Pipedrive vs Zoho (2024): Which is Better?

Choosing the best CRM software for your business depends on budget, team size, and the features you need to manage customers through sales processes from start to finish. Zoho CRM and Pipedrive are scalable and highly rated platforms because they can do exactly that.

Pipedrive is a sales software that focuses on customizable sales pipelines, activity and contact tracking, and workflow automations. Zoho CRM is a feature-packed CRM with multi-channel marketing tools, detailed lead profiles, and team collaboration.

Whether you're looking for a CRM focused on marketing or operations, a niche industry, or need specific sales features, let's take a look at how these two vendors compare to each other.

Pipedrive vs Zoho: Comparison Table

Pipedrive vs Zoho: Pricing

Pipe unit

• Essential: $14 per user per month, billed annually, or $24 per user when billed monthly.
• Advanced: $34 per user per month, billed annually, or $44 per user when billed monthly.
• Professional: $49 per user per month, billed annually, or $64 per user when billed monthly.
• Force: $64 per user per month, billed annually, or $79 per user when billed monthly.
• Company: $99 per user per month, billed annually, or $129 per user when billed monthly.

Zoho CRM

• Free CRM: Free for up to three users, includes lead and document management and a mobile app.
• Standard: $14 per user per month, billed annually, or $20 per user when billed monthly.
• Professional: $23 per user per month, billed annually, or $35 per user when billed monthly.
• Company: $40 per user per month, billed annually, or $50 per user when billed monthly.
• Last: $52 per user per month, billed annually, or $65 per user when billed monthly.

Pipedrive vs Zoho: Feature Comparison

AI-powered tools

Winner: Zoho CRM

Zoho CRM offers extensive AI tools, including an AI sales assistant called Zia. Zia can predict profits and sales, detect sales anomalies in real-time, and generate emails. These AI tools can run in the background and manage information. Zoho CRM’s more advanced AI features include data enrichment, churn predictions, and workflow suggestions.

Pipedrive also has some AI-powered tools that are beta features, though not as extensive as Zoho CRM. Pipedrive’s AI assistant can automatically generate performance suggestions for sales reps, manage notifications, and provide updates on the progress of ongoing deals.

Sales automation

Winner: Tie

Sales automations and workflows are popular CRM features because they can take care of redundant or mundane tasks while sales reps can focus on other responsibilities.

Zoho’s automation tool can be implemented in lead management by streamlining lead generation and importing data from multiple channels into the CRM. Zoho CRM users can create cadence workflows based on customer interactions that incorporate emails, calls, and tasks to create relevant follow-ups and capture the interest of their target customers.

Pipedrive users can automate different steps throughout their sales process. For example, personalized emails can be triggers for engagement once a new contact is entered into the CRM. With Pipedrive’s delay feature, companies can set up actions to occur automatically and at a date or time of their choice. To do so, simply select “predefined” or “custom” preferences to add an action, condition, or even a delay to your sequence.

Product catalog and billing

Winner: Pipedrive

Pipedrive's invoicing feature allows users to create, view, and send invoices to Quickbooks directly from the Pipedrive interface. After integrating with Quickbooks, users can create invoices that will include pre-configured information about deals, people, and organizations directly from the details view. The status of invoices will automatically be updated in their deals to keep all information in one central place.

Zoho CRM can be integrated with another individual tool in its product suite called Zoho Invoice. This allows users to track and manage key CRM data as well as accounting information in the same place. This way, businesses can generate quotes, invoices, and orders with access to inventory, shipping, and subscription information.

Information

Winner: Zoho CRM

Zoho CRM's reporting feature allows you to analyze, monitor, and track key business metrics. Users can customize dashboards by choosing from over 40 standard reports or create a report from scratch. These quick insights can reflect sales, marketing, and general activity reports from various modules.

Pipedrive has a statistics feature, where users have access to an interactive dashboard. This feature makes it easy to track deals, generate revenue forecasts with deal velocity reports, team performance, share dashboards, and even open up APIs and integrations for further customization. All of this helps reps recognize winning patterns so they can optimize sales workflows and marketing campaigns and see the success they’re looking for.

Pros and cons of Zoho CRM

Advantages of Zoho CRM

• 15-day free trial.
• Offers over 900 possible integrations.
• You have 24/7/365 data security.

Disadvantages of Zoho CRM

• Limited social media integration available on the free plan.
• Users report a learning curve with the platform.
• Users report occasional delays in data loading.

Pros and cons of Pipedrive

Advantages of Pipedrive

• 14-day free trial.
• Users praise the easy customization.
• Provides over 400 integrations.

Disadvantages of Pipedrive

• There is no free lifetime version of the software.
• Users report that reporting and automations are limited.
• No built-in SMS or reporting of a limited mobile app.

Should your organization use Pipedrive or Zoho CRM?

Choose Zoho CRM if…

• You need a CRM with advanced marketing capabilities.
• Looking for a CRM solution with a built-in AI assistant?
• You want a powerful CRM tool that has a free plan to try first.

For a more detailed breakdown of this provider, head over to our Zoho CRM review.

Choose Pipedrive if…

• You want a simple CRM to manage your sales pipeline.
• You're in a niche industry like architecture, recruiting, nonprofits, or media.
• You need a CRM solution that helps you segment and assign incoming leads or customers.

Read this Pipedrive review to learn more about its key features and alternatives.

Methodology

I have rated and evaluated Zoho CRM and Pipedrive using an internal rubric. This rubric includes a variety of criteria and sub-criteria that are considered important when evaluating any general CRM vendor and its business benefits. After applying that rubric to Zoho CRM and Pipedrive, I have come up with a 5-star rating as well as keynotes that help me identify ideal use cases for each software.

Below is a breakdown of the scoring criteria I followed:

• Cost: Weighted 25% of the total score.
• Main features: Weighted 25% of the total score.
• Customizations: Weighted 15% of the total score.
• Integrations: Weighted 15% of the total score.
• Ease of use: Weighted 10% of the total score.
• Customer Service: Weighted 10% of the total score.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Does Zoho integrate with Pipedrive?

Yes, Zoho and Pipedrive can be integrated with each other. Since Zoho Corporation offers a suite of tools in addition to CRM software, Pipedrive can be synced with it as a third-party integration. For example, Pipedrive can be integrated with Zoho Books or Zoho Sign. This way, data can be shared between service, sales, and marketing tools.

What types of companies use Pipedrive?

Pipedrive can be adapted as a CRM by businesses of any size. Its pricing tiers can span startups, small and mid-sized businesses, and even large enterprises. Additionally, Pipedrive can be used by businesses in niche markets that might need particular features or compliance certifications, such as the healthcare sector, non-profit organizations, and automotive sales.