Nobody’s saying that HubSpot isn’t a great tool. But for many small businesses, it might just feel a little, well, “big.”
There’s a big price tag. A big learning curve. And big features you’ll probably never use (at least, not right now). So for most growing businesses, it’s not what you might call ideal.
If you’ve outgrown spreadsheets but aren’t ready for enterprise software, you can check out our round up of the 11 best HubSpot alternatives for small businesses. You’ll find a quick overview of each platform’s strengths, pricing, and best use cases, plus a few tips to help you pick the perfect CRM for your needs.
But first: why bother with a HubSpot alternative?
HubSpot is an impressive platform, no doubt about that. But it’s not always a fit for leaner teams, tighter budgets, or niche needs.
Here’s when a HubSpot alternative might be the smarter move:
- Less expensive: HubSpot’s free tier will work great for a while... until you start needing automations, custom reports, or advanced sales tools. Many alternatives offer similar functionality at a fraction of the price, and with way fewer upgrades and confusing monthly bills.
- More use cases: Most HubSpot alternatives are built for specific business models and industries (think CRMs for recruiters, real estate teams, sales teams, and boardrooms). That way, you can find lightweight tools that do exactly what you need without paying for the bells and whistles you don’t.
- Easier to set up: Not every team needs an enterprise-level platform. Alternatives to HubSpot tend to be simpler to onboard, more intuitive to navigate, and less overwhelming for small teams. This makes it easier to get in, get organized, and get going without expensive onboarding processes or low adoption woes.
- More flexibility and control: With a smaller CRM, you might get better access to customer support, more responsive product teams, and user-friendly customization. Some even let you plug in your favorite tools or build around your existing workflows - no need to overhaul the entire workflow with your team.
Comparing the best HubSpot alternatives
How do the best HubSpot alternatives for small businesses stack up? Let’s break it down in this comparison chart:
Now, let’s kick off in no particular order:
1. LGM: Best for multichannel prospecting
LGM (also called La Growth Machine) is a multichannel outreach tool designed for social media platforms, email, and voice calls. Not only can it help you store contacts just like HubSpot in a CRM, but you can also put the entire process on autopilot (think importing, enriching, automating, and integrating leads).
Where LGM really shines is with LinkedIn outreach, specifically with personalized AI voice messages. You can save your best prospects in the LGM database, then set up multichannel sequences they should flow through before meeting your closers.
LGM's features
- Automated LinkedIn AI voice messages
- LGM database
- Lookalike prospects/opportunities
- No-code workflow builder
- Email and phone integrations
What people say about LGM
“The sequence builder has a learning curve, but it is amazingly flexible. You really just can't customize your emails all that much. Somehow both too customizable and not customizable enough.” — G2
LGM pricing
The cost of LGM depends on how frequently you wish to pay (think monthly, bimonthly, yearly, etc).
Here’s what you’ll pay on a month-to-month basis:
- Basic: $60 per identity per month for access to email LinkedIn, voice messages and AI, writing assistants, access to the LGM Database, and unlimited email verifiers (three team member max)
- Pro: $110 per identity per month or access to X (Twitter), VoIP calls, LinkedIn intent data, hyper-personalization, social warming, basic integrations, and priority support (25 team member max)
- Ultimate: $165 per identity per month for HubSpot integrations, the ability to import leads from other CRMs, and dedicated account partners (unlimited team members)
Use cases for LGM
LGM works best for sales teams, business development agencies, recruiters, and cold callers who rely heavily on LinkedIn for outreach.
This means it works well for:
- Sales teams: Integrate AI into initial messaging, responses, follow-ups, reminders, and more.
- Business development agencies: Look for opportunities to automate touchpoints for businesses so they can reach more prospects while spending less.
- Cold callers: You can easily track and automate voice messages, or integrate with a third-party phone system you’re already using.
- Business consultants: This is especially true of B2B companies.
- Recruiters: Use LinkedIn automations to find candidates and lookalike audiences.
Why choose LGM over HubSpot?
LGM is purpose-built for multichannel prospecting, particularly on LinkedIn, with features like AI-powered voice messages and automated workflows. If your outreach strategy relies heavily on LinkedIn connections and social media channels, LGM's automation tools are more granular and specialized than HubSpot's.
2. NoCRM.io: Best for sales teams
True to its name, NoCRM.io is a lightweight sales-focused management platform built to convert leads into customers without the admin-heavy overhead of HubSpot’s CRM. It’s designed specifically for prospecting, qualifying, and closing leads, with a zero-friction interface that keeps your pipeline and team moving.
Unlike CRMs that come with unnecessary ‘extras,’ NoCRM offers no-frills features that keep leads and follow-ups front and center. Its goal is to emphasize actionable tasks on both mobile and desktop apps, which let your reps spend more time selling and less time adjusting to the learning curve.
NoCRM.io's features
- Lead-centric interface optimized for follow-ups
- Pipeline and Kanban views for tracking progress
- Integrated prospecting tools (e.g. lead clipper, email templates)
- Mobile app for managing leads on the go
- Automatic reminders and follow-up tracking
- Integrations with Google Workspace, Outlook, Slack, and more
What people say about NoCRM.io
“Existing customer details display while typing the title, which is a really cool feature. It doesn't have a contact management system. Still, I love it.” — Capterra
NoCRM.io pricing
NoCRM offers three straightforward plans:
- Sales Essentials: $23 per user per month for visual and customizable pipeline, integrations, mobile access, SMS tools, and smart prioritization
- Dream Team: $36 per user per month for email sync, lead assignment, advanced pipeline views, and advanced integrations (WhatsApp, VoIp, etc)
- Call Master: $36 per user per month for everything in Dream Team plus call agent management, call campaign creation, and advanced lead management with shared inboxes
Monthly billing is available at a slightly higher price. Free trials are available on all plans.
