Sales focused CRM with clean pipelines and activity tracking, ideal for small teams that value speed.
Pipedrive turns your sales process into a simple, visual pipeline that’s easy to manage.
You want a pipeline that’s visual, intuitive, and easy to update.
€
588
/ year
€
24
/ month
Track deal progress with drag-and-drop stages.
Get reminders to follow up with every lead.
Forecast revenue with real-time updates.
Sales-led teams who want a visual CRM that reps actually use
Looking for other options? These are tools I've personally used with clients or tested extensively. Some might better suit your budget, tech stack, or team size. Consider this a shortlist if you need alternatives.
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Simple CRM for relationships and outreach lists, useful for partnerships and light sales without heavy setup.
All in one CRM with marketing, sales and service, strong when you want one system that teams adopt.
Small business CRM with email automation and invoicing, good when you want sales and marketing in one light tool.
Work OS with boards, automations and dashboards, flexible for marketing and ops when configured with restraint.
Enterprise CRM with deep customisation and ecosystem, powerful but requires clear design and governance.
Tools like Zapier, n8n and Make.com are incredibly powerful, but they can feel overwhelming when you’re just getting started. Since you can connect almost anything, it’s hard to know where to begin.
No-code automation connecting 5,000+ apps to move data and trigger actions excellent for quick wins when you need integrations that just work.
Open-source automation with self-hosting ideal when you need complete control, want to own infrastructure, or have technical teams building workflows.
Visual automation platform with advanced logic and error handling more powerful than Zapier when you need control over complex, branching workflows.
Pipedrive was designed primarily for sales pipeline management, not as a full marketing suite. This means it excels at tracking deals and sales activities, but it has limited marketing functionality out of the box. If your business needs robust marketing automation – for example, sending newsletters, drip campaigns, managing advert contacts and so on – Pipedrive alone may fall short. It lacks an equivalent to HubSpot’s Marketing Hub features.
Pipedrive has made some strides, including an email-marketing add-on called Campaigns, yet it is still no match for dedicated marketing platforms. You might need to integrate a separate email-marketing tool or marketing-automation system alongside Pipedrive.
In short, if your primary goal is managing a sales team and pipeline, Pipedrive is ideal. If you require an all-in-one CRM that also covers marketing workflows, customer support or content management, a broader platform could be a better fit. Decide whether you are looking for a sales-focused tool or a multi-department solution.
Think about the level of automation and advanced functionality you need. Pipedrive does include automation capabilities – especially in higher-tier plans, where you can set up workflow automations, email integrations and similar tasks – but these are relatively lightweight compared with some competitors. For a small or mid-sized team, automating repetitive tasks such as follow-up emails or creating activities may be enough to streamline the sales process.
However, if you need more complex automation workflows – for instance, automatically scoring leads and moving them through nurturing sequences or using advanced AI-driven tasks – Pipedrive’s built-in features are more basic. From my own experience, as operations grew, we wanted more automation beyond simple sales tasks and had to extend Pipedrive via integrations or custom API work.
Consider your workflow needs carefully. If you only need simple automations, Pipedrive will be sufficient. If you expect heavy automation across sales and marketing, you may eventually feel constrained or need additional tools.
Pipedrive offers solid reporting for core sales metrics: deal conversion rates, sales-cycle length, revenue forecasts and individual rep performance. For many sales teams these built-in dashboards are sufficient to manage and improve the sales process, and I have used them successfully to identify pipeline bottlenecks.
When analytics demands become more sophisticated you may encounter limits. Pipedrive’s reports focus on sales data; if you want to blend sales data with marketing metrics or perform very customised analysis, you will probably need external business-intelligence tools. Some users note the reporting depth is not as robust as what you would find in enterprise CRMs or dedicated analytics platforms.
In our case, when we began cross-channel attribution analysis and lifetime-value tracking, we needed to export data into Google Data Studio. Pipedrive covers essential sales KPIs well, but if you need extensive or real-time analytics across departments, plan for add-ons or integrations.
One of Pipedrive’s greatest strengths is how well it integrates with other software. It has an extensive marketplace and an open API, so you can connect email providers, calendars, project-management tools, call-tracking software and much more. In practice, I have rarely found an app that could not integrate with Pipedrive in some way, either via a native connector or through services like Zapier.
If no pre-built integration exists, developers can use the REST API to create one; the documentation is thorough and most CRM data is accessible. This openness is a significant advantage compared with more closed systems.
Check whether the specific integrations you need are available out of the box or will require extra effort. Note that some competitor CRMs include more native marketing modules – for example, HubSpot’s built-in email marketing – whereas Pipedrive relies on add-ons. If you plan heavy marketing or advanced analytics integrations, be mindful that third-party connectors or extra costs might apply.
