SDR vs BDR: What Is the Difference Between a Sales Development Rep and a Business Development Rep?

SDR (Sales Development Representative) and BDR (Business Development Representative) are two of the most commonly confused roles in B2B sales. At many companies, the terms are used interchangeably -- both roles do outbound prospecting and qualify leads for Account Executives. At companies that distinguish them, however, the difference is typically: an SDR focuses on inbound lead qualification (routing and qualifying MQLs from marketing), while a BDR focuses on outbound prospecting (identifying and contacting new accounts that have not expressed any prior interest). The distinction matters for how each role is recruited, trained, measured, and compensated.

SDR: Sales Development Representative

An SDR primarily handles inbound lead qualification. When marketing generates MQLs (through content, SEO, paid ads, or events), the SDR's job is to reach out quickly, qualify them against ICP criteria, and book a discovery meeting for the Account Executive. In most B2B SaaS companies, "SDR" is used for both inbound and outbound roles, but where the distinction is made, the SDR is the inbound handler. Key SDR metrics: lead response time (the faster the response to an inbound MQL, the higher the qualification rate -- best-in-class is under 5 minutes), meetings booked per week, and lead-to-meeting conversion rate.

BDR: Business Development Representative

A BDR primarily does outbound prospecting -- identifying companies and contacts that match the ICP, reaching out via email, LinkedIn, and phone, and booking meetings without any prior inbound signal. BDRs build their own target lists, research accounts, and personalise outreach. They are operating without the warm signal that SDRs get from inbound MQLs, which makes their job harder but more expansive -- they can access the entire ICP universe, not just those who have already engaged. Key BDR metrics: accounts researched and contacted per week, outbound meetings booked per week, and pipeline sourced.

Companies that use both roles

Companies with both inbound and outbound motions sometimes split the two roles: SDRs handle the inbound queue (MQLs from marketing) and BDRs handle strategic outbound (proactive targeting of enterprise accounts). This separation allows each role to specialise: SDRs develop speed and qualification skills; BDRs develop research, personalisation, and cold outreach skills. The roles typically share the same seniority level and compensation structure, with the distinction being the source of leads, not the level of the role.

SDR vs BDR in India B2B

In India B2B, the distinction between SDR and BDR is less commonly made than in US-based SaaS companies. Most growth-stage Indian B2B SaaS companies use the SDR title for all pre-sales roles that do lead qualification and meeting booking -- whether inbound or outbound. BDR is more commonly seen at companies with a dedicated account-based or enterprise outbound programme targeting named strategic accounts. As India B2B teams scale past 5-10 SDR/BDRs, some companies introduce the distinction to allow specialisation.

SDR and BDR salary in India

SDR and BDR salaries in India are similar at most companies: INR 3-8 LPA base with INR 2-5 LPA variable (OTE INR 5-13 LPA) for 0-3 years of experience. Senior SDR/BDRs with 3-5 years of experience earn INR 8-12 LPA base with OTE of INR 12-20 LPA. The variable component is typically tied to meetings booked, qualified pipeline created, or conversion of meetings to SQLs.