Compare
HubSpot vs Pipedrive for Agencies (2026): Which Is Better?
By Red Kite Search Agency Created Updated 7 min read
Summary
Choose HubSpot for breadth, a free tier, and stated security evidence. Choose Pipedrive for a simpler, cheaper pipeline. Prices and ratings were checked in October 2026.
HubSpot vs Pipedrive: which is better for agencies in 2026?
HubSpot and Pipedrive are the two CRMs agencies compare most. HubSpot is a broad platform with a free tier. Pipedrive is a simpler pipeline tool at a lower price.
We compared price, scope, security, and reviews.
| Tool | Editorial score | Review-site ratings | Pricing | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HubSpot | 4.4 / 5 | G2 4.4 | Free tools for up to 2 users. Sales Hub Starter $7 and Professional $90 per seat per month on annual billing ($20 and $100 monthly); Enterprise starts at $150 per seat. | Small teams to enterprises |
| Pipedrive | 4.2 / 5 | G2 4.3 | Lite $14, Growth $39, Premium $59 and Ultimate $79 per seat per month on annual billing, with a 14-day free trial. | Small to mid-size teams |
How do HubSpot and Pipedrive compare on price?
HubSpot Sales Hub Starter costs $7 per seat per month on annual billing and Professional costs $90, with a free tier and one-time onboarding fees on higher plans. Pipedrive costs $14, $39, $59, or $79 per seat per month, billed annually.
| Tool | Plan | Price | What stands out |
|---|---|---|---|
| HubSpot | Free | $0 | Free for up to 2 users; no credit card required |
| HubSpot | Starter | $7 per seat per month (annual billing); $20 monthly | 500 HubSpot credits; calling, task queues, prospecting agent |
| HubSpot | Professional | $90 per seat per month (annual billing); $100 monthly | 3,000 HubSpot credits; forecasting, sequences, conversation intelligence; $1,500 one-time onboarding |
| HubSpot | Enterprise | $150 per seat per month (monthly billing) | Starts at; 5,000 HubSpot credits; deal splits, lead routing, sandbox; $3,500 one-time onboarding |
| Pipedrive | Lite | $14 per seat per month (annual billing) | Lead, calendar and pipeline management; AI report creation; 500+ integrations |
| Pipedrive | Growth | $39 per seat per month (annual billing) | Lite plus full email sync, automations and nurturing sequences, forecasting, meeting scheduler |
| Pipedrive | Premium | $59 per seat per month (annual billing) | Growth plus lead routing, custom scoring and enrichment, multi-email AI tools, contracts and e-signatures |
| Pipedrive | Ultimate | $79 per seat per month (annual billing) | Premium plus account security rules, phone and email data enrichment, sandbox, extended phone support |
Which costs less?
Pipedrive at the mid-tier. Pipedrive Growth costs far less than HubSpot Professional and carries no onboarding fee, while HubSpot Starter is cheap but limited.
HubSpot has a free tier, which Pipedrive lacks, so a very small team can start at no cost.
For a five-seat team on the mid-tier, the annual gap is large enough to matter, so total the seats, the onboarding fee, and any credit packs before you decide.
Which does more?
HubSpot, which spans sales, marketing, and service tools, a 2,000-app marketplace, and AI agents. Pipedrive focuses on deals, with email sync, automations, forecasting, and more than 500 integrations.
If you only need to manage new business, Pipedrive may be enough.
Which has stronger security evidence?
HubSpot, which states a SOC 2 Type 2 report, GDPR tools, two-factor authentication, and an EU data center. Pipedrive security details were not captured because its security page returned an error.
Ask Pipedrive for documents before you store client data.
How do HubSpot and Pipedrive compare on integrations, security, and support?
Beyond price, agencies ask about connections to their other tools, what to tell clients about security, and how quickly they can get help. This is what each vendor states publicly, as checked in October 2026.
| Area | HubSpot | Pipedrive |
|---|---|---|
| Integrations | More than 2,000 apps and web services in the HubSpot app marketplace | More than 500 apps including Zapier, Zoom and Lemlist |
| Security | SOC 2 Type 2 report and a public SOC 3 report; infrastructure providers hold ISO 27001; GDPR tools, 2FA that admins can require, SSO, and SAML SSO at the enterprise tier; Hosted on AWS in the US, with an EU data center in Frankfurt for new customers | Fortified account security rules and alerts on Ultimate; Certifications, SSO and 2FA were not stated (the security page returned an error) |
| Support | Starter: email; Professional and Enterprise: email and phone; free users get Community, Academy and the knowledge base; Support hours were not stated | Ultimate: extended phone support, Monday to Friday 7:00 to 23:00 CET; Support for other plans was not stated |
| Apps | A HubSpot mobile app is listed; platforms and plan availability were not stated | Mobile apps were not stated on the pages checked |
What are the pros and cons of HubSpot and Pipedrive?
