The true cost of HubSpot: Exploring HubSpot's Total Cost of Ownership

This comprehensive guide takes a look at the total cost of ownership (TCO) of HubSpot - both Hubspot as a whole but also the TCO of the individual hubs, Marketing Hub, Sales Hub, Service Hub and Content Hub.

By 2028, the use of CRM systems is predicted to increase by 12%. 

Effective use of CRM is only becoming more and more important. 

Research also shows a compelling ROI: every dollar invested in CRM software returns an average of $8.71. 

However, realising this ROI depends on a comprehensive assessment of how much a CRM actually costs to use, maintain and govern year on year. This comprehensive guide takes a look at the total cost of ownership (TCO) of HubSpot over three years - both Hubspot as a whole but also the TCO of the individual hubs, Marketing Hub, Sales Hub, Service Hub and Content Hub  We also take a look at how Hubspot's TCO compares to other major CRMs such as Salesforce and Dynamics. 

Why can't you ignore TCO?

Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) represents the evaluation of direct and indirect costs associated with acquiring, implementing, and maintaining software over its entire lifecycle. Often, many indirect costs can be ignored, or not factored into the overall evaluation on CRM decisions, but they also can have huge consequences if not considered from that outset. 

Essentially, TCO provides a holistic view of the financial investment required to adopt and sustain a CRM platform like HubSpot - and it’s vital that companies understand the full cost when comparing HubSpot against systems like Salesforce or Microsoft Dynamics. 

If you’d like to see video comparisons of how to complete various tasks in these three CRM systems, click here.

Elements contributing to TCO

Several key factors contribute to the total cost of ownership of a HubSpot implementation, which we have highlighted in this graphic: 

1. Initial licence and setup costs: This includes the cost of acquiring licences, onboarding fees, and initial setup expenses.
   
   
2. Customisation and integration: Tailoring HubSpot to align with specific business needs and integrating it with existing systems incurs additional costs.
   
   
3. Training and adoption: Investing in employee training and change management initiatives ensures effective utilisation of the CRM platform.
   
   
4. Ongoing support and maintenance: Regular updates, technical support, and system maintenance are essential for optimal performance and require budget allocation.
   
   
5. Scalability: As business requirements evolve, scalability becomes a crucial consideration, influencing future expansion costs.

Why is calculating the total cost of ownership so important? 

Understanding the total cost of ownership (TCO) of a CRM is crucial as it has a direct impact on your return on investment (ROI).

Here's why calculating the TCO is so important:

1. Informed decision-making: Evaluating TCO enables organisations to make well-informed decisions by considering the long-term financial implications of adopting HubSpot.
   
   
2. Budget planning: Understanding TCO facilitates accurate budget planning, ensuring that all associated costs are accounted for upfront.
   
   
3. ROI assessment: It allows businesses to assess the Return on Investment (ROI) accurately, weighing the benefits against the total cost incurred.
   
   
4. Avoiding hidden costs: By comprehensively assessing TCO, enterprises can identify and mitigate potential hidden costs that might arise during implementation and beyond.
   
   
5. Alignment with business goals: TCO analysis ensures that the chosen CRM solution aligns with the organisation's strategic objectives and budgetary constraints.
   
   

Why is calculating the total cost of ownership over three years recommended?

Calculating the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) over three years is crucial for a comprehensive understanding of the long-term investment required for implementing and maintaining a CRM system like HubSpot.

This extended period allows for a more accurate and realistic assessment of the financial commitment involved, capturing all significant cost elements that impact the overall TCO.

Year 1: Initial Investment and Setup Costs

In the first year, the primary costs are generally focused more around the initial setup and implementation. These costs can be substantial and include:

1. Licensing Fees: The purchase of software licences for the chosen HubSpot Hubs (Marketing, Sales, Service, and Content).
   
   
2. Setup and Onboarding Costs: Expenses related to configuring the system to meet specific business needs, which may involve hiring HubSpot partners for tailored onboarding services.
   
   
3. Re-engineering of process: Many companies change CRM to improve their processes, and treat it as an opportunity to re-engineer how they work. In some cases we see a big mistake of CRM implementations is when companies move CRM but continue with the same processes - different systems but the same problems and challenges.
   
   
4. Data Migration: Costs associated with transferring existing data from legacy systems to HubSpot. This is a critical step to ensure data integrity and accessibility.
   
   
5. Customisation and Integration: Expenses for customising HubSpot to align with unique business processes and integrating it with other essential tools and systems.
   
