HubSpot Alternatives: 10 Competitors for Small Businesses

HubSpot is a highly popular CRM and marketing automation platform used by businesses of all sizes. Despite its comprehensive features, many businesses are looking for HubSpot alternatives due to its high costs, complexity, and limitations in customization. Whether you’re looking for more affordable options, simpler tools, or more flexible CRM software, we’ve got you covered. In this blog, we’ll explore the top 10 HubSpot alternatives that provide powerful marketing automation, CRM, and customer engagement solutions without breaking the bank.

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Why Consider HubSpot Alternatives?

While HubSpot has a range of features across its Marketing Hub, Sales Hub, and CRM, it comes with certain drawbacks. Here’s why businesses are exploring alternatives:

High Costs

Although HubSpot offers a free plan, most valuable features are locked behind expensive paid tiers. As your business scales, costs can escalate quickly, especially if you add advanced features or require onboarding services.

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Complex Setup

For smaller businesses or those new to CRM and marketing automation, HubSpot’s setup can feel overwhelming. The platform’s complexity often requires significant time and resources, along with paid onboarding programs.

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Limited Customization

HubSpot offers robust tools, but its customization options can be restrictive, especially for businesses needing more flexibility in their workflows, CRM, or automation sequences.

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Feature Gaps

Certain industries or businesses with specific requirements may find HubSpot lacking in industry-specific tools or deeper CRM integrations, especially when dealing with advanced workflows or large amounts of customer data.

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Comparison Table of HubSpot Alternatives

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10 Best HubSpot Competitors for Small Businesses

Here’s a closer look at the top HubSpot alternatives, complete with their pros and cons to help you find the best solution for your business.

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1. Dripcel (Best for AI-powered SMS Marketing)

Dripcel is an advanced SMS marketing platform designed to help businesses optimize their campaigns using AI. Dripcel specializes in SMS marketing, making it ideal for businesses focused on customer engagement via mobile messaging. Unlike HubSpot, which provides broader marketing automation, Dripcel leverages AI for highly personalized campaigns with features like real-time A/B testing and predictive analytics.

Dripcel excels in AI-driven SMS marketing, offering personalized campaigns that maximize engagement. Discover how SMS marketing automation can transform customer engagement.

Pros:

• AI-driven SMS marketing that continuously optimizes campaigns.
• Predictive analytics to improve targeting and customer engagement.
• Real-time A/B testing for enhanced campaign performance.

Its predictive analytics and real-time A/B testing allow businesses to refine strategies effectively. Learn more about optimizing SMS campaigns with Dripcel’s AI technology.

Cons:

• Focuses solely on SMS marketing, lacking email marketing tools.

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2. Sender (Best for Simple Email Automation)

Sender offers a user-friendly solution for businesses looking to run omnichannel marketing campaigns across email and SMS. Its drag-and-drop email builder makes it easy to design and launch campaigns, while its automation tools help nurture leads across multiple channels. Compared to HubSpot, Sender’s pricing is much more affordable, and its free plan supports up to 2,500 subscribers.

Pros:

• Easy-to-use drag-and-drop builder for both email and SMS campaigns.
• High deliverability rates for improved inbox performance.
• Affordable pricing with a free plan for small businesses.

Cons:

• Lacks a landing page builder, limiting more advanced campaign options.

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3. Freshsales (Best for CRM & Sales Pipeline Management)

Freshsales is a budget-friendly CRM that offers advanced sales pipeline management, lead scoring, and reporting tools. It’s an excellent choice for businesses looking to streamline their sales process without spending a fortune. Freshsales provides seamless email integration, so your sales team can manage leads and deals in a single platform. While HubSpot can get expensive as you scale, Freshsales offers a more affordable alternative with similar CRM capabilities.

Pros:

• Sales pipeline management with lead scoring and email integration.
• Mobile app for CRM management on the go.
• Affordable, with a free plan available for smaller businesses.

Cons:

• Limited customization options for complex sales processes.
• Fewer third-party integrations compared to HubSpot.

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4. EngageBay (Best All-in-One CRM for SMBs)

EngageBay offers an all-in-one solution for small to medium-sized businesses, combining CRM, marketing automation, and customer service tools in one platform. It’s designed for businesses that want an affordable HubSpot alternative without sacrificing essential features like email marketing, live chat, and sales pipeline management. EngageBay’s pricing is particularly attractive, with free and paid plans starting at $13/user per month.

Pros:

• Combines CRM, marketing, and customer support into one platform.
• User-friendly interface designed for SMBs.
• Live chat and customer service integration.

Cons:

• Limited advanced customization options.
• Lacks in-depth reporting and analytics compared to HubSpot.

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5. Zoho CRM (Best for Scalability and Customization)

Zoho CRM is a robust alternative to HubSpot, offering advanced automation, sales pipeline management, and multichannel engagement at a lower cost. Zoho’s highly customizable interface makes it a great option for businesses that need flexibility in how they manage customer relationships. While HubSpot is known for its ease of use, Zoho offers greater customization and scalability for growing businesses.

