Freshsales vs HubSpot: CRM Software Compared (2026)
Freshsales and HubSpot are two popular CRMs for small and mid-size sales teams.
- Verified 27 Oct 2026Sources are dated on this page
- 7 sourcesLinked, typed and dated
- No winner declaredFit depends on your criteria
- Not tested by Stack18Editorial summary of documented facts
Freshsales vs HubSpot: the short answer
Freshsales and HubSpot are two popular CRMs for small and mid-size sales teams. Freshsales, from Freshworks, is a sales CRM sold per user in Free, Growth, Pro and Enterprise plans, with built-in phone, email and chat and AI sold partly as add-ons. HubSpot is a customer platform with a free CRM and separately priced Hubs, with AI agents billed partly by outcome.
The sources reviewed describe the choice as price and built-in phone against platform breadth. Freshsales is described as cheaper per seat, with a dialer included even on the free plan and clear tier pricing. HubSpot is described as stronger on marketing, ecosystem and a unified platform, but more expensive as you move up, with required onboarding fees on higher tiers.
We compare what independent 2026 sources and the vendors' own pages support and mark the rest Unknown. One source is Freshworks' own comparison page, so we treat its claims as vendor-authored. HubSpot's entry price and free-user cap differ between sources, so we show the range. No winner is declared: the better fit depends on whether you want a sales CRM or a platform.
Choose Freshsales if you- Startups and small teams that want an affordable CRM with a dialer included
- Teams already using Freshdesk or other Freshworks products
- Sales teams that need sequences and multiple pipelines at a mid price
Choose HubSpot if you- Teams that want sales, marketing and service on one customer record
- Teams that value ecosystem breadth and strong marketing tools
- Teams that want a free CRM to start and can budget for onboarding on higher tiers
Freshsales and HubSpot at a glance.
One card per product, drawn from each full profile. Open a profile for features, pricing plans, limits and sources.
Freshsales
Freshworks Inc. · CRM Software
Freshsales is a sales CRM from Freshworks that combines contact and deal management, a visual pipeline, built-in phone and email and the Freddy AI layer, sold per user in Free, Growth, Pro and Enterprise plans.
- Pricing
- Free for up to 3 users; Growth reported at $9 per user per month billed annually.
- Best for
- Startups and small teams that want an affordable CRM with a dialer
HubSpot
HubSpot, Inc. · CRM Software
HubSpot is a customer platform from HubSpot, Inc. that combines a CRM (Smart CRM) with product modules called Hubs for sales, marketing, customer service, content, data and revenue operations.
- Pricing
- Free tools; Sales Hub from $9 per seat per month billed annually (Starter).
- Best for
- Small teams that want to start on a free CRM and upgrade gradually
Freshsales vs HubSpot: feature-by-feature comparison.
Every row is drawn from the sources listed below. Rows that differ are marked, and you can filter the table to show only those.
- YesDocumented
- PartialAvailable with limits or on some plans
- NoDocumented as unavailable
- UnknownNot documented in the sources reviewed
| Dimension |  Freshsales |  HubSpot |
|---|---|---|
| Product | ||
| Product shape | YesSales CRM in the Freshworks suite, with built-in phone, email and chat and Freddy AI. | YesA platform: CRM plus Hubs for sales, marketing and service on shared customer data. |
| Pricing | ||
| Free planDiffers | YesFree for up to three users, with contact management and built-in phone, email and chat. | PartialFree CRM tools; sources report two users, while others report three. |
| Entry paid price per user (annual)Differs | YesGrowth at $9 per user per month billed annually; about $11 monthly. | PartialSales Hub Starter is reported at $9, $15 or $20 depending on the source and promotion. |
| Mid-tier price per user (annual) | YesPro at $39 billed annually; about $47 monthly. | YesSales Hub Professional at $90 billed annually; $100 monthly. |
| Top-tier price per user | YesEnterprise at $59 billed annually; about $71 monthly. | YesSales Hub Enterprise from $150 per user per month. |
| Onboarding feesDiffers | UnknownNo mandatory onboarding fee was reported in the sources reviewed. | PartialRequired one-time onboarding of $1,500 on Professional and $3,500 on Enterprise, per a September 2026 guide. |
| Phone | ||
| Built-in callingDiffers | YesBuilt-in phone is included from the free plan, which guides call its main cost advantage. | PartialCalling is not described as included on the lowest tiers; confirm for your plan. |
| Sales tools | ||
| Sequences and multiple pipelines | YesSequences, multiple pipelines and auto-assignment from Pro. | YesSequences and workflows on higher Sales Hub tiers; multiple pipelines by tier. |
| AI | ||
| AI billing modelDiffers | PartialFreddy contact scoring on Pro and forecasting on Enterprise; Copilot is a $29 per user add-on and the AI Agent is $49 per 100 sessions. | YesBreeze AI uses outcome-based pricing from April 2026, reported at $0.50 per resolved conversation and $1 per recommended lead, plus credits. |
| Email trackingDiffers | PartialEmail tracking is reported as paid-plan only. | YesEmail tracking is available on the free plan per one guide. |
| Marketing | ||
| Marketing toolsDiffers | PartialDescribed as basic; teams that need deep marketing automation need another product. | YesDescribed as excellent, through the separate Marketing Hub. |
| Customisation | ||
| Custom modulesDiffers | YesCustom modules, sandbox and audit logs on Enterprise. | PartialCustom objects limited to Sales Hub Enterprise. |
Freshsales vs HubSpot pricing.
