Pipedrive vs Insightly: Which CRM is right for you?
A 2026 head-to-head on pricing, features, and which team each is built for.
The short answer
Pipedrive is sales pipeline crm built for small and mid-size sales teams that want a tool reps will actually use, starting from ~$14/user/mo. Insightly is crm with project management for sMBs that deliver projects or services after closing a deal, starting from ~$29/user/mo. Choose Pipedrive for sales pipeline crm needs; choose Insightly if crm with project management is a better match for your team.
Pipedrive vs Insightly: at a glance
| Detail | Pipedrive | Insightly |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Sales pipeline CRM | CRM with project management |
| Starting price | from ~$14/user/mo | from ~$29/user/mo |
| Free plan | No | No |
| Best for | Small and mid-size sales teams that want a tool reps will actually use. | SMBs that deliver projects or services after closing a deal. |
| Our rating | ★ 4.5 / 5 | ★ 4.1 / 5 |
| Standout feature | The clearest visual pipeline and fastest time-to-adoption. | Converting won opportunities into connected delivery projects. |
| Founded | 2010 | 2009 |
| Headquarters | Tallinn, Estonia | San Francisco, USA |
Prices are indicative 2026 list prices; always confirm with the vendor directly.
What is Pipedrive?
Pipedrive is a sales-first CRM built around a visual deal pipeline. It keeps the focus on moving deals forward — logging activities, automating follow-ups, and forecasting — rather than trying to be an all-in-one marketing suite.
Best for: Small and mid-size sales teams that want a tool reps will actually use.
What is Insightly?
Insightly combines contact, organization, opportunity, pipeline, project, and workflow management. Separate marketing and service products plus the AppConnect integration platform extend it across the customer lifecycle.
Best for: SMBs that deliver projects or services after closing a deal.
Key features compared
| Pipedrive | Insightly |
|---|---|
| Drag-and-drop visual pipeline | Pipeline and opportunity management |
| Activity-based selling and reminders | Relationship linking |
| Workflow automation for follow-ups | Project delivery |
| Email sync and tracking | AppConnect integrations |
| Customizable deal stages and fields | — |
Pros and cons: Pipedrive
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✔ Extremely fast to set up and learn | ✘ No permanent free plan |
| ✔ High rep adoption thanks to the visual pipeline | ✘ Marketing features are light |
| ✔ Affordable, predictable pricing | ✘ Reporting is basic on lower tiers |
Pros and cons: Insightly
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✔ Sales-to-project continuity | ✘ Best features require higher tiers |
| ✔ Flexible relationship records | ✘ Reporting takes setup |
| ✔ Useful integration tooling | ✘ Smaller ecosystem than leaders |
Which should you choose?
Choose Pipedrive if you are small and mid-size sales teams that want a tool reps will actually use.
Choose Insightly if you are sMBs that deliver projects or services after closing a deal.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Pipedrive and Insightly?
Pipedrive is sales pipeline crm best for small and mid-size sales teams that want a tool reps will actually use. Its standout is the clearest visual pipeline and fastest time-to-adoption.. Insightly is crm with project management best for sMBs that deliver projects or services after closing a deal. Its standout is converting won opportunities into connected delivery projects..
Is Pipedrive better than Insightly?
Neither is universally better — it depends on your use case. Pipedrive is the stronger choice for small and mid-size sales teams that want a tool reps will actually use. Insightly is a better fit for sMBs that deliver projects or services after closing a deal.
Which is cheaper, Pipedrive or Insightly?
Pipedrive starts from ~$14/user/mo. Insightly starts from ~$29/user/mo.
Does Pipedrive or Insightly have a free plan?
Pipedrive does not offer a permanent free plan. Insightly does not offer a permanent free plan.