Budget is always an important factor. Pipedrive’s pricing is generally affordable and straightforward, which is why many small businesses choose it. Unlike some CRMs that start free and become expensive on higher tiers, Pipedrive has no permanent free plan, but paid plans start at a low cost per user and provide good value for money.
If you only need core CRM functionality, lower-tier plans cover it for roughly €15–€20 per user per month (billed annually). More advanced plans that include automation or AI features remain competitively priced. Pipedrive also avoids mandatory onboarding fees or long-term contracts, letting you pay monthly and cancel if necessary – helpful for growing firms.
Be aware of add-on costs: features such as the LeadBooster chatbot, Campaigns email marketing or Web Visitors tracking are paid extras. These can enhance capabilities, especially for marketing alignment, but will raise the total cost. In general, Pipedrive delivers solid return on investment for sales teams; start low, then scale plans or add-ons as you need them.
Pipedrive excels for small and medium-sized teams, and we have deployed it successfully for companies ranging from a single sales rep to a hundred users. The software can scale, offering dedicated account managers and advanced permission settings for larger customers.
Complexity of your processes matters. For straightforward sales workflows, even a large team can use Pipedrive effectively. If your organisation has very complex processes, multiple product lines or requires highly granular customisation, Pipedrive’s simplicity may eventually feel limiting. Industry reviewers often note it may not suit very large enterprises with intricate requirements.
In my journey, as our sales operations became more multifaceted, we evaluated enterprise CRMs with deeper flexibility. If you expect to stay lean and sales-centric, Pipedrive will scale with you and supports thousands of contacts and deals. Should you foresee needing a single CRM across all departments or extensive custom development, consider when a transition might make sense.
Pipedrive continues to add features – including AI and improved automation – gradually narrowing gaps with larger CRMs. With a clear scalability plan and the option to integrate additional tools, many businesses can rely on Pipedrive as a long-term solution.
My personal notes on how to use this tool.
Do not settle for the default pipeline. Spend time tailoring each deal stage so that it mirrors your actual sales journey. Rename stages, add new ones or remove those you do not need. A clear, meaningful pipeline keeps everyone speaking the same language and helps you spot bottlenecks quickly. Keep stage names short and action-oriented, for example “Demo scheduled”, and agree on firm criteria for moving a deal forward.
Pipedrive’s philosophy is simple: schedule an activity for every deal and momentum will follow. After each call, meeting or email, log the outcome and create the next activity immediately. The platform highlights deals without future activities or those that are overdue, prompting you to act before anything stalls. Checking the Activities view each morning and clearing overdue tasks will keep your pipeline flowing and improve hit rates.
As deal volume grows, clutter can creep in. Use filters, labels and custom fields to segment your pipeline into manageable views. Create filters for high-value opportunities, product lines, territories or lead sources. Add tags such as “Hot lead” or custom dropdowns for campaign origin. This organisation not only speeds up daily work but also makes reporting and exporting straightforward. By consistently categorising deals, you will focus on the right opportunities at the right time.
Data should guide your sales decisions. Review Pipedrive’s reports regularly to monitor metrics such as win rates, sales-cycle length and forecasted revenue. Set personal or team goals – for example, deals won per month or activities completed per week – and watch progress bars on your dashboard. If you notice conversion dropping at a particular stage, refine your approach or adjust resources. Using these insights, you can coach yourself (or your team) towards continuous improvement.
Pipedrive is strongest when it sits at the heart of your sales stack. Sync your email and calendar so messages and meetings log automatically. Connect a dialler to make calls from within Pipedrive and record outcomes. Integrate proposal or e-signature software to speed up quoting and contract processes. Feed outbound or enrichment tools into the CRM so new leads arrive complete with context. Each integration removes double entry, keeps data current and ensures Pipedrive remains your single source of truth.
Ensure every marketing enquiry reaches the sales team without delay. Embed Pipedrive web forms on landing pages, or use the LeadBooster chatbot and live chat add-on to capture visitors in real time. If you rely on external forms or event platforms, connect them through Zapier or native integrations so that contacts and deals appear automatically with source information attached. Work with sales to define the fields they need – lead source, campaign ID and qualification notes – so that records arrive ready for action.
Pipedrive offers its own Campaigns add-on for simple newsletters and announcements. If your email marketing needs are modest, this integrated option keeps everything in one place. For more advanced design, automation or testing, pair Pipedrive with a dedicated email platform such as Mailchimp or ActiveCampaign and sync data two-ways. With engagement metrics flowing back into Pipedrive, sales can see who opened or clicked and time outreach accordingly.
Marketing engagement data is gold for sales conversations. Use Pipedrive’s Web Visitors add-on to identify companies browsing your site and alert reps to warm prospects. If you already track behaviour in Google Analytics or a marketing-automation tool, push key events – like webinar registrations or pricing-page visits – into Pipedrive via custom fields or notes. Focus on meaningful signals to avoid clutter while giving sales valuable context for every call.
