Salesforce vs. HubSpot: which one is better for your business?

Everything About the Two Most Popular CRM Platforms: Salesforce and HubSpot. Which Is the Optimal Choice for Your Business?

Salesforce and HubSpot are two renowned CRM platforms widely utilized by businesses for enterprise management. Both offer distinct advantages in supporting information management, enhancing customer experiences, and increasing sales. So, between HubSpot and Salesforce, which CRM system is suitable for your business? In today's article, Golden Owl will help you compare them based on five aspects: interface & setup, pricing, analytics & reporting capabilities, lead management, and integration capabilities.

Salesforce vs. HubSpot at a Glance

HubSpot is a widely-used sales and inbound marketing software employed by businesses worldwide. HubSpot boasts a variety of specialized tools that support every step of the customer's buying journey. This is HubSpot's strength, as it provides comprehensive support throughout the sales process.

On the other side, Salesforce utilizes cloud technology to craft many applications customized to suit businesses of every scale. In particular, it offers CRM applications specialized in sales and customer service. These apps cater to a spectrum of enterprises, from small businesses to large corporations. Salesforce’s emphasis remains centered on aiding businesses in the comprehensive management of customer relationships throughout the entirety of the customer journey, encompassing all facets of marketing and sales endeavors.

What Is the Biggest Difference Between Salesforce vs. HubSpot?

Comparing User Interfaces and Setup Procedures Between the CRM Systems HubSpot and Salesforce

In terms of the management interface, both systems are quite similar, as they both allow navigation to Accounts, Contacts, Deals, and Reports through their toolbars. However, Salesforce enables users to customize and set up various additional functions, such as Quotes, Tasks, Files, Sales Groups, and more. Therefore, Salesforce is better suited for large businesses with complex business models and multi-step sales processes. On the other hand, HubSpot is highly regarded for its user-friendly and easy setup. Small and medium-sized businesses with simpler business models will find HubSpot more suitable.

Differences in Pricing Models Between the CRM Systems Salesforce and HubSpot

There are several differences in the pricing models of Salesforce and HubSpot:

Salesforce charges based on the number of users and additional features integrated by the business. The cost of using Salesforce ranges from a minimum of $25/user to a maximum of $300/user. The more features integrated into the system, the higher the fees a business will have to pay.

HubSpot offers both free and paid versions. In the free version, users are not limited by the number of users. However, users still need to pay fees depending on the integrated features. HubSpot has a diverse range of applications with various features, allowing businesses to choose the most suitable ones based on their needs. In the paid version, the minimum price a business needs to pay is $20/user.

Assessing Reporting and Data Analysis Features in the CRM Systems Salesforce and HubSpot

Data analysis is an essential feature in the CRM suites of both Salesforce and HubSpot. This feature allows users to track, manage, predict lead conversion rates, analyze insights, customer behavior, and more.

The data analysis (Analytics) feature in both systems has been extensively researched and developed, making it suitable for all types of businesses. In HubSpot, users experience the most complete version of this feature when they purchase the Marketing Hub Enterprise package. On the Salesforce side, this feature requires businesses to invest time in building a specialized setup and training.

Comparing Lead Generation, Management, and Conversion Rates Between Two CRM Systems

When it comes to creating, managing, and converting leads, Salesforce is more flexible due to its high level of customization. For small and medium-sized businesses, HubSpot is more suitable because it leverages content marketing features to exploit leads.

Businesses can choose to invest more in HubSpot as a content management system to generate inbound leads for analyzing CRM data. With Salesforce, you would need to perform these functions through various different services, such as Marketo, and then connect these CRM systems.

Once leads are generated and added to the system, Salesforce is more optimal for each business in handling data. In HubSpot, businesses can adjust and add or remove important information fields in leads, contacts, or deals, such as region, field of operation, gender, and more. However, Salesforce excels in setting up rules such as:

- Allocating leads to appropriate employees.

- Automatically adding leads to a nurturing list when they are not yet ready for conversion.

- Establishing security to limit access to relevant information.

Comparing HubSpot and Salesforce in Terms of Interdepartmental Connectivity (Marketing, Sales, Customer Service)

Both HubSpot and Salesforce are not standalone tools. Instead, these CRM systems need to be the focal point of a business to achieve optimal efficiency, and all departments that interact directly with customers need to know how to use them.

Both HubSpot and Salesforce provide specialized design functions for marketing, sales, and customer service.

Salesforce's CRM system has more tools and features, but this is only meaningful when a business is willing to pay a higher fee for use and maintenance. Salesforce's integration of other systems (e.g., Pardot) may not offer as seamless and consistent a customer experience as HubSpot.

Salesforce vs. HubSpot: Which One Is Better for Your Business?

When deciding between Salesforce and HubSpot, it ultimately comes down to your specific requirements, financial considerations, and the nature of your business.

If you're in search of a CRM system that is versatile, user-friendly, and straightforward to implement, HubSpot may be the ideal choice for you.

Conversely, if your business demands a CRM system with extensive customization options to cater to unique processes and requirements, Salesforce could be the better fit.

While Salesforce and HubSpot are both significant players in the CRM arena, remember that there are various other alternatives worth exploring in the ever-evolving landscape of customer relationship management solutions.