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CRM · head to head

HubSpot vs Salesforce

HubSpot logo

HubSpot

CRM

Grow better with HubSpot

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Salesforce logo

Salesforce

CRM

World's #1 CRM

From
$25/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only HubSpot has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: HubSpot free tier limited to 2 users and 1,000 contacts; severely restricts growing teams; Salesforce sales Cloud tiers as captured 2 January 2024: Starter Suite $25/user/month, Professional $80/user/month, Enterprise $165/user/month, all USD billed annually
  • They diverge on capability: HubSpot covers CRM, Salesforce covers Contact management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which HubSpot and Salesforce actually diverge.

Attributes where HubSpot and Salesforce differ
AttributeHubSpotSalesforce
Starting priceFree$25/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Mobile, CloudWeb, Ios, Android, Api
Founded20061999

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 HubSpot

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

Only in Salesforce

  • Contact management
  • Opportunity management
  • Lead management
  • Reports & dashboards
  • Email integration
  • Workflow automation
  • Mobile access
  • AppExchange

Both cover

  • Slack
  • Zoom
  • SOC2
  • ISO27001

What people use each for

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

HubSpot

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

Salesforce

  • Sales managementnot HubSpot
  • Customer servicenot HubSpot
  • Marketing automationnot HubSpot
  • Lead generationnot HubSpot
  • Analytics & reportingnot HubSpot

Where each one falls short

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

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

Salesforce

  • Sales Cloud tiers as captured 2 January 2024: Starter Suite $25/user/month, Professional $80/user/month, Enterprise $165/user/month, all USD billed annually

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Salesforce

$25/month
  • Essentials$25/month
    • Account & contact management
    • Opportunity tracking
    • Lead management
  • Professional$80/month
    • Everything in Essentials
    • Complete CRM
    • Lead scoring
  • Enterprise$165/month
    • Everything in Professional
    • Workflow automation
    • Advanced analytics
  • Unlimited$330/month
    • Everything in Enterprise
    • Unlimited customizations
    • 24/7 support

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Salesforce if

  • You need contact management.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want opportunity management.
Salesforce review

Questions people ask

Is HubSpot or Salesforce better?
Neither clearly leads. HubSpot starts at Free and Salesforce at $25/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, HubSpot or Salesforce?
HubSpot has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for HubSpot and $25/month for Salesforce.
Does HubSpot or Salesforce run on more platforms?
HubSpot runs on Web, Mobile, Cloud. Salesforce runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
Can I use HubSpot for free?
Yes. HubSpot has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Salesforce starts at $25/month.
What is HubSpot best used for?
HubSpot is most often used for marketing automation with email sending and lead generation, crm with deal pipeline management, multi-user team collaboration. Of those, marketing automation with email sending and lead generation and crm with deal pipeline management are not what Salesforce is typically brought in for.
What can HubSpot do that Salesforce cannot?
HubSpot covers CRM, Email marketing, Marketing automation, Sales pipeline. Salesforce covers Contact management, Opportunity management, Lead management, Reports & dashboards. Both handle Slack, Zoom, SOC2, ISO27001.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
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
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
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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