How to Choose the Best Hubspot Alternative for Your Sales Team

Selecting the right CRM can feel overwhelming, especially when you are comparing Hubspot to a long list of competing platforms. This step-by-step guide walks you through how to evaluate CRM tools, using insights from the most popular Salesforce alternatives so you can make a confident, data-driven decision.

The guidance below is based on the comparison framework used in HubSpot’s overview of Salesforce alternatives, adapted into a practical how-to process you can follow.

Step 1: Define When to Use Hubspot vs. an Alternative

Before signing up for demos, clarify when Hubspot is the right choice and when another CRM might serve you better. Use these questions to set direction:

• Team size: Are you a small business, a scaling mid-market company, or an enterprise with complex structures?
• Tech stack: Do you need tight integration with marketing, service, or custom apps?
• Budget: Are you optimizing for low entry cost, predictable scaling, or advanced enterprise features?
• Sales motion: Are you mostly inside sales, field sales, or a mix with account-based strategies?

Hubspot is frequently recommended for teams that want a connected marketing and sales ecosystem, a cleaner interface, and faster onboarding, while many Salesforce-style alternatives focus on deep customization and complex workflows.

Step 2: List the Core CRM Features You Need

Next, define the non‑negotiable features you expect from any modern CRM, whether you choose Hubspot or another provider.

Must-Have CRM Features to Compare with Hubspot

• Contact and account management
• Deal and opportunity tracking
• Task and activity management
• Email integration and tracking
• Reporting and dashboards
• Pipeline management with clear stages
• Mobile access for sales reps on the go

When reviewing any alternative, ask how each feature compares to the way Hubspot implements it. Look for clarity, ease of use, and the number of clicks required for daily tasks.

Advanced Features Often Found in Hubspot Alternatives

Some Salesforce-style platforms lean heavily into advanced configuration. Compare these capabilities side-by-side with Hubspot:

• Highly customizable objects and fields
• Complex approval workflows
• Territory management and advanced permissions
• Deep partner or channel sales support
• Extensive app marketplaces for niche add-ons

Use this list to prioritize which advanced options are truly essential and which may just add complexity compared with a streamlined CRM like Hubspot.

Step 3: Evaluate Ease of Use Against Hubspot Benchmarks

Usability can make or break adoption. Even powerful Salesforce alternatives fail if your team will not use them. Use Hubspot as a usability benchmark and score each CRM on:

1. Interface clarity: Is navigation intuitive and consistent?
2. Onboarding speed: Can a new rep learn the system in days rather than weeks?
3. Admin workload: How easy is it to create fields, pipelines, and workflows without a developer?
4. Training resources: Are there courses, templates, and community support similar to what you find in the Hubspot ecosystem?

Give each platform a simple 1–5 rating for these criteria and keep a running comparison chart.

Step 4: Compare Pricing Models to Hubspot

Pricing across CRM platforms can be confusing. To avoid surprises, compare every Hubspot alternative using the same structure.

How to Build a Clean CRM Pricing Sheet

1. List user types: Admins, full sales users, and any limited or read-only users.
2. Note base subscription costs: Monthly or annual commitments for each plan.
3. Add required add-ons: Phone, advanced reporting, or automation features that are not in the base tier.
4. Estimate 3-year total cost: Include projected user growth.

Then, compare your totals with what similar functionality would cost on Hubspot. Many teams discover that a seemingly cheaper CRM becomes more expensive once they add implementation, support, and the necessary add-ons.

Step 5: Map Integrations and Ecosystem Fit

Whether you choose Hubspot or another platform, your CRM should connect cleanly with the tools your sales and marketing teams already use.

Key Integration Questions

• Does the CRM integrate natively with your email and calendar?
• Can it sync with your marketing automation, support tools, or website forms?
• Are there pre-built connectors in an app marketplace similar to Hubspot’s ecosystem?
• Is custom integration supported through APIs if you need special workflows?

Draw a simple diagram of your existing tech stack and mark where Hubspot or each alternative would plug in. Favor CRMs that minimize custom development and manual data work.

Step 6: Run a Structured Trial Using the Hubspot Method

Instead of casually testing features, treat your CRM trial like a real project. You can mirror the method many teams use when piloting Hubspot.

Design a 14-Day CRM Trial Plan

1. Days 1–2: Import a sample data set of contacts, companies, and deals.
2. Days 3–5: Rebuild your main sales pipeline and stages.
3. Days 6–8: Log calls, emails, and meetings for real opportunities.
4. Days 9–11: Create dashboards and reports your leadership needs weekly.
5. Days 12–14: Collect rep feedback and score usability against your Hubspot benchmark.

Run the same plan with each shortlisted CRM. This keeps your comparison fair and makes it easy to see how each system stacks up against Hubspot and other options.

Step 7: Decide with a Simple Hubspot-Based Scorecard

To avoid decision fatigue, convert your notes into a numeric scorecard. Use Hubspot as one of the columns so you can compare it directly with your final alternatives.

Build Your CRM Comparison Scorecard

• Categories to score (1–10):
  • Ease of use
  • Core features
  • Advanced capabilities
  • Integrations and ecosystem
  • Pricing and total cost of ownership
  • Support, training, and community
• Columns to include:
  • Hubspot
  • Alternative 1
  • Alternative 2
  • Alternative 3 (optional)

Assign scores, add a brief comment for each category, and total the results. The highest score may not always win, but the exercise will surface clear tradeoffs between Hubspot and any competing CRM.

Step 8: Plan Your Rollout, Whether You Choose Hubspot or Not

Once you choose a platform, rollout is where success is won or lost. Follow these steps for a smooth launch:

1. Clean your data: Deduplicate records and standardize fields before importing.
2. Design pipelines: Align stages with your real sales process.
3. Set clear rules: Define ownership, required fields, and update cadence.
4. Train your team: Use live sessions, short videos, and written guides.
5. Monitor adoption: Track logins, activities, and data completeness.

Teams that choose Hubspot can draw on its training resources and partner network, while teams on other CRMs may rely more heavily on consultants and internal admins.

Get Expert Help Comparing Hubspot to Other CRMs

If you need support choosing between Hubspot and the many Salesforce-style alternatives, consider working with a specialist who lives in these tools every day. A dedicated CRM and RevOps consultant can help you:

• Audit your current sales and marketing processes
• Translate business requirements into CRM features
• Run structured pilots across multiple platforms
• Design a scalable architecture and rollout plan

You can find expert guidance and implementation support through firms like Consultevo, which focuses on helping teams choose and deploy the right go-to-market stack.

Use the steps in this guide, together with structured comparisons inspired by HubSpot’s overview of Salesforce alternatives, to select a CRM that truly fits your team and supports long-term growth.