HubSpot deal approval options compared: native approvals, workflows, DealGuard and Deal Approvals & Stage Gate

By Kayabyte

Which way of getting deal approvals in HubSpot fits your plan and team? This page compares the four routes people actually use. Full disclosure: we built Deal Approvals & Stage Gate, so read our row with that in mind, and note where we say not to use it. HubSpot facts last checked 4 November 2026 against HubSpot’s knowledge base; DealGuard facts last checked 4 November 2026 on its public Marketplace listing.

The short answer

Sales Hub Enterprise: use HubSpot’s pipeline approvals. They cannot be bypassed, not even by Super Admins, and they block the move before it is saved (HubSpot guide).
Professional with a trusted team and a simple rule: workflows and pipeline rules may be enough, and cost nothing extra.
Free, Starter or Professional and you need a recorded decision: an app.

The comparison

	HubSpot pipeline approvals	Workflow and pipeline rules	DealGuard	Deal Approvals & Stage Gate
Needs	Sales Hub Enterprise	Professional or Enterprise	HubSpot plan not named on its listing	Works on Free, Starter, Professional, Enterprise
Blocks the move before saving	Yes	Partly (rules can be bypassed by Super Admins, workflows and the API)	Not stated on the listing	No: moves the deal back within seconds
Approver decides	In HubSpot	Sets a property, moves the deal	By email, one click, no HubSpot account needed (per listing)	On a card on the deal, with a comment
Record of decisions	In HubSpot	Spread over tasks and property history	Logged with timestamp and approver (per listing)	History on the deal; Pro exports CSV
Price	Part of Enterprise	Part of your plan	Listing: free to install, then USD 99 per month, 14-day trial, no card (listing price display last updated 23 Apr 2026)	Free plan; Pro USD 29 per month; 14-day Pro trial, no card

When not to use ours

You have Sales Hub Enterprise: HubSpot’s own approvals are stricter.
You need the stage change blocked before it is saved. An app cannot do that; our app lets the deal enter the stage and moves it back within a couple of seconds, and automations that start on “deal entered stage” can fire in that moment.
Your approvers should approve from email without a HubSpot account. Ours needs approvers to be HubSpot users (a view-only seat is enough to approve from the card).

When ours fits

You are on Free, Starter or Professional and want conditions (amount, discount, deal type, owner team or any deal property), named approvers or team leads, up to five steps on Pro, and the decision kept on the deal. The 14-day Pro trial needs no card. Install it from the HubSpot Marketplace listing or read the app page.

More detail

FAQ

What is the best deal approval app for HubSpot? It depends on your plan and process. On Enterprise, none: use HubSpot’s own approvals. Below Enterprise, compare price, whether approvers need a HubSpot login, and whether you need the move blocked in advance.

Is DealGuard free? Its Marketplace listing says free to install, then USD 99 per month, with a 14-day trial (checked 4 November 2026). Check the listing for current pricing.

Is Deal Approvals & Stage Gate free? It has a free plan (one pipeline, one approval step, 20 requests a month); Pro is USD 29 per month.

Questions or corrections: support@kayabyte.dev. HubSpot is a registered trademark of HubSpot, Inc. Kayabyte is an independent developer and is not affiliated with HubSpot.