Pipedrive CRM Review 2024: Is Pipedrive Software Worth It?
Quick Summary:
Pipedrive CRM, as a straightforward and affordable solution, can help small businesses with small sales teams organize and streamline sales pipelines. With Pipedrive CRM, your sales team can manage leads, customize sales processes, and automate tasks for efficiency. The pipeline helps monitor your deals while forecasting and analytics provide valuable insights.
Pipedrive CRM is a cloud-based solution made with sales teams in mind. With a focus on sales pipelines, this customer relationship management tool is affordable and highly customizable.
The pricing starts at only $14.90/user/month if paid annually, which sounds like a great deal, but there’s a catch! Additionally, as you can learn in our Pipedrive review, this isn’t the most straightforward CRM, so it may not suit every business.
Is Pipedrive suitable for your sales team? Let’s find out!
Pipedrive Overview: What is Pipedrive & What is Pipedrive Used for?
Pipedrive is a CRM tool made by and for sales experts. This cloud-based solution is mainly used for managing pipelines of potential customers and tracking every aspect of interactions with those prospects. While there’s no free plan available, Pipedrive offers a 14-day trial on all five plans.
As you will learn in our Pipedrive review, this tool is quite popular among small sales teams and it is one of the best CRM for small business owners because it’s sales-focused. Simply put, sales teams can easily organize and streamline sales pipelines with Pipedrive. Furthermore, this tool helps sales teams predict how much they’ll sell each month and estimate future sales based on possible deal sizes.
If you choose Pipedrive CRM for your team, they can craft successful email campaigns for prospects within minutes with integrated email marketing templates, which save time and increase productivity. After all, 59% of people say that email marketing affects purchasing decisions, and Pipedrive will allow you to use email campaigns to your advantage.
We like how the sales process is set up as a drag-and-drop Kanban board. It simplifies moving leads through the cycle as you make progress. Additionally, you can easily switch between lists of potential customers and individual contacts with a complete communication history.
Pipedrive CRM is excellent for sales teams and less complex than other CRM platforms like HubSpot CRM and Salesforce. However, there’s a slight learning curve, so keep that in mind when choosing.
Pipedrive Review 2024: Is Pipedrive Software System Any Good?
After using Pipedrive CRM for a while, we concluded it’s a good solution with a clean interface. So, if you need a user-friendly customer relationship management tool to make your contact management and deal tracking a breeze, consider Pipedrive CRM. You will get customization options, multiple pipelines, and workflow automation.
Onboarding is a walk in the park, with quick contact importing and helpful guides. And if you face difficulties or have questions, you can contact Pipedrive’s customer support team anytime. They’re responsive and available 24/7.
While Pipedrive provides essential CRM functions, you must pay for web forms, live chat, and other lead generation features, which some of the best CRM solutions include for free. These additional costs may deter businesses looking for a budget-friendly, all-in-one solution.
In other words, while Pipedrive CRM has flexible pricing, it’s not the cheapest option if you opt for the add-ons. Therefore, small and medium-sized businesses on a budget should explore their options thoroughly before deciding.
We suggest comparing Pipedrive vs. Salesforce and Pipedrive vs. HubSpot before making a final decision.
In conclusion, it’s a scalable and reliable solution for small sales teams. It’s fantastic for contact management and basic CRM needs but has limitations and forces additional costs for advanced features.
Pipedrive CRM Pros and Cons
There’s no perfect CRM solution that excels at everything. That being said, let’s look at the advantages and disadvantages of Pipedrive.
Pipedrive Pros
User-friendly interface: Pipedrive’s clean and simple interface makes using it a breeze!
Quick importing: You can add your data from Excel or other software within minutes, and if you need help, you can always use the guide for beginners.
Great customer support: Pipedrive’s support is impressive. You can find help via a quick menu and a “graduation cap” button that provides tips for beginners.
Flexible pricing: Pipedrive has five pricing plans, so it’s highly flexible regarding pricing, and each plan meets different needs and budgets.
Scalability: Pipedrive can grow alongside your business! Simply put, whether you need a basic contact system or a complete CRM, it’s scalable.
Customizable: You can easily customize Pipedrive CRM with multiple pipelines, custom fields, and workflow automation at your disposal.