   
6. Training: Investing in comprehensive training programs to ensure that staff are proficient in using the new system effectively.
   
   

These initial costs are generally higher because they include the foundational work necessary to get the system up and running smoothly.

Year 2: Evolving and Optimisation

In the second year, the focus generally shifts towards evolving and optimising the use of HubSpot. During this phase, costs typically decrease as the major setup expenses have already been covered.

However, there are still significant areas of investment:

1. Ongoing Subscription Fees: Continued payment for software licences based on the selected pricing tier.
   
   
2. Support and Maintenance: Regular updates, technical support, and system maintenance to ensure optimal performance.
   
   
3. Additional Training: Periodic training sessions to address new features, updates, and advanced usage scenarios.
   
   
4. Evolution & Optimisation: Costs related to refining and optimising workflows, processes, and integrations to better leverage HubSpot’s capabilities, as well as evolve and really push the system to its full potential.
   
   

Year 2 is about building on the foundation laid in the first year, ensuring that the system is being used to its fullest potential and starting to deliver tangible returns on the initial investment.

Year 3: Maturation and Scaling

By the third year, the CRM system should be well-integrated into the business processes, and the organisation can focus on scaling and maximising the return on investment. Costs during this period generally stabilise further and include:

1. Continued Subscription Fees: Regular payments for licences, which may increase if the organisation scales up its use of HubSpot.
   
   
2. Advanced Support and Customisation: Investing in more sophisticated customisations and support services to enhance system performance and user experience.
   
   
3. Expansion Costs: Additional costs associated with scaling the system to accommodate business growth, such as adding new users or integrating with additional tools and platforms.
   
   
4. Continuous Improvement: Ongoing investments in training, optimisation, and innovation to keep the system aligned with evolving business goals.
   
   

By considering the TCO over three years, organisations can make more strategic and informed decisions, ensuring that they maximise the value derived from their investment in HubSpot while aligning it with their long-term business objectives.

Understanding HubSpot’s Total Cost of Ownership 

Understanding the total cost of ownership (TCO) associated with HubSpot implementation is critical to making informed decisions and maximising the value of the platform.

In this section, we look at the various costs involved in implementing HubSpot’s Marketing Hub, Sales Hub, Service Hub and Content Hub covering initial setup costs, ongoing subscription fees, training and support costs, and hidden costs that organisations may incur during the process.

We will split this section into two parts: initial costs of software and implementation, followed by ongoing operational costs.

1. Initial Costs: Software Acquisition

The initial cost of implementing HubSpot hubs includes various expenses required to set up the platform and effectively onboard users. These costs typically include subscription fees tailored to each Hub. Depending on the pricing tier chosen, organisations can invest in different levels of functionality and support.

In addition, setup and onboarding costs are a significant part of the initial investment. Companies have the option of engaging HubSpot's support directly or working with certified HubSpot partners for a customised onboarding experience. These costs ensure that companies receive individual guidance and support tailored to their specific needs and goals.

While the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) for HubSpot's Marketing Hub, Sales Hub, Service Hub, and Content Hub may vary in certain aspects due to their unique functionalities and features, there are some cost points that remain consistent across all the Hubs.

Let's explore these costs to gain a foundational understanding before we dive into the different financial considerations associated with each HubSpot Hub, including their subscription costs:

1. HubSpot Onboarding costs: When you onboard HubSpot, you either have to pay HubSpot an onboarding fee, or pay an agency partner to do the onboarding for you. It’s one or the other, not both. Most companies choose to partner with an agency to do this.
   
   
2. Integration costs: HubSpot offers over 1,500 out-of-the-box integrations via its App Marketplace, facilitating seamless connections with various tools at no additional cost. Additionally, companies can build custom integrations with HubSpot partners, which vary in price depending on requirements and integration.
   
   
3. Data migration costs: Businesses can migrate data into HubSpot themselves through file upload or native Salesforce integration. However, it is recommended, especially for large companies with large amounts of data, to migrate data with an experienced HubSpot partner to ensure that none of your valuable data is lost.
   
   
4. External system interface costs: HubSpot's data sync feature provides two-way sync, custom field mappings, filtering, and historical syncing with over 100 popular business apps at no extra charge.
   
   
5. Other API & Integration related costs: While an API limit increase is available at $500/month, most customers do not require it.
   
