Pipedrive

What is pipedrive

Pipedrive is a customer relationship management (CRM) and sales pipeline application built to help sales teams manage leads, deals, and activities through a visual pipeline interface. The product emphasizes deal-centric workflows: every stage of a sale is represented in a customizable pipeline that lets users move prospects through a predictable, repeatable sales process. This visual-first approach helps individual reps and sales managers focus on next actions that advance deals.

Pipedrive is used by a wide range of organizations, from single-person sales teams to multi-team companies, and supports both B2B and B2C selling models. It includes core sales functionality—contact and lead management, email sync, activity scheduling, and reporting—plus add-on capabilities for automation, web forms, and revenue insights. The UI is optimized for quick data entry and activity-driven selling, reducing administrative overhead for reps.

The product is available as a hosted SaaS solution with desktop and mobile apps. Pipedrive also offers an open API and a marketplace of partner integrations, which allows organizations to connect the CRM to marketing tools, accounting systems, and productivity suites. For administrators, Pipedrive provides permission controls, reporting, and data import/export tools to support adoption and scale.

Pipedrive features

Pipedrive bundles features across deal management, activity and task scheduling, communication, automation, and reporting. The platform centers on a drag-and-drop pipeline view where deals are cards that carry contact details, notes, files, and timeline history. Sales teams can configure multiple pipelines to reflect different products, markets, or sales processes.

Key built-in features include customizable fields and stages, activity reminders and automatic follow-up prompts, email syncing with templates and open tracking, and contact management with organization-level hierarchies. The product also includes a mobile app for iOS and Android that preserves core pipeline and activity workflows for reps in the field.

Advanced features across higher tiers include workflow automation (trigger/action rules), workflow templates, revenue forecasts and custom reports, lead scoring, smart contact data enrichment, and group calendars. The platform also ships with integrations to email providers and popular productivity apps through a marketplace and native connectors.

Pipedrive supports data import from spreadsheets and other CRMs and provides data export and API access for deeper system integrations. Admin controls let managers set user permissions, control data visibility, and audit activity. Additional capabilities for larger organizations include SSO, advanced user provisioning, and account-level security controls.

What does pipedrive do?

Pipedrive organizes sales activity and deal progression into a visual pipeline that shows which deals need attention. It tracks calls, meetings, emails, and tasks associated with each deal so reps focus on activities that are most likely to move revenue forward. The system encourages activity-based selling by surfacing next-step reminders and overdue tasks.

It automates repetitive tasks—such as creating follow-up activities after deal stage changes or sending templated emails—so reps spend less time on administration and more time selling. Email sync and templates reduce friction when communicating with prospects, while open and click tracking supplies engagement signals for follow-ups.

Pipedrive also provides reporting and forecasting to help sales managers measure pipeline health, conversion rates, and rep performance. Those analytics are useful for resource planning, quota setting, and identifying bottlenecks in the sales process.

Pipedrive pricing

Pipedrive offers these pricing plans:

• Essential: $14.90/month per user (billed annually) — core pipeline and contact management features
• Advanced: $24.90/month per user (billed annually) — includes automation, workflow tools, and advanced email features
• Professional: $49.90/month per user (billed annually) — adds revenue forecasting, team management, and advanced reporting
• Enterprise: $99.90/month per user (billed annually) — highest-tier support, account-level security, and custom limits

These are representative annual-billed prices and monthly billing is typically available at a higher per-user rate. Check Pipedrive's current pricing tiers for the latest rates and enterprise options.

Pipedrive also offers add-ons and bundled suites for teams that require additional features such as enhanced analytics, LeadBooster (lead capture and qualification tools), or extra workspace seats. Organizations with larger deployments can request enterprise quotes that include volume discounts, dedicated onboarding, and service-level agreements.

When evaluating cost, budget planners often include recurring subscription fees, expected onboarding time, integration/licensing fees for third-party tools, and potential professional services for migration and customization. Typical total cost of ownership considerations include training time, admin overhead, and email/integration expenses.