Integrations: Pipedrive integrates with over 400 tools, which is good.
Sales assistant: The AI-driven sales assistant provides personalized tips and insights. It sends helpful notifications for sales activities, which can help your team members refine sales strategies.
Task management: You can assign them quickly and keep track with the help of the calendar view. However, you can’t set reminders, which sucks.
Reporting features: You can quickly analyze email and task performance insights and different chart types.
Pipedrive Cons
- Extra costs for add-ons: Unfortunately, Pipedrive charges extra for add-ons such as lead generation features like web forms and live chat.
- Task management limitations: You can’t set reminders, which could be problematic for those who rely on timely task notifications.
- Not too many integrations: Pipedrive provides over 400 integrations, but other tools may offer more comprehensive choices.
Pipedrive Features Overview
Pipedrive has various features that can help small businesses and individuals manage contact and sales, but certain advanced features come with extra costs. Here’s a quick summary of all features and our rating for each:
Feature | Rating |
Sales Automation | 4/5 |
Contact Management | 4.5/5 |
Reporting & Analytics | 4/5 |
Marketing Automation | 3/5 |
Email Integration | 3.5/5 |
Sales Engagement Tools | 4/5 |
Customer Service & Support | 4.5/5 |
Integrations | 3.5/5 |
Customization and Flexibility | 4/5 |
Ease of Use | 4.5/5 |
Now, let’s dive even deeper into the features of Pipedrive and see what they can do for your sales team and business overall.
UI & Usability
We found Pipedrive’s UI clean and straightforward. The descriptive icons in the left sidebar make it easy to understand each feature. A brief description appears when you hover over any icon, aiding quick comprehension.
The main dashboard is well-organized, which makes accessing different sections like deals, contacts, activities, and reports a walk in the park.
Overall, navigating Pipedrive is a breeze with a logical structure, enhancing usability.
User Training
Getting started with Pipedrive is generally a smooth process. Your first step – importing contacts – is a breeze as you can quickly bring in data from Excel or another software and Pipedrive adeptly recognized fields.
The tool offers a helpful guide for newcomers. Clicking on the question mark in the top right corner provides access to a quick help menu, offering options to search for articles, access training videos, or chat with a customer representative.
Also, a “graduation cap” button, which can be found in the bottom right corner (even in the image above), offers valuable tips on importing data, inviting teammates, and using different features.
Integrations
Pipedrive has a decent number of third-party integrations, but it’s not as extensive as other tools. You can integrate with over 400 tools, including Zapier, Leadfeeder, Calendly, and Zoom, all neatly categorized in the Marketplace.
They’re divided into categories like capturing and qualifying new leads, nurturing leads, tools for sending invoices, tools for project management, etc., so you can find them more easily.
Contact Management
Managing contacts with Pipedrive is a strong suit. You can create detailed profiles for each lead, inputting as much information as needed.
The interface divides contacts into organizations and individuals, resembling a digital phonebook. The contact view provides a chronological timeline of all interactions, including emails, calls, meetings, and activities, offering a comprehensive history for personalized communication.
Contact Storage
The contact storage is divided into organizations and individuals. At first glance, it looks like a digital phonebook with all your contacts listed alphabetically.
You can filter the contacts and view them individually. If you select the individual contact view, you can get all the information about the person, including notes, files, activities, meeting scheduler, etc.
A contacts timeline feature also provides a chronological view of all interactions and activities associated with each contact in your CRM system. This timeline includes a comprehensive record of emails, calls, meetings, and other activities linked to a particular contact.
Thanks to the contacts timeline feature, you can quickly understand the history and context of your interactions with each contact, enabling more personalized and informed communication.
Pipeline Management
Pipedrive has something other CRM solutions don’t: customizable pipelines. Think of a pipeline as a roadmap for managing your sales process. Pipedrive is unique because you can make these roadmaps fit your business perfectly.
Imagine you’re running a software company. With Pipedrive, you’re not stuck with a one-size-fits-all approach. You get to create different pipelines for different parts of your business.
For example, you can have one pipeline for direct sales, with steps like “Initial Contact” and “Proposal Sent.” At the same time, you can set up another pipeline specifically for channel sales.
