Shape vs SmartSuite

Shape stands out by integrating an award-winning phone system directly into its platform. This includes seamless calling, texting, and MMS capabilities in one place. Shape ensures secure email delivery using compliant SMTP servers for authenticated messages. SmartSuite is primarily a workflow platform, not a communications hub. It relies on deep 3rd-party integrations to handle all phone calls, texts, and emails. You must connect tools like Gmail or HubSpot to enable outreach features. The core difference is specialization versus flexibility. Shape is ready for high-volume sales outreach immediately. SmartSuite gives you the freedom to choose your communication stack. If your sales team lives on the phone and sends hundreds of texts daily, Shape provides superior performance and integration.

Shape uses an opaque, quote-based pricing model across all three tiers (Professional, Engage, Enterprise). You must contact a salesperson to receive personalized per-user rates. Shape does not offer a free trial, requiring a demo before commitment. SmartSuite offers clear, publicly listed tiered pricing, starting at $0 per month for the permanent Free plan. Paid plans start at $12 per user monthly (billed annually), with a minimum of three billable users. SmartSuite offers a 14-day free trial without requiring a credit card to start. SmartSuite wins for transparency and accessibility, letting users begin testing immediately. Shape makes determining the cost and accessing the platform more difficult initially. For budget-conscious teams or those needing to test extensively before purchase, SmartSuite is the clear value leader.

SmartSuite is designed to allow customers to build customized, no-code solutions for virtually any process. You can tailor workflows for GRC, IT incident tracking, or finance approvals seamlessly. This flexibility allows SmartSuite to align operationally across many different departments. Shape focuses specifically on automating sales and marketing follow-up activities. It provides hundreds of pre-built templates and proven data-driven workflows designed for conversion optimization. The trade-off is between breadth and depth. SmartSuite is excellent for complex organizational structure. Shape provides specialized speed for sales engagement. If you manage complex processes outside of sales—like procurement or compliance—SmartSuite is the better framework.

Shape features built-in detection tools that instantly identify top-converting leads within the system. The Engage plan specifically adds AI lead scoring to further refine prospect targeting. Shape can instantly route hot leads to the right team member maximizing efficiency. SmartSuite can manage lead prioritization using its powerful automation engine and field logic. However, this process requires careful configuration and setup of triggers and webhooks. It is structurally possible but not natively integrated for sales purposes. Shape provides ready-to-use sales intelligence features focused on immediate outreach value. SmartSuite offers the components to build this intelligence yourself. For sales teams wanting immediate results from intelligent lead routing, Shape requires less setup and specialist input.

Shape includes an Expert Onboarding Plan and professional support on every single tier. Their team handles the necessary data imports and full system implementation for you. This allows new staff to start closing deals faster with minimal technical disruption. SmartSuite offers comprehensive documentation, videos, and a SmartSuite Academy for self-service learning. Priority support is reserved for Enterprise customers, and designated Customer Success Managers require larger annual plans. Shape focuses on premium, high-touch support to ensure rapid deployment and adoption. SmartSuite trusts users to learn the platform through their extensive resources. If your team lacks internal IT resources for migration, Shape's included expert assistance is incredibly valuable.

SmartSuite boasts strong connectivity, integrating natively with over 20 essential business tools. Crucially, it connects to Zapier and Make, opening access to over 6,000 additional applications. SmartSuite also offers a secure public REST API for custom development. Shape primarily functions as an all-in-one system with built-in CRMs for texting and email functionality. The focus is on consolidating tools, less on connecting external systems. Integration details are not explicitly published. If you rely heavily on existing disparate tools (like QuickBooks or HubSpot), SmartSuite offers far superior unification. Shape requires you to adopt its internal communication systems. SmartSuite is the integration powerhouse necessary for scaling complex, interconnected tech stacks.

SmartSuite maintains rigorous certifications, including SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001 compliance standards. Higher tiers also offer advanced security features like SAML-based Single Sign-On and IP address restrictions. SmartSuite supports HIPAA compliance. Shape prioritizes secure delivery for its communications, utilizing compliant SMTP servers for authenticated emails. General certification standards (like SOC 2) or advanced enterprise features (like SSO) are not publicly detailed for Shape. SmartSuite is clearly built to meet the needs of regulated industries and large enterprises requiring deep certification and control. Shape offers reliable, secure communication, but not the same depth of organizational compliance. Companies in regulated fields like Governance or Finance will find SmartSuite more suitable for their mandatory security requirements.

SmartSuite is designed to manage programs at massive scale across multiple departments simultaneously. The Enterprise plan has high limits on records and storage, supporting 400,000 records per solution. It’s built for complex operational alignment needs. Shape's Enterprise plan is designed for large-scale organizations focusing on sales and marketing complexity. Its scalability is determined by its ability to handle high volumes of leads and automated follow-up sequences. The scope of scaling differs significantly: SmartSuite scales organizational structure and data management limits. Shape scales sales engagement volumes and communication capacity. If your complexity comes from 10 different departments needing coordination, SmartSuite wins. If complexity means reaching 10,000 leads weekly, Shape is specialized.