The best customer data platforms (CDP) of 2025
A customer data platform (CDP) centralizes data from various sources, such as websites, applications, CRMs, and social media, into unified profiles for each customer. This unified view helps companies better understand their customers and deliver timely, personalized experiences.
When selecting a CDP, prioritizing features that support your business goals is essential. Key capabilities to consider include:
- Data collection and integration
- Identity resolution
- Audience segmentation
- Real-time processing
- Data governance and compliance
- Platform integrations
In this post, we'll explore top CDP options with a look at their strengths and weaknesses.
Learn more about the key features of a CDP, the main use cases, types, and benefits.
List of customer data platforms (CDP)
The CDP market offers many options with unique strengths. Below are some of the top alternatives, with their pros and cons.
Twilio Segment
Twilio Segment is a highly flexible, developer-centric customer data platform that enables businesses to collect, clean, and manage customer data from various sources. Known for its robust API integrations, it's ideal for companies seeking a customizable approach to data centralization.
Key features
The platform offers a wide range of integrations and allows real-time event streaming, enabling businesses to process data as it comes in. Additionally, it provides custom schemas and tracking plans and robust privacy and security controls to ensure compliance with data protection regulations.
Pros
Developers particularly appreciate Twilio Segment's high level of customization. It offers real-time solid data capabilities, robust APIs, and SDKs to build tailored solutions. It is also scalable, handling high-volume data effectively.
Cons
Technical expertise is required to fully utilize the Twilio Segment, making it less suitable for non-technical users. Without dedicated technical resources, the setup and maintenance process can be complex and challenging for smaller teams or businesses.
Pricing
Twilio Segment pricing includes a free plan for basic use and paid plans starting at $120 per month. Custom pricing is available for enterprise needs.
Adobe Experience Platform
Adobe Experience Platform is a powerful solution for creating and delivering real-time, personalized experiences. With its advanced analytics and AI-driven insights, it serves businesses that need a comprehensive tool for managing customer data and executing omnichannel strategies.
Key features
The platform is powered by Adobe Sensei, which provides AI-driven customer insights and enables businesses to create real-time customer profiles. It also supports cross-channel journey orchestration and offers robust data governance and privacy tools.
Pros
The Adobe Experience Platform excels in its seamless integration with other Adobe products, offering a comprehensive suite for end-to-end customer experience management. It also boasts strong AI and machine learning capabilities, making it an excellent choice for businesses leveraging advanced data analytics.
Cons
It is costly, particularly for smaller businesses, and requires advanced technical expertise to be fully utilized. The setup process can be heavy and time-consuming, and mastering the full range of features may be complex for some users.
Pricing
Adobe Experience Platform is typically part of larger Adobe Experience Cloud packages. Pricing is custom and not publicly disclosed.
Salesforce CDP
Salesforce CDP is tightly integrated with the Salesforce Customer 360 suite, providing a unified view of customer data across the Salesforce ecosystem. Designed for organizations aiming to create connected experiences at scale, it enables personalization within the familiar Salesforce environment.
Key features
It integrates tightly with the Salesforce Customer 360 suite and offers AI-powered insights, cross-cloud data unification, real-time segmentation, and identity resolution.
Pros
Salesforce CDP benefits from seamless integration with the Salesforce suite, making it particularly valuable for organizations already using Salesforce products. Its strong segmentation and personalization capabilities and robust analytics and reporting make it a powerful tool for enhancing customer experiences. The interface is user-friendly, especially for existing Salesforce users.
Cons
The platform offers limited flexibility outside the Salesforce ecosystem, and its implementation can be costly. It may also require Salesforce expertise to unlock its full potential.
Pricing
Salesforce CDP pricing starts at $12,500 monthly for up to 50,000 profiles. Custom pricing is available for larger implementations.
ActionIQ
ActionIQ is an enterprise-grade CDP that democratizes data access within organizations. It's designed to empower business teams to leverage customer insights without heavy reliance on IT resources.
Key features
The platform offers AI-driven customer insights, advanced audience segmentation, omnichannel orchestration, and a self-service interface for business users.
Pros
ActionIQ's enterprise-grade capabilities and emphasis on data democratization make it an attractive option for large organizations looking to break down data silos. It also provides flexible deployment options, including cloud, on-premise, hybrid configurations, and robust security and compliance features.
Cons
It may be too complex for smaller businesses and has a higher price point than competitors. Due to its steep learning curve, non-technical users may find the platform challenging.
Pricing
ActionIQ doesn't publicly disclose pricing. Custom quotes are provided based on specific business needs.
