Helpful Guidance for B2B Tech Startups Using HubSpot

HubSpot Marketing Hub Reviews: Real Users Report on the Pros and Cons

Written by Sean McGauley | Nov 16, 2023 11:59:47 AM

Uncover user insights on HubSpot Marketing Hub! Dive into the pros and cons from real HubSpot users. Is HubSpot right for your business? Read to find out.

Choosing marketing automation software for your business can be a daunting task. If you’ve ever done it, you’ve probably found yourself visiting countless review sites, sifting through thousands of user opinions trying to find your perfect solution. 

Well, I’ve been there too and thought, “There must be a better way.” That’s why, for this review article, I thought we’d do something a little different to make the process easier for you if you’re considering the HubSpot Marketing Hub.

To do this, I took on the homework of digging through the user reviews and gathering the unfiltered experiences of marketers just like you. I focused on reviews from Software AdviceG2, and Gartner. Then, harnessing the power of AI, looked for patterns in the reviews to form the “unified” pros and cons shared by HubSpot users. That way, we can pull out the main likes and dislikes users are sharing, without having to read the 16,000+ combined reviews from all three sites.

In this article, we’re laying it all out for you.

Here's what's covered in this article - just click to jump to the section you're most interested in:

Pros of HubSpot Marketing Hub:

1. Integrations:

HubSpot Marketing Hub earns praise for its integration capabilities, as underscored by user reviews. There were two different ways in which users talked about HubSpot’s integrations:

  1. One way is how HubSpot integrates with other tools and applications. 
  2. The second way is how HubSpot Marketing Hub integrates all of the marketing tools within Marketing Hub and with the other HubSpot Hubs.

User Review 1: “The true value of HubSpot Marketing is the integration of every marketing platform. Blogs, email campaigns, landing pages, workflows and more can easily be created – and integrated – for an easy-to-use, all-in-one marketing portal.” (Source: Software Advice)

User Review 2: “Integration with your favorite outside tools like Lucky Orange is easy to set up, further increasing functionality.” (Source: G2)

User Review 3: “It helps to stay engaged and it’s very easy to use. Huge bonus that it integrates well with Salesforce.” (Source: Gartner)

2. User-Friendly Interface:

HubSpot Marketing Hub stands out for its user-friendly interface, a key pro that marketers love (including me!). User reviews consistently emphasize the platform’s ease of use and its valuable contributions to streamlining marketing tasks.

User Review 1: "I find HubSpot’s interface quick and easy to navigate. The platform is designed with a straightforward layout that simplifies tasks such as content creation, SEO optimization, analytics, and email automation. Additionally, the interface offers extensive automation capabilities, enabling marketers to streamline their workflow and optimize campaign performance. The integrated marketing platform allows users to manage campaigns from a central location, offering convenience and efficiency for marketing efforts." (Source: Software Advice)

User Review 2: "Getting started with HubSpot Marketing Hub is a breeze. The interface is not only fast but also flexible, making it simple to build landing pages, view analytics, run A/B tests, and optimize web pages for better results. The approachability of the tool is highlighted, making it suitable for users with varying levels of experience, even those with less CMS-specific knowledge." (Source: G2)

User Review 3: "HubSpot’s user-friendly interface is particularly noted for its accessibility. I appreciate the ease of creating HTML emails without requiring extensive coding skills. This accessibility makes the tool suitable for individuals who may not be proficient in IT. "(Source: Gartner)

3. All-In-One Solution:

HubSpot Marketing Hub is highly regarded for being an all-in-one platform, providing marketers with a wide array of tools and features within a single platform. Here’s why this one-stop-shop approach is considered a pro, with insights from actual users:

User Review 1: "HubSpot Marketing Hub has become a cornerstone for successful marketing endeavors. It brings together essential marketing components such as SEO, blogging, landing pages, social media management, and email marketing into one unified platform. This consolidation streamlines the process of creating and promoting content across multiple marketing channels simultaneously. Moreover, the close integration with the Sales Hub simplifies lead generation and management, ensuring sales-qualified leads are efficiently transferred to the sales department." (Source: Software Advice)

User Review 2: "I appreciate how easy it is to navigate the platform, with everything readily accessible. Seamless implementation and efficient customer support made the transition to HubSpot hassle-free. Utilizing various features, including website editing, landing page templates and creation, blog post management, and chatbot integration, showcases the platform’s versatility." (Source: G2)

User Review 3: "I love having all my marketing needs met in one platform." (Source: Gartner)

4. Landing Page Builder:

The landing page builder in HubSpot Marketing Hub is a highly valued feature that streamlines the process of creating effective landing pages for various marketing campaigns. Here’s why this tool is considered a pro, with insights from real users:

