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Build your tech stack

Find and integrate the right business apps for your organization’s needs, pain points and goals.

![big data collection and management](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/1ffbRACWpKM7KC1lnc8l9c/4019c279725fa63e1a0d32485c69f550/chris-liverani-dBI_My696Rk-unsplash.jpg)

Most entrepreneurs are familiar with the term 'big data.' After all, [data is the lifeblood of any effective business strategy](https://blog.hubspot.com/website/data-integrity). While this might sound straightforward, there are plenty of [big data challenges](https://blog.hubspot.com/website/big-data-challenges) that many business owners are not aware of.

To start at the beginning of every data strategy, how is big data collected? And once you have it, what can you use it for and how can you manage it?

Let's take a look at everything you need to know to leverage big data for your business, from collection to management. 

---

## What is big data?

As the name suggests, the term **big data** refers to a large volume of information that can be collected, analyzed, shared, created, and much more. It can include any kind of information we create digitally, such as emails, texts, documents, videos, photos...

This term also has a layered definition that is known as the '3 V's':

1. Velocity
2. Volume
3. Variety

The term **velocity** refers to the speed at which data is acquired. For example, real-time, automated data reports may be able to provide a company with customer information as soon as a specific goal is reached.

**Volume** is the overall amount of information and also includes the sources from which you obtain it. This typically includes things like social media, email, transactions, etc.

Lastly, **variety** is a term that refers to the different types of data that you collect. Big data could include all types of data, such as audio, video footage, digital images, and financial records. 

<RelatedPost slug="big-data-for-small-businesses" />

&nbsp;

## Big data benefits to businesses

Big data might sound daunting, but the [difficulties associated with it](https://www.piesync.com/blog/top-5-problems-with-big-data-and-how-to-solve-them/) are well worth the trouble. Big data can offer a large number of benefits to businesses of all sizes.

As such, entrepreneurs need to make sure they prioritize collecting and managing it properly so they can make the most of what big data has to offer. Here are a few key areas where big data can make a difference.

&nbsp;

### 1. Optimizing sales performance 

One of the most useful benefits of big data is the possibility to [optimize sales performance](https://www.piesync.com/solutions/crm/). By collecting and analyzing sales data, you'll be able to determine the weakest areas of your business and then make the appropriate changes.

Additionally, you can take a look at your customers' past browsing or purchasing behavior and use this data to make offers that they are likely to be interested in. Information from consumer feedback surveys can also be used to determine what areas of the customer experience need improvement.

While the type of information that you collect will depend on the size of your business and your industry, you can always use this information to increase your overall number of sales.

&nbsp;

### 2. Mitigating risk

Proper risk management is essential to the long-term health and success of the business. This is particularly true for smaller companies that can't afford to make a misstep without incurring financial difficulty.

When reviewing your company's financial data, you'll gain direct insight into areas of your business practices that are particularly volatile. For instance, a particular marketing strategy may provide a significant return on investment during a single month while providing nearly nothing the next month.

You can use this data to fine-tune your strategy until it performs consistently. You'll also learn from past mistakes to avoid repeating them in the future – otherwise, you run the risk of dealing with consequences on a much larger scale as your business grows. 

&nbsp;

### 3. Streamlining your budget

You can also identify areas where your business is spending more than it should to optimize your spending.

It's not uncommon for businesses to unnecessarily spend thousands of dollars that they could reallocate toward other areas of the business. This is commonly seen with expenses involving subscription-based services, as recurring monthly payments often get buried underneath all the invoices and costs of running a business. 

Big data can also help you identify expensive processes and workflows and give you valuable insights into how to optimize them.

<RelatedPost slug="top-5-problems-with-big-data-and-how-to-solve-them" />

---

## How to collect big data

Many entrepreneurs might get lost when developing a data strategy due to the sheer amount of decisions they need to make. It's important to do this carefully and thoughtfully to [create a practical, safe and scalable strategy to manage big data](https://blog.hubspot.com/website/data-management), from collection to usage.

Once you have a solid data strategy, you can think about how to start collecting data. There's a good chance that you're already doing it: if your business is run entirely or partially online, you likely already have some tools that collect and analyze data. 

Think of your email marketing tool that stores customers' and leads' email addresses and other personal information, as well as other information like open rates, click-through rates, and more. Or your CRM, which contains a wealth of information about your customers in every stage of their journey.

Here are some more examples of how you can collect big data.

&nbsp;

### 1. Social media

How your audience interacts with you on social media can give you a significant amount of crucial data. You'll be able to determine what type of content they are most interested in, how they interact with various aspects of your page, and more.

Over time, you'll develop a stronger understanding of the type of content that your followers want to see and then leverage this opportunity to direct them to your company's website. In addition, by analyzing trends, audience behavior and customer interactions on social media, you will have plenty of quality data to inform your overall sales and marketing strategies.

&nbsp;

### 2. Website analytics

With tools like [Google Analytics](https://analytics.google.com/) or [Google Data Studio](https://datastudio.google.com/), you can analyze a wealth of information about your website to figure out what is working and what isn't on one of your company's top assets.

You will gain insights into the demographic profile of visitors, website traffic, keywords, landing page performance, conversions, and any other online data that is relevant for your business. 

For example, you can find out how many people navigate away from your store's online cart, how long they stay on each page of your website, and how they get there in the first place.

You'll even be able to gain insight into what search terms they were looking for when they found you on search engines, allowing you to target them more effectively in the future and orienting SEO and PPC campaigns, for instance.

<RelatedPost slug="best-practices-for-reliable-analytics-and-reporting" />

&nbsp;

### 3. Purchase behavior

Although this metric is often explored while reviewing your website's analytics, it's worth giving your customers' purchase behavior extra attention. After all, understanding why someone decided to spend money on you is key to facilitating a higher number of future sales.

For example, you could analyze the purchase behavior of specific segments of customers. After determining what type of products they're interested in, you can then provide them with personalized offers related to their past purchases. This could also help you predict the interests of future customers who belong to the same segments and show similar behavior.

Additionally, users who tend to abandon their carts during their online purchase process often do so in order to deliberate on the price they're paying for the goods. From here, you can provide a discount on these items in order to encourage the completion of the purchase, or send them an email to remind them to purchase the products on their cart.

&nbsp;

### 4. Customer satisfaction

If you want to offer stellar customer service and keep an eye on how happy your customers are with your company, it's crucial to measure customer satisfaction. You can do this with customer surveys that measure NPS (Net Promoter Score) and CSAT (Customer Satisfaction Score), for example. 

This is useful to predict and prevent customer churn, as well as optimizing your products, sales strategies and customer service team. It also gives your customers an easy opportunity to let you know how they feel about your products or services, which helps them feel heard and cared for.
<RelatedPost slug="12-ways-to-improve-customer-experience-with-automation" />

---

## Data management best practices 

It's essential to understand that every company has a responsibility in how they collect and manage data. It's highly unethical – and, in some cases, illegal – to collect customer data without your audience's explicit consent.

Be aware of all data protection regulations that may apply to your business, such as GDPR or CCPA, and ensure that you are complying with the law every step of the way.

Ensuring data security is also key: that means making sure that all the data you collect and store is safe and secure from unauthorized access and bad actors.

Providing transparency into your company's privacy policy and requesting explicit consent to collect, store and handle their data is absolutely critical, as well as giving customers the option to deny your access to their data. This also goes a long way in establishing trust with your customers. 

But it's not enough to convey that their data is in good hands – you need to make sure that it stays that way.

This means constantly updating your data security methods, auditing your data management tools and processes, providing adequate training to your staff that manages data, and taking any applicable measures to ensure that your data is continuously up-to-date and secure.

---

Collecting, managing and utilizing big data is a constant and important job. But when you have **accurate, integrated and up-to-date customer data**, you make everything else easier and more impactful for your organization. The better you understand big data and its uses, the more effectively you'll be able to steer your business in the right direction.

To have the highest quality data in every app and enable your departments to collaborate, [use PieSync for a two-way contact data sync between your apps](https://www.piesync.com/why/). From your CRM to your email marketing software and support platform, bring your apps together to enable a data-driven and nimble organization.

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Big data is a powerful tool to grow any business. Learn how it's collected, how you can manage your data properly, and how to leverage the full power of big data in your business.

Big data: how is it collected and how can you manage it?

Data & Analytics

big data collection and management

Big data: how to collect and manage it

![person working with automation software on laptop](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/5QGECRXAZdFBXJX3Std7Yi/ad728035d1759420ece2c4395a8ab721/thought-catalog-UK78i6vK3sc-unsplash.jpg)

It's no secret that automation can significantly improve your [company's overall productivity](https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2020/05/01/the-benefits-of-automation-in-todays-workforce/#5a8f6c111cc8). Unfortunately, many business owners don't understand as much as they should about incorporating this technology.

Similarly, employees might be afraid that automation software will completely replace them. The truth is, however, that automation provides a significant return on investment (ROI) and should be capitalized on as much as possible.

Not sure where to start? Don't worry, we’ve got you covered. Let's take a look at everything you need to know.

---

## What is automation?

Automation refers to the process of actively minimizing the amount of human input in a given workflow. For example, chatbots on a company website are a common automation tool that answers common user questions and frees up a lot of time for support teams.

There's a lot of different types of automation that businesses can incorporate, such as:

- **Basic automation**: This involves using software to complete simple, straightforward tasks, such as sending messages, scheduling meetings, sending notifications once certain metrics are reached, etc. This type of automation can provide a drastic increase in productivity despite only managing everyday tasks, as it allows employees to focus more on their core responsibilities.
- **Workflow automation**: Although relatively similar to basic automation, workflow automation focuses on automating a sequence of tasks. For example, when a customer submits a help ticket for your company, you can use workflow automation to route this ticket to the right support specialist to assist this customer. You can also add a due date for the ticket and send an automated reply to the customer to let them know their request is being processed.
- **Email automation**: This allows you to automate email sequences to customers or other stakeholders based on a series of conditions. For example, if a customer just completed their first purchase with you or signed up for your newsletter, you can send them a series of welcome emails with important and useful information.

<RelatedPost slug="marketing-automation-opportunities" />

&nbsp;

### How automation can impact ROI

One of the biggest obstacles that businesses face when deciding whether or not to incorporate automation software – and which software is the best fit for them – is determining how to measure their ROI. Since automation can provide such a wide range of results, it can be difficult to assess its concrete value.

One of the reasons for this is because automation can yield two different kinds of ROI: hard ROI or soft ROI. 

**Hard ROI** can be objectively measured, so you can specifically determine how much time and/or money you can save with automation. Common examples of hard ROI include how much time you're able to save per task, the money you save from increasing the speed of your business processes, and how much work you're able to complete within a given period.

For instance, you could measure hard ROI by observing that a chatbot on your website saves each customer service rep about two hours per day by answering visitors' most common questions before they need to reach out to your team.

In contrast, **soft ROI** attempts to measure less tangible benefits that you get from deploying automation. As such, it's more difficult to quantify. 

For example, automating mundane tasks such as content publishing might not save you a significant amount of time each day, but it may let your employees focus on the more rewarding parts of their work. This can [improve their job satisfaction](https://www.piesync.com/blog/5-ways-ipaas-tools-can-increase-employee-satisfaction/) and help them better understand how their role impacts the company, which, in turn, may result in a higher level of productivity that leads to increased revenue.

Automation can also significantly [increase customer satisfaction](https://www.piesync.com/blog/12-ways-to-improve-customer-experience-with-automation/) by speeding up key processes and communications – and keeping your customers happy is key to make them stay with you in the long run. After all, customer retention can boost your ROI too: a 5% increase in customer retention can [increase a company’s profitability by up to 75%](http://www2.bain.com/Images/Value_online_customer_loyalty_you_capture.pdf).

<RelatedPost slug="12-ways-to-improve-customer-experience-with-automation" />

---

## How to measure ROI from automation

When measuring ROI, it's recommended to look at a period of at least a few months so that enough time has passed for you to have an accurate view of your results. You can't expect to get a full return on your investment within a few weeks of implementing automation software. 

With this in mind, here are 4 steps to measure the ROI you get from automating business processes.

&nbsp;

### 1. Determine the cost of your process

In order to get the best understanding of the ROI you get from automation, you will need to figure out how much a given workflow or process costs without using any automation at all.

Let's assume that you want to figure out how much it costs your company to manage its files. First, you would determine how many employees are responsible for this process and how long it takes each of them to complete it during a specific window of time (such as a week or month).

You can then use this value to formulate an objective cost. While this is easier for hourly-wage employees, it's still possible with full-time workers. If needed, you can find their average hourly rate by dividing their annual salary by 52 (weeks per year) and then again by 40 (for full-time work). So, an employee with a $60,000 annual salary would have an hourly rate of about $28.

If it takes this person 5 hours per week to complete this process, then you can work out that 5 hours per week x $28/hour = **$140/week**. That's how much it costs for this person to complete this process every week.

Since we're focusing on the annual cost of the process, you can then multiply this amount by 52. So, if file organization tasks cost your business **$140 per week**, it would cost **$7,280 per year ($140 x 52 weeks)**.

&nbsp;

### 2. Calculate the time and/or money you save

After you figured out how much money your company spends annually on a particular process, you'll then factor in how much time and money your company is able to save by automating this process. 

This calculation is nearly identical to the previous one. However, instead of calculating the time it takes your company to complete a task _without_ automation, you'll use the time it takes _with_ it.

You may find that the automation software you deployed saves your employee three hours per week. So, using the figures above, your employee now only needs to spend two hours per week on this task. 2 hours x $28/hour = **$56/week**. Then, to figure out the annual cost: $56 x 52 = **$2,912/year**.

But you also need to incorporate the cost of the automation software and its integration. Otherwise, you may end up with an inaccurate result. You can simply add this cost (or estimated cost) to the results you get (annual cost + automation cost). For example, if the software you want to use costs $2,000 per year, your total cost will be $2,912 + $2,000 = **$4,912/year**.