Use cases for NoCRM.io
NoCRM is built for fast-moving sales teams that don’t want the clutter of a full-stack CRM. It’s a great fit for:
- Inside sales teams: Stay on top of daily lead activity with reminders, Kanban pipelines, and quick capture tools.
- Outbound sales teams: Use lead prospecting tools like the lead clipper and integrations with LinkedIn or cold email platforms.
- Sales managers: Use built-in reports and dashboards to track rep performance and forecast results.
- Small businesses: Easy to set up, affordable to scale, and focused purely on getting leads to closed-won.
- B2B agencies: Great for tracking sales conversations and pipeline health without unnecessary fluff.
Why chose NoCRM.io instead of HubSpot?
NoCRM.io is designed to strip away the clutter of traditional CRMs, focusing solely on lead management and follow-ups. Unlike HubSpot, which bundles marketing and service features, NoCRM.io is purely sales-driven & ideal for teams that want to spend less time configuring software and more time closing deals.
3. Nutshell CRM: Best for contact and pipeline management
Nutshell is an all-in-one platform for sales, marketing, and customer engagement built to help small teams manage their contacts, deals, and pipelines. It’s powerful enough to keep your sales process on track, but simple enough that your team will actually want to use it. It also doesn’t have the learning curve of traditional enterprise CRMs, which is a boon for fast-growing businesses.
What sets Nutshell apart is its strong focus on combining contact management with customizable pipeline views. Whether you prefer list-based layouts or drag-and-drop Kanban boards, you can visualize deals in a way that fits your team’s workflow. Plus, it comes with built-in reporting and email marketing tools, so you can keep a close eye on your team member’s performance.
Nutshell CRM's features
- Customizable pipelines (Kanban or list view)
- Built-in email marketing and sequencing
- Contact and lead capture forms
- Team activity tracking and sales reports
- Google and Outlook calendar sync
- iOS and Android mobile apps
What people say about Nutshell
“Overall it is a pretty good CRM. I will say that the navigation of the platform, specifically email activity can be tricky to track.” — Gartner
Nutshell CRM pricing
Nutshell offers five main tiers:
- Foundation: $13 per user per month for contact and pipeline management, calendar sync, task automation, and reporting
- Growth: $25 per user per month for activity and email reports, sales and activity quotas, pipeline stage goals, 25 custom fields, and unlimited open leads
- Pro: $42 per user per month for sales automation, email sequencing, advanced reporting, and team collaboration tools
- Business: $59 per user per month for increased pipelines, territories, markets, and teams, unlimited Notetaker usage (AI powered speech-to-text transcription), meeting scheduling software (full version), audit log and changelog, and the ability to send email templates directly from Gmail
- Enterprise: $79 per user per month for unlimited pipelines, unlimited custom fields, teams, currencies, and territories, read-only SQL access, multiple currencies, free scheduled phone support, and API support
A 14-day free trial is available on all plans.
Use cases for Nutshell CRM
Nutshell is best for small businesses that need a clean, reliable CRM that covers both sales tracking and team visibility. It works well for:
- Sales teams: Keep deals organized and reps accountable with customizable pipeline views and performance metrics
- Service-based businesses: Use built-in contact and task tracking to manage client communications and projects
- Marketing-lite teams: Send drip campaigns or newsletters without leaving the CRM
- Remote or hybrid teams: Rely on the mobile app and calendar sync to stay on the same page
- Team leaders: Use reports and dashboards to monitor progress without micromanaging
Why chose Nutshell instead of HubSpot?
Nutshell offers a straightforward interface for managing contacts and pipelines, with customizable views that are easier to navigate than HubSpot's multi-layered dashboards. If you want to streamline your sales process without wading through marketing modules you don’t need, Nutshell is a strong alternative.
4. TeamWave: Best for flat pricing
TeamWave is an all-in-one platform that combines CRM, project management, and HR tools under one roof without forcing you to pay extra for each module or user. It comes with solid sales pipeline features for growing teams and enterprises, but, where it really stands out is in its intuitive project management capabilities.
Think of TeamWave as a lightweight alternative to juggling multiple tools like HubSpot, Trello, and BambooHR. You can move deals through a pipeline, manage client projects, assign tasks to team members, and even track leave requests and employee performance.
TeamWave's features
- Deal pipelines with drag-and-drop stages
- Task management with Gantt and Kanban views
- Time tracking and project timelines
- Built-in HR tools (leave tracking, performance reviews)
- Team collaboration with shared notes and files
- Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 integrations
What people say about TeamWave
“The features are suitable for a young company with very few people running, but has a lot more headcount than a freelancer. But there aren’t many people talking about it on the internet.” — Capterra
TeamWave pricing
TeamWave keeps things super simple: one flat rate, no per-user fees.
- Starter: $39 per month flat for unlimited users and all features, plus 15,000 contacts, 25 GB of storage, and two automatic check-ins
- Pro: $66 per month flat for 30,000 contacts, 100 GB of storage, and four automatic check-ins
- Business: $199 per month flat for 150,000 contacts, 500 GB of storage, and four automatic check-ins
FYI, you can also try TeamWave free for 15 days.
Use cases for TeamWave
TeamWave is perfect for small businesses looking to manage both sales and service delivery in a single tool, especially for teams handling both client acquisition and execution.
This makes it a fit for:
- Creative agencies: Manage client pipelines and campaign tasks in one place
- Consulting firms: Track projects and communicate progress with clients
- Small remote teams: Collaborate on projects and keep sales, HR, and delivery aligned
- Startups: Save money by using one tool instead of multiple subscriptions
- Agencies with internal teams: Use HR and leave tracking features to manage team capacity
Why choose TeamWave instead of HubSpot?
TeamWave’s biggest draw over HubSpot is its flat pricing model: no per-user costs and no expensive add-ons. It also bundles CRM, project management, and HR tools under one platform, making it ideal for small teams looking to consolidate software costs.
5. Clientjoy: Best for client portals
Clientjoy is a modern CRM built with freelancers and agencies in mind. What sets it apart? Its built-in client portal system, which lets your customers view proposals, sign contracts, make payments, and track projects without sending a single email.