Pipedrive lets you tweak and adjust your CRM to match precisely how your business works, giving you complete control over your CRM.
No need to conform to someone else’s idea of how things should be done – you tailor it to fit your needs. That’s the power of customizable pipelines in Pipedrive.
Deals
How good is Pipedrive for tracking and making deals? Well, according to the vendor, 70 million deals were closed successfully in Pipeline out of the total 200 million deals added to the platform.
What’s excellent about Pipedrive is that you can keep tabs on the progress of potential deals visually as they move through various stages. You can also use custom filters and fields, including win probability.
Additionally, you have three views at your disposal: Kanban, which is considered the best as it presents everything clearly; the list view, with all deals summarized into one list (though navigation may be a bit more challenging); and the forecast view, offering insights into the potential for all deals.
Lastly, you can choose different currencies for your deals and explore deals individually. Just click on a specific deal, and a window opens up, displaying notes, activities, etc. From here, you can also schedule a call, send emails, and add files, documents, and invoices.
Customization
Most CRM tools allow for basic customization, but Pipedrive goes further by letting you adapt various functions, such as the following:
Sales Pipeline Customization:
You can create multiple sales pipelines with unique stages. For example, a software company might have stages like “Initial Contact,” “Demo Scheduled,” “Proposal Sent,” and “Negotiation” in one pipeline and different stages in another for channel sales.
Custom Fields:
You can add custom fields to deals, contacts, and organizations. If you have a real estate business, you could use custom fields like “Property Type of Interest,” “Budget Range,” and “Preferred Location” for contacts.
Activity Types:
You can create custom activity types beyond default calls, meetings, and tasks. For example, a marketing firm might add “Campaign Review” or “Client Feedback Session” as custom activities.
Custom Reports and Dashboards:
You can generate custom reports and dashboards for tracking essential metrics. For instance, a retail company might set up a dashboard to monitor metrics such as “Average Deal Size,” “Monthly Sales Growth,” and “Lead Conversion Rate.”
Email Templates:
You can create customizable email templates for various purposes. If you have a recruitment agency, for instance, you could have templates for “Initial Candidate Outreach,” “Interview Schedule Confirmation,” and “Job Offer.”
Custom Views and Filters:
You can create custom views and filters for different data sets. Suppose you’re a sales manager. You could set up a filter to view deals specifically in the “Negotiation” stage and above a particular value.
Workflow Automation
Pipedrive, like most CRM tools, has strong workflow automation capabilities. You can set up automated workflows triggered by specific events.
For example, when a deal is created, a specific person can be assigned to it. You can also automate multiple actions, such as field updates, emails, task creation, and contact deletion, based on triggers, streamlining your processes.
Chatbots
Pipedrive’s customizable chatbot feature is perfect for capturing leads and automatically funneling them into the sales process. Just place it on your website, and you’re all set!
Chatbots help companies engage with warm and hot leads while they browse the internet. The best part? The setup process is straightforward and user-friendly. However, finding it in Pipedrive can be a bit tricky.
First, locate the leads section (the top icon in the left-hand vertical menu) from your account dashboard. Look for the “Leadbooster” section, select “Chatbot,” and start building a new chatbot.
Note: This add-on costs extra if you use the essential or advanced plan.
Communication Channels
Communication channels include email and phone. You can easily sync your Gmail or Outlook and read and send emails. However, you must integrate with third-party tools for mass emails. You can also send basic emails with images, file signatures, etc. Additionally, you can merge fields like name, email, organization, etc.
Furthermore, you can craft email templates, track emails, send follow-ups, and even integrate your phone system. If you integrate your phone system, you can make calls from Pipedrive, transfer calls to your phone, and much more!
Pipedrive Pricing Plans
How much does Pipedrive cost? Let’s first review Pipedrive pricing:
Plan | Monthly Price | Annual Price | Website |
Essential | $24/user | $14/user/month | |
Advanced | $44/user | $34/user/month | |
Professional | $64/user | $49/user/month | |
Power | $79/user | $64/user/month | |
Enterprise | $129/user | $99/user/month |
Note: Pipedrive doesn’t have a free plan. However, there’s a 14-day free trial to test the waters and see if they suit your needs. But here’s the kicker. They don’t ask for your credit card information to activate it. Just create a new account and start exploring.
