CRM certifications can be used to complement the HubSpot Marketing Software certification with additional skills and knowledge.
- HubSpot Academy courses and exams are available in a variety of languages, including English, German, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Japanese.
Cons
- Additional practical exercises require an active subscription to HubSpot Marketing Professional (starts at $800 per month for three users).
- The course is specifically for beginners using the HubSpot Marketing Hub.
- No third-party HubSpot learning options mean that participants have no choice but to follow HubSpot’s official curriculum.
This certification is for those who want to validate their skills in email and content marketing, lead generation, automation, and contact management through the HubSpot ecosystem of solutions. Since it focuses on the fundamentals of marketing and CRM, this certification is a great choice for novices and entry-level professionals who are working with smaller businesses that already use HubSpot daily.
Cost:
- Certification Course: Free
- Exam: Free
Validity: 13 months
Course structure: 11 lessons with 5 quizzes and 9 practical exercises
Duration: 4 hours and 40 minutes
Topics/modules:
- Introduction to the Marketing Hub
- Using buyer personas
- Exploring the contacts database
- Understanding segmentation
- Creating a campaign
- Creating calls-to-action
- Creating forms
- Understanding workflows
- Getting started with emails
- Understanding social media
- Understanding reporting in the Marketing Hub
An introduction to the HubSpot Marketing Hub (Source: HubSpot)
Our Expert Opinion
A highly versatile and popular CRM platform, HubSpot provides various training programs via HubSpot Academy. Interested parties can choose which certifications to pursue, but the HubSpot Marketing Software certification is one of the most worthwhile. Each HubSpot certification, including their Marketing Software certification, is valid for 13 months before recertification is required.
2. Certified Salesforce Administrator: Best Resume Booster for CRM Managers
Pros
- It is one of the most highly marketable CRM software certifications to help users get promotions, new jobs, or pay raises.
- On-demand course modules and trailhead study guides let users learn at their own pace.
- Streamlined revalidation process only requires one maintenance module per year.
Cons
- The initial exam costs $200.
- The Certified Salesforce Administration credential requires a significant time investment.
- With so many Salesforce CRM software certifications available via Trailhead, it can be difficult to find the right one.
The Certified Salesforce Administration licensure is helpful for system administrators, developers, marketing experts, and other professionals who want to make the most of Salesforce CRM—regardless of their location.
Cost:
- Certification Course: Free
- Exam Fee: $200 per attempt
- Retake Fee: $100
Validity: One year
Course structure: 20 self-paced modules with project exercises
Duration: 56 hours and 10 minutes
Topics/modules:
- Configuration and setup
- Object manager and lightning app builder
- Sales and marketing applications
- Service and support applications
- Productivity and collaboration
- Data and analytics management
- Workflow/process automation
The Certified Salesforce Administrator certification course, Salesforce Platform Basics (Source: Salesforce)
Our Expert Opinion
The Salesforce Administrator Certificate is a globally recognized CRM accreditation that demonstrates complete mastery of Salesforce CRM. With 148% job growth over the past five years and a median base salary of $86,000, this role can be very lucrative for the right individual. Based on reputation, the Salesforce Administrator Certificate is among the best CRM certification programs available.
3. Zoho CRM Certified Administrator: Best CRM Software Training for Zoho Customization
Pros
- It has a comprehensive curriculum with everything an admin needs to know to set up their CRM to meet their goals.
- It has a long certification validity period lasting two years upon completion.
- Users have the option to do courses online, at a Zoho site, or have Zoho Spark reps come to their office.
Cons
- It has no transparent pricing—dictated by the courses, number of users, and where the lessons take place.
- It takes a long time to finish courses and obtain certification.
- Lessons are specific to managing Zoho CRM.
The Zoho CRM Certified Administrator program is for CRM admins responsible for setting up, configuring, and maintaining their organization’s Zoho CRM software. It offers highly detailed training on how to customize the system, connect with external applications, manage users, create automation, and operate the modules.