&nbsp;

### 3. Figure out your savings

The third step is pretty straightforward. To define your annual savings for this particular process, you simply need to subtract the result in step 2 from the result in step 1. That would be $7,280 - $4,912 = **$2,368 per year**.

&nbsp;

### 4. Determine your ROI

In order to properly [calculate your ROI](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/r/returnoninvestment.asp), all you need to do is divide the value of your savings by the cost of your automation software and its implementation. Then, you multiply this number by 100 in order to get a percentage.

So, if you save $2,368 annually and your software costs $2,000, this calculation would be $2,368 / $2,000 x 100 = **118% ROI**.

From here, you'll be able to determine whether or not automating these processes is worth the money you need to spend.

<RelatedPost slug="how-automation-benefits-your-customers-and-how-to-ensure-it" />

---

## How to implement business automation

Although implementing automation comes with a large number of tangible benefits, it can be difficult to think about how you can put it to practice – especially if you think that automation would make things too complex, or that the software you'd need would be too expensive. 

However, even automating simple processes provide enough benefits to make them worth pursuing; and, with so much choice in the market, you're sure to find a tool that fits your budget.

Here are some examples of areas in your business you can automate to get the highest ROI from automation.

&nbsp;

### Customer service

Automating customer service responsibilities can help your audience find the information they need and resolve their problems much more quickly and efficiently.

More often than not, a customer's reasons for looking for help (such as checking a balance or paying a bill) are quite simple, so it's easy to predict what they are and implement automation software to answer these questions immediately. This means that your service reps can dedicate more time to more complex queries. The result? Happier customers and nimbler customer service teams.

<RelatedPost slug="guide-to-customer-support-automation" />

### Marketing

Marketing is one of the easiest areas to automate in a business. From automating email sequences to sending personalized product recommendations and sprucing up your lead gen, there's a huge field of possibilities to automate your marketing processes. This can drastically increase your marketing team's results and productivity – and it doesn't have to break the bank. [Here are 35+ tasks you should automate](https://www.piesync.com/blog/tasks-every-marketer-should-automate/) to boost your marketing team's ROI.

 <RelatedPost slug="tasks-every-marketer-should-automate" />

### Document signing

Coordinating all of the necessary signatures on a document can be time-consuming. This is particularly true for extensive agreements, documents that concern sensitive information, or agreements that involve a large number of parties.

Luckily, automation software will allow you to take care of this task as quickly as possible. One of the most common use cases involves sending automatic alerts to every party involved whenever their signatures are required. Once all the signatures in a particular document have been obtained, an alert can then be sent to the appropriate party in order to move forward with the process.

&nbsp;

### Employee hiring

To facilitate more efficient employee hiring, automation software can screen applications to look for any red flags that would disqualify applicants based on preset conditions – or flag candidates that might be a good match for the role.

Additionally, you can also use automation to look for particular  attributes in order to segment applicants into groups. For large companies, this can save a substantial amount of time and effort in recruitment.

You can also use automation to notify candidates that their application has been received, if they've moved forward to the next stage, and to send them any relevant information about their application and the selection process.

---

Understanding how automation impacts ROI can seem difficult, but it doesn't have to be. With the right automation tools in your software stack, you'll be well on your way toward making the decision that will benefit your company the most.

A key aspect of ensuring you get the most out of automation is [connecting the data in your software stack](https://www.piesync.com/why/). With PieSync, you can sync your data across all of your key tools – and get the best possible results from automation with access to a wider range of accurate data. [Get started with a free trial](https://app.piesync.com/signup/) to get accurate and up-to-date data in every app, have a 360-degree view of your business and make sure your automation tools are at their most effective.

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Automating the right processes can drastically improve your company's productivity - and return on investment (ROI). Here's how to implement automation to save time and money across the board.

How automation can affect your ROI

Automation

person working with automation software on laptop

How to increase return on investment with automation

![computer code on screen for data quality management](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/1US4i7NybF8H2kLPgz7h42/93d58e1ccf28c9d5061a573423c874fd/markus-spiske-qjnAnF0jIGk-unsplash.jpg)

There was a time when gathering data was a hard task. Later on, it was a challenge to integrate data, and then it seemed almost impossible to keep it clean. Nowadays, all these things are not only possible, but necessary. 

Data is a key factor in every aspect of a business, from sales, marketing and customer service to product design, finances and so much more. Processed data becomes information, the most valuable commodity for any company.

This means that in order to make informed, data-driven decisions, you need to have high-quality data to power your business. That's why maintaining **data quality** is so important.

Ensuring [data quality](https://blog.hubspot.com/website/data-integrity) means that your databases are accurate, secure and consistent throughout the data lifecycle stages. Clean, high-quality data translates into efficiency, transparency and consistency throughout a business. 

&nbsp;

## The intelligent use of high-quality data 

Perhaps one of the most common motivations to ensure data quality is personalization. According to research, [85% of organizations](https://www.edq.com/globalassets/white-papers/2017-global-data-management-benchmark-report.pdf) globally experienced more timely and personalized customer communications as a result of improving their data quality. At the same time, 75% of organizations believe that inaccurate data is undermining their ability to provide a good customer experience.

Data quality can determine operational efficiency, customer satisfaction and informed marketing decisions. [52% of organizations](https://www.edq.com/globalassets/white-papers/2018-global-data-management-benchmark-report.pdf) maintain high-quality data to increase efficiency and improve cost savings. A company that invests in the maintenance of its database will see direct benefits: 

- __Lower costs in email marketing.__ Reducing the number of emails sent to inactive users and invalid email addresses can increase opening rates, deliverability, and decrease costs on email marketing platforms.

- __Cross-selling.__ When there's detailed information about a customers' pain points, purchasing behaviors and preferences, this data can open doors for sales departments to offer an additional product or service to an existing customer.

- __Accountancy savings.__ Having up-to-date customer information makes the billing process and credit control more accurate and efficient.

- __Personalized products and services.__ Data integrity provides a faithful approach to the customer. If used correctly, data can provide invaluable insights for companies to understand customers and what they expect from your products and services. 

Companies with quality data and advanced analytics capabilities have gained a significant lead over their competitors in the last few years. According to [Bain & Company](http://www.bain.com/publications/articles/big_data_the_organizational_challenge.aspx), these companies are twice as likely to be in the top quartile of financial performance in their industries. They also make and execute decisions faster.

<RelatedPost slug="automate-business-reporting" />

&nbsp;

## How to maintain a high-quality database

Organizations all over the world are increasingly relying on SaaS solutions to manage their data and increase its quality, recognizing that [data and analytics will provide a key source of opportunity](https://www.edq.com/globalassets/white-papers/2018-global-data-management-benchmark-report.pdf) in the coming years. The most urgent services that these organizations need for their data management are:

- __Removing duplicates.__ Normally, data comes from multiple sources such as web forms, emails and marketing leads. Additionally, in certain cases, contacts are being created by different departments or several agents in the same department. These factors increase the possibility of having duplicated contacts, which means that emailing services can become inefficient and generate unnecessary costs. In addition, the information in your CRM or help desk can get confusing or inaccurate.

- __Minimizing human error.__ Human error is one of the most common ways to lose information. A bad phone number, a spelling error or typo can even make you lose a potential customer. You can minimize the chances of human error by automating essential data management tasks.

- __Real-time data updates.__ Staying on top of data updates is never easy. Automatically updating data across SaaS tools means that all teams get the latest, most accurate data in their tools without the need for manual updates or imports and exports.

An integration tool like [PieSync](https://www.piesync.com/why/) can help you stay on top of your data management by syncing your software stack two ways and in real time. Get started with a free trial now for accurate, consistent and up-to-date data throughout your business.


High-quality data is a key factor in every aspect of a business. Processed data becomes information, the most valuable commodity for any company. Find out how to maintain data quality in order to make informed, data-driven decisions.

A beginner's guide to high-quality data

computer code on screen for data quality management

Wave

Xero

![wave vs xero](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/5sugdCn6aDk9tLXDC9b64u/0c03997eabe9896532076f0357b4749a/wave_vs_xero.png)

Xero is one of the most popular accounting systems on the market, known for its clean user experience and ease of use. But it's certainly not the only option for business owners looking for reliable accounting software. Wave is a popular alternative to Xero that has a unique selling point: it's free.

But how do the two accounting platforms stack up, and are you better off paying for [Xero](https://www.xero.com/) or using [Wave](https://www.waveapps.com/) for free?

Here's our in-depth comparison of Xero vs. Wave to give you everything you need to know before making a decision.

&nbsp;

* [When to choose Wave](#choosing-wave)
* [When to choose Xero](#choosing-xero)
* [Comparing Wave vs. Xero feature sets](#wave-vs-xero)
* [Ease of setup and use](#ease-of-use)
* [Invoicing](#invoices)
* [Track expenses](#expenses)
* [Reporting](#reporting)
* [Integration options](#integrations)
* [Wave vs. Xero pricing](#pricing)
* [Summary: when to choose Wave vs. Xero](#summary)
* [Sync Xero and Wave with your other apps](#sync-other-apps)

----

## Comparing Xero vs. Wave in 2020 – which is the best accounting software for you?

What's the difference between Wave and Xero? The main differentiator is that Wave is free and Xero is not. But there are a few other reasons why one accounting software can be a better fit for your business than the other. Read on for our outline of when it's best to choose Wave or Xero.

&nbsp;

## When to choose Wave{#choosing-wave}

&nbsp;

![Wave accounting dashboard](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/4VscjOiNwW6riyDbIbFmTW/38543ace5d9a09f6dbf64ac18e5bddbb/Screenshot_2019-10-04_at_17.40.03.png)

### 1. You're on a tight budget

While Xero has price plans ranging from $9 to $60 per month, Wave accounting software is free.

You might be wondering if it's really free. The short answer is yes. Their accounting and invoicing software is free and you get unlimited, instant access to all features after signing up with no need for a credit card.

The only things you'll need to budget for are payroll functionality and access to expert services. There are also fees for credit card transactions. [Jump to our comparison of Wave versus Xero pricing](#pricing) to find out more about what you need to pay for with Wave.

&nbsp;

### 2. You're a freelancer or small business owner

If you want a budget-friendly accounting and invoicing solution, Wave is a great __free alternative to Xero__.

Wave is designed for businesses with one to nine employees and offers a straightforward but customizable solution that's ideal for freelancers in marketing, design and business consulting, as well as small agencies.

In June 2020, Wave launched [Wave Money](https://www.waveapps.com/blog/news/wave-money-the-future-of-small-business-banking) as "the future of small business banking". This will offer customers a business bank account plus debit card and mobile app with built-in bookkeeping. It's currently in limited release and only available to US-based, single-owner businesses.

<RelatedPost slug="best-freelance-management-tools-2020" /> 

&nbsp;

### 3. You're in the US or Canada

One of Wave's main limitations is its accessibility for customers outside of North America. This is where Wave's automatic bank feeds, payroll and add-on services such as accounting advice are available. 

For customers outside the US and Canada, there's a chance you'll be frustrated at the lack of options for automated accounting in your region. You can head over to their [bank feeds list](https://support.waveapps.com/hc/en-us/articles/208624076-Connect-your-bank-account-to-Wave) to check if yours is included.

----

## When to choose Xero{#choosing-xero}

&nbsp;

![Xero dashboard](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/1CznsXfJnVHfrpe5bW4c66/73e65c7932ba71ec0b78f575cc5d7863/Xero_dashboard.png)

### 1. You're outside North America

While Wave's benefits are mainly limited to customers in the US and Canada, Xero thrives outside of it. Xero is a firm favorite in New Zealand, where it was founded, as well as Europe.

That's not to say Xero isn't popular with customers in the US – it absolutely is, and gives competitor and market-leader QuickBooks a run for its money. Accountants love Xero and many are specifically trained in supporting their clients with the software, which is not the case with lesser-known Wave.

<RelatedPost slug="xero-vs-quickbooks-online" />

&nbsp;

### 2. You're a freelancer or small business with higher revenue or more complex requirements

Like Wave, Xero is a fantastic choice for small businesses and freelancers. It's especially beneficial if your business has additional needs, such as billing clients in multiple currencies or [integrating inventory](https://apps.xero.com/us/function/inventory) and point of sale transactions. 

Xero is extremely customizable, although this flexibility does come at a higher price than Wave, especially if you need the $60/month plan to access all features.

&nbsp;

### 3. You're happy to pay for great user experience and features

For some businesses, saving money on a free product isn't as beneficial as paying for extra value. Xero is known as the "online accounting software for beautiful business" and its user experience and minimalist interface is hard to beat.

If you loved using Xero during your free trial and it frees up more time than other solutions, we'd recommend you go for it – especially if you only need the low or mid-priced plan.

----

## Feature comparison of Xero vs. Wave{#wave-vs-xero}

&nbsp;

### Ease of setup and use{#ease-of-use}

__Wave is designed for freelancers__ and very small businesses, and it's very straightforward to get set up with. After signing up and inputting your business name and type, you can add your bank accounts and import up to 3 months' historic transactions if it's one of 10,000+ connecting banks. You can then add your products, services and customer data. With PieSync, you can [instantly sync this from your other apps](https://www.piesync.com/wave/) to Wave.

As mentioned earlier, __Xero is a joy to use__. It's simple to get started with and it's incredibly easy to maintain organized accounts. With a feed set up with your business bank accounts (even including TransferWise and PayPal), all you need to do is reconcile expenses to have everything ready for tax time.

&nbsp;

### Invoicing{#invoices}

__Wave's free product__ includes unlimited custom invoicing, which is a major win for freelancers and businesses that primarily need accounting software for this purpose.

![chrome-invoice-professional-invoices](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/6jV3dQGOxujTL8vKp6xFHD/d3b2545b76a8bbb7977c0ed51ab6750a/chrome-invoice-professional-invoices.jpg)

&nbsp;

Meanwhile, __like nearly everything else in Xero__, invoices are a piece of cake to set up and send. You can use default invoice templates or create your own if you want something more personalized. Some invoice template edits can be tricky, such as customizing or adding new columns, but for most businesses it's a breeze to start invoicing clients.

