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HubSpot vs Salesforce: workflows at $20 against nurture campaigns at $25
Updated Oct 15, 2026
HubSpot Sales Hub Starter costs $20 a seat a month at the regular price and Salesforce Starter Suite $25 a user; both charge the same monthly or annually. Both have a free plan for 2 users, email sync, dashboards and a mobile app. HubSpot Starter adds up to 50 workflows and a 15 million contact limit. Salesforce Starter adds email nurture campaigns, but on the reading we use, no Flow automation.
At a glance, by our score
- Lowest price
#2 HubSpot
Teams that want 15 million contacts, all five basics we check and a free plan for two users
8.3/10Very goodOur scoreVisit HubSpotOn hubspot.com - Lowest price
#9 Salesforce
Small businesses that want sales, service and email nurture campaigns in one $25 per-user suite
6.4/10FairOur scoreVisit SalesforceOn salesforce.com
Side by side
| Criterion | HubSpot | Salesforce |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 8.3/10Very goodOur score #2 of 10 | 6.4/10FairOur score #9 of 10 |
| Cost for five users (35%) | 8.0 / 10 | 7.0 / 10 |
| Included on the entry plan (25%) | 10.0 / 10 | 8.0 / 10 |
| Free plan (15%) | 10.0 / 10 | 10.0 / 10 |
| Support (15%) | 3.0 / 10 | 3.0 / 10 |
| Contact limit (10%) | 10.0 / 10 | 0.0 / 10 |
| Price from | $0 / month | $0 / month |
| Best for | Teams that want 15 million contacts, all five basics we check and a free plan for two users | Small businesses that want sales, service and email nurture campaigns in one $25 per-user suite |
| Visit | Visit HubSpotOn hubspot.com | Visit SalesforceOn salesforce.com |
Who should pick which
- HubSpot: Teams that want 15 million contacts, all five basics we check and a free plan for two users
- Salesforce: Small businesses that want sales, service and email nurture campaigns in one $25 per-user suite
At a glance
| HubSpot | Salesforce | |
|---|---|---|
| Entry plan | Sales Hub Starter | Starter Suite |
| Price per user | $20 a seat a month at the regular price, monthly or annually ($240 a year); new-customer offer $10 monthly or $7 annually | $25 a month, billed monthly or annually ($300 a year) |
| Cost for five users | $100 a month at the regular price | $125 a month |
| Contact limit | 15 million contact records | Its pages don't say (10 GB data storage) |
| Deal pipelines | Up to 15 per account | Opportunity management, customizable sales process |
| Email sync | Gmail, Outlook or Exchange inbox connection | Gmail or Outlook, with activity capture |
| Automation | Up to 50 workflows, restricted triggers | Pages conflict; we read Flows not included |
| Dashboards | 30 dashboards | Customizable reports and dashboards |
| Mobile app | iOS and Android | Salesforce Mobile App |
| Free plan | Yes: up to 2 users | Yes: Free Suite, 2 users |
| Support | Pages conflict; we use email only | Self-guided resources and case support |
Prices and features from HubSpot's pricing page and Salesforce's pricing page, read Sep 27, 2026. Where a company's own pages conflict, we use the worse reading for a buyer.
Price
| HubSpot Sales Hub Starter | Salesforce Starter Suite | |
|---|---|---|
| One user, billed annually (a month) | $20 | $25 |
| One user, billed monthly | $20 | $25 |
| Five users, billed annually (a month) | $100 | $125 |
| Five users, billed monthly | $100 | $125 |
Billed monthly or annually, five users on HubSpot cost $25 a month less than on Salesforce.
HubSpot's $10 and $7 seat prices are a new-customer offer for a limited time, with no end date; the regular price is $20. On the offer, five seats cost $35 a month billed annually or $50 billed monthly, until it ends. Salesforce charges the same $25 whether you pay monthly or annually, and its small-business page adds "Transaction fees apply".
Where they differ
- Automation. HubSpot Starter has up to 50 workflows with restricted triggers and actions (pricing page). Salesforce's pages conflict: the Starter card lists "Built-in Sales Flows and Lead Routing", but its small-business table marks Process Automation with Flows not included. We use that reading.
- Email campaigns. Salesforce Starter lists "Dynamic Email Nurture Campaigns and Lead Scoring". HubSpot's email sequences start on Professional.
- Contacts. HubSpot states 15 million contact records for paying customers (product catalog). Salesforce states 10 GB of data storage for Starter, not a contact count (storage help).
- Free plans. HubSpot's free plan covers 2 users with no credit card. Salesforce's Free Suite also comes with 2 user licenses and stays free as long as you log in at least once every 60 days.
- The next tier. HubSpot Professional is $90 a seat billed annually plus a one-time $1,500 onboarding fee. Salesforce Pro Suite is $100 a user billed annually, with a contract required.
Who should pick which
Pick HubSpot if you want workflows on the entry plan, a very large contact limit and the lower price, and can plan for the regular $20 once the offer ends.
Pick Salesforce if nurture emails and lead scoring on the entry plan matter more than workflows, or you expect to grow into Salesforce's larger editions. On the readings we use, neither entry plan includes phone or chat support.
Compare both in our CRM ranking, and see how we score CRMs.