Best HubSpot Alternatives: Which Should You Choose for CRM, Marketing, or Support?

HubSpot is a powerful platform, but it is not always the best fit for every team, budget, or business. The best HubSpot alternative depends on what you need, for example, a CRM, marketing automation, or customer support with an AI Helpdesk. This guide compares the best HubSpot alternatives for small business by category so you can see what they are meant for. We also show you the differences in their features, pricing, and who benefits from each one, to help you choose the right tool for the right job without paying for tools you don’t need. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS 

• Start with the tools you need, because different HubSpot alternatives aren’t always the right choice for every team. 

• HubSpot brings CRM, marketing, and support tools under one roof with different Hubs, but upgrading and adding AI credits can become expensive. 

• Teams leave HubSpot because the free and Starter plans stop being enough, while Professional plans can have a huge cost jump. 

• The best HubSpot alternatives depend on the category (e.g., Desku.io for support) and the platform that supports it best. 

• The biggest savings usually arise from switching from HubSpot to a focused tool, not another all-in-one platform. 

• HubSpot can be the right choice when one connected platform provides value and is easier than using different tools. 

• When choosing, start with what you are replacing, then compare total cost at your actual team size. 

HubSpot Alternatives At a Glance 

The best HubSpot alternative depends on what you’re replacing. Zoho CRM or Pipedrive are better fits for sales and CRM; ActiveCampaign or Brevo make more sense for marketing automation; EngageBay works as a lower-cost all-in-one solution; and Desku.io is one of the strongest HubSpot Service Hub alternatives. 

What Is HubSpot? 

HubSpot is a customer software platform built around a Smart CRM (Customer Relationship Management) process with separate Hubs for marketing, sales, service, content, and data. Its free CRM is genuinely good for small teams that need contact and lead management, basic sales pipelines, and record-keeping. 

HubSpot is also a widely trusted brand, has a large integration marketplace, and includes Breeze AI with basic AI assistants even on the free tier. 

The trade-off is when you need advanced automation, reporting, customer service, or AI agents. HubSpot’s Professional and Enterprise plans come with higher monthly costs, mandatory onboarding fees, per-seat pricing, and usage-based HubSpot Credits for AI features.  

Why Teams Look for a HubSpot Alternative 

HubSpot isn’t expensive because one item in your stack is high; it’s because multiple products and layers start stacking up, creating a pricing cliff. Marketing Hub Professional starts at $800/month (annual billing), plus a one-off $1,500 onboarding fee. This is a big jump for teams moving from free or Starter plans. 

The second issue is seat-based pricing. Many plans only offer pay-per-agent once they need Professional-level features. Service Hub Professional is listed at $90/seat/month annually for a five-agent team; that puts it at $450 per month before onboarding, AI use, or additional features. 

AI adds another layer, which is billed through HubSpot Credits. The Customer Agent uses 50 credits per resolved conversation, with credits at $49/1000 once they run out. 

Then there is contact-based growth. Marketing Hub Professional includes 2000 contacts, and costs increase as your list grows.  

Again, HubSpot is powerful, but it can feel like a barrier to growth for small businesses because of feature gating. Advanced reporting, automation, A/B testing, and other high-value tools are locked behind the Professional and Enterprise tiers, which can be limiting if you’re still deciding on your setup. 

That is why the best option isn’t always a cheaper all-in-one platform or free HubSpot alternative. Often, the better move is to replace the Hub you use.

The Best HubSpot Alternatives Compared  

Category A: For Customer Support 

Desku.io 

Desku.io is an AI Customer Service Software and solution for SMB and ecommerce teams. It is not a CRM like HubSpot Sales Hub. Instead, Desku.io replaces Service Hub with:  

• A shared inbox for managing support conversations in one place. 

• Ticketing and automations for assigning, tracking, and resolving issues. 

• EVA AI Chatbot trained on your documents, website, and support conversations. 

• Omnichannel support for live chat, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, email, and more. 

• Shopify, WooCommerce, and Magento integrations. 

Pricing: Free plan available. Paid plans start at $39/month, with higher tiers at $79/month and $179/month. No per-seat cliff or onboarding fees. Here’s a quick cost comparison:  

Pros: 

• Predictable pricing without per-agent fees. 

• Strong fit for ecommerce and general support. 

• AI trained to resolve customer questions. 

• No unnecessary CRM features for support teams. 

Cons: 

• No sales pipeline management, e.g., Sales Hub. 

• Younger ecosystem than HubSpot or Zendesk. 

• Fewer native integrations than HubSpot’s marketplace. 

