Custom CRM or a market one? Salesforce, HubSpot and Pipedrive are excellent choices for most SMEs. Custom makes sense in specific cases.
Market CRMs
HubSpot for simplicity and marketing, Pipedrive for a sales-friendly pipeline, Salesforce for deep customisation. Limits: per-user licences, premium tiers, costly customisation, vendor-hosted data.
When a market CRM is enough
Standard sales cycle, modest team, few integrations — invest in configuration instead, see optimising an existing CRM.
When custom makes sense
- Specific processes (configurators, multi-lot quotes, contracts, field service)
- Deep ERP integration
- Many users, including occasional ones
- Data sovereignty requirements
A market CRM makes you adopt the vendor’s processes; a custom CRM adopts yours. Both have a price.
Total cost and hybrid option
Compare over five years — see CRM integration cost — and consider a hybrid approach; the same logic as build or buy software.
Custom CRM: FAQ
Is a custom CRM more expensive?
Up front, yes; over five years it can be cheaper with many users or costly specific needs.
Can we migrate from HubSpot or Salesforce?
Yes — data exports and imports, with a transition period.
Get advice
Our CRM agency in Paris integrates market CRMs and builds custom ones. Let’s talk.