HubSpot vs Salesforce CRM
HubSpot and Salesforce are the two names most people meet first. HubSpot is known for being easy to pick up and for a free plan; Salesforce is known for depth and for handling complicated sales processes.
Side-by-side
 HubSpot CRM Software | Salesforce CRM CRM Software | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes (2 users, 1,000 contacts) | Yes (Free Suite, 10GB storage) |
| Free trial | Yes (on paid plans) | Yes (on most paid plans) |
| Paid plans start at | $20 /seat/mo | $25 /user/mo |
| Best for | Growing teams that want marketing, sales and support on one customer record | Mid-size and large companies with complex sales processes |
| Company size | 5 – 500 people | 50 – 10,000+ people |
| Founded | 2006 | 1999 |
| Headquarters | Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA | San Francisco, California, USA |
| Integrations | 2,000+ apps in the HubSpot Marketplace | Thousands of apps on AppExchange |
| Price source | Company page | Company page |
Prices show in your local currency where a company lists them; a tool without one stays in USD, so do not compare the numbers directly.
Full profiles: HubSpot · Salesforce CRM
Pricing: HubSpot vs Salesforce CRM
At the entry level the two are close: HubSpot Starter lists at $20 per seat and Salesforce Starter Suite at $25 per user. The gap opens as you move up, because Salesforce's full Sales Cloud editions start at $195 per user per month.
- Free: $0 forever
- Starter: From $20 /seat/mo
- Professional: From $50 /seat/mo
- Enterprise: From $75 /seat/mo
- Free Suite: $0
- Starter Suite: $25 /user/mo
- Pro Suite: $100 /user/mo
- Sales Cloud Core: $195 /user/mo
- Advanced: $395 /user/mo
- Max: $550 /user/mo
The 'from' prices above are for the entry CRM seat. Marketing, Service and bundled Customer Platform plans cost more, and the Professional and Enterprise tiers can require a one-time onboarding fee. Prices are per user per month in US dollars on our check date. Starter Suite can be billed monthly or yearly; Pro Suite and the Sales Cloud editions are billed yearly.
Who should pick which?
Choose HubSpot if…
- You want one system for marketing, sales and support
- You want to start free and pay only as you grow
- Your team values easy screens over deep customisation
Choose Salesforce CRM if…
- Your sales process has many steps or teams
- You have, or can hire, an admin
- You expect to grow into a large company
Strengths and weak spots
HubSpot
Strengths: A free plan with no end date, good for testing with real data; Clean, easy screens that new staff pick up quickly; Marketing, sales and support share one customer record.
Weak spots: Cost climbs quickly once you add seats, contacts and extra hubs; Advanced automation and reporting sit on higher plans; Professional and Enterprise can need a paid onboarding step.
Salesforce CRM
Strengths: Extremely flexible for complex sales processes; Huge ecosystem of add-ons, partners and consultants; Scales from a small team to a global company.
Weak spots: Steeper learning curve than simpler CRMs; Often needs an admin or consultant to set up well; Total cost is well above the seat price.
HubSpot vs Salesforce CRM FAQ
Which is cheaper, HubSpot or Salesforce CRM?
At the entry level the two are close: HubSpot Starter lists at $20 per seat and Salesforce Starter Suite at $25 per user. The gap opens as you move up, because Salesforce's full Sales Cloud editions start at $195 per user per month.
Do HubSpot and Salesforce CRM have free plans?
HubSpot: Yes (2 users, 1,000 contacts). Salesforce CRM: Yes (Free Suite, 10GB storage). Both let you start without paying.
Which is better for a small business, HubSpot or Salesforce CRM?
HubSpot is best for: growing teams that want marketing, sales and support on one customer record. Salesforce CRM is best for: mid-size and large companies with complex sales processes.
How were these details checked?
We read each company's public pricing page on 27 Sep 2026. Salesforce CRM price source: vendor page. See how we research for our full method.
Last updated: 27 Sep 2026. How we research · All comparisons