How much is pipedrive per month

Pipedrive starts at $14.90/month per user when billed annually for the Essential plan; monthly billing options are typically available at a higher per-user rate. Monthly billed plans usually increase the per-user charge by a modest percentage compared with annual billing.

Most teams choose annual billing to reduce per-user costs and to lock in pricing for a year. For teams that need short-term access or want to trial the platform with a small user count, monthly billing can be useful despite the slightly higher unit price.

For exact monthly rates and promotional discounts, check Pipedrive's current pricing tiers.

How much is pipedrive per year

Pipedrive costs $178.80/year per user for the Essential plan when billed annually at $14.90/month per user. Higher tiers scale similarly: annual billing multiplies the monthly-per-user cost by 12 and may require annual prepayment.

Annual billing is commonly used by organizations to simplify procurement and reduce per-user costs. Enterprise agreements are usually contracted on an annual basis and can include bespoke pricing, training, and support packages.

Refer to Pipedrive's pricing information for up-to-date annual and enterprise pricing details.

How much is pipedrive in general

Pipedrive pricing ranges from approximately $14.90/month per user to $99.90/month per user depending on plan and billing cadence. The lower end provides basic CRM and pipeline functionality while higher tiers unlock automation, analytics, and enterprise-grade controls.

Total cost for a deployment depends on the number of users, chosen add-ons, and whether you select monthly or annual billing. Costs can increase when you add premium integrations, third-party connectors, or paid partner apps from the marketplace.

When planning spend, include costs for user training, internal administration, and any data migration or consulting services needed to build and maintain custom integrations.

What is pipedrive used for

Pipedrive is primarily used to manage the sales pipeline and day-to-day sales activities. Sales reps use it to record interactions, schedule follow-ups, and track progress through defined deal stages. The platform is designed to make it easy to see which deals are at risk and which require immediate attention.

Managers use Pipedrive to generate forecasts, monitor conversion metrics, and allocate resources to improve pipeline efficiency. Custom reports and dashboards summarize performance by rep, team, product line, or campaign, supporting ongoing coaching and process optimization.

Beyond pure selling, companies use Pipedrive for lead qualification and routing, onboarding workflows, and as a lightweight CRM for customer success teams that need simple deal tracking and communication history without the overhead of enterprise CRMs.

Pros and cons of pipedrive

Pipedrive's strengths include a simple, visual pipeline interface, low administrative overhead for reps, and a clear focus on activity-based selling. The user interface prioritizes quick entry of calls, meetings, and next actions, which suits teams that value speed of use over complex feature sets.

Other advantages are a broad integration marketplace, accessible mobile apps, and a well-documented API that supports connecting Pipedrive to existing systems. The tiered pricing model allows teams to adopt progressively more advanced features as their needs grow.

On the downside, Pipedrive is focused on sales workflows and lacks some of the native marketing automation and deep service desk features that larger CRMs provide. Organizations that need extensive built-in marketing automation, ecommerce, or ERP-level integrations may need third-party tools, which increases total cost and complexity.

Larger enterprises may find Pipedrive less feature-rich for complex territory management, multi-entity hierarchies, or nested permission models. While it scales well for many SMBs and mid-market customers, extremely complex org structures sometimes require enterprise-class CRM platforms.

Pipedrive free trial

Pipedrive typically offers a time-limited free trial so teams can evaluate core features before committing to a paid plan. The trial provides access to most of the core CRM features including pipeline management, email sync, and basic reporting so users can validate workflows and adoption.

Trials are intended for hands-on testing: import a sample dataset, connect your email, and run through a typical sales cycle to determine whether pipelines, activities, and automation meet your needs. Administrators should use the trial to test integrations, data import routines, and permission settings.

At the end of the trial period you can either subscribe to an annual or monthly plan, or request an enterprise quote if you need a bespoke deployment. If you require longer evaluation or pilot programs for multiple stakeholders, Pipedrive sales teams can often arrange extended trials or pilot licensing for larger purchases.

Is pipedrive free

No, Pipedrive does not normally offer a permanent free plan for active teams; instead they provide a time-limited free trial for new users to evaluate the product. The trial gives access to core functionality so organizations can test pipeline workflows, email sync, and activity management.

