Best Pipedrive Alternatives for Small Teams (2026)

Pipedrive is a solid CRM, but it's not for everyone. Maybe you're frustrated with the pricing, need features it doesn't have, or just want to explore options. Here are the best alternatives in 2026, with honest assessments of each.

What to Look for in a Pipedrive Alternative

Before we dive in, let's establish what made Pipedrive popular in the first place:

• Visual pipeline: Drag-and-drop Kanban boards
• Simplicity: Easy to learn and use
• Activity-based selling: Focus on actions, not just data
• Good UX: Fast, responsive interface

A good alternative should match these strengths while addressing Pipedrive's weaknesses (pricing, add-on costs, limited free tier).

Quick Comparison Table

1. myday — Best Overall Pipedrive Alternative

Full disclosure: this is our product. But we built it specifically because we were frustrated with Pipedrive's pricing—and we think you might be too.

What's similar to Pipedrive:

• Visual Kanban pipeline (drag-and-drop deals)
• Clean, fast interface
• Activity-based selling approach
• Easy CSV import from Pipedrive

What's better than Pipedrive:

• Automations included at $19/user (vs $49 on Pipedrive)
• Lead scoring included (vs $49 on Pipedrive)
• Web forms and booking pages included (vs $32.50 add-on)
• AI insights that learn your business
• 5-minute setup — import your data and go

What's worse than Pipedrive:

• Smaller marketplace of integrations
• No native mobile app (responsive web app only)
• Newer product, smaller user base

See full Pipedrive vs myday comparison →

2. HubSpot CRM — Best Free Option (With Caveats)

HubSpot's free CRM is genuinely useful for tracking contacts and deals. But the free tier is designed to get you hooked, then upsell you to expensive paid plans.

The good:

• Free tier has unlimited users and contacts
• Excellent marketing tools if you upgrade
• Huge integration ecosystem
• Great educational content and community

The catch:

• Automations require $90/user/month Professional plan
• Lead scoring requires $150/user/month Enterprise
• $1,500-3,500 onboarding fee for paid plans
• Can feel bloated for small teams

Verdict: Great if you'll never need automations. Otherwise, the jump from free to useful is painful.

3. Freshsales — Best for Built-In Phone

Freshsales (part of Freshworks) has solid calling features built in, which Pipedrive charges extra for via add-ons.

The good:

• Built-in phone with call recording
• Competitive pricing at lower tiers
• Part of Freshworks suite (support, marketing)
• AI features at higher tiers

The catch:

• Automations require $39/user Pro plan
• Interface not as polished as Pipedrive
• Some features feel half-baked

Verdict: Good if calling is central to your sales process. Otherwise, not a clear win over Pipedrive.

4. Close — Best for Cold Calling Teams

Close was built specifically for inside sales teams. If your team makes 50+ calls per day, Close is purpose-built for that workflow.

The good:

• Best-in-class power dialer
• Built-in SMS
• Automations included on all plans
• Very fast, keyboard-friendly interface

The catch:

• Expensive ($49/user minimum)
• Per-minute calling costs add up
• No web forms or booking pages
• Overkill if you don't do heavy calling

Verdict: Excellent for cold calling teams. Not worth it if calls aren't your primary sales motion.

5. Zoho CRM — Best for Feature Density on a Budget

Zoho CRM packs an enormous amount of functionality into relatively cheap plans. The tradeoff is complexity.

The good:

• Incredibly feature-rich
• Part of huge Zoho ecosystem (40+ apps)
• Good value at lower tiers
• Strong customization options

The catch:

• Interface feels dated
• Steep learning curve
• Can be overwhelming for small teams
• Support quality varies

Verdict: Great if you want maximum features per dollar and don't mind complexity. Not great if you want Pipedrive's simplicity.

6. Salesflare — Best for Automatic Data Entry

Salesflare's key differentiator is automatic data enrichment—it pulls contact info from email signatures, social profiles, and more.

The good:

• Automatic contact and company data enrichment
• Email and meeting tracking built in
• Clean, modern interface
• Good mobile apps

The catch:

• More expensive than Pipedrive ($29 minimum)
• Data enrichment quality varies
• Smaller ecosystem
• Less flexible customization

Verdict: Great if automatic data capture is your top priority. Otherwise, hard to justify the premium over Pipedrive.

How to Choose

Here's the quick decision tree:

• Want Pipedrive UX at lower cost? → myday
• Need marketing automation too? → HubSpot (be ready to pay)
• Make 50+ calls/day? → Close
• Want built-in phone on a budget? → Freshsales
• Want maximum features, don't mind complexity? → Zoho
• Hate data entry more than anything? → Salesflare

Switching is Easier Than You Think

Most modern CRMs can import your Pipedrive data via CSV export. The process typically takes less than an hour:

1. Export your data from Pipedrive (Settings → Export data)
2. Sign up for your new CRM
3. Import the CSV files
4. Map fields and verify the import

The switching cost is lower than you think. The ongoing cost of staying on an overpriced CRM is higher than you think.