Small Business
Best Hubspot Alternatives for small businesses in 2024 (Free + Paid)
Discover the best HubSpot alternatives for small businesses in 2024. Explore top free and paid CRM options like Bigin by Zoho CRM, Pipedrive, and Klipy. Find the perfect solution for your business needs and budget.
Introduction
In today's digital age, customer relationship management (CRM) tools are essential for small businesses looking to streamline their operations, manage customer interactions, and boost sales. HubSpot has long been a popular choice due to its robust features and user-friendly interface. However, it may not be the perfect fit for every business, especially when considering budget constraints and specific needs. This article will explore some of the best HubSpot alternatives in 2024, both free and paid, to help small businesses find the ideal CRM solution.
Client and Deal Management in Small Businesses
Small businesses commonly manage their client and leads database using a variety of methods, with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems being the most effective. Here are some common methods and tools used:
Spreadsheets
Many small businesses start with basic spreadsheets (e.g., Excel or Google Sheets) to track client information, leads, and interactions. This method is straightforward and cost-effective but can become cumbersome as the database grows. Especially when it starts to have multiple contact points associated to deals and clients, or when deal process start to become more complicated as the business grows.
Email Marketing Platforms
Some small businesses utilize email marketing tools (like Mailchimp or Constant Contact) to manage client communications and track engagement. While primarily for marketing, these platforms can also help maintain client relationships.
Project Management Tools
Tools like Trello or Asana can be adapted for client management by creating boards or tasks for each client or lead. This method is less conventional but can work for businesses that already use these tools for project management. Other project management tools such as Monday.com and Clickup also promotes pipeline management templates to facilitate this. This approach is generally useful when the person in charge of sales is familiar with project based operations and each deal size is sufficiently large and process driven (e.g. Request for Proposals, large corporate procurement, etc.)
Dedicated CRM Software
Investing in CRM software is a popular choice for small businesses seeking to streamline client management. CRMs offer features such as:
Contact Management: Centralized storage of customer data, including contact details and interaction history.
Lead Management: Tools for tracking the status of leads through the sales funnel.
Task and Activity Tracking: Features that help manage follow-ups and scheduled interactions with clients.
Reporting and Analytics: Insights into sales performance and customer behavior to inform business decisions.
Hubspot for Small Businesses
Hubspot is one of the most comprehensive and well integrated solution for growing businesses. However, as every tool does, it may not fit perfectly into the specific business situations, especially the maturity stage and reasonable range of return on investment. Hubspot with all major features combined can be significant financial burden for small businesses, alongside with the complexity of implementation and maintenance of the CRM program after.
Common reasons to consider alternatives to Hubspot:
Lower cost, especially for small businesses
Simpler interfaces for easier adoption
More focused tools for specific needs (e.g. sales, marketing, etc.)
Better pricing models for scaling businesses
Avoiding HubSpot's expensive onboarding fees
Getting advanced features at lower price points
Pipedrive CRM (Paid) - Simple, Pipeline Focused CRM
Freshsales (Paid) - Straightforward CRM with Built-in Telephone
Freshsales, part of the Freshworks suite, is a CRM that combines sales automation with AI-based lead scoring. It's ideal for businesses looking for an intuitive interface and advanced automation features.
Overview and Key Features
Freshsales offers AI-powered insights, built-in phone and email, and robust reporting tools. Its Freddy AI can provide valuable insights into customer behavior and deal trends.
Freshsales vs Hubspot Advantages:
Ease of Use: Freshsales is known for its user-friendly interface, making it easy to set up and use, which is particularly beneficial for small businesses and startups.
Affordable Pricing: Freshsales offers competitive pricing, starting at $11 per user per month for the Growth plan, making it accessible for small businesses.
Comprehensive Features: Includes built-in phone, email, chat, and contact management. The Pro and Enterprise plans offer advanced features like AI-powered lead scoring, multiple sales pipelines, and custom modules.
Integration with Freshworks Suite: Direct integration with other Freshworks products like Freshdesk (customer support), Freshteam (HR), and Freshmarketer (marketing automation), providing a cohesive ecosystem for various business functions.
Free Plan: Offers a free plan with limited features, suitable for very small businesses or startups to get started
Whilst Hubspot is:
Higher Cost for Advanced Features: While the free plan is generous, the paid plans can become expensive, especially for growing businesses that need more advanced features.
Complexity: HubSpot's extensive feature set can result in a steeper learning curve, which may be challenging for small businesses without dedicated CRM administrators.
Minimum User Requirements: Some of HubSpot's paid plans have minimum user requirements, which can raise the entry cost for smaller teams.
Freshsales vs Hubspot Disadvantages:
Limited Marketing Features: Freshsales primarily focuses on sales automation, with limited marketing automation features unless combined with Freshmarketer, which incurs additional costs.
Customization Limitations: Some users report limited customization options, which may not be ideal for businesses with specific needs.
Scalability Concerns: While suitable for small businesses, it may not be as scalable or feature-rich for larger enterprises compared to other CRMs like HubSpot
Freshsales Pricing (Billed Annually)
Free Plan: $0
Growth Plan: $11/user/month
Pro Plan: $47/user/month
Enterprise Plan: $71/user/month
Check details of each tier and pricing here: Freshsales Pricing
Key Differences
Freshsales is more sales-focused with strong sales pipeline management and built-in communication tools, making it ideal for small sales teams.
Freshsales is praised for its ease of use and quick setup.
Freshsales offers more affordable pricing and is accessible for small businesses with limited budgets.
Bigin by Zoho CRM (Free) - Full-Suite Integrated CRM
Bigin by Zoho CRM is a comprehensive tool that offers a wide range of features, making it a strong contender for small businesses.
