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Last updated: March 2026 | Reading time: 13 min
HubSpot is genuinely great. The free CRM tier is the best in the market. The interface is intuitive. The support is helpful. If you're a solo founder or a very small team, you might never pay a cent and get real value.
But then you hit some limitation on the free plan and think, "OK, time to upgrade." You look at the Professional tier. And then you see the price.
AUD $1,100/month. For one Hub. If you want marketing and sales integrated, you're looking at closer to AUD $2,000+/month.
For a team of 5–15 people, that's a hard sell.
The jump from free to Professional is one of the most complained-about pricing cliffs in SaaS. Users report being quoted AUD $26,000+ annually for features they expected to unlock at a mid-tier price point. Even HubSpot's own community forums light up with frustration when people realise the cost.
The good news: there are eight genuinely excellent alternatives in 2026. Some are cheaper. Some have better features for specific use cases. All of them offer a more graceful pricing slope than HubSpot's cliff.
This guide cuts through the comparison noise and shows you which alternative is right for your situation — because "best HubSpot alternative" depends entirely on what HubSpot was doing for you that you can't live without.
Why People Look for HubSpot Alternatives
Before we get into the options, let's be honest about where HubSpot loses people. These pain points should directly inform what you look for next.
The Professional tier pricing cliff is real. HubSpot's free tier is generous. But the jump to Professional (for marketing automation, advanced email, reporting, and other essentials) is jarring. AUD $1,100/month for one Hub, and if you need both Marketing and Sales, you're paying per Hub. The price shock is so common that HubSpot's own community has entire threads dedicated to "Is there a cheaper alternative?"
Contact-based pricing creates hidden costs. If you're on the Marketing Hub Professional tier, the price doesn't just depend on your subscription plan — it also scales with the number of contacts in your database. Your list grows → your bill grows, even if you're using the same features. That's a surprise most businesses don't see coming.
It's overkill for pure sales teams. If you only need a sales pipeline and email tracking, HubSpot's marketing features are dead weight. You're paying for automation, landing pages, forms, and workflows you'll never use. Pipedrive or ActiveCampaign would do more for less money.
Lock-in concerns. Once you've stored thousands of contacts and built email sequences and custom workflows in HubSpot, switching tools feels expensive — not because HubSpot makes it hard, but because you've invested so much time. Many businesses overpay because the switching friction feels real.
Professional onboarding is expensive and non-negotiable. Want help setting up your HubSpot account? That's a professional services bill on top of your subscription. Other platforms include onboarding in their pricing.
If any of these hit close to home, you're in the right place. There's a better alternative for your situation.
Quick Comparison: HubSpot Alternatives at a Glance
| CRM | Starting Price AUD | Best For | Key Advantage | Best If |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pipedrive | ~$22/user/mo | Sales teams | Simple, activity-driven, transparent pricing | You only need sales pipeline |
| ActiveCampaign | ~$22/user/mo | Email automation + CRM | Best-in-class automation, deep segmentation | Email marketing is central to your funnel |
| Brevo | Free + $11/mo | Budget email marketing | Cheapest automation, generous free tier | You want email automation on a shoestring |
| Zoho CRM | ~$22/user/mo | Feature-rich teams | Most features, Xero integration, Australian support | You want depth without the HubSpot price tag |
| Monday.com CRM | ~$18/user/mo | Visual teams | Flexible pipeline views, project management integration | Your team loves visual collaboration tools |
| Freshsales | ~$15/user/mo | Budget-conscious teams | Affordable, phone built-in, responsive support | Budget is your #1 constraint |
| EngageBay | ~$15/user/mo | All-in-one SMBs | CRM + email + helpdesk + landing pages, all-in-one | You want a full platform cheaper than HubSpot |
| Copper CRM | ~$12/user/mo | Google Workspace teams | Native Gmail integration, minimal data entry | Your team lives in Gmail |
The 8 Best HubSpot Alternatives in 2026
1. Pipedrive — Best for Sales Teams Who Want Simplicity
Pipedrive is the natural first stop for anyone leaving HubSpot for sales-focused reasons. It does one thing exceptionally well: sales pipeline management.
Pipedrive was built by salespeople for salespeople. The whole platform is oriented around moving deals forward. The Kanban-style pipeline view is among the best in the industry — deals drag smoothly, stages are customisable, and the activity-based selling philosophy keeps reps focused on the next action rather than endless admin.
Most importantly: Pipedrive's entry price is transparent and low. AU$22/user/month gets you multiple pipelines, email sync and tracking, AI Sales Assistant that flags at-risk deals, and workflow automation. No surprises. No Professional tier jumping to 50x the price.
