Looking for the right tool to untangle your sales process? You’re probably knee-deep in options, all promising to “accelerate pipeline” and “transform go-to-market.” Most of them sound the same. If you’re actually trying to get work done—not just impress the board with a shiny dashboard—you need to cut through the hype and compare what matters. This guide is for B2B sales, ops, and RevOps folks who want real answers about how Tray stacks up against the big names in GTM (go-to-market) software platforms.
We’ll walk through how to actually compare these tools, what to look for (and what to ignore), and some honest takes on what you’ll run into along the way.
Step 1: Get Clear on What Problem You’re Actually Solving
Before you even open up a comparison chart, stop and ask: What’s the single biggest friction point in your sales process? Is it lead routing? Data syncing? Reporting? Automating tasks? Most GTM platforms do a bit of everything—but not all do your one thing well.
Pro tip: Write down your top 2-3 headaches. If your team can’t agree on what these are, you’re not ready to pick a tool yet. Don’t let a vendor’s feature list define your priorities.
Don’t get distracted by: - “Future-proofing” for use cases you don’t have yet - Fancy AI features that sound cool but don’t solve your core issue - Integrations you’ll never actually use
Step 2: Know What Tray (and Others) Actually Do
Let’s be honest—just about every GTM software claims to “automate workflows” and “connect your stack.” But what does that mean in practice?
- Tray: Think of Tray as a flexible automation and integration platform. It’s great for connecting all your sales and marketing tools—CRMs, email, marketing automation, spreadsheets, and so on. You build workflows visually (no code needed, but technical folks will get more out of it). You can automate lead routing, enrich data, move info between tools, and trigger alerts without waiting on IT.
- Competitors: The big names you’ll run into include Zapier (for simple automations), Workato (more enterprise-level integrations), Salesforce Flow (if you’re all-in on Salesforce), and specialized GTM tools like LeanData, HubSpot Operations Hub, and Outreach. Each has its quirks, strengths, and gaps.
Watch out for: - Vendors positioning themselves as “all-in-one” but only nailing one or two features. - “No code” platforms that get complicated fast when you need real business logic. - Tools that only work well if you use their whole ecosystem (looking at you, Salesforce).
Step 3: Make a Shortlist—But Don’t Overdo It
You don’t need a spreadsheet with 25 vendors. Seriously. Pick 2-4 that match your top needs.
How to shortlist: - If you need: Simple, lightweight automations between SaaS tools — look at Zapier and Tray. - If you need: Enterprise-level integrations with error handling, branching, and custom logic — Tray and Workato are strong bets. - Deep Salesforce routing and matching: LeanData or Tray. - If you’re all-in on one ecosystem: Use their native tools (Salesforce Flow, HubSpot Operations Hub, etc.) unless you have a reason not to.
Ignore: - “Magic quadrants” or analyst reports unless you need to justify a decision to leadership. - Super-niche solutions that don’t integrate with your core stack.
Step 4: Check the Integration Gaps (This Is Where Most Tools Fall Down)
Don’t just look for a logo on their integrations page. Dig in—does the integration actually do what you need?
Checklist: - Can it read/write all the fields you care about? - Does it handle custom objects or weird data types? - Can it trigger on every event you need, or only on a schedule? - What happens when something fails—are there good error logs and alerts?
With Tray: - Good breadth of integrations (especially with B2B sales/marketing tools). - Solid handling of custom fields and more complex logic. - But: If your use case is super niche or a new SaaS tool, double-check if there’s built-in support or if you’ll need to use APIs.
Pro tip: Ask for a sandbox or trial where you can actually test an integration, not just watch a demo video.
Step 5: Evaluate Ease of Use (By Your Team, Not a Demo Pro)
Vendors love to show you slick drag-and-drop builders. But who’s actually going to build and maintain these workflows?
- Tray: Non-developers can get started, but the more complex your logic, the more you’ll want someone who’s technical. It’s a lot more approachable than custom code, but don’t expect magic.
- Zapier: Easiest for simple stuff. Struggles with complexity.
- Workato: Powerful, but can feel overwhelming unless you have someone dedicated.
- Native tools: Usually limited to what the vendor thinks you’ll need.
What to look for: - Is there clear documentation and real-world examples (not just toy demos)? - How easy is it to test, debug, and update workflows? - Who in your team will own this? (If the answer is “IT” and you’re in Sales Ops, that’s a red flag.)
Step 6: Consider Pricing—But Don’t Get Fooled by the Sticker Price
Pricing for GTM platforms is famously opaque. There are seats, flows, runs, tasks, records, API calls, and “premium connectors.”
Tray: Pricing isn’t public, but expect it to scale with usage (number of workflows, tasks, API calls). You’ll need to talk to sales for a quote. If you’re a mid-size or large org with lots of automations, it can get pricey—but you’re also getting a lot of flexibility.
Zapier: Transparent, but can get expensive if you scale up automations.
Workato: Expensive and aimed at larger enterprises. Worth it if you need deep integrations and support.
Native tools: Usually included in your main subscription, but can be limiting.
Watch out for: - Hidden costs for “premium” integrations or features. - Usage-based pricing that explodes if you automate high-volume processes. - “Professional services” fees to set up or maintain workflows.
Pro tip: Ask for a detailed price breakdown based on your real-world usage (not just made-up averages).
Step 7: Look at Support, Community, and Reliability
You’re not just buying software—you’re buying your future headaches (or lack thereof).
- Tray: Pretty responsive support, but the quality can vary. Community is growing, but not as massive as Salesforce or HubSpot.
- Zapier: Great documentation, big community, limited on 1:1 support.
- Workato: Strong support for enterprise customers, but you’ll pay for it.
- Native tools: Support quality depends on your contract/tier.
Ask yourself: - When something breaks at quarter-end, how fast can you get help? - Is there a Slack group, forum, or user group where you can get answers? - Are updates and outages clearly communicated?
Step 8: Run a Quick Pilot—Don’t Bet the Farm Right Away
Don’t sign a multi-year contract until you’ve actually built something real. Pick a high-impact but low-risk workflow (like lead assignment or updating records) and try to implement it in both Tray and your top competitor.
What to look for: - How long does it take to go from “idea” to “live”? - Do you hit any weird blockers or missing features? - How easy is it to hand off to someone else?
If you can’t get a pilot done in a week or two, that’s a red flag—either the tool’s too complex, or your process is too convoluted.
Step 9: Pressure-Test Security and Compliance (If You Have To)
If you’re in a regulated industry or deal with EU customers, this matters. Tray and the main competitors all offer SOC2, GDPR, etc.—but ask to see their docs. Make sure you can audit who did what and when.
Don’t get bogged down unless you have specific requirements. Otherwise, trust but verify.
Step 10: Make the Call and Move On (Don’t Chase Perfection)
You can spend months chasing the “perfect” platform. Don’t. Pick the tool that solves your biggest pain, fits your team’s skills, and doesn’t bust your budget.
Keep it simple: - Start with your core use case. - Build, test, iterate. - If it works, expand. If not, switch. Most contracts are annual anyway.
Final Thoughts: Keep It Grounded
GTM software is supposed to make your sales process smoother, not become a second job. Don’t get hypnotized by feature lists or buzzwords. Focus on what actually helps your team close more deals, with less pain.
Start small, get real feedback from the people actually using the tool, and don’t be afraid to throw out what isn’t working. The right tool is the one you’ll actually use—not the one that looks best on a slide deck.
Go fix what’s slowing you down. The rest can wait.