Today, 57% of sales reps inaccurately forecast their pipeline, according to data from Chorus. To reduce the probability of such inaccuracies, sales forecasting software has become an indispensable part of the professional sales kit.
This post shares 12 forecasting software that can help you predict, monitor, and optimize your deal pipeline.
What are sales forecasting software?
Sales forecasting software are designed to predict demand for a company's offerings based on data. These programs utilize historical data and the current sales pipeline to create time-bound sales estimates.
Simply put, sales forecasting software help the organization predict how much they’re going to make and when.
Benefits of Sales Forecasting Software
The effects of inaccurate forecasts extend far beyond missing sales targets. In reality, these effects ripple throughout an organization in various ways — inventory shortages, poor resource management, inaccurate staffing, and so on.
So, the true benefit of sales forecasting software isn’t just providing a more efficient alternative to manual forecasting (which is still a major benefit). Rather, these programs allow for:
- Data accuracy by drastically reducing the probability of human error in data entry and calculations.
- Real-time insights that can be consulted throughout the forecast period.
Accurate predictions enable businesses to create effective plans, make proactive decisions, and if necessary, develop a corrective course of action.
The 12 Best Sales Forecasting Software
1. Hubspot Forecasting Software
Hubspot’s forecasting software is designed to help teams forecast future revenue and monitor their pipeline. Here, you can track your progress toward achieving your forecasted goals.
Core features include:
- The ability to automatically roll up custom forecasts submitted by reps and managers into a single high-level forecast for management.
- The ability to drill down into the performance of individual pipelines and forecasts. This feature depends on each user's access and permissions.
- The ability to pull data directly from the CRM and create multiple pipelines. With this feature, both your sales and service teams can create forecasts.
- A mobile app, which allows you to review and submit forecasts on the go.
How Forecasting Works
HubSpot’s forecasting tool is easy to navigate. With four easy steps, you’ll be on your way to making accurate predictions.
1. Choose your preferred "forecast deal amount."
In the tool, you have three default forecast deal amount options that determine how deal amounts will be displayed in the forecast tool. These are the total amount, weighted amount, and forecast amount.
2. Set up a forecast submission status indicator.
This will alert users that have not updated their forecast within a stipulated period.
3. Set up your pipeline's forecast categories.
By default, this tool uses deal stages to forecast revenue. That said, you have the option to edit your deal stages and create custom forecast categories.
You also have the option to automatically update categories when a deal moves to a different deal stage by toggling the "Automate forecast categories" switch.
4. Assign revenue goals for your team.
With this feature, you can keep track of how close you are to hitting your target for the month, quarter, or year.
What We Like
Hubspot’s forecasting tool is housed within a powerful CRM which allows it to directly leverage the platform’s sales analytics. This means that if you currently use or plan to use Hubspot as your sales CRM, you can directly pull data points to help you build more accurate, advanced forecasts.
User Review
"Sales Hub is driving our sales process and has enabled the key steps in the process to be a requirement, so reps can't cut corners and so that we are setting up our customers, our deals, and our company's forecast for success and accuracy in the associated expectations. It makes my life easier, as I don't have to search for external documents, I just let the tool guide the processes,"Tyler C.on G2.
Pricing
Forecasting is only available in premium editions of the Sales Hub and Service Hub. Both start at $500/month or $5,400/year.
2. Aviso Predict
Aviso Predict is a revenue forecasting solution that promises 98% sales forecasting accuracy. This tool is designed to help users create forecasts that are highly customizable and powered by AI-driven pipeline insights.
Core features include:
- A Time Series artificial intelligence engine.
- "WinScore Insights," which predicts the probability of successfully closing a deal and suggests levers that could influence deal success.
- Scenario forecasting, which allows you to factor "what-if" situations into your forecasts. Typically this means creating best-case, likely, and worst-case forecasts to account for variables.
What We Like
Aviso takes a very "data-focused" approach to revenue forecasting, which is visible in the amount of data the platform provides to users.
User Review
"Aviso helps me keep track of my pipeline in an all-in-one platform and dashboard, focusing on forecasting, analytics, and insights, as well as AI to predict whether or not my forecast is accurate based on historical trends,"Ryan O.for G2.
Pricing
Pricing is available upon request.
3. Salesforce Sales Cloud
Salesforce Sales Cloud is a sales automation software that leverages data, automation, and artificial intelligence to help teams improve their efficiency.
This suite includes a forecast management solution designed to help teams increase prediction accuracy. Core forecasting capabilities include:
- The ability to factor product families into your forecasts.
- The ability to switch between four different types of forecasts, each with its quota and adjustment data.
- The ability to leverage artificial intelligence, to drastically improve forecast accuracy.
What We Like
Customers can use the Sales Cloud AI, Einstein, to determine new and existing opportunities that are likely to close during the current forecasting period. Reps can also access insights into how and why Einstein assigned the score.
