Nice to meet you.

Enter your email to receive our weekly G2 Tea newsletter with the hottest marketing news, trends, and expert opinions.

What Is CPQ? How It Helps Businesses Sell Smarter

June 13, 2025

cpq

Every sales rep knows that their work with customers is never really over. Even after they agree to buy your solution, it’s just the beginning. 

The ever-increasing competition in B2B sales has demanded highly specialized and customized products. One-size-fits-all is no longer a reality.

This is great news for buyers because they will receive a personalized product crafted specifically for them. However, this can create some complications for sellers in an extremely important area: pricing. 

If you sold the same exact product to every single one of your customers, pricing would be a breeze. But that’s not the case for most B2B SaaS companies. Luckily, CPQ software exists. 

The overall purpose of implementing a CPQ system is to make your sales cycle more efficient,  productive, and successful. By accelerating the product configuration and proposal process and reducing the risk of producing inaccurate quotes, sales reps have a better chance at establishing a more positive relationship with the customer and offering a positive buying experience.

 If you’ve been wondering what’s the best CPQ software with custom pricing features, it’s often the one that can adapt pricing rules on the fly and sync with your CRM and finance tools.

TL;DR

CPQ (configure, price, quote) software helps businesses streamline how they sell complex or customizable products. It automates product setup, pricing, and quote generation, cutting down on manual work and errors.

Wondering which CPQ app is best for a medium-sized enterprise, or what’s the best CPQ software with custom pricing features? The answer depends on your business type. Startups often look for ease of use, while tech companies focus on scalability and integration.

From the best cloud-based CPQ software for business apps to tools built for large companies in tech, CPQ software helps sales teams move faster, price smarter, and close deals with confidence.

How does CPQ software work?

Businesses will implement a CPQ solution to increase both sales productivity and velocity. To get a better understanding of how CPQ software works, let’s break it down into the three-stage process it follows.

Configure

In the context of CPQ software, configuration refers to configuring your products. Businesses are offering customized solutions, experiences, and products, catering to each and every customer individually. While this is a huge plus for buyers, customization complicates the lives of sellers.

Unless, of course, they implement CPQ software. 

These software tools will configure complex product offerings that will fit exactly what the customer needs. Beyond that, CPQ software can also detect cross-sell and upsell opportunities that some reps might not recognize.

When you let software be your configurator, it removes the risk of human error and opens up more time for your sales team to focus on creating connections with the customer.

Price

The “P” in CPQ stands for price. Complex solutions come with even more complicated pricing structures. If you’re offering customizable products (kudos), you can’t have a predetermined price before they’re configured.

Sales teams that craft prices independently risk losing business by offering less-than-optimal prices and generating slow turnaround times. 

CPQ software implements artificial intelligence to pick up on customer buying patterns and market research to determine what your customers are actually willing to pay. Essentially, it can ensure that you are offering a reasonable and personalized price to your customers while still maintaining profitability.

Quote

After figuring out the configuration and pricing, your business needs to send the customer a finalized, error-free quote that offers more details. 

Prospective customers often request quotes from more than one vendor, making fast response times a valuable asset. However, due to the complex nature of accurate pricing and configuration, that can be hard to achieve.  

CPQ software can create personalized quotes for customers. It also allows sellers to easily review the quote before sending it to the customer, allowing them to note or change any last-minute details.

Benefits of CPQ software

The obvious overall benefit of implementing CPQ software within your sales team is automation within your sales process that offers more time for reps to spend time getting to know the customer and finding ways to establish a mutually beneficial relationship with them. It eliminates the need for sales reps to dig through various spreadsheets looking for information regarding the customer, pricing, and quote creation. 

With a CPQ system, every single potential configuration, price, and discount combination can be created automatically. This way, you can offer your customers the most straightforward quote possible. 

Here are some other benefits your business can count on experiencing if you decide to implement a CPQ system.

Collaboration for accurate quota creation

Again, plenty of customers will only request sales quotes from you to compare with the ones they get from other distributors. With that in mind, efficiency is key. However, accuracy also plays a big part in CPQ. 

Businesses looking to boost quote accuracy often ask about the top CPQ software for streamlining sales processes. Speed and precision in quoting can directly influence conversion rates.

The beauty of any sales tool is that anyone can access it throughout your business, and everything updates in real time. This is necessary for creating accurate quotes for your customers.

Salespeople aren’t the only ones who should be involved in the quoting process. Legal, customer success, and finance teams also have a hand in creating as accurate a quote as possible. 