Cost: Contact Zoho for custom pricing
Validity: Two years
Course structure: 19 training topics delivered via onsite, virtual classroom, or user-requested online sessions
Duration: Four days (7-plus hours per day); 60 minutes to one day for exam
Topics/modules:
- General settings
- Sales process automation
- Inventory management
- Support
- Users and control
- User interface
- Basic customizations
- Advanced customizations
- Channels
- Automation
- Process management
- Data administration
- Marketplace
- Other modules
- Developer space
- Mobile apps
- Zoho directory
- Zia in Zoho CRM
- Canvas builder and admin tools
The Zoho CRM Certified Administrator course modules (Source: Zoho Spark)
Our Expert Opinion
We consider Zoho one of the top CRMs for customization, automation, and integrations. The Zoho Certified Administrator accreditation and its courses enable businesses to take advantage of Zoho CRM’s essential features and technical components. It teaches you how to customize the system, connect with external applications, manage users, create automation, and operate the modules.
4. Freshdesk Product Expert Certification: Best Fast-track Administrator Certification
Pros
- It offers free and easy certification for administrators.
- Experienced users can get the certification by taking the test without taking any courses.
- The exam covers the fundamentals of Freshdesk, including setting up and managing the workspace, creating and using automated workflows, and scaling customer support.
Cons
- Although Freshdesk is quickly making a name as a CRM provider, it lacks the brand recognition of similar platforms from Microsoft or Salesforce.
- The lack of a clear validity period makes it tough to determine when, if at all, recertification is required.
- There aren’t many other courses available through Freshworks Academy, especially when compared to their competitors.
The Freshdesk Product Expert certification is ideal for users who need to get certified as quickly—and inexpensively—as possible. It’s ideal for novice and entry-level professionals and mid- and senior-level customer service representatives.
Cost: Free
Validity: Not indicated
Course structure: Online modules and tests delivered via the Freshworks Academy
Duration: 60-minute test plus optional courses ranging from 15 to 60 minutes each
Topics/modules:
- Setting up and managing Freshdesk
- Creating workflows and automation in Freshdesk
- Scaling a customer support team using Freshdesk features
The Freshworks Academy certification programs (Source: Freshworks Academy)
Our Expert Opinion
The Freshdesk Product Expert Certification is great because of how quickly administrators or Freshdesk agents can get certified. It requires participants to pass a 60-minute test once they feel ready. Plus, the certification exam is free to take. While there are only three certifiable courses in Freshworks Academy, users can still get access to dozens of free courses on customer service.
5. Zendesk Omnichannel Agent Specialist Certification: Best for Service Reps Using Zendesk
Pros
- Free resources are available for certification preparation, including a comprehensive study guide.
- On-demand lessons give participants the ability to learn at their own pace.
- The Zendesk Omnichannel Agent Specialist certification is valid until the next version of the product is released.
Cons
- The exam fee for a six-month validity period is $199.
- It is relevant only to the Zendesk customer service and support platforms.
- A 65% exam passing rate is indicative of either challenging or confusing content.
The Zendesk Omnichannel Agent Specialist certification is for customer service representatives who use Zendesk solutions daily. Specifically, it’s for those who have completed the Omnichannel Agent Learning Path and the Omnichannel Agent Learning Path Quiz. It’s also great for remote workers who want to obtain the CRM certification online.
Cost:
- Training: Free
- Exam Fee: $199
- Retake Fee: $199
Validity: Six months
Course structure: Online modules and certification prep course delivered via Zendesk Training
Duration: On-demand courses totaling 225 minutes plus a 45-minute exam
Topics/modules:
- Omnichannel Agent Learning Path (Introduction and Basics of Zendesk, Zendesk Support, Zendesk Messaging, and Zendesk Talk plus quiz)
- Agent Certification Preparation Path
The Zendesk Omnichannel Agent Specialist certification practice test (Source: Zendesk)
Our Expert Opinion
The Zendesk Omnichannel Agent Specialist certification training helps users become experts in operating and navigating this customer service platform. The exam is relatively expensive at $199, and you must recertify every six months. However, agents using Zendesk can greatly benefit from this course since it has a comprehensive study guide on the platform’s essential features.
6. Predictable Revenue Pipedrive Mastery Course: Best for Revenue Teams
Pros
- It is designed in coordination with the Pipedrive team and features the platform’s latest official training videos.