Here is where each tool helps agencies and where it can get in the way, based on plan details and public feedback.
HubSpot pros
- Free CRM tools for up to two users with no credit card.
- Starter from $7 per seat per month on annual billing.
- More than 2,000 integrations in the app marketplace.
- SOC 2 Type 2 report, GDPR consent tools, 2FA and an EU data center option.
HubSpot cons
- Professional costs $90 per seat per month and requires a one-time $1,500 onboarding fee.
- Enterprise requires a one-time $3,500 onboarding fee.
- Advanced SAML SSO is enterprise tier only.
- Client accounts and multi-account features for agencies were not stated.
Pipedrive pros
- Plans from $14 per seat per month on annual billing, with a free 14-day trial.
- More than 500 integrations including Zapier, Zoom and Lemlist.
- Automations, email sync with tracking and forecasting from Growth.
- Contracts and e-signatures on Premium.
Pipedrive cons
- Monthly-billing prices were not shown on the pricing page.
- Security certifications, SSO and 2FA details were not found (the security page returned an error).
- Mobile app availability and plan-by-plan support were not stated.
- Pipeline-centric, with less built-in marketing and client management than all-in-one tools.
What do reviewers say about HubSpot and Pipedrive?
G2 shows HubSpot Sales Hub at 4.4 from 14,365 reviews and Pipedrive at 4.3 from 5,085 reviews. HubSpot has the higher score and the larger base.
| Tool | Source | Rating | Number of reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| HubSpot | G2 | 4.4 / 5 | 14,365 |
| Pipedrive | G2 | 4.3 / 5 | 5,085 |
Reviewer themes for HubSpot
- G2 shows HubSpot Sales Hub at 4.4 from 14,365 reviews.
- G2 data shows 67% of reviewers give five stars and 26% give four.
- Reviewers value ease of use and having everything in one place.
Reviewer themes for Pipedrive
- G2 shows Pipedrive at 4.3 from 5,085 reviews.
- G2 data shows 60% of reviewers give five stars and 31% give four.
- Reviewers value easier deal tracking from a single dashboard.
How does setup differ between HubSpot and Pipedrive?
Getting value from either tool depends on how you set it up, and the first steps differ. Here is the practical starting point for each.
HubSpot: Start on the free tools, import your contacts, and build one deal pipeline that matches how you sell.
Pipedrive: Start the 14-day trial, import your leads, and build a pipeline with stages that match your sales process.
What should agencies check before choosing between HubSpot and Pipedrive?
Small details in plans and limits decide whether a tool works in practice. Check these points for each tool during a trial on a real client account.
Before you buy HubSpot
- Count seats and add onboarding fees.
- Check which hub features you need.
- Review credit packs for AI features.
- Start on the free tier.
Before you buy Pipedrive
- Pick Growth or Premium by feature need.
- Ask for security documents.
- Confirm monthly pricing.
- Trial with your real pipeline.
How should you test HubSpot and Pipedrive before deciding?
The fairest test is to run both tools on the same real client account for two weeks, with the same people, and compare the results rather than first impressions.
What to measure
- How long it takes a new team member to be productive in HubSpot versus Pipedrive.
- How often people open each tool without being reminded.
- Whether the plan you need includes the features you tested, not just the entry price.
- How a client reacts if you invite them to either tool.
- How much time the team spends on notifications, setup, and cleanup each week.
Which should you choose: HubSpot or Pipedrive?
Choose HubSpot for breadth, a free tier, and stated security evidence. Choose Pipedrive for a simpler, cheaper pipeline.
Small agencies often start with Pipedrive and larger ones with HubSpot.
Choose HubSpot if
- You want a mainstream CRM with a free start.
- You want a large integration marketplace.
- You want SOC 2 Type 2 evidence.
Skip HubSpot if
- You want flat pricing without onboarding fees.
- You need white-label software to resell.
- You are a solo freelancer.
Choose Pipedrive if
- You want a simple, affordable deal CRM.
- You want automations and email sync from Growth.
- You want a free 14-day trial.
Skip Pipedrive if
- You need published security certifications.
- You want marketing and client tools built in.
- You need monthly pricing shown up front.
Frequently asked questions
- Is HubSpot or Pipedrive better for agencies?
- HubSpot for breadth and security evidence, Pipedrive for a simple, affordable pipeline.
- Which is cheaper?
- Pipedrive at the mid-tier, and HubSpot has a free tier.
- Which has a free plan?
- HubSpot.
- Which has a higher G2 score?
- HubSpot.
- Do both have free trials?
- Pipedrive offers 14 days, and HubSpot offers free tools.
Sources
Prices, plan limits, and ratings were gathered in October 2026 from:
- HubSpot pricing page
- Pipedrive pricing page
- G2