![Xero invoicing](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/6SFzY6aXwHjyPyzzACauUP/4e3c185f5af7043ac3c9a472f316b14f/Xero_invoicing_vs_Quickbooks.png)

&nbsp;

### Track expenses{#expenses}

__Wave includes unlimited expense tracking__, which stands out here - Xero gates their expenses feature behind higher plans and add-ons. Wave's Receipts app for iOS and Android lets you scan receipts on the go and avoid hoarding paper receipts or wrestling with messy spreadsheets.

__Xero also has a user-friendly app__ to manage invoices and bills, reconcile bank transactions, and monitor spending on the go. It has a high rating of 4.7/5 on both the Apple and Google Play stores.

To track expenses outside of reconciled bank transactions within Xero, you'll need to choose the $60/month plan with access to the Expenses feature. If you're outside the US, Xero's Expenses feature (and Projects) is available as a paid add-on instead.

&nbsp;

### Reporting{#reporting}

__With Wave__, the Chart of Accounts section of your dashboard offers a simple overview of Assets, Liabilities, Income, Expenses and Equity accounts to keep your accounting up-to-date all year round:

&nbsp;

![Wave Chart of Accounts in user dashboard](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/6ajPgjN9CPSAqH2WtkzEWF/5c917506ee78c77719c5330ca7aab6b3/Wave__Bronze_Raven_Photography__Chart_Of_Accounts_2018-09-21_10-09-23.png)

&nbsp;

At a glance, you can also view useful reporting for cash flow statements, profit and loss, balance sheets, sales tax reports and more.

![Wave accounting cash flow reporting](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/5jb1SKfaeSDqQWvWoXjOj7/de35a36ff0438d260b700d487781498e/10095-wave-accounting-1559142156-7136211.jpeg)

&nbsp;

__Xero's reporting suite__ is extremely easy to navigate and draw conclusions from. You can instantly see your key metrics on the main dashboard, while the Business Performance Snapshot offers deeper insights for the time frame of your choice:

![Xero business performance dashboard](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/3PMMyiSfD0FBFIHvHqLWXL/42bb902dffe93562f0ce98c5f993d9bd/Business-Performance-Dashboard__1_.jpg)

&nbsp;

To dig even deeper into your financials, [Fathom is a great app](https://www.fathomhq.com/xero) with a seamless Xero integration that offers a more in-depth view of your business's cash flow and profitability:

&nbsp;

![Fathom for Xero](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/6CX7HZWB33QRF1fhstWakC/b49c76dee765212fb4d06a135f18019d/Fathom_for_Xero.png)

&nbsp;

### Integration options{#integrations}

What about connecting Wave and Xero with your other business apps? Here's how the two accounting platforms compare when it comes to integrations.

__Wave offers integrations__ with PayPal, Shoeboxed and Etsy. You can also now [integrate your Shopify orders and payouts with Wave](https://apps.shopify.com/wave-sync), which is a great bonus for small ecommerce stores.

As Wave is a PieSync partner, you can [sync your contact data in Wave](https://www.piesync.com/wave/) two ways with hundreds of other business apps to maintain the latest information everywhere. 

__Xero has a fantastic range of integrations__ in their [App Marketplace](https://apps.xero.com/us/function/inventory). These include apps for inventory and point of sale such as DEAR Inventory and Vend, document signing apps like Proposify, and reporting tools such as Syft and Fathom.

For precise two-way syncing of your contact data from Xero to other business apps including your CRM, you can also [use PieSync for thousands of integration options with Xero](https://www.piesync.com/xero/).

<RelatedPost slug="small-business-accounting-apps" />

----

## Wave vs. Xero pricing{#pricing}

Wave's Invoicing, Accounting, Receipts and Payments products are all free to use, but there are a few features of Wave that you need to pay for. These include:

__Transactions__: With Wave, you pay 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction per credit card transaction for non-European issued cards, and 1.4% + 20p per transaction for European issued cards.

__Payroll__: If you want to [pay your staff with Wave](https://www.waveapps.com/payroll), their payroll service for companies in the US and Canada includes a $20-35/month base fee, plus $6 per active employee and independent contractor paid.

__Wave Advisors__: If you're in North America, you can get even more benefits from Wave by paying for a [Wave Advisor](https://www.waveapps.com/wave-advisors). Their accounting coaching is available from $79/month, while bookkeeping and a tax service for US businesses start at $129 per month.

&nbsp;

__If you choose Xero__, you can select one of three paid plans: Early, Growing and Established. 

Most businesses will choose the Growing $30/month plan for access to unlimited invoices, bills, and reconciled bank transactions. However, some freelancers and very small businesses will be able to get away with the limits of the Early $9 plan and keep to a smaller budget.

![Xero pricing plans 2020](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/5Lx6gxnp0TlE2XiGi7BR8S/dc31a570a07983136d5b460fdb431d55/Screenshot_2020-08-07_at_12.12.31.png)

----

## Summary: when to choose Wave vs. Xero{#summary}

If you're a very small business or freelancer in North America, __Wave__ might be the ideal accounting software to organize your business and simplify tax time. However, if you have higher revenue, more complex requirements or plan to scale, Xero is likely to be a better choice. __Xero__'s user experience and beautifully-designed interface are also hard to beat.

To help you make up your mind whether to choose Wave or Xero, here's our quick comparison:

&nbsp;

| When to choose Wave     | When to choose Xero     |
| ---------- | ---------- |
| You're on a tight budget       | You're happy to pay for great user experience and features       |
| You're a freelancer or very small business owner       | You're a freelancer or small business with higher revenue or more complex requirements   |
| You're in the US or Canada       | You're outside North America       |

&nbsp;

**Looking for other accounting systems to compare with Xero and Wave?**

* [Wave vs. QuickBooks: which is the best accounting tool?](https://www.piesync.com/blog/wave-vs-quickbooks/)
* [Xero vs. QuickBooks Online: what’s the best cloud accounting tool for your business?](https://www.piesync.com/blog/xero-vs-quickbooks-online/)
* [FreshBooks vs. QuickBooks: which is the best accounting tool?](https://www.piesync.com/blog/freshbooks-vs-quickbooks/)

----

## Sync Xero and Wave with your other apps{#sync-other-apps}

Whether you choose Wave or Xero, make it easier for your accounting software to play nicely with your other apps by creating a two-way sync between them.

PieSync connects contact, lead and customer data two ways between all of your key apps, from your accounting software to your CRM, marketing apps, and other essential tools. Get started with a 14-day free trial to maintain a single source of truth in all your apps.

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Is Wave or Xero a better fit for your small business? Compare the two platforms and learn which accounting software is the best choice for you.

Wave vs. Xero: which is the best accounting software for your business?

cta-3-no-more-disconnected-data

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App Comparisons

wave logo xero logo wave vs xero app comparison

wave vs xero

![Woman in business updating lead data on laptop in office](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/5XROi1lwmU72Laq2QtUguy/97a792e9c1cc6d7ba10cba7fcb43ebcf/christina-wocintechchat-com-1Kf3jFemsPk-unsplash-min.jpg)

Effective lead management is one of the core principles of any successful business. It means __helping the right people to become your customers__ and making it easy for them to buy from you again in future. 

When you get lead management right, you can:

* Convert more prospects into customers
* Streamline operations
* Improve sales experiences

But it's not always clear how to create an effective lead management process. 

Is it about quickly responding to leads, keeping your CRM neat and tidy, or using the right tags and lists? 

The short answer is that it's about all of the above. 

There are lots of moving parts, but lead management is ultimately about **data management plus relationship building**. One of the best ways to view your lead management strategy is through the lens of [Data Lifecycle Management](https://blog.hubspot.com/website/data-lifecycle-management) (DLM). DLM consists of five stages:

* Data collection
* Data storage
* Data maintenance
* Data usage
* Data cleaning

Every lead passes through the same stages with your business, so it's important to get each one right for effective lead management.

To help you maximize your lead management at every stage, here are some of the top best practices to implement in your business.

----

## Your guide to effective lead management at every stage of the funnel

&nbsp;

### 1. Collecting leads

#### Adjust form fields for accurate data entry

Lead management starts with adding new leads to your database. It's a crucial part of the process: after all, how you collect leads determines how organized things will be further down the line. 

Do your future self and colleagues a favor by __collecting leads in a standardized, organized and accurate way__. This starts with adjusting form fields to collect the best data in the right structure.

&nbsp;

#### Remember data protection regulations

One core part of the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) in Europe is data protection _by design_. This means building data security and ethical use into the foundations of your business. 

Make sure every lead you add to your database has given __clear consent__ for their data to be stored and that you only store it for the time and purpose you say in your terms and conditions.

----

### 2. Storing leads

#### Centralize all leads in your CRM

You can't manage your leads effectively if they're scattered between multiple platforms or in an outdated system that's not designed for contact management (we're looking at you, Excel sheets). 

To stay on top of all leads and not let anything fall through the cracks, [choose a CRM system](https://www.piesync.com/blog/best-crms-for-small-businesses/) that helps your team to provide the best customer experiences.

<RelatedPost slug="guide-to-crm" /> 

&nbsp;

#### Create secure backups

If all of your lead data is centralized on a single platform, it's important to create regular backups. One effective way to do this is with an [automated sync to another cloud-based system](piesync.com/solutions/lead-sync/). This can also make it easier to ensure data protection and your contacts' privacy than with CSV exports.

----

### 3. Maintaining lead data 

#### Make lead management easy for sales

A lead management process that relies on your team to input things correctly and follow specific steps isn't efficient. It's a recipe for human error. 

To minimize errors, make lead management as intuitive as possible for your team. You can do this with:

* Automated processes
* Data entry restrictions to ensure the right format is used
* [Syncing lead data](https://www.piesync.com/solutions/lead-sync/) from your most authoritative app

&nbsp;

#### Enrich your data

High-quality lead data is _enriched lead data_. What does this mean? It means that your sales reps aren't just given a name and email address to work with, but rather a comprehensive and high-def view of every prospect. 

This can include a lead's industry, company size, and even goals and pain points based on previous interactions with marketing content and progressive forms. Data enrichment apps like [Clearbit](https://clearbit.com/) are also a handy way to include more insights on every contact record.

<RelatedPost slug="how-to-capitalize-on-customer-data" /> 

&nbsp;

#### Segment your leads

Segmentation is important for every department. It enables marketing to [send the most relevant messages](https://www.piesync.com/blog/why-marketing-personalization-is-so-important-and-how-to-use-it/) and advertising. Salespeople can use it to create a tailor-fit buying process. And service teams can ensure that customers know about the most valuable features for them.

With tags, labels, groups and list memberships, you can organize your leads into the most relevant segments for your entire customer journey.

&nbsp;

#### Sync leads between your apps

Most businesses use a lot more than one app to manage lead data. Marketers might input and update contact data on a different platform than their sales colleagues, and it's standard to have several platforms for different purposes within a single department. 

You can avoid the headaches of manual updates and contradictory data by creating [an automated sync between your apps](https://www.piesync.com/solutions/lead-sync/). With a tool like [PieSync](https://app.piesync.com/signup/), you can ensure that everyone is always looking at the latest and most enriched lead data in every app.

<RelatedPost slug="keep-customer-data-up-to-date-everywhere" /> 

&nbsp;

#### Use lead scoring

One of the quickest ways to make your lead management more effective is with lead scoring. This is a common feature of advanced CRMs (although often gated behind higher plans) that __instantly assigns positive or negative points__ to a lead based on the information they give and the interactions they have with your company. This enables your sales team to instantly identify the most sales-ready leads at any moment.

----

### 4. Data usage

#### Use automation for the fastest outreach

Much of the heavy lifting of lead management can be achieved with automation. Some of the [best ways to automate lead management](https://www.piesync.com/blog/10-ways-to-automate-your-sales-team-you-hadnt-thought-of/) include lead scoring, assigning and rotating leads, and [syncing lead data](https://www.piesync.com/solutions/lead-sync/) between apps.

&nbsp;

#### Create insightful reporting dashboards

By visualizing your lead data, you can understand exactly how your team is performing. For the best insights, create reports that __break down performance by funnel stage__ so you can understand where your team is thriving or where efficiency is breaking down.

<RelatedPost slug="what-to-do-when-you-cant-trust-your-business-reporting-data" /> 

&nbsp;

#### Nurture your leads

Effective lead management keeps leads engaged and moving through the funnel. This is where **lead nurturing** comes in. You can achieve this with timely and relevant email sequences that guide each lead towards a set goal, such as requesting a sales demo or becoming a customer.

&nbsp;

#### Automatically assign leads to the best owner

One other handy way to use automation is automatic lead routing, which directs each new lead to the right salesperson or support agent based on their location, product requirements, business size or other attributes.

<RelatedPost slug="10-ways-to-automate-your-sales-team-you-hadnt-thought-of" /> 

----

### 5. Cleaning lead data

#### Have regular cleanups

Frequent housekeeping is an essential part of managing lead data. It keeps your data __fresh and reliable__ and without it, decaying data can quickly get unmanageable and expensive to fix.

<RelatedPost slug="top-4-clean-data-tips-for-your-database" /> 

&nbsp;

#### Avoid duplicates

Having duplicate contacts in your database is a real barrier to effective lead management. To avoid duplicates, focus on:

* **Preventing** duplicate contacts with [a two-way contact sync](https://www.piesync.com/blog/fix-and-prevent-duplicate-contacts-with-piesync/) between your apps. This doesn't delete duplicates, but it enables you to sync the cleanest data to avoid duplicates and intelligently merges data.
* **Fixing** duplicate contacts with a built-in feature offered by your apps, or with a third-party solution. [Here are some of the best tools to eradicate duplicates](https://www.piesync.com/blog/apps-for-removing-duplicate-contacts/).

----

Effective lead management depends on __how you collect, store, maintain, use and clean your lead data__. With the help of a great CRM, solid processes for nurturing and automation, and regular housekeeping, you should be well on your way to streamlining your funnel.

To keep your leads updated with the latest data in every app, start by syncing lead data automatically and in two directions with PieSync. Get started with a 14-day trial to start syncing your apps for free.