User Review
"Salesforce has one of the most robust revenue reporting catalogs I've ever used. Being able to customize and build reports for our specific needs is a great way to drill down on exactly what we're looking for… A great way for managers and leadership to see activities and forecast revenue,"Becka B. for G2.
Pricing
Prices start at $25 per user each month.
4. Zoho
Zoho is a CRM that offers forecasting in its suite of performance management features.
This platform allows users to build custom forecasts based on conditionals specified in their CRM. You can also monitor forecasts (achieved deals, pipeline deals, pipeline shortages), and automatically create reports based on forecast numbers.
Additional features include:
- A warning system that alerts users about discrepancies in their forecasts, such as sales target mismatches and pipeline shortages.
- Drill down analysis to monitor pipelines and performance.
- AI-based predictive forecasting and recommendations.
What We Like
Zoho’s predictive AI, Zia, can be configured for custom predictions. As long as the prediction matches one of the supported data types (e.g., date/time, number, currency) and the user can provide 200 records to "train" Zia, the possibilities are endless.
Note: Zia is only available in professional, enterprise, and ultimate plans.
User Review
"The best thing about this enterprise tool is the pricing part, which is more reasonable than other CRMs in the market plus the features are amazing, no less than the overpriced tools. It's very easy to handle which requires no IT knowledge, just go through introductory videos and you are good to go,"Mitali C. on G2.
Pricing
Prices start at $12 per user each month.
5. Pipedrive
Pipedrive’s revenue forecasting feature leverages artificial intelligence and automation to help teams build accurate forecasts.
The platform’s revenue forecast view allows users to set up and monitor forecasts. Meanwhile, the forecast reports feature allows users to generate reports based on conditionals such as forecast periods, deal status, pipeline, probability, team, and more.
While setting up forecasts, users can also:
- Visualize deal progress via a status bar underneath each deal. This shows how far along the pipeline the deal is.
- Access drag and drop functionality which allows users to easily update the expected close date of any deal.
- Configure deal probability for pipeline stages or individual deals.
What We Like
Pipedrive is easy to use. Although the program is a very powerful platform, most users report that it is very intuitive and easy to use — which is one area where a lot of advanced sales tools fall short.
User Review
"I've been looking for an easy-to-use CRM (with a visual sales funnel) for years. I finally found it. It takes me mere minutes per day to update anything and everything… Gone are the days when those tasks took forever and a day,"Tom P.on G2.
Pricing
Prices start at $39.90 per user each month. There are less expensive plans but revenue forecasting is only available in professional and enterprise plans.
6. SugarCRM
Sugar is a CRM platform that offers sales forecasting as part of its sales automation toolkit.
The forecast view in Sugar is called a "worksheet" that by default contains the forecast name, account name, expected close date, sales stage, opportunity name, and product. Users can also choose whether to configure scenarios that can also be added to a worksheet, like best- and most-likely scenarios.
Additionally, Sugar gives users access to predictive analytics. This calculates the probability of a deal converting, ranging from "not likely" to "very likely".
What We Like
According to several users, one of Sugar’s main benefits is how customizable the platform is — even for those without any technical know-how. Users report being able to customize nearly every part of the platform and tailor it to their specific needs.
User Review
"Sugar is very customizable, so we've been able to put our specific workflows and systems in place to support our business needs,"Julie F. on G2.
Pricing
Prices start at $135 per user each month. There are less expensive plans. However, revenue forecasting is only available for professional and enterprise plans.
7. Freshsales by Freshworks
With Freshsales, users can access a sales forecast feature powered by Freddy, an AI assistant that runs across the entire CRM.
Core features include:
- The "deal timeline view." Deals can be categorized based on expected close dates which can be automatically estimated by Freddy using historical win/loss data.
- Custom quota metrics. Freshsales allows users to set custom quota metrics based on specific sales goals. For example, as opposed to "number of deals closed" the user could set quota metrics for a certain rep to "number of cars sold."
What We Like
Freshales AI-based commit suggestions are unique to the platform. Freddy uses historical data to recommend deals that are likely to convert within a set period.
Users can also access a "deals insight column" to access Freddy’s insights on any particular deal.
User Review
"It's so easy to use. Automation of their Sales Sequence where we can send emails to users when the contact is created or the status is changed… It reduces the manpower and automates most of the work,"Abhijit B.on G2.
Pricing
Prices start at $39 per user each month.
8. Outreach Commit
Outreach Commit provides sales forecasting and analytics. This platform leverages real-time data and artificial intelligence to provide sales reps with up-to-the-minute pipeline analysis.
Core features include:
- Accurately measuring coverage using AI that analyzes past shortages and surpluses.
- AI that monitors over 100 signals to proactively identify at-risk deals.
- A scenario planner that can prepare your team for best- and worst-case scenarios.
What We Like
Many of the features in Outreach Commit are very "proactive" — historical coverage analysis, scenario planning, deal signals, etc. This makes Outreach Commut a great tool for maintaining a healthy pipeline and reaching revenue goals.