You don’t want to send a customer a quote that has compliance issues or a lack of profitability. CPQ software allows you to collaborate with other departments to send over the best and most accurate quote possible, all on the first go.

Integration

Because accurate and efficient quote creation involves multiple departments, there is a risk of the necessary information regarding customers getting siloed. Luckily, a key functionality of CPQ software is that it offers the ability to integrate with other tools used by departments both within and outside of sales, like customer relationship management. This way, communication and guidelines can be accessed by anyone who is a part of the process.

A quote for a customer will undergo plenty of stages in its lifetime. For example, once a customer places an order, the proper invoice needs to be sent. After payment is received, the business will recognize the revenue and fulfill the order. Based on all of these activities, it’s clear that sales isn’t the only department involved, and CPQ isn’t the only software used. 

Implementing a CPQ that can integrate with your existing business tools, primarily ERP systems,  will make the workflows between sales and operations a lot smoother, enabling you to provide a positive customer experience. For mid-sized businesses navigating tool sprawl and scaling teams, you may be asking yourself, which CPQ app should I choose for a medium-sized enterprise? The ideal choice is one that balances ease of use with robust integrations and scalability without a heavy lift on your operations team.

Increased sales efficiency

Sales reps can try all they want to focus 100 percent of their time on their customers, but there are plenty of tedious business processes that go along with selling that have no customer involvement at all. In fact, over 70% of a sales rep’s time is spent on administrative tasks. That leaves only 30% of their time for prospecting and connecting with customers. 

Using a CPQ to streamline the administrative tasks associated with configuring, pricing, and quoting frees up more time for your reps to focus on their interactions with customers. 

Many tech companies look for the best value CPQ solution for the tech industry, especially when juggling high-volume SKUs and evolving pricing models.

Here are a few more specific benefits you can experience with a CPQ tool: 

  • Quicker response times: how quickly your reps get back to customers who request a quote 
  • Lower churn rates: the rate at which you lose customers 
  • More quotes created: the number of quotes you are generating and sending to potential customers
  • Higher sales closing ratio: the rate at which you are successfully converting leads into loyal customers 
  • Higher ROI: profit on any given sale

Higher revenue streams and savings

Overall, CPQ solutions act as time savers for businesses and their sales organizations. And time for sales teams quite literally means money. 

Without having to worry about the CPQ process, sales reps and managers have more time to focus on creating a well-guided selling process. They can also spend more time evaluating their current sales process, picking out best practices, and identifying areas that need to be improved. In turn, your business has the potential to decrease the cost associated with selling and increase its revenue streams.

If you rely on a cloud-based stack, it’s worth evaluating the best cloud-based CPQ software for business apps, which allows teams to access quotes, pricing updates, and workflows from anywhere without disruption.

Does my business need a CPQ system?

It’s a fair question.

Tools like CRM and business intelligence have become a part of your everyday selling routine. Adding another software to the list isn’t any decision that’s made lightly.

To determine if your business needs a CPQ system, ask yourself the following questions:

  • Is your sales team experiencing slow turnaround times when generating quotes for customers? 
  • Does your business include a lot of complex products with even more complicated pricing models?
  • Can your reps accurately and efficiently create quotes for those products? 
  • Are you over-discounting products and losing out on that revenue?
  • Can quotes for customers only be found on the devices of the rep who generated it?

If you answered yes to any or all of those questions, it’s time for you to start shopping for a CPQ system. These are especially important if you're a smaller operation wondering about the best CPQ software for small businesses, tools that won’t overwhelm your team but still deliver the customization you need.

Tip: If adding another software to your company’s tech stack sounds like a nightmare, use G2 Track to manage all of your current tools and monitor your spending.

5 best CPQ software solutions

CPQ software helps companies automate the process of configuring products, pricing the result, and generating quotes for the customer.

The beauty of CPQ software is that it takes care of the entire configure, price, quote process with potential customers, giving sales reps more time to focus on building rapport, establishing a relationship, and offering a positive customer experience.