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Effective lead management hinges on how you collect, store, maintain, use and clean your data. Here's how to convert leads more efficiently with simple best practices.

The complete guide to effective lead management

Contact Management

Woman in business updating lead data on laptop in office

![Business owner collecting and managing customer data in an office](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/5tvFmZfAAuEtjbrqEoXjsR/4d698590bd0da293b00cc735cd490748/blake-wisz-GFrBMipOd_E-unsplash__1_-min.jpg)

Customer data is the most valuable asset in your organization. Your sales, marketing and service teams all rely on the insights you hold about your customers to deliver the right experiences at the right time, all the way from lead generation to long-term customer retention.

Maintaining an [accurate and up-to-date customer database](https://www.piesync.com/blog/ultimate-guide-to-contact-management/) is essential for delivering personalized interactions at scale: without it, there's no way for your team to remember everything they need to know about thousands of leads and customers. 

But which customer data do you actually need to collect for each department, how should you store it, and what's the correct way to use it? 

Here's our guide to customer data that will walk you through everything you need to know.

----

## The customer data to collect and use for different departments

&nbsp;

### Marketing

Marketing is where it all begins for your customer data. You're creating content and lead magnets that draw attention to your brand, using forms and other [lead gen tools](https://www.piesync.com/blog/10-best-lead-generation-tools/) like live chat to convert those visitors to contacts, and nurturing those contacts to (hopefully) becoming sales-ready leads. Here's the customer data to collect in your marketing team

&nbsp;

#### 1. The basics: name, email, business name

Marketing is usually the department that brings in the highest proportion of new leads, which means the pressure is on to make that information valuable for the rest of the customer lifecycle. This starts with the basic contact data that should be [smoothly organized in your CRM](https://www.piesync.com/blog/guide-to-crm/) as well as [synced two ways with other key apps](https://www.piesync.com/solutions/contacts-sync/) such as your email marketing platform. This keeps all customer information up-to-date everywhere, ready for everyone in any department to locate the latest insights.

&nbsp;

#### 2. Website engagement

At the early stages of a new lead's time with your business, it's important to make sure your website analytics enable you to understand how they are interacting with your business and how you can best deliver the experiences they're looking for. If you're an ecommerce business owner, for example, you could use website activity to recommend other similar products each person might like via email or retargeting ads on social media.

&nbsp;

#### 3. Segmentation data

Information that enables you to segment a contact into the right groups and lists is one of the most valuable types of data to collect early on. This can include data such as team size, industry and role. Not only can this data enable the most personalized messaging and automation, but it also helps to calculate lead scoring.

&nbsp;

#### 4. Subscription preferences

In the very first form that a lead fills out on your website, make sure there's a clear checkbox for them to opt in to marketing communications. This is a crucial part of data protection regulations, but it also enables you to send the most relevant content if you offer a range of options to subscribe to.

&nbsp;

#### 5. Lead scoring

Lead qualification data such as lead scoring is one of the most impactful ways for marketers to help out their sales colleagues. With automated lead scoring in place, points are awarded for positive metrics and behavior and deducted for negative indicators. It's the fastest way to instantly assess how likely a prospect is to buy your product and be a satisfied customer, and ideally starts as soon as a visitor converts to a lead.

Examples of lead score boosters:

- High engagement, such as webinar signups and content downloads
- High amount of time spent on your website
- Visiting high-value pages, such as pricing pages, demo pages and feature pages
- Identification as decision-maker
- High-value market or industry
- Adequate budget
- Team size matches personas
- Annual revenue matches personas

&nbsp;

Examples of lead score deductors:

- Very low engagement with website pages
- Not the decision-maker
- Market or industry you struggle to serve
- Inadequate budget
- Team size doesn't match personas
- Annual revenue doesn't match personas

----

### Sales

Salespeople create and strengthen the bridge for interested leads to become happy customers, guiding each prospect to the right product or service for them. Whether your team works with an [account-based approach](https://www.piesync.com/blog/the-ultimate-guide-to-account-based-sales/) for high-value deals or a more automated strategy that's effective at scale, customer data is crucial. Here's the data that's most important for your sales team to collect and some pointers on how to put it to use.

&nbsp;

#### 1. Deal information

For each closed deal, make sure to create a clear record of all information associated with it as soon as possible. This includes data such as billing amount and frequency, which you can easily [sync from your CRM with your accounting app](https://www.piesync.com/solutions/crm/). It also helps to make sure there's an easily accessible copy of the latest version of the contract in your CRM.

&nbsp;

#### 2. Customer lifetime value (LTV)

Calculating a customer's lifetime value is a really useful metric to forecast long-term revenue. You can measure this by multiplying their purchase value by purchase frequency over your average customer lifespan. With a CRM like HubSpot that has [calculation properties](https://knowledge.hubspot.com/crm-setup/create-calculation-properties), you can keep this updated automatically for your active customers.

&nbsp;

#### 3. Information about decision-makers

Your salespeople get an unmatched view into how each client's company functions. This includes who is involved in the decision-making process. As this same group of people will likely be involved in future onboarding sessions and upgrading discussions, make sure to store relevant information in your CRM. This helps to avoid the awkward scenario of them remembering you while you look anxiously at a blank contact record, or passing the deal to a colleague who has even less background information.

&nbsp;

#### 4. Granular, verified segmentation data

As a sales team gets to know a prospect better, it's a great opportunity to verify their contact record. Check their industry, company size and other key metrics are correct and make sure to [instantly sync this data to other apps](https://www.piesync.com/solutions/crm/) such as email marketing and automation tools that use segmentation.

&nbsp;

#### 5. Closed won and closed lost data

One of the most important metrics for salespeople to collect is why they successfully close a deal or not. Ask for standardized answers to store in your CRM and use this to optimize your product, messaging and targeting, and sales process.

<RelatedPost slug="keep-customer-data-up-to-date-everywhere" />

&nbsp;

----

### Customer service

Customer data collection doesn't finish when a deal is closed. Throughout a customer's time with your company, you can optimize and update their contact record to create the most accurate view of how your company can best serve them. Here's the best customer data to collect in your service team

&nbsp;

#### 1. Customer happiness metrics

Metrics such as NPS (Net Promoter Score) and CSAT (Customer Satisfaction Score) are incredibly useful for any organization to reduce churn and optimize customer experience with a stronger product, strategy and team. These metrics give you a snapshot into how a customer feels about your company and products at any point in time, and with repeated surveys at set intervals, you can monitor how that sentiment changes with time.

Many customer happiness metrics are extremely quick to collect. As one of the most popular examples, NPS simply asks: “On a scale of zero to ten, how likely are you to recommend our business to a friend or colleague?” You can measure NPS and CSAT with tools such as [Wootric](https://www.wootric.com/).

&nbsp;

#### 2. Support ticket data

An insightful way to gauge both individual and overall customer happiness and satisfaction towards your product and support is with your support ticket data. This includes general metrics such as ticket volume, topic and time to resolution, but it's also worth automating data properties for each customer record, such as:

- Last ticket submitted
- Number of tickets submitted

[With automation in your service team](https://www.piesync.com/blog/12-ways-to-improve-customer-experience-with-automation/), you can create instant triggers that let your team know if satisfaction scores drop below a certain threshold or a certain amount of tickets are submitted within a timeframe. Your team can then reach out fast to check how the customer is doing and reduce their likelihood of churn.

&nbsp;

#### 3. Churn risk

By combining metrics such as customer satisfaction and support ticket data, you can create a tailored formula for calculating churn risk. With a [calculation property in your CRM](https://knowledge.hubspot.com/crm-setup/create-calculation-properties), you can then automatically measure this and keep an up-to-date and intelligent view of the customers at the highest risk of churn.

&nbsp;

#### 4. Customer churn reason

It's unfortunate, but it happens: you can't keep every customer forever. If a customer does have to say goodbye, try to understand and record what's behind it in your CRM. Keep these answers standardized (such as "too expensive" or "problems with product") so you can easily create actionable reports instead of sifting through unstructured data.

&nbsp;

#### 5. Customer happiness reason

On the other hand, if a customer loves your company, learn why! Create a standardized set of satisfaction reasons that you can ask your customers with high NPS scores to choose from. 

<RelatedPost slug="how-to-capitalize-on-customer-data" />

----

Collecting, maintaining and utilizing customer data is a job you're never finished with. But when you have **relevant, accurate and up-to-date customer data**, you make everything else easier and more impactful for sales, marketing, service and beyond.

To maintain the highest quality data in every app and enable your departments to seamlessly collaborate on insights, [use PieSync for a two-way contact data sync between your apps](https://app.piesync.com/signup/). From your CRM to your email marketing software and support platform, bring your apps together for the smoothest data-driven operations in your organization.

Customer data is behind everything in your company. Learn the best practices for collecting, maintaining and utilizing customer data in sales, marketing and service.

The customer data guide for businesses: what to collect, maintain and use

Business owner collecting and managing customer data in an office

Customer data: what to collect and how to put it to work in your company

Stripe

Square

![stripe vs square](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/1JSBCROF3GGJijyKeev6ku/b10b6b14000f184e63f1d58e0203dba2/stripe_vs_square.png)

It's never been easier to start a business from anywhere in the world. Entrepreneurs can use cloud-based software to manage their business remotely and collaborate with team members they've never met in person. And with payment technology, anyone can instantly accept payments from customers on the other side of the globe.

Two of the most popular payment gateways are Stripe and Square. Stripe is the most well-known brand of the two and popular as a go-to choice for online payment processing, often as an alternative to PayPal. It's also highly customizable and scalable.

On the other hand, Square is best known for making payments accessible for businesses of all sizes and levels of tech-savviness. Square started with an affordable card reader that quickly became popular with brick-and-mortar stores and has since expanded to much wider payment functionality.

But how do Stripe and Square stack up, what's the difference between them, and how can you make the best choice for your business? Here's our head-to-head comparison of the two platforms.

* [Introducing Square and Stripe](#square-and-stripe)
* [When to choose Square](#choosing-square)
* [When to choose Stripe](#choosing-stripe)
* [Online payments](#online-payments) 
* [Point of sale](#point-of-sale)
* [Stripe vs. Square pricing](#pricing)
* [Quick summary: when to choose Stripe vs. Square](#summary)
* [Sync Stripe and Square with your other apps](#sync-other-apps)

---

## Introducing Square and Stripe{#square-and-stripe}

&nbsp;

|      | Square     | Stripe     |
| ---------- | ---------- | ---------- |
| Best for       | Small businesses and brick-and-mortar stores      | Startups, software platforms, ecommerce platform users      |
| Excels at       | POS  with a quick set-up for straightforward online sales    | Highly customizable payment flows for online sales  |
| Billing       | Pay-as-you-go, no monthly charges or lock-in    | Pay-as-you-go, no monthly charges or lock-in       |
| Complexity       | Low unless you opt for Square's developer tools and API  | Mid-to-high if you want customization     |
| Customer service       | 9am-5pm, Mon-Fri      | 24/7       |

&nbsp;

### About Square

[Square](https://squareup.com/) believes everyone should be "able to participate and thrive in the economy" and that no one should be left out because the cost is too great or the technology too complex. This has been their ethos from the beginning, when they started out with a little white card reader popular with small retail stores and cafes that didn't want to lose a large chunk of their profits to payment processing costs.

They now enable sellers to accept chip and PIN and contactless payments, as well as offering a Cash App to allow people to send money instantly to family or friends. Square's CEO and Co-founder is Jack Dorsey, also CEO and Co-founder of Twitter, who launched the company in 2009.

&nbsp;

### About Stripe

[Stripe](https://stripe.com/) offers "payments infrastructure for the internet". Millions of businesses of all sizes – from startups to large enterprises – use Stripe’s software and APIs to accept payments, send payouts and manage their businesses online. Irish entrepreneur brothers John and Patrick Collison founded Stripe in 2010.

&nbsp;

----

## Comparing Stripe vs. Square in 2020 – which is the best payment solution for you?

Both Stripe and Square are two of the biggest names in payment platforms. But they're not always the best fit for the same types of businesses. Here's how to tell the difference and decide which is the best choice for you.

&nbsp;

### When to choose Square{#choosing-square}

#### 1. You want ease and affordability

Square's philosophy is that anyone should be able to participate and thrive in today's economy – which means providing an alternative to other more complicated solutions, including Stripe.

It's a fantastic choice to start accepting payments through multiple channels quickly and easily without any coding or unnecessary hassle.

![Square multichannel payments](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/5jtuIXd95Un6vaMs3xYaxI/e47e9ff95d3c087594aba80ba663ae60/Screenshot_2020-10-02_at_17.47.06.png)

&nbsp;

#### 2. You have a brick-and-mortar store

Square is an excellent fit for retail stores, cafes and restaurants. With the Square ePOS (electronic point of sale) system, you can accept every way your customers want to pay and link your transactions seamlessly with your online store. This includes credit and debit cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay, digital gift cards and invoices.

Square also offers Square Appointments, an appointment-scheduling POS system. There's also Square for Retail plus Square for Restaurants, offering a specialist POS for front-of-house and back-of-house operations including pickup and delivery.

Square is much more accessible globally than Stripe's point of sale solution, Terminal, which is currently only available to businesses in the US and Canada.

&nbsp;

#### 3. You process occasional online sales

If your business generates some online revenue, especially as a secondary revenue stream to a physical store, Square can be a great choice to power your online payments.

Square stands out from Stripe by offering an all-in-one online shopping experience, including a store website builder and seamless functionality for online food ordering with pickup or delivery, online retail, and donations for fundraising. In comparison, Stripe only offers a checkout experience.

![Square website builder for restaurants](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/5wziRvxFfHYKuIvSLd6mGl/b9a1f2a697ee934acb361c210e1f557c/Screenshot_2020-10-02_at_17.47.45.png)

&nbsp;

If you already have a website, you can simply integrate [Square Online Checkout](https://squareup.com/gb/en/online-checkout) with easy checkout links to streamline the payment experience for you and your customers.

