If you’re running a sales team that’s outgrown spreadsheets, you’ve probably been told you need “go-to-market” (GTM) software. There’s a ton out there—some good, some forgettable, most promising to solve all your problems. This review cuts through the hype and takes a real look at Xactlycorp’s B2B GTM software: what it’s actually like to use, what you should watch out for, and how it compares against the competition if you’re trying to build a smarter, faster-growing sales org.
Who Should Care About GTM Software Like Xactlycorp?
- Sales leaders hitting a wall with manual comp plans
- RevOps or sales ops folks who are tired of cleaning up spreadsheet chaos
- Founders or VPs looking to get real-time revenue visibility (and fewer surprises)
- Anyone who’s heard “incentives drive behavior” but wants tools that actually help, not just dashboards that look pretty
If you’re a solo founder, this is probably overkill. But if you’ve got a sales team and want to grow without losing your mind, read on.
What Does Xactlycorp Actually Do?
Let’s break down what Xactlycorp claims to do, and what it actually delivers.
Core Features
- Sales Compensation Management
Automates commission calculations, tracks attainment, and handles those endless “why’s my number off?” questions. - Quota & Territory Planning
Assigns goals and splits up accounts (in theory, so everyone gets a fair shot and you don’t miss revenue hiding in the cracks). - Revenue Intelligence
Dashboards, reports, and (some) predictive analytics to spot trends and fix bottlenecks. - Sales Performance Analytics
If you want to see who’s crushing it, who’s coasting, and where to coach—this is the part you’ll actually use.
What’s Supposed to Set Them Apart?
- Claims to be “purpose-built for sales comp and GTM.”
- Focus on automation (less busywork, fewer errors).
- Integrates with Salesforce and other big CRMs.
Where It Actually Delivers
- Compensation automation is solid.
If you’re wasting hours fixing commissions, this alone is worth a look. - Audit trails and transparency.
Reps can see how their numbers are calculated, which cuts down on complaints (not all, but some). - Planning tools are decent—but only if your data’s clean to begin with.
Where It Falls Short
- Setup is not plug-and-play.
You’ll need to invest real time (weeks, maybe months) to get it humming. - Interface is just...fine.
It’s not ugly, but don’t expect a slick, intuitive UX. Some features are buried, and you’ll probably need training. - Predictive analytics can be hit-or-miss.
If your data isn’t pristine, the forecasts are basically educated guesses.
How Does Xactlycorp Stack Up Against Competitors?
You’re probably comparing Xactlycorp to other players like CaptivateIQ, Spiff, or Anaplan. Here’s a no-nonsense breakdown:
Xactlycorp vs. CaptivateIQ
- CaptivateIQ is newer and generally easier to set up, especially if your comp plans aren’t too complicated.
- Xactlycorp wins in depth (good for complex orgs and legacy sales teams) but can feel heavy for smaller or fast-changing teams.
Xactlycorp vs. Spiff
- Spiff focuses on a super-friendly UI and fast deployments. If you want reps to love using it, Spiff is a strong contender.
- Xactlycorp has more robust planning tools, but the learning curve is higher.
Xactlycorp vs. Anaplan
- Anaplan is a beast—powerful, customizable, and expensive.
- Xactlycorp is more approachable for mid-market, but not as flexible for giant enterprises with a ton of custom needs.
Price Transparency
- Xactlycorp isn’t cheap, but none of these tools are.
- You’ll need to talk to sales for a real quote, but expect a multi-year contract and real implementation costs (time and money).
Pro Tip
If your comp plan changes every quarter, lean toward something more nimble, like CaptivateIQ or Spiff. Xactlycorp shines when you need audit trails, compliance, and deep reporting.
What’s It Like to Actually Implement Xactlycorp?
Here’s the honest process:
1. Scoping & Data Gathering
- You’ll work with their onboarding team to map your current comp plans, territories, and historical data.
- If your CRM data is messy, block off time for cleanup now—it’ll save you pain later.
2. Integration
- Connects to Salesforce, NetSuite, and a handful of other big CRMs.
- Custom integrations take time. If you’re on a homegrown CRM, expect some headaches.
3. Building Plans & Rules
- All your comp plans, splits, kickers, accelerators—built into the system.
- This is where things can get slow. The more exceptions and edge cases you’ve got, the more manual tweaking you’ll need.
4. Rep Rollout
- Reps get access to dashboards showing their attainment, pipeline, and payouts.
- Training is a must. Don’t just email out a login and hope for the best.
5. Ongoing Maintenance
- Any time you tweak comp plans, you’ll need to update the logic.
- Not “set and forget”—someone on your team will need to own this.
What Goes Smoothly
- Standard comp plans and simple territories? You’ll be fine.
- Good CRM data and one main integration? Even better.
What Gets Messy
- If your comp plan has lots of exceptions or non-standard rules, expect slowdowns.
- If you’re trying to do territory planning and comp automation and forecasting all at once, pace yourself.
What’s Worth Using — And What’s Just Noise?
Worth Your Time
- Comp automation: If you’re still running commissions out of Excel, this is a game-changer.
- Audit trails and payout transparency: Fewer “my check is wrong” fire drills.
- Basic planning tools: Decent for annual quota/territory set-up, as long as your org isn’t changing every month.
Easy to Ignore
- Fancy dashboards: Most users end up running exports to Excel anyway.
- Predictive analytics: Unless you have years of clean, consistent data, don’t bank on these to forecast your next big jump.
- Gamification: Most reps care about their commission, not badges.
Honest Pros & Cons
The Good
- Cuts down on admin time for comp and payout.
- Real auditability—good if you care about compliance or have a picky finance team.
- Handles scale: If you’re running a big team with lots of moving parts, it won’t fall over.
The Bad
- Not cheap—and the contract will probably be multi-year.
- Implementation takes real work—especially if your data is a mess.
- UI is functional but dated—don’t expect “fun” software.
The Meh
- Reporting is solid but not magical.
- Support is hit-or-miss—you’ll get help, but sometimes not as fast as you’d like.
When Should You Choose (or Avoid) Xactlycorp?
Choose Xactlycorp if: - You have 50+ reps and your comp plan is complicated. - Audit trails, compliance, and transparency really matter. - You’re tired of commission errors blowing up your inbox every month.
Avoid Xactlycorp if: - You’re a small team, or your comp plan changes every month. - You want something your reps can pick up in an afternoon. - You’re looking for a budget option.
Final Thoughts: Keep It Simple, Iterate Fast
GTM software can help, but it won’t save you from messy processes or bad data. Xactlycorp is a serious tool for teams that have outgrown duct-tape solutions. If you’re ready for the time and money investment, it can pay off—just don’t expect magic out of the box.
Start with your real pain points. Fix your data first. Then roll out tools like this one in phases. The best wins come from tightening up one thing at a time, not chasing every new feature. Simple, honest, and focused beats complicated every time.