I spent three years using Salesforce as a solopreneur. Three years. That's how long it took me to realize I was paying $165/month to access about 5% of its features. My inbox was drowning in notifications I didn't need, and I was spending more time managing the CRM than actually managing relationships.
Then I switched to something simpler, and everything changed.
If you're running a one-person business, you don't need enterprise software. You need a CRM that gets out of your way and actually helps you keep track of prospects, leads, and customers. Let me share what I've learned about finding the right fit.
Why Most CRMs Fail Solopreneurs
The problem with traditional CRM platforms is they're built for sales teams. They assume you have a manager, a pipeline, and multiple people logging data. As a solopreneur, you just need to remember who you talked to and what they said.
Complexity kills momentum. Every minute spent learning features is a minute you're not selling or serving customers.
After testing dozens of options and documenting my findings on curated-software.deals, I realized solopreneurs fall into three camps: those who need simplicity above all else, those who want a little automation, and those who need integration with their existing tools.
Notion + Basic Email (The Minimalist Play)
You might think I'm joking. I'm not.
Notion with a simple database template costs you $10/month and handles what most solopreneurs actually need: contact info, interaction history, and next steps. Add a Gmail filter, and you've got a functional system. I used this for six months when I was bootstrapping my first business, and it worked surprisingly well.
Downside? Zero automation. Everything is manual. But if you're talking to fewer than 100 prospects at any given time, manual is fine.
HubSpot Free (The Goldilocks Option)
HubSpot's free tier is genuinely useful. You get contact management, email tracking, and basic automation without paying a dime. I've recommended this to more solopreneurs than anything else.
The free version includes up to 1 million contacts, email templates, and a pipeline view. It's not missing critical features—it's just missing team collaboration tools and advanced automation. For a one-person operation, that doesn't matter.
I use HubSpot for my own business. The free tier handles everything I need, and if I eventually scale to need more, the paid version ($50/month) is reasonable. Most importantly, I'm not paying for features I'll never use.
Pipedrive (The Lightweight Professional)
If HubSpot feels too much like an enterprise tool and Notion feels too barebones, Pipedrive splits the difference. It's built specifically for sales-focused users, and it shows.
The interface is clean. The mobile app is solid. The automation works intuitively. The cheapest plan is $11.50/month, and I've seen solopreneurs stay happy on it for years.
Pipedrive shines when you care about pipeline visibility and want to track deal stages. If you're not actively managing multiple deals in flight, you might be overcomplicating things.
When to Upgrade Your Thinking
Here's what I tell people: don't choose a CRM based on what you might need someday. Choose one based on what you need right now.
You can migrate later. I've done it three times. Yes, it's annoying. But staying in an overcomplicated system for years costs you more time and money than moving once.
For a deeper dive on CRM options tailored to solopreneurs—including comparisons, pricing breakdowns, and specific use cases—check out curated-software.deals. I've documented the real-world experience with each platform, including what worked and what didn't.
The Bottom Line
The best CRM for your solopreneur business is the one you'll actually use. That's it.
Start with HubSpot free or Pipedrive's starter plan. Use it for 30 days. If you're opening it daily and it's saving you time, you've found your match. If you're dreading using it, switch.
You're the only person on your team. Your CRM should work for you, not against you.
Ready to find the right CRM? Head over to https://curated-software.deals/SEO/best-crm-for-solopreneurs.html for a complete breakdown of options, pricing, and honest pros and cons. I've tested these so you don't have to waste three years on the wrong choice.
