Pipedrive vs. HubSpot: Which CRM Should Zendesk Sell Users Migrate To?

Pipedrive vs. HubSpot: Which CRM Should Zendesk Sell Users Migrate To?

Posted September 16, 2025 in Technology by

With Zendesk Sell retiring on August 31, 2027, sales teams are actively evaluating where to go next. Zendesk has officially recommended Pipedrive as the migration path, but many companies are also looking closely at HubSpot CRM.

Both are strong platforms, but they serve different types of teams. In this post, we’ll break down Pipedrive vs. HubSpot across pricing, features, usability, scalability, and integrations to help Zendesk Sell users make the right decision.

Quick Overview: Pipedrive vs. HubSpot

  • Pipedrive: A sales-focused CRM designed to help small and mid-sized teams manage pipelines, deals, and forecasting with simplicity and ease.

  • HubSpot CRM: A broader growth platform that includes sales, marketing, service, and operations, all connected inside a unified Smart CRM.

Pricing Comparison

Pipedrive

  • Plans start at ~$15/user/month (Essential).

  • Advanced plans ($30–$60/user/month) add automation and reporting.

  • Affordable for small sales teams with limited budgets.

HubSpot

  • Free CRM core available with basic features.

  • Paid Sales Hub tiers start at $20/month per user (Starter) and scale up with automation, forecasting, and AI.

  • Costs increase as you add Marketing Hub, Service Hub, or advanced reporting.

Verdict: Pipedrive is cheaper for pipeline-only needs. HubSpot starts free but scales higher as you expand into an all-in-one platform.

Features & Functionality

Pipedrive Highlights

  • Visual, drag-and-drop deal pipelines.

  • Customizable stages and activity tracking.

  • Sales forecasting and goal tracking.

  • Simple automation for follow-ups and reminders.

HubSpot Highlights

  • Advanced automation across sales, marketing, and service.

  • AI-powered email sequencing, lead scoring, and content recommendations.

  • In-depth reporting dashboards and pipeline insights.

  • Service and marketing tools included in the same ecosystem.

Verdict: Pipedrive keeps things simple for sales teams. HubSpot offers more robust, AI-driven features and is better suited for companies that want automation and cross-team collaboration.

Ease of Use & Adoption

  • Pipedrive: Known for its intuitive interface, reps can onboard quickly with little training. Best for teams that want minimal learning curve.

  • HubSpot: Also highly user-friendly, but feature depth can feel overwhelming at higher tiers. Strong onboarding and support resources available.

Verdict: Both are user-friendly, but Pipedrive is faster to adopt if you only need sales pipeline tracking. HubSpot requires more setup but pays off with long-term adoption benefits.

Integrations & Ecosystem

  • Pipedrive: Integrates with Zendesk Support, Slack, Google Workspace, and 400+ marketplace apps. Strong focus on sales-centric integrations.

  • HubSpot: 1,500+ app marketplace integrations (Salesforce, Zendesk, LinkedIn Ads, QuickBooks, etc.). Native alignment across sales, service, and marketing.

Verdict: HubSpot wins on breadth of ecosystem. Pipedrive is strong enough for sales-only teams but less flexible across departments.

Scalability & Growth Potential

  • Pipedrive: Great for SMBs, but limited for complex enterprise workflows. Lacks advanced customization compared to HubSpot or Salesforce.

  • HubSpot: Scales from startups to mid-market and increasingly enterprise. Add Hubs as your needs expand (e.g., Marketing, Service, Operations).

Verdict: Pipedrive is best for small to mid-sized sales teams. HubSpot is the better long-term investment if you plan to grow and want a single CRM for multiple teams.

Which One Should Zendesk Sell Users Choose?

  • Choose Pipedrive if:

    • You’re a small or mid-sized sales team.

    • You primarily need a deal-tracking CRM with affordable pricing.

    • You want an easy transition that feels similar to Zendesk Sell.

  • Choose HubSpot if:

    • You want an all-in-one platform for sales, marketing, and service.

    • You’re preparing for growth and need advanced automation + AI.

    • You want stronger long-term scalability and ecosystem support.

Final Thoughts

Both Pipedrive and HubSpot are strong alternatives for Zendesk Sell users. The decision comes down to scope:

  • Pipedrive is the simplest, lowest-cost replacement.

  • HubSpot is the smarter long-term move if you want to future-proof your CRM and consolidate teams.

As you prepare for Zendesk Sell’s retirement, start by auditing your sales process. Which matters more: simplicity and affordability, or scalability and all-in-one growth?

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