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Keeping vs HubSpot: Which is Better in 2026?

Choosing between Keeping 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 wins this matchup. monday.com is our overall Workflow Automation pick. monday.com is our free Workflow Automation pick. Pick Keeping if you need customer support.

··Methodology
Editor reviewed0 verified reviews comparedPricing checked Sep 2026

Short on time? Here's the quick answer

We've tested both tools. Here's who should pick what:

Keeping

Transform Gmail into a powerful shared inbox and help desk for your team.

Best for you if:

  • • You want seamlessly integrates with Gmail, requiring no new logins or training
  • • You want prevents email overlap and improves team accountability with assignment and collision detection

HubSpot

CRM platform for scaling businesses

Best for you if:

  • • You want a free tier before you commit
  • • 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
At a Glance
KeepingKeeping
HubSpotHubSpot
Starts at
$14/moEssential
FreeFree tier available
Best For
Customer SupportCRM
Rating
4.5/53.9/5
Free plan
No Yes

Choose Keeping or HubSpot?

Keeping

Choose Keeping if

Transform Gmail into a powerful shared inbox and help desk for your team.

  • You want seamlessly integrates with Gmail, requiring no new logins or training
  • You want prevents email overlap and improves team accountability with assignment and collision detection
  • Your work is customer support-shaped, not CRM-shaped
HubSpot

Choose HubSpot if

CRM platform for scaling businesses

  • You want a free tier before you commit
  • 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
  • Your work is CRM-shaped, not customer support-shaped
FeatureKeepingHubSpot
Pricing ModelPaidFreemium
User Rating
★4.5/5
153 reviews
★3.9/5
19,150 reviews
Categories
Customer SupportEmail
CRMMarketing Automation

In-Depth Analysis

KeepingKeeping

Transform Gmail into a powerful shared inbox and help desk for your team.

Starts at $14/mo
Good value

Keeping's pricing is fair, especially for the Advanced tier at $24 per user per month, offering unlimited mailboxes and advanced features.

Strengths

  • +Seamlessly integrates with Gmail, requiring no new logins or training.
  • +Prevents email overlap and improves team accountability with assignment and collision detection.
  • +Offers robust analytics to track performance and identify bottlenecks.
  • +Easy to set up and use with a Chrome extension.
  • +Scalable with unlimited shared mailboxes in higher tiers.

Weaknesses

  • -Requires a paid subscription, no free tier available.
  • -Reliance on Gmail means users are tied to the Google ecosystem.
  • -Some advanced features like unlimited integrations are only available in higher-priced plans.

Key features

Shared Inboxes within GmailEmail Assignment and TrackingCollision Detection (prevents double replies)Internal Notes with @mentionsEmail Templates for quick responsesCustom Tags for organization and prioritization

HubSpotHubSpot

CRM platform for scaling businesses

Starts at Free
Fair value

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

  • +Generous free tier with CRM, forms, email, live chat, and basic reporting at no cost
  • +Unified platform eliminates data silos between marketing, sales, and service teams
  • +Intuitive interface with short learning curve compared to Salesforce
  • +Extensive integration marketplace and open API for custom connections
  • +HubSpot Academy provides free certifications and high-quality training content

Weaknesses

  • -Pricing escalates quickly, Professional and Enterprise tiers are expensive for SMBs
  • -Marketing contacts model means you pay more as your database grows
  • -CMS is less flexible than WordPress for heavily customized websites
  • -Reporting and analytics lag behind dedicated BI tools like Looker or Tableau
  • -Contract terms require annual commitment; no monthly billing on higher tiers

Key features

Free CRM with contact management, deal tracking, and company recordsMarketing Hub with email campaigns, landing pages, forms, and ad managementSales Hub with pipeline management, sequences, quotes, and meeting schedulingService Hub with ticketing, knowledge base, live chat, and customer feedbackContent Hub for website building with drag-and-drop editor and SEO toolsOperations Hub for data sync, workflow automation, and data quality tools

Pricing: Keeping vs HubSpot

PlanKeepingHubSpot
Tier 1
$14 per user per month
Essential
Free
Free Tools
Tier 2
$24 per user per month
Advanced
$15 /seat/month
Starter
Tier 3
$49 per user per month
Enterprise
$890 /month
Professional
Tier 4N/A
$3600 /month
Enterprise

Pricing verified from each vendor's public pricing page. Compare in detail on Keeping pricing and HubSpot pricing.

Who Should Use What?

On a budget?

HubSpot has a free tier. Keeping is paid only.

Go with: HubSpot

Want the highest-rated option?

Keeping: 4.5/5 (153 reviews). HubSpot: 3.9/5 (19,150 reviews).

Go with: Keeping

Value user reviews?

Keeping: 153 reviews (4.5/5). HubSpot: 19,150 reviews (3.9/5).

Go with: HubSpot

3 Questions to Help You Decide

1

What's your budget?

Keeping is paid. HubSpot is freemium. HubSpot lets you start free.

2

What's your use case?

Keeping is a customer support tool. HubSpot is in CRM. Pick the category that matches your needs.

3

How important are ratings?

Keeping is rated higher: 4.5/5 vs 3.9/5.

Key Takeaways

HubSpot

  • Larger review base (19,150 reviews)
  • Free tier available
  • Our pick for this comparison

Keeping

  • Higher user rating: 4.5/5 vs 3.9/5
  • Better fit for customer support

The Bottom Line

HubSpot wins this matchup. monday.com is our overall Workflow Automation pick. monday.com is our free Workflow Automation pick.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Keeping or HubSpot better?

HubSpot is rated in our evaluation. Keeping is paid and HubSpot is freemium.

What are Keeping and HubSpot used for?

Keeping: Transform Gmail into a powerful shared inbox and help desk for your team.. HubSpot: CRM platform for scaling businesses.

What does Keeping cost vs HubSpot?

Keeping is a paid tool. HubSpot is freemium (free tier + paid plans). Visit their websites for detailed pricing.

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