Bespoke CRM or HubSpot?
HubSpot is one of the best-known CRMs in the world, and for many businesses it's a good choice. Here at Nodal, we build bespoke CRM systems, so we're not neutral, but we'll be honest about when each one makes sense.
The short answer
HubSpot suits you if you want to start for free, your sales process is fairly standard, you want a big range of marketing tools, and your team is small enough that per-user pricing stays affordable.
A bespoke CRM suits you if you've found yourself working around a ready-made CRM, your process has steps that don't fit a standard sales pipeline (such as surveys, jobs, stock or bookings), your team is growing and per-user costs are adding up, or you want your website and CRM built as one system.
Side by side
| HubSpot | Bespoke CRM from Nodal | |
|---|---|---|
| Getting started | Free plan available, paid plans monthly | From £5,000 to build, with a fixed quote |
| Ongoing cost | Paid plans priced per user each month | From £200 a month, with no per-user fees |
| Fits your process | You set it up within HubSpot's structure | Built around how you already work |
| Website | Separate product or connected via forms | Built together with your website |
| Features | A very wide range, many you may not use | Only what your business needs |
| Help | Help centre, support depends on plan | You talk to the people who built it |
| Ownership | You rent the software, your data is exportable | Once paid for, the system is yours, and so is your data |
What does HubSpot cost?
HubSpot's free CRM covers the basics. Its paid sales tools are priced per user (HubSpot calls them seats) each month. At the time of writing, UK pricing guides list Sales Hub Starter at around £18 per seat a month and Sales Hub Professional at around £85 per seat a month, with a one-off onboarding fee on Professional. Prices and offers change, so check HubSpot's pricing page for the latest figures.
As an example, a team of six on Sales Hub Professional at £85 a seat would pay around £510 a month, or about £6,100 a year, before any onboarding fee. A bespoke CRM from Nodal starts from £200 a month after the build, however many people use it.
When we'd tell you to stay with HubSpot
- You're a team of one or two and the free plan does what you need.
- You rely on HubSpot's marketing tools, such as email campaigns and landing pages, and use them well.
- Your process fits HubSpot without workarounds.
If that's you, we'll say so on the call.
When a bespoke CRM is worth it
- Your team spends time working around the software, or keeps a spreadsheet alongside it.
- You track things a sales pipeline isn't built for, such as surveys, jobs, stock, bookings or installs.
- Per-user fees are growing as your team grows.
- You want enquiries from your website to arrive in your CRM with exactly the details you need.
Read more about our bespoke CRM systems.
Common questions
Is HubSpot free?
HubSpot has a free CRM with the basics, which suits many small businesses. Its paid sales tools are priced per user each month, and some plans have a one-off onboarding fee.
Can you move us from HubSpot to a bespoke CRM?
Yes. HubSpot lets you export your contacts, companies and deals, and we can import them into your new CRM so nothing is lost.
Can a bespoke CRM connect to the tools we already use?
Usually, yes. We can connect most phone systems, email, WhatsApp Business and accounts software. We check yours when we talk and include any cost in your fixed quote.
Tell us how your business runs today.
Request a call and we'll reply the same day. We'll then email you a time for a call within two working days, at a time that suits you. There's no charge and no obligation.