You should know Clientjoy is much more than just a CRM, though — it’s a full client management suite for growing your business. You can automate workflows, build sales pipelines, send branded invoices, and centralize client interactions inside a single white-labeled portal.
Clientjoy's features
- White-labeled client portals with real-time updates
- Proposal builder and e-signatures
- Branded invoicing and payment collection
- Sales pipeline and task tracking
- Meeting scheduler and calendar integrations
- Workflow automation and Zapier integration
What people say about Clientjoy
“ClientJoy isn’t perfect, but it gets it. The CRM system is robust, with all the core bones in place: deals, pipelines, calendars, client portals. Is it the GOAT? Not yet. But it’s on the path. And if you’re into building with a tool that’s actively evolving, ClientJoy is worth betting on.” — Trustpilot
Clientjoy pricing
Clientjoy keeps pricing fairly straightforward:
- Starter: $49 per user per month (one user max) for email templates, subscriptions, sales pipelines, and lead generation forms
- Standard: $99 per user per month (three users max) for white-labeled client portals, custom CSS, CJ Leads access, and a 50% discount on additional users
Annual plans can save you up to 10%, and there's a 14-day free trial available (no credit card required).
Use cases for Clientjoy
Clientjoy works for service providers who need a simple way to manage both sales and delivery through a clean client experience. This makes it a great fit for:
- Marketing agencies: Share reports, proposals, and invoices through branded client portals
- Freelancers: Centralize client communication, billing, and project updates
- Recruiters: Track deals, get contracts signed, and deliver assets from one place
- Consultants: Offer clients real-time visibility into proposals, progress, and payments
- Small service businesses: Replace a stack of tools with one end-to-end platform
Why choose Clientjoy instead of HubSpot?
Clientjoy stands out for its built-in client portals that allow customers to view proposals, sign contracts, and make payments instead of email back-and-forth. If your business relies on client-facing transactions, Clientjoy handles it more efficiently than HubSpot's marketing-heavy interface.
6. SuiteDash: Best for consolidating tech stacks
SuiteDash is an all-in-one business management platform designed to replace your CRM, project management tools, client portals, invoicing software, and even email marketing platforms. If you’re tired of duct-taping together six different apps, SuiteDash is the ultimate consolidation solution (without blowing your budget).
What makes SuiteDash stand out most is its depth. It’s not just a CRM: it’s a fully white-labeled business hub with automations, form builders, client intake flows, and learning management tools. This makes it easy to fully customize the client experience and automate nearly every aspect of your workflow.
SuiteDash's features
- Fully white-labeled client portals
- Custom onboarding and intake forms
- Built-in CRM, project management, and invoicing
- Email and marketing automation tools
- File sharing, e-signatures, and LMS modules
- No-code workflow automation
SuiteDash pricing
SuiteDash offers monthly, annual, and lifetime (century) pricing options.
Here’s what you’ll pay for a monthly plan:
- Start: $19 per user per month for the core CRM, portal, and project tools
- Thrive: $49 per user per month for white labeling, automation, invoicing, and custom fields
- Pinnacle: $99 per user per month for full-suite access, including LMS, advanced permissions, and priority support
Remember you can purchase a lifetime subscription starting at $2,240, which makes it a favorite among bootstrapped teams and solopreneurs since you can upgrade or downgrade at any time.
Use cases for SuiteDash
SuiteDash is ideal for service-based businesses that want all their business processes — think sales, onboarding, delivery, and communication under a single roof. And while that can work for just about any business, it really shines with:
- Agencies: Automate onboarding, client access, billing, and communication
- Consultants: Build custom client flows with forms, contracts, and e-learning
- Recruitment firms: Replace your CRM, project tool, billing platform, and support portal
- Coaches/trainers: Use the LMS module to deliver courses within a white-labeled client space
- Legal/accounting pros: Share documents, request signatures, and manage recurring client work
What people say about SuiteDash
“The way you are able to white-label your own "platform" for doing just about any business function is a real game changer at this price point. The setup may be overwhelming. But if you have experience in setting up any similar CRM or business management application, the process is easier.” — Capterra
Why choose SuiteDash over HubSpot?
SuiteDash is ideal for teams that want to consolidate CRM, project management, and client communication into a single, white-labeled platform. HubSpot’s integrations cover similar ground, but SuiteDash does it with more customization and at a significantly lower price point.
7. Ortto: Best for marketing analytics
Ortto is a customer data platform (CDP) and marketing automation tool rolled into a single sleek interface. It’s built for data-driven teams that want a complete view of their customer journeys, plus the tools to act on it (think personalized email, SMS, and in-app messaging).
Unlike traditional CRMs, Ortto emphasizes marketing intelligence right from the base plan. You can build custom dashboards, track real-time behaviors, and create audience segments that update dynamically. If HubSpot feels bloated (or pricey) for your team, you can rely on Ortto to get high-level marketing automation without paying the enterprise tax.
Ortto's features
- Visual journey builder for multichannel campaigns
- Unified customer data platform (CDP)
- Behavior-based automation triggers
- Real-time reporting and dashboards
- AI subject line and email performance tools
- Native integrations with Stripe, Salesforce, Meta Ads, and more
What people say about Ortto
“The interface is very simple to use even though some of the features are quite advanced. We have recently implemented Ortto and I've found their live chat feature incredibly helpful, their customer support team are very responsive and helpful. Just FYI the platform is more expensive than others we have looked at, and some features that are standard with others are not with Ortto.” — G2
Ortto pricing
Ortto offers two main plans that are billed monthly, quarterly, or annually.
- Professional: $599 (month-to-month commitment) for core journey automation, email campaigns, and reporting
- Enterprise: $1,999 (annual commitment) for CDP features, attribution, and advanced analytics
Free trials are available for all plans. And keep in mind pricing scales based on contact volume and usage - not necessarily the number of users on your plan.