However, for ecommerce stores that are operating at scale, Stripe tends to be a better choice than Square due to its huge scope for customization.

&nbsp;

### When to choose Stripe{#choosing-stripe}

#### 1. You want a highly customizable solution or API

Stripe is trusted by many of the world's biggest brands to power their online payments. Its major selling point is flexible integration options that fit your desired complexity. 

To keep things super simple, you can just choose a quick hosted payment page with [Stripe Checkout](https://stripe.com/payments/checkout). 

But if you have the tech know-how, you can design your payments process with fully customizable flows via [Stripe Elements](https://stripe.com/payments/elements), their prebuilt UI elements. You can also contact them to build a fully API-based integration with your own UI.

To stay on top of your sales, Stripe has a user-friendly dashboard where you can see how every channel is performing at a glance.

![Stripe user dashboard for reporting](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/2NxLm6IPOvgSgVRLI9wipX/9b1d88db17ccbbea6b71595067416046/Stripe_user_dashboard.png)

&nbsp;

#### 2. You have an established ecommerce store

Because of its level of customization, Stripe is a great choice for growing ecommerce stores that want a payment flow that thrives at scale.

Ecommerce businesses can choose to create their own payment flow or benefit from Stripe's huge range of third-party integrations. For the many ecommerce stores using [Shopify](http://shopify.com/) to power their business, Stripe integration is a piece of cake and often one of the first steps after setting up a store.

Stripe is also an extremely common integration for online course platforms such as [Kajabi](https://kajabi.com/) and [Teachable](https://teachable.com/), making it a go-to choice for online business owners and solopreneurs. Stripe's recurring billing tends to be cheaper than Square's, which is another perk here for subscription-based service providers.

&nbsp;

#### 3. You have a fast-growing startup

[Stripe Connect](https://stripe.com/connect) offers a set of programmable APIs and tools to facilitate payments on a software platform or marketplace, making it a go-to choice for fast-growing startups.

You can use prebuilt or custom flows to onboard users, accept payments in 135+ currencies, and process payouts quickly and control how funds flow. On the Connect dashboard, you can monitor exactly how your business is doing.

![Stripe connect dashboard for marketplaces and software providers](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/12nt159V5sA5ZusgqpQjTz/d8032e685ffe355daaf6fbe824d58282/Stripe_Connect_for_platforms_and_marketplaces.jpg)

Stripe also handles compliance and risk management, offering card data tokenization to help with PCI compliance and verification systems to manage KYC checks among other value-adds.

----

## Feature comparison

### Online payments{#online-payments}

__Stripe__'s core focus is on online payments, and it's here they really thrive. There's a complete stack of payment options to choose from including simple checkout pages and embeds, subscriptions, and recurring payments and solutions for SaaS platforms and marketplaces.

![Stripe online payments flow](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/6udLi6Mrx4Jha0Ic9cKEYX/a0697c796624c34029cc8205d5a9a2f3/Screenshot_2020-10-05_at_13.36.31.png)

&nbsp;

The disadvantage for some smaller businesses is that Stripe offers a checkout solution, not an all-in-one storefront. It needs to be connected to another website or ecommerce platform, like Shopify. If you want everything in one package, take a closer look at Square instead.

With __Square__, it's extremely straightforward to start selling online with easy checkout links. Even if you don't have a website, you can give whatever you're selling a name and price and create a link to sell it online. 

On the Square dashboard, you can see how your online and offline channels are performing in one place.

![Square online payments and reporting dashboard](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/64hDt1Uo7V1JCrsWa35qcD/1a697da78abbb02b50ea3eb7cb473c8b/Screenshot_2020-10-02_at_17.43.53.png)

&nbsp;

If you want to build a website, that's simple with a Square Online Store. You can use the website builder to create a site that looks great on all devices with zero code required and launch for free with no monthly fee. You will only pay when you make a sale at 2.5% per transaction. 

With the services Square for Retail and Square for Restaurants, it's also an excellent choice for businesses in these industries.

&nbsp;

### Point of sale{#point-of-sale}

[Terminal](https://stripe.com/terminal) is __Stripe__'s point of sale solution, which offers flexible developer tools, pre-certified card readers and cloud-based hardware management. The key characteristic of Terminal is that it *extends* your online presence into the physical world: it's the best fit for businesses that are online-first, rather than the opposite. 

Stripe's main limitation for in-person payments is that Stripe Terminal is currently __only available to businesses in the US and Canada__.

Stripe hardware includes pre-certified card-readers with cloud-based fleet management. This starts at $59 for the BBPOS Chipper™ 2X BT and $299 for the Verifone® P400.

![Stripe hardware for POS payments](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/3qoW3fMO81ucexGeU0M71Q/2498d20f997047d40aebae51f9a205ca/Screenshot_2020-10-05_at_13.28.21.png)

&nbsp;

__Square__, on the other hand, was initially built for customer-facing small business merchants, especially in retail. Although their feature set has grown a lot since then, this is still the use case where they stand out from competitors.

With the Square ePOS (electronic point of sale) system, you can accept every way your customers want to pay. This includes credit and debit cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay, digital gift cards and invoices.

Square gives shops, restaurants and other customer-facing small businesses everything they need to create a straightforward and connected payment infrastructure, from in-person sales to subscriptions and online payments.

Square hardware includes a Square Register for $799, Square Stand for $169, and a Square Terminal for $299. These are also available with affordable monthly plans to distribute the cost across three, six or twelve months. There are also extremely budget-friendly Square Readers from $10 to $49.

![Square hardware for POS payments](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/5VXVWdSqhp8Wo1j1eWatPc/e5ea4f3c25ac309ea6efeadd6f06b8b9/Screenshot_2020-10-05_at_12.14.10.png)

![Square hardware for POS payments](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/45J3pK8dIXoNMCkZsxjUbu/52afbf26ea4e23adb2ec80e77f4d245c/Screenshot_2020-10-05_at_12.15.25.png)

&nbsp;

|      | Stripe     | Square     |
| ---------- | ---------- | ---------- |
| Overall       | Accept payments, send payouts and manage your business online.       | Whether in person or online, take all kinds of payments quickly and securely.       |
| Online payments       | Highly customizable checkout and payment flows. <br><br> Need to connect it with a website or ecommerce platform.       | Choose between a free online store for an all-in-one solution, or simple checkout links.       |
| Online Store       | -       | Accept payments, send payouts and manage your business online.       |
| Mobile payments app       | -       | Accept payments on your smartphone or tablet alongside the card reader or with manual entry.       |
| Point of sale / in-person payments       | Stripe Terminal offers flexible developer tools, pre-certified card readers and cloud-based hardware management.       | ePOS enables payments by credit and debit card, Apple Pay and Google Pay, digital gift cards, invoices, and more.       |
| Payments for platforms       | Stripe Connect offers programmable APIs and tools to facilitate payments on your software platform or marketplace, process payouts, and manage compliance.       | Build commerce solutions for your own business with the Square API and developer tools.       |
| Subscriptions and invoicing       | Use Stripe Billing to bill customers with subscriptions or invoices. Benefit from flexible billing logic, free trials, prorations, overages, and smart retries.       | Use the Card on File feature within Square Invoices to process recurring or subscription-type payments.       |
| Payouts       | Standard [payout timing](https://stripe.com/docs/payouts) depends on country and account type. <br><br>With Connect, programmatically send payouts as soon as the next working day to your sellers, freelancers or service providers and offload KYC and verification requirements.       | With Square’s standard transfer schedule, transfers are initiated every weeknight for payments taken Monday-Friday before midnight.       |
| Fraud and risk management       | Offload KYC and verification to Stripe. Stripe's Radar machine learning is included in all plans and offers powerful fraud-fighting tools with billions of data points across the Stripe network.       | All plans include free fraud monitoring and detecting. For more fraud prevention, Square now offers Risk Manager as a customizable risk management system. From 6¢ per online transaction you can assess risky payments, block repeat fraud, quickly identify trends, and make your own rules.       |

---

## Stripe vs. Square pricing{#pricing}

Is Stripe or Square cheaper? Both Stripe and Square offer very similar pricing, but there are some subtle differences.

Stripe stands out by letting you accept ACH direct debit payments (or bank transfers) and also works out cheaper for recurring or card-on-file transactions, making it a better choice for larger businesses with a subscription model.

&nbsp;

|      | Stripe     | Square     |
| ---------- | ---------- | ---------- |
| Online card transactions       | 2.9% + 30 cents       | 2.9% + 30 cents       |
| In-person card transactions       | 2.7% + 5 cents       | 2.6% + 10 cents       |
| ACH direct debit transactions     | 0.8% with $5 cap       | -       |
| Recurring / card-on-file transactions       | From 0.5% for Starter or 0.8% for Scale       | 3.5% + 15 cents       |

---

## Quick summary: when to choose Stripe vs. Square {#summary}

What's the difference between Stripe and Square? While customizable online payments is Stripe's jam, Square exists to make payment technology more accessible to businesses of all budgets and tech-savviness, especially brick-and-mortar stores.

For highly customizable online payments, Stripe is a fantastic choice. For straightforward in-person payments with occasional online sales, Square is one of the best on the market.

Here's our quick summary of Square vs. Stripe:

&nbsp;

| When to choose Square     | When to choose Stripe     |
| ---------- | ---------- |
| You want ease and affordability       | You want a highly customizable solution or API       |
| You have a brick-and-mortar store       | You have an established ecommerce store       |
| You process occasional online sales       | You have a fast-growing startup       |

----

## Sync Stripe and Square with your other apps{#sync-other-apps}

For the best results from Stripe and Square, make sure to **integrate your payment platform with your other business apps**. With a two-way sync via PieSync, you can connect your contact data to all the right places in your business, so you're always looking at the most up-to-date and reliable information.

See your options for syncing [Stripe](https://www.piesync.com/stripe/) and [Square](https://www.piesync.com/square/) with PieSync or get started with a free 14-day trial.


cta-11-see-the-latest-contact-data-everywhere

11 (FULL) - All - see-the-latest-contact-data-everywhere

cta-half-11-see-the-latest-contact-data-everywhere

11 (HALF) - All - see-the-latest-contact-data-everywhere

Two of the most popular payment solutions are Stripe and Square. To help you decide which one is right for you, here's our head-to-head comparison.

Stripe vs. Square: which is the best payment gateway for your business?

stripe logo square logo on yellow background

stripe vs square

Stripe vs. Square: which is the best payment platform for your business?

Google Contacts

iCloud

Outlook

![Different iPhones used for contact management on a table ](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/4Wejs4Aa23bb9zlW702DNJ/24fbeaf8793355e5a1df2491cbf56f1f/arnel-hasanovic-4oWSXdeAS2g-unsplash-min.jpg)

__Some of the most commonly used apps in any business are contact management apps like Google, iCloud and Outlook.__

These apps are a valuable way to keep your latest address book accessible on any device and synced with your email, calendar and cloud storage.

However, when it comes to making sure they play nicely with your other business apps... it's not always simple.

Let's say you collect contacts in Outlook, but want to move subscribed customers into Mailchimp, your email marketing tool, to send them your weekly newsletter.

To solve this in the past, you might have manually exported and imported CSV files between your apps before sending each email.

But that can be a real headache. There is a much better solution, and it involves __zero manual updates and spreadsheets__: integrating your contact apps and email marketing tool with [an iPaaS (integration platform as a service)](https://www.piesync.com/blog/what-is-ipaas-a-guide-to-getting-started-and-best-practices/).

An iPaaS sync is the most effective and straightforward way to keep your [email marketing lists and contacts apps connected](https://www.piesync.com/solutions/email-marketing/) with your latest data. And it requires no code or advanced tech know-how.

To show you the ropes, let's outline how to sync your data and put your Google, iCloud and Outlook contacts to work in your email marketing app.

---

## How to sync Google, iCloud and Outlook contacts with your email marketing platform

Some email marketing providers offer __native integrations__ with Google Contacts, iCloud and Outlook, but these tend to have limitations. Often it's only a one-way sync, meaning that changes in app A are synced into app B, but not the other way around. Or, you can't customize the sync to include the exact fields you need to map.

Instead of wrestling with CSVs and native integrations, your __best bet is to use an iPaaS__ like PieSync to manage all of your syncs in one place. After plugging in your apps, you can choose all the different ways you want them to talk to each other.

For instance, you might use PieSync to:

* Sync contacts labeled 'Customers' in [Google Contacts with Mailchimp](https://www.piesync.com/google-contacts/mailchimp/)
* Sync [iCloud and Outlook](https://www.piesync.com/icloud/outlook/) address books for a perfect match between them all the time
* Sync all [address books with your CRM](https://www.piesync.com/solutions/crm/) for a centralized view

<RelatedPost slug="6-ways-to-optimize-your-saas-stack-with-piesync" />

For each sync you want to set up in PieSync, you can follow these easy steps:

1. Choose your apps and grant access.
2. Select ["if-this-then-that" rules](https://www.piesync.com/blog/how-to-use-if-then-rules-for-a-more-productive-business/) for the sync to follow.
3. Check default field mapping.
4. Check everything's prepped and ready to go [(read our pre-sync checklist here)](https://www.piesync.com/blog/checklist-before-syncing/).
5. Sync!

To dive deeper, here are some of the best practices to keep in mind when syncing your contact apps with your email marketing platform.

---

### How to organize your lists and sequences: automatic segmentation

Some people organize their contacts into completely different clouds, especially if they want to keep personal contacts and business separate. That's totally fine and it can be a great way to keep things simple.

But if your contacts for different purposes overlap, you can also automatically segment them to keep things tidy.

You do this by organizing contacts with labels or tags in your address book, and matching these up with labels, groups or lists in your email marketing app in your sync.

Let's look closer at [ConvertKit](http://piesync.com/convertkit/) as an example.

In this example, I have a segment called 'Marketing Leads' and another for 'Customers' and I want to send specific communications to each group. Both segments are automatically populated based on contacts with tags of the same name.

