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All industries · head to head

Basecamp vs HubSpot

Basecamp logo

Basecamp

All industries

Project management & team collaboration software

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
HubSpot logo

HubSpot

All industries

Grow better with HubSpot

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Basecamp the free tier allows one project and 1 GB of storage; HubSpot free tier limited to 2 users and 1,000 contacts; severely restricts growing teams
  • They diverge on capability: Basecamp covers Message boards, HubSpot covers CRM.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Basecamp and HubSpot actually diverge.

Attributes where Basecamp and HubSpot differ
AttributeBasecampHubSpot
PlatformsWebWeb, Mobile, Cloud
Founded20042006

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (All industries).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Basecamp

  • Message boards
  • To-do lists
  • Schedules
  • Documents & files
  • Group chat
  • Check-in questions
  • Hill Charts
  • Email forwards

Only in HubSpot

  • CRM
  • Email marketing
  • Marketing automation
  • Sales pipeline
  • Customer service
  • Content management
  • Analytics
  • Social media

Both cover

  • Slack
  • SOC2
  • GDPR

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Basecamp

  • Project management for a small team in one placenot HubSpot
  • Message boards and chat alongside to-dosnot HubSpot
  • Client collaboration, since guests are not chargednot HubSpot
  • Flat-rate project management for a larger team on Pro Unlimitednot HubSpot

HubSpot

  • Small businesses and startups using CRM, email marketing, sales pipeline, and customer service in single platformnot Basecamp
  • Organisations requiring integration with 2,000+ third-party applicationsnot Basecamp
  • Teams leveraging AI agents for prospecting, service automation, and data analysisnot Basecamp

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Basecamp

  • The free tier allows one project and 1 GB of storage
  • Pro is $15 per user per month, so cost scales with headcount unlike the flat Pro Unlimited at $299 a month billed annually
  • Storage beyond the plan costs $50 a month per additional terabyte
  • Timesheet and the Admin Pro Pack are paid upgrades on Pro and only bundled with Pro Unlimited

HubSpot

  • Free tier limited to 2 users and 1,000 contacts; severely restricts growing teams
  • Many advanced features (automation workflows, custom objects, advanced reporting) gated to paid tiers
  • Starter plan at $7/month per seat scales quickly for larger teams (300+ users would cost significantly more)
  • Free tier removes credit card requirement but lacks most enterprise capabilities

Pricing, plan by plan

Basecamp

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Basecamp review.

HubSpot

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the HubSpot review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Basecamp if

  • You need message boards.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want to-do lists.
Basecamp review

Choose HubSpot if

  • You need crm.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile, Cloud.
  • You also want email marketing.
HubSpot review

Questions people ask

Is Basecamp or HubSpot better?
Neither clearly leads. Basecamp starts at Free and HubSpot at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Basecamp or HubSpot?
Basecamp starts at Free and HubSpot at Free.
Does Basecamp or HubSpot run on more platforms?
Basecamp runs on Web. HubSpot runs on Web, Mobile, Cloud.
Can I use Basecamp for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Basecamp best used for?
Basecamp is most often used for project management for a small team in one place, message boards and chat alongside to-dos, client collaboration, since guests are not charged, flat-rate project management for a larger team on pro unlimited. Of those, project management for a small team in one place and message boards and chat alongside to-dos are not what HubSpot is typically brought in for.
What can Basecamp do that HubSpot cannot?
Basecamp covers Message boards, To-do lists, Schedules, Documents & files. HubSpot covers CRM, Email marketing, Marketing automation, Sales pipeline. Both handle Slack, SOC2, GDPR.
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Related pages

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