HubSpot vs Salesforce, which CRM should you use?
No business is complete without a customer relationship management platform. Effectively, this is a platform that allows you to track communications with customers and nurture relationships. The idea is that you use this technology to improve sales figures, grow your audience and so on. Currently, there are lots of different CRM options out there, but two of the biggest are HubSpot and Salesforce.
The question on a lot of business owners’ lips is: which one should you use? We’ve taken both CRM platforms and looked at the key differences between the two, helping you figure out what kinds of businesses are better suited for each option.
HubSpot
HubSpot is widely seen as the best free CRM software for businesses. Already, that’s a key difference between it and Salesforce - there is no free plan with the latter, only a free trial. HubSpot is also known for its wealth of inbound marketing tools. In fact, it is probably the best CRM on the market if you are looking for something to upgrade your marketing strategy.
Most people also remark that this platform is very easy to use with a pretty fast learning curb. There’s a lot of guidance within the platform, making it a fantastic option for smaller businesses and people without a lot of pre-existing marketing knowledge.
Salesforce
As the name suggests, Salesforce has made its name as a brilliant platform for sales. While it does include some marketing features, it really differs from HubSpot in the variety of automated sales features it provides. This platform really goes in-depth into sales forecasting & reports, helping your business generate more sales every month. There’s a higher level of customization with Salesforce as well, so it can be easier to tailor to your business.
With Salesforce, you do have a slightly more complex platform. However, it is undeniably more powerful and everything is geared towards driving leads through your sales pipeline to generate a good ROI.
So, which should you use?
In all honesty, it mainly comes down to the pricing of both platforms. Smaller businesses benefit from using HubSpot because it has a free version that provides lots of useful inbound marketing tools. It’s also slightly easier to use because there isn’t a steep learning curve. Again, small companies or individuals running a business alone are likely to prefer this platform.
On the other hand, Salesforce is arguably the most complete CRM out there - particularly for larger organisations. While it doesn’t offer a free plan, there is a free trial. Plus, you get more features for the baseline plans at a lower price than you do with HubSpot. If sales are a really big priority, then Salesforce could be perfect for you.
Ultimately, it’s hard to pick a winner here as it comes down to personal or business preferences. Our best piece of advice is to take advantage of the free plan and free trial of both. Give HubSpot and Salesforce a try, then see which one seems to benefit your business the most!
