What is Salesforce Marketing Cloud?
Salesforce Marketing Cloud is a family of marketing products that helps companies plan campaigns, create content and run personalized journeys across email, SMS, web and advertising using customer data from the Salesforce platform. Its newest edition, Marketing Cloud Next, is built directly on Salesforce with Data 360 and Agentforce AI agents, so marketing shares the same customer record as sales and service.
The family also includes Marketing Cloud Engagement, the long-standing B2C email and journey product originally known as ExactTarget, and Marketing Cloud Account Engagement, the B2B automation tool formerly called Pardot. Other parts cover personalization, marketing analytics, loyalty management and digital advertising. A Campaign Agent can draft on-brand content, assemble campaigns and adjust sends based on customer intent.
Salesforce Marketing Cloud at a glance
How does Salesforce Marketing Cloud work?
- Unify customer data
Bring CRM records, website behavior and other signals together in Data 360 so every campaign works from a single customer profile.
- Plan and create content
Use the Campaign Agent and content tools to draft on-brand emails, forms and landing pages that can be reused across channels.
- Build journeys
Assemble multichannel journeys across email, SMS, web and ads, with consent management handled in the same system.
- Engage in two-way conversations
Higher editions add conversational email and messaging channels such as SMS, WhatsApp and RCS.
- Measure and optimize
Track campaign attribution and engagement scores in marketing analytics, then let AI optimize sends in real time.
Salesforce Marketing Cloud key features
Marketing Cloud Next
The current edition built on the Salesforce platform with Data 360 and Agentforce, sold in Growth and Advanced tiers.
Campaign Agent
An AI agent that creates on-brand content, builds campaigns and optimizes sends based on customer signals.
Multichannel journeys
Coordinate email, SMS, web and paid advertising touches in automated customer journeys.
Marketing Cloud Engagement
The established B2C platform for high-volume email and cross-channel journeys, formerly ExactTarget.
Account Engagement (Pardot)
B2B marketing automation for lead nurturing and scoring, which can add newer capabilities through Account Engagement+.
Data 360
The customer data platform that unifies signals from different systems into real-time profiles.
Personalization and analytics
Tools for personalized web and message experiences, plus an analytics layer that connects performance and attribution across channels.
Why use Salesforce Marketing Cloud?
- Salesforce Marketing Cloud shares data with Sales Cloud and Service Cloud, giving marketers a fuller view of each customer.
- AI agents can speed up content creation and campaign assembly.
- It supports very large send volumes and complex, multichannel journeys.
- Separate products cover both B2C and B2B marketing needs within one vendor.
- Published Growth and Advanced edition prices make Marketing Cloud Next easier to budget than many enterprise suites.
Who is Salesforce Marketing Cloud best for?
A good fit for
- Companies already running Salesforce for sales or service
- Enterprise B2C brands with large audiences and many channels
- B2B marketing teams using Account Engagement for lead nurturing
- Organizations with admins or partners to manage implementation
Less suited to
- Small businesses that only need basic email campaigns
- Teams without Salesforce expertise or implementation budget
- Companies that want month-to-month billing
Salesforce Marketing Cloud pricing
| Pricing model | Subscription |
|---|---|
| Free plan | No |
| Free trial | Not confirmed |
| Starting price | $1,500/org/month billed annually (Marketing Cloud Next Growth) |
The Advanced edition costs $3,250 per org per month billed annually and adds conversational email, SMS, WhatsApp, RCS and AI engagement scoring. Pricing for Marketing Cloud Engagement and Account Engagement is handled through Salesforce sales.
Prices checked October 2026. Vendors change plans often, so confirm on the official Salesforce Marketing Cloud pricing page before you buy.
Salesforce Marketing Cloud pros and cons
Pros
- Deep link with Salesforce CRM data
- AI agents built into campaign creation
- Covers B2C and B2B marketing in one family
- Scales to very large audiences
Cons
- High entry price billed per org per year
- Product names and editions can be confusing
- Usually needs specialist setup and ongoing admin
Salesforce Marketing Cloud integrations and platforms
Works with
Available on
Salesforce Marketing Cloud alternatives
See the full shortlist in Best Marketing Automation Software.
Salesforce Marketing Cloud FAQ
How much does Salesforce Marketing Cloud cost?
Marketing Cloud Next Growth starts at $1,500 per org per month, billed annually, and the Advanced edition costs $3,250 per org per month. Pricing for Marketing Cloud Engagement and Account Engagement is quoted by Salesforce sales. Salesforce notes that listed prices can change, so check the official pricing page before budgeting.
What is Salesforce Marketing Cloud used for?
Salesforce Marketing Cloud is used to run personalized marketing across email, SMS, web and ads. Teams build automated journeys, create content with AI help, segment audiences using unified customer data and measure attribution. B2B teams use Account Engagement for lead nurturing, while B2C brands often use Engagement for high-volume sends.
Is Pardot part of Salesforce Marketing Cloud?
Yes. Pardot is now called Marketing Cloud Account Engagement and is part of the Salesforce Marketing Cloud family. It focuses on B2B marketing automation, such as lead scoring and nurture programs. Existing Account Engagement customers can add newer Marketing Cloud Next capabilities through an option called Account Engagement+.
Salesforce Marketing Cloud vs HubSpot: what's the difference?
Salesforce Marketing Cloud is an enterprise suite tightly linked to the Salesforce CRM and Data 360, with AI agents and high-volume journeys. HubSpot Marketing Hub is generally easier to set up, includes its own CRM and offers lower entry tiers. Large Salesforce customers often choose Marketing Cloud, while smaller teams often prefer HubSpot.
Does Salesforce Marketing Cloud have a free trial?
Salesforce does not list a free trial for Marketing Cloud Next Growth or Advanced on its pricing page. Companies usually request a demo or speak with sales. Customers on Sales or Service Cloud Enterprise Edition or higher may be able to access some marketing features at no cost through Salesforce Foundations via their account executive.
Sources
This overview is based on Salesforce Marketing Cloud's official website and documentation, checked October 2026.