Salesforce vs HubSpot: Which is better in 2026?
A side-by-side comparison of pricing, features, and use cases to help you decide between Salesforce and HubSpot.
The world's #1 CRM platform
All-in-one CRM, marketing, and sales platform
Head-to-head comparison
| Feature | Salesforce | HubSpot |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $25/mo | $15/mo ✓ Cheaper |
| Free plan | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| Pricing model | paid | freemium |
| G2 rating | 4.3/5 | 4.4/5 ↑ |
| Capterra rating | 4.4/5 | 4.5/5 |
| Founded | 1999 | 2006 |
Salesforce: pros & cons
- ✓Most powerful CRM available
- ✓Massive ecosystem
- ✓Highly customisable
- ✓Scales to enterprise
- ✗Very expensive
- ✗Steep learning curve
- ✗Requires dedicated admin
- ✗Implementation costs are high
HubSpot: pros & cons
- ✓Generous free plan
- ✓All-in-one platform
- ✓Easy to use
- ✓Strong integrations
- ✗Gets expensive fast
- ✗Contact-based pricing adds up
- ✗Some features gated behind expensive tiers
Choose Salesforce if...
- →Your enterprise sales team needs complex approval workflows, custom objects, and territory management that out-of-the-box CRMs can't handle
- →You need a CRM that connects to hundreds of third-party systems via AppExchange and custom API integrations
- →You're running multi-cloud operations where sales, service, and marketing data must feed into a single unified platform
Choose HubSpot if...
- →You want to start free and scale into paid CRM, marketing, or sales hubs later
- →Your team is non-technical and needs fast onboarding with minimal configuration
- →You need sales, marketing, and support data visible in a single platform
Our verdict
Salesforce and HubSpot are closely matched on user ratings. HubSpot is the more affordable option. HubSpot offers a free plan — a lower-risk way to test before committing. The right pick depends on your team size and workflow.
Salesforce vs HubSpot: frequently asked questions
Is Salesforce better than HubSpot?
HubSpot has a higher G2 score (4.4/5 vs 4.3/5). The best tool depends on your specific use case and budget.
Which is cheaper, Salesforce or HubSpot?
HubSpot is cheaper, starting at $15/mo.
What is the main difference between Salesforce and HubSpot?
Salesforce focuses on lead management, opportunity tracking, workflow automation. HubSpot focuses on crm, email marketing, landing pages. Both serve similar use cases but differ in approach and pricing model.
Can I migrate from Salesforce to HubSpot?
Most teams migrate between Salesforce and HubSpot within a day or two. Export your data from Salesforce (typically as CSV or via API), then use HubSpot's import wizard to bring it across. Check each tool's help centre for a step-by-step migration guide before switching.