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Are you looking for a genuine HubSpot pros and cons list from an avid HubSpot user?
HubSpot is the top choice for many businesses looking for a complete marketing, sales, and customer service solution.
And although HubSpot is pretty impressive, it’s important to remember that what works for some may not work for you.
So, as a HubSpot user myself, I’m here to give you the whole picture.
My goal is to shed light on the pros and cons of HubSpot so you can determine whether it’s the right fit for your business.
So, what are the pros and cons of HubSpot? Let’s find out.
Read more: 6 Best HubSpot Alternatives.
What Is HubSpot?
HubSpot CRM is more than just another customer relationship management (CRM) platform.
It’s robust inbound marketing, sales, and customer service software that empowers businesses to grow efficiently and connect with their customers!
HubSpot is a versatile, comprehensive, one-stop shop that handles many everyday tasks and business operations.
From email marketing to eCommerce, website building, operational support, and so much more, HubSpot is the total online solution for your business needs.
Want to learn more about how to use HubSpot? Check out my ultimate HubSpot CRM guide here.
HubSpot Pros
1. User-friendly
Despite its rich features, HubSpot is renowned for its user-friendly and beginner-ready nature.
Whether opting for the free CRM or a more advanced plan, the consistent dashboard interface and clear headings across all plans instill confidence in all users.
Basically, anyone can use HubSpot, regardless of their skill level!
Plus, HubSpot provides clear demos and user guides that guide you through the platform every step of the way, ensuring a smooth onboarding process for everyone.
And the cherry on top? The drag-and-drop editor is seamlessly integrated into all features.
This easy-to-use tool makes managing and personalizing your CRM seamless. What more could you ask for?
Read more: How To Setup HubSpot CRM?
2. Free Plan
Another huge advantage of HubSpot is the free forever CRM plan!
That’s right—you can leverage all of HubSpot’s incredible tools for free, with no hidden fees or monthly subscriptions attached!
If you’re a small business looking for a powerful CRM that won’t cost you an arm and a leg, HubSpot is the way to go.
With the ability to add up to 1,000,000 contacts and 5 users, I genuinely think their free plan surpasses many paid CRMs out there.
Plus, HubSpot’s free CRM plan is so much more than a simple CRM solution; it also includes dynamic marketing, sales, service, content, operations, and commerce tools.
This means you can stay on top of your contacts, manage your deals, keep your sales pipeline in order, sell online, and so much more – without spending a single cent.
Read more: Top 10 Advantages Of HubSpot’s Free CRM.
3. All-in-one Platform
HubSpot truly embodies the concept of ‘all-in-one’ by providing a platform that seamlessly integrates the essential functionalities of sales, marketing, and customer service.
This suite of tools relieves businesses from the burden of managing multiple tools and allows them to efficiently handle various aspects of their operations in one convenient platform.
In other words, HubSpot revolutionizes the way you operate!
Gone are the days of using various disconnected software and struggling to synchronize different processes.
With HubSpot, you can streamline and consolidate your operations, saving time, money, and resources that could otherwise be spent on more critical tasks.
So, if you’re after CRM software, a marketing automation hub, a social media management platform, a website builder, and a customer service tool, you can do it all with HubSpot!
Read more: 7 Best CRM For Small Business.
4. Powerful Marketing and Sales Automation
HubSpot is known for its robust marketing and sales automation tools, so it’s no surprise that it makes my list of pros!
With HubSpot by your side, you can easily nurture leads, automate repetitive tasks, and deliver targeted, varied content to your audience with just a few clicks.
You can automate almost every feature within HubSpot, whether sending emails, accelerating the sales process, managing contacts, or posting social media campaigns.
These tools empower you to engage with your audience effectively, streamline processes, boost efficiency, and drive revenue growth!
Read more: How To Use HubSpot Meeting Scheduler.
5. Integrations
I mentioned earlier that one of HubSpot’s incredible advantages is that everything you need is conveniently located on a single platform.
This means no more dealing with complicated installations or juggling multiple tools!
But what if I told you that HubSpot’s incredible app marketplace integrates with over 1500 popular business apps, allowing for even more functionality?
Thanks to HubSpot’s app marketplace, you can easily connect with platforms like Facebook Messenger, Gmail, Shopify, Zapier, Salesforce, Slack, and more.
By integrating with these popular tools, you can effortlessly transfer data, automate tasks, and sync your processes across multiple platforms, tailoring your workflow to your needs.
Honestly, HubSpot’s impressive app marketplace has got to be one of the best in the biz!
Read more: How To Use HubSpot Meeting Scheduler.
6. Free AI Tools
There’s no denying that AI has impacted how we work online. Unfortunately, many CRMs restrict their artificial intelligence tools to paid plans.
However, this is where HubSpot shines, and it is another huge HubSpot pro in my book!
They recently added their Content Assistant Feature to the free plan, revolutionizing how businesses create and add AI-driven content to their marketing strategies.
By integrating the HubSpot AI content assistant into your website, blog, email campaigns, social media posts, and chats, you can build compelling content in seconds.
HubSpot’s AI tools can even help you with SEO recommendations so you can rank higher in search engines!
Consistency is key, and AI allows you to stay on-brand continuously.