   
6. Training costs: Although access to HubSpot Academy product training, the HubSpot Community, the extensive knowledge base and support from the Customer Success team is included at no extra cost, it is highly advisable to invest in additional training. This ensures optimal user adoption, as the effectiveness of a CRM depends heavily on the expertise of its users. Especially for larger organisations, working with a HubSpot expert is a smart decision. These partners offer tailored training programmes and ongoing support and use their expertise to maximise the value of HubSpot for your business.
   
   
7. Software maintenance cost: Software maintenance is included in the contract, with HubSpot regularly enhancing and adding functionality at no extra charge. HubSpot has very good uptime stats and records which can be viewed here.
   
   
8. Customer support cost: 24/7 customer support via live chat, email or phone is included in the subscription with HubSpot at no additional cost. However, for organisations with teams spread across different locations and time zones, it can be of additional value to invest in 24/7 support from HubSpot partners. This ensures that they receive immediate support when needed and complements HubSpot's free support. To learn more about the benefits of partnering with a HubSpot expert for support, read our comparative article.
   
   
9. Other operating costs: HubSpot includes tools for compliance and security infrastructure to safeguard data, minimising additional operating expenses. Large organisations may want to ensure optimal security and compliance in HubSpot by working with an experienced HubSpot partner.
   
   
10. Personnel: Each Hub requires different personnel to manage, administrate and use the system. This has obvious relations in terms of marketing, sales, service and content teams for specific Hubs in use. We would however recommend that every portal has a HubSpot Solution Architect that is the person responsible for change management and governance within a portal, this is to ensure people making changes across the platform aren’t negatively impacting any automation and workflows in place which may cause wider issues. 
    
    

Important updates to HubSpot's pricing in March 2024

On 5 March 2024, HubSpot fundamentally changed its pricing structure and introduced a refined approach to seat-based access. 

The highlight of this update was the introduction of Core Seats, which change user permissions within the platform. Core Seats provide users with editing access across all purchased hubs, allowing them to create, edit and manage content with greater flexibility and control.

In addition to Core Seats, HubSpot introduced View-Only Seats, a feature to improve collaboration and accessibility across organisations. View-Only Seats provide unlimited access to portal content for users without editing rights, ensuring seamless sharing and collaboration across teams.

This pricing reorganisation represents a departure from the previous model, which focused primarily on subscription tiers and limited levels of access. The introduction of Core and View-Only Seats is a strategic move towards a more granular and user-centred pricing approach that meets the diverse needs and workflows of modern organisations. 

If you'd like to delve deeper into the nuances of HubSpot's pricing evolution, we recommend listening to the latest episode of the Evolving HubSpot podcast.

In this episode, industry experts Matthew Creswick, Daryn Smith, Jessica Packer and MC Bort discuss the reasons behind HubSpot's pricing changes and offer valuable insights into the future of the platform.

Now, let's take a closer look at the total TCO of the different hubs. 

TCO of HubSpot Marketing Hub

Annual Software Costs: 

Important to note: Costs as of June 2024

• Marketing Seats
  • Professional: Professional only includes 3 marketing seats - if your team is bigger than three marketing employees who will need to be building and launching in HubSpot, additional seats are S$75 per month per user. 
  • Enterprise: On the enterprise tool, that includes 5 seats within the cost and additional seats are S$120 per month per user.

• Marketing Contacts: 
  • Within HubSpot Marketing Hub, you need to pay for the quantity of contacts you want to be marketing to. A contact tagged as a marketing contact means you can email, and use in ads audiences for example. If you need more marketing contacts then the levels below you can increase that at an extra cost of 5,000 contacts at a time. 
  • Professional includes 2,000 marketing contacts
  • Enterprise includes 10,000 marketing contacts
    
    

Implementation Costs via HubSpot direct: 

Implementation Costs via HubSpot Partners: 

The above table references the governance and documentation involved in the HubSpot implementation. When implementing HubSpot, different companies require different levels of governance, change management, and documentation of operating procedures and systems. These three levels allow for three variations on the levels required. Additionally, this doesn’t involve integrations, custom development or any further complexities. Implementations for Marketing Hub can easily range from S$20,700 up to S$172,200 and rise in situations where lots of marketing departments, brands, integrations and complexities are found. 

In understanding the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) for HubSpot's Marketing Hub, it's essential to delve into various factors that contribute to the overall investment required.

The initial investment for a Marketing Hub subscription can vary depending on the plan selected and the specific requirements of each organisation. Typically, the software cost can start at around S$16,200 for the Professional tier and S$62,000 for Enterprise. 

