HubSpot vs Keap (2026): Which CRM Is Right for Your Business?
By ToolVS Research Team · Updated April 9, 2026 · Based on 30+ hours of testing
Quick verdict: HubSpot wins 7-5 overall. It has a free CRM, a much bigger feature set, and scales from solo founders to enterprise.Keap is a niche pick for very small service businesses that want sales automation + invoicing + appointment booking in one simplified tool. But at $249/month, it is a hard sell when HubSpot free exists.
Our Verdict
HubSpot
- Free CRM with unlimited contacts
- Full marketing, sales, service, CMS hubs
- Massive integration ecosystem (1,500+)
- Gets expensive at Professional/Enterprise tiers
- Per-contact pricing on marketing adds up
- Can be overwhelming for solopreneurs
Deep dive: HubSpot full analysis
Features Overview
HubSpot is the market-leading CRM platform with separate hubs for Marketing, Sales, Service, CMS, and Operations. The free CRM is genuinely useful — contact management, deal tracking, email, and forms at no cost. G2 rates it 4.5/5 from 11,400+ reviews.
Pricing Breakdown (April 2026)
| Plan | Price | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Free Tools | $0 | CRM, forms, email, landing pages (limited) |
| Starter | $15/mo | Remove branding, 1,000 contacts, simple automation |
| Professional | $800/mo | Full automation, reporting, 2,000 contacts |
| Enterprise | $3,600/mo | Advanced reporting, custom objects, teams |
Who Should Choose HubSpot?
- Startups that want a free CRM they can grow into
- Marketing teams that need inbound tools (blog, SEO, landing pages)
- Growing companies that want one platform for sales + marketing + service
Keap
- All-in-one: CRM + invoicing + appointments
- Simple automation for non-tech users
- Built-in payment collection
- Expensive — $249/mo minimum
- Contact limits are tight
- Much smaller integration ecosystem
Deep dive: Keap full analysis
Features Overview
Keap (formerly Infusionsoft) is a CRM built for small service businesses. It bundles CRM, email marketing, appointment booking, invoicing, and payment collection into one tool. G2 rates it 4.2/5 from 1,400+ reviews.
Pricing Breakdown (April 2026)
| Plan | Price | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Ignite | $249/mo | 1,500 contacts, CRM, email, automation, invoicing |
| Grow | $329/mo | 2,500 contacts, advanced automation, A/B testing |
| Scale | $499/mo | 5,000 contacts, advanced reporting, lead scoring |
Who Should Choose Keap?
- Small service businesses (coaches, consultants, agencies) under 25 people
- Businesses that want CRM + invoicing + scheduling in one tool
- Non-technical owners who need simple, guided automations
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Category | HubSpot | Keap | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Plan | Yes — full free CRM | No (14-day trial) | ✔ HubSpot |
| Starting Price | $15/mo starter | $249/mo | ✔ HubSpot |
| Ease of Use | ⭐ 4.3/5 | ⭐ 4.4/5 (simpler for small biz) | ✔ Keap |
| Marketing Features | Blog, SEO, landing pages, ads | Email campaigns, basic landing pages | ✔ HubSpot |
| Sales Pipeline | Visual pipeline, sequences, forecasting | Basic pipeline | ✔ HubSpot |
| Invoicing | Basic (quotes only) | Full invoicing + payment collection | ✔ Keap |
| Appointment Booking | Meeting scheduler (basic) | Built-in with payment integration | ✔ Keap |
| Automation | Advanced workflows (Pro+) | Simple visual builder | ✔ HubSpot |
| Integrations | 1,500+ in marketplace | ~300 integrations | ✔ HubSpot |
| Scalability | Startup to enterprise | Small business only | ✔ HubSpot |
| E-commerce Features | Basic e-commerce tools | Product catalog, order forms, payments | ✔ Keap |
| Support | Email, chat, phone (paid plans) | Phone + chat on all plans | ✔ Keap |
● HubSpot wins 7 · ● Keap wins 5 · Based on 12,800+ user reviews
Which do you use?
Who Should Choose What?
→ Choose HubSpot if:
You want a CRM that grows with you from free to enterprise. Best for startups, marketing teams, and businesses that want one platform for sales, marketing, and support.
→ Choose Keap if:
You run a small service business and need CRM + invoicing + appointment booking in one simple tool. Coaches, consultants, and small agencies with under 2,500 contacts.
→ Consider neither if:
You need a budget CRM under $20/month — try Pipedrive ($14/user) or Freshsales (free plan). For pure email marketing, Mailchimp or ConvertKit are better fits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Get our free SaaS Buyer's Guide (PDF)
Save hours of research. We cover pricing traps, hidden fees, and how to negotiate better deals.
Join 0 SaaS buyers. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Our Methodology
We tested HubSpot and Keap across 6 areas: pricing, CRM features, marketing automation, sales tools, integrations, and ease of use. Our team spent 30+ hours with both platforms and analyzed 12,800+ user reviews from G2, Capterra, and TrustRadius.
Ready to choose?
HubSpot has a free CRM. Keap offers a 14-day free trial.
Last updated: . Pricing and features are verified weekly via automated tracking.