HubSpot Deal Stages

Deal stages in HubSpot define the steps a deal moves through from first sales conversation to closed. Each stage has a name, a probability, and exit criteria that determine when a deal should advance. Well-designed stages give you accurate forecasting, clear pipeline visibility, and consistent sales process across reps.

The principle: deal stages should reflect your actual sales process, not a textbook funnel. If your reps go from discovery to proposal in one step, don't force a "demo" stage between them. Stages that don't match reality get ignored or gamed.

Default vs Custom Stages

HubSpot defaults (don't use these as-is)