Choose Desku.io over HubSpot if customer support is the main function you need. If you require a CRM or marketing automation, pair Desku.io with Zoho CRM, Pipedrive, ActiveCampaign, or Brevo. 

Try Desku.io free for 14 days, no credit card required.  

Zendesk 

Best for: Larger organizations with teams that need advanced customer support features. 

Zendesk is a well-established customer service platform built for high ticket volumes and complex support requirements, but it is usually more than most small teams need. 

Pricing: Plans start at $19/agent/month with Zendesk Suite Team at $55/agent/month billed annually, and the AI Copilot is $50/agent/month. 

Key features: 

• Ticketing and case management. 

• Omnichannel messaging. 

• Help center and knowledge base. 

• Routing, automations, and reporting. 

• AI and workforce add-ons. 

Pros: 

• Mature ticketing and service workflows. 

• Strong reporting and routing options. 

• Wide support-focused integration ecosystem. 

Cons: 

• Pricing increases per agent. 

• AI and advanced features cost more. 

• Complex for smaller teams. 

Choose Zendesk over HubSpot if support is a separate function and you need enterprise-level helpdesk depth. If you need a simpler solution, it would be better to look at Zendesk alternatives like Desku.io or Chatbase. 

Category B: For CRM & Sales 

Zoho CRM 

Best for: SMBs that want a range of CRM features at a lower cost than HubSpot. 

Zoho CRM is one of the best all-round value HubSpot CRM alternatives for SMBs. It includes multiple features only available in HubSpot Pro plans without the price tag. However, the UI can feel less polished. 

Pricing: Free plan for up to three users. Paid plans start at $14/user/month annually, without add-ons. 

Key features: 

• Lead, contact, and deal management. 

• Sales pipelines and workflow automation. 

• Email and activity tracking. 

• Reporting and dashboards. 

Pros: 

• Strong CRM depth for the price. 

• Free tier works well for small teams. 

• Good fit for businesses using Zoho tools. 

• More affordable than HubSpot Sales Hub. 

Cons: 

• Interface can feel dated. 

• Add-ons can increase total cost. 

• Setup can take time. 

Choose Zoho CRM if you want a capable, lower-cost CRM and don’t need HubSpot’s full marketing and support tools. 

Pipedrive 

Best for: Sales teams that need a simple, pipeline-first CRM. 

Pipedrive focuses mainly on sales pipeline visibility. It is built around deals, stages, activities, and follow-ups. It is simpler than HubSpot, making it easier for teams that don’t need a full customer service platform. 

Pricing: Plans range from $14–$69/user/month on annual billing and include Pipedrive AI functionality. 

Key features: 

• Visual pipelines. 

• Deal and activity tracking. 

• Email syncing and templates. 

• AI and automations. 

• Forecasting and reporting. 

Pros: 

• User-friendly for sales reps. 

• Less cluttered than larger CRM platforms. 

• Strong tracking and activity management. 

Cons: 

• Limited marketing features. 

• Some features need add-ons or higher plans. 

• Not designed as an all-in-one business or support platform. 

Choose Pipedrive if you want to manage sales and don’t need a full CRM, marketing, and service stack. 

Freshsales 

Best for: Sales teams that want a budget-friendly CRM with built-in AI. 

Freshsales is part of the Freshworks ecosystem and is one of the best budget AI-powered CRM platforms. It provides teams with contact management, tracking, multiple channels, and communication tools in a single place. 

Pricing: Free plan. Paid plans start at $9/user/month billed annually, with the Freddy AI Agent add-on at $49 per 100 sessions. 

Key features: 

• Contact, account, and deal management. 

• Sales sequences and workflows. 

• Built-in phone, email, and chat options. 

• AI-assisted contact scoring and insights. 

• Reporting and dashboards. 

Pros: 

• Low starting price. 

• Useful built-in communication tools. 

• Good fit for teams already using Freshworks products. 

Cons: 

• Best value comes inside the Freshworks stack. 

• Advanced features require higher plans. 

• May feel less flexible than specialist CRMs. 

Choose Freshsales if you want a low-cost CRM with solid sales and communication tools included. 

monday CRM 

Best for: Teams that want a visual-based CRM they can customize. 

monday CRM works well for teams that want boards, statuses, and flexible workflows. It is less traditional than Zoho or Salesforce, but easier to shape around specific sales processes. 

• Deal boards and pipelines. 

• Custom fields and templates. 

• Automations and task tracking. 

• AI and collaboration features. 

Pricing: Plans range from $12/user/month for Basic (no AI included), $17/user/month for Standard, and $28/user/month for Pro (both with AI included), with a minimum three-seat requirement. 

Pros: 

• Highly visual and customizable. 