![Convertkit segments to sync with other apps](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/l4kw2RryenjldmtGfxXsK/76fb3a85bc810082f51224304431c1df/Screenshot_2020-08-04_at_11.10.13.png)

&nbsp;

To automatically send contacts in [Google Contacts](https://www.piesync.com/google-contacts/) to the right group, I can configure my sync to add them to ConvertKit with the tag 'Customers' which will add them to that segment.

![Automatically sync Google Contacts to ConvertKit with tag](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/ZSZIyznOop1RyZuzqTzzb/fd16eea065882fcab3386acec50fa4b6/Screenshot_2020-08-04_at_18.03.31.png)

&nbsp;

Now when I go to send a message to that group, all of the right recipients will be there. That means more time actually sending emails, less time worrying about which contacts should receive them.

In another scenario, if I want to sync all contacts from Google Contacts __except my family contacts__ (as realistically, they don't want my business emails), I can exclude the label 'Family' from my sync:

![Sync Google Contacts without family label to email marketing app](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/7rTbu60VYRmgplW6eLDXEl/b71acee7097a7dfd8151eececd088701/Screenshot_2020-08-04_at_11.46.14.png)

&nbsp;

### How to sync subscription status between apps: subscription management

If you're using multiple apps to contact your email marketing list, knowing who actually wants to hear from you can be a real headache. You don't want to risk contacting contacts who have unsubscribed in another app, nor ignore contacts who do want to be contacted.

Your answer to this is **subscription management**, and it's made possible when you connect your apps. 

As you sync your contact data, you can enable each contact to travel between apps with a 'subscribed' or 'unsubscribed' tag. When the time comes to send your next email, all of the right people will be in (and out) the list.

To best comply with data protection regulations, some PieSync users also add a ‘trash’ tag to the customer’s records in their preferred apps so they know exactly which data needs to be deleted to comply with customer privacy and data requests.

&nbsp;

### How to enrich your data in your email marketing app: sync customized fields

It's not just subscription status that you can sync between your apps. You might want to sync other fields too.

Let's look at [syncing contacts from Outlook with HubSpot](https://www.piesync.com/outlook/hubspot/), which you could use to send marketing emails. 

To ensure the right info is synced with each contact, you can check PieSync's default feed mapping to make sure everything lines up:

![Outlook and HubSpot default field mapping for contact sync](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/3M0vFwgWYBeRTudmGBMphD/b1b81f5488b877c4357af1a617f9e0c4/screenshot-2019-07-03-at-10-26-03.png)

&nbsp;

If a field isn't included in the list by default, custom fields give you more freedom. As an example custom field, you could map the 'Department' field in Outlook with a HubSpot property for the same data. For custom fields to map correctly, they need to be compatible across both apps.

![Outlook sync contacts with custom fields to HubSpot ](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/6KJ1ITeVpEFEWDFVKwYCMw/6c2051709efab43b94c1bf26e2c4803b/Outlook_map_custom_fields_to_HubSpot_in_contact_sync.png)

----

So, that's how to easily sync your address books in Outlook, iCloud or Google Contacts with your email marketing app. After setting up your sync, you can rest easy and send top-converting emails knowing that your lists are in tip-top shape.

Once syncing your email marketing app with your contact address books, you can then also decide which other apps to sync – such as [your CRM](https://www.piesync.com/blog/how-to-sync-data-in-your-crm-and-marketing-apps-with-zero-hassle/) or [customer support software](https://www.piesync.com/solutions/customer-support/). Remember, the best software stack is an integrated one!


There's an easy way to sync contacts between Google Contacts, iCloud and Outlook and your email marketing app. Here's how to implement it.

How to add Google, iCloud and Outlook contacts to your email marketing app

Different iPhones used for contact management on a table 

![Build a data driven company best practices](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/18iKXH3Z4HLI4HnKVGC5TO/f06209fd17145c497cfc2868e7cd481f/campaign-creators-NIjzLb8SHfA-unsplash-min.jpg)

Data is a core part of our company DNA here at PieSync. Which you can only expect, really: we exist to help our customers [connect their own data](https://www.piesync.com/why/)!

We've built our company on good data principles and processes from the start that have enabled PieSync to scale effectively with data by our side.

But what exactly has this looked like, and how can you use our learnings to strengthen your own data analytics and reporting? Let's talk you through our best advice.

---

## 9 best practices for reliable analytics and reporting

1. Make the decision to focus on data
2. Find analytics apps that work for you
3. Figure out your core KPIs
4. Use segmentation
5. Divide your data between dashboards
6. Set clear targets for the year
7. Have standardized processes
8. Create a clear overview of the full funnel
9. Do occasional manual checks

&nbsp;

### 1. Make the decision to focus on data

When you have a strong foundation for data management and reporting in place – and you hire for and nurture data literacy – you remove the likelihood of bad data trickling through. 

It starts with __making the decision__ that data is important to your business. This will influence how you hire and train your team and the tools you invest in.

Having multiple eyes on your data also increases accuracy and reliability, as there's more chance of an inconsistency being picked up.

&nbsp;

### 2. Find analytics apps that work for you

As PieSync has grown, we've found that Google Analytics doesn't give us the accuracy we need after the sign-up stage in our customer journey.

To make our reporting more reliable, we switched to [Chartio](https://chartio.com/) to visualize data that we collect via SQL scripts we write inside our team.

Why Chartio? We love the scope for building highly customizable interactive charts and creating the exact outcomes we want with SQL.

Whichever analytics tool you choose, make sure it's cloud-based and you can configure it for maximum accuracy. Simple and accurate analytics beat complex and unreliable analytics every time.

Here are some other great options of tools to [automate your reporting workflows](https://www.piesync.com/blog/15-ways-to-automate-your-ecommerce-business/) with reliable data:

<RelatedPost slug="automate-business-reporting" />

&nbsp;

### 3. Figure out your core KPIs

Ruben, our growth marketing and data visualization pro at PieSync, shares his advice for effective and reliable data analytics:

> "You need to figure out the core KPIs for your company, team, and people. If your reporting is too extensive, people will get overwhelmed and won't use it. You need to decide what's really relevant and who needs to use each dashboard."

By balancing clear and concise data with detailed insights when you need them, you put your company in the best position for tracking and making use of performance data. It's all about finding that __balance between simplicity and complexity__.

<RelatedPost slug="more-reliable-business-data" />


&nbsp;

### 4. Use segmentation

We can't talk about effective data management without mentioning segmentation. __Segmenting your customer data__ enables you to [sync your apps](https://www.piesync.com/why/), send the most personalized emails and create automated workflows that deliver exactly the right content.

When it comes to your performance data, segmentation gives you access to the most insightful analytics.

By slicing and dicing your data, you can drill down into detailed analytics for every area of your organization. It's your best way to understand exactly what's working and what needs work throughout your team and funnel.

&nbsp;


### 5. Divide your data between dashboards

By dividing our data between different dashboards, we can:

* Give everyone a centralized view of the key company analytics
* Give individual teams and roles more in-depth, relevant and segmented insights

__On our company KPI dashboard__, we display only the top-level KPIs that are important for everyone. We keep these top-level KPIs to 5-10 to avoid overwhelming the team with too many numbers.

When you're in the PieSync office in Ghent, these KPIs are always visible on the TV screen. And when we're working remotely, we often share updates via Slack channels to keep everyone up-to-date with how we're performing against the month's targets.

__Our other main dashboards are divided by channel__. As one example, we have a dedicated dashboard for in-depth organic traffic insights. 

By dividing our data between dashboards for top-level KPIs and in-depth channel insights, we have a quick overview of performance and an easy way to understand changing trends.

&nbsp;


### 6. Set clear targets for the year

Our goal-setting process at PieSync is simple. We create clear goals for the year, divide these by month, input these into a sheet, and link this to Chartio.

We then break up these goals into smaller chunks, including by channel. This enables us to easily monitor conversion rates per channel and understand if results are coming from referrals, organic traffic, email marketing, social media, or any of our other key channels.

&nbsp;

### 7. Have standardized processes

Once you have good frameworks and KPIs in place as well as a focus on data integrity, your next step is to make sure you're collecting data in a standardized way. For our team, this means using the same tools and similar processes (such as SQL scripts for Chartio) to collect analytics.

&nbsp;

### 8. Create a clear overview of the full funnel

For our data analytics to be the most effective, we need a comprehensive view of the entire customer journey: from marketing to conversion and on to customer satisfaction. Ruben explains:

> To manage and track everything, you need to have a complete overview of the full funnel.

Having such a broad range of data also helps our team to reach company-wide and individual goals. We can see exactly how we're performing as a company and team, and having a dashboard to show you how close you are to your goals can be a real motivator.

One metric we track in-depth that's specific to PieSync is the popularity of our connections. We pay attention to which connections are bringing in new trials and customers, which ones our customers love, and which new apps are taking off fast. 

As well as creating the clearest overview of your funnel, think about the metrics that are specific to your organization that will help you deliver the best possible customer experiences based on data-driven insights.


&nbsp;

### 9. Do occasional manual checks

To check our data processes are working soundly at PieSync, sometimes we ask multiple people to pull the same data and compare results.

As there are so many ways to query something in SQL, if we get the same results this is a good sign for our data accuracy. It also removes our dependence on highly standardized processes and the need to follow exact steps to get accurate results.

----

To help you build a more data-driven organization, [use PieSync to connect customer data between your apps](https://app.piesync.com/signup/). With a two-way sync ensuring the latest changes are reflected across all business apps, you can enrich data in every app and make your insights more reliable. [Get started with a free trial](https://app.piesync.com/signup/) to get the most out of your customer data.

Data is a core part of our company DNA here at PieSync. Here are some of the best practices we follow for the most reliable analytics and reporting.

9 tactics for reliable data & analytics we follow at PieSync

man typing on laptop while looking at data chart

Build a data driven company best practices

![Comparing zapier vs piesync for data syncing](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/67UN0GMrrWfD3TljHRPhOO/1a4f42a096dfcbd643522ca26b7a5e08/piesync-vs-zapier.png)

How many apps is your business using? If you're like most, the answer isn't one or two. [According to research in 2020](https://www.blissfully.com/saas-trends/2020-annual-report/), the average small business uses 102 different apps, while each mid-market business uses an average of 137 apps. *That's a lot of data.*

These apps bring a lot of power to your business, spanning a multitude of functions and departments. But it's not always easy to __get your apps to talk to one another__.

To solve this, you need to sync your apps. Although you can connect some apps with native integrations offered by the platforms you're using, these can be limited. For the best results, you need an app that's designed for the job.

Two of the best tools specifically designed to connect your apps are [PieSync and Zapier](https://www.piesync.com/piesync-vs-zapier/). But what's the difference between them, and how can you choose the best fit for your business? Read on for our head-to-head comparison.

&nbsp;

* [Introducing PieSync and Zapier](#piesync-vs-zapier)
* [When to choose PieSync](#choosing-piesync)
* [When to choose Zapier](#choosing-zapier)
* [Examples of using PieSync and Zapier](#examples)
* [When to use Zapier and PieSync together](#using-piesync-and-zapier)
* [Comparing pricing](#pricing)
* [Summary: when to choose Zapier vs. PieSync](#summary)

---

## Introducing PieSync and Zapier{#piesync-vs-zapier}

&nbsp;

### About PieSync

[PieSync](https://app.piesync.com/signup/) is designed to __continuously sync contact data between your apps,__ in real time and two ways. This means more reliable, up-to-date and enriched data on every platform. You have control over the direction of your sync, and can choose one-way and two-way connections between your apps. 

With PieSync, you can sync contact, company and lead data, including any historical data you have already collected. PieSync has been based in Ghent, Belgium since its beginning in 2012 and was [acquired by HubSpot](https://www.hubspot.com/company-news/piesync) in 2019.

&nbsp;

### About Zapier

[Zapier](https://zapier.com/) enables "easy automation for busy people". It connects your apps with __automated one-off, one-way workflows__ that move info between your apps following the exact rules you set. 

With more than 2,000 connecting apps, it enables a huge range of imaginative automations to save you time in and out of work. Zapier has been a 100% distributed team since the company began in 2011.

----

## When to choose PieSync{#choosing-piesync}

&nbsp;

### 1. You're working with contact data

The best way to tell if PieSync or Zapier is a better fit for your business is asking if you need to sync contact data.

If you do, PieSync is an excellent fit. This is exactly what it's made for: creating a tailor-fit bridge between your apps to continuously sync the right contact data based on personalized conditions.

As it supports two-way syncing, whenever anything changes in one app, it's instantly reflected in your synced apps. Unlike Zapier, PieSync syncs __historical data__, so you're not starting from scratch when you sign up.

PieSync is designed for:

* [Contact data syncing](https://www.piesync.com/solutions/contacts-sync/)
* [Company data syncing](https://www.piesync.com/solutions/company-sync/)
* [Lead data syncing](https://www.piesync.com/solutions/lead-sync/)

![PieSync two-way contact data sync](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/4tRrp0qKvZP7GP6K2CENr8/5b1455ead185f8e1217921c25901e4b3/PieSync_two-way_contact_data_sync.png)

&nbsp;

### 2. You want to work with the same, correct and updated information in different apps and devices

While Zapier offers one-way trigger-action automations, PieSync creates __a two-way mirror between your contact databases__. You can make it so the contact data in your email marketing list and CRM exactly match, or set up a sync so that only customers are synced with your support software. 

When any of the contacts that match your rules change, so does the data in the synced app. This gives your team an accurate view in every app.

For example, you could create a continuous two-way sync between your contacts in Google Contacts and HubSpot:

&nbsp;

![Connecting HubSpot and Google Contacts with PieSync](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/3bzeVtnSBTM6j5jFL8QZ1Z/1492bb35348aded588c5ef477d26283a/Screenshot_2020-09-15_at_16.43.26.png)

&nbsp;

### 3. You want reliability and accuracy

Because PieSync focuses on keeping contact databases in sync, it's optimized for keeping your data __accurate and consistent__ across multiple apps at any time. It does this by:

* Enabling __custom syncs__ based on lists, groups, tags, and other contact properties.
* Using __automated and custom field mapping__ to perfectly align data between your apps.
* Syncing your apps __in real time__, so all of your data is always up-to-date when something changes.