Freshsales pricing
Per user per month by plan, with a free plan for up to three users, discounts for annual billing and add-ons for AI and documents.
- Free$0
- Growth$9 per user per month billed annually; about $11 billed monthly
- Pro$39 per user per month billed annually; about $47 billed monthly
- Enterprise$59 per user per month billed annually; about $71 billed monthly
- Freddy AI and document add-onsCopilot about $29 per user; AI Agent $49 per 100 sessions; Branded documents $19 per user
Figures reported consistently by independent sources; vendor page not reviewed directly. Checked 15 Oct 2026.
All Freshsales plans and sources
HubSpot pricing
Per-seat subscription by Hub and tier (Free, Starter, Professional, Enterprise), with one-time onboarding fees on Professional and Enterprise.
- Free tools$0
- Sales Hub Starter$9 per seat per month billed annually; $15 per seat per month billed monthly
- Sales Hub Professional$90 per seat per month billed annually; $100 billed monthly
- Sales Hub Enterprise$150 per seat per month
Prices from a vendor-published source. Checked 15 Oct 2026.
All HubSpot plans and sourcesFreshsales is cheaper at every comparable tier. Our arithmetic on reported annual prices for 10 users gives about $1,080 a year on Freshsales Growth ($9 x 10 x 12), $4,680 on Pro ($39 x 10 x 12) and $7,080 on Enterprise ($59 x 10 x 12). On HubSpot, Sales Hub Professional at $90 is about $10,800 a year ($90 x 10 x 12), and with the reported $1,500 onboarding fee about $12,300 in year one. HubSpot's free CRM remains the cheapest start if two or three users and no automation are enough.
AI changes the picture on the Freshsales side. Copilot at $29 per user per month adds about $3,480 a year for 10 users ($29 x 10 x 12), taking Pro plus Copilot to about $8,160. One guide notes Freshsales is meaningfully cheaper only if you skip the Freddy add-ons. HubSpot's outcome-based AI adds a variable cost that scales with resolved conversations and recommended leads.
Bundled phone is the other variable: Freshsales includes it from the free plan, while a team on another CRM often adds a separate dialer. Prices changed on both sides in 2026, so confirm current terms with each vendor.
Prices and plans change. Confirm current terms with each vendor before you decide.
Freshsales vs HubSpot: implementation, ecosystem, AI and security.
Ease of implementation and usability
We did not test setup or migration for either product. Guides describe Freshsales as quick for small sales teams and HubSpot as easy to adopt but more complex across Hubs, with required onboarding on higher tiers. Pilot the same ten live deals in each before committing.
Integrations and ecosystem
Freshsales integrates most naturally with other Freshworks products, and one guide notes a smaller app marketplace than HubSpot's. HubSpot states that Sales Hub integrates with over 1,500 apps. Integration depth was not independently verified, so check the specific tools you use.
AI capabilities
Freshsales' Freddy AI covers contact scoring from Pro, forecasting insights on Enterprise, a Copilot add-on and an AI Agent billed per session. HubSpot's Breeze assistant and agents are billed partly by outcome from April 2026. Guides credit Freshsales with practical AI for sales teams and HubSpot with broader AI across marketing, sales and service. We did not test output quality.
Security, deployment and administration
Freshsales lists field-level permissions, a sandbox and audit logs on Enterprise. HubSpot's governance features rise with tier. We did not review certifications or data residency for either product, so request current security documentation from both vendors.
Freshsales and HubSpot: each option, in balance.
Freshsales
Strengths and limitations from the profile
- Built-in phone and email from the free tier reduce the need for separate calling tools.
- A free plan for three users and a low-priced Growth plan make it affordable for startups.
- Sequences, multiple pipelines and auto-assignment arrive at the mid-priced Pro plan.
- Enterprise adds custom modules, AI forecasting, a sandbox and field-level permissions.