This includes a comprehensive suite of features such as email marketing, ad management, omni channel marketing automation, social tools, campaign management, collaboration tools, video hosting, ABM tools, A/B testing, live chat, conversational bots, SEO tools, and custom reporting.

The Professional tier subscription begins at S$1,350 per month and includes three Core Seats. The Enterprise tier starts at S$5,165 per month and includes five Core Seats. This cost can be reduced slightly if you are open to paying for a year upfront. 

Implementation and onboarding costs vary based on the plan selected and whether you’re choosing to work with a HubSpot Partner. If you decide to onboard directly with HubSpot, the professional plan entails a cost of S$4,150, while the enterprise plan requires an investment of S$9,650. 

Most businesses, particularly large companies, choose to do the HubSpot implementation with a HubSpot partner, which ranges from S$20,650 for low governance and documentation, up to S$41,350 and over for more complex solutions.  

It’s also important to note that you need to consider the money you save when moving away from other tools, and consolidating your tech stack into HubSpot Marketing Hub. See below a checklist of tools you might be able to terminate.

Click here to work with our team on a full Front Office Tech Stack Audit & Cost Evaluation.

TCO of HubSpot Sales Hub

Annual Software Costs: 

5 x Sales Seats + 1 x Core Seat

50 x Sales Seats + 2 x Core Seats

250 x Sales Seats + 3 x Core Seats

500 x Sales Seats + 5 x Core Seats

Important: Costs as of June 2024

• Sales Sales: HubSpot Sales Hub works on a per seat basis, with the professional licence starting at S$150 per month per seat, and the enterprise tool starting at S$250 per month per seat. Below we’ve outlined the costs ranging from a team of 5, to a team of 500. 
  
  

• Core seats: In Sales Hub, you can purchase core seats in addition to sales seats. These seats are ideal for sales managers who approve things and create reports but are not involved in sales activities.

• Professional: S$75 per month per core seat
• Enterprise: S$120 per month per core seat

Implementation Costs via HubSpot direct: 

Implementation Costs via HubSpot Partners: 

The above table references the governance and documentation involved in the HubSpot implementation. When implementing HubSpot, different companies require different levels of governance, change management, and documentation of operating procedures and systems. These three levels allow for three variations on the levels required. Additionally, this doesn’t involve integrations, custom development or any further complexities. Implementations for Sales Hub can easily range from S$13,775 up to S$172,200 and rise in situations where hundreds of sales reps are involved across multiple products, divisions, brands or regions.  

Sales Hub is a sales automation software from HubSpot that helps sales teams effectively manage and optimise their sales processes. It provides tools for lead tracking, pipeline management, email tracking and much more to increase sales productivity and drive revenue growth.

If you decide to choose direct onboarding with HubSpot, this incurs a one-time fee of S$2,255 for Professional and S$5,250 for Enterprise. However, similar to the Marketing Hub onboarding, the majority of customers tend to work with HubSpot agency partners to implement Sales Hub. 

Where marketing teams tend to stay smaller as companies grow and expand, sales teams can rapidly rise. That’s where we see the software cost for HubSpot Sales Hub increase quickly if lots of sales reps are involved. This can start off at a few thousand pounds per year, and quickly rise to over S$86,100 or S$172,200 depending on the size of the sales operation. 

When reviewing your sales tech stack, it’s also important to note that you need to consider the money you save when moving away from other tools, and consolidating your tech stack into HubSpot Sales Hub. See below a checklist of tools you might be able to terminate.

Click here to work with our team on a full Front Office Tech Stack Audit & Cost Evaluation.

TCO of HubSpot Service Hub

Annual Software Costs: 

5 x Service Seats + 1 x Core Seat

30 x Sales Seats + 2 x Core Seats

100 x Sales Seats + 3 x Core Seats

Important to note: Costs as of June 2024

• Service Sales: HubSpot Service Hub works on a per seat basis, with the professional licence starting at S$150 per month per seat, and the enterprise tool starting at S$200 per month per seat. Above we’ve outlined the costs ranging from a team of 5, to a team of 100. 

• Core seats: In Service hub, outside of service seats, you can purchase core seats. These seats are ideal for customer services managers who approve things and build reports but aren’t involved in sales enablement activity.

