Salesforce vs. HubSpot: Which Is Right for You in 2024?

Salesforce and HubSpot are among the best customer relationship management (CRM) software options for businesses worldwide. 

But which of these two is the right fit for your business? If both are equally good, how do you choose? 

The first step, as always, is to understand why you need a CRM in the first place. Next, you compare your options objectively. 

However, neither HubSpot nor Salesforce are easy to compare. Both of these platforms are vast and jam-packed with apps. Where do you start?

To set the ball rolling, we have condensed both Salesforce and HubSpot into an easy-to-digest comparative recon. In addition, we will also guide you through the pros and cons of each, how to choose a CRM, ending with answering some of the most frequently asked questions. 

• Salesforce vs. HubSpot: Pricing & features
  
• Salesforce vs. HubSpot: Pros & cons
  
• Factors to consider while choosing a CRM
  
• Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Salesforce vs. Hubspot: Pricing & features

So, that’s a top-level comparative overview of Salesforce and HubSpot. For more details, please visit Salesforce and HubSpot’s respective websites.

“A complete CRM solution keeps track of the entire customer lifecycle, from tracking the performance of your marketing campaigns to monitoring the productivity of your customer service agents.”— Salesforce

Salesforce vs. Hubspot: Pros & cons 

Disclaimer: We’ve compiled the pros and cons of HubSpot and Salesforce based on the insights of our experts and user reviews online. The object of such an approach is to find a middle ground between an entirely objective and entirely subjective analysis of the two platforms. 

Salesforce pros & cons

Below are the pros of Salesforce:

• Extensive customization
  
• Excelling built-in reporting capabilities
  
• Bulti-in social media functionality
  
• Robust security standards
  
• High scalability
  
• Excellent customer support
  
• Large and active community of users and developers

And here are the cons: 

• Steep learning curve
  
• Expensive
  
• Complex configuration
  
• Complex integrations may present problems
  
• Data storage can be expensive

HubSpot pros & cons

Below are the pros of HubSpot:

• User-friendly
  
• In-depth knowledge center
  
• Rich library of templates
  
• Highly customizable
  
• Core CRM functionalities are free
  
• Good customer support
  
• Strong community
  
• All-in-one CRM platform

And here are the cons of HubSpot CRM:

• Customer support is available as an add-on
  
• May not be suitable if not used as an all-in-one platform
  
• No more than one email per contact
  
• Can become expensive for small businesses

Factors to consider while choosing a CRM

Whether you’re choosing between HubSpot and Salesforce or not, here are a few critical factors to consider while choosing any CRM platform.

1. Functionality & features

The first thing to look for is the list of features and functionalities offered by the CRM. Here’s what you need to look for:

• Sales pipeline management
  
• Lead management
  
• Contact management
  
• Customer service management
  
• Reporting & analytics
  
• Integration capabilities
  

“In the end, having advanced features for marketing automation and lead scoring can really drive revenue. Is the juice worth the squeeze?”— Neil Patel

2. Scalability & flexibility 

Next, ask yourself if the CRM platform is scalable and flexible. Here’s what you look for:

• Customization options
  
• Cloud-based or on-premise
  
  

3. User experience & adoption

How does the CRM ensure positive user experience and seamless adoption across an organization? Focus on the following:

• Ease of use
  
• Mobile accessibility
  
• Training resources
  
  

4. Affordability & return on investment

Finally, the most important part: cost analysis and potential ROI. 

Our recommendation is to contact the CRM’s sales team directly instead of relying on the pricing structure available online. Not because the latter is misleading; but it can be confusing. Getting in touch with the sales team helps you ask the most relevant questions. In this way, you’re more likely to get a better understanding of how your budget measures up to the CRM’s pricing model. 
But yes, the pricing section should be your starting point. And if you find it confusing, only then contact the sales team.

  “It’s much easier to start with a simpler CRM and move to a more comprehensive solution later on.”— David Ly Khim, Growth marketing manager, HubSpot

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Which is better, Salesforce or HubSpot?

Objectively speaking, both are great CRMs. As to which is better, it depends on your requirements. For instance, if you are a mid to large-sized company, you should go for Salesforce. If you’re a small organization with limited resources, HubSpot would be a better option. 

Is HubSpot cheaper than Salesforce?

If you’re considering the basic plans, it’s worth noting that HubSpot provides a free option, giving it a competitive advantage over Salesforce. However, it’s important to be aware that both Salesforce and HubSpot can become expensive when advanced CRM features are required.

Why move from HubSpot to Salesforce?
One common reason for ESP migration is when an organization runs into limitations, leading to a standstill owing to budget constraints. In such cases, the natural response is to look for alternatives. If you need to scale up your sales programs or require custom report building capabilities, then Salesforce would be a better option than HubSpot. 

Can HubSpot and Salesforce work together?

Certainly. A HubSpot-Salesforce integration will bring you the best of both worlds. However, do read up on what such an integration looks like. You can start with how to install the HubSpot-Salesforce integration.
 

Fulfill all your CRM needs under one roof!

Our team includes over 80 Salesforce experts and more than 25 HubSpot professionals. Whether you choose Salesforce or HubSpot, we are well-equipped to assist you with your marketing requirements. We have collaborated with over 600 agencies, and our services have delivered lasting results for over 100 Fortune 500 brands. Get on board with our 800+-strong team of marketing mavericks! 

Need more help with choosing the right platform for your business? Catch our buffet guide to email service providers.