- The jump from Growth to Pro is steep, and key features such as sequences sit on Pro.
- Much of the AI is sold as add-ons, so the real cost of AI features can exceed the plan price.
- Freddy AI Agent is billed per session, which is consumption-based and hard to forecast.
- Sources disagree on which plan introduces some AI features, so verify the features you need.
HubSpot
Strengths and limitations from the profile
- A free tier with no onboarding fee gives teams a low-risk place to start.
- One platform covers CRM plus sales, marketing, service and other Hubs on shared customer data.
- HubSpot documents a clear tier ladder with stated limits for pipelines, workflows, reports and calling minutes.
- AI tools are included in the free plan and paid Sales Hub tiers, according to HubSpot's guide.
- Professional and Enterprise carry one-time onboarding fees of $1,500 and $3,500 on top of seat prices.
- Custom objects are limited to Sales Hub Enterprise, which matters for teams with non-standard data models.
- The free tier is limited to two users, includes HubSpot branding, and has no automation or sequences.
- Costs rise when seat counts grow or other Hubs are added, because each Hub is priced separately.
Freshsales or HubSpot: which fits which situation?
No overall winner is declared. The better choice depends on the criteria that matter most to you, so test both against your own requirements.
Choose Freshsales if you…
- Startups and small teams that want an affordable CRM with a dialer included
- Teams already using Freshdesk or other Freshworks products
- Sales teams that need sequences and multiple pipelines at a mid price
Choose HubSpot if you…
- Teams that want sales, marketing and service on one customer record
- Teams that value ecosystem breadth and strong marketing tools
- Teams that want a free CRM to start and can budget for onboarding on higher tiers
Switching between Freshsales and HubSpot.
Moving between Freshsales and HubSpot means exporting contacts, accounts, deals and activity, mapping custom fields, and rebuilding sequences and workflows, which do not transfer. Run one team on the new CRM through a full sales cycle before retiring the old one.
- Export a sample of your data and test an import into the other product.
- List the automations, integrations and permissions you would need to rebuild.
- Pilot with one team before a full cut-over.
- Check contract terms and notice periods with both vendors.
General guidance, not specific to either vendor. Confirm migration options with the vendors.
Freshsales vs HubSpot: questions and answers
Is Freshsales cheaper than HubSpot?
Yes at every comparable tier: Freshsales Pro is $39 per user per month against $90 for HubSpot Sales Hub Professional, billed annually, and HubSpot adds required onboarding on higher tiers.
Do Freshsales and HubSpot have free plans?
Yes. Freshsales is free for up to three users with built-in phone, email and chat. HubSpot's free CRM tools cover two users in some sources and three in others.
Does Freshsales include a phone?
Yes, built-in phone is reported on every plan including the free plan.
How does Freshsales AI pricing work?
Freddy features are partly on Pro and Enterprise, with Copilot at about $29 per user per month and the AI Agent at $49 per 100 sessions as add-ons.
How does HubSpot AI pricing work?
A 2026 guide reports outcome-based pricing from April 2026 at $0.50 per resolved conversation and $1 per recommended lead, alongside credits. Confirm current terms.
Which has better marketing tools?
Guides describe HubSpot's marketing tools as excellent through Marketing Hub and Freshsales' as basic.
Which is better for a small sales team?
Guides favour Freshsales for small teams that want low cost and built-in phone, and HubSpot for teams that want one platform across marketing, sales and service.
Where this comparison comes from.
- How much does Freshsales cost in 2026? Pricing breakdown Automation Atlas Third-party Accessed 27 Oct 2026
- Freshsales Pricing 2026 Capterra Third-party Accessed 27 Oct 2026
- Freshsales Pricing 2026: Plans, Costs & What You Actually Pay LeadHaste Third-party Accessed 27 Oct 2026
- Freshworks vs HubSpot: Honest CRM Comparison (2026) Prospeo Third-party Accessed 27 Oct 2026
- HubSpot alternatives (vendor comparison page) Freshworks Official Accessed 27 Oct 2026
- HubSpot's Sales Hub pricing guide HubSpot (blog.hubspot.com) Official Accessed 15 Oct 2026
- HubSpot vs Zoho CRM: Cheap to Start vs Cheap to Scale in 2026 Rework Third-party Accessed 27 Oct 2026
Comparison rows summarise the sources listed and the two profiles. Confirm current details with each vendor. Stack18 has not tested either product. One or both profiles are secondary-source profiles: vendor pages were not reviewed directly, so verify figures with the vendors.
Ready to test Freshsales and HubSpot?
Check each vendor's current pricing and terms, run both against a real scenario from your business, or talk to Stack18 if off-the-shelf software is not the answer.
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