CRM is no longer a luxury reserved only for large companies: today, it is a strategic tool for structuring and boosting sales, even in the smallest teams. But among the most popular platforms, Pipedrive and Hubspot compete on a common ground with very different approaches. Which of these two CRMs will best meet your business objectives, budget and expectations?
Two philosophies, two positions
Hubspot and Pipedrive don’t exactly target the same business profiles. Hubspot, designed in 2006 in the United States, targets a wide range of needs: marketing, sales, customer service. It offers a fairly comprehensive CRM that centralizes all the tools needed to track and convert opportunities. This solution can be adapted to different levels of digital skills, but reveals its full potential in already well-organized or fast-growing structures.
Pipedrive, launched in Europe in 2010, focuses on simplicity and efficiency. Particularly appreciated by SMEs and small sales structures (even in larger companies), it is often the first choice of users thanks to its quick and easy learning curve. Although not as functionally rich as Hubspot, it is nevertheless a highly effective solution for sales teams. They can easily keep control of their sales pipelines without getting lost in complex parameterization.
Sales functionality: efficiency or comprehensiveness?
On the sales side, both tools promise to simplify salespeople’s day-to-day work while saving them time. Pipedrive does this with a clear interface, unlimited sales pipelines and well-targeted functions. Users remain in control of their activities, with a minimum of clicks. Hubspot, on the other hand, offers a panoply of tools, generally better suited to large teams or complex processes, but whose richness can sometimes complicate readability for beginners.
Cost and accessibility: a question of priorities
Hubspot offers a freemium version, enabling companies to familiarize themselves with CRM without any financial commitment. But beware: the most advanced options, such as full automation or customized reports, are reserved for the paid versions. And these options can quickly add up.
Pipedrive does not offer a free version, but does offer a 14-day trial. Its main advantage lies in a lower, predictable monthly cost, making it an attractive option for budget-conscious companies.
Similar support and guidance
Support is also a key criterion. Hubspot and Pipedrive rely on 24-hour customer service, numerous free video tutorials via their Academy sections and a network of official partner agencies to ensure personalized follow-up.
A question of evolution
Hubspot is designed to support companies as they grow. But the more an organization grows, the more complex the platform can become to master. What’s more, the transition to the Hubspot ecosystem as a whole can, in time, make migration to another solution more difficult and costly.
Pipedrive aims to be more agile, based on the principle that you can’t be good at everything. Rather than building a gas factory, Pipedrive has therefore chosen to focus on its CRM and create a comprehensive API for seamless interaction with other systems. Today, dozens of partners offer connectors for Pipedrive that cover the specific needs of each company.
The choice between the two will therefore depend as much on the company’s current needs as on its medium- and long-term vision.
Conclusion: which CRM for which need?
Choosing between Pipedrive and Hubspot means, above all, choosing a way of structuring your business activity. If you’re a small team looking for a powerful CRM that’s quick and easy to learn, and of course inexpensive, Pipedrive is an excellent choice. If, on the other hand, you’re planning sustained growth and want to centralize all your sales and marketing activities, Hubspot will offer a more robust foundation, provided you accept its complexity and evolving costs.
So, which of HubSpot or Pipedrive is your duel winner? If your choice is Pipedrive, TechNuCom can help you integrate this CRM to ensure that technology is always at the service of strategy.