Smaller organizations sometimes access low-cost user counts during promotional periods, but sustained use generally requires a paid subscription. For up-to-date trial availability and any promotional offers, review Pipedrive's trial and signup options.

Pipedrive API

Pipedrive exposes a RESTful API that enables programmatic access to core CRM objects such as persons, organizations, deals, activities, products, and notes. The API supports standard CRUD operations, webhooks for event-driven integrations, and bulk endpoints for large imports or exports. The documentation and interactive reference live in the developer portal at Pipedrive API documentation.

Authentication is typically managed via API tokens, and the API supports pagination, filtering, and sorting parameters to retrieve specific subsets of records. Webhooks let external systems subscribe to deal stage changes, new activities, and other events so integrations can react in near real time.

Common integration patterns include syncing contacts with email providers, pushing closed deals into accounting systems, routing leads from web forms into the CRM, and exporting analytics data to BI tools. Developers use the documented SDKs and community libraries to shorten implementation time and adhere to API best practices.

For enterprise-grade integrations, Pipedrive supports rate limits and recommends batching writes to avoid throttling. The developer documentation also includes example scripts, error handling guidance, and recommended workflows for maintaining data integrity between systems.

10 Pipedrive alternatives

Below are established alternatives covering a range of budgets and feature sets. Each alternative is well-known in the CRM/productivity space and can serve as a substitute depending on organization size and requirements.

• HubSpot CRM — Free core CRM with integrated marketing and service hubs; strong inbound marketing features.
• Salesforce — Enterprise-grade CRM with deep customization, automation, and ecosystem integrations.
• Zoho CRM — Cost-effective CRM with broad app ecosystem and modular pricing suitable for SMBs.
• Freshsales — CRM focused on lead scoring and AI-based insights, part of the Freshworks suite.
• Copper — CRM tightly integrated with Google Workspace for teams that live in Gmail.
• Monday.com — Work management platform with sales templates and CRM-style boards.
• Insightly — CRM and project management hybrid aimed at mid-market companies.
• Close — Sales CRM built for inside sales teams with strong calling and email sequencing features.
• Keap — CRM and automation focused on small businesses and ecommerce sellers.
• ActiveCampaign — CRM combined with email marketing and automation for customer lifecycle management.

Paid alternatives to Pipedrive

• Salesforce: Enterprise-grade functionality for complex organizations, extensive customization, and a huge partner ecosystem. Typically requires more implementation effort and higher ongoing costs.

• HubSpot CRM (Paid Hubs): Paid marketing, sales, and service hubs add automation, lead scoring, and advanced reporting to HubSpot's free CRM core. Pricing scales with features and contact counts.

• Zoho CRM: Affordable paid plans that include workflow automation, AI-assisted selling, and custom modules. Good for teams needing a low-cost, feature-rich option.

• Freshsales (Freshworks CRM): Offers a modern UI with built-in phone and email, plus AI-driven lead scoring. Pricing tiers expand functionality for larger teams.

• Salesmate: Focuses on pipeline automation and sales sequences with a simpler interface than enterprise CRMs. Practical for small sales teams that want an affordable, sales-first tool.

Open source alternatives to Pipedrive

• SuiteCRM: Open-source fork of historic CRM platforms offering customizable modules, sales automation, and on-premises hosting options for teams that need full data control.

• EspoCRM: Lightweight open-source CRM that supports leads, opportunities, and workflows; extensible via community extensions and suitable for self-hosted deployments.

• CiviCRM: Open-source CRM built for non-profits and membership organizations; strong at constituent management but requires technical setup for advanced sales workflows.

• ERPNext (CRM module): Part of a broader open-source ERP that includes CRM capabilities along with accounting and inventory, useful for companies that want integrated back-office systems.

Frequently asked questions about Pipedrive

What is Pipedrive used for?

Pipedrive is used for sales pipeline management and activity-based selling. It helps sales teams organize leads, schedule activities, and move deals through stages so teams can prioritize next steps and improve conversion rates. The CRM stores contact history and centralizes communication to maintain context across sales cycles.

