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Customer Support · head to head

HubSpot Service Hub vs SugarCRM

HubSpot Service Hub logo

HubSpot Service Hub

Customer Support

Customer service software for scaling companies

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
SugarCRM logo

SugarCRM

CRM

Customer relationship software for your business

From
$59/month
Free plan
No

The short version

  • Only HubSpot Service Hub has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: HubSpot Service Hub the free tier is capped at 2 users; SugarCRM every plan carries a 15 user minimum, so the entry cost is 15 seats regardless of team size
  • They diverge on capability: HubSpot Service Hub covers Ticketing, SugarCRM covers Contact management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which HubSpot Service Hub and SugarCRM actually diverge.

Attributes where HubSpot Service Hub and SugarCRM differ
AttributeHubSpot Service HubSugarCRM
Starting priceFree$59/month
Free tierYesNo
CategoryCustomer SupportCRM
Founded20062004

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), platforms (Web, Ios, Android), 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 Service Hub

  • Ticketing
  • Knowledge base
  • Customer feedback
  • Live chat
  • Conversational bots
  • HubSpot CRM
  • Zoom
  • Microsoft Teams

Only in SugarCRM

  • Contact management
  • Sales pipeline
  • Lead management
  • Marketing automation
  • Customer service
  • Mobile app
  • HubSpot
  • Zapier

Both cover

  • Reporting
  • Slack
  • Salesforce
  • SOC2
  • GDPR
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

HubSpot Service Hub

  • Shared inbox and ticketing for a support teamnot SugarCRM
  • Knowledge base and customer self-servicenot SugarCRM
  • Live chat and chatbots on a websitenot SugarCRM
  • Customer feedback surveys and CSATnot SugarCRM
  • Support reporting tied into the HubSpot CRMnot SugarCRM

SugarCRM

  • CRM for sales, marketing and service teamsnot HubSpot Service Hub
  • Managing accounts, opportunities and customer history at mid market scalenot HubSpot Service Hub

Where each one falls short

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

HubSpot Service Hub

  • The free tier is capped at 2 users
  • Professional carries a one-off onboarding fee of $1,500, and Enterprise $3,500, on top of the seat price
  • Seats are $90 a month billed monthly against $100 billed annually on Professional, so the annual commitment is not the cheaper option per month
  • AI features run on monthly credits, 500 on Starter and 3,000 on Professional, which do not roll over
  • Extra credits cost $0.010 each once the monthly allocation is spent

SugarCRM

  • Every plan carries a 15 user minimum, so the entry cost is 15 seats regardless of team size
  • At $59 per user on Standard that minimum makes the real floor $885 a month
  • All three tiers are billed annually with no monthly option
  • The vendor still directs buyers to sales for a package rather than treating the published rate as final

Pricing, plan by plan

HubSpot Service Hub

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Contact management
    • Ticketing
    • Team email
  • Starter$10/month
    • Simple ticket automation
    • Multiple ticket pipelines
    • Live chat
  • Professional$100/month
    • Help desk workspace
    • Customer success workspace
    • Customer agent
  • Enterprise$150/month
    • Skill-based routing
    • Conditional SLAs
    • Customer journey analytics

SugarCRM

$59/month
  • Standard$59/month
    • Accounts management
    • Lead tracking
    • Quotes
  • Advanced$85/month
    • Mail and calendar integration
    • Case management
    • Sugar Intelligence
  • Premier$135/month
    • Geo mapping
    • Enhanced storage 2x
    • LinkedIn connector

Which should you pick?

Choose HubSpot Service Hub if

  • You need ticketing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want knowledge base.

Choose SugarCRM if

  • You need contact management.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want sales pipeline.

Questions people ask

Is HubSpot Service Hub or SugarCRM better?
Neither clearly leads. HubSpot Service Hub starts at Free and SugarCRM at $59/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, HubSpot Service Hub or SugarCRM?
HubSpot Service Hub has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for HubSpot Service Hub and $59/month for SugarCRM.
Does HubSpot Service Hub or SugarCRM run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Ios, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use HubSpot Service Hub for free?
Yes. HubSpot Service Hub has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. SugarCRM starts at $59/month.
What is HubSpot Service Hub best used for?
HubSpot Service Hub is most often used for shared inbox and ticketing for a support team, knowledge base and customer self-service, live chat and chatbots on a website, customer feedback surveys and csat. Of those, shared inbox and ticketing for a support team and knowledge base and customer self-service are not what SugarCRM is typically brought in for.
What can HubSpot Service Hub do that SugarCRM cannot?
HubSpot Service Hub covers Ticketing, Knowledge base, Customer feedback, Live chat. SugarCRM covers Contact management, Sales pipeline, Lead management, Marketing automation. Both handle Reporting, Slack, Salesforce, SOC2.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

HubSpot Service Hub: How much does HubSpot Service Hub cost per user?

Free plan at $0/month. Starter at $10/month per seat (new customers; regular $20/month), Professional at $100/month per seat, Enterprise at $150/month per seat.

Source
SugarCRM: How much does SugarCRM cost?

SugarCRM costs $59 per user per month for the Standard plan, $85 per month for Advanced, and $135 per month for Premier. All plans require annual billing and a 15-user minimum.

Source
HubSpot Service Hub: What is the free trial length for HubSpot Service Hub?

A 14-day free trial is available for evaluating Service Hub functionality before commitment to a paid plan.

Source
SugarCRM: What is included in the Advanced plan?

The Advanced plan at $85 per user per month includes everything in Standard plus mail and calendar integration, case management, Sugar Intelligence, and Sugar Predict features.

Source
HubSpot Service Hub: Does HubSpot Service Hub have a free permanent plan?

Yes, the free plan includes contact management, ticketing, and team email features at $0/month with no credit card required.

Source
SugarCRM: What distinguishes the Premier plan?

The Premier plan costs $135 per user per month and adds geo mapping, 2x enhanced storage, LinkedIn connector integration, and enhanced support compared to the Advanced plan.

Source
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