Pipedrive Complaints & Praise (From Real Pipedrive Customer Reviews)
People like using Pipedrive CRM because it’s easy to manage sales and customize things. It’s great for keeping track of tasks and setting up sales campaigns. The way it brings in emails and calendars is excellent, making it easy to stay on top of things.
However, some find it tricky initially, especially when repeatedly doing the same data entry. Connecting it with other tools is a headache because it needs Zapier and extra payments.
On the good side, Pipedrive has a reasonable price tag and many features, even automation. It’s a game-changer for sales processes, and that visual pipeline thing is a hit.
Still, there’s some fuss about Pipedrive pricing for small businesses and wanting smoother integrations. People wish for more advanced features in the basic plans and better reports.
Lastly, the mobile app is handy but could use a little upgrade for better performance compared to the desktop version.
Review of Pipedrive Customer Support
All Pipedrive plans give users access to a Pipedrive online help center for customer service and support. This includes an FAQ and knowledge base, a Pipedrive community, and tutorials through Pipedrive Academy.
There is also 24/7 live chat support, but it’s unclear if there’s email support for users of all plans.
Only the most expensive plans for enterprise companies get access to better customer service from Pipedrive, including phone support and an implementation program to help set up Pipedrive and onboarding your team.
Is Pipedrive the Right CRM for Me?
Whether or not Pipedrive CRM is right for your business and your team members is your decision. In our opinion, it’s worth exploring, especially for small businesses. But, before you make a final choice, we suggest signing up for Pipedrive’s 14-day free trial and trying it out.
We’re not saying that large enterprises can’t find Pipedrive helpful; after all, Pipedrive offers a more expensive Enterprise plan for larger sales teams. Still, it’s popular among small sales teams because it’s focused on sales, leads, and deals.
If you’re looking for a more comprehensive solution, explore Pipedrive alternatives. Maybe you’ll realize Pipedrive is exactly what you’re looking for, once you compare it to other options on the market. Good luck!
Pipedrive CRM FAQs
Is Pipedrive a CRM Software?
Yes, Pipedrive is a CRM and a dynamic sales management tool. With a sharp focus on guiding leads through the entire sales cycle, Pipedrive stands out for various things, including user-friendliness, automation capabilities, and personalized tips. It’s a valuable asset for businesses focused on sales.
How Much is Pipedrive Per Month?
It depends on the plan you choose. The Essential plan costs $11.90/user/month, while the Advanced plan costs $24.90/user/month. The Professional plan costs $49.90/user/month, and the Growth plan is $59.90/user/month. The last plan is for enterprises and costs $74.90 per user monthly.
As you can see, Pipedrive has five different plans, and you can pay a monthly or annual price for each. If you choose the monthly cycle, you pay on the same day each month until you cancel your subscription. If you choose the annual one, you pay upfront for the entire year and get a discount.
What is the Purpose of Pipedrive?
Pipedrive makes sales easier by automating tasks that help guide leads through the sales process. It uses AI to handle repetitive tasks, giving salespeople more time. Managers appreciate personalized tips for boosting the team’s performance, and the open API lets Pipedrive connect with other tools your team uses, making it fit your needs perfectly.
What is Pipedrive Good for?
Pipedrive CRM makes sales and relationship-building easier. It helps manage leads, assigns them to your sales team, and guides them through the sales process. The great thing about Pipedrive is that you can customize it to fit your sales processes. It’s flexible and adaptable, which is a big plus.
Pipedrive not only tracks pipeline stages but also connects them with data. Users often turn messy spreadsheets into helpful information using Pipedrive. In short, it keeps your sales organized. While other CRM tools focus on specific areas like marketing or customer support, Pipedrive is ideal for managing sales from start to finish.
What Are the Limitations of Pipedrive CRM?
Pipedrive is a user-friendly CRM, especially great for beginners because it’s easy to set up. However, it’s not the best sales CRM software, and there’s a bit of a learning curve. Additionally, the basic plans have some limitations. They lack features like workflow automation, email sync, email tracking, a meeting scheduler, and custom field options.
Therefore, if your business needs more advanced tools beyond essential contact and lead management, the entry-level plans might be somewhat restrictive.
