HubSpot is one of the most popular CRMs in the world. It's also completely overkill if you work for yourself.
If you're a freelancer, independent consultant, or solo professional managing your own client pipeline, you've probably done one of these:
- Signed up for HubSpot Free, got overwhelmed by the setup, and never used it
- Paid for a CRM and used it for two weeks before going back to a spreadsheet
- Convinced yourself you'd "figure out the CRM thing later" — and later never came
You're not alone. And it's not your fault.
Why HubSpot Doesn't Work for Solo Professionals
HubSpot was designed for sales teams. It assumes you have:
- A sales manager who needs reporting
- Multiple reps who need territory assignments
- A marketing team running campaigns
- An ops person to maintain the system
When you're a team of one, none of that applies. You end up with a product full of features you'll never use — and the features you do need buried under layers of setup.
What Freelancers and Consultants Actually Need
After talking to dozens of independent professionals, the list of must-haves is short:
1. A simple view of all active clients and prospects Not a 15-column spreadsheet. Not a Kanban board with 12 custom fields. Just: who am I talking to, and where are they in the process?
2. Follow-up reminders This is the #1 thing that makes freelancers lose potential clients. You had a great call, said you'd follow up in two weeks — and forgot. A reminder that comes to you (not one you have to go looking for) is worth more than any other CRM feature.
3. A sense of how much is in your pipeline Is it going to be a good month? A rough one? If you can see the total value of your active opportunities and estimate what's likely to close, you can plan ahead.
4. Something you'll actually use A CRM you don't open is worth nothing. Simplicity isn't just a nice-to-have — it's the whole point.
CloserKit: The Simple Alternative
CloserKit was built specifically for independent professionals who need to track their pipeline without the complexity of enterprise CRM tools.
Here's what it does:
- Kanban pipeline — Drag deals across stages. See everything at a glance.
- Follow-up reminders — Set a date on any deal. Get an email at 9am that morning.
- Weighted pipeline value — See your realistic revenue forecast.
- Won/Lost tracking — Know your close rate. Learn from lost deals.
- Works on mobile — Manage your pipeline from anywhere.
No onboarding call. No setup wizard. No team features you'll never use.
Free plan available for up to 10 deals. Pro plan is $9/month for unlimited deals.
Comparison: CloserKit vs HubSpot for Solo Professionals
| Feature | HubSpot | CloserKit | |---|---|---| | Setup time | Hours | 2 minutes | | Built for solo users | ✗ | ✓ | | Follow-up email reminders | Complex workflow setup | Built-in, one click | | Price | Free (limited) / $15–$800+/mo | Free / $9/mo | | Learning curve | Steep | None | | Mobile experience | Heavy | Lightweight |
If you're a team of one, CloserKit will serve you better than HubSpot ever could.
Related Reading
- The Best CRM for Independent Sales Reps
- How to Never Miss a Sales Follow-Up Again
- How to Track Sales Leads Without a CRM
CloserKit is a lightweight pipeline tracker built for freelancers, independent consultants, and solo sales professionals who want to stay on top of their pipeline without the complexity of enterprise CRM software.