Expensive. Limited. Rigid. That’s probably the first thought popping into your head when you think of HubSpot. Let us guess. You’ve been using HubSpot for some time, and now looking for HubSpot alternatives. You’re tired of its complexity and high costs but don’t want to break the budget with another CRM like Salesforce or Microsoft Dynamics. Well, we got you.
In this article, we’ve already researched the best alternatives to HubSpot that can help you manage your sales without sacrificing affordability or functionality.
Why is the business looking for HubSpot alternatives?
As one of the top CRM platforms, HubSpot has been on the market for almost 2 decades. Nowadays, more than 200 thousand companies use HubSpot CRM for customer data management and marketing campaigns. The solution is beneficial for larger enterprises as it allows them to add unlimited users and 1M contacts.
Anyway, we’ve researched customer reviews, tried HubSpot CRM ourselves, and here are the HubSpot CRM drawbacks we’ve found:
- The free plan comes with minimal functionality. All the best stuff like smart reporting is a part of the costlier plans. There are lots of gated features that don’t allow you run the entire sales process effectively.
- Running outbound sales is difficult. The platform's limitations in handling multi-channel sequences make the process cumbersome. Many users find that they need to implement an additional tool to effectively manage engagement across multiple channels as HubSpot’s native options are often insufficient.
- Limited reporting. HubSpot users often add Google Analytics and Search Console for higher efficiency. They also can’t make reports on recurring revenue even with costlier plans.
- Seven-stage sales pipeline. At first, this might sound like a blessing, but it might be too complex for businesses with simple sales funnels. Every business has its own unique sales process. A rigid, hardcoded pipeline with fixed stages may not be valuable for businesses with simpler or different sales funnels.
- Long onboarding process. For some users, it takes up to 3 months to learn the system.
- Poor data migration. Migrating your data from other systems might be a hassle. The worst part? It might result in data loss and inaccuracies across customer records.
Top 7 HubSpot CRM alternatives
Below, we’re going to compare top HubSpot alternatives so you can choose CRM system that fits you the best. We’ve based our research on user reviews, which include CRM functionality, features, and pricing plans.
- NetHunt CRM - best CRM for small and middle businesses
- Pipedrive - most user-friendly CRM
- Zoho - best CRM in terms of price-and-quality ratio
- Freshsales - best CRM for startups
- Brevo - best CRM for email marketing
- Nimble CRM - best CRM for social media management
- Agile CRM - CRM with the easiest onboarding
So, let’s start our list with the CRM option #1 - NetHunt CRM.
NetHunt CRM
- x5 more clients.
- 45% more MQLs.
- x3 close rates.
This is the statistics from businesses using NetHunt CRM — a cloud-based CRM software for startups, and small and mid-scale businesses.
NetHunt CRM's primary goal is to ensure all company departments stay aligned and manage all business processes within a single platform.
How do we achieve this? The system's flexibility allows it to be customized to meet the specific needs of each department.
So, why choose NetHunt CRM as an alternative to HubSpot CRM?
- Seamless integration with Gmail. Enjoy a native, integrated experience where all CRM activities are managed directly within the Gmail interface. Say goodbye to switching between apps to see all the customer-related information.
- Unique messenger integrations. NetHunt CRM integrates uniquely with messengers like WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook and LinkedIn. It allows you to connect with your customers where they are most active and store every interaction on a customer record.
- Advanced sales engagement. You can launch multi-channel sequences effortlessly to engage your prospects across various platforms. NetHunt CRM simplifies complex outreach efforts, helping you achieve higher close rates.
- Ultra-customization. Tailor your CRM to fit your exact business needs. With NetHunt CRM, you can create custom CRM objects and workflows that align perfectly with your unique sales process.
- User-friendly and quick to set up. Get started in no time with an intuitive interface that requires no tech expertise. NetHunt CRM is designed for ease of use, so you can focus on what matters most — growing your business.
…And here are the NetHunt CRM features that are so appealing to our users:
- Lead generation from multiple sources. With NetHunt CRM, you can capture leads from your website, calls, messengers, social media, emails, and more.
- Multiple sales pipelines management. Customize and manage different sales pipelines to suit various stages of your sales.