• Professional: S$75 per month per core seat
• Enterprise: S$120 per month per core seat

Implementation Costs via HubSpot direct: 

Implementation Costs via HubSpot Partners: 

The above table references the governance and documentation involved in the HubSpot implementation. When implementing HubSpot, different companies require different levels of governance, change management, and documentation of operating procedures and systems. These three levels allow for three variations on the levels required. Additionally, this doesn’t involve integrations, custom development or any further complexities. Implementations for Service Hub can easily range from S$13,775 up to S$172,200 and rise in situations where hundreds of service reps are involved across multiple products, divisions, brands or regions.  

HubSpot’s Service Hub helps organisations efficiently manage and improve their customer support. It provides tools for ticketing, knowledge base management, customer feedback and more to deliver exceptional customer service experiences.

If you decide to choose direct onboarding with HubSpot, this incurs a one-time fee of S$2,255 for Professional and S$5,250 for Enterprise. However, similar to the Sales Hub onboarding, the majority of customers tend to work with HubSpot agency partners to implement Service Hub. 

Where marketing teams tend to stay smaller as companies grow and expand, sales and service teams can rapidly rise. That’s where we see the software cost for HubSpot Service Hub increase quickly if lots of service reps are involved. This can start off at a few thousand pounds per year, and quickly rise to over S$86,100 or S$172,200 depending on the size of the sales operation. 

When reviewing your customer service tech stack, it’s also important to note that you need to consider the money you save when moving away from other tools, and consolidating your tech stack into HubSpot Service Hub. See below a checklist of tools you might be able to terminate. 

Click here to work with our team on a full Front Office Tech Stack Audit & Cost Evaluation.

TCO of HubSpot Content Hub

Annual Software Costs: 

Important to note: Costs as of June 2024

• Content Hub Seats

• Professional: Professional only includes 3 content seats - if your team is bigger than three employees who will need to be creating and publishing content in HubSpot, additional seats are S$75 per month per user. 
• Enterprise: On the enterprise tool, that includes 5 seats within the cost and additional seats are S$120 per month per user.

Implementation Costs via HubSpot Partners: 

HubSpot does not provide any options for their own onboarding for HubSpot Content Hub. 

Implementation Costs via HubSpot Partners: 

The above table references the governance and documentation involved in the HubSpot implementation. When implementing HubSpot, different companies require different levels of governance, change management, and documentation of operating procedures and systems. These three levels allow for three variations on the levels required. Additionally, this doesn’t involve integrations, custom development or any further complexities. Implementations for Content Hub can easily range from S$13,775 up to S$172,200 and rise in situations where a brand new CMS website is being built, or it involves complex content integration requirements. 

HubSpot’s Content Hub offers AI-powered content creation tools, lead conversion features, content remixing capabilities and intelligent content personalisation options. In addition, Content Hub includes website management tools such as AI website builder, video management, content embedding and dynamic content features.

Subscription fees for Content Hub Professional start at S$750 per month and include three core seats. For Content Hub Enterprise, the subscription starts at S$2,255 per month, including five core seats. 

It’s also important to note that you need to consider the money you save when moving away from other tools, and consolidating your tech stack into HubSpot Content Hub. See below a checklist of tools you might be able to terminate. 

Click here to work with our team on a full Front Office Tech Stack Audit & Cost Evaluation.

2. Ongoing Costs: Operating

The ongoing operational costs associated with HubSpot can come in two main categories: 

1. Management of HubSpot Software
2. Consulting Services 
   
   

General HubSpot CRM Management Operating Costs:

• Training costs: While basic training through HubSpot Academy, the HubSpot Community, and the Customer Success team is included in the subscription, additional training may be necessary for optimal user adoption. Investing in tailored training programs offered by HubSpot experts ensures that users fully leverage the platform's capabilities. 
  
  
• Software maintenance cost: HubSpot includes software maintenance in the subscription, which covers regular updates and enhancements. This ensures that the platform remains up-to-date with the latest features and functionalities, providing long-term value without incurring extra expenses.
  
  
• HubSpot Change Management & Governance: More complex customers to HubSpot require higher levels of change management and governance to ensure their portal is managed in a mature manner. 
  
  
• User support cost: Subscription plans include 24/7 customer support via live chat, email, or phone at no additional cost. However, organisations with teams operating across different time zones and locations may benefit from investing in 24/7 support from HubSpot partners.
  
  
• Managed services contract: Opting for a Managed Services contract provides ongoing support and optimisation for the HubSpot implementation. This includes both user support and operational support, ensuring continuous success and efficiency. 
  
