Choose Your CRM
| Feature | Pipedrive Lite | HubSpot Free |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $14/seat/month | $0/month |
| Pipelines | 1 pipeline (Lite) | 1 pipeline (Free) |
| Deals | 3,000 deals | Unlimited |
| Email Sync | Requires Growth ($39/seat) | Yes (free) |
| Automation | Requires Growth ($39/seat) | Requires Starter ($20/seat) |
| Best For | Sales-focused teams closing deals | General purpose, marketing + sales |
Step-by-Step: Pipeline Setup (30 Minutes)
Minutes 1–5: Account and Pipeline Stages
Sign up for Pipedrive (14-day free trial, then $14/seat/mo) or HubSpot (free forever). Set up 5 pipeline stages: New Lead, Contacted, Meeting Booked, Proposal Sent, Won/Lost. Remove any default stages you don't need.
Minutes 5–15: Custom Fields and Properties
Add custom fields for your business: deal value, source (referral, website, cold email), expected close date, industry. Pipedrive Lite allows 30 custom fields. HubSpot Free allows custom properties.
Minutes 15–25: Import Contacts
Export your existing contacts to CSV. Both Pipedrive and HubSpot accept CSV imports. Map columns to CRM fields. Start with your top 50 contacts — don't try to import everything at once.
Minutes 25–30: Connect Email
HubSpot Free: connect Gmail or Outlook for email tracking and logging. Pipedrive Lite: email sync requires Growth ($39/seat) — use the free email tracking Chrome extension as a workaround.
FAQ
Should I start with free or paid?
Start with HubSpot Free if you're unsure. It's genuinely free forever with unlimited contacts. Switch to Pipedrive Lite ($14/seat) if you prefer a sales-focused UX and don't need marketing features.
How many pipeline stages do I need?
Start with 4–5 stages. More than 7 creates friction. Less than 3 loses visibility. You can always add stages later as your sales process matures.