- Sales automation. Automate repetitive tasks such as lead capture, distribution among your sales team, deal status updates, and follow-ups. You can trigger automation based on change of every CRM field.
- Multi-channel lead nurturing. Reach prospects where they’re most active with email campaigns and LinkedIn outreach combined.
- Email marketing. Take advantage of powerful email marketing tools, including mass emailing, to create and send targeted campaigns.
- Automated tasks, reminders, and notifications. Automated tasks, reminders, and notifications. Never miss a follow-up or important deadline and prioritize tasks effectively.
- Sales reporting. Get valuable insights into your performance with detailed sales reports.
NetHunt CRM Advantages
- Adapts well. With ultra-customization that NetHunt users appreciate so much, you can build the exact CRM that fits your business workflows.Tweak any CRM object to fit your client profiles and CRM processes.
- Simple. Our CRM doesn’t complicate things. You can set up NetHunt CRM in a few minutes and start reaping benefits from day one.
- Hands-on guidance. We provide practical support to make sure users feel confident in using NetHunt CRM and fully understand its value. This hands-on approach leads to high adoption rates and helps you get the most out of the system.
- Intuitive. A CRM that just makes sense. Our intuitive design ensures that even the newest team members can hit the ground running.
- Connects with tools you already love. Let your business scale with multiple integrations. NetHunt CRM integrates with your email, social media platforms, messengers, and other essential tools to keep your business processes hassle-free.
NetHunt CRM Limitations
- The functionality might not be enough for larger enterprises.
- Some advanced features come as part of costlier plans.
- Basic reporting.
Pricing Plans
14-day free trial period. The plans range from Basic to Advanced ($24-96 per user/month respectively).
Try NetHunt Free 14 DaysPipedrive
100 000 companies are already using Pipedrive. As a CRM similar to HubSpot, Pipedrive offers robust sales pipeline management and team collaboration features.
With Pipedrive functionality, you can:
- Get activity reminders and segment leads for better targeting and efficient marketing campaigns
- Track and log leads and deals, auto-track calls and emails
- Organize leads and track performance data
- Integrate your CRM with useful tools like PandaDoc and Outlook.
According to user reviews, Pipedrive is best for:
- Middle-scale businesses and generally teams with longer sales cycles
- Companies with workflows that are heavily based on follow-up reminders
Pipedrive CRM Advantages
- Clear intuitive interface
- More affordable compared to other CRM systems for middle businesses and large enterprises
- Offers a mobile CRM application
Pipedrive CRM Limitations
- Users can create and customize fields as a part of more expensive plans;
- The lack of robust sales automation features makes Pipedrive not the most suitable solution for enterprise-level management
- To add efficiency to Pipedrive CRM, you’ll have to pay some extra money for add-on modules
- Not the best fit for large email campaigns
Pricing Plans
You can try any plan for free. The pricing plans range from $12 to $79 per user monthly.
Zoho CRM
In the business world, Zoho CRM is known as a HubSpot competitor that offers a similar suite of features at a more affordable price point. The CRM system is also a way more cost-effective solution for large-level enterprises compared to Microsoft Dynamics and Salesforce.
This is what you can expect from Zoho CRM:
- AI sales assistant Zia that helps teams address customer issues faster and easier
- Scalable functionality that grows with your business
- Standard collaboration options (no need for third-party integration in this case)
- Strong focus on sales - sell more with robust sales communication and comprehensive sales reports
- Integrates with Xero, Woocommerce, and WordPress along with 50 Zoho products
Zoho CRM is best for:
- Small, middle, and large enterprises
- Businesses looking for extensive customization and multiple integrations
- Companies looking for AI-driven insights
Zoho CRM Advantages
- You can try any plan for free and see if it fits your workflow
- With Zoho, you get your own AI assistant
- Smart reporting
- Vast integration capabilities
Zoho CRM Limitations
- Most users admit that the system is slow and confusing
- The integration is not as seamless as one would like it to be, even with Zoho native products
- Users occasionally experience lagging when two or more teams are working in the CRM simultaneously. The bigger the team - the higher the level of lagging
Pricing Plans
There is a free trial for all plans. AI functionality comes as a part of the Enterprise plan (€40). Meanwhile, plans range from €14 to €52 per user monthly.
