What is lead routing software?
Lead routing software assigns inbound leads and accounts to the right rep automatically, using rules such as territory, company size, account ownership, or round robin. Many tools also match leads to existing accounts and let buyers book a meeting straight from a form. Chili Piper, LeanData, Default, Qualified, and Calendly Routing are common options, and Salesforce and HubSpot offer native assignment rules.
Chili Piper vs LeanData: what's the difference?
Chili Piper focuses on speed to meeting: qualifying form fills, routing them, and letting buyers book instantly. LeanData focuses on routing accuracy in complex Salesforce orgs, especially lead-to-account matching and ownership rules. Teams with heavy inbound demo volume often start with Chili Piper. Teams with messy account ownership and many routing exceptions often need LeanData, and some companies run both.
How much does lead routing software cost?
As of September 2026, Calendly Routing has a free plan and paid seats from $10/seat/mo billed annually, RevenueHero starts at $15/user/mo, and Default's Growth plan is $15,000 per year. Chili Piper, LeanData, Qualified, and Distribution Engine are quote-only, and reviews describe Chili Piper as priced for mid-market and enterprise teams. Ask which users need paid seats, since that usually decides most of the bill.
What's the difference between round robin and territory-based lead routing?
Round robin gives each eligible rep the next lead in turn, which is simple and feels fair when reps sell the same thing to similar buyers. Territory-based routing assigns leads by region, industry, company size, or named account, which matters once reps own books. Most mature teams combine the two: match to an existing account owner first, then round robin within the right territory or segment.
Can Salesforce or HubSpot handle lead routing natively?
Yes, for simpler models. HubSpot workflows and Salesforce assignment rules and Flow can route by territory or round robin. They struggle with lead-to-account matching, weighted distribution, rep availability, and routing logic that ops can read at a glance. Once rules multiply and reps dispute assignments, a dedicated tool such as LeanData or Distribution Engine often costs less than the admin time spent maintaining custom Flow logic.
What is speed to lead, and how does routing affect it?
Speed to lead is the time between a buyer submitting a form and a rep making contact. Routing affects it directly, because a lead sitting in an unassigned queue cannot be worked. Tools such as Chili Piper, Default, and RevenueHero let qualified buyers book a meeting on the form itself, which removes the wait for rep follow-up. Measure response time before and after any routing change.
What happened to Drift, and what should customers switch to?
Salesloft announced a gradual sunset of Drift in March 2026 and is referring customers to 1mind. Current Drift customers should confirm their access end date and data export options, then compare replacements for chat, qualification, and routing. Qualified is the most direct alternative for conversational routing on the website, while Chili Piper and Default cover form-based routing and instant scheduling.