Certified vs. Non-Certified Salesforce Developers – Who Should You Hire?

In today’s digital-first world, Salesforce is the backbone of CRM. It powers sales, marketing, service, and analytics for businesses of all sizes. But here’s the challenge: to unlock its full potential, you need skilled developers.

That raises the big question—should you hire certified Salesforce developers or non-certified ones? Let’s break it down.

What Does a Salesforce Developer Do?

A Salesforce developer:

• Customizes CRM features for your business

• Builds apps with Apex & Visualforce

• Integrates Salesforce with other tools

• Automates workflows for efficiency

• Ensures security & compliance

In short, they make Salesforce work for your exact needs.

What Does “Certified” Mean?

Certified Salesforce developers have passed official exams like:

• Platform Developer I & II

• App Builder

• Administrator

These credentials prove they’ve studied, trained, and mastered Salesforce best practices.

Advantages of Certified Developers

✅ Proven skills and credibility
✅ Always updated with new Salesforce releases
✅ Trusted with sensitive customer data
✅ Faster problem-solving
✅ Better ROI on your CRM investment

Do Non-Certified Developers Still Matter?

Yes! Many bring years of hands-on experience without certifications.

Their advantages:

• Practical problem-solving skills

• More affordable (great for startups)

• Larger talent pool

• Strong portfolios instead of certificates

Certified vs. Non-Certified – Quick Comparison

Who Should You Hire?

• Enterprises or big projects: Go certified for guaranteed expertise.

• Startups with low budget: Non-certified but experienced devs can deliver.

• Mission-critical work (security & compliance): Certification is a must.

👉 The best hire? A developer with both certification and real-world experience.

Tips for Hiring the Right Developer

• Check portfolio & past projects

• Test their Salesforce problem-solving

• Ask how they stay updated

• Don’t ignore soft skills (communication, teamwork)

• Balance cost with expertise

Final Verdict

Both certified and non-certified Salesforce developers can add value.

• If you want credibility and security → hire certified.

• If you want affordability and flexibility → hire experienced non-certified.

Ultimately, choose the one that aligns with your budget, risk tolerance, and business goals.