Bloomreach Engagement
Bloomreach Engagement is a platform that combines customer data platform (CDP) capabilities with marketing automation, specializing in e-commerce.
Key features
It focuses on delivering personalized experiences and tailored recommendations throughout the customer journey, with features such as AI-powered personalization, omnichannel campaign management, and advanced segmentation and targeting.
Pros
With its strong e-commerce focus, Bloomreach Engagement is ideal for businesses in the retail and e-commerce sectors. It offers a good balance of features for both marketers and developers and is known for its user-friendly interface.
Cons
It may not be as suitable for businesses outside the e-commerce space, and some users report limitations in customization. The platform can also be expensive for smaller businesses, which may find the cost prohibitive.
Pricing
Bloomreach Engagement doesn't publicly disclose pricing. Custom quotes are provided based on specific business needs.
CleverTap
CleverTap is a mobile-focused CDP that excels in-app engagement and user retention. Integrating behavioral analytics and segmentation, it enables businesses to deliver targeted, personalized experiences, specifically on mobile platforms, enhancing in-app experiences.
Key features
Key features include real-time customer segmentation, omnichannel engagement, predictive modeling, and a mobile-first approach.
Pros
CleverTap's strong focus on mobile app engagement makes it an excellent choice for businesses prioritizing mobile experiences. The platform offers a user-friendly interface and a good balance of features for different team sizes. Additionally, AI-powered campaign optimization helps improve engagement outcomes.
Cons
It may not be as comprehensive for businesses that are not mobile-focused, and some users report limitations in data visualization. Large-scale implementations can also be expensive.
Pricing
CleverTap offers a free trial. Paid plans start at $1,000/month, and custom pricing is available for enterprise needs.
Hightouch
Hightouch is a unique player in the CDP space, focusing on reverse ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) capabilities. It allows businesses to sync data from their data warehouses directly to their business tools, effectively turning the data warehouse into a CDP.
Key features
Hightouch offers reverse ETL functionality that facilitates seamless data movement and direct SQL access, giving users the flexibility to query and manage data as needed. Additionally, it includes a no-code audience builder, making it easier for users to segment and target audiences without coding. It also supports a wide range of integrations with popular business tools and platforms.
Pros
Hightouch is particularly beneficial for data teams, empowering them to activate data directly from the data warehouse without moving it into another platform. It is flexible and developer-friendly, supports real-time data syncing, and can be a cost-effective solution for businesses already using a data warehouse.
Cons
It requires a separate data warehouse to function properly, which may not be ideal for businesses without such infrastructure. Moreover, the platform may require more technical expertise than other CDPs, which could challenge non-technical users. While it excels in certain areas, it is not a full-featured CDP and may need to be paired with different tools to provide a comprehensive solution.
Pricing
Hightouch offers a free plan for basic use. Paid plans start at $600/month, and custom pricing is available for enterprise needs.
Challenges of implementing a CDP
While Customer Data Platforms (CDPs) offer valuable benefits, they also present challenges that businesses should consider.
One primary concern is the complexity of integration; many CDPs demand extensive technical integration and customization, which can be time-consuming and require specialized expertise. Ensuring smooth integration across multiple systems often becomes a complicated task, adding to the implementation effort.
Another challenge is maintaining data quality and governance. Consistency and accuracy are essential with data coming from various sources but can be challenging to enforce. Additionally, using a CDP effectively may require teams to acquire new skills and undergo training, especially if the platform supports advanced analytics or machine learning. This skill gap can increase onboarding time and may require ongoing investment in training.
Croct as an option
For companies seeking to enhance user experiences without extensive re-platforming, Croct offers a flexible headless CMS with powerful personalization features. Unlike traditional CDPs, Croct focuses on enabling dynamic, personalized content experiences through real-time data collection, segmentation, and data activation.
Why having 3 platforms for customer data, content management, and personalization when you can have a single one?
Key features of Croct:
- Personalization-first: as a headless CMS, Croct goes beyond content management by offering built-in personalization capabilities. It gathers and segments user data to deliver tailored content, enhancing engagement and relevance.
- Unified user profiles: Croct creates unified profiles that capture and store essential customer information, allowing for seamless personalization across touchpoints.
- AB testing: with Croct's integrated AB testing, marketing teams can experiment with content variations directly within the platform, helping optimize user journeys based on real-time results.
- Audience segmentation: Croct's segmentation features enable you to target specific user groups, driving meaningful interactions through precise content delivery.
This streamlined approach makes Croct a valuable choice for brands prioritizing dynamic content and wanting to engage their audience in real-time.