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Remote Work · head to head

HubSpot CRM vs SuiteCRM

HubSpot CRM logo

HubSpot CRM

Remote Work

Free CRM for sales and marketing

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SuiteCRM logo

SuiteCRM

CRM

Open source fork of SugarCRM with no per user licence fee, sold as hosting and support

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: HubSpot CRM starter plan discount for new customers only, subject to discontinuation at any time without notice; SuiteCRM the interface still carries SugarCRM conventions from over a decade ago, and sales teams used to modern CRMs frequently resist adoption, which is the most common reason SuiteCRM projects fail rather than any technical limit.
  • They diverge on capability: HubSpot CRM covers Contact management, SuiteCRM covers Studio module builder.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where HubSpot CRM and SuiteCRM differ
AttributeHubSpot CRMSuiteCRM
Pricing modelsubscriptionOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsWeb, Mobile iOS, Mobile AndroidWeb, Linux, Self-hosted, iOS, Android
CategoryRemote WorkCRM
Founded2006Unknown

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 HubSpot CRM

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

Only in SuiteCRM

  • Studio module builder
  • Workflow engine
  • Opportunity and quote management
  • Case management
  • Campaign module
  • Reporting engine
  • Security groups
  • REST API

What people use each for

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

HubSpot CRM

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

SuiteCRM

  • An organisation with two hundred occasional CRM users where per seat pricing from Salesforce or HubSpot would dominate the budgetnot HubSpot CRM
  • A public sector body or regulated firm that must host customer data on infrastructure it controlsnot HubSpot CRM
  • A company that needs custom modules modelling its own objects and wants to build them in Studio rather than pay for platform licencesnot HubSpot CRM
  • A business that wants open source economics but whose procurement requires a warranty, which SuiteASSURED suppliesnot 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 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

SuiteCRM

  • The interface still carries SugarCRM conventions from over a decade ago, and sales teams used to modern CRMs frequently resist adoption, which is the most common reason SuiteCRM projects fail rather than any technical limit.
  • Zero licence fee does not mean zero cost: hosting, ten hours of annual support and a quick start implementation together run into thousands of pounds before anyone has configured a pipeline.
  • The integration marketplace is small compared with Salesforce or HubSpot, so common connections to marketing, telephony and finance tools are often paid third party add-ons or custom builds.
  • Upgrades between major versions can break customisations made outside Studio, so heavily customised instances tend to lag behind current releases and accumulate security debt.
  • Native email marketing and campaign functionality is basic next to a dedicated tool, so most deployments end up paying for a separate marketing platform and syncing it, undoing part of the cost saving.

Pricing, plan by plan

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

SuiteCRM

Free
  • Self-hostedFree
    • GPL licensed with no per user fee at any user count
    • All core CRM modules included
    • You provide hosting, upgrades and support
  • Managed hosting$50/month
    • Hosting, security patching, updates and monitoring
    • Still no per user licence fee
    • Support purchased separately
  • Standard support$1200/year
    • Ten support hours per year
    • Discount available when bought with managed hosting
    • Does not include implementation work
  • SuiteASSURED$3350/year
    • Warranty and legal indemnification over the open source code
    • Priority support and security assurances
    • Aimed at organisations whose procurement rules block unwarranted open source

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 SuiteCRM if

  • You need studio module builder.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Linux, Self-hosted, iOS, Android.
  • You also want workflow engine.
SuiteCRM review

Questions people ask

Is HubSpot CRM or SuiteCRM better?
Neither clearly leads. HubSpot CRM starts at Free and SuiteCRM at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, HubSpot CRM or SuiteCRM?
HubSpot CRM starts at Free and SuiteCRM at Free.
Does HubSpot CRM or SuiteCRM run on more platforms?
HubSpot CRM runs on Web, Mobile iOS, Mobile Android. SuiteCRM runs on Web, Linux, Self-hosted, iOS, Android.
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 contact and deal management for sales teams, customer data organization and reporting, team collaboration with permission controls. Of those, contact and deal management for sales teams and customer data organization and reporting are not what SuiteCRM is typically brought in for.
What can HubSpot CRM do that SuiteCRM cannot?
HubSpot CRM covers Contact management, Deal tracking, Email, Reporting. SuiteCRM covers Studio module builder, Workflow engine, Opportunity and quote management, Case management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
SuiteCRM: Is SuiteCRM really free?

The software is, at any user count. SalesAgility charges for managed hosting from about 50 GBP per month, support from about 1,200 GBP per year and SuiteASSURED from about 3,350 GBP per year.

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
SuiteCRM: How does it relate to SugarCRM?

It is a fork of SugarCRM Community Edition, created after SugarCRM discontinued its open source release.

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
SuiteCRM: Are there per user fees?

No. This is the central commercial argument for it, particularly for organisations with many occasional users.

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
SuiteCRM: What is SuiteASSURED?

A paid subscription that adds warranty, indemnification and legal protections on top of the open source licence, for buyers whose procurement rules block unwarranted software.

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