The list below contains real user reviews from the best CPQ software on the market. To be included in this list, you must:

  • Include features for the basic activities that are part of the configure, price, quote lifecycle: configuration logic for the offering, standard and custom pricing, and quote tracking
  • Provide information that salespeople can use to quickly create offers that are beneficial for both the customer and the company
  • Offer workflows for users to create, modify, send, and track quote documents in different formats
  • Allow the use of CRM software, ERP systems, and other enterprise software data to define and manage product catalogs, including pricing and bundling for hundreds or thousands of products
  • Evaluate the profitability of each offering based on financial rules, customer pricing, costs, and external factors like competitors, market changes, or laws and regulations
  • Integrate with other solutions downstream (to gather and analyze data for better quoting) and upstream (to propagate new pricing into other solutions such as e-commerce)
  • Assist users with analytics and reporting during the entire quoting process, and provide data and suggestions to improve the process

If you’re searching for the leading CPQ solutions for SaaS providers or even the best-rated CPQ platforms for startups, the tools below represent some of the most trusted platforms by real users on G2. These CPQ apps cater to a range of needs, from enterprise-grade scalability to fast startup onboarding.

*Below are the top five leading CPQ software solutions from G2’s Spring 2025 Grid® Report. Some reviews may be edited for clarity. 

1. Salesforce Revenue Cloud

Salesforce Revenue Cloud can help your business automate the quoting, contracting, and ordering process with your customers. This solution integrates seamlessly with Salesforce CRM, allowing you to handle all of your customer data in one centralized location. It’s also often considered the top CPQ tool for large companies in tech, thanks to its robust admin controls, deep customization, and global scale.

What users like best: 

“I have experience using the application, as well as integrating it into the main sales negotiation cloud. It’s flexible in several segments. It’s fantastic, especially for marketing experts who like to fully follow their customer base who are potentially interested in our products and services.”

- Salesforce Revenue Cloud Review, Imbraim M. 

What users dislike:

“It requires quite a bit of training and retraining to ensure compliance and enforcement from sales leaders to get all reps to follow the rules.”

- Salesforce Revenue Cloud Review, Jay K. 

2. DealHub.io

DealHub.io is a zero-code platform that offers sales teams a connected revenue workflow. This solution includes CPQ capabilities, contract management, eSign, document generation, digital sales proposals, subscription management, and more.

What users like best:

“There's a lot of flexibility to work within the requirements of our desired CPQ workflow. The support team has been tremendous, lending their experience and efforts to help our organization, leveraging the tool to become a key cog in our business. The Dealhub team's extensive product knowledge and responsiveness made a huge difference in our experience with the platform.

- DealHub.io Review, James G.

What users dislike: 

There are so many possibilities that sometimes it gets overwhelming. There are so many aspects of our business that are linked to DealHub in some way, that we underestimated the impact DealHub has on our organization and the time it takes to fully understand, think through, test, and implement. This is a good thing, but it ends up becoming a much bigger project than anticipated.

- DealHub.io Review, Wendy V.

3. HubSpot Sales Hub

HubSpot Sales Hub offers a platform for monitoring sales analytics and customer data with CPQ functionality. This tool equips reps with rich insights and enablement materials to provide an exceptional customer experience.

What users like best:

HubSpot's organization is unmatched. I love the customization of the different columns in my contact area, and I love how many fields I am able to fill with data. It really helps me to keep track of dozens of leads at one time and make sure that every deal I am working on is kept fresh and attended to in a timely manner. I would've let many deals slip away if it had not been for HubSpot.

- HubSpot Sales Hub Review, Ryan L.

What users dislike:

Hubspot is still missing a lot of functionality. For instance, having folders in the workflows section did not come until just recently. Also, I do not have the ability to reschedule sequences in bulk. This causes me to go back into each contact to reschedule each person individually.

- HubSpot Sales Hub Review, Eric K.

4. ConnectWise CPQ

ConnectWise CPQ is a quote-to-cash powerhouse designed to help IT solution providers and technology consultants accelerate deal cycles and boost revenue, without getting lost in spreadsheets or manual approval workflows. It’s more than just a quoting tool. It’s a smart, sales-focused platform that blends automation, CRM integration, and product catalog management into one centralized engine. Whether you're building multi-vendor bundles, tracking renewals, or just want to send sleek quotes faster, ConnectWise CPQ makes it happen and keeps your margins healthy.

What users like best:

"Once you understand all the nooks and crannies, and you set it up correctly for success, it's a great product. All about the templates and training your team! It has integrations with ConnectBooster, Wise-Pay, Authorize.Net, and honestly, the PSA integration is the best out of all the quoting tools."

- ConnectWise CPQ Review, Eileen W.

What users dislike:

"Set up can be difficult, and customizing quotes and the only quote delivery site does require some knowledge of HTML to design and implement any changes other than what comes as the default."