- It includes useful hacks for lead generation, prospecting, and predictable revenue.
- It offers lifetime access to certification courses and downloadable resources.
Cons
- It coses $54.99 for less than 5 hours of content.
- Some of the individual Pipedrive videos featured in the course can be accessed on the internet for free.
- Pipedrive Academy doesn’t offer this full course or any other CRM certification programs.
This course is designed for revenue operations teams and current and future Pipedrive users. It is also geared towards sales professionals of all levels, including rookies and one-man sales teams. The whole certification program is designed to help sales reps hone their sales frameworks and techniques.
Cost: $54.99 with a 30-day money-back guarantee
Validity: Not specified
Course structure: Six sections with 50 on-demand lecture videos and 18 downloadable resources
Duration: 4 hours and 44 minutes of on-demand videos
Topics/modules:
- Introduction to Sales and Pipedrive
- Getting Started with Pipedrive
- Predictable Revenue
- Lead Generation
- Sales Hacking
The Predictable Revenue Pipedrive Mastery Course overview (Source: Udemy)
Our Expert Opinion
The Predictable Revenue Pipedrive Mastery Course is ideal for small RevOps teams wanting to drive their sales with the help of Pipedrive. This course is being used by top companies like Nasdaq, and Eventbrite for their employees—further proof that it is one of the best CRM certification programs in the market. Plus, it offers a 30-day money-back guarantee and the option to give it to another user.
7. Microsoft Dynamics 365 Fundamentals: Best CRM Software Training for Broad Product Knowledge
Pros
- Course and certificate renewals are available for free.
- It offers course flexibility through self-paced online, Microsoft instructor-led, and third-party-led options.
- It provides feature knowledge on Dynamics 365 sales, marketing, and service applications.
Cons
- The CRM software training courses only apply to Microsoft apps.
- It doesn’t cover advanced knowledge required for heavy software implementation and customization.
- Since this is one of the more common certifications, it can be tough for applicants to stand out from others with the same accreditation.
This certification program is a highly recommended CRM software training for professionals who want to demonstrate their knowledge of the Dynamics 365 platform. These professionals include customer success managers, marketing consultants, and top-tier customer support specialists.
Cost:
- Courses: Free
- Exam: $99
- Retake: $99
- Renewal: Free
Validity: One year
Course structure: 10 self-paced online modules or 78 instructor-led units
Duration: 6-plus hours of total lessons plus a 45-minute exam
Topics/Modules:
- Core capabilities of Microsoft Dynamics 365 customer engagement apps
- Fundamentals of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Insights
- Fundamentals of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales
- Fundamentals of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Service
- Fundamentals of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Field Service
The Microsoft Dynamics 365 Fundamentals course overview (Source: Microsoft Learn)
Our Expert Opinion
Microsoft Dynamics 365 is used in various disciplines and industries, so this is a great certification for nearly any professional who works with customers daily. Although CRM software training programs from Microsoft Dynamics 365 are only valid for one year, renewals are free.
8. NetSuite Administrator Fundamentals: Best for Advanced NetSuite Users
Pros
- The NetSuite Administrator certification never expires.
- Courses are delivered via self-paced modules and videos.
- Oracle’s New Release Quiz, which is required each year after becoming NetSuite Certified, makes it easy to renew credentials.
Cons
- The registration fee is $250.
- Requires achievement of the NetSuite SuiteFoundation certification, making it one of the more credentials to pursue.
- Frequent changes to the available CRM certification courses online can be confusing for novices.
The Oracle NetSuite Administrator certification is for professionals who have been using NetSuite for several months and are already familiar with NetSuite’s family of tools, including SuiteAnalytics, SuiteBuilder, and SuiteCloud platform. It’s also for NetSuite users who have already obtained the Oracle NetSuite SuiteFoundation certification.
