HubSpot and Salesforce are both extremely versatile and popular CRM platforms that are used by businesses of all sizes, from local startups to multi-national enterprises. But which one is best for YOUR business? As a provider of platform services for over a quarter century, we're here to help you make the most informed choice when it comes to the debate of HubSpot vs. Salesforce.
What Is the Difference?
While both are great cloud-based customer relationship management platforms, each one excels in different areas. The three areas we'll be comparing, that will likely have the most impact on your choice of platform, are the price, control & flexibility and support structure of each.
Price
The last thing you want is to use a tool that undercuts your bottom line instead of raising it. And one of these CRMs is much more costly than the other. The price of HubSpot and Salesforce is the most distinguishing difference between the two platforms, with the estimated annual sales software costs for a team of about 50 users through HubSpot's Sales Hub enterprise plan adding up to ~$75,000 and Salesforce's Sales Cloud enterprise plan coming to a total of ~$236,800.
These two numbers were calculated by taking into account the following factors:
- List Price
- Licensing Costs
- Implementation
- Platform Maintenance
- Outbound Calling Software
- Sales Engagement Software
- Conversation Intelligence and Call Coaching Software
- Customer Support Costs
For a complete breakdown of these expenses and their sources, reference this article.
Control and Flexibility
These tools shine when you're able to use them to their full extent, which most businesses struggle to do given some of the complicated systems found in both. However, one of these CRMs provides much more in the way of customizability than the other...
Salesforce is highly customizable and known for its control which gives users and ability to meet the specific needs of a business. With this customizability also comes advanced reporting and analytics. Salesforce has robust analytics reporting features that allow you to monitor performance and analyze in-depth metrics that can help improve your business.
Where Salesforce excels in the customizability and depth of its CRM, HubSpot competes with a more intuitive and user-friendly interface that makes it easier for businesses to take advantage of the tools it does offer without being too overwhelming. Not only that, but HubSpot gives businesses much more flexibility to tackle multiple marketing initiatives through their product bundles, unlike Salesforce where most of their service expansions require separate plans to use. Some of the most popular HubSpot marketing features that come in its plans include:
- SEO
- Ad Tracking and Management
- Blogs
- Social Media Management
- Video Management
Support Structure
No matter which CRM platform you choose, you need to be assured that when an issue arises you have a competent support team ready to get your business back on track, fast.
HubSpot is known for its robust customer support, with a large community of users and resources available. HubSpot offers a variety of support options, including:
- Phone Support
- Email Support
- Knowledge Base of Articles, Videos, and Tutorials.
Additionally, HubSpot offers a large community forum where users can ask questions, share ideas, and connect with other HubSpot users. Agencies, like us, who are HubSpot partners also assist businesses through comprehensive onboarding and ongoing priority support.
Salesforce also offers a range of customer support options, including:
- Phone Support
- Email Support
- Knowledge Base of Articles and Tutorials.
Salesforce also has a community of users and partners that can provide additional support and resources, but it is not nearly as large and cohesive as HubSpot. Salesforce also offers a certification program for users, which can provide advanced training and support for the platform, however, the last thing most businesses want is to spend additional time trying to find a DIY solution when something goes wrong with a tool you're paying so much to use.
So Which CRM Is Best?
After working with hundreds of clients in both HubSpot and Salesforce, we've learned that for most businesses the flexibility and more intuitive systems of HubSpot provide the best customer relationship management experience, not to mention the price difference alone can provide a much higher ROI. That's not to say Salesforce doesn't have its own benefits. Contact us to learn how we can help your business use either of these CRMs to their full potential.
