Maintaining customer relationships is undoubtedly one of the most important business processes. The market offers numerous CRM systems with a wide range of functions to support appropriate activities and strategies.
You may also be asking yourself: Which CRM best suits my needs? Of course, there is no direct answer to that at this stage. However, we can provide you with a good overview by comparing three CRMs — HubSpot, Pipedrive and SugarCRM — which cover many industries and typical use cases.
Why use CRM tools? The most important benefits
Given the current downright oversupply in most industries, where interested parties can therefore serve themselves more quickly than ever before, building good customer relationships is becoming increasingly important.
Accenture already showed in 2018 in a study that it's full 91 percent of consumers prefer to buy from brands that have their identity needs through relevant offers or recommendations and remember it. To date, this trend has been confirmed time and again in numerous studies. In this context, an article from Harvard Business Review, which, with regard to various surveys, explains that acquiring new customers is up to 25 times more expensive may be as the bond existing ones.
If the CRM is successful, new customers become regular customers and will remain so — and that is exactly what makes a significant contribution to long-term competitiveness.
Creating the right conditions requires not only a good customer loyalty strategy, but also an optimal organization with appropriate measures.
This is precisely the area in which CRM software from HubSpot, Pipedrive or SugarCRM comes into its own: All three programmes provide well-founded, personalised and comprehensive support based on specific data. Centralising customer information and sales activities within such a system clarifies and streamlines the sales process. Ultimately, it is therefore possible to save a lot of time and money while significantly contributing to a perfect customer experience with high, recurring conversion opportunities.
CRM systems compared: HubSpot CRM, Pipedrive CRM, or SugarCRM?
Let's now take a closer look at three of the current most scaleable, feature-rich and ultimately the best CRM systems on the market.
HubSpot CRM — powerful and modular
The HubSpot platform offers one of the most comprehensive all-in-one solutions on the market. It unites tools for marketing, sales, customer service, content management, and AI automation of business processes in a system. In sales, HubSpot supports you with clearly structured sales pipeline management, individual report dashboards, deal tracking, and contact management. There are also email templates, scheduling tools, call recording options, and an app for iOS and Android.
Marketing teams benefit from integrated email marketing, landing page tools, the option of a live chat connection and intelligent chatbots. There are also lead forms and analytics features for campaign performance and website interactions. A ticket system, team mailboxes and reports on response times are available for customer service.
Compatibility/data exchange
Thanks to HubSpot data sync, you can share information with other apps on one or both sides. The HubSpot App Marketplace currently offers more than 2,000 integrations available — from Gmail to Outlook to communication programs such as Slack or Zoom.
Server location and data protection
HubSpot's infrastructure is based on Amazon Web Services (AWS) and is operated in data centers in Germany or the USA. Since 2021, there has also been an AWS environment in the EU, which allows HubSpot to offer regional data hosting options. Customer information is stored and processed at the selected location. Servers in Frankfurt am Main are available to users in Germany, for whom GDPR compliance is assured.
Prices and rates
You can actually use HubSpot's core CRM for free. The number of users is not limited. However, if you need advanced features in addition to contact management, a sales pipeline, lead management, and a few other standards, it's possible to add individual paid hubs — such as the Sales Hub, Marketing Hub, or Service Hub.
The prices for larger CRM suites vary (of course) depending on the range of functions and number of users: The starter plan for small teams costs around 15 euros. The Professional plan costs around 49 euros and the Enterprise plan costs 75 euros. This includes a team connection, user-defined reporting, a standard CRM interface configuration, and duplicate management.
Pros and cons of HubSpot CRM
The biggest advantages of this CRM software clearly include its high ease of use, the extensive automation options and the seamless integration of typical marketing, sales or service processes.
Even the many free features — including Smart CRM with central contact management — are a strong argument. On the other hand, the platform is relatively complex due to its truly huge range of functions. With extensive use, onboarding can therefore take a bit longer, especially for beginners without CRM experience.
Pipedrive CRM — focus on sales and ease of use
Pipedrive is a clear focused on the sales process CRM system. It helps teams efficiently guide leads through the sales pipeline — from initial contact to contract conclusion. The program is cloud-based (like HubSpot, by the way) and was developed to improve the customer management process as much as possible visual and easy to design.
A key feature of Pipedrive is the kanban-like interface, which clearly presents all ongoing processes. This allows you to see at a glance where every customer is on their journey. It's quick to set up and the software is intuitive to use.
Key features include strong email segmentation, web tracking, comprehensive document management, chatbots and automation tools for workflows. Pipedrive also offers more than 300 integrations, supports multiple currencies and, like HubSpot, provides mobile apps for iOS and Android.
Compatibility & data sharing
The platform has a API interface (JSON), so you can export data flexibly. All information is stored online, which allows easy access from any location.
Server location and data protection
Data from European users is in Frankfurt am Main hosted, which meets the requirements of the GDPR.
Prices and rates
Pipedrive gives you four price levels, which clearly differ in terms of their range of functions. The cheapest Lite rate costs around 14 euros per user and month when paid annually. A monthly statement is estimated at around 24 euros. In the so-called Growth Plan, the costs are around 39 euros per year or 49 euros per month, in the Premium plan it is 59 and 79 euros, and the Ultimate tariff starts at 79 euros per year or 99 euros per month per user.
