If you’ve ever searched for small business CRM and automation software, you’ve undoubtedly run into HubSpot. The thing is, HubSpot is a fantastic, impressive software, but it’s designed for huge corporations, which means it can be overwhelming for any business size other than the large-scale companies they cater to.
Simply put, there are better software options than HubSpot for serious small businesses.
That’s why we hear from so many customers who are looking for a HubSpot alternative. But what are some of the specific reasons that finally pushed entrepreneurs to make a switch?
One of the main things that tipped the scale is the need for more personal, affordable services and support.
With that said, let’s take a deep dive into HubSpot’s support and services to understand what they offer, the price tag attached to it, and if it’s the right fit for your serious small business.
Why do support and services matter?
Support and services aren’t always at the top of every business’ list when searching for software, but they should be.
Software support will directly impact:
- How quickly you can get onboarded or transition from your previous platform
- How easily, thoroughly, and accurately your data is migrated (and if you have to do it yourself)
- The ROI you get from your software investment
- If you have to spend time personally training your team
- If you have to find someone to answer your questions or troubleshoot your problems
- How much time you save
- The amount of benefits you, your team, your audience and your overall business experience
- And so much more.
It’s truly impossible to overstate how crucial it is to have a team on your side to help you get started and succeed long-term when adding new tech to your arsenal. This is true no matter what software you’re in the market for, but it’s especially important for your small business automation and CRM platform. For a platform that will so directly impact your team, leads, and customers, you don’t just need great features. You need a group of experts who will offer:
Support in the form of answering any questions that come up, fixing issues and explaining new features.
Services to help you map out your goals, craft a sound strategy to help you accomplish them, and create campaigns in your software to support your growth.
Breakdown of HubSpot’s services (with prices)
Serious small businesses need serious support, and HubSpot offers that, but at a BIG price tag, and even then, it might not be the consistent, personal services you need. Let’s dive into their offerings, which are broken down into three main categories: Onboarding, Professional Services and Support.
Onboarding
HubSpot onboarding comes at an extra fee on top of what you’ll pay for your subscription, which is not an uncommon structure to have. However, where HubSpot branches off and does things differently is by having a separate process and fee for each platform or “hub” that customers have in their tech stack.
For example, the Marketing Hub onboarding package starts at $3,000 for the professional option and maxes out at $7,000 for enterprise onboarding. If you’d like to be onboarded for your Sales, Service or any other Hub, separate fees apply.
Professional services
Migration Services, and Customer Training. The two that nearly all organizations will need, including serious small to medium-sized businesses, are migration services and customer training.
Customer Training is defined on HubSpot’s website as an “8-hour course, Hands-on learning with live instructors provides everything you need to optimize your HubSpot tools.” You can get this service virtually for $7,000 or $12,000 for in-person training.
Migration Services, on the other hand, will be what transfers necessary elements from your current software to HubSpot’s. There’s not one flat fee for this, rather you’ll pay depending on your data and transfer needs:
- Template setup: $250
- Website migration: $500 setup + $20 per page
- CRM data migration: $500, 2-3 weeks
Support
All HubSpot users can look for answers in HubSpot’s Knowledge Base with articles and guides, but access to email, phone and chat support will depend on whether you have a Starter, Professional or Enterprise account.
This is a lot to take in, but it helps to boil it down to one complete price. Of course, this will vary based on a business’ needs, but below is an example pricing package for marketing onboarding, customer training and data migration:
Marketing onboarding: $3,000 (Professional package - cheapest option)
Customer training: $7,000 (Virtual)
CRM data migration: $500
Grand total: $10,500
This price will go up if you need training on additional hubs (sales hub training starts at $1,500), and if you’d like access to workshops, HubSpot’s Onboarding Foundation’s on-demand course starts at $600 for two users.
A HubSpot alternative
Let’s be honest: $10,500+ for support and services can be a bit of a jumpscare, especially after dishing out even more cash for the software itself.
This is what leads entrepreneurs to find HubSpot alternatives, and it’s why so many of them have switched to Keap. Our Implementation Services work a bit differently because they were designed to provide what growing small businesses need without overwhelming them with a high price. Check them out:
Price: One-time payment ranging from $1,500-$3,500
What you get: Your one-time payment gives you access to a whole suite of helpful people and resources, including onboarding, migration and strategy services, and continued support for however long you’re a customer. But more specifically, you’ll get:
- Customer Success Manager: Your main point of contact who you can bring all your questions to. They’ll ensure you get the specialized help you need, provide expert strategy advice and dedicate themselves to getting you to your goals and maximizing your ROI.
- Implementation Strategy Manager: They’ll train you in the software, work with you on setup and customization, and help you craft an airtight implementation strategy.
- Migration Specialist: You won’t have to worry about migrating all your data to your new software because your dedicated Migration Specialist will do it for you. Just need contacts uploaded? Use our import tool to get all of your contacts imported into Keap.
- Services for 1 year: You’ll have this dedicated team at your disposal for a whole year. This includes routine calls with your personal experts who know your business to discuss strategy, answer questions, troubleshoot problems and help you get the most out of your software.
These are some specifics of what you’ll get with your implementation package, but don’t forget that every Keap app comes with U.S.-based phone support and 24/7 chat support. You’ll also get access to Keap Academy’s suite of on-demand webinars and training videos at no additional cost.
What this means for your software decision
It’s important to note that HubSpot also has great support, and it’s not a question of if it will be adequate. Instead, you have to ask if it’s a financially smart decision for your business. At the end of the day, their structure isn’t built for small businesses and entrepreneurs. Their pick-and-choose service offerings provide flexibility. but that also means paying more for every single service you need, which works for big corporations but is less than ideal for small to medium-sized businesses.
So whether you’re searching for your first software or you’re in the market for a HubSpot alternative, consider further exploring Keap’s Implementation Services and the automation and CRM platform crafted specifically for serious small businesses.