  
• Other operating costs: Large organisations may need to invest in additional tools for compliance and security infrastructure to safeguard data within HubSpot. 
  
  
• Personnel: Most organisations do not require a dedicated HubSpot admin due to the software's intuitive nature. However, depending on the size and complexity of the implementation, companies may need to allocate resources for internal staff to manage day-to-day operations and user support. Personnel costs can vary significantly based on factors such as salaries, benefits, and the number of staff dedicated to HubSpot-related tasks.
  
  

HubSpot's TCO: why you should include HubSpot consulting costs

Understanding the total cost of ownership (TCO) of HubSpot goes beyond the initial licence fees - it requires a comprehensive assessment of ongoing investments, particularly in HubSpot consulting services.

These services play a critical role in maximising the platform's potential across the various hubs - marketing, sales, service and content. Whether it's refining marketing strategies, empowering sales teams, improving customer service operations or optimising digital content initiatives, strategic consulting ensures that companies are effectively leveraging HubSpot's capabilities. 

By incorporating these important services into financial planning, organisations can not only achieve sustainable growth, but also a higher return on their HubSpot investment, significantly reducing HubSpot’s TCO.

Let’s dive into the HubSpot consulting costs for the individual hubs.

HubSpot Marketing Hub

When evaluating the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) of the HubSpot Marketing Hub, it's crucial to factor in ongoing costs like HubSpot consulting services. Companies should plan for these expenses as they are vital for leveraging the platform's full potential and driving continuous growth.

For instance, strategic marketing consulting helps tailor effective marketing strategies that align with your business goals, ensuring that your campaigns are both targeted and impactful. Investing in demand and lead generation consulting can significantly enhance your lead acquisition efforts, providing a steady stream of potential customers through optimised campaigns and lead nurturing tactics.

Additionally, utilising a creative studio for high-quality content production ensures your marketing materials are engaging and professional. This can improve brand perception and engagement, from compelling blog posts to eye-catching social media graphics.

By planning for these consulting services, companies can ensure sustained success and a higher return on their HubSpot investment, ultimately reducing the overall TCO.

Sales Hub Consulting

To fully understand the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) of the HubSpot Sales Hub, it's important to consider ongoing expenses such as HubSpot consulting services.

These investments are crucial for unlocking the platform’s full potential and driving long-term growth. Sales strategy consulting, for example, helps tailor sales approaches to meet specific business objectives, ensuring that your sales efforts are targeted and effective. Investing in sales enablement consulting can significantly enhance your sales team's performance by providing them with the right tools, training, and resources needed to close deals more efficiently. 

Additionally, sales operations consulting focuses on streamlining and optimising your sales processes, from pipeline management to performance tracking, ensuring that your sales operations are smooth and productive.

By planning for these consulting services, companies can ensure that their sales strategies are continuously refined, their teams are well-equipped, and their operations are efficient, leading to a higher return on their HubSpot investment and ultimately lowering the overall TCO.

Service Hub Consulting

When evaluating the total cost of ownership (TCO) of the HubSpot Service Hub, ongoing expenses such as HubSpot consulting services must be taken into account.

For example, customer service strategy consulting helps develop customised approaches to increase customer satisfaction and loyalty. Customer service enablement consulting ensures that your team has the necessary tools, training and resources to provide exceptional support. In addition, customer service consulting focuses on optimising processes such as ticket management and performance metrics to ensure your service operations are efficient and effective

By scheduling these consulting services, organisations can improve customer service outcomes, achieve a higher return on their HubSpot investment and reduce total cost of ownership.

Content Hub Consulting

Companies that want to fully utilise HubSpot's Content Hub should plan for ongoing costs such as HubSpot consulting services. These investments are crucial for maximising the platform's capabilities and driving long-term growth.

For instance, website design consulting helps create visually appealing and user-friendly websites that enhance visitor engagement. Website development consulting ensures that your site is built with the latest technologies and best practices for optimal performance. HubDB consulting can help you manage dynamic content efficiently, making your website more interactive and data-driven. Additionally, website integrations consulting allows seamless connections between your HubSpot Content Hub and other tools or systems, enhancing overall functionality.

By planning for these consulting services, companies can ensure their websites are consistently optimised, providing a higher return on their HubSpot investment and ultimately lowering the overall TCO.

