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CRM · head to head

Clay vs HubSpot

Clay logo

Clay

CRM

Data platform for sales teams

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
HubSpot logo

HubSpot

CRM

Grow better with HubSpot

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Clay two separate meters run at once, actions and data credits, and a plan can exhaust either independently; HubSpot free tier limited to 2 users and 1,000 contacts; severely restricts growing teams
  • They diverge on capability: Clay covers Data enrichment, HubSpot covers CRM.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Clay and HubSpot actually diverge.

Attributes where Clay and HubSpot differ
AttributeClayHubSpot
PlatformsWebWeb, Mobile, Cloud
Founded20212006

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

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 Clay

  • Data enrichment
  • Contact management
  • Workflow automation
  • Integration
  • API access
  • HubSpot
  • Zapier
  • Cloud deployment

Only in HubSpot

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

Both cover

  • Salesforce
  • Slack
  • GDPR

What people use each for

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

Clay

  • Data enrichment and intelligencenot HubSpot
  • Growth campaign automationnot HubSpot
  • CRM workflow integrationnot HubSpot

HubSpot

  • Marketing automation with email sending and lead generationnot Clay
  • CRM with deal pipeline managementnot Clay
  • Multi-user team collaborationnot Clay

Where each one falls short

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

Clay

  • Two separate meters run at once, actions and data credits, and a plan can exhaust either independently
  • Data credit overage is sold at a 30% premium over the plan rate, so exceeding the allowance costs more per unit than planning for it
  • The free plan allows 500 actions, 100 data credits and 200 rows per table
  • The entry paid plan starts at $167 a month, and both paid prices are starting figures rather than fixed
  • The free plan cannot buy overage at all, so hitting the limit stops work rather than billing for it

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

Clay

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 500 actions per month
    • 100 data credits per month
    • Unlimited seats
  • Launch$167/month
    • 15000 actions per month
    • 3000 data credits per month
    • Phone enrichment
  • Growth$446/month
    • 40000 actions per month
    • 6000 data credits per month
    • CRM sync
  • Enterprise$null/custom
    • Unlimited capabilities across most features
    • SSO
    • Role-based access control

HubSpot

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 2 users
    • Lead generation
    • Email sending
  • Starter$7/month
    • 500 HubSpot Credits
    • 1,000 marketing contacts
    • 5x contact tier limit email sends
  • Professional$800/month
    • 3 core seats included
    • 3,000 HubSpot Credits
    • 2,000 marketing contacts
  • Enterprise$3600/month
    • 5 core seats included
    • 5,000 HubSpot Credits
    • 10,000 marketing contacts

Which should you pick?

Choose Clay if

  • You need data enrichment.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want contact management.
Clay 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 Clay or HubSpot better?
Neither clearly leads. Clay 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, Clay or HubSpot?
Clay starts at Free and HubSpot at Free.
Does Clay or HubSpot run on more platforms?
Clay runs on Web. HubSpot runs on Web, Mobile, Cloud.
Can I use Clay for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Clay best used for?
Clay is most often used for data enrichment and intelligence, growth campaign automation, crm workflow integration. Of those, data enrichment and intelligence and growth campaign automation are not what HubSpot is typically brought in for.
What can Clay do that HubSpot cannot?
Clay covers Data enrichment, Contact management, Workflow automation, Integration. HubSpot covers CRM, Email marketing, Marketing automation, Sales pipeline. Both handle Salesforce, Slack, GDPR.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Clay: Can I use Clay for free?

Yes, Clay's free plan includes 500 actions and 100 data credits per month with unlimited seats and tables (200 rows max per table).

Source
HubSpot: How much does HubSpot Marketing Hub cost per user?

Free plan at $0/month for up to 2 users. Starter at $7/month per seat (annual), Professional at $800/month for 3 core seats with $45/month per additional seat, Enterprise at $3,600/month for 5 core seats with $75/month per additional seat.

Source
Clay: How much can I save with Clay's annual billing?

Clay offers significant annual discounts: Launch tier drops from $167/month to $54/month, and Growth tier drops from $446/month to $185/month when billed yearly.

Source
HubSpot: What are the onboarding costs for HubSpot Professional and Enterprise plans?

Professional plan requires a one-time onboarding fee of $3,000. Enterprise plan requires a one-time onboarding fee of $7,000.

Source
Clay: What happens when I exceed my monthly actions or data credits on Clay?

Actions and data credits cost less than $0.01 each when purchased at scale, with unused data credits rolling over up to 2x monthly allocation on paid plans. Customers can bring their own API keys to avoid data credit costs.

Source
HubSpot: Is there a free plan for HubSpot Marketing Hub?

Yes, the free plan includes up to 2 users with lead generation, email sending, and success measurement capabilities at no cost with no credit card required.

Source
Clay: Does the Growth plan limit the number of users or team members?

No, Clay's Growth plan supports unlimited seats with 40000 monthly actions, 6000 data credits, and CRM sync, designed for teams with CRM-based workflows and growth campaigns.

Source
HubSpot: What is the cost of additional HubSpot Credits and marketing contacts?

HubSpot Credits cost $9 per 1,000 credits when purchased annually. Additional marketing contacts beyond plan limits can be purchased separately.

Source
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