Overview and Key Features
Bigin by Zoho CRM offers lead and contact management, sales automation, and analytics. One of its significant advantages is its flexibility, offering various customization options to suit specific business processes.
Bigin by Zoho CRM vs Hubspot Advantages:
Ease of Use: Easy to use and set up, designed for small businesses. This is always the biggest factor for small businesses who cannot afford dedicated IT operations team.
Mobile app available - keeping the CRM up to date on the fly.
Integrates well with other Zoho products such as email, drive, marketing.
Whilst Hubspot is:
Can be expensive for growing businesses as they scale
More complex interface with steeper learning curve
Pricing structure can be confusing
Bigin by Zoho CRM vs Hubspot Disadvantages:
Limited features compared to full-fledged CRMs
May lack advanced automation and reporting capabilities
Fewer third-party integrations compared to HubSpot
Bigin by Zoho CRM Pricing (Billed Annually)
Free Plan: $0
Express: $7/user/month billed annually
Premier: $12/user/month billed annually
Check details of each tier and pricing here: Bigin by Zoho CRM Pricing
Key Differences
Bigin is designed specifically for small businesses and startups, while HubSpot caters to businesses of all sizes.
Bigin offers a more streamlined, basic CRM experience, while HubSpot provides a full suite of marketing, sales, and service tools.
Bigin is significantly more affordable, especially for small teams, while HubSpot's pricing can increase substantially as you add features and users.
Klipy (Free) - AI-Focused CRM for hands-free Sales Operations
Klipy is an AI focused CRM that offers straightforward interface and Generative AI powered integration to create fully-maintained CRM with a single click.
Overview and Key Features
Klipy offers lead and contact management, knowledge based management, and generative AI enabled email integration. One of the most significant advantages is its complete automation of manual entries, allowing the CRM to be maintained and up-to-date without user intervention.
Klipy vs Hubspot Advantages:
Ease of Use: Easy to use and set up, designed for small businesses. Simple and intuitive interface with dark mode support for different preferences.
AI Enrichment: Klipy detects and searches key information about the client's company based on the most recent information on the web, such as organization size, social media handles, estimated revenue size, etc. that can help with more accurate and targeted sales engagement.
Semantic Routing: Klipy comes with proprietary feature called the semantic router, which analyzes all inbound emails and automatically routes them based on intent using AI. Emails to follow up, type of inquiry, and prospect scoring handled in the background to help prioritize incoming emails for sales productivity.
Auto CRM: Based on its AI features, Klipy automatically updates the CRM records such as contacts, companies, engagements (emails, meetings), and deal status, saving up to 4 hours a week from CRM admin tasks.
Whilst Hubspot is:
Requires users to manually update and maintain data inside the CRM.
More complex interface with steeper learning curve
Klipy vs Hubspot Disadvantages:
Extremely sales focused features, lacking automation and marketing capabilities.
Early stage product still in development.
Klipy Pricing (Billed Annually)
Free Plan: $0
Starter: $30/user/month billed annually
Enterprise: Talk to sales
Check details of each tier and pricing here: Klipy Pricing
Key Differences
Klipy is designed to be AI first, simple pipeline management for small businesses that doesn't have a dedicated sales admin.
Klipy offers a more streamlined, basic CRM for sales professionals, while HubSpot provides a full suite of marketing, sales, and service tools.
Hubspot Free Tools - Limited but powerful alternative
While HubSpot is often associated with its paid plans, its free CRM version is also a robust option for small businesses. It includes features like contact management, deal tracking, and email marketing.
Key advantages of Hubspot Free Tools
Generous free plan with basic CRM features, integrated with other features such as blogs, landing pages, marketing integration.
Includes contact management, deal tracking, and email marketing tools
Up to 5 users
Easy to use and set up
Good for small businesses or startups to get started with CRM
Key differences
Feature set: Paid versions offer significantly more advanced features and capabilities compared to the free tools.
Scalability: Paid versions are more suitable for growing businesses with complex needs, while free tools are best for small businesses or those just starting with CRM.
Customization: Paid versions offer more customization options and flexibility.
Support: Paid versions typically come with better customer support options.
Integrations: While free tools offer some integrations, paid versions generally have more extensive integration capabilities.
Choosing the right CRM for Small Businesses
When choosing between different CRMs, paid or free, small businesses must consider their budget and required features. Free CRMs like Bigin by Zoho CRM and Klipy offer essential tools but may lack advanced functionalities. Paid options like Freshsales and Pipedrive provide more comprehensive features and better scalability, but at a higher cost.
Few aspects to consider:
User Experience and Interface
The user experience is critical when selecting a CRM. A tool with a user-friendly interface and easy setup can save time and reduce the learning curve. CRMs like Pipedrive and Klipy excel in this area, offering intuitive designs that make navigation straightforward.
Integrations and Third-Party Apps
Integration capabilities are vital for connecting your CRM with other business tools. Salesforce leads the pack with its extensive AppExchange, while Bigin by Zoho CRM offers seamless integration with other Zoho products and popular third-party apps.
Mobile Accessibility
In today's mobile-driven world, having a CRM with strong mobile features is essential. Many CRMs offer mobile apps that allow access to customer data, sales pipelines, and communication tools on the go. Freshsales and Pipedrive both provide robust mobile apps.
Conclusion
Selecting the right CRM is a critical decision for small businesses. Whether you're looking for a free option like Zoho CRM or Bitrix24, or a more feature-rich paid solution like Salesforce or Pipedrive, there's a CRM out there that can meet your needs. It's essential to consider your budget, required features, and future growth potential when making your choice.
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