Freshsales
A product by Freshworks, Freshsales is a CRM suite that helps businesses generate more leads, capture, qualify, and track them. With Kanban views and drag-and-drop cards, users can easily manage their sales pipelines and get AI-powered insights with the help of Freddy AI assistant.
This is what to expect from Freshsales CRM:
- Freddy AI. This virtual assistant offers insights, highlights the hottest leads, and even generates personalized emails, adding a nice touch to the company’s marketing campaigns
- Social media integration with WhatsApp, Apple Business Chat, Facebook Messenger
- Trigger-based campaigns
- Advanced sales reports
- Layout customization
Freshsales CRM is perfect for:
- Startups looking for robust functionality and clarity at the same time
- Businesses that are looking for AI functionality but don't want to break the budget
Freshsales CRM Advantages
- AI assistant
- Affordability
- Robust social media integration
Freshsales CRM Limitations
- Might not be suitable for large enterprises
- The lack of advanced analytics
Pricing Plans
There is a 21-day free trial. Pricing plans range between $9 and $59 per user monthly.
Brevo
Brevo, formerly Sendinblue, is an all-in-one platform that helps businesses get a unified view of customer data. The solution strongly focuses on email management and SMS marketing. That’s why Brevo, unlike HubSpot, can be used as an alternative to MailChimp.
What to expect from Brevo?
- Strong focus on email, social media, and marketing management. You can even import your own HTML and use responsive email design tools for some extra pay
- Robust integration with email, social media, chat systems, marketing automation tools, etc
- Advanced and real-time reporting as add-on features
Brevo is the best CRM for:
- Companies with workflows that imply large marketing campaigns and complex email management and SMS marketing
- Small and medium-scale businesses looking for a better alternative than HubSpot with MailChimp features
Brevo CRM Advantages
- Email and social media focus
- Suitable solution for startups planning to expand their outreach
- Great support team
- Intuitive to use
Brevo CRM Limitations
- Lack of sales management focus
- Standard reporting. Companies with workflows that heavily rely on complex reporting and analytics might find Brevo’s functionality unsatisfying in the long run
- Lack of customization. The lack of highly customized or visually intricate designs
Pricing Plans
Brevo is the only CRM on the list that offers a free plan. Other plans start from $9 per user monthly. Enterprise plans are Custom, meaning that the price depends on the number of users and the features you need for your business.
Nimble CRM
Nimble CRM is a ‘social’ CRM for teams that are already using Microsoft 365 suite or Google Workspace. It’s a great tool for companies looking for a CRM solution with a social media management focus.
What to expect from Nimble CRM?
- Robust contact management, data analytics, sales and pipeline management
- Swift email marketing automation
- Integration with email tools and social networks + effective content organization
Nimble CRM is best for:
- Companies with workflows entailing vast social media management; Startups looking for easy-to-deploy solutions that can improve customer outreach
- Businesses looking for CRM like HubSpot but with a focus on social media management
Nimble CRM Advantages
- Swift data import from Gmail, Outlook, Twitter, LinkedIn
- Flawless integration with email and social media tools
- Vast variety of communication templates
Nimble CRM Limitations
- Poor email formatting
- Limited mobile app functionality that results in poor integration with MO 365
- Basic sales pipeline
Pricing Plans
Free 14-day trial. The only CRM on the list with one universal pricing plan for all users - $24.90 per user monthly.
Agile CRM
One of the top HubSpot CRM competitors, Agile CRM serves as a centralized customer database. With Agile CRM, users can track leads, manage sales, and nurture campaigns in one and only place.
What to expect from Agile CRM?
- Users can generate reports and dashboards, add custom information fields, create personalized scripts
- Top synchronization with Outlook and Gmail (acts as a ‘bulk email system’)
- Agile CRM integrates with ticketing and finance systems as well; Robust sales automation
Agile CRM is best for:
- Businesses of all sizes looking for HubSpot CRM alternatives
- Businesses in dire need of multiple integrations
Agile CRM Advantages
- Easy to set up, use, and navigate
- Smooth customer data import
- Multiple integrations
- More affordable HubSpot competitor
Agile CRM Limitations
- Email builders lack flexibility
- Poor reporting
- The software for Android users needs proper optimization
- Poor ticketing system compared to Zend Desk and Zoho Desk
Pricing Plans
Agile CRM doesn’t offer a free trial period. However, it offers a free basic plan (up to 10 users). Other pricing plans range from $8.99 to $47.99.
