Custom CRM vs HubSpot or Pipedrive: which to choose

1. What is a custom CRM?

CRM stands for customer relationship management. It is the software where a company keeps its contacts and the progress of each sale: who has asked, what they are interested in, what they have been offered and what the next step is.

A custom CRM is designed and built for one specific company: its sales steps, its names, the data it needs about each customer and the connections with the software it already uses. The code belongs to the company.

2. What are HubSpot and Pipedrive?

They are two well-known off-the-shelf CRMs. HubSpot presents itself as a free CRM for startups and small businesses, with products added for each area: marketing, sales, customer service or content.

Pipedrive describes itself as a sales pipeline CRM, designed to help small businesses manage their leads, track sales activity and close more deals.

3. HubSpot or Pipedrive?

Going by how they present themselves, they meet different needs:

• HubSpot.: If you want marketing, sales and customer service on the same platform, starting with its free CRM.
• Pipedrive.: If what you need is to organise a sales team’s pipeline.

Both can be configured, but the software is the same for all their customers. If the way you sell fits one of them, it is the fastest option.

4. How does a custom CRM differ from HubSpot or Pipedrive?

Neither column wins on everything. An off-the-shelf CRM can be used sooner; a custom one fits the way you sell better and belongs to you.

5. When do HubSpot or Pipedrive make sense?

• When the way you sell is similar to most companies and the software covers it without forcing it.
• When you need to start right away and the sales team is small.
• When a few users or a free plan are enough.
• When you would rather the vendor decide what comes next and take care of updates.

In those cases, start with an off-the-shelf CRM: you have it sooner and it costs less at the start.

6. When to look for a custom-built alternative to HubSpot?

• When your sales process has steps the CRM does not capture and the team tracks them in separate spreadsheets.
• When per-user fees grow faster than sales.
• When the CRM has to talk to your company’s own software, such as orders, production or your website.
• When you sell something that off-the-shelf CRMs do not handle well, such as the homes in a new-build development.
• When you want the software and your customers’ data to belong to your company.

For example, for property developers we build a custom real estate CRM for developers: a website for each development, which homes are still available and the follow-up of each buyer.

7. What happens to your data if you change CRM?

It is the question worth asking before choosing any CRM: how you can take your contacts and history out if you change software one day.

If you already use one and move to a custom CRM, the project starts by bringing that data across. It is one of the factors that weighs most in the quote, and the tidier the data, the less work it takes.

8. How to decide between a custom CRM and an off-the-shelf one?

Before choosing, answer these questions in writing:

• How many people sell today and how many will in a few years’ time.
• Which steps a sale goes through from the first question to the purchase.
• Where contacts come from: the website, the phone, email or social media.
• Which programs the CRM has to talk to.
• What you need to see to manage the team.

If everything fits in an off-the-shelf CRM, start with it. If not, a custom CRM saves your team from selling the way the software wants. We explain how we do it on the custom software development page.

9. How much does a custom CRM cost?

There is no single figure: the price depends on what the software has to do. What moves it most is the number of screens and roles, such as sales, management or marketing; the connections with your website, your email or your accounting; the data that has to be brought in; whether a mobile app is needed; permissions; and maintenance.

The quote reaches you in writing and split into phases, with what is delivered in each one.

If you would rather have ready-made management software, take a look at Aipiter, our management software. If you want a custom CRM, tell us about your project. We reply within 24 hours.