![PieSync customizable two-way data sync](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/4FPw1vS7L2tvJjGb7s43cR/81bc0d254627912f1784244351af6705/Screenshot_2020-09-15_at_17.02.32.png)

----

## When to choose Zapier{#choosing-zapier}

&nbsp;

### 1. You don't need to sync contact databases

Zapier isn't made for handling large amounts of data between apps, so it's not a good fit for keeping contact databases in sync. Instead, it's a great solution for one-way, trigger-action automations from App A to App B. 

Your Zaps might include contact data - such as alerting your team of new HubSpot leads on Slack – but these are small, one-off pieces of data. To create a [true two-way sync between your apps](https://www.piesync.com/solutions/contacts-sync/), PieSync will be a better fit.

![Automation with Zapier](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/22LvILgr0AGNcZeRPjym2A/82c8799d1fe86256925464ec45b7ae73/automate-_1_.png)

&nbsp;

### 2. You want automation, not a true sync

If PieSync is about *syncing*, the best word to associate with Zapier is *automation*. It's a fantastic app for saving time, reducing workload, and achieving much more than you could with your individual apps. If you want App A to trigger App B to do X, Y and Z,  Zapier can probably solve it.

Here are a few examples of Zaps you could create between project management app Asana and Slack:

![Examples of Asana and Slack zaps](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/f38U7ujZbUIulQlZY196U/882d15816eca847b864f661813ff0351/Screenshot_2020-09-15_at_16.42.51.png)

&nbsp;

### 3. You want flexibility

Zapier thrives when you want to create super flexible and imaginative automations. With 2,000 connectors, the sky really is the limit. For example, you could automatically send email attachments to Dropbox and let your colleague know about it on Slack.

![Most popular Zapier connections](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/4Yl2Req3eGdelC4YVlU6x0/54de6cc8e21703a663ebd6cd0de32882/Screenshot_2020-09-15_at_16.47.36.png)

----

## Examples of using PieSync and Zapier{#examples}

Looking for some real-world examples of how you could use Zapier and PieSync? Here are a few use cases to help you understand the difference between the two solutions:

| PieSync use cases     | Zapier use cases     |
| ---------- | ---------- |
| Syncing your CRM and email marketing app so the data always perfectly matches      | Triggering a Slack notification when there's a new customer in HubSpot      |
| Syncing customers from your CRM to your support platform       | Adding new leads in Pipedrive to a Google Sheet       |
| Syncing sales-ready leads from your email marketing app to your CRM with a sales label      | Generate receipts in QuickBooks Online for new Stripe charges       |

----

## When to use Zapier and PieSync together{#using-piesync-and-zapier}

If you're having a tough job choosing between Zapier and PieSync, not to worry. Many businesses choose to use Zapier and PieSync together for great results.

Think of PieSync as a way to strengthen the foundations of your data, and Zapier as the fancy lighting, rugs and decorations on top. You can keep your contact databases perfectly in sync with PieSync *and* layer trigger-action automations on top of it with Zapier.

Because PieSync helps to clean and enrich your data, it can also help you to __get better results from your Zaps__.

----

## Comparing pricing{#pricing}

Both Zapier and PieSync have volume-based pricing that depends on the number of syncs or zaps you need to carry out. Here's how they compare.

&nbsp;

### Zapier pricing

[Zapier pricing](https://zapier.com/pricing) is based on Zaps and Tasks. Every unique connection between your apps is a __Zap__.

A __Task__ is counted every time a Zap successfully moves data or takes action, for instance each time you create a Google Doc for a Google Calendar event.

Zapier has a Free plan, although this is limited to 100 Tasks per month and five single-step Zaps.

![Zapier pricing in 2020](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/19OpIFFx7dDlzC3Oy5suIJ/cf69a73231794ebce724457ad01e797b/Screenshot_2020-09-15_at_16.19.42.png)
&nbsp;

### PieSync pricing

PieSync [keeps pricing simple](https://www.piesync.com/pricing/) with two plans: Starter from $39/month and Pro from $49/month. The price depends on the number of contacts in your database, so you only pay for exactly what your business needs at any time.

There's also a [14-day free trial](https://app.piesync.com/signup/) to set up your first syncs and see how it helps your business.

![piesync pricing plans](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/5pUfmMbv1BphsphJa3zgel/90b4d8c202a832587caed86de24f8a95/Screenshot_2020-10-02_at_12.06.00.png)

---

## Summary: when to choose Zapier vs. PieSync{#summary}

While Zapier thrives with imaginative automations based on triggers, PieSync is unique in that it creates a continuous two-way sync of your contact data in real time. 

It's not a case of *which app is better*, but which app is right for your business needs. And as we mentioned further up the page, you can [use Zapier and PieSync together](#using-piesync-and-zapier) for great results!

Here's our summary of the best use cases for both PieSync and Zapier:

&nbsp;

| When to choose PieSync     | When to choose Zapier     |
| ---------- | ---------- |
| You're working with contact data       | You're not working with contact data       |
| You want to work with the same, correct and updated information in different apps and devices       | You want automation, not a true sync       |
| You want reliability and accuracy       | You want flexibility       |

&nbsp;


Zapier and PieSync might look like similar solutions for connecting your apps, but they're built for different use cases. Here's how to choose the best fit for your business.

PieSync vs. Zapier: which is the best solution for connecting your apps? 

Comparing zapier vs piesync for data syncing

PieSync vs. Zapier: which is the best solution for connecting your apps?

SendGrid

![Mailgun vs SendGrid comparison](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/79IzppJqfbs1B7koeNLzRU/da40b78c28bd65c7bfe521b50f23001d/mailgun_sendgrid_logo.png)

Every organization has unique requirements for email. While some businesses need a solution to send simple marketing newsletters and drip workflows, others need an advanced __email infrastucture__ for high-volume and transactional sending.

In this app comparison, we're focusing on the technical end of that spectrum and two of the strongest email platforms for developers: SendGrid and Mailgun.

Both tools deliver a great solution for high-volume sending, transactional workflows, and market-leading deliverability. But how do Mailgun and SendGrid compare, and how can you decide which email service is best for your business?

Read on for our head-to-head comparison of the two apps, including a comparison of features, pricing and ideal use cases.

&nbsp;

* [Introducing Mailgun and SendGrid](#mailgun-and-sendgrid)
* [When to choose Mailgun](#when-mailgun)
* [When to choose SendGrid](#when-sendgrid)
* [Feature comparison](#feature-comparison)
  * [Deliverability](#deliverability)
  * [Marketing emails](#marketing)
  * [Tracking](#tracking)
  * [Integrations](#integrations)
  * [Support](#support)
* [Comparing SendGrid vs. Mailgun pricing](#pricing)
* [Summary: when to choose SendGrid vs. Mailgun](#summary)

---

## Introducing SendGrid and Mailgun comparison{#mailgun-and-sendgrid}

### About Mailgun

[Mailgun](https://www.mailgun.com) markets itself as "The Email Service for Developers", offering powerful APIs that enable you to send, receive and track email effortlessly. Mailgun boasts a 99.99% uptime SLA and provides their email services to 225,000+ businesses, offering a powerful email API, Mailjet for email marketing, email validation, burst sending, inbox placement to predict deliverability issues, and more.

&nbsp;

### About SendGrid

In addition to being one of the best transactional email tools on the market, [SendGrid](https://sendgrid.com/) also offers email marketing features including easy-use design templates and sign-up forms. SendGrid is a leader in trusted email delivery for over 80,000 paying customers who use their service to send over 70 billion emails every month. SendGrid was [acquired by communications platform Twilio](https://techcrunch.com/2018/10/15/twilio-acquires-email-api-platform-sendgrid-for-2-billion-in-stock/#:~:text=Twilio%2C%20the%20ubiquitous%20communications%20platform,in%20an%20all%2Dstock%20transaction.&text=SendGrid%20will%20become%20a%20wholly,be%20converted%20into%20Twilio%20stock.) in 2018.

&nbsp;

Both Mailgun and SendGrid have an all-star client list on their homepage, such as __Microsoft and Lyft__ for Mailgun, and __Uber and Airbnb__ for SendGrid. 

As well as their email services, they also include additional features such as customizable analytics, in-depth segmentation, and advanced deliverability. With their powerful feature sets, it's no surprise they're trusted by the crème de la crème. 

But what's the difference between Mailgun and SendGrid, and which choice is best for you? Let's dig in.

---

## When to choose Mailgun{#when-mailgun}

### 1. You want ease of use

Mailgun offers brilliant [API documentation](https://documentation.mailgun.com/en/latest/), including libraries for popular languages like Python, Ruby, Java, C# and PHP, so developers can easily integrate email into their app.

Mailgun has a tribe of supporters [on G2](https://www.g2.com/compare/mailgun-vs-twilio-sendgrid-email-api), many of whom applaud the software's top-class ease of use and implementation. As of August 2020, Mailgun is rated 9.0 for ease of use, 9.1 for ease of admin, and 8.9 for ease of setup. 

For comparison, SendGrid averages 8.3 in these metrics. To make their email tool even more user-friendly, Mailgun also launched a new UI as of April 2019.

![New Mailgun design](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/6KgArAjqT8S1K8YxCO2Bst/9af74d94a2e4c1585dccf7d65cbeddc5/new-mailgun.png)

&nbsp;

### 2. You want to cut down on spam and throwaway emails

Mailgun’s [email validation service](https://www.mailgun.com/email-validation) is also popular among its users. It runs in real time and bulk tests on your emails to check that they actually exist. This cuts down on bounces and boosts your overall deliverability.

![MailGun email validation](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/5XB8bMMnB5wzU4AaY6jPDx/450270aaff5820fc002ce38758051337/MailGun_email_validation.png)

&nbsp;

Another perk: Mailgun has built a real-time suggestion service into their email validation service. When the tool picks up on a common typo (e.g. "@yaho.com" instead of "@yahoo.com"), it'll return it along with invalid status, so you can offer the suggestion to your user.

&nbsp;

### 3. You're not sending millions of emails just yet

Mailgun is a great choice for small websites and businesses that need a transactional email solution but won't be sending millions of emails from the get-go. 

With Mailgun's Pay As You Grow plan, you can send 5,000 free emails per month for three months, then switch to a pay-what-you-send model. This costs from $0.80 per 1000 emails.

![Mailgun email validation service](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/5CDofe4moxgi0UxCzIZFyu/8ba812bfd54b48c13e61b243555a9424/art_2x.png)

----

## When to choose SendGrid{#when-sendgrid}

### 1. You want more complexity

SendGrid isn't the most simple email service on the market, but for many developers, _that's a good thing_. Their software is extremely customizable. 

As a SendGrid customer, you can benefit from their RESTful APIs that are built on HTTP and return JSON for clear implementation. And with their comprehensive open-source libraries, you can code in your preferred language and consult use cases in Node.JS, Ruby, Python, Go, PHP, Java and C#.

![SendGrid RESTful APIs code](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/3RWXK14rO3uHpwxod9Izls/0d77f7e98d358d590fe4c9b0249b20bf/image-solutions-api-box-v3.jpg)

&nbsp;

SendGrid’s Pro 100k plan (starting at $89.95/month) includes a dedicated IP address, as well as **dedicated IP warm up** to gradually increase your email traffic automatically and **pooling** to send emails to control groups across multiple dedicated IP addresses.

Mailgun also includes one dedicated IP address in its Growth plan that starts from $80/month. However, dedicated IP pools are only available with the Scale plan from $90/month

&nbsp;

### 2. You want to send marketing emails with the same tool

If you want great API/SMTP **and** email marketing features, SendGrid is a great choice. Although Mailgun [lists email marketing functionality](https://www.mailgun.com/email-marketing), it's less developed than SendGrid's for now.

SendGrid has all the usual features for transactional emails, but offers the added benefit of email marketing services, which you can add to your subscription. This means that you can manage your transactional email and email marketing campaigns from the same dashboard. 

With SendGrid Marketing Campaigns, it's free to store up to 2,000 contacts and send up to 6,000 emails/month. Alternatively, the Basic plan starts at $15/month to send up to 5,000 contacts and 15,000 emails/month.

![SendGrid email marketing templates](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/6vJtFah4tIMoneHEQKjAwt/d129989159cb651ab6b571e2cdffa127/05-Test-and-Learn.png)

&nbsp;

If you purely need an email service for marketing, however, it's worth comparing SendGrid with alternatives such as Mailchimp which might be more accessible for your team.

<RelatedPost slug="mailchimp-vs-sendgrid" />

&nbsp;

### 3. You're working at scale

Although neither tool will let you down when you need to unexpectedly send a million emails on a Monday morning, SendGrid is slightly more popular with larger enterprises than Mailgun. This reflects its excellent flexibility and value for money when sending high volumes.

----

## Feature comparison of SendGrid vs. Mailgun{#feature-comparison}

&nbsp;

### Deliverability{#deliverability}

When you're sending transactional emails, especially at scale, **it's crucial to have an email tool with high deliverability**. You can't let your email end up in spam, or be delivered three hours later.

Does Mailgun or SendGrid have better deliverability? Both services seem to offer similar results, but here's what we know about each of them.

&nbsp;

#### SendGrid deliverability

SendGrid has led the way for transactional email since the company started in 2009 – and it's only gotten stronger since. SendGrid prides itself on its deliverability, scalability and in-depth email expertise.

SendGrid shares that customers who use their [Expert Services](https://sendgrid.com/solutions/expert-services/) have a **97% average delivery rate**, compared to an industry average of 85%. 

SendGrid offers advanced authentication with SPF and DKIM to prevent phishing and spoofing, plus artificial intelligence functionality. This includes ACE, their Adaptive Communications Engine, which is becoming an encoded AI across their platform to increase deliverability and adapt to changing ISP rules. 

SendGrid's massive scale (they send over 70 billion emails per month) generates the big data necessary for machine learning and drives results for every customer.