For teams leaving HubSpot because the sales features are overshadowed by marketing overkill, Pipedrive is the obvious answer.
Key features:
- Visual drag-and-drop pipeline (multiple pipelines on all paid plans)
- Activity-based selling framework (reps see what needs to happen next)
- AI Sales Assistant with at-risk deal detection
- Email sync and tracking
- Workflow automation from the Advanced plan
- Solid mobile app
- Transparent pricing with no surprise add-ons
Pricing:
- Essential: ~AUD $22/user/month (billed annually)
- Advanced: ~AUD $48/user/month
- Professional: ~AUD $60/user/month
- Power: ~AUD $78/user/month
- Enterprise: ~AUD $120/user/month
All plans include unlimited pipelines and core features. No per-contact pricing.
Pros:
- Far cheaper than HubSpot's Professional tier for pure sales
- Multiple pipelines included from the entry plan
- Fast to set up — most teams are productive within an hour
- Responsive customer support that solves problems
- Transparent pricing with no hidden costs
- Activity-based approach keeps sales teams focused
Cons:
- No free plan (14-day trial only)
- Weak marketing automation — not a HubSpot replacement if you need email campaigns
- Email campaigns require an add-on (Pipedrive Campaigns)
- Less suitable for teams that need CRM + marketing tightly integrated
Best for: SMBs and sales teams who want a clean, focused CRM without the complexity or marketing features they don't need. If HubSpot felt like overkill, Pipedrive probably isn't.
💡 Affiliate note: Pipedrive's affiliate programme pays 33% recurring commission — one of the highest rates in the CRM space.
2. ActiveCampaign — Best for Email Automation + CRM Combined
ActiveCampaign is the natural alternative if the reason you're leaving HubSpot is that you need tighter email marketing and CRM integration, but HubSpot's pricing to get that is too high.
ActiveCampaign started as an email automation tool and built a CRM on top. That means the automation engine is genuinely best-in-class. Sequences, branching automations, lead scoring, deal triggers — all deeply integrated without duct tape.
A contact opens your email → a deal is created → a task is assigned → a welcome SMS is sent. All automatically. For SaaS, e-commerce, coaching, or any business where email nurture is central to the funnel, ActiveCampaign runs circles around HubSpot on automation depth.
And the pricing? AU$22–60/user/month depending on contact volume. For teams with email automation heavy workflows, that's significantly cheaper than HubSpot's Professional tier.
Key features:
- Visual automation builder (industry-leading, better than HubSpot's)
- CRM with lead scoring and deal pipelines
- Predictive sending (AI-optimised send times)
- Deep segmentation and tagging
- 900+ integrations including Shopify, WooCommerce, Calendly
- SMS marketing (included on paid tiers)
- Strong email deliverability
Pricing:
- Starter: ~AUD $22/user/month (up to 1,000 contacts)
- Plus: ~AUD $60/user/month
- Professional: ~AUD $97/user/month
- Enterprise: Custom
Pricing scales with contact volume, not just features. Smaller lists stay cheaper.
Pros:
- Automation depth HubSpot locks behind Professional tier
- Excellent email deliverability (better than HubSpot for many use cases)
- Strong onboarding and support
- Fair entry pricing for small teams with small lists
- Integrates well with e-commerce platforms
- Predictive sending is genuinely useful
Cons:
- Pricing scales with contact count — can get expensive as your list grows
- CRM features are less polished than dedicated CRM tools like Pipedrive
- Steeper learning curve for the automation builder
- Not ideal if you just need a sales pipeline
Best for: Businesses where email marketing and CRM need to work tightly together — SaaS founders, e-commerce stores, coaches, consultants, agencies with nurture workflows. If HubSpot's email automation and CRM integration was your main value, ActiveCampaign is worth a serious look.
💡 Affiliate note: ActiveCampaign offers 20–30% recurring commission depending on plan tier.
3. Brevo — Best on a Shoestring Budget
Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) is the budget play. It offers a genuinely useful free tier with unlimited contacts and 300 emails per day. Paid plans start at around AUD $11/month for email campaigns and automation.
If all you need is email automation + a CRM for lead management, Brevo is the cheapest way to get there. You won't get the polish of HubSpot or ActiveCampaign, and the CRM features are simpler, but for bootstrapped businesses or solo founders, Brevo is genuinely excellent value.
The free tier gives you email campaigns, SMS, and contact management. That's production-ready for very small businesses.