Pros:

• Advanced automation and customizable workflows.
• Integrates with multiple communication channels like email, social media, and phone.
• Offers a free plan with scalable options for growing businesses.

Cons:

• Limited integration on the free plan.
• Complex setup process compared to HubSpot.

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6. GetResponse (Best for Landing Pages & Autofunnels)

GetResponse stands out for its powerful autofunnel and landing page builder, making it a great alternative for businesses looking to automate their marketing funnel. With GetResponse, you can build and automate email sequences, create high-converting landing pages, and even host webinars to engage your audience. While HubSpot offers some similar features, GetResponse provides a more affordable option, especially for businesses focusing on lead generation.

Pros:

• Autofunnel builder with customizable templates.
• Powerful landing page builder for lead generation.
• Email marketing automation with webinar hosting capabilities.

Cons:

• Limited CRM features compared to HubSpot.
• Higher-tier plans needed for advanced features.

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7. Drip (Best for Ecommerce Email Automation)

Drip is an email marketing platform tailored for ecommerce businesses, offering advanced automation, behavioral tracking, and personalized messaging. If you run an online store, Drip can help you build highly targeted email campaigns based on customer behavior, purchase history, and engagement. While HubSpot caters to a broad range of industries, Drip’s ecommerce focus makes it a more specialized option for businesses looking to optimize their email marketing.

Pros:

• Advanced behavioral tracking and personalized email automation.
• Ideal for ecommerce businesses with integrations for Shopify, WooCommerce, and Magento.
• Powerful segmentation and automation capabilities.

Cons:

• No free plan available.
• Lacks CRM features found in other alternatives.

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8. Ontraport (Best for Personalized Sales Funnels)

Ontraport is a CRM and marketing automation platform focused on personalizing sales funnels and managing customer journeys. It offers drag-and-drop campaign builders, customizable workflows, and advanced analytics to help businesses optimize their marketing and sales efforts. Ontraport’s personalization capabilities make it a strong alternative to HubSpot, especially for businesses that prioritize highly customized customer experiences.

Pros:

• Advanced automation with personalized sales funnels.
• Robust CRM with segmentation and tracking features.
• Strong analytics and reporting tools for data-driven marketing.

Cons:

• Steep learning curve for beginners.
• Fewer integrations compared to HubSpot.

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9. ActiveCampaign (Best for CRM & Advanced Automation)

ActiveCampaign offers a powerful blend of CRM and email marketing automation, making it a top alternative to HubSpot for businesses focused on building customer relationships and sales funnels. Its lead scoring, segmentation, and automation features are highly regarded, and the platform integrates seamlessly with other tools like Salesforce and Shopify. ActiveCampaign is slightly more affordable than HubSpot, especially for businesses with smaller teams.

Pros:

• Lead scoring, CRM integration, and advanced segmentation.
• Extensive automation features for email marketing and sales.
• Easy integration with ecommerce and CRM platforms.

Cons:

• Expensive for larger teams.
• Steep learning curve for advanced features.

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10. SendPulse (Best for Web Push Notifications and Chatbots)

SendPulse offers a multi-channel marketing platform that includes email, SMS, web push notifications, and chatbots. It’s a flexible and affordable alternative to HubSpot, particularly for businesses looking to engage with customers across multiple channels. The platform also includes a free CRM, making it a good choice for small businesses that need a cost-effective solution for customer relationship management.

Pros:

• Includes email marketing, chatbots, SMS, and web push notifications.
• Free CRM included with the free plan.
• Affordable pricing with a user-friendly interface.

Cons:

• Deliverability issues reported by some users.
• Customer support can be slow to respond.

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Why Dripcel is the Best HubSpot Alternative

Dripcel stands out as the best alternative for businesses that prioritize SMS marketing. Its AI-powered campaign optimization, real-time A/B testing, and predictive analytics help businesses run highly personalized and effective SMS campaigns. Unlike HubSpot, which focuses on broader marketing automation, Dripcel is laser-focused on optimizing SMS marketing, making it the ideal solution for businesses seeking to leverage mobile messaging for customer engagement.

Dripcel’s pricing is accessible for businesses of all sizes, ensuring maximum ROI for SMS marketing efforts. Compare pricing for bulk SMS campaigns with Dripcel.

• AI-Powered Optimization: Dripcel uses machine learning to continually improve SMS campaigns based on customer behavior.
• Predictive Analytics: Dripcel’s analytics tools help businesses identify the best times and methods to engage customers.
• Affordable Pricing: Dripcel’s pricing model is accessible for businesses of all sizes, especially those focused on SMS marketing.

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Final Thoughts: Choosing the Right HubSpot Alternative

When choosing the best HubSpot alternative, it’s important to consider your business’s unique needs. If you’re focused on email automation, CRM integration, or multi-channel marketing, there’s an alternative on this list to meet your goals. For businesses prioritizing SMS marketing, Dripcel offers a cutting-edge solution with AI-powered features that can help you drive customer engagement at an affordable price.