HubSpot alternatives, and how to know if you should switch
We're a HubSpot Platinum Solutions Partner, and people still ask us what to use instead. We see why companies leave. Sometimes another tool fits better. Often the real problem is how HubSpot was set up.
Free, 30 minutes, and you'll leave with at least one clear next step.
Why do companies look for HubSpot alternatives?
Most people start looking for one of three reasons. The bill went up as they moved to Professional or added seats. The account got messy and the team stopped trusting the reports. Or a specific need, like a very complex sales process or a store-first email program, fits another tool better.
Only the last reason is a strong case for leaving. A rising bill is worth checking against what you actually use. A messy account usually follows you to the next CRM, because the same habits come with you.
The main HubSpot alternatives and who each one suits
Salesforce, for large and complex sales teams
Salesforce fits companies with thousands of users, many divisions with their own rules, or Salesforce developers on staff. Expect more admin work and a bigger budget for the people who run it.
HubSpot vs SalesforceZoho CRM, for tight budgets and Zoho users
Zoho CRM costs less per user, and Zoho also makes accounting and inventory apps that can be bundled together. It suits cost-conscious teams, especially ones with someone in house to manage the setup.
HubSpot vs ZohoPipedrive, for small sales-only teams
Pipedrive is a focused pipeline tool that reps learn fast. Email marketing is a paid add-on, so it suits teams where sales does most of the work.
HubSpot vs PipedriveKlaviyo, for online stores
Klaviyo is strongest at email and text marketing for Shopify stores that sell only online. It fits best when there's no sales team calling on accounts.
Klaviyo vs HubSpotLeave HubSpot, or fix the setup?
Switching makes sense when
- You need something HubSpot doesn't do, such as deep custom code across many divisions
- You sell online only, and email and text bring in most of your sales
- Your team is small and sales-only, and it pays for hubs no one uses
- Your company already runs on another vendor's family of apps, like Zoho or Salesforce
- You've cleaned up HubSpot once already and it still doesn't fit how you sell
Fixing HubSpot makes sense when
- Reports don't match reality because old deals and duplicates were never cleaned
- Leads slip through because routing and reminders were never set up
- You're paying for seats that could be free view-only seats
- Your ERP or store sync was set up once and hasn't been checked since
- Your team was never trained, so everyone uses it differently
What happened when a company stayed and fixed it?
One client had a HubSpot account it couldn't trust. Its sales leader guessed the open deal list looked about four times bigger than it really was. Some leads never got a call, and service requests came in by phone and email with no tracking.
Switching CRMs wouldn't have fixed any of that. We audited the account, rebuilt its pipelines for sales, project design and service, and set up lead routing and required fields. In just over 45 days, every lead that had never been contacted was back with the sales team. Read the full story.
If you're not sure which camp you're in, a Friction Point Analysis looks at how your team actually works before anyone picks software.
What does leaving HubSpot really cost?
The new tool's license is the visible part. The hidden parts are rebuilding workflows, reports, forms and email templates, reconnecting your ERP or store, moving marketing history and retraining everyone. Email engagement and website tracking history often don't move cleanly between platforms.
Before you switch, price a full year on the new tool with your current headcount and add the rebuild work. Compare that with a HubSpot cleanup and a check of which seats and hubs you need. Our HubSpot implementation cost guide shows what drives setup cost either way.
Questions to answer before you switch
- What does HubSpot fail to do for us today, and does the new tool do it?
- Are we paying for paid seats that people only use to look at records?
- Which systems connect to HubSpot now, such as NetSuite or Shopify, and what will it take to reconnect them?
- Who will run the new tool day to day, and do they have time?
- What history do we need to keep, and can the new tool import it?
HubSpot alternatives questions
What is the best alternative to HubSpot?
It depends on why you're leaving. Salesforce suits large, complex sales teams. Zoho CRM suits tight budgets and companies already on Zoho apps. Pipedrive suits small sales-only teams. Klaviyo suits online stores focused on email and text.
Is there a cheaper way to stay on HubSpot?
Often. Check whether everyone on a paid seat needs one, since view-only seats cost nothing extra. Check whether you use every hub you pay for, and whether Starter would cover some teams. Then compare that with the cost of switching.
Can we keep our data if we leave HubSpot?
Your records can be exported, including contacts, companies, deals and tickets. Workflows, reports and some marketing history have to be rebuilt in the new tool. Plan for that work up front.
Why would a HubSpot partner publish a list of alternatives?
People ask us anyway, and a straight answer builds more trust than a sales pitch. When HubSpot isn't the right fit, steering someone into it leads to a failed project for everyone.
Our HubSpot reports are wrong. Is that a reason to switch?
Usually not. Wrong reports nearly always trace back to stale deals, duplicate records or missing required fields. Those problems move with you to any CRM unless the process behind them changes.
Related
Get an outside opinion before you switch
Tell us why you're looking. If another tool fits better, we'll say so and explain why. If the setup is the issue, we'll show you what to fix first.