User Review
"It reduces the sales execution gap by combining automation and AI together and brings visibility to the team for better sales forecasts for planning daily activities,"Minakshi S.on G2.
Pricing
Pricing is available upon request.
9. Gong
Gong is a sales forecasting solution that helps salespeople "predict, deliver, and defend reliable forecasts." To accomplish these tasks, Gong pulls all interactions with a lead (phone calls, emails, contracts, etc.) into your forecast in real time.
Gong then uses AI to analyze this data and turns it into insights.
If there are risks in your pipeline, the platform will deliver "warnings." That includes flagging no activity, ghosting, and a low number of contacts.
Aside from customer behavior analysis, Gong offers "Deal Boards" which allow users to easily monitor their most important deals, metrics, and insights. Deal boards provide a customizable view of the user's pipeline. Here, you can capture every phone call, web conference, and email your reps have with their prospects. Each interaction becomes searchable data everyone can learn from.
What We Like
Gong offers users a reality-based approach to forecasting. With Gong’s insights, users can understand where they realistically stand with every opportunity in their pipeline.
As a result, users can create more accurate forecasts and identify pipeline risks.
User Review
"Every company boasts ‘insights’, and they usually fail to answer the questions we actually ask. As I navigate Gong, all the questions I would ask are answered by the data-driven insights they provide. I also love how simple the setup is. Everything about the product is intuitive,"Kyle W. on G2.
Pricing
Prices are available upon request.
10. BoostUp
BoostUp is a flexible sales forecasting and pipeline management platform. This program allows businesses to build custom processes that adapt to their unique needs.
Core features include:
- Time series analytics.
- AI predictions and pipeline risk scoring.
- Automated pipeline coverage risk analysis.
- Live forecast trend monitoring and change analysis.
What We Like
BoostUp’s toolkit seems particularly well suited to sales professionals in management positions. The platform offers advanced features for high-level forecasting and forecast management. That includes maintaining pipeline health, optimizing the performance of the entire team, etc.
User Review
"Forecasting has gotten quite a bit easier using BoostUp.Ai over our previous provider. I can see my whole pipeline, it helps me understand risk and the quality of notes, meetings, and understanding I have on a deal before I forecast,"Darren S.on G2.
Pricing
Prices are available upon request.
11. Clari
Clari is a sales forecasting solution that allows users to build forecasts based on real-time data and predictive insights. Core features include:
- Real-time forecast visibility for all users. Additionally, managers also have visibility into the entire team’s rollup.
- A deal inventory dashboard that allows reps to see information about the deals currently in their forecast.
- A mobile app that allows users to track and update forecasts on their mobile devices.
- History tracking that allows users to see changes made to the forecast within a specific time frame.
- Multiple forecast rollups across teams, product lines, geographies, and market segments.
What We Like
Clari instantly reflects changes in the user's CRM. This means users can avoid the hassle of switching back and forth between the two platforms.
User Review
"Clari is by far the EASIEST forecasting tool out there. Coming from a smaller company with fewer sales tools and resources (where we forecasted verbally or in spreadsheets), Clari is a breath of fresh air!"Chris R. on G2.
Pricing
Pricing is available upon request
12. Mediafly’s Intelligence 360
Intelligence360 is a revenue optimization platform that offers an AI-powered sales forecasting solution.
Mediafly, which operates Intelligence360, acquires InsightSquared in 2022. With this sales platform, you get the best of InsightSquared’s predictive analytics with the insights of Mediafly.
Here are some of the platform's core features:
- Hierarchical pipeline visibility. Sales managers have complete visibility into a rep’s pipeline and sales activities. Intelligence360 also allows them the option of assigning "actions" to reps within the platform.
- Streamlined forecast submissions. Reps can easily submit their forecast numbers which are then automatically rolled up. Managers can then review, approve or override submissions as necessary.
- Automated activity data capture. Intelligence360 helps reps capture and attribute both prospect interactions (phone calls, emails, etc.) and engagements to provide insights into how sales activities affect pipeline outcomes.
What We Like
InsightSquared allows reps to leverage machine learning to generate:
- "Confidence to close" scores.
- An "ideal opportunity profile."
The confidence to close score uses historical data to measure the likelihood of a rep successfully closing a specific deal. The ideal opportunity profile uses commonalities between past won deals to identify opportunities best suited for a rep.
User Review
"The dashboards let me customize the views for key stakeholders across my go-to-market team. Our sales forecasts and pipeline reviews no longer have any ambiguity in them. Now everyone knows where our pipeline/forecasts/sales stand before having to ask,"Andrew R. on G2.
Pricing
Prices are available upon request
Choosing the right sales forecasting software
Choosing the best sales forecasting tool for your team may seem daunting. Start by listing what features are most important to your unique business. You can then choose a platform that caters to your unique needs, sales processes, and team structure.
The right forecasting solution should not only help you create reliable predictions but also provide the insights and functionality you need to hit your targets.