- ConnectWise CPQ Review, Alex B.

5. Experlogix CPQ

Experlogix CPQ is purpose-built for companies with intricate product configurations, custom pricing models, and a need for precision in every proposal. Whether you sell manufacturing components, professional services, or high-volume SaaS licenses, Experlogix CPQ handles the complexity without overwhelming your team.

What users like best:

“I liked that the level of automation and support for third-party tools met all of our requirements for Experlogix CPQ. The support was prompt and professional. There were no questions that were too many, and there was always a good solution."

- Experlogix CPQ Review, Riley H.

What users dislike:

“The interface can be a bit clunky at times and could be simplified a bit more, plus the learning curve for setup is longer and deeper than other types of trading platforms."

- Experlogix CPQ Review, Neishma G.

FAQs on CPQ software

What’s the best CPQ software with custom pricing features?

The best CPQ software with custom pricing features gives you full control over discounting, dynamic pricing, and personalized deal structuring. Tools like Salesforce CPQ and DealHub.io allow teams to set rules based on customer type, product configuration, or usage volume, helping companies strike the right balance between profitability and customer satisfaction.

Which CPQ app should I choose for a medium-sized enterprise?

For medium-sized enterprises, the ideal CPQ app should be easy to implement, highly customizable, and able to grow with your sales team. Look for platforms that integrate with your existing CRM, support collaboration across teams, and provide robust reporting. For these reasons, HubSpot Sales Hub and PandaDoc are popular picks among mid-market companies.

What’s the best value CPQ solution for the tech industry?

Tech companies often prioritize speed, scalability, and flexibility in quoting. The best value CPQ solutions for the tech industry typically support API integrations, recurring billing, and usage-based pricing. Tools like Oracle CPQ and DealHub.io shine here, helping fast-moving SaaS and product companies keep their quote-to-cash cycle lean and efficient.

What is the top CPQ software for streamlining sales processes?

Sales teams looking to reduce manual steps often ask this. The top CPQ software for streamlining sales processes offers automation across configuration, pricing, and quoting while integrating with key systems like CRM, ERP, and billing. Salesforce CPQ and DealHub.io are two leaders that eliminate redundant tasks and significantly shorten quote turnaround times.

What’s the best cloud-based CPQ software for business apps?

If you’re looking for a cloud-first solution, consider CPQ platforms like PandaDoc or HubSpot Sales Hub. The best cloud-based CPQ software for business apps delivers flexible access, minimal IT overhead, and easy integration with your SaaS ecosystem, ideal for remote or hybrid sales teams.

What are the best-rated CPQ platforms for startups?

Startups need intuitive tools that are quick to deploy and affordable at scale. The best-rated CPQ platforms for startups typically include templates, pre-built integrations, and user-friendly quote builders. HubSpot and PandaDoc rank highly among startups for their ease of use, especially for teams without full-time admins or IT support.

What are the leading CPQ solutions for SaaS providers?

SaaS companies require features like subscription pricing, automated renewals, and real-time configuration. Leading CPQ solutions for SaaS providers, such as DealHub.io and Salesforce CPQ, offer these capabilities along with deep integrations into revenue platforms, CRM, and finance systems to streamline the entire customer lifecycle.

What is the best CPQ software for small businesses?

For small businesses, simplicity and value matter most. The best CPQ software for small businesses is one that offers guided configuration, pre-built templates, and a low learning curve. Tools like PandaDoc and HubSpot are great starting points for smaller sales teams that want automation without complexity.

What’s the top CPQ tool for large companies in tech?

Enterprise tech companies often require multi-currency support, approval workflows, and complex product catalogs. The top CPQ tool for large companies in tech is Salesforce CPQ, thanks to its robust functionality, custom rules engine, and seamless CRM integration. Oracle CPQ is another strong option for global enterprise deployments.

When it comes to CPQ, don't DIY

The only thing that beats the satisfaction of accurately configuring a product, pricing it, and generating a quote is increasing your sales. There are times when the human touch is necessary, like communicating with a customer, but undergoing the CPQ process is not one of them. Do yourself a favor and automate where you can. 

Speaking of human touch, here are some tips to avoid sounding like a robot when cold-calling your customers.


Get this exclusive AI content editing guide.

By downloading this guide, you are also subscribing to the weekly G2 Tea newsletter to receive marketing news and trends. You can learn more about G2's privacy policy here.