Brevo versus HubSpot CRM and Automation Compared

Choosing the right platform to manage your customers and automate your marketing is one of the biggest decisions you will make for your business this year. In 2026, the two names that consistently top the leaderboard are Brevo and HubSpot.

While both offer powerful tools for CRM (Customer Relationship Management) and marketing automation, they are built for very different types of users. One is an affordable, all-in-one powerhouse, while the other is a massive "enterprise-ready" ecosystem.

Which one should you trust with your data? This guide compares Brevo vs. HubSpot to help you decide.

The Core Philosophy: Simplicity vs. Scale

Before diving into the features, it’s important to understand the "soul" of each platform.

The Brevo Approach

Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) is built on the idea that sophisticated marketing shouldn't be expensive or complicated. It is designed to be a unified platform where you can handle email, SMS, WhatsApp, and CRM in one clean interface. It is the go-to choice for small to medium businesses (SMBs) and high-volume senders who want predictability in their billing.

The HubSpot Approach

HubSpot is more than just a marketing tool; it is a total operating system for your company. It unifies marketing, sales, service, and operations. It is designed for companies that have complex sales cycles, large teams, and a need for deep, multi-touch reporting.

CRM Features: Managing Your Relationships

A CRM is only useful if your team actually uses it. Here is how these two compare in the daily trenches of contact management.

Brevo CRM: The Clean & Lean Choice

Brevo’s CRM is remarkably easy to pick up. You can store unlimited contacts for free, manage a visual sales pipeline, and track deal stages without a steep learning curve.

• Best Feature: The "Unified Inbox." You can see every email, SMS, and WhatsApp message you’ve sent to a contact in one single timeline.

• Limitation: It lacks some of the advanced "custom objects" and deep lead-scoring features found in HubSpot.

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HubSpot CRM: The Data Powerhouse

HubSpot’s CRM is widely considered the gold standard. It offers incredible depth, including automatic meeting scheduling, call tracking, and detailed company insights.

• Best Feature: The ecosystem. It integrates with almost every other business app on the planet (over 1,500+ integrations).

• Limitation: While the basic CRM is free, the interface can feel overwhelming for beginners, and advanced sales features (like automated sequences) require expensive "seats."

Marketing Automation: Putting Growth on Autopilot

Automation is where you stop doing manual work and start making money while you sleep.

Brevo Automation

In 2026, Brevo is famous for its "64% more hydrating" approach to automation (meaning it gets the job done without the bloat). You can build multi-step workflows based on:

• Website behavior: If someone visits a specific page, send them a targeted email.

• Transactional triggers: Send a text message the moment a package is shipped.

• Abandoned Cart: Remind shoppers about what they left behind.

HubSpot Automation

HubSpot’s automation is like a Swiss Army knife. It can handle complex "branching logic" (if they do X, but not Y, then wait 3 days and do Z).

• The Catch: Marketing automation is largely locked behind the Professional Plan, which in 2026 starts at roughly $800+ per month. For a small business, this is a massive jump from the "Free" tier.

Comparison Table: Brevo vs. HubSpot at a Glance

Feature	Brevo (Business Plan)	HubSpot (Starter Plan)
Starting Price	~$18 / month	~$15 / month
Pricing Model	Based on Emails Sent	Based on Contacts Stored
Contact Storage	Unlimited (Free)	Limited (Increases Price)
Automation	Unlimited Workflows	Very Basic (Limited)
Channels	Email, SMS, WhatsApp, Chat	Email, Chat (SMS is extra)
Learning Curve	Low (Beginner Friendly)	Medium/High (Complex)
A/B Testing	Included	Not included in Starter

Pricing: The Biggest Difference

The most significant "shock" for new users is usually the price tag.

• Brevo’s Pricing: You pay for what you do. If you have 50,000 contacts but only send 5,000 emails, you pay a very small fee. This makes your monthly bill predictable and fair.

• HubSpot’s Pricing: You pay for the value of your list. As your business grows and your contact list expands, HubSpot’s price increases automatically. Furthermore, moving from the "Starter" to "Professional" plan is often a "price cliff", jumping from $15 to nearly $900 overnight.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Brevo really a better alternative to HubSpot for small businesses?

For most small businesses, yes. Brevo offers nearly all the essential features (email, CRM, automation) at a fraction of the cost. Unless you have a dedicated "RevOps" team to manage HubSpot, Brevo is much easier to run.

Can I use Brevo and HubSpot together?

Actually, many companies do! They use HubSpot’s free CRM to manage sales leads but use Brevo’s API and SMTP to send high-volume marketing and transactional emails because it is much more cost-effective.

Which platform has better customer support?

Brevo offers email, chat, and phone support on its paid plans. HubSpot also offers excellent support, but phone support is usually reserved for their higher-tier (more expensive) plans.

Does Brevo offer AI tools like HubSpot?

Yes. In 2026, Brevo includes an AI Content Generator for emails and an AI Send-Time Optimizer that sends your emails when each individual subscriber is most likely to click.

Final Verdict: Which One Should You Choose?

Choose Brevo if:

• You want a simple, all-in-one tool that won't break the bank.

• You send a lot of emails but don't want to be penalized for having a large contact list.

• You want to use SMS and WhatsApp marketing alongside your emails.

• You are a startup, small business, or e-commerce store.

Choose HubSpot if:

• You are a mid-to-large enterprise with a massive sales team.

• You need deep integration between your website, your sales team, and your customer service.

• Budget is not your primary concern, and you need the most powerful reporting on the market.