User Review 1: "The landing page builder is my favorite feature for creating visually appealing landing pages that drive customer conversions. The ability to optimize landing pages for both sales and marketing-qualified leads is a significant benefit. The analytics tool, which provides a comprehensive overview of marketing performance, is super helpful."(Source: Software Advice)

User Review 2: "The ease of creating marketing emails and landing pages in HubSpot is a major benefit. The preloaded templates and Drag-and-Drop features are super useful. The landing page builder simplifies the process of creating pages for social media and ad promotions." (Source: G2)

User Review 3: "I appreciate the versatility of HubSpot’s landing page builder and its ability to enhance engagement through various channels." (Source: Gartner)

5. Tracking Capabilities:

HubSpot Marketing Hub’s tracking capabilities are a notable pro that empowers marketers with valuable insights into campaign performance. Here’s why these tracking features are considered an advantage, with insights from real users:

User Review 1: "I find the tracking capabilities invaluable for staying organized and being aware of message engagement. The ability to track when messages are received and read has eliminated the sense of messages vanishing into the unknown. I can even predict when I’ll receive a response, enhancing my overall communication efficiency. "(Source: Software Advice)

User Review 2: "HubSpot’s tracking is phenomenal! I’m in Marketing Hub daily to access new insights into my campaigns from the tracking feature." (Source: G2)

User Review 3: "I appreciate the ability to customize campaigns based on CRM data, automate marketing tasks, and easily manage web forms while also tracking email performance. All this is possible through the multifaceted nature of HubSpot’s tracking capabilities." (Source: Gartner)

Cons of HubSpot Marketing Hub:

1. Integration Issues:

While the breadth of integrations is listed as a pro, some users have experienced challenges with specific integrations.

User Review 1: "Limited Integration: The HubSpot Marketing Hub does not have the same level of integration with other platforms or marketing systems as some other solutions. This could limit the effectiveness of your marketing efforts." (Source: Software Advice)

User Review 2: "Sometimes the integrations can be a bit fiddly and don’t always work, this means that you can get issues with data integrity. Also, some things that feel like they should be included (ability to round robin) are gated from pure marketing users." (Source: G2)

User Review 3: "Integration isn’t strong, and needs improvement. Setting up deals and dashboards is quite hard. Needs proper templates and training too." (Source: Gartner)

2. Expensive Pricing:

HubSpot’s pricing is often seen as a drawback, particularly for small businesses on a tight budget. 

User Review 1: "Two things I wasn’t fond of. First, the price. It’s expensive and better suited to large corporations whereas we were working with small to medium-sized companies. Second, the email templates were minimal and not easily customizable. I ended up going into wireframes constantly to make simple layout changes." (Source: Software Advice)

User Review 2: "The downside is, of course, the price. You need to balance the benefits of all the automation that frees up your time versus coding it all yourself. However, not everyone needs an Enterprise level subscription and the different pricing tiers should help most smaller businesses with their needs without breaking the bank." (Source: G2)

User Review 3: "The horror is the price of the platform as it might not seem a lot but it increases a lot – Very expensive Biggest flaw of HubSpot." (Source: Gartner)

3. Takes Time to Learn:

While the user experience with HubSpot is one of its strongest benefits, the large number of features and functionality require time to learn. Some users find that it takes time for their marketing teams to fully grasp and utilize its potential. 

Review 1: "Clearly, the least about any solution implementation in a Startup or Company is the implementation phase. Is not easy to adapt to changes and of course adapting all the organization to a new platform takes time. The best way to do this phase in an organized manner is definitely a big issue in our path to success. We have to be organized, patient, and clear to the path we will be transiting. All members of the organization must be able to add value in these phases."(Source: Software Advice)

Review 2: "The Hubspot Marketing Hub is a great tool, but for some of our more traditional team members, adoption has been slow – and they struggle with using all of the valuable tools on this platform. Setting up some of the workflows and finding some of the reporting has been tricky even for me, so I can see how someone less tech-savvy could be struggling with some of the functionality and adoption." (Source: G2)

User Review 3: "It can be intimidating at first due to the many personalization items and a few confusing elements like the inbox. Also launching automation requires a specific skill set that cannot be underestimated." (Source: Gartner)

How Does HubSpot Marketing Hub Compare with Other Leading Marketing Automation Platforms? Find out:

The Bottom Line on HubSpot Marketing Hub:

HubSpot Marketing Hub is a powerful marketing automation tool with various strengths and limitations. Your experience with it will depend on your specific needs, team size, and budget. As you explore this platform as an option for your business, consider these pros and cons to determine if it’s the right fit for your marketing endeavors.

This list should not be considered exhaustive and we recommend using it as a starting point to inform your buying decision.

Is HubSpot Marketing Hub right for YOUR business? Here's more information to help you decide.