Insightly vs HubSpot: Which is Better in 2026?
Choosing between Insightly and HubSpot comes down to understanding what each tool does best. This comparison breaks down the key differences so you can make an informed decision based on your specific needs, not marketing claims.
Bottom line: HubSpot is our overall CRM pick. Pick Insightly if you need a free tier to start with.
Short on time? Here's the quick answer
Based on published vendor pricing and features and on public review data, here's who should pick what:
Insightly
Modern, scalable CRM platform with AI, marketing automation, and customer service for growing businesses.
Best for you if:
- • You want good for small business CRM
HubSpot
CRM platform for scaling businesses
Best for you if:
- • You want generous free tier with CRM, forms, email, live chat, and basic reporting at no cost
| At a Glance | Insightly | HubSpot |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | Free Free plan | Free Free plan |
Category | CRM Marketing Automation | CRM Marketing Automation |
Rating | 4.1/5 G2 4.2 · Capterra 4.0 1,602 reviews | 3.9/5 G2 4.4 · Capterra 4.5 · TrustRadius 4.3 19,150 reviews |
Free plan | Yes | Yes |
Watch out for | n/a | Contact pricing is the biggest trap: Marketing Hub Pro includes only 2,000 marketing contacts. |
Choose Insightly or HubSpot?
Choose Insightly if
- You want good for small business CRM
- You want project management
Choose HubSpot if
- You want generous free tier with CRM, forms, email, live chat, and basic reporting at no cost
- You want unified platform eliminates data silos between marketing, sales, and service teams
- Budget matters (Free vs Free)
In-Depth Analysis
Insightly
Modern, scalable CRM platform with AI, marketing automation, and customer service for growing businesses.
Insightly's pricing starts fairly with a generous Free tier, but quickly escalates.
Strengths
- Pro: Good for small business CRM
- Pro: Project management
- Pro: Fair pricing
- Pro: Google integration
- Pro: Easy to use
Weaknesses
- Con: Limited features
- Con: Reporting basic
- Con: Customization limited
- Con: Support varies
- Con: Better for small teams
Key features
HubSpot
CRM platform for scaling businesses
HubSpot's pricing is the most complex in SaaS, 7 Hubs, 4 tiers each, per-seat AND per-contact charges, plus mandatory onboarding fees.
Watch out
Contact pricing is the biggest trap: Marketing Hub Pro includes only 2,000 marketing contacts.
Strengths
- Pro: Generous free tier with CRM, forms, email, live chat, and basic reporting at no cost
- Pro: Unified platform eliminates data silos between marketing, sales, and service teams
- Pro: Intuitive interface with short learning curve compared to Salesforce
- Pro: Extensive integration marketplace and open API for custom connections
- Pro: HubSpot Academy provides free certifications and high-quality training content
Weaknesses
- Con: Pricing escalates quickly, Professional and Enterprise tiers are expensive for SMBs
- Con: Marketing contacts model means you pay more as your database grows
- Con: CMS is less flexible than WordPress for heavily customized websites
- Con: Reporting and analytics lag behind dedicated BI tools like Looker or Tableau
- Con: Contract terms require annual commitment; no monthly billing on higher tiers
Key features
Pricing: Insightly vs HubSpot
| Plan | Insightly | HubSpot |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | Free Free | Free Free Tools |
| Tier 2 | $29 Plus | $15 /seat/month Starter |
| Tier 3 | $49 Professional | $890 /month Professional |
| Tier 4 | $99 Enterprise | $3600 /month Enterprise |
Pricing verified from each vendor's public pricing page. Compare in detail on Insightly pricing and HubSpot pricing.
Key Takeaways
HubSpot
- Larger review base (19,150 reviews)
- Free tier available
- Our pick for this comparison
Insightly
- Higher user rating: 4.1/5 vs 3.9/5
The Bottom Line
HubSpot is our overall CRM pick.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Insightly or HubSpot better in 2026?
HubSpot is our overall CRM pick. Pick Insightly for CRM workflows (main strength: good for small business CRM). Pick HubSpot for CRM workflows (main strength: generous free tier with CRM, forms, email, live chat, and basic reporting at no cost).
What are Insightly and HubSpot used for?
Insightly: Modern, scalable CRM platform with AI, marketing automation, and customer service for growing businesses. HubSpot: CRM platform for scaling businesses.
What does Insightly cost vs HubSpot?
Insightly's paid plans start at Free (Plus). HubSpot's paid plans start at Free (Starter).
What's the main difference between Insightly and HubSpot?
Insightly's main strength: good for small business CRM. HubSpot's main strength: generous free tier with CRM, forms, email, live chat, and basic reporting at no cost.