Key features:
- Email marketing and automation
- SMS and WhatsApp messaging
- CRM with contact management
- Landing page builder
- Chat widget
- Deliverability tools
- Free tier with unlimited contacts
Pricing:
- Free: AUD $0 (unlimited contacts, 300 emails/day)
- Starter: ~AUD $11/month
- Pro: ~AUD $65/month
- Enterprise: Custom
Pros:
- Genuinely the cheapest option on this list
- Generous free tier (unlimited contacts)
- Includes SMS and WhatsApp in plans (HubSpot charges extra)
- Good for bootstrapped businesses and solo founders
- Simple, clean interface
Cons:
- Less polished UI than HubSpot or ActiveCampaign
- CRM features are simpler and less flexible
- Smaller integration library
- Support quality is inconsistent
- Not suitable if you need advanced sales pipeline management
Best for: Solo founders, freelancers, and bootstrapped businesses on a tight budget who need email automation and basic CRM. If HubSpot's price point is the only reason you're leaving, Brevo might be enough.
4. Zoho CRM — Best for Feature Depth Without the Price Tag
Zoho CRM is the dark horse of this list. It's powerful. Genuinely feature-rich. And at AU$22/user/month for the Professional plan, it costs far less than HubSpot's Professional tier while giving you significantly more features.
Zoho CRM integrates seamlessly with Zoho Books (accounting), Zoho Desk (helpdesk), Zoho Mail, and Zoho Projects. If you're already using any of these, the integration is native and deep.
The trade-off: Zoho CRM has a steeper learning curve than HubSpot. The interface is dense with options. Setup takes longer. But if your team has the patience to learn it, the value is exceptional.
Australian data centres are available, and you can get local support during business hours.
Key features:
- Full-featured CRM with contact management, pipelines, email, automation
- Native integration with Zoho Books, Zoho Desk, Zoho Projects, Zoho Mail
- Advanced customisation options
- AI-powered insights and lead scoring
- Multiple report templates
- iOS and Android mobile apps
- Australian data centres available
- Workflow automation
Pricing:
- Free: AUD $0 (3 users, limited features)
- Standard: ~AUD $22/user/month
- Professional: ~AUD $35/user/month
- Enterprise: ~AUD $48/user/month
Zoho offers Australian billing in AUD.
Pros:
- Far more features than HubSpot at the same price point
- Free tier is actually useful for small teams
- Australian data centres and AUD billing
- Native integration with Zoho Books and other Zoho tools
- Excellent if you're already in the Zoho ecosystem
- Strong customisation options
Cons:
- Steep learning curve (weeks, not days)
- Feature gating pushes you up the ladder faster than competitors
- Multiple pipelines locked behind Professional plan
- Support quality on lower tiers can be slow
- Less intuitive than HubSpot for new users
Best for: Teams already using Zoho Books or Zoho Desk, businesses that need feature depth and customisation, and teams willing to invest time in proper onboarding. If you're leaving HubSpot because Professional tier is too expensive, Zoho's depth at AU$35/user might be the answer.
5. Monday.com CRM — Best for Visual Teams and Cross-Tool Workflows
Monday.com started as a project management tool and built a CRM on top. It looks and feels nothing like a traditional CRM. Everything is a board. Pipelines, contacts, deals, and activities are all displayed in customisable views.
If your team already uses Monday for project management, adding the CRM makes sense — your whole workflow lives in one place. For teams that want flexibility in how they visualise sales data, Monday is impressive.
At AU$18/user/month, it's cheaper than HubSpot's Professional tier and offers something HubSpot doesn't: visual flexibility and project management integration.
Key features:
- Fully customisable pipeline views (Kanban, table, timeline, map, chart)
- AI assistant for data enrichment and email drafting
- Automations (250–25,000 actions/month depending on plan)
- Email integration and tracking
- Quote and proposal generation
- Dashboards with cross-board reporting
- Excellent mobile app
Pricing:
- Free: AUD $0 (2 users, basic features)
- Basic CRM: ~AUD $18/user/month
- Standard CRM: ~AUD $21/user/month
- Pro CRM: ~AUD $34/user/month
- Enterprise: Custom
Per-user pricing with minimum seat requirements on paid plans.
Pros:
- Most visually flexible CRM available
- Works as CRM + project management in one
- Strong automation capabilities
- Good free tier for very small teams
- Great for creative and agencies needing visual collaboration
- Cheaper than HubSpot's Professional tier
Cons:
- Per-user pricing with minimum seat requirements
- Not as deep on pure sales functionality as Pipedrive
- Can become cluttered if not carefully structured
- Learning curve for teams new to Monday's interface
Best for: Creative agencies, consulting firms, teams already using Monday for projects, and businesses that want visual flexibility in pipeline management. If HubSpot felt rigid and expensive, Monday's flexibility might appeal.
