HubSpot CRM vs Salesforce Sales Cloud

HubSpot and Salesforce are the two best-known CRMs. HubSpot starts free and is easy to adopt; Salesforce is the enterprise standard for complex sales processes.

FeatureHubSpot CRMSalesforce Sales Cloud
Best forSmall and mid-size businesses that want to start free and add marketing and sales tools later.Mid-size and enterprise sales teams with complex processes and admin resources.
PricingFree plan available. Paid plans add more features and limits.Paid plans with a free trial.
PlatformWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, iOS, Android
CoversCRM software, Email marketing software, Help desk & live chatCRM software
Key featuresContacts and companies, Deal pipelines, Email tracking and templates, Meeting scheduler, Marketing, Sales and Service HubsLeads, opportunities and forecasting, Custom objects and workflows, AppExchange marketplace, Reports and dashboards, AI features
StrengthsGenuinely useful free plan; Very easy to use; Huge integration marketplaceExtremely customisable; Scales to very large teams; Enormous ecosystem of apps and consultants
WeaknessesPaid tiers get expensive quickly; Advanced features locked to higher plansSteep learning curve; Usually needs an admin or partner to set up well

Choose HubSpot CRM if…

You are a small or mid-size business that wants a CRM your team will actually use, plus marketing tools in the same platform.

Read the HubSpot CRM profile

Choose Salesforce Sales Cloud if…

You have a large or complex sales organisation and the budget for an admin or partner to customise it.

Read the Salesforce Sales Cloud profile

Our verdict

Most small and mid-size teams are happier on HubSpot. Salesforce wins when you need deep customisation and enterprise scale.

Features and pricing change often. Check both vendors' websites for current plans before you buy.