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HubSpot CRM review
By Cathy Riddell, founder of Moshy · Facts checked 31 Oct 2026 · Last updated 31 Oct 2026
Reader-supported: we may earn a commission if you buy through links on this page, at no extra cost to you. It never changes our ratings. Disclosure
How I reviewed HubSpot: I haven't used HubSpot hands-on for client work. This review is based on HubSpot's own product and pricing pages, read and re-checked on 31 Oct 2026, and compared against HighLevel, which I use every day at my agency (Starter plan, US$97/month, about 18 months). HubSpot links on this page are not affiliate links, so I earn nothing if you sign up. HighLevel, Systeme.io and Kartra links are affiliate links.
Who is HubSpot CRM best for?
| Good fit | Probably not the best fit |
|---|---|
| Small sales teams (1–2 people) who want a genuinely free CRM | Agencies that need separate client sub-accounts |
| Teams that want a classic contact, deal and pipeline CRM with strong reporting | Businesses that want SMS, funnels and booking in one flat price |
| Companies that will grow into HubSpot's marketing, sales and service hubs | Larger teams on a tight budget (per-seat pricing adds up) |
| Anyone who relies on many integrations (2,000+ marketplace apps) | Anyone who wants to avoid one-off onboarding fees on higher tiers |
What's included in HubSpot's free CRM?
HubSpot says its free CRM is “100% free with no expiration date”, with no credit card required, for up to two users and 1,000 contacts. 1 It includes:
- CRM basics: contact management, CRM import, deals, tasks and activities, pipeline management and a reporting dashboard.
- Sales tools: email tracking, email templates, meeting scheduling, sales quotes, document sharing and the Breeze AI assistant.
- Marketing and service: forms, landing pages, email marketing, live chat, chatbots, a shared inbox, ticketing and payment links.
- Connections: the HubSpot Marketplace (2,000+ apps), data sync and the mobile app for iOS and Android.
If email is the main thing you need, I compare dedicated tools in my guide to the best email marketing software for small business on my other site, BizStacked.
What are the free plan's limits?
The free tools are useful, but HubSpot puts clear limits on them. Per its pricing page:
| Feature | Free | Starter |
|---|---|---|
| Users | 2 | Unlimited, paid per seat |
| Contacts | 1,000 total | 1,000 marketing contacts included (more can be bought) |
| Marketing email | 2,000 sends per calendar month, with HubSpot branding | 5× your marketing-contact tier per month, branding removed |
| Landing pages / website pages | Up to 30 each, HubSpot branding | Up to 30 each, branding removed |
| Email templates (sales) | 3 | Up to 10,000 |
| Meetings links | 1 personal link, HubSpot branding | 1,000 personal & team links |
| Sales automation | Not included | Up to 50 workflows (restricted triggers/actions) |
| Pipelines | See pricing page | Up to 15 per account |
| Support | Community and knowledge base | Email and live in-app chat |
How much does HubSpot cost?
| Plan | Price shown on hubspot.com (USD) | What you get (official pages) |
|---|---|---|
| Free tools | US$0, no credit card, no expiry | Up to 2 users and 1,000 contacts; contacts, deals, pipelines, tasks, reporting dashboard, forms, landing pages, email marketing, live chat, meeting scheduler, ticketing, payment links, Breeze Assistant |
| Starter (customer platform) | List price US$20/seat/mo. New-customer offer: from US$7/seat/mo billed annually or US$10/seat/mo billed monthly | Marketing, Sales, Service, Content and Data Hub Starter; 1,000 marketing contacts; HubSpot branding removed; 500 HubSpot Credits; email and in-app chat support |
| Smart CRM Starter | “Starts at US$15/month per seat” on the CRM product page (new-customer discount) | Starter CRM features (see HubSpot's Smart CRM page for the full list) |
| Smart CRM Professional | US$45–50/seat/mo, depending on billing term | Custom reporting, calculated properties, teams; 3,000 HubSpot Credits |
| Sales Hub Professional | US$90–100/seat/mo, depending on billing term, plus a required one-time US$1,500 onboarding fee | Forecasting, sequences, conversation intelligence, deal plans (beta) |
| Marketing Hub Professional | US$800–890/mo including 3 core seats (extra seats from US$45–50/mo), plus a required one-time US$3,000 onboarding fee | 2,000 marketing contacts, social media, video creation & editing, AEO (beta), Content and Nurture agents (beta) |
| Enterprise | Smart CRM from US$75/seat/mo; Sales Hub from US$150/seat/mo (+US$3,500 onboarding); Marketing Hub from US$3,600/mo with 5 core seats (+US$7,000 onboarding) | Custom objects, standard sandbox account, field-level permissions (Smart CRM Enterprise) |
1 2 4 5 6 3 Two things to watch. First, the Starter offer is for new customers only, and HubSpot says it can end at any time, so budget for the US$20/seat list price. Second, HubSpot's CRM product page shows Smart CRM Starter “from US$15/seat”, while the pricing pages show the Starter customer platform at US$7–10 on offer (US$20 list), so check which product you're buying at checkout.
What would a 5-person team pay?
Using only the prices above (before tax and any credits or add-ons):
- Starter at list price: 5 × US$20 = US$100/month. On the new-customer annual offer, 5 × US$7 = US$35/month while the offer applies.
- Sales Hub Professional: 5 × US$90–100 = US$450–500/month, plus the one-time US$1,500 onboarding fee.
- For comparison, HighLevel Starter: US$97/month flat for unlimited users, plus usage-based charges for SMS, email, calls and AI.