6. Freshsales — Best Budget Alternative
Freshsales, built by Freshworks (the helpdesk software team), is arguably the closest like-for-like HubSpot replacement — similar feature scope, much better pricing, more responsive support.
The Growth plan at AU$15/user/month gives you contact management, visual pipelines, email integration, phone built in, and basic automations. That's more than HubSpot's Starter tier for less money. Freddy AI (Freshworks' AI layer) is included and handles contact enrichment, deal insights, and next-best-action recommendations.
For teams leaving HubSpot purely for budget reasons, Freshsales is the obvious play.
Key features:
- Built-in phone and SMS (no add-on required)
- Freddy AI across all plans
- Visual deal pipeline
- Email tracking and templates
- Workflow automations
- Native integration with Freshdesk for support teams
- Mobile app (iOS and Android)
Pricing:
- Free: AUD $0 (3 users, basic features)
- Growth: ~AUD $15/user/month
- Pro: ~AUD $48/user/month
- Enterprise: ~AUD $72/user/month
No contact-based pricing or surprise add-ons.
Pros:
- Genuinely the most affordable full-featured CRM
- Much easier to set up than Zoho or HubSpot
- Built-in phone saves you an integration
- Good support reputation at all tiers
- Fast implementation (most teams productive within days)
- No hidden costs
Cons:
- Fewer third-party integrations than HubSpot
- Reporting is basic on lower plans
- Less brand recognition means fewer community resources
- Not as visually flexible as Monday.com
Best for: Budget-conscious businesses who want HubSpot's feature scope without the price. If HubSpot's cost was the only barrier, Freshsales might be enough. Teams of 3–15 are the sweet spot.
7. EngageBay — Best All-in-One Platform Under HubSpot's Price
EngageBay is the dark horse. It's less well-known than the others, but it packs an extraordinary amount into its plans: CRM, email marketing, landing pages, live chat, and helpdesk, all in one platform.
The free plan supports up to 15 users and 250 contacts. The All-in-One Pro plan at around AU$68/user/month competes directly with HubSpot's mid-tier on features for a fraction of the cost.
For bootstrapped teams that want HubSpot-like functionality without HubSpot's price, EngageBay punches above its weight.
Key features:
- CRM + email marketing + helpdesk in one platform
- Free plan for up to 15 users
- Visual sales pipeline
- Email sequences and broadcast campaigns
- Landing page builder
- Live chat widget
- SMS marketing
- Helpdesk integration
Pricing:
- Free: AUD $0 (15 users, 250 contacts)
- Basic: ~AUD $15/user/month
- Growth: ~AUD $43/user/month
- Pro: ~AUD $68/user/month
Pros:
- Best value all-in-one platform at this price point
- Surprisingly capable free tier (15 users!)
- Good for businesses outgrowing free HubSpot but not ready for Professional
- Includes helpdesk and landing pages (HubSpot charges extra)
- Simple pricing without contact tiers
Cons:
- Less polished UI than HubSpot or Pipedrive
- Smaller integration library
- Customer support quality varies
- Less brand recognition means fewer templates and resources
Best for: Early-stage startups and bootstrapped businesses who want HubSpot-like functionality without HubSpot's price tag. If you need CRM + email + landing pages + helpdesk, EngageBay is the cheapest option.
8. Copper CRM — Best for Google Workspace Teams
Copper is worth a look only if your entire business runs inside Google Workspace — Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Drive, Google Meet. If that's you, Copper is purpose-built for your workflow.
Copper integrates at a depth no other CRM matches. It surfaces inside your Gmail sidebar, showing contact details, deal history, and tasks without leaving your inbox. It auto-populates contact records from your emails, meaning virtually no manual data entry for Gmail-heavy teams.
There's no tab switching. No leaving your inbox to check a pipeline. Everything is right there in Gmail.
At AU$12–$120/user/month depending on plan, it's reasonable. And for teams that live in Gmail, the productivity gain is real.
Key features:
- Native Gmail sidebar integration (no tab switching)
- Auto-populates contacts from Gmail
- Google Calendar sync for activity tracking
- Google Drive attachment linking
- Visual pipeline management
- Workflow automations
- Minimal data entry for Gmail teams
Pricing:
- Starter: ~AUD $12/user/month (3 users max, billed annually)
- Basic: ~AUD $28/user/month
- Professional: ~AUD $72/user/month
- Business: ~AUD $120/user/month
Pricing is per user with seat limits on lower plans.