Use cases for Ortto
Ortto is best for marketers and SaaS teams looking to blend analytics and automation into one platform. Here are a few other uses cases you might expect:
- Growth marketers: Track funnel performance and trigger multichannel campaigns
- SaaS startups: Monitor in-app behaviors, personalize onboarding, and reduce churn
- E-commerce teams: Segment audiences based on purchase and browsing behavior
- Customer success managers: Send timely nudges or alerts based on user milestones
- Founders: Get high-level insights into acquisition, retention, and revenue without paying for an entire analytics team
Why choose Ortto instead of HubSpot?
Ortto’s primary edge over HubSpot is its real-time customer journey visualization and advanced automation. If you need in-depth marketing analytics without the cost of HubSpot’s Marketing Hub Professional, Ortto is a leaner choice that focuses solely on campaign performance.
8. folk: Best for closers
folk calls itself a “collaborative CRM,” which is a pretty spot-on description. It’s a minimalist, no-fuss platform built for teams that want to close deals without navigating a clunky interface or drowning in unnecessary features.
folk behaves more like a smart contact manager with deep collaboration tools. You can tag, filter, and sort leads, create automated workflows, and share pipeline views with your team in a UI that feels more like Notion than Salesforce. It’s especially handy for closers: anyone on your sales team who spends their time following up, nurturing deals, and getting signatures on the dotted line.
folk's features
- Chrome extension for instant contact capture
- Smart contact enrichment (email, LinkedIn, etc.)
- Custom tags, filters, and views for easy segmentation
- Shared team inbox and comment threads
- Email campaign tools with merge tags and scheduling
- Workflow automation (reminders, assignments, follow-ups)
What people say about folk
“If you're an individual using Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 and you're looking to make the upgrade to the CRM world from that of a basic Spreadsheet, folk will be your best option. On the other hand, if you're working on a team or looking to scale your company behind a handful of team members, we highly recommend a more powerful CRM.” — efficient app
folk pricing
folk offers three plans, billed monthly:
- Standard: $20 per user per month for 2,000 emails per member, 500 enrichments, 1 email domain, and 2,000 magic fields
- Premium: $40 per user per month for 5,000 emails per member, 1,000 enrichments per month, 3 email domains, and 5,000 magic fields, dashboards, WhatsApp sync, migration support, and priority customer service
- Custom: $80 per user per month for custom volume and billing
Keep in mind all plans include the Chrome extension and mobile access.
Use cases for folk
folk is best for relationship-driven sales teams, founders, or agencies that thrive on follow-ups and 1:1 connections. Here are a few example user cases to get your creative juices flowing:
- Closers and account execs: Manage conversations and deals without distractions
- Startup sales teams: Stay aligned and move fast without paying for bloat
- Freelancers and consultants: Track leads and automate follow-ups in a clean workspace
- Recruiters: Use tags and filters to organize candidate lists and automate touchpoints
- Fundraisers: Build investor lists, log convos, and nurture relationships
Why consider folk instead of HubSpot?
folk is designed for simplicity, with deep contact management that’s lighter and more intuitive than HubSpot’s full-stack CRM. For teams that prioritize direct outreach and easy lead organization without the overhead of marketing tools, folk is a streamlined alternative.
9. OnePageCRM: Best for widgets and integrations
OnePageCRM is designed around a simple, action-based workflow, which gives every contact and team member a clear next step. Its powerful ecosystem of widgets, plugins, and integrations help it stand out from the crowd.
Whether you want to dial leads straight from your CRM, send quotes, capture web leads, or sync with your accounting tools, OnePageCRM has a widget (or Zap) for that. You can think of it as the CRM equivalent of a Swiss Army knife: streamlined on the surface, with tons of hidden tools under the hood.
OnePageCRM's features
- Action Stream to keep deals moving forward
- Sales pipeline with Kanban-style board
- Lead Clipper and email sync tools
- Built-in dialer, call recording, and SMS
- Integrates with Mailchimp, QuickBooks, Google, and more
- Developer-friendly API and Zapier support
- iOS and Android apps with offline mode
What people say about OnePageCRM
“OnePageCRM is a simple, yet powerful customer relationship management (CRM) platform thanks to its clutter-free interface and workflow automations. While it does not offer a free plan, it is among the most affordable CRMs for those with large contact lists.” — Forbes
OnePageCRM pricing
OnePageCRM’s pricing is refreshingly simple:
- Professional: $9.95 per user per month for unlimited contacts, notes, and deals, access to core CRM features, sales actions, limited integrations
- Business: $19.95 per user per month for email tracking and scheduling, historical emails, deal velocity, multiple pipelines, user groups, and required/mandatory custom fields
There’s also a generous 21-day free trial so you can test the platform before purchasing a plan.
Use cases for OnePageCRM
OnePageCRM is perfect for small teams who want to move fast, stay organized, and plug into the tools they already use. This makes it a perfect fit for:
- Solopreneurs and freelancers: Stay on top of follow-ups with OnePage’s Action Stream
- Agencies: Capture and convert leads with the Lead Clipper and email tools
- Consultants: Use quoting, invoicing, and contact history to manage clients in one place
- Field sales teams: Access contacts and pipelines on your cell phone, even while offline
- Operations leads: Integrate with accounting and project management tools for smoother workflows
Why consider OnePageCRM instead of HubSpot?
OnePageCRM's Action Stream is a standout feature, offering a clear next step for every contact. Compared to HubSpot, it’s less about managing marketing funnels and more about actionable to-dos that keep deals moving forward with minimal configuration.
10. Outseta: Best for membership-based businesses
Outseta offers 360-degree business infrastructure for SaaS, coaching, and membership-based companies. You can think of it like CRM meets billing, meets email marketing, meets helpdesk. If you’re running a subscription business, it eliminates the need for four or five tools right out of the gate.
You can use Outseta’s CRM to keep your contact data clean, as well as connected to everything from customer support conversations to invoices. Plus, it’s one of the few platforms that lets you manage memberships, gated content, and recurring billing under one roof without needing to duct-tape platforms together.
