# HubSpot alternative

> HubSpot is excellent at marketing. Whether you need to pay for that is the question.

**URL:** https://cubecrm.co.uk/alternatives/hubspot

**Vendor:** HubSpot, Inc. | **Category:** All-in-one suites | **Last reviewed:** 2026-09-24

## What HubSpot actually is

HubSpot began as an inbound marketing platform and grew into a full CRM suite. Its free CRM tools are useful, and paid capability is sold as separate hubs - Marketing, Sales, Service and others - each in Starter, Professional and Enterprise tiers, priced by seat and, for marketing, by the number of marketing contacts. It is polished, well documented and has a large app marketplace. For a business whose growth depends on content, inbound marketing and automated nurturing at scale, it is one of the strongest choices available. The conversations we have about it are usually with sales-led businesses whose costs rose as they moved up tiers or added contacts, and who mainly needed a well-run pipeline.

## What HubSpot does well

- Market-leading inbound marketing: landing pages, forms, content and automated nurturing in one place.
- Free CRM tools that let very small teams start without spending anything.
- A polished, approachable interface and a large library of training material.
- A big marketplace of integrations and a large community of agencies who know it well.

## Side by side

| Dimension | HubSpot | CubeCRM |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Where it starts | Inbound marketing, extended into sales and service | The customer record and the sales process, with marketing through Mailchimp |
| Tiers and modules | Separate hubs, each in Starter, Professional and Enterprise tiers | One edition. All 12 modules included |
| Pricing shape | Per seat by hub and tier, plus marketing contact tiers; free tools available | Per named user, everything included, plus a fixed-price setup |
| Bulk email | Built into Marketing Hub | Integrated with Mailchimp rather than built in |
| Hosting | US or EU data centres | UK data centres managed by the group |
| Room to grow | More hubs and higher tiers | Upgrade to CubeERP for orders, stock and operations on the same records |

## Worth checking before you sign

- **Tiers and hubs multiply:** Many useful sales features sit in Professional tiers rather than Starter, and each hub is priced separately. Work out every hub and tier you would need in a year, as well as the one you start on.
- **Marketing contacts affect cost:** Marketing Hub pricing depends on how many marketing contacts you hold, so a growing database can change the bill. Check how contacts are counted before importing a large list.
- **Onboarding for higher tiers:** Some higher tiers carry a required onboarding fee. Ask whether your chosen configuration does.
- **Hosting location:** HubSpot offers data hosting in the US and EU. If UK hosting matters to your customers or tenders, confirm what is available for your account.

## When HubSpot is the better choice

If your growth depends on inbound marketing - content, landing pages, automated nurturing and marketing attribution at scale - HubSpot is very likely the better choice, and we would say so. It is also a sensible starting point for a very small team happy to live within the free tools.

## What leaving HubSpot involves

- **Export is straightforward:** Contacts, companies, deals, notes and activities can be exported from HubSpot and imported into CubeCRM with properties mapped to fields.
- **Decide where marketing lives:** If you rely on HubSpot for email campaigns and landing pages, plan where those will run - often Mailchimp and your website - before switching.
- **Forms need repointing:** Website forms built in HubSpot need replacing or repointing at CubeCRM so enquiries keep flowing on the day you switch.

## Frequently asked questions

**Is CubeCRM cheaper than HubSpot?**

It depends on which hubs, tiers and contact levels you would need. For a sales-led team that needs a Professional-level pipeline and quoting, CubeCRM is often simpler and cheaper. For a team happy with free tools, HubSpot may cost less. Compare the full configuration over three years.

**Does CubeCRM do marketing automation?**

CubeCRM handles segmentation, lead scoring, reminders and campaign tracking, and sends bulk email through Mailchimp. It is not an inbound marketing suite, and if that is what you need, HubSpot is the stronger choice.

**Can we keep HubSpot for marketing and use CubeCRM for sales?**

It is possible through the API, but two customer databases tend to drift apart. We would normally suggest choosing one system of record.

**How long does a switch take?**

For a typical small or mid-sized team, a matter of weeks - most of it spent deciding what to bring across and where marketing will run.

## Related comparisons

- **Zoho CRM alternative** - https://cubecrm.co.uk/alternatives/zoho-crm
- **Pipedrive alternative** - https://cubecrm.co.uk/alternatives/pipedrive
- **Freshsales alternative** - https://cubecrm.co.uk/alternatives/freshsales

> HubSpot is a trade mark of HubSpot, Inc.. Cube Systems Limited is not affiliated with, endorsed by or a partner of HubSpot, Inc.. This comparison is based on information published by the vendor and was last reviewed on 2026-09-24. Verify current details with the vendor before making any decision.

## Contact

- **Product:** CubeCRM
- **Trading name of:** Cube Systems Limited (company number 17220899, ICO registration number ZC216972)
- **Email:** hello@cubecrm.co.uk
- **Sales:** sales@cubecrm.co.uk
- **Support:** support@cubecrm.co.uk
- **Telephone:** 01234 672 617 (+441234672617)
- **Address:** Unit 11, Olney Business Park, Osier Way, Olney, Buckinghamshire, MK46 5FP
- **Opening hours:** Monday to Friday, 9am to 5.30pm
- **Part of:** Crushed Ice Group (https://crushedicegroup.co.uk)