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Remote Work · head to head

Grain vs HubSpot CRM

Grain logo

Grain

Remote Work

AI meeting highlights and clips

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: Grain no concurrent recording - only one meeting per account at a time; HubSpot CRM starter plan discount for new customers only, subject to discontinuation at any time without notice
  • They diverge on capability: Grain covers Auto-recording, HubSpot CRM covers Contact management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Grain and HubSpot CRM differ
AttributeGrainHubSpot CRM
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
PlatformsWeb, Chrome Extension, Desktop Audio CaptureWeb, Mobile iOS, Mobile Android
Founded20182006

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

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 Grain

  • Auto-recording
  • AI highlights
  • Video clips
  • Transcription
  • Zoom
  • Google Meet
  • Notion
  • Browser-extension support

Only in HubSpot CRM

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

Both cover

  • Slack
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Grain

  • ai tools managementnot HubSpot CRM
  • Workflow automationnot HubSpot CRM
  • Reportingnot HubSpot CRM

HubSpot CRM

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

Where each one falls short

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

Grain

  • No concurrent recording - only one meeting per account at a time
  • No automatic slide capture for presentations
  • Limited video demo context - audio-focused with poor video file support
  • Cannot record in-person meetings
  • No native mobile app
  • Limited admin controls for company-wide automatic recording
  • Free plan limited to 20 recordings if using personal email
  • No automatic file uploads on free tier
  • Lacks advanced sales analytics features of enterprise competitors
  • Limited CRM integration compared to higher-end platforms

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

Grain

Free
  • Free ForeverFree
    • Unlimited meetings up to 45 minutes each
    • AI transcription and notes
    • 90-day history
  • Starter$15/month
    • Unlimited meeting length
    • Unlimited AI highlights
    • Video clip creation
  • Business$33/month
    • All Starter features
    • Advanced team coaching
    • Deeper analytics

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 Grain if

  • You need auto-recording.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Chrome Extension, Desktop Audio Capture.
  • You also want ai highlights.
Grain 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 Grain or HubSpot CRM better?
Neither clearly leads. Grain 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, Grain or HubSpot CRM?
Grain starts at Free and HubSpot CRM at Free.
Does Grain or HubSpot CRM run on more platforms?
Grain runs on Web, Chrome Extension, Desktop Audio Capture. HubSpot CRM runs on Web, Mobile iOS, Mobile Android.
Can I use Grain for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Grain best used for?
Grain is most often used for ai tools management, workflow automation, reporting. Of those, ai tools management and workflow automation are not what HubSpot CRM is typically brought in for.
What can Grain do that HubSpot CRM cannot?
Grain covers Auto-recording, AI highlights, Video clips, Transcription. HubSpot CRM covers Contact management, Deal tracking, Email, Reporting. Both handle Slack, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Grain: Is Grain free?

Grain offers a Free Forever plan with unlimited meetings up to 45 minutes each and 90-day history. Paid plans start at $15/month per user for unlimited meeting length and advanced AI features.

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
Grain: Does Grain require a bot in meetings?

No. Grain uses bot-less transcription to capture meeting audio without requiring a bot participant, though video recording requires bot participation if you want recording visible.

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
Grain: What platforms does Grain work with?

Grain integrates with Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, and supports desktop audio capture. It exports to Claude, ChatGPT, Slack, and CRM platforms like HubSpot and Salesforce.

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
Grain: Can Grain record multiple meetings at once?

No. Grain does not support concurrent meeting recordings, meaning only one meeting per account can be recorded at a time.

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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