At most universities, outdated processes quickly cause frustration and bottlenecks. There are simply too many prospective students, applicants, and staff members that need access to reliable information.

That’s why so many institutions turn to Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platforms. There’s more control over student data—including how to use it beneficially for both students and staff. 

In this installment of our CRM series, we’ll show how Element451 stacks up to other CRM alternatives.

Colleges use customer relationship management (CRM) systems like EAB or Element451 to measure important school services and functions. Centralization is critical when managing activities like business operations, recruitment, admissions, enrollment, and student engagement. 
Modern higher ed CRM platforms provide cloud-based software allowing employees to share access to student data in real time. 

Comparing similar companies is important before choosing one CRM over another. Thorough research prevents a school from choosing a company or platform that’s too complex in functionality, too expensive in pricing, or too specific to one use case.

Let's highlight several EAB competitors and evaluate them based on characteristics, customer input, and cost. 

EAB is an umbrella company that provides technology solutions for many educational organizations, including K-12 schools, community colleges, and large universities. EAB’s toolkit focuses on company services, student community, and diversity. 

Element451 is a modern student engagement CRM platform for higher education admissions, enrollment, and student life cycle management. Element451’s one-of-a-kind experience is extremely powerful, intuitive, and conversational. The platform has powered over 20 million separate admissions journeys across the country. 

Element451 is constantly innovating to help higher ed institutions attract, reach, and retain more students for longer—all the way to degree attainment. The result is higher retention and engagement rates and greater revenue potential.

Personalization and student-centric marketing campaigns and software

AI-powered content creation with BoltBot and Bolt Copilot

No-code forms, microsites, and landing pages for student outreach

Courtney Skiles, Director of Recruiting and Admission at Trinity Valley Community College says that Element451 is the only platform that is aligned with highly personalized student goals. 

“From the beginning, we felt like Element451 was on the same page with the way we wanted to reach students and all of the added benefits that came with it,” said Courtney. 

Element451's yearly licenses start at $20k per year, with custom quotes and pricing available based on need and functionality.


Ellucian is a fully functional SaaS (software as a service) ecosystem for higher education leaders and administrators.

Ellucian specializes in automated educational workflows to improve the enterprise resource planning (ERP) processes for established universities and colleges.

Singular focus on higher education services

According to its website, Ellucian has an extremely high customer retention rate and is used by over 1,200 schools within its cloud ecosystem to date. 

Ellucian’s features, plans, pricing, and licensing are by request and are based on the size and scope of the implementation. Pricing exclusivity is similar to other top competitors in the market.


Hubspot, one of the most globally recognized names in CRM software for businesses and enterprises, also offers a number of tailored products for higher education. Hubspot helps schools monitor, produce, and track student interactions. 

Compared to other options, users enjoy Hubspot for its all-in-one, user-friendly interface and low barrier to entry. Users can start quickly with a budget-friendly option for implementation.

Many positive Hubspot customer reviews focus on finding success with the platform in the realm of inbound marketing strategy.

Hubspot users can start with a free account that comes with foundational, basic features. Upgraded pricing introduces premium features that are helpful for larger teams. 


Embark CRM is an admissions-centric solution that helps clients (and schools) accept, process, and review applications more easily. The Embark Campus product is an end-to-end admissions tool for student lifecycle management.

Embark has been in the industry for nearly 20 years and has powered thousands of applications. Schools benefit from custom branding options and integration to other essential data or business systems. 

Collaborative, secure online review process

Real-time data insights and reporting features

Embark maintains a 4.6/5 customer review rating, with many reviewers commenting positively on the pricing structure, customer support, and fast issue resolution.

Embark’s company pricing model is subscription-based, although specific totals are not publicly available.


Slate by Technolutions is a comprehensive admissions and student success CRM platform in one streamlined user interface.  

Slate’s web-based design makes it easy for multiple users to collaborate efficiently. This can include independent school counselors, enrollment officers, or advisors. 

All-inclusive features set and comprehensive license

End-to-end partnerships to facilitate a more positive student journey

Ability to replace disparate systems with one tool

Customers give Slate a 4.4-star average. Many users enjoying Slate’s free trial offer, numerous integrations, and a highly engaged customer base.

As a company, Slate prides itself on offering consistent, affordable pricing for colleges. In fact, there’s been no price increase in the product in over 20 years even with technology improvements.

As you review top competitors in the CRM market, select the platform that will enhance your campus culture, give you security when it comes to growth goals, and provide relevant answers to questions along the way. 

Your institution's students, employees, and partners will reap the benefits of data processes that add to—rather than take away from—an exceptional higher ed experience. 

With its powerful and customizable platform, Element451 can provide an unparalleled level of support to institutions seeking to engage with their students in a more effective and dynamic way.

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