Outseta's features
- Built-in CRM and email marketing platform
- Subscription billing and paywall setup
- Live chat, help desk, and ticketing tools
- Website membership authentication
- Integrates with Webflow, Carrd, Bubble, Zapier, and more
- Free end-user support included in all plans
What people say about Outseta
“I was struggling to find a tool that implemented everything in one place. Outseta delivered. There have been a couple of bugs that I came in contact with, however, the team were on it and sorted it out within a couple of hours.” — Capterra
Outseta pricing
Outseta uses usage-based pricing, which means what you pay depends on how many users and contacts you have.
Here’s what you’ll pay on an annual plan:
- Start: $37 per month for up to 100 contacts and 1,000 emails
- Build: $67 per month for 2,000 contacts and 5,000 emails
- Grow: $97 per month for 5,000 contacts and 10,000 emails
- Scale: $397 per month for up to 10,000 contacts and 25,000 emails
Each plan includes unlimited admin users and access to all features, so you don’t need to upgrade before you’re ready.
Use cases for Outseta
Outseta is ideal for founders and bootstrappers running digital products and memberships. Here are a few use cases to consider:
- Coaches: Sell subscription-based coaching or digital memberships
- Course creators: Gate content, collect payments, and send automated emails
- SaaS startups: Manage users, trials, billing, and support all in one
- Communities: Launch paid newsletters, private forums, or knowledge hubs
- No-code builders: Pair with Webflow or Bubble to skip custom backend dev work
Why consider Outseta instead of HubSpot?
Outseta uniquely combines CRM, subscription billing, and helpdesk functions into one interface. If your business is membership-based or SaaS-focused, Outseta replaces multiple HubSpot modules with a single, cost-effective platform.
11. NetHunt: Best for phone calls
If you live and breathe inside Gmail, NetHunt might be your dream HubSpot alternative. It’s a Gmail-native platform that transforms your inbox into a fully-fledged CRM, with lead management, deal pipelines, and email automation baked in.
But what really sets NetHunt apart is its phone capabilities. With built-in VoIP features and call tracking, it’s a great fit for teams that rely heavily on phone outreach. Sales reps can make and log calls, set follow-ups, and access full customer histories without ever leaving their inbox.
NetHunt's features
- Gmail-based CRM with pipelines, contacts, and deals
- Built-in VoIP and call logging
- Email sequencing, tracking, and templates
- Integration with LinkedIn, Zapier, and web forms
- iOS and Android mobile apps
- Reports and dashboards for team tracking
What people say about NetHunt
“From the end-user perspective it seems quite intuitive and easy to use. The gmail integration is a definite plus! But while simplicity can be advantageous for users, it also comes with limitations and a lack of flexibility on the set-up side of things. So the ease of use comes at a cost at certain points.” — G2
NetHunt pricing
NetHunt’s pricing is per user per month and scales alongside your business.
There are five to choose from:
- Basic: $30 per user per month for leads and deals management, multiple pipelines, tasks, Google Workspace integration, and one messenger account
- Basic Plus: $42 per user per month for custom roles, personalized emails, extra folders, personalized messengers, and a WhatsApp integration
- Business: $60 per user per month for sales automations, contact enrichment, multi-channel sequences, VoIP integrations, and sales/team activity reports
- Business Plus: $84 per user per month for extra automations, emails, and custom roles, plus business consulting and a dedicated account manager
- Advanced: Custom pricing for teams of 10 or more
Keep in mind there’s no free trial available, which could make it harder to try before you buy.
Use cases for NetHunt
NetHunt is perfect for Gmail power users, especially sales reps and closers.
Let’s take a closer look:
- Sales teams: Make calls and send follow-ups from one place
- SDRs: Log touchpoints and automate email sequences
- Recruiters: Sync with LinkedIn, track calls with candidates
- Startups: Use a lightweight CRM without leaving Google Workspace
- Phone-based outreach: Call, log, and analyze outreach in one tool
Why consider NetHunt instead of HubSpot?
NetHunt lives inside Gmail, turning your inbox into a fully-featured CRM. Unlike HubSpot, which requires switching between its CRM and your email client, NetHunt brings CRM functionality directly to your inbox, including VoIP and call tracking.
How we picked the best HubSpot alternatives
We followed a six-step process to root out the best HubSpot alternatives for small businesses:
- Affordability. We prioritized CRMs offering generous features, fair pricing tiers, and/or all-in-one features without stacking on extra fees. If the price starts ballooning the moment you add a user or unlock an automation, it didn’t make the list.
- Scalable features. We looked for tools designed to grow alongside you — platforms that are easy to start with and powerful enough to grow into. Bonus points if they offer flexible add-on for startups, solopreneurs, or industries like recruiting or sales.
- Real-world use cases. Every tool on this list serves a purpose beyond being “just another CRM.” Some are ideal for hiring pipelines, while others shine in client project tracking or email marketing. We picked platforms with clear, practical use cases that match what small teams actually need.
- Easy to use. You shouldn’t need a full-time admin or a training course to run your CRM. We looked for clean, intuitive interfaces with low learning curves. We also selected a few providers that come with templates or drag-and-drop features.
- Customizations and integrations. The best CRMs play nicely with other tools. We focused on platforms that integrate with popular apps (like Gmail, Slack, and Zapier) and let you adjust pipelines, fields, and workflows to your unique business needs.
- Real user feedback. Last but not least, we pored over reviews and testimonials from real users, especially those from small teams. What did people love? Where did they struggle? We gave more weight to tools that consistently earn praise.
Making your CRM data really visbile
HubSpot alternatives can organize just about everything - leads, deals, emails, text messages, and even outreach. But what they can’t do is put that info where your whole team can see it without logging in or digging through dashboards.
That’s where a tool like Fugo steps in. Fugo.ai can connect to your CRM and turn your screens into real-time dashboards that keep your team aligned, informed, and focused.