A shared dataset underpins true sales-marketing alignment. Agree on a consistent set of fields to capture campaign source, lead status and revenue. As deals progress, marketers can run reports or export data to analyse which channels convert to closed revenue. Regular joint reviews of Pipedrive dashboards help both teams refine targeting and qualification, ensuring marketing spend focuses on tactics that deliver measurable sales impact.
Pipedrive is a focused, activity-driven CRM that shines when used intentionally. Sales teams benefit from its visual simplicity, robust API and methodology centred on consistent action. Marketers, while likely to supplement it with specialised tools, can still leverage its data to align efforts and prove ROI. By customising pipelines, automating next steps, integrating essential apps and maintaining clean data, both sales and marketing can rely on Pipedrive as a dependable engine for revenue growth.
Do not settle for the default pipeline. Spend time tailoring each deal stage so that it mirrors your actual sales journey. Rename stages, add new ones or remove those you do not need. A clear, meaningful pipeline keeps everyone speaking the same language and helps you spot bottlenecks quickly. Keep stage names short and action-oriented, for example “Demo scheduled”, and agree on firm criteria for moving a deal forward.
Pipedrive’s philosophy is simple: schedule an activity for every deal and momentum will follow. After each call, meeting or email, log the outcome and create the next activity immediately. The platform highlights deals without future activities or those that are overdue, prompting you to act before anything stalls. Checking the Activities view each morning and clearing overdue tasks will keep your pipeline flowing and improve hit rates.
As deal volume grows, clutter can creep in. Use filters, labels and custom fields to segment your pipeline into manageable views. Create filters for high-value opportunities, product lines, territories or lead sources. Add tags such as “Hot lead” or custom dropdowns for campaign origin. This organisation not only speeds up daily work but also makes reporting and exporting straightforward. By consistently categorising deals, you will focus on the right opportunities at the right time.
Data should guide your sales decisions. Review Pipedrive’s reports regularly to monitor metrics such as win rates, sales-cycle length and forecasted revenue. Set personal or team goals – for example, deals won per month or activities completed per week – and watch progress bars on your dashboard. If you notice conversion dropping at a particular stage, refine your approach or adjust resources. Using these insights, you can coach yourself (or your team) towards continuous improvement.
Pipedrive is strongest when it sits at the heart of your sales stack. Sync your email and calendar so messages and meetings log automatically. Connect a dialler to make calls from within Pipedrive and record outcomes. Integrate proposal or e-signature software to speed up quoting and contract processes. Feed outbound or enrichment tools into the CRM so new leads arrive complete with context. Each integration removes double entry, keeps data current and ensures Pipedrive remains your single source of truth.
Ensure every marketing enquiry reaches the sales team without delay. Embed Pipedrive web forms on landing pages, or use the LeadBooster chatbot and live chat add-on to capture visitors in real time. If you rely on external forms or event platforms, connect them through Zapier or native integrations so that contacts and deals appear automatically with source information attached. Work with sales to define the fields they need – lead source, campaign ID and qualification notes – so that records arrive ready for action.
Pipedrive offers its own Campaigns add-on for simple newsletters and announcements. If your email marketing needs are modest, this integrated option keeps everything in one place. For more advanced design, automation or testing, pair Pipedrive with a dedicated email platform such as Mailchimp or ActiveCampaign and sync data two-ways. With engagement metrics flowing back into Pipedrive, sales can see who opened or clicked and time outreach accordingly.
Marketing engagement data is gold for sales conversations. Use Pipedrive’s Web Visitors add-on to identify companies browsing your site and alert reps to warm prospects. If you already track behaviour in Google Analytics or a marketing-automation tool, push key events – like webinar registrations or pricing-page visits – into Pipedrive via custom fields or notes. Focus on meaningful signals to avoid clutter while giving sales valuable context for every call.
A shared dataset underpins true sales-marketing alignment. Agree on a consistent set of fields to capture campaign source, lead status and revenue. As deals progress, marketers can run reports or export data to analyse which channels convert to closed revenue. Regular joint reviews of Pipedrive dashboards help both teams refine targeting and qualification, ensuring marketing spend focuses on tactics that deliver measurable sales impact.
Pipedrive is a focused, activity-driven CRM that shines when used intentionally. Sales teams benefit from its visual simplicity, robust API and methodology centred on consistent action. Marketers, while likely to supplement it with specialised tools, can still leverage its data to align efforts and prove ROI. By customising pipelines, automating next steps, integrating essential apps and maintaining clean data, both sales and marketing can rely on Pipedrive as a dependable engine for revenue growth.
This tool is part of tactical playbooks that walk you through every stage of this engine. Read the full guides to learn how to implement the framework, set up your infrastructure, and execute the tactics that drive results.
A poorly configured CRM becomes a graveyard of stale data and missed follow-ups. A properly set up CRM runs your sales process automatically, surfaces hot leads, and forecasts revenue accurately.
See playbook
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