Huble’s answer to HubSpot flexible support: Huble Flex 

Managing multiple hubs and moving parts within HubSpot can be complex and time-consuming for companies. Huble Flex simplifies this process by providing comprehensive support and consulting services, ensuring your business can adapt to changing needs without the hassle of dealing with multiple agencies.

Huble Flex consolidates all your HubSpot needs - development, design, integration, and strategic planning - into a single, seamless service. This means you no longer need to juggle multiple contracts or service providers. Instead, you get streamlined, expert support for all your HubSpot activities.

One of the key benefits of Huble Flex is its flexibility. Traditional agency contracts often require you to commit to a specific number of hours for certain services, which can be limiting when priorities shift. Huble Flex allows you to adjust your support focus as needed.

Cost-Effective solutions for every budget

Huble Flex offers various service levels to suit different budgets and needs, starting from £1,050 a week, with pricing ranging from £3,300 to £16,500 per month. This range allows businesses to find a support package that fits their financial and operational requirements, ensuring they get the best value from their HubSpot investment.

Using Huble Flex can significantly affect the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) of HubSpot. By consolidating all services into one package, companies can reduce the need for multiple contracts and agencies, which can save both time and money. The flexibility to adjust support as needed means you’re not paying for services you don’t currently require, further optimising costs.

Huble Flex offers a comprehensive, flexible, and cost-effective solution for managing your HubSpot needs. By simplifying support and providing access to a wide range of expertise, it ensures your HubSpot deployment remains optimised and aligned with your business goals. This not only enhances the value you get from HubSpot but also reduces the total cost of ownership, making Huble Flex a smart choice for businesses looking to maximise their CRM investment.

Strategies to reduce HubSpot’s TCO 

By implementing a range of strategies that include planning, subscription management, implementation efficiency, use of integrated features, automation, training and ongoing optimisation, companies can effectively reduce total cost of ownership (TCO) while maximising return on investment (ROI).

Let’s dive into the strategies to reduce TCO:

1. Planning and research: Planning and thorough research are essential for a cost-effective implementation. Companies should carefully analyse their requirements, taking into account factors such as the number of core seats required in the various hubs.
   
   
2. Assessing business needs and goals: Each hub serves distinct purposes within the customer journey, necessitating a tailored approach to address specific business needs and goals. By assessing individual requirements for Marketing Hub, Sales Hub, Service Hub, and Content Hub, organisations can prioritise features and functionalities that align with their strategic objectives.
   
   
3. Choosing the right subscription tiers: Choosing the right subscription tiers ensures that businesses have access to essential features and functionalities without overspending on unnecessary add-ons. Selecting the appropriate subscription tiers for each hub is paramount to managing costs effectively.
   
   
4. The power of automation: Automation is a powerful tool for optimising processes and reducing manual efforts across Marketing Hub, Sales Hub, Service Hub, and Content Hub, driving efficiency and maximising ROI. By utilising HubSpot’s automation capabilities, organisations can streamline marketing campaigns, sales processes, customer support interactions, and content publishing workflows.
   
   
5. Investing in training and support: Employee training and support are essential components of successful HubSpot implementation. Organisations should invest in customised training programs tailored to the unique features and functionalities of Marketing Hub, Sales Hub, Service Hub, and Content Hub to assure successful user adoption of HubSpot.
   
   
6. Regular optimisation and maintenance: Continuous optimisation and maintenance are essential for maximising the performance and ROI of each hub over time. By identifying areas for improvement and making necessary adjustments, businesses can ensure that each hub continues to deliver value and meet evolving business needs effectively.
   
   

Proper planning, strategic decision-making, and ongoing optimisation are key to realising the full potential of HubSpot's suite of tools and driving long-term success in customer acquisition, retention, and engagement.

Conclusion

In this guide, we’ve delved into the total cost of ownership (TCO) of HubSpot, looking not only at the platform as a whole, but also at its individual hubs: Marketing Hub, Sales Hub, Service Hub and Content Hub. By analysing the subscription fees, implementation costs and ongoing support costs, companies can get an overview of their individual TCO for HubSpot.

We also compared HubSpot's total cost of ownership with other leading CRM platforms, such as Salesforce and Dynamics, to help organisations make a confident decision when choosing a CRM platform that suits their goals and budget.

Calculating the cost of a new CRM and your individual needs can be difficult, but you don't have to do it alone. Our expert consultants are here to guide you every step of the way - contact our team at Huble to learn more about our HubSpot implementation services and how we can help your organisation.