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Automation Integration · head to head

Census vs HubSpot CRM

Census logo

Census

Automation Integration

The reverse ETL infrastructure for data activation

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
HubSpot CRM logo

HubSpot CRM

Remote Work

Free CRM for sales and marketing

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Census census domain permanently redirects to Fivetran (301 redirect); HubSpot CRM starter plan discount for new customers only, subject to discontinuation at any time without notice
  • They diverge on capability: Census covers Reverse ETL, HubSpot CRM covers Contact management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Census and HubSpot CRM actually diverge.

Attributes where Census and HubSpot CRM differ
AttributeCensusHubSpot CRM
Pricing modelusage-basedsubscription
PlatformsWeb, ApiWeb, Mobile iOS, Mobile Android
CategoryAutomation IntegrationRemote Work
Founded20202006

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Census

  • Reverse ETL
  • Data syncing
  • Transformation
  • Real-time activation
  • Error handling
  • Monitoring
  • Analytics
  • 150+ destinations

Only in HubSpot CRM

  • Contact management
  • Deal tracking
  • Email
  • Reporting
  • Automation
  • Slack
  • GitHub
  • Salesforce

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Census

  • Syncing customer data from a warehouse into marketing and sales tools (reverse ETL)not HubSpot CRM

HubSpot CRM

  • Contact and deal management for sales teamsnot Census
  • Customer data organization and reportingnot Census
  • Team collaboration with permission controlsnot Census

Where each one falls short

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

Census

  • Census domain permanently redirects to Fivetran (301 redirect)
  • Exact per-tier pricing not listed; customers directed to contact sales or request quotes
  • Annual contracts offer up to 22% savings but discount terms not detailed
  • Usage rates vary by connection type; pricing examples show variance ($17–$202 for different sources)

HubSpot CRM

  • Starter plan discount for new customers only, subject to discontinuation at any time without notice
  • Free plan limited to 2 users and 1,000 contacts, requiring upgrade for larger teams
  • Per-seat pricing model on all paid tiers, making team expansion costly

Pricing, plan by plan

Census

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 500,000 monthly active rows (MAR) for connections
    • 3,500 MAR for activations
    • 5,000 monthly model runs (MMR) for transformations
  • Standard$null/month
    • Usage-based pricing for connections, transformations, activations
  • Enterprise$null/month
    • Greater flexibility and control
    • Custom pricing

HubSpot CRM

Free
  • Free CRMFree
    • Up to 2 users
    • 1,000 contacts
    • Unlimited customer data
  • Starter$15/month
    • Required fields
    • Permission sets
    • Multiple currencies
  • Professional$50/month
    • AI customer agent
    • Duplicate management
    • Standard contact scoring
  • Enterprise$75/month
    • Custom objects
    • Organize teams
    • Single sign-on

Which should you pick?

Choose Census if

  • You need reverse etl.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want data syncing.
Census review

Choose HubSpot CRM if

  • You need contact management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile iOS, Mobile Android.
  • You also want deal tracking.
HubSpot CRM review

Questions people ask

Is Census or HubSpot CRM better?
Neither clearly leads. Census starts at Free and HubSpot CRM at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Census or HubSpot CRM?
Census starts at Free and HubSpot CRM at Free.
Does Census or HubSpot CRM run on more platforms?
Census runs on Web, Api. HubSpot CRM runs on Web, Mobile iOS, Mobile Android.
Can I use Census for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Census best used for?
Census is most often used for syncing customer data from a warehouse into marketing and sales tools (reverse etl). Of those, syncing customer data from a warehouse into marketing and sales tools (reverse etl) is not what HubSpot CRM is typically brought in for.
What can Census do that HubSpot CRM cannot?
Census covers Reverse ETL, Data syncing, Transformation, Real-time activation. HubSpot CRM covers Contact management, Deal tracking, Email, Reporting. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Census: What happened to Census.com?

Census (formerly getcensus.com) has been acquired by Fivetran. The domain permanently redirects (301) to fivetran.com. Census functionality is now part of Fivetran's data platform.

Source
HubSpot CRM: What is the cost of HubSpot CRM for different company sizes?

Free CRM for up to 2 users at $0/month. Starter at $15/month per seat (new customers only), Professional at $50/month per seat, Enterprise at $75/month per seat.

Source
Census: How much does Fivetran (formerly Census) cost?

Fivetran uses usage-based pricing. Free tier includes 500,000 monthly active rows (MAR) for connections, 3,500 MAR for activations, and 5,000 monthly model runs for transformations. Paid pricing depends on usage; example: Facebook Ads with 34,479 MAR costs $17.23/month; Snowflake-to-Salesforce with 12,007 MAR costs $202.01/month.

Source
HubSpot CRM: What are the user and contact limits on the free HubSpot CRM plan?

Free plan supports up to 2 users, 1,000 contacts, and unlimited customer data with no expiration date or credit card required.

Source
Census: Do Fivetran/Census offer discounts for annual commitments?

Yes, annual contracts offer up to 22% savings versus monthly pricing. Additional discounts are available for nonprofits, startups, and specific use cases.

Source
HubSpot CRM: Can data migrate from free to paid HubSpot CRM plans without loss?

Users can upgrade from free to premium tiers without data migration required, meaning all contacts and information transfer to the new plan.

Source
HubSpot CRM: Is there a discount for HubSpot CRM new customer pricing?

Starter plan offers a new customer discount with no set end date, but HubSpot reserves the right to discontinue this offer at any time.

Source
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