Here’s how small businesses are using Fugo with their HubSpot alternatives of choice:
- Track leads and deals in real-time on your office TV so your sales team always knows what’s in the pipeline.
- Celebrate new clients or closed deals to boost morale and recognize wins as they happen. TV screens can be part of your gamification strategy!
- Keep marketing stats visible so your team can pivot quickly, double down on what’s working, or share campaign results with leadership teams.
- Surface to-dos or daily goals for remote and in-office staff alike.
- Display meeting schedules or CRM tasks to reduce email clutter and improve team visibility too.
The cherry on top? You can get up and running in under 15 minutes.
Try Fugo free for 14 days and see just how powerful your HubSpot alternative can become.
FAQ: real questions small businesses ask when shopping for the right CRM
1. What's the best CRM software for small business?
The best CRM for your small business really depends on what you're trying to solve for. Here’s how the most popular options stack up based on real-world use cases:
- HubSpot CRM: Great if you’re just getting started and need basic contact management and marketing features. The free tier is genuinely useful, but things will get expensive quickly if you need advanced automations or reporting.
- Pipedrive: If you’re focused on sales and deal tracking, Pipedrive is simple and visual. Its drag-and-drop interface makes it easy for small teams to manage leads, but marketing automation is limited.
- Zoho CRM: Probably the most customizable at a lower price point. It’s good if you have a bit of technical knowledge and want to build out custom workflows without breaking the bank. Some users mention a learning curve, but it scales well.
- TeamWave: This is one of the few CRMs with flat-rate pricing - $39/month for unlimited users, including project management and HR. It’s ideal if you hate surprise costs or fluctuating bills.
- Nutshell CRM: A straightforward, no-nonsense CRM. It’s good for smaller teams who want clean pipeline visibility without the clutter. Some users feel its simplicity is both its strength and its limitation.
- Salesforce Essentials: It’s essentially a pared-down version of Salesforce, which means you get a taste of enterprise-level CRM without the crazy costs. However, some find it’s still a bit heavy for a small team unless you’re planning to scale aggressively.
2. How to choose a CRM for small business?
Choosing the right CRM comes down to a few core things:
- What’s your main goal? If you’re mostly trying to keep track of leads and sales, simpler CRMs like Pipedrive or OnePageCRM are easier to get started with. If you need marketing automation too, HubSpot or ActiveCampaign might be better.
- Do you want simple or customizable? If you’re comfortable with some setup and tweaking, Zoho CRM is highly customizable. If not, Nutshell or HubSpot might be less intimidating.
- How big is your team? If you have just a few users, most CRMs will be affordable. But if you’re scaling quickly, TeamWave is a safe bet with its flat-rate pricing for unlimited users.
- Are you mobile-focused? If your team is on the go a lot, Copper CRM is excellent for mobile use and syncs well with Google Workspace.
- Do you need project management too? If you’re managing projects alongside your CRM, TeamWave and SuiteDash have those features built in.
3. What companies are competitors of HubSpot?
It depends on what you need:
- For sales-heavy teams, Pipedrive, Close.com, and Freshsales are strong alternatives.
- For marketing automation, ActiveCampaign, SendinBlue, and Ortto are good options with powerful email workflows.
- If you want project management baked into your CRM, SuiteDash and TeamWave are solid choices that also handle invoicing.
- For email-focused CRMs, NetHunt, Copper CRM, and Streak (Gmail-based) work seamlessly with your inbox.
- For membership-based management, Outseta and Memberstack do a lot of heavy lifting in one place.
Most of these are more specialized than HubSpot, which tries to do a bit of everything. The trade-off is usually cost versus complexity.
4. What is the cheapest CRM?
If you’re on a budget, these are the lowest-cost CRMs that still deliver real value:
- OnePageCRM: $9.95/month per user, focused purely on action-based sales tasks. Very no-nonsense and easy to manage.
- TeamWave: $39/month flat for unlimited users. You don’t get billed per person, which is a lifesaver if you’re growing.
- Zoho CRM: Starts at $14/month per user. Good if you need custom fields and reporting without a massive price tag.
- Bitrix24: Free for up to 12 users. A bit clunky, but hard to argue with free.
- HubSpot CRM: Free tier that actually works well for contact management and basic deal tracking, though it gets expensive fast if you upgrade.
5. I can't afford HubSpot, but need a CRM.
If HubSpot is outside your budget, these options deliver without the hefty costs:
- TeamWave: It’s $39/month for unlimited users - no per-seat costs, and it includes project management.
- Zoho CRM: Starts at $14/month per user, with a good balance of features and customizations.
- Pipedrive: $14.90/month per user. Focused purely on sales, which is great if you don’t need all the marketing extras.
- Bitrix24: Free for up to 12 users; it’s a bit clunky but gets the job done.
- OnePageCRM: $9.95/month per user, with no fluff - just streamlined sales tracking.
6. What's the best CRM for outbound sales?
If you’re doing a lot of cold outreach and pipeline building, these CRMs are well-suited:
- Pipedrive: Clear pipeline visibility and automation for follow-ups. Very intuitive for sales teams.
- Close.com: Built around outbound calling and emailing, so no need for third-party integrations.
- LGM (La Growth Machine): Excellent for multichannel outreach, especially on LinkedIn.
- Outreach.io: Great for large-scale outbound sequences with advanced analytics.
7. What’s the best CRM for LinkedIn prospecting?
If you do most of your prospecting on LinkedIn:
- LGM (La Growth Machine): Probably the best LinkedIn-specific CRM. You can automate connections, messages, and follow-ups.
- Expandi: Another strong choice for scaling outreach without getting your account restricted.
- HubSpot with Sales Navigator: You can sync LinkedIn contacts directly to your HubSpot CRM.
- Dux-Soup: Simple Chrome extension that automates LinkedIn outreach at a basic level.