What do Starter and Professional add?
Starter removes HubSpot branding, raises the usage limits, and adds sales automation (up to 50 workflows), up to 15 pipelines, 500 calling minutes and 1 HubSpot-provided phone number on Sales and Service Hub, plus 1,000 custom properties and email/live chat support. It includes 500 HubSpot Credits for AI agents and features. 2 3
Professional is where HubSpot gets powerful, and expensive. Sales Hub Professional adds forecasting, sequences, conversation intelligence and deal plans (beta). Smart CRM Professional adds custom reporting, calculated properties and teams. Professional tiers include 3,000 HubSpot Credits. 5 4
What are HubSpot's pros and cons?
| Pros (from HubSpot's pages) | Cons / trade-offs |
|---|---|
| Free CRM with no expiry and no card | Free is capped at 2 users and 1,000 contacts |
| Upgrades build on the free CRM (“no data migration headaches”, per HubSpot) | Every paid user needs a seat, so costs scale with headcount |
| 2,000+ marketplace integrations | Professional and Enterprise need one-off onboarding fees (US$1,500–7,000) |
| Breeze AI assistant included free | Starter discounts are new-customer only and can end at any time |
| Strong reporting dashboards on every tier | HubSpot branding on free emails, forms, chat and meeting links |
HubSpot vs HighLevel: which should you choose?
| HighLevel | HubSpot | |
|---|---|---|
| Free option | No free plan; 14-day free trial | Free tools: 2 users, 1,000 contacts, no expiry |
| Entry paid price | US$97/mo flat (Starter), or US$970/yr | Starter list US$20/seat/mo; new-customer offer from US$7–10/seat/mo |
| Users | Unlimited on every plan | Paid per seat |
| Contacts | Unlimited on every plan | 1,000 on Free; Starter includes 1,000 marketing contacts |
| Client sub-accounts | 3 on Starter; unlimited from US$297/mo | Not a listed feature |
| SMS & calling | Email + SMS marketing and calling built in (usage-based charges) | Calling: 500 minutes on Sales/Service Hub Starter; SMS not listed on the pages I checked |
| Funnels & websites | Website & funnel builder on every plan | Landing pages (up to 30 on Free and Starter); website builder |
| Integrations | Native integrations plus API access | 2,000+ apps in the HubSpot Marketplace |
| Onboarding fees | None listed | Required one-time fee on Professional and Enterprise |
| Start HighLevel free trial | Get HubSpot's free CRM |
First-hand: I'm on HighLevel's Starter plan (US$97/month) and have used HighLevel for about 18 months.
In short, HubSpot is the better pick if you want a free, classic sales CRM and plan to grow into its hubs. HighLevel suits agencies and service businesses that want CRM, SMS, funnels, booking and client sub-accounts in one place at a flat price. Read the full GoHighLevel vs HubSpot comparison.
How I rate HubSpot
I score every tool on the same six weighted criteria: features, ease of use, pricing and value, support, integrations and public reputation. HubSpot scores 3.9/5. Integrations are its standout, and per-seat pricing pulls its value score down. See how I rate for the method and weights.
What's my verdict?
Start with HubSpot's free CRM if you're a small sales team that mainly needs contacts, deals and a pipeline. It costs nothing to try, and you can see whether it fits before paying for seats. If you run an agency or need SMS, funnels and client accounts without per-seat pricing, try HighLevel or Systeme.io (free plan) instead.
Frequently asked questions
Is HubSpot CRM really free?
Yes. HubSpot says its free CRM has no expiration date and needs no credit card, for up to 2 users and 1,000 contacts (checked 31 Oct 2026).
How much is HubSpot Starter?
The list price is US$20 per seat per month. On 31 Oct 2026 HubSpot showed a new-customer offer from US$7/seat/month billed annually or US$10/seat/month billed monthly, for a limited time.
Does HubSpot Professional have an onboarding fee?
Yes. HubSpot lists a required one-time Professional Onboarding fee of US$1,500 for Sales Hub and US$3,000 for Marketing Hub.
Is HubSpot good for agencies?
It's built for in-house sales, marketing and service teams. Agencies that need separate client sub-accounts, SMS and white labelling at a flat price usually compare HighLevel.
Is HubSpot cheaper than HighLevel?
For 1–2 users, yes: the free CRM costs nothing. With paid seats, HubSpot Starter at list price passes HighLevel's flat US$97/month at about five users, and Professional costs much more.
About the author: Cathy RiddellCathy runs the digital agency Moshy and has used HighLevel every day for about 18 months for real client work. She writes every CRM Reviewed guide. How we review →
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Sources
- https://www.hubspot.com/products/crm (HubSpot free CRM), checked 31 Oct 2026
- https://www.hubspot.com/pricing/crm (HubSpot pricing: free tools & Starter), checked 31 Oct 2026
- https://www.hubspot.com/products/crm/starter (HubSpot Starter offer page), checked 31 Oct 2026
- https://www.hubspot.com/pricing/smart-crm (HubSpot Smart CRM pricing), checked 31 Oct 2026
- https://www.hubspot.com/pricing/sales (HubSpot Sales Hub pricing), checked 31 Oct 2026
- https://www.hubspot.com/pricing/marketing (HubSpot Marketing Hub pricing), checked 31 Oct 2026
- https://www.gohighlevel.com/pricing (HighLevel pricing), checked 31 Oct 2026
Prices and features come only from the official vendor pages listed, checked 31 Oct 2026, in USD. Vendors change prices often, so confirm on the official page before buying. Our ratings are weighted scores out of 5; see how we rate.