Pros:
- Unmatched Google Workspace integration
- Minimal data entry for Gmail-heavy teams
- Clean, easy-to-learn interface
- Fair entry-level pricing
- Works seamlessly inside Gmail (no context switching)
Cons:
- Only valuable if your team is fully on Google Workspace
- Limited third-party integrations outside Google's ecosystem
- No free plan
- Can feel simplistic if you need advanced sales features
Best for: Freelancers, agencies, and small teams who live in Gmail and want a CRM that doesn't require them to change how they work. If HubSpot's Gmail integration felt clunky, Copper's native integration might appeal.
Which HubSpot Alternative Is Right for You?
With eight strong options, here's a simple decision framework:
You only need a sales pipeline → Pipedrive. Cleaner, simpler, and cheaper than HubSpot for pure sales. Fast to set up, easy to learn.
Email automation is central to your funnel → ActiveCampaign. Nothing on this list touches it for automated nurture sequences and behavioural triggers. Pricing is fair and transparent.
Budget is your #1 constraint → Brevo or Freshsales. Brevo if you want email automation on a shoestring. Freshsales if you want a full-featured CRM at the lowest price.
You want HubSpot-like depth without the price → Zoho CRM or EngageBay. Zoho if you want customisation and don't mind a learning curve. EngageBay if you want CRM + email + helpdesk + landing pages all-in-one, cheaper.
Your team wants visual flexibility and project management integration → Monday.com CRM. Especially if your team already uses Monday.
Your team lives in Gmail → Copper CRM. Native Gmail integration is unmatched. No context switching, minimal data entry.
You want an all-in-one platform with no hidden costs → EngageBay or ActiveCampaign. Transparent pricing, no per-contact fees, no Professional tier cliffs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I migrate from HubSpot easily?
Yes. All the platforms on this list support CSV import, and most offer migration guides for HubSpot specifically. HubSpot makes it easy to export your contacts, deals, and pipelines as CSV. Budget 2–4 hours for the migration, and test with a small batch first. The main pain point is rebuilding automation workflows — they don't port over, so you'll need to recreate them manually.
Is there a free alternative to HubSpot that's actually good?
Yes, several. HubSpot's free tier is still the best, but if you're leaving because of cost, you have options: Freshsales free tier (3 users), Zoho CRM free tier (3 users), Monday.com free tier (2 users), EngageBay free tier (15 users), or Brevo free tier (unlimited contacts, 300 emails/day). Each is production-ready for very small teams.
What's the best HubSpot alternative for email marketing?
ActiveCampaign or Brevo. ActiveCampaign has deeper automation capabilities and better integration with CRM features. Brevo is cheaper and has a more generous free tier. If email is your main tool, ActiveCampaign is worth the investment.
Is Pipedrive better than HubSpot?
For pure sales pipeline management, yes — it's simpler, faster, and cheaper. For teams that need CRM + marketing integrated, HubSpot has more features. For sales-only teams, Pipedrive wins on simplicity and transparency.
What's the best HubSpot alternative for small businesses on a budget?
Freshsales at AU$15/user/month or Brevo at AU$11/month. Freshsales if you need a full CRM. Brevo if you mainly need email automation and contact management.
Can I use a HubSpot alternative and still integrate with other tools?
Yes. All the platforms on this list (Pipedrive, ActiveCampaign, Zoho, Freshsales, Monday.com, EngageBay, Copper) integrate with Zapier, which opens up connections to 7,000+ apps. They also have native integrations with popular tools like Slack, Calendly, Shopify, and others.
Do any of these alternatives have a Professional tier pricing cliff like HubSpot?
No. That's actually one of the key advantages. Pipedrive, Freshsales, Zoho, and ActiveCampaign all have transparent, gradual pricing increases. There's no sudden jump from free to AUD $1,100/month. Pricing scales with features and user count, not surprise tier jumps.
The Bottom Line
HubSpot is genuinely great, but the jump from free to Professional is a deal-breaker for most small businesses. The good news: the CRM market in 2026 has never been more competitive, and there's a better alternative for almost every use case.
If you only need sales pipeline management, Pipedrive is simpler and cheaper. If email automation is central to your funnel, ActiveCampaign is worth the investment. If budget is your #1 constraint, Freshsales at AU$15/user/month gives you a full-featured CRM without the shock.
For teams that want HubSpot-like depth and features, Zoho CRM at AU$35/user/month gives you significantly more than HubSpot at the same price point — you just need to be willing to learn it.
Whichever direction you go, every platform on this list offers a free trial or free tier. Test it with your actual data for a week before committing. The right CRM is the one your team will actually use, and the only way to know that is to get your hands on it.
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