8. What CRM is best for managing contacts and pipelines for a small team?
If you’re trying to keep things straightforward for a small team:
- Nutshell CRM: Really clean interface with customizable pipeline views.
- Pipedrive: Drag-and-drop simplicity that even non-tech folks can use.
- Zoho CRM: Affordable and customizable if you’re okay with a bit more setup.
- TeamWave: Unlimited users for $39/month if you’re planning to grow.
9. Which CRM has flat pricing?
If you’re sick of surprise costs or per-user pricing that balloons your bill, these CRMs offer flat-rate options:
- TeamWave: $39/month flat for unlimited users, with CRM, project management, and HR features.
- SuiteDash: $19/month per user, but you get a fully white-labeled CRM with project management and invoicing. It’s designed for agencies and consultants.
- Flowlu: $29/month for up to 10 users. It’s more project-focused but includes CRM capabilities.
- Bitrix24: Free for up to 12 users, with paid options that still cap out at a predictable monthly cost.
Flat pricing works well if you hate fluctuating bills and want a locked-in rate as you add team members.
10. What CRM can also handle project management and client invoicing?
If you need your CRM to do more than just track leads, these platforms also handle project management and invoicing:
- SuiteDash: Built specifically for client-facing work. You can track projects, send invoices, and manage client communications all in one spot.
- TeamWave: Combines CRM, project management, and HR for a flat $39/month. No more juggling separate tools.
- ClickUp CRM: Primarily a project management tool, but its CRM functionality is growing. It’s ideal if you want one app for everything.
- Zoho One: You get CRM, project management, invoicing, and a dozen other apps under one subscription. It’s a bit more complex to set up, but incredibly powerful.
These are good fits if your sales process is tied directly to project delivery or client work, so everything is managed in the same place.
11. Which CRM is best for marketing analytics and automation?
If you’re looking to run automated campaigns and track performance, these CRMs excel:
- HubSpot Marketing Hub: Still the best all-in-one for marketing automation if you can stomach the cost. The reporting and automation are top-notch, but it’s overkill if you only need basic marketing tools.
- Ortto: Great for visualizing customer journeys and running multi-channel campaigns. It’s easier to use than HubSpot but still powerful.
- ActiveCampaign: Known for email automation and segmentation. It’s a favorite among marketers for its advanced triggers and workflows.
- SendinBlue: Cheaper than HubSpot and strong for email campaigns. It’s not as polished, but it gets the job done.
If marketing analytics and automation are your main priorities, Ortto and ActiveCampaign tend to give you more value for your money than HubSpot’s Marketing Hub.
12. What CRM handles membership management and billing?
If your business relies on memberships or subscriptions, here are the best CRMs to consider:
- Outseta: Purpose-built for membership sites and subscription-based businesses. It includes CRM, billing, and support all in one place.
- Memberstack: Great for handling gated content and recurring payments, especially if you use Webflow or Bubble.
- WildApricot: Popular with nonprofits and community groups for managing memberships and collecting dues.
- Zoho Subscriptions: Ties in with Zoho CRM to manage subscriptions and recurring billing.
- HubSpot (with integrations): Not built for memberships out of the box, but you can pair it with MemberPress or WooCommerce Subscriptions.
These CRMs are designed to manage not just your customer relationships but also the financial aspect of membership-based models.
13. Are there any Gmail-based CRMs?
Yes, there are a few CRMs that work directly within Gmail, so you don’t have to constantly jump between tabs:
- NetHunt CRM: Fully integrated with Gmail. It’s simple to add contacts, manage pipelines, and send follow-ups right from your inbox.
- Streak CRM: Another Gmail-native CRM that adds pipelines and task management directly to your email interface.
- Copper CRM: Probably the most robust Gmail-based CRM. It’s built specifically for Google Workspace users and integrates with Calendar and Drive.
- Drag CRM: A bit different - it turns your Gmail inbox into a Kanban board for task and contact management.
If your team is heavily reliant on Gmail, these CRMs keep everything in one place, which saves a lot of toggling and clicking around.
14. What is the easiest CRM to use for small business?
Not every team wants to spend hours learning a new tool. If simplicity is your main priority, here are the best options:
- Pipedrive: Visual pipelines make it easy to track deals. No need for heavy training sessions.
- OnePageCRM: It’s literally one page - just a simple action stream of what you need to do next.
- Nutshell CRM: Straightforward interface and customizable pipelines. Minimal setup required.
- TeamWave: Flat-rate pricing and an easy learning curve. Ideal for non-technical users.
These CRMs are great if your team is small, non-technical, or you just want something that works without a ton of setup.
15. Which CRM has the best mobile app?
If your team is often on the go, you need a CRM with a strong mobile app:
- Copper CRM: Perfect for Google Workspace users. Its mobile app syncs perfectly with Gmail and Calendar.
- Pipedrive: Excellent mobile UI: drag and drop deals, make calls, and add contacts easily.
- Zoho CRM: Full-featured mobile app with offline access and lead tracking.
- HubSpot CRM: Their mobile app is smooth and well-optimized for both iOS and Android.
- Nutshell CRM: Clean interface that mirrors the desktop experience with mobile-friendly navigation.
For mobile-heavy teams, Copper and Pipedrive are often praised for their seamless sync and easy-to-navigate apps.
16. What is the best CRM for startups that need scalability?
If you want to start small but grow big, these CRMs are great choices:
- HubSpot CRM: Free to start, with room to scale into Marketing Hub, Sales Hub, and Service Hub.
- Zoho CRM: Highly customizable with advanced automation as you scale.
- Salesforce Essentials: The entry-level version of Salesforce that’s designed for smaller teams but scales up to enterprise-level.
- TeamWave: Flat pricing, unlimited users - no surprise costs as you grow.
- Pipedrive: Simple to use but powerful enough to scale with more users and features.
17. What's the best CRM for managing recruitment pipelines?
If you need a CRM to manage recruitment processes, consider these options:
- Loxo: Purpose-built for recruitment with ATS (Applicant Tracking System) features.