• Flexible workflows and communication tools. 

• Good for teams already using Monday.com. 

Cons: 

• Seat minimums can affect pricing for small teams. 

• Less CRM depth than Salesforce or Zoho. 

• Costs rise as more seats are added. 

• Advanced features require higher plans. 

Choose monday CRM if workflow visibility and customization matter more than a traditional CRM structure. 

Salesforce Starter Suite 

Best for: Teams that want a small-business entry point to grow into the Salesforce platform. 

Salesforce Starter Suite is the new name for the original Essentials plan. It gives SMBs a cost-effective option with a solid range of features to start with Salesforce without higher-tier prices.  

Pricing: Free plan. Starter Suite is priced at $25/user/month, with Pro at $100/user/month. 

Key features: 

• Contact, lead, and opportunity management. 

• Sales activity tracking. 

• Basic marketing and service tools. 

• Reporting and dashboards. 

Pros: 

• Upgrade path to full Salesforce platform. 

• Strong long-term scalability. 

• Broad platform feature depth. 

Cons: 

• More complex than lighter CRMs. 

• Pro Suite is a large pricing jump from Starter. 

• May need admin support later. 

Choose Salesforce Starter Suite if you want a CRM that can grow into the full Salesforce system without switching platforms. 

Category C: For Marketing Automation 

ActiveCampaign 

Best for: Teams that need in-depth email marketing automation and tools. 

ActiveCampaign is one of the best Marketing Hub alternatives for email automation with segmentation, customer journeys, and campaign management. For teams that mainly need marketing automation, not a full CRM, it can be a better fit than HubSpot. 

Pricing: Plans start from $15/month with 1000 contacts. Pricing goes up depending on the plans and number of contacts chosen. 

Pros: 

• Strong automation depth and builder. 

• Good lifecycle and segmentation tools.  

• More email automation focused than HubSpot. 

Cons: 

• Learning curve for complex workflows. 

• Contact-based pricing grows with your list. 

• Advanced CRM features require add-ons. 

Choose ActiveCampaign if email marketing and automation are the main features you need, and you don’t want to pay for a full HubSpot suite. 

Brevo 

Best for: Budget email marketing, SMS, and basic automation. 

Brevo is an affordable HubSpot Marketing Hub alternative for teams that want email marketing tools without HubSpot’s higher monthly costs but don’t need a full CRM. 

Pricing: Free plan with paid plans from $ 9/month for 5000 emails, increasing based on features and monthly email allocation. 

Key features: 

• Email and SMS marketing. 

• Basic AI and automation. 

• Forms and templates. 

• Reporting and segmentation. 

Pros: 

• Free plan available. 

• Budget-friendly alternative. 

• Includes transactional email options. 

• Easier to use than HubSpot. 

Cons: 

• CRM is basic. 

• Automations are lighter than some other platforms. 

• Reporting is less advanced than HubSpot. 

• Not suited to complex multi-team marketing. 

Choose Brevo if you want affordable email automation and don’t require a full marketing suite. 

EngageBay 

Best for: Teams that want a cheaper all-in-one HubSpot-style platform. 

EngageBay is one of the closest lower-cost HubSpot competitors, combining CRM, marketing, and customer support. It is less refined than HubSpot but can work well for small teams that want multiple tools in one place. 

Key features: 

• CRM and contact management. 

• Email marketing and automation. 

• Landing pages and forms. 

• Helpdesk and live chat. 

• Scheduling and sales tools. 

Pricing: Free plan with paid plans starting from $12.74/user/month on its biennial billing option. Free AI chatbot for 15 users. 

Pros: 

• Low-cost all-in-one structure with free plan. 

• Covers sales, marketing, and support. 

• Good for small teams consolidating tools. 

Cons: 

• Smaller ecosystem and marketplace. 

• Lower feature depth in some areas. 

• Advanced teams may outgrow it. 

Choose EngageBay if you want the closest low-cost all-in-one alternative and don’t mind sacrificing a few advanced features. 

Keap 

Best for: Small businesses that need CRM, automation, payments, and invoicing. 

Keap, acquired by Thryv in 2024, is built for SMBs with CRM, sales, marketing, invoicing, and automation in one platform. While pricier than others, it consolidates many of the functions of different Hubs. 

Pricing: Monthly billing starts at $299 and increases based on the number of users and contacts added. 

Key features: 

• CRM and contact management. 

• Sales pipeline and marketing automation. 

• Appointments and follow-ups. 

• Invoicing and payments. 

• Forms, landing pages, and email campaigns. 

Pros: 

• Strong fit for service-based businesses. 

• CRM, automation, invoicing, and payments. 

