The 5 best Pipedrive alternatives
Short answer
The best Pipedrive alternatives are HubSpot, ActiveCampaign, Close. HubSpot is our top pick — it scores 8.8/10 and is best for Agencies managing multiple client relationships. The right choice depends on your budget, team size, and which features matter most.
Why look for a Pipedrive alternative?
Pipedrive scores 8.2/10 in our review and works well for many teams — but it is not the right fit for everyone. The most common reasons readers look elsewhere:
- ✗No built-in email marketing
- ✗Reporting is weak on lower plans
- ✗Less powerful than HubSpot overall
Pipedrive alternatives, ranked
HubSpot
Top pickCRM, marketing, sales, and service platform
HubSpot is the leading inbound marketing and CRM platform. The free CRM is genuinely excellent and used by thousands of agencies. Paid hubs (Marketing, Sales, Service) are expensive but deeply integrated. The affiliate program pays 30% recurring for up to a year — one of the best in SaaS.
Strengths
- ✓Free CRM is genuinely excellent
- ✓All-in-one if you buy hubs
- ✓Best integrations ecosystem in business software
Best for
- →Agencies managing multiple client relationships
- →Teams with dedicated sales/marketing
ActiveCampaign
Marketing automation and CRM for growing businesses
ActiveCampaign is the most powerful email marketing automation platform in its price range. Deep segmentation, conditional logic, site tracking, and a full CRM. The go-to for agencies running marketing campaigns for clients and for businesses with complex customer journeys.
Strengths
- ✓Best-in-class email automation at mid-market price
- ✓Powerful conditional logic and segmentation
- ✓Built-in CRM with pipeline
Best for
- →Agencies running email marketing for clients
- →Businesses with complex customer journeys
Close
CRM built for inside sales — calling, email, and SMS in one place
Close is a sales CRM purpose-built for inside sales teams that live on the phone and in their inbox. It includes built-in calling (VoIP), SMS, email sequences, and power dialer — replacing the need to switch between a CRM and a separate calling tool. The pipeline view is clean and fast, and the activity feed makes it easy to stay on top of follow-ups. Close is particularly popular with SaaS startups and B2B agencies with active sales motions.
Strengths
- ✓Built-in VoIP calling and SMS — no extra tools needed
- ✓Power dialer for high-volume outreach
- ✓Email sequences with open and click tracking
Best for
- →B2B agencies and consultants with an active outbound sales motion
- →SaaS and service businesses where reps make many calls per day
Zoho CRM
Full-featured CRM at a price that doesn't punish growth
Zoho CRM is part of the broader Zoho ecosystem — a suite of 55+ business applications covering accounting, HR, project management, and more. The CRM itself covers leads, contacts, deals, workflows, email integration, telephony, and AI-powered sales predictions. The free plan supports up to 3 users with core CRM features, making it one of the few enterprise-grade CRMs with a meaningful free tier. Deep value for businesses already in or willing to adopt the Zoho ecosystem.
Strengths
- ✓Free plan supports 3 users — rare among full-featured CRMs
- ✓Zia AI for sales predictions and anomaly detection
- ✓Deep integration with the broader Zoho suite (Books, Desk, Projects)
Best for
- →Cost-conscious small businesses wanting enterprise CRM features without enterprise pricing
- →Teams already using Zoho Books, Zoho Desk, or other Zoho tools
Streak
CRM that lives inside Gmail — no new tool to learn
Streak is a CRM built entirely within Gmail, turning your inbox into a pipeline. Email threads become deal records; pipelines live in Gmail's sidebar. Streak is ideal for teams who already live in Gmail and resist adopting an external CRM — the onboarding is zero friction because there's nothing new to log into. The free plan covers personal CRM use. Paid plans add team pipelines, shared contacts, reporting, and data enrichment. Popular with recruiters, sales teams, and business development professionals.
Strengths
- ✓Zero context switching — CRM lives in your existing Gmail inbox
- ✓No data entry overhead — emails automatically populate deal records
- ✓Free plan covers individual sales tracking
Best for
- →Solo consultants and freelancers who want CRM without leaving Gmail
- →Small Google Workspace teams resistant to adopting an external CRM tool
Pipedrive vs. the alternatives
Pipedrive alternatives — FAQ
What is the best Pipedrive alternative?
HubSpot is our top-rated Pipedrive alternative, scoring 8.8/10. It is best for Agencies managing multiple client relationships.
Is there a free Pipedrive alternative?
Yes — HubSpot, Zoho CRM, Streak offer a free plan you can use to evaluate the tool before paying.