Does Pipedrive integrate with Gmail and Google Workspace?

Yes, Pipedrive offers native Google Workspace integrations. You can sync email, calendar events, and contacts with Gmail and Google Calendar, and use two-way email sync to keep correspondence attached to the right deals and people. The integrations also support creating deals and activities directly from Gmail.

How much does Pipedrive cost per user?

Pipedrive starts at $14.90/month per user when billed annually for the Essential plan, with higher tiers available for automation and analytics. Monthly billing is usually available at a higher per-user rate; enterprise pricing is available on request for larger deployments.

Is there a free version of Pipedrive?

No, Pipedrive does not typically provide a permanent free tier; instead it provides a free trial period so users can evaluate the platform. The trial includes core CRM features so teams can test pipeline workflows, email sync, and reporting before purchasing.

Can Pipedrive be used for forecasting and reporting?

Yes, Pipedrive includes reporting and forecasting features in its higher-tier plans that let managers measure pipeline value, conversion rates, and revenue projections. Custom reports and dashboards can track performance by rep, team, or product line for operational decision making.

Does Pipedrive integrate with Slack?

Yes, Pipedrive integrates with Slack. The integration can push notifications to channels for new deals, stage changes, or activity reminders so teams stay informed without leaving Slack. Additional actions can be orchestrated through third-party connectors like Zapier for more complex workflows.

How secure is data in Pipedrive?

Pipedrive enforces standard cloud security measures, including encrypted data transfer, role-based permissions, and account-level controls; enterprise plans add SSO and advanced access management. For detailed security certifications and compliance information, consult Pipedrive's security overview and documentation.

Can I import data from Excel or other CRMs into Pipedrive?

Yes, Pipedrive supports importing from Excel, CSV, and other CRMs. The import tools map columns to Pipedrive fields and allow for bulk creation of people, organizations, and deals; many customers migrate from legacy CRMs using the import utilities plus optional migration support.

Does Pipedrive offer an API for custom integrations?

Yes, Pipedrive exposes a RESTful API with webhooks and SDKs. Developers can programmatically access deals, persons, organizations, activities, and more; the API supports CRUD operations, batching, and webhooks for event-driven integrations. The developer documentation provides examples and best practices.

What training and onboarding options does Pipedrive provide?

Pipedrive provides self-service resources and paid onboarding services. Free resources include knowledge base articles, video tutorials, and help center guides; paid options typically include onboarding sessions, migration assistance, and dedicated customer success for larger accounts.

Pipedrive careers

Pipedrive hires for roles across product, engineering, sales, customer success, and operations. Career opportunities reflect the company's focus on product iteration, developer tooling, and customer support for customers deploying CRM at scale. Roles vary by location and remote hiring policies.

The company typically lists open roles on its corporate site and through major job boards; job descriptions include technical requirements, responsibilities, and expected outcomes. Applicants should expect a multi-stage interview process that includes technical assessments for engineering roles and case studies for customer-facing positions.

For the latest openings, review Pipedrive's careers page and company resources where they publish details about culture, benefits, and hiring processes.

Pipedrive affiliate

Pipedrive operates an affiliate and partner program that rewards partners, resellers, and marketing affiliates for referring paying customers. The partner program includes tiers for referral partners, solution partners, and technology partners that integrate through the marketplace.

Affiliates and partners gain access to co-marketing materials, partner dashboards for tracking referrals, and partner support to help close deals. Commission structures and eligibility requirements vary by partner tier and geography; prospective partners should apply through Pipedrive's partner pages to get specific terms.

Where to find Pipedrive reviews

User reviews for Pipedrive are available on major software review sites and marketplaces where customers rate usability, features, and support. Good sources include product review aggregators, the Pipedrive Trustpilot page, and enterprise review portals that collect long-form customer feedback.

When evaluating reviews, focus on recent feedback about automation, integrations, and customer support responsiveness to understand how the product performs in environments similar to yours. Also validate claims with trial use and reference checks for larger purchases.