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Software · head to head

HubSpot CRM vs Grain

HubSpot CRM logo

HubSpot CRM

Software

Free CRM for sales and marketing

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Grain logo

Grain

Software

AI meeting highlights and clips

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: HubSpot CRM starter tier starts at 15 USD per month per seat and Enterprise features like single sign-on require the 75 USD per month per seat tier; Grain no concurrent recording - only one meeting per account at a time
  • They diverge on capability: HubSpot CRM covers Contact management, Grain covers Auto-recording.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where HubSpot CRM and Grain differ
AttributeHubSpot CRMGrain
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
PlatformsWeb, Mobile iOS, Mobile AndroidWeb, Chrome Extension, Desktop Audio Capture
Founded20062018

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

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 HubSpot CRM

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

Only in Grain

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

Both cover

  • Slack
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

HubSpot CRM

  • Video Conferencingnot Grain
  • Team Collaborationnot Grain
  • Project Managementnot Grain

Grain

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

Where each one falls short

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

HubSpot CRM

  • Starter tier starts at 15 USD per month per seat and Enterprise features like single sign-on require the 75 USD per month per seat tier

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

Pricing, plan by plan

HubSpot CRM

Free
  • FreeFree
    • CRM
    • Landing pages
    • Email
  • Starter$50/month
    • Email campaigns
    • Advanced features
    • Support
  • Professional$800/month
    • Advanced automation
    • Custom integration
    • Support

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

Which should you pick?

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

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

Questions people ask

Is HubSpot CRM or Grain better?
Neither clearly leads. HubSpot CRM starts at Free and Grain at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, HubSpot CRM or Grain?
HubSpot CRM starts at Free and Grain at Free.
Does HubSpot CRM or Grain run on more platforms?
HubSpot CRM runs on Web, Mobile iOS, Mobile Android. Grain runs on Web, Chrome Extension, Desktop Audio Capture.
Can I use HubSpot CRM for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is HubSpot CRM best used for?
HubSpot CRM is most often used for video conferencing, team collaboration, project management. Of those, video conferencing and team collaboration are not what Grain is typically brought in for.
What can HubSpot CRM do that Grain cannot?
HubSpot CRM covers Contact management, Deal tracking, Email, Reporting. Grain covers Auto-recording, AI highlights, Video clips, Transcription. 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
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
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
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
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Related pages

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