Burger King or McDonalds? Hulu or Netflix? Mac or PC? Life’s full of tough choices, especially when you’re comparing two leaders.
But, if you’re considering the two top dogs in HubSpot and Salesforce for your Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solution, we hope to help you decide which one is best suited for your business goals and budget.
Throughout this post, we’ll help you compare the two platforms on the aspects that matter most, such as features, pricing, ease of use, customer support, and more.
So, follow along on your chosen device – be it a Mac or PC – and let’s compare these two CRMs.
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Both Have You Covered on the CRM Essentials:
HubSpot and Salesforce both offer a comprehensive set of features for managing your contacts, leads, deals, campaigns, and more. They both also offer additional add-ons and product tiers to include more advanced features like email marketing, sales support, and others.
Because Salesforce and HubSpot are both considered top-of-the-market CRM options, they both offer a vast array of features available throughout their pricing tiers. When considering a CRM, it’s always a good idea to map out the features needed by your business.
It should be noted that both HubSpot and Salesforce offer additional add-ons for marketing and other business operations. You can see our comparison of those products here. In today’s post, we’ll just focus on the CRM.
At this time, Salesforce offers a more robust set of features, especially for enterprise customers. But, HubSpot is quickly catching up. For now, Salesforce is the winner in this category.
In an ideal world, the pricing of these two options would be structured in a similar way to make it easy to compare. Unfortunately, that’s not the case here. But don’t worry, we’ll help you navigate the pricing.
HubSpot offers a free plan for your basic CRM needs, while Salesforce does not. This is a great option if you’re looking to go for a test drive. By checking out the free version, you can get a feel for the software and how it works – like your own personal demo. Plus, it’s free forever, so you don’t have to worry about a trial period.
Salesforce’s starting price is $25 per user per month and also offers a free trial for 30 days for those looking to try before they buy.
Another key difference to look for is the pricing structure around the number of users.
| CRM | Pricing | Total Cost of Ownership |
|---|---|---|
| HubSpot CRM |
Free version with limited features. Starter level starts at $15/month/seat, Professional at $1,080/month, and Enterprise at $4000/month. (See full pricing) |
HubSpot CRM is easy to set up and use, with no hidden fees or complex integrations. It also includes free tools for marketing, service, and content management. |
| Salesforce CRM |
Small Business Essentials is $25/user/month (billed annually), Lightning Professional $80/user/month, and Lightning Enterprise $165/user/month. (See full pricing) |
Salesforce CRM requires additional costs for customization, integration, training, and support. It also has separate products for marketing, service, and other functions. |
One of the biggest ways HubSpot distinguishes itself from Salesforce is with its user-friendly and intuitive design. Many users report a simpler and cleaner interface, a shorter learning curve, and enhanced in-app guidance and tutorials in their online reviews.
With a design philosophy centered on streamlined and intuitive user experiences, HubSpot proves to be an ideal solution for businesses of all sizes. Its user-friendly interface facilitates easy navigation and a clear understanding of functions, catering to the needs of both novice and experienced users. The platform’s integrated help features play a crucial role in guiding users, ensuring they can fully leverage the extensive suite of tools it offers.
In contrast, Salesforce is often reported as being more complex and challenging to use. This may be due to a steep learning curve. Salesforce is known as a feature-rich powerhouse, addressing a diverse array of business needs. Its robust capabilities provide excellent versatility, but the trade-off is a steeper learning curve for new users. While initial training is essential to navigate its complexity effectively, Salesforce, once mastered, offers a comprehensive solution for managing intricate business processes.
For those prioritizing ease of setup and usage in a CRM platform, HubSpot emerges as a more favorable choice over Salesforce.
Both HubSpot and Salesforce offer various channels of customer support, such as phone, email, online chat, community forums, and knowledge bases.
HubSpot’s customer support is highly responsive and available 24/7 via phone, email, and chat. In addition, HubSpot’s support includes access to a wide variety of resources, such as the HubSpot Academy, which provides tutorials, guides, and certification courses. They also have a way for users to connect through the HubSpot Community.
Salesforce provides a similar level of customer support, including 24/7 phone, email, and chat. Salesforce has an extensive self-help portal, a large community of users to connect with, like HubSpot. In addition, Trailhead from Salesforce gives users access to courses on in-demand skills, certifications, and other ways to learn.
Customer support is a priority with both providers. This is another area where it may be a tie.
HubSpot and Salesforce are both excellent CRM platforms that can help you grow your business.
However, they have different advantages and disadvantages that you should consider before making a decision. In general, HubSpot is a user-friendly and cost-effective CRM platform with more marketing automation features. Salesforce is often seen as more suitable for large and enterprise-level businesses that need a robust and customizable CRM platform with more advanced features and customer support.
Ultimately, the best CRM platform for you depends on your business goals, budget, and preferences. But, if you ask us for our recommendation – it would be HubSpot. Our team has worked with both CRMs throughout our careers in both consultant and employee roles. The consensus is that HubSpot, with its ease of use and ‘built from the ground up’ approach is the best option on the market. Here’s more on why we choose HubSpot.