- Zoho Recruit: Part of the Zoho suite - lets you manage job openings, applicants, and interviews.
- Bullhorn: The industry leader for staffing and recruitment firms. It’s a bit pricier, but it’s built for high-volume hiring.
- TeamWave: Not specifically for recruitment, but its project and HR features work well for tracking candidates.
- HubSpot CRM (with Workable Integration): HubSpot doesn’t do recruitment out of the box, but integrating with Workable or Greenhouse bridges that gap.
If you’re in recruitment or staffing, Loxo and Bullhorn are the most tailored for that workflow. For small teams, Zoho Recruit is easier on the budget.
18. What's the best CRM for managing customer support?
If you want your CRM to handle support tickets and customer service, these are the best options:
- Zoho CRM with Zoho Desk: You can link Zoho CRM with Zoho Desk to manage support tickets right from your CRM interface.
- Freshdesk CRM: Specifically designed for support, with ticketing, live chat, and automation.
- HubSpot Service Hub: If you’re already in HubSpot’s ecosystem, Service Hub is the logical choice for customer support. It’s easy to integrate and manage from the same dashboard.
- Zendesk Sell: Built with customer support in mind, but it’s on the pricier side.
- Help Scout: Lightweight, easy to use, and perfect for small teams handling a lot of customer inquiries.
If support is as important as sales, Freshdesk CRM and Zoho CRM with Zoho Desk are good value, while HubSpot Service Hub works best if you’re already in that ecosystem.
19. What's the biggest difference between Salesforce and HubSpot?
It boils down to depth of customization vs. ease of use.
Salesforce is like the Swiss Army knife of CRMs - nearly everything is customizable, from dashboards to workflows. But that power comes with complexity. It often requires admin support or development knowledge to configure properly. If you want a CRM that grows with you and handles complex sales structures, Salesforce is the go-to, but be prepared for a steeper learning curve and potentially higher admin costs.
HubSpot is far more user-friendly out of the box. Its CRM is intuitive, and you can get up and running quickly without technical help. The trade-off? Less room for deep customization. If you have a simple sales structure or a small team, HubSpot is easier to manage day-to-day, but you might hit limitations as you grow.
Real-world scenario: If you’re scaling from 10 to 100 sales reps and need custom workflows and granular permissions, Salesforce is your better bet. But if you’re a 5-person sales team looking for speed and simplicity, HubSpot is quicker to adopt.
20. What are HubSpot's limitations?
While HubSpot is a strong player in inbound marketing and easy-to-use CRM, it has its weak spots:
Expensive scaling: HubSpot's free plan is great for startups, but when you need marketing automation, custom reports, or even basic customer service features, the price climbs fast.
Limited customization: Many users report frustrations when trying to customize pipelines or workflows for non-traditional sales processes. Unlike Salesforce or Zoho CRM, you can't deeply tailor it to niche workflows.
Lack of advanced support features: If you need omnichannel support (like SMS, WhatsApp, or AI-driven ticketing), HubSpot falls short compared to Zendesk or Freshdesk.
Integration gaps: Integrating with non-mainstream software often requires expensive middleware solutions or higher subscription tiers.
Real-world scenario: If you’re running a SaaS with complex sales cycles and need a CRM that integrates seamlessly with custom tools or advanced ticketing, HubSpot can quickly become restrictive or really expensive.
21. Does HubSpot have customer experience features?
Yes, but its primary focus is on marketing automation and sales enablement. The Service Hub is HubSpot's answer to CX, offering features like:
- Ticketing system: You can manage customer issues through tickets, but the setup is relatively basic compared to dedicated platforms like Zendesk.
- Knowledge base: HubSpot includes a simple knowledge base that helps customers find answers themselves. However, it’s less customizable than what you’d find in Freshdesk or HelpScout.
- Live chat & chatbots: HubSpot offers basic live chat and chatbots for customer interaction, but the automation options are limited unless you’re on a higher-tier plan.
- Customer feedback surveys: You can send out CSAT and NPS surveys, but real-time, in-chat feedback is less polished than Intercom or Drift.
- Omnichannel support: This is where HubSpot falls short. It does not natively support SMS or WhatsApp without third-party integrations, while Zendesk has these channels built-in.
Real-world scenario: If your primary focus is support and CX, you're probably going to feel limited by HubSpot's Service Hub unless you’re on its Enterprise plan. For real omnichannel support and deeper customization, Zendesk or Freshdesk are stronger options.
22. Why is HubSpot considered expensive?
HubSpot is marketed as a “free” CRM, but the reality is its real power is locked behind paywalls:
Paywalls everywhere: Need automation? Pay for Marketing Hub. Want deeper sales analytics? That’s in the Sales Hub Professional. Even basic reporting is behind a subscription tier.
Contact-based pricing: As you grow your contact list, your costs multiply. If you hit 5,000 contacts, your bill skyrockets.
Integration costs: Connecting to more advanced tools often requires third-party middleware like Zapier, which adds to your costs.
Real-world scenario: A good example of this comes from a company that worked with A1CRM. They started with HubSpot’s free plan but quickly found themselves paying thousands per month just to unlock basic automation and integrate with their ERP. Eventually, they made the switch to Zoho CRM, cutting their costs dramatically while gaining more flexibility for customization and workflow automation.
🔍 Read the case study here
23. What are the most common reasons businesses switch from HubSpot?
- Cost spiral: The free plan is great for startups, but if you scale quickly, you could be looking at thousands per month in fees.
- Rigid customization: Growing businesses often outgrow HubSpot’s templates and need more flexible options like Salesforce or Zoho CRM.
- Customer support needs: If you require advanced ticketing, omnichannel support, or real-time chat, Zendesk or Freshdesk are superior.
- Multi-step sales workflows: Sales teams that need multi-stage deal tracking often find HubSpot too simplistic.
- Integration frustrations: Advanced integrations sometimes require premium plans or middleware.
