Pipedrive Automation vs. Zapier (which one is best?)
Pipedrive’s native workflow automation builder is great (and I use it a lot). For example, when you move a deal to a new stage, you could automate sending an email/campaign or create an activity for the deal owner.
But sometimes you need a more powerful automation tool like Zapier. For example, if you want to trigger an automation from an event outside of Pipedrive (e.g. when a Calendly booking is made).
In this video, I discuss the pros and cons of each and how to consider your automation options"
So, which one is best? Well really, it's both. I like creating automations in Pipedrive as it's often quicker and easier than using Zapier. But sometimes I'll use Zapier when I want to create more powerful automations or if I hit a limit with the Pipedrive automation.
Comments
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I just wish that Pipedrive automation actions weren't limited by the trigger type. For example, I should be able to trigger an automation from Deal info and also be able to update the contact record related to the Deal. It's very limited.
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@jhollender what do you mean "trigger from deal info"? Do you have an example of the automation you'd like to create?
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We have a custom field for contacts that show on the deal record. When that field gets updated we want to automate an action to create an activity task for the salesperson. The problem is that the deal info is not available in the automation with this type of trigger.
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Ah yes, I see what you mean now, thanks!
This is a good example of where Zapier would be useful as you can use a 'Find Deal' action to get the necessary deal details. Or, another option is to move and re-create your Contact Status field to the deal, but I appreciate this may not be ideal.
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Great video, Paul!
Just wanted to highlight a Pipedrive add-on that will make Zapier automations easier to trigger and manage in Pipedrive: OneClick. With OneClick, you can create custom buttons in deal, organization and person views to trigger zaps whenever you feel is a good time. Have a look, available at Pipedrive Marketplace!
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Make is much more powerful and customizable than anything. For the small monthly fee the value is more than there.
A couple automations I built two years ago still work and save me hours a week. Since I'm not a heavy user it costs me 10/month. By far the biggest value in my tech stack.0 -
Thanks for the suggestion @Henriikka from Zimple
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Pipedrive Automation vs. Zapier: When to Use Each
Like many Pipedrive users, I've spent countless hours setting up automations to streamline our sales process. After experimenting with both native Pipedrive workflows and Zapier, I've developed a framework for deciding which tool is best for different scenarios.
Quick Decision Matrix
Scenario
Best Tool
Why
Simple Pipedrive-only actions
🏆 Pipedrive
Faster setup, no extra cost
Cross-app workflows
🏆 Zapier
More connections, conditional logic
Time-sensitive triggers
🏆 Pipedrive
More reliable timing
Complex data manipulation
🏆 Zapier
Formatting options, multi-step
High-volume automations
🏆 Pipedrive
No task limits, cost-effective
When to Use Pipedrive Automations
Native Pipedrive automations shine in these scenarios:
- Pure Pipedrive workflows - When your trigger and action both live in Pipedrive (e.g., creating an activity when a deal moves stages)
- Time-based automations - In my experience, Pipedrive's time-based triggers are more reliable than Zapier's scheduling
- High-volume basic actions - You won't hit usage limits like you might with Zapier's free/lower tiers
Example: We use Pipedrive automation to automatically rotate deal ownership based on a custom field value. The workflow runs instantly and would cost extra with Zapier.
When to Use Zapier Instead
Zapier becomes essential when:
- Connecting with external apps - When your trigger or action involves other platforms
- Multi-step workflows - When you need to perform several actions in sequence
- Data transformation - When you need to manipulate data between steps (formatting, calculations)
- Conditional logic - For "if this, then that, otherwise something else" scenarios
Real Example: We use Zapier to create personalized product demo links when a deal reaches our "Demo" stage. Zapier pulls the deal data from Pipedrive, sends it to our demo platform, generates a custom link, then updates the Pipedrive deal with that link and notifies the sales rep.
Cost Considerations
- Pipedrive: Included in your subscription (but limited by plan features)
- Zapier: Separate cost based on tasks and complexity
- Free: 100 tasks/month, 5 single-step Zaps
- Starter: $19.99/month for 750 tasks
- Professional: $49/month for 2,000 tasks and multi-step Zaps
Performance Insights
After running hundreds of automations through both platforms, I've noticed:
- Pipedrive automations typically execute within 1-2 minutes
- Zapier can sometimes have 5-15 minute delays on the lower tiers
- Pipedrive automations are more reliable for mission-critical workflows
- Zapier offers better error handling and troubleshooting tools
Best of Both Worlds
The most powerful approach is combining both:
- Use Pipedrive automation for everything it can handle
- Use Zapier to fill the gaps and connect with external tools
- Let them work together (Pipedrive can trigger Zapier and vice versa)
Anyone else have experience with both? Which do you prefer for specific use cases?
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