The Best HubSpot alternatives: A side-by-side comparison
CRM
Best for
Advantages
Limitations
Pricing plans
NetHunt CRM
Startups and small to mid-scale businesses
Ultra-customizable, easy to use and set up, affordable, user-friendly
Limited functionality for larger enterprises, basic reporting
14-day free trial. Plans range from $24 to $96 per user/month.
Pipedrive
Middle-scale businesses with longer sales cycles
Clear interface, affordable, strong sales automation, mobile app
Lacks robust features for enterprises, costly add-ons
Free trial available. Pricing ranges from $12 to $79 per user/month.
Zoho CRM
Small to large enterprises
AI assistant, smart reporting, extensive integrations
Slow and confusing, integration issues, lag with larger teams
Free trial available. Plans range from €14 to €52 per user/month.
Freshsales
Startups and businesses seeking AI features
AI assistant, affordability, robust social media integration
Not suitable for large enterprises, lacks advanced analytics
21-day free trial. Pricing ranges from $9 to $59 per user/month.
Brevo
Companies with large marketing campaigns
Email and social media focus, intuitive, great support
Lack of sales management focus, basic reporting, limited customization
Free plan available. Other plans start from $9 per user/month. Enterprise plans are custom-priced.
Nimble
Companies with extensive social media management
Swift data import, seamless email and social media integration, variety of templates
Poor email formatting, limited mobile functionality, basic sales pipeline
14-day free trial. Universal pricing plan at $24.90 per user/month
Agile CRM
Businesses needing multiple integrations
Easy setup, smooth data import, multiple integrations
Rigid email builder, poor reporting, Android app needs optimization, subpar ticketing system
No free trial. Basic plan free for up to 10 users. Other plans range from $8.99 to $47.99 per user/month.
Bottom line
If you tried HubSpot CRM once and decided to switch to HubSpot CRM competitors—we don’t blame you. Sure, HubSpot CRM is a great choice. But if you’re unhappy with its pricing and rigidity, explore other options with more flexibility and cost effectiveness.
Don’t know where to start your HubSpot-switching journey? Start with NetHunt. And this is why you should do it:
- NetHunt is perfect for small and medium businesses who value affordability and sales automation efficiency;
- It’s ultra-customizable, but even first-time users can learn the ropes quickly thanks to its intuitive design;
- All marketing and sales activity happens in the same place;
- NetHunt integrates with social media, Google Workspace, messengers, Ringostat and Unitalk, and others;
- With sales automation features, you can track, follow-up, and nurture your customers and prospects.
Getting started with NetHunt CRM is a breeze. Its intuitive design means you can set up and begin using the system immediately. Need extra support? We are here to provide personalized training and ensure every team member understands the system’s full value.
Stop switching tabs. Let your sales and marketing teams stay on the same page with NetHunt CRM.
Try NetHunt Free 14 DaysFAQ
What are some benefits of switching to a HubSpot CRM alternative?
Switching to a HubSpot CRM alternative is associated with lower costs, more suitable functionality for startups and middle-scale businesses, and more intuitive user experience.
Is it difficult to migrate data from HubSpot CRM to a new CRM?
Everything depends on the complexity of your data, the volume, and the compatibility between the systems. In some cases, you might need third-party integration tools for data migration and professional assistance from software development teams.
How do I know which HubSpot CRM alternative is the best fit for my business?
No Hubspot CRM alternatives are built the same. Therefore, pay attention to your specific business workflows, features, pricing, and integration capabilities when looking for HubSpot CRM alternatives.
How easy is it to learn and use these alternative CRMs?
Some HubSpot alternatives like NetHunt don’t require additional training. Meanwhile, other more complex CRM solutions for large-scale enterprises like Zoho CRM might have a steeper learning curve.
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