You came here to learn why a lot of customers are leaving HubSpot, so I’ll cut to the chase. HubSpot can be confusing. The complexity of the packages and software itself often push businesses, particularly serious small businesses, to cancel their subscriptions and start researching HubSpot alternatives.
How did we find this out? We have an inside source, which happens to be the thousands of entrepreneurs and small businesses we work with every day. But “confusing” can be such a general term, so this blog is going to dive into the specific aspects of the software that can hinder small business teams. This will help you decide if you and your team are ready to jump into HubSpot and enjoy all its features or if an alternative would be a better fit.
How it starts
Confusion often begins for small businesses when they see that HubSpot offers Free and Starter packages. These packages are appealing and they lead people to believe they’ve struck gold, being able to pay less (or even nothing at all) for CRM and business automation software.
Many entrepreneurs may end up choosing the Small Business Bundle, which includes the Starter version of every hub HubSpot offers. It will run them only $20/month (or $15/month if they commit annually). This looks like an insane deal at first, so it’s not surprising that it attracts a lot of entrepreneurs and their teams. However, complexity lies around the corner.
Unknown limits
One of the first confusing and frustrating parts of HubSpot starts with its package limitations. These pop up for customers either while they’re shopping or even after they’ve already committed to a subscription.
For example, when you click to explore the Small Business Bundle, you’re met with a pretty awesome page if we’re being honest. It’s full of great info about a few of the features you can look forward to, pricing, some stats, and other useful details. At first glance, it has everything you could need to decide if this software is right for you. But nowhere on the page does it clearly list the limitations that come with the plan — things like action limits on forms, emails, and other automations, as well as caps on list segmentation.
In order to find all the limits that come with the Small Business Bundle starter hubs, you have to scroll all the way to the bottom of the page, locate the FAQs section, and open up the drop-down tab for “Are there any average fees?”. From there, you’ll need to select Product and Services Catalog, which will take you to a page with charts listing what actually comes with each plan. This process is clunky and complex, posing two risks to small businesses interested in this bundle:
- Shoppers may not find the info they need before purchasing: With such crucial information being buried, it’s hard to imagine that everyone finds the link to the catalog.
- Even if people do find the chart, fully understanding it can be overwhelming and complex: The chart holds a ton of details, which is great, but you have to hover over nearly every feature to see the full limitations you’re signing up for (see example below). This is time-consuming and complex for any software shopper.
The dangers of this confusing process? Businesses commit to a software without being 100% clear on what comes with it and how they’ll be limited. If they do end up needing features without limits, they’ll have to upgrade from Starter to Professional or Enterprise, which run from $890-$3,600/month for just the Marketing Hub.
Stress of switching
If you commit to HubSpot and discover you can’t run your small business within the limits of the Starter plan, you’ll have to switch to something that doesn’t hinder you and your team. And in this case, it will require one of two things:
- Upgrading your plan: One of your options would be to upgrade your plan, but not only is this expensive it’s also not an easy feat. You’d have to start by sifting through HubSpot’s different hubs — marketing, sales, service, operations, content, and commerce. Then, you’d have to understand the offers and limits of each hub’s three package options (Starter, Professional, and Enterprise) so you can decide which one you need. This means you’re essentially doing the shopping research for six pieces of software instead of just one.
- Completely switching software: For those who have already committed to HubSpot but would prefer not to pay enterprise-level prices to upgrade, your best bet is to switch software entirely (read more about HubSpot’s pricing for small businesses on our blog). Changing up your tech stack can feel intimidating and confusing, but it all depends on which software you switch to. If you go for an option that has sound implementation services, the transition will be seamless and simple.
In an ideal world, you wouldn’t have to take either of these routes. These processes can add more stress to your plate and the way to avoid them is to ensure you have all the information you need to make the right choice in your software search. And good news: You’re already on the right track with reading this article.
Learning curve
With a software as robust as HubSpot, getting started is bound to be confusing without some help. You’ll want to fully understand the platform so you can make the most of all the features you’re paying for. Unless you have a HubSpot tech wizard on your staff, you’ll either have to:
Hire one: That means shelling out more money for another salary or contract work, both of which can cost more than the actual software itself.
Pay for HubSpot support: This can run you thousands of dollars depending on what you need. And even then, deciding what training you do and don’t require (and what you can afford) can get confusing too.
This information isn’t meant to stress you out, but it is intended to show you how crucial it is to pick a software you can get a handle on AND one with support packages that fit your business’ budget. If you want more information on HubSpot’s services, we did a small business breakdown of their support and services on our blog. Check it out to see if this is a realistic option for your business.
Your next step
Overall, HubSpot is an impressive software, and it’s an awesome solution for large enterprises who can afford the premium package and all the support they need. But for small to medium-sized businesses, there are better, less complex solutions that will help you hit the ground running faster. In fact, there are CRM and business automation software specifically designed for entrepreneurs, and Keap is one of them.
Small business CRM and automation software are designed to alleviate confusion by giving you the features you need to grow and experts to support you, all at a price entrepreneurs can afford. If this sounds like the type of solution you’ve been searching for, explore our HubSpot alternative today by setting up a free call with a Keap expert who can answer all your questions.