Cost:
- Exam: $250
- Retake: $150
Validity: Not specified (exam is rewritten as needed and certificate holders may be required to retake and pass the exam to maintain this certification)
Course structure: Self-paced videos administered via NetSuite MyLearn
Duration: 5 hours and 39 minutes, plus a 120-minute exam
Topics/modules:
- NetSuite SuiteFoundation certification (prerequisite)
- SuiteAnalytics
- SuiteBuilder
- SuiteCloud Platform
- Setup and Administration
- Data Security
- Working with NetSuite
The NetSuite Administrator Fundamentals course overview (Source: NetSuite MyLearn)
Our Expert Opinion
With more than 38,000 customers worldwide, NetSuite is quickly making its presence known in the world of CRM. The NetSuite Administrator Fundamentals program has a unique edge with its no-expiry certification. However, it is not recommended for new NetSuite users since it requires the achievement of the NetSuite SuiteFoundation certification.
Visit NetSuite MyLearnEducation Services
CRM Certification Stats
Not sure if CRM certifications can offer you or your business tangible benefits? These CRM certification statistics from Pearson VUE might change your mind.
- 37% of certified employees received salary hikes, 42% are expecting one, and 27% are promoted.
Takeaway: Candidates who invest in certification and courses to acquire new skills enjoy better job opportunities. Certifications make candidates qualified for higher pay, more rewarding jobs, and even promotions.
- 92% of credentialed employees feel more empowered in their jobs.
Takeaway: Having the additional qualification in the form of a certification makes employees more confident in their abilities, making it easier for them to contribute greater value to the company. The added credential also ensures that workers are better equipped for their current position or a better job opportunity.
- A credentialed employee’s average return on investment (ROI) is $10,000 or more.
Takeaway: Investment in employees’ IT certification benefits a company’s bottom line. Given that credentialed workers feel more empowered, they contribute more value to the company compared to workers who are not certified. This should also push more businesses to invest in skills training.
- 42% of Gen Z pursue certifications for the first time, while only 15% of millennials and 7% of baby boomers do the same.
Takeaway: Skills gaps are foreseen to fade faster as more workers below age 34 adopt certification earlier in their careers.
- 86% of workers prefer self-paced exam prep courses over in-person classes.
Takeaway: An overwhelming majority of workers who enroll in exam prep courses prefer to take self-directed lessons since it is more convenient for them. With the prevalence of remote and hybrid working environments, more talents are turning to online certification courses to bridge skills gaps.
How We Evaluated the Best CRM Certification Programs
To evaluate the best CRM certifications and training courses, we considered two value-based attributes. The first was the overall prestige of getting certified—in other words, whether it could help someone get a promotion, a pay raise, or a new job. We also looked at certification in a CRM system’s most valuable features.
For example, HubSpot is well-known for its marketing and automation features. Therefore, having Marketing Software certification from HubSpot helps users better operate its drip campaign, email, and content management features. Ultimately, businesses using HubSpot can get more value from the system. Finally, we considered roadblocks to obtaining and keeping certifications, such as training costs, course duration, and validity periods.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The best CRM certification varies depending on your business needs, goals, and the CRM platform that you are currently using. For instance, the Certified Salesforce Administrator program offers a plethora of CRM courses that you can apply outside of the Salesforce suite of apps. The HubSpot Marketing Software Certification is for marketers using HubSpot, while the Predictive Revenue Pipedrive Mastery Course is for those who want a sales-focused course.
To become a CRM specialist, you must first learn the basics of customer relationship management via online resources or from experienced CRM professionals. Then, you have to gain practical experience with CRM systems by using free or low-cost versions of popular providers. Next, get certified in CRM to increase your chances of getting hired. Lastly, you keep up with the latest trends and best practices in CRM.
As of July 1, 2024, a CRM expert in the US earns an average salary of $67,172 per year ($5,597 per month) or $32.29 per hour. This figure varies from one state or city to another and depends on an individual’s skill level and years of experience. Top earners have an annual salary of $85,500, while those in the 25th percentile earn around $54,500.
Bottom Line
Although the sheer variety of CRM training courses can be overwhelming for those new to the tools, they ultimately let you choose your path to success. Whether you’re trying to solidify your presence as a customer-focused leader or just get your foot in the door with an entry-level position, there’s likely a CRM software certification that can help you achieve your goals sooner rather than later.