• Good for follow-up and appointment workflows. 

• Better business automation focus. 

Cons: 

• More expensive than many SMB tools. 

• Ownership change may affect packaging. 

• Overkill for small teams. 

Choose Keap if you want business automation with payments, appointments, and follow-ups, not just CRM or email marketing.

HubSpot vs Alternatives: What Switching Actually Saves 

Based on a five-person team, here’s what switching to a HubSpot alternative could save you: 

If you only need ticketing, Live Chat, AI answers, ecommerce integrations, and omnichannel support, paying for HubSpot’s entire platform may not make sense. 

When HubSpot Is Still the Right Choice 

HubSpot can still be the right choice if you want a single vendor for marketing, sales, service, reporting, content, and reporting. Teams can all work from the same customer data with fewer disconnected tools, handoffs, and less integration work. 

It also makes sense if you are already deep in the HubSpot ecosystem and switching would create more disruption than savings.  

Larger companies may find that if HubSpot’s pricing fits their budget, the platform’s breadth, integrations, reporting, and brand trust can justify the spend. 

The free CRM is another reason to stay, especially for small teams. It gives you a useful entry point before you need advanced paid features. 

HubSpot works best when you use enough of the platform to justify the price. The mistake is paying for extras when you only need one part of it. 

How to Choose  

Before you choose, use this checklist: 

1. Which Hub are you replacing?  

If you need sales, choose a CRM. If you need email automation, choose a marketing tool. If you need support, choose a helpdesk. Most people only need one. 

2. What will the tool cost at your team’s size?  

Include users, agents, onboarding fees, AI usage, contacts, and add-ons. 

3. Is the pricing predictable?  

Per-seat and usage-based pricing can work, but only if you factor growth in. Flat pricing is easier to plan around. 

4. How hard is migration and data porting?  

Check contacts, deals, tickets, automations, tags, forms, knowledge base content, and reporting history. 

5. Would two focused tools beat one suite? 

For many SMBs, the best setup is a simple CRM plus a dedicated support tool. Zoho CRM plus Desku.io, for example, can be a cheaper alternative to HubSpot and easier than one platform with tools you don’t use.

Replace Service Hub with Desku.io 

If you need HubSpot’s full marketing, sales, and service platform, stay with HubSpot or choose one of the CRM and marketing alternatives discussed above. 

But if what you need is customer support software, Desku.io is built for the job. 

With Desku.io, you receive a shared inbox, ticketing, live chat, ecommerce integrations, omnichannel messaging, and an AI Chatbot for a flat price. 

Start a 14-day free Desku.io trial. No credit card required.

FAQs 

What is the best alternative to HubSpot? 

The best HubSpot alternative depends on the Hub you wish to replace. Zoho CRM and Pipedrive are strong CRM choices. ActiveCampaign and Brevo are better for marketing automation. Desku.io is the better fit for support teams replacing HubSpot Service Hub. 

Is there a free HubSpot alternative? 

Yes. Zoho CRM has a free plan for up to three users; Freshsales has a free CRM plan; Brevo offers a free marketing plan; EngageBay includes free CRM and helpdesk tools; and Desku.io has a free support plan. Free plans usually work best for small teams with simple workflows. 

Why is HubSpot so expensive? 

HubSpot becomes expensive when teams move from free or Starter plans into Professional tiers. Costs can include monthly subscription fees, paid seats, mandatory onboarding, contact tiers, and HubSpot Credits for AI usage. The platform is powerful, but the total cost can rise fast. 

What is the best HubSpot Service Hub alternative? 

Desku.io is the best HubSpot Service Hub alternative for SMB and ecommerce support teams that want shared inboxes, tickets, live chat, AI chatbot, knowledge base, and omnichannel support at a flat price. Zendesk is better for larger support organizations with more complex service operations. 

Can I use a separate CRM and helpdesk instead of HubSpot? 

Yes. Many small businesses are better served by two focused tools instead of one large suite. You could use Zoho CRM or Pipedrive for sales, ActiveCampaign or Brevo for marketing, and Desku.io for customer support. This often lowers cost and keeps each team’s workflow cleaner. 

Does HubSpot charge for AI? 

Some HubSpot AI features are tied to HubSpot Credits. HubSpot lists Customer Agent at 50 credits per resolved conversation, and credits can be purchased once included monthly credits run out. This means AI usage should be included in your total cost comparison. 

Is Desku.io a CRM alternative? 

No. Desku.io is not a CRM alternative. It does not replace sales pipelines or marketing automation. It replaces the customer support side of HubSpot: helpdesk, live chat, ticketing, AI chatbot, knowledge base, and omnichannel conversations.