The main differences lie in the level of automation, the analysis features and the security functions. This enables Pipedrive to be adapted to suit different team sizes and budgets. The pricing structures are comparatively simple, but the system as a whole offers less flexibility than HubSpot.
Pros and cons of Pipedrive
Pipedrive CRM is more streamlined than HubSpot, scoring points with its straightforward operation and quick implementation. There is automation here, too. However, it does not cover extended customer service processes in as much detail as HubSpot. This tool is particularly suited to small and medium-sized enterprises looking for a clear, simple, visual solution to support their customer relationships. It's a shame that there's no free basic version.
SugarCRM — big, flexible and scalable
SugarCRM is one of the most established CRM solutions on the market. According to its own statements, the platform has more than 2 million users worldwide. It is aimed at organizations that value customization, scalability, and deep integration. In contrast to more lean tools such as Pipedrive, SugarCRM offers a very wide range of functions, which in some areas come close to HubSpot. However, the program is also correspondingly complex.
The option to use the system is particularly interesting because it allows for individualisation: From your own dashboards to industry-specific adjustments, for example, as CRM for law firms, insurance companies or financial service providers, a lot is possible. Core features include sales management tools, lead scoring, marketing automation options, (of course) pipeline management, a comprehensive document management and reporting applications. In addition, SugarCRM offers a mobile app, analysis and forecasting features, and tight integration with Google Docs, Webex Meeting, or Office plugins.
Compatibility/data exchange
SugarCRM is cloud-based and can also be operated on-premises depending on the licensing model. As a result, companies retain full control of their data and can manage the environment themselves when needed. The platform supports Oracle, MySQL and other database systems, which makes them particularly versatile.
Server location and data protection
Cloud customers can have a Server location within the EU choose how the GDPR is taken into account. If you host the software yourself, you will of course, determine the storage location yourself.
Prices and rates
Like Pipedrive, SugarCRM offers specific editions and types of use. The cloud-based Sugar Sell Standard solution starts at around 59 euros per user per month (with annual billing and a minimum of 15 licences). The Advanced plan costs around 85 euros, while Sell Premier costs 135 euros. In addition to Pipeline Management, Forecasting and Pipeline Analytics, this includes email and calendar integration, ticket management, error analysis, plus support, intelligent lead prioritisation, revenue intelligence, generative AI, sentiment analysis, data enrichment, geo-mapping and more.
Companies that want to host their data on their own servers can opt for the Sell Enterprise (On-Premise) package, which starts at around 85 euros per user per month. A free trial is available, but SugarCRM is not permanently free.
Pros and cons of SugarCRM
The extensive customization options are undoubtedly among the biggest advantages of this solution. But the automation functions are also strong. There is also a wide language support (over 30 languages). However, the rather steep learning curve and the sometimes complex integration of new tools can be challenging. In addition, SugarCRM is not the cheapest option and is therefore aimed more at larger companies with clear process requirements.
Factual comparison: HubSpot, Pipedrive and SugarCRM at a glance
Conclusion
Each of the three systems has its strengths — the choice is yours to make based on your specific needs. HubSpot CRM is particularly impressive due to its extensive, modular, all-in-one structure, which combines marketing, sales, and service in one system. Its flexible automation features, clever AI integration and free trial make it very attractive for growing companies.
Pipedrive is the right choice if you're a simple, visually structured tool for sales search. It is quick to set up, intuitive to use and ideal for smaller teams who want to manage their leads clearly. SugarCRM plays its strength in complex, large corporate structures. Here you get maximum flexibility and scalability. The system can be operated both cloud-based and locally.
FAQ
What is a CRM system?
A CRM system bundles all customer data centrally. It helps you structure marketing, sales and service processes, maintain contacts in a targeted manner and strengthen business relationships. Recommended programs include HubSpot, Pipedrive, and SugarCRM.
Why should I use CRM software?
A CRM ensures greater efficiency in customer management and ultimately enables stronger customer loyalty. This allows you to see at any time which interactions have taken place, automate workflows and design completely personalized communication using centrally stored customer data. As a result, you reduce manual work, gain time for strategic tasks and noticeably improve the customer experience.
What types of CRM tools are there?
CRM systems can be roughly divided into desktop, server and cloud solutions. Classic desktop variants are only suitable for individual users, whereas server systems have a central database in the company and can therefore be shared by teams. However, today's standard is cloud-based CRMs such as HubSpot, which run entirely online. They enable location-independent access, offer automatic updates and a high level of security — without in-house server operation or complex maintenance.
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Jens ist Mitgründer von bakedwith, einer Boutique-Beratung für smarte Automatisierung und KI. Er unterstützt mittelständische Unternehmen und Konzerne dabei, Prozesse zu optimieren, manuelle Arbeit zu reduzieren und durch effiziente Workflows Wachstum zu erzielen. Zuvor war Jens Growth Lead bei OMR und begleitete als Freelancer zahlreiche Unternehmen bei der Optimierung ihrer CRM- und Automationssysteme. Seine Leidenschaft gilt der Verbindung von Wachstum und Effizienz – damit Teams sich auf das Wesentliche konzentrieren können.