![SendGrid sender authentication](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/3gwSzIOm1JeyhllsQXYLsN/5430b76ad0b95ca6061efa121f1c4197/SendGrid_07-Deliverability.png)

&nbsp;

#### Mailgun deliverability

Mailgun also offers a [managed deliverability service](https://www.mailgun.com/managed) to provide API support, IP and domain reputation management, ongoing consulting and proactive monitoring of your email program.

[Mailgun shares](https://www.mailgun.com/deliverability-services) that it has an average __delivery rate of 97.4%__, including the .4% to nudge ahead of SendGrid here.

They also mention their emails have an average bounce rate of 0.42%, which is well under the industry average of 2%.

&nbsp;

### Marketing emails{#marketing}

#### SendGrid for marketing emails

SendGrid has a [dedicated product](https://sendgrid.com/solutions/email-marketing/) built for marketing campaigns, which offers everything a marketer needs:

* Email automation 
* Signup forms 
* Email testing 
* Email design 
* Email templates 
* Email statistics

One of SendGrid's top benefits is balancing user-friendliness and complexity for marketing teams, which sets it apart from Mailgun here. SendGrid has a very popular template creation tool for building personalized emails from scratch, or incorporating and leveraging existing or preset templates in your campaigns.

![SendGrid email marketing template builder](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/6JM5t4a1V1LendXxQEAKqr/1916ab5a0051dd34b8fcd5bcea5d06ca/solutions-campaigns-video-1540x939.jpg)

&nbsp;

#### Mailgun for marketing emails

As they make clear on their website, Mailgun is an email service for developers – not marketers. That said, Mailgun now offers [Mailjet](https://www.mailgun.com/mailjet/): their dedicated email marketing feature. You can create email templates and automate, send and monitor your email marketing campaigns. As with other Mailgun emails, you can benefit from the product's impressive deliverability.

However, they don't yet seem to have invested in it to the same extent as SendGrid, which has made it really easy for marketers to create and send emails.

![Mailjet email marketing product](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/6xGp9Q50lo3xuylF1ZILlp/d197116455f3d5b3671d51b94823a92d/pasted_image_0.png)

&nbsp;

### Tracking{#tracking}

#### SendGrid tracking

SendGrid does a great job at emphasizing the metrics that matter and helping you to get to know your contacts with audience insights. You can track data in real time on customizable dashboards and run more customized analysis using data exports.

![SendGrid analytics](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/6oyZt84kBvthMkJjaBkifD/d7e7da7ec1b5d0af579a4075e3e3e02b/SendGrid-Analytics.jpg)

&nbsp;

#### Mailgun tracking

Mailgun understands how important reporting is, and delivers in-depth, real-time data insights with easy segmentation and drill-down capabilities. Not only does this make it simple to track what's working, but you can also use your data to send the most personalized and relevant emails going forward.

On the reporting dashboard, you can compare metrics for accepted, dropped, incoming, delivered and suppressed emails.

![Mailgun reporting dashboard](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/1R02NVUeOC8rSH6vWdvptR/49094a8abcd9b3dfeadf8a8af71bedb1/expirable-direct-uploads_2Fa396a8cd-50dc-4890-bf6f-f630af402414_2Freporting.png)

&nbsp;

### Integrations{#integrations}

__SendGrid__ has a wide range of partners in their [marketplace](https://sendgrid.com/partners/marketplace/), including [Simon](https://sendgrid.com/partners/simon-data/) for better data and [Ongage](https://sendgrid.com/partners/ongage/) for an advanced front-end to manage your email ops.

__Mailgun__ has a more [limited number of integrations](https://www.mailgun.com/partners/), although it has strong partner connections with platforms such as [Customer.io](https://try.mailgun.com/customer-io/) for automated customer messaging and [Omnisend](https://try.mailgun.com/omnisend/) for automated ecommerce workflows.

<RelatedPost slug="keep-customer-data-up-to-date-everywhere" />

&nbsp;

### Support{#support}

When comparing Mailgun and SendGrid on customer service, SendGrid offers more support at a lower price point. This is worth keeping in mind if you want access to live chat support without paying for a high-volume plan.

That said, some customer review platforms regard Mailgun as having a better quality of support. [On G2](https://www.g2.com/compare/mailgun-vs-twilio-sendgrid-email-api), SendGrid is rated 7.7/10 compared to Mailgun's 8.7/10.

&nbsp;

#### SendGrid support

With SendGrid free plans, you can only access ticket support. With the Basic plan (from $15/month) you get ticket and chat support. With an Advanced plan from $60 month, you can also get phone support.

&nbsp;

#### Mailgun support

On a Pay As You Grow plan, you can access limited 24/7 ticket support. With the Growth plan from $80/month, you can also access instant chat support. Live phone support is only available on the Scale plan from $90/month.

|  Support offered    | SendGrid     | Mailgun     |
| ---------- | ---------- | ---------- |
| Ticket support       | All plans       | Limited with Pay As You Grow, 24/7 with Foundation plan ($35/month)      |
| Instant chat support       | With Basic plan ($15/month)       | With Growth plan ($80/month)       |
| Live phone support       | With Advanced plan ($60/month)       | With Scale plan ($90/month)       |

----

## Comparing SendGrid vs. Mailgun pricing{#pricing}

How much you pay for Mailgun or SendGrid depends on how many emails you need to send and what you need to do with the tool.

Both Mailgun and SendGrid offer certain features for free. Mailgun offers 5,000 free emails per month for three months, then you only pay for what you send. SendGrid gives you 40,000 free emails for your first 30 days then 100/day forever.

**What you get for free with Mailgun and SendGrid:**

| **Mailgun**  | **SendGrid**   |
| ------------ | ------------ |
| 5,000 free emails per month for 3 months, then you only pay for what you send (from $0.80/1000 emails)   | 40,000 emails for 30 days, then 100/day forever
  | Suppression management | Dynamic template editor
 | 5 days of log retention   | Email analytics
 | Limited 24/7 ticket support   | Ticket support

&nbsp;

### Mailgun pricing 

Mailgun offers four pricing plans for their product: 

* Flex (or Pay As You Grow)
* Foundation: from $35/month for 50,000 emails
* Growth: from $80/month for 100,000 emails
* Scale: from $90/month for 100,000 emails

&nbsp;

![Mailgun pricing 2020](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/3scuQSBJsXap3NECq9dHZs/eb1a6ca2ce5704c187d9fc10b1277498/Screenshot_2020-08-29_at_17.05.36.png)

&nbsp;

### SendGrid pricing

With SendGrid, how much you pay depends on whether you need an Email API plan or Marketing Campaigns plan.

With the Marketing Campaigns product, you can design and send email marketing campaigns and automations.

&nbsp;

![SendGrid marketing campaign plans pricing 2020](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/5ioDXcnwZCTJLxI8s89LG0/fabf7f86e77da0f3c7958ed5abc3cdba/Screenshot_2020-08-26_at_10.12.24.png)

&nbsp;

And with Email API, you can integrate email into your app or website. 

&nbsp;

![SendGrid email api plans pricing 2020](//images.ctfassets.net/f2ysq090txql/1ELU4QEGASGOuYDArJ2cnI/64a4d1ef80a282fde771a1f1ed84e466/Screenshot_2020-08-26_at_10.12.51.png)

&nbsp;

## Summary: when to choose SendGrid vs. Mailgun {#summary}

Both Mailgun and SendGrid eliminate the pain points of managing your own server and radically simplify transactional email for developers. When comparing the two tools, the difference between them is subtle.

Here's our quick summary of when to choose Mailgun or SendGrid:

| When to choose Mailgun | When to choose SendGrid  |
| ------------ | ------------ |
| You want ease of use   | You want more complexity   |
| You want to cut down on spam and throwaway emails   | You want to send marketing emails with the same tool  |
| You're not sending millions of emails just yet  | You're working at scale   |

&nbsp;

**Looking for other email marketing apps to compare with Mailgun and SendGrid?**

* [Mailchimp vs. SendGrid: which is the best email tool for your business?](https://www.piesync.com/blog/mailchimp-vs-sendgrid/)
* [Constant Contact vs. Mailchimp: which email marketing software is best?](https://www.piesync.com/blog/constant-contact-vs-mailchimp-which-email-marketing-software-is-best/)
* [ConvertKit vs. Mailchimp: which email marketing software is best?](https://www.piesync.com/blog/convertkit-vs-mailchimp-which-email-marketing-software-is-best/)
* [GetResponse vs. Mailchimp: which email marketing tool is best?](https://www.piesync.com/blog/getresponse-vs-mailchimp-which-email-marketing-tool-is-best/)
* [AWeber vs. Mailchimp: which email marketing software is best for you?](https://www.piesync.com/blog/aweber-vs-mailchimp-which-email-marketing-software-is-best-for-you/)
* [MailerLite vs. Mailchimp: which email marketing software is best?](https://www.piesync.com/blog/mailerlite-vs-mailchimp-which-email-marketing-software-is-best/)

----

Whether you decide that Mailgun or SendGrid is better for your business, you're going to be using one of the best services for high-volume and transactional email on the market. 

To make it the best possible addition to your tech stack, make sure to connect it to your other tools using an iPaaS solution like PieSync. 

For instance, you can connect data in real time between your CRM and email app, or instantly add new customer information to your support software.

cta-2-sync-customer-data-everywhere

2 (FULL) - All - sync-customer-data-everywhere

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2 (HALF) - All - sync-customer-data-everywhere

Is SendGrid or Mailgun better for your business? We've weighed up the pros and cons of the two transactional email tools for a 360-degree comparison.

Mailgun vs. SendGrid: which is the best email service provider?

Mailgun vs SendGrid email service comparison

[Active Campaign](https://www.activecampaign.com/) is an all-in-one marketing tool with extensive functionality such as email marketing, sales and CRM. Built for SME's, it provides a broad range of tools such as campaign segmentation, dynamic content, and A/B testing for your Marketing.

activecampaign

ActiveCampaign

We updated our ActiveCampaign sync by hooking into their latest API. What's new? 

- Rules with regards to contact scores are available (greater than, less than)
- Improved sync reach: the initial sync now takes into contacts not part of any list
- More field mappings available! Bounce status and create/update timestamps!
- Contact notes in ActiveCampaign can now be mapped read-only to a text box in your other app

activecampaign updated sync

Updates to the ActiveCampaign sync

Mixpanel is an advanced analytics platform for mobile & web. It helps businesses grow by helping them understand how their users behave and use their products by tracking actions people take rather than page views. Mixpanel's mission is to help the world learn from its data.



logomixpanel

Mixpanel

Our connector for Mixpanel has been equipped with the ability to connect to the eu.mixpanel.com - if you happen to have your data stored specifically within the EU territory. 

mixpanel regio

EU based Mixpanel accounts

[HubSpot CRM](http://hubspot.com/piesync) is an all-round customer relationship management tool that offers an incredible range of features for all businesses, from small startups to large enterprises. This complete CRM platform helps companies increase leads, accelerate sales, streamline customer service, and much more.

hubspot logo

HubSpot

[Available since today](https://www.hubspot.com/marketing-contacts), the HubSpot Marketing Hub features __marketing contacts__ - contacts that are able to receive marketing emails and be targeted with ads. In contrast, __non-marketing contacts___ cannot be marketed to... but also do not count against your contact tier. 

This means that you can now, with much greater comfort, store __all of your contacts data__ inside of HubSpot Marketing Hub. 

The PieSync filters & mappings now also reflect this new feature in HubSpot.


hubspotmarketing

HubSpot Marketing Contacts available in filters and mappings

Constant Contact is a marketing platform, giving your team the tools to create highly effective email marketing, social media campaigns, online surveys, and event marketing. Availability of hundreds of templates and extensive resources will make your lists grow!
Don't have Constant Contact, start your [free trial](http://www.constantcontact.com/signup.jsp?pn=piesync) now.


constantcontact

Constant Contact

We've applied a considerable update to our [Constant Contact sync](https://www.piesync.com/constantcontact). 

As Constant Contact are in the process of refreshing their user interface -  rolling this out throughout the next months - we already wanted to make sure the elements in our sync correspond to the new field and naming conventions. 

It's more than a happy accident that this unlocked a whole series of new sync functionality for you! Custom fields and more!

constancontact updated field mappings

Custom fields for Constant Contact and more

Contacts+ is the most powerful fully-connected contact management platform for professionals and enterprises who need to master their contacts and be awesome with people. Contacts+ cross-platform suite of Apps and APIs enhance contacts with 360-degree insights, while keeping them organized, in-sync, up-to-date, and safe.


Phone & E-mail

Sync Phone & Email apps you use everyday to automate your business and be more productive. {{ connectorCount }}+ Phone & Email contact sync integrations currently available. Click on your favorite app to get started.

Contacts+ Logo Mark (1)

Contacts+

Nimble shows you detailed customer profiles in just a single view so you can get to know your customers in person. Sales and marketing features, activity management tools and a responsive social listening system will make sure you have all the insight you need!


nimble

Nimble

For many of its [CRM connectors](https://www.piesync.com/connections/crm/), PieSync applies ownership automatically, [or at least gives you control through the rules as to how it should be transferred in the sync](https://www.piesync.com/help/faq/can-i-sync-contact-owner-source-fields/). 

Two popular supported contact management tools, namely Nimble and Contacts+, featured a concept of ownership since quite some time, but only recently have we updated our sync connectors for you to control this too.

Use the sync rules to control ownership. Set up multiple rules if you need multiple owners synced with one another. [More info](https://www.piesync.com/help/faq/can-i-sync-contact-owner-source-fields/).


The PieSync Blog

Build your tech stack

Big data: how to collect and manage it

Latest product updates

How to increase return on investment with automation

A beginner's guide to high-quality data

Wave vs. Xero: which is the best accounting software for your business?

The complete guide to effective lead management

Customer data: what to collect and how to put it to work in your company

Stripe vs. Square: which is the best payment platform for your business?

How to add Google, iCloud and Outlook contacts to your email marketing app

9 tactics for reliable data & analytics we follow at PieSync

PieSync vs. Zapier: which is the best solution for connecting your apps?

Mailgun vs. SendGrid: which is the best email service provider?