It’s hard to believe that HubSpot’s game-changing AI content assistant is available on all plans!
7. Mobile App
Also available on all plans, the HubSpot CRM mobile app is a game-changer for Android and iOS users.
The key to success is staying connected and managing customer relationships efficiently, right? Well, that’s where this app comes into play.
Whether in the office, at a meeting, or on the move, all you need is an internet connection, and you’re good to go!
The HubSpot mobile app lets you effortlessly track your sales activity, view contact details, and manage daily tasks anywhere, anytime, from your trusty mobile device!
Essentially, it’s like having your entire CRM right in the palm of your hand!
If you ask me, HubSpot’s free CRM mobile app is convenience at its finest, which is why it makes the pros list!
8. Scalablility
When it comes to scaling your business, HubSpot truly has your back.
Designed to cater to businesses of all sizes, from startups to enterprise-level companies, you can easily expand your customer base and revenue at your own pace.
This is because of their wide range of dynamic marketing, sales, commerce, and support plans!
Additionally, HubSpot offers customizable features, allowing businesses to adapt their sales, marketing, and support processes as needed.
By providing a transparent and scalable data model, HubSpot ensures you can manage your growing team, revenue, or data without worrying about infrastructure or other constraints.
HubSpot Cons
1. Confusing Pricing Plans
I don’t know about you, but when I first landed on HubSpot’s pricing page, it took me a minute to wrap my head around just how many plans there were.
Therefore, first up on my HubSpot cons list has to be the many overwhelming, confusing pricing plans.
With so many different types of ‘Hubs’ available (and tiers available within those hubs), it can be hard to know where to start, especially for newbies!
Plus, you can create your own bundle, which is awesome for people needing a unique plan. But for the rest of us, this just confuses us even more!
Additionally, HubSpot’s pricing is based on the number of contacts you have.
This can result in some pricing ambiguity if you have many contacts but only need a few of the features.
Read more: How To Create a Sale Pipeline in HubSpot?
2. Only Suitable For All-in-one Use
Don’t get me wrong—I love that HubSpot is an all-in-one business solution. But what if you want to use just one of its many features?
Well, this isn’t really what HubSpot was designed for.
Basically, HubSpot is awesome if you want to use their platform for everything, including building your website using their own CMS system.
If you’ve already built your website using a different CMS platform, switching to HubSpot can be a hassle.
Or maybe you’re just after a simple CRM solution? You’ll probably not get the best bang for your buck with HubSpot.
If you only need a few specific features from HubSpot, you can probably find a more affordable alternative solution.
Read more: HubSpot CMS Website Builder Review.
3. Higher Plans Are Costly
With HubSpot’s impressive free plan, the platform is certainly affordable for small teams.
However, the good news ends there for smaller businesses or those working with a tighter budget.
As your business grows, the price you need to pay will also increase, and quite rapidly!
The Starter plans include only 1,000 contacts. If you have more, you’ll need to upgrade to the pricier Professional plans ($800 per month for another 1,000 contacts).
If you need even more, you’ll have to opt for the Enterprise plan, which costs a whopping $3,200 per month.
And guess what? This plan still has a maximum limit of 10,000 contacts!
Basically, as your number of contacts grows (which is likely as your business expands), the costs keep rising with each upgrade.
Not to mention, you have to pay for additional users!
This rapid increase in package prices may not be practical or affordable for many businesses.
Read more: My Top 10 No Code Tool For Small Business.
4. No Live Support For Free Users
Another HubSpot con is that live, dedicated support is only available on paid plans.
This means that anyone using the HubSpot Free CRM Plan can only access the HubSpot Community, Knowledge Base, and Academy.
But if you need help with technical issues or have questions about how to make the most of the platform, you’re out of luck!
Paid HubSpot users can contact HubSpot via phone or live chat, and some plans even come with a dedicated account manager.
Although the level of support on paid plans is impressive, upgrading may not be feasible for businesses on a tight budget.
Or maybe you simply don’t require all the features included in the paid plans!
5. Inflexible Contracts
Although the free CRM plan is ‘Free forever,’ this HubSpot con is relevant for paid contract terms.
Basically, once you commit to a contract (whether it’s for six or 12 months), you can’t back out of your contract period.
Many CRMs offer flexible, month-to-month pricing terms, but unfortunately, this is not an option with HubSpot.
Plus, there’s no ‘early termination’ fee or ‘partial refund policy’ if you want to cancel your subscription early.
This lack of flexibility can be a significant drawback for teams that don’t utilize all of HubSpot’s features or if they find that specific tools don’t meet their business needs.
Even if you’re on a monthly billing cycle, you will be obligated to continue paying until the total contract cost is met!
Stews Final Thoughts
And that bring me to the end of this honest list of pros and cons of HubSpot!!
While it’s evident that HubSpot offers a robust suite of tools to streamline your marketing, service, sales, and CRM processes, there are also significant cons to consider.
I still believe that HubSpot is one of the best all-in-one marketing and sales solutions for small teams, and I always urge businesses to give the free plan a go.
In saying that, there are some pretty impressive online tools out there that give HubSpot a run for their money.
Ultimately, your decision depends on your business!
Do you agree with my pros and cons of HubSpot list? Let me know below.
