HHubSpot is a CRM platform that combines a shared database (contacts, companies, deals, tickets) with “Hubs” for marketing, sales, service, content, and data operations. Many teams start with HubSpot’s free tools, then upgrade to Starter when they need a more professional experience, support, and structured capabilities.
This guide is updated for the current seat-based packaging and Starter bundle options available in late 2025. (Pricing and promos can change—always verify on HubSpot’s live pricing pages before purchasing.)
Last updated: December 19, 2025
TL;DR: The Fastest Way to Decide
- Choose HubSpot Free if you’re getting organized, validating your process, or don’t need branding removal and support.
- Choose HubSpot Starter if you need a professional customer-facing experience (less HubSpot branding), simple automation, and paid support—especially if you want multiple hubs in one bundle.
What’s New in 2025 (Why Older Articles Are Wrong)
1) HubSpot is seat-based now
HubSpot uses seat types to control user access. For Starter subscriptions, you’ll commonly see Core and View-only seat types. You can assign or change seats in your portal based on what each user needs. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
2) “Starter Customer Platform” is the modern Starter bundle
HubSpot’s Starter bundle is typically sold as the Starter Customer Platform, which includes multiple Starter products in one plan (Marketing, Sales, Service, CMS/Content, Operations/Data, and Commerce may be included depending on the current packaging). :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
3) Marketing contacts still matter (even if everything is “seats”)
Marketing Hub pricing and limits are still tied to marketing contacts (the people you market to), and HubSpot publishes these limits clearly (including the Starter included contacts and email send rules). :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
HubSpot Free vs Starter: Key Differences That Actually Matter
| Decision factor | HubSpot Free | HubSpot Starter |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | $0 | Seat-based pricing. Starter Customer Platform commonly lists a base price of $15/month per seat when billed annually (and HubSpot runs limited-time promos at times). :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3} |
| Seat types | Varies by tool; generally simpler access controls | Starter typically uses Core and View-only seat types; you can assign/change seats in portal settings. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4} |
| Professional appearance | Some tools include HubSpot branding (especially marketing assets) | Starter is designed for a more professional experience—Marketing Hub Starter specifically removes HubSpot branding from emails/forms/live chat. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5} |
| Support | Mostly self-service resources | Marketing Hub Starter includes email + in-app chat support (Starter-level). :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6} |
| Marketing contacts + email sends | Free marketing tools allow up to 2 users and include a monthly email send limit (2,000/month, with branding). :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7} | Marketing Hub Starter includes 1,000 marketing contacts and uses a send limit described as 5× your contact tier limit per month. :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8} |
| Automation | Basic capabilities depending on tool | Starter adds “simple automation capabilities” beyond free tools (especially in Marketing Hub Starter). :contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9} |
Starter Pricing (2025): What to Expect
Starter Customer Platform (bundle)
HubSpot’s Starter Customer Platform commonly shows a base price of $15/month per seat when billed annually (billed at $180/year), and it includes multiple Starter products in one plan. :contentReference[oaicite:10]{index=10}
HubSpot also runs limited-time promotions. As of the most recently crawled HubSpot Starter page, HubSpot advertised a promo for new customers that can discount the first year (with an offer window stated to end January 5, 2026). :contentReference[oaicite:11]{index=11}
Marketing Hub Starter (official published reference)
HubSpot’s own Marketing Hub pricing guide lists Marketing Hub Starter at $9/seat (annual) or $15/seat (monthly), with 1,000 marketing contacts included, and email sending described as 5× the contact tier limit per month. :contentReference[oaicite:12]{index=12}
Practical note: your total cost is typically driven by (1) the number of paid seats and (2) marketing contacts (if you’re using Marketing Hub). Seats control who can do the work; marketing contacts control marketing scale.
Which Companies Are Best Suited for HubSpot?
HubSpot is usually a strong fit for teams that want a single system for customer data and cross-team collaboration (marketing + sales + service) without heavy technical overhead. It’s especially compelling when you want unified reporting and less “tool sprawl.”
HubSpot is a great fit if you need:
- One source of truth for contacts, companies, deals, and tickets
- Connected experiences (forms → email → pipeline → support)
- Clear upgrade paths as your team grows (seats, contact tiers, higher hubs)
- Simple administration with seat-based access
Common Scenarios (The “Right Plan” by Situation)
Scenario A: Founder-led sales + basic marketing
Start with Free if you’re still validating messaging and process. Upgrade to Starter once you need branding removal, basic automation, and support for marketing operations. :contentReference[oaicite:13]{index=13}
Scenario B: Small team that wants multiple hubs working together
The Starter Customer Platform bundle is often the cleanest step because it packages multiple hubs together under one Starter plan with a per-seat base price. :contentReference[oaicite:14]{index=14}
Scenario C: Marketing team with a growing database
Watch your marketing contacts and email send rules. Marketing Hub Starter includes 1,000 marketing contacts and describes the email send limit as 5× your tier per month—so your “people you market to” can become the scaling cost driver. :contentReference[oaicite:15]{index=15}
Scenario D: Leadership wants dashboards but not editing access
Use View-only seats where appropriate, and reserve paid Core seats for the people doing the work. :contentReference[oaicite:16]{index=16}
FAQ (Optimized for Search + AI Answers)
Is HubSpot really free?
Yes—HubSpot offers free tools that let you start using CRM features without paying. Limits exist (especially around marketing email sends and branded assets), but the free tier is designed to help you get started. :contentReference[oaicite:17]{index=17}
What does HubSpot Starter add that Free doesn’t?
Starter is where many teams upgrade for a more professional experience (less branding), Starter-level support, and “simple automation” capabilities—Marketing Hub Starter explicitly calls out branding removal and support upgrades. :contentReference[oaicite:18]{index=18}
What are Core and View-only seats in HubSpot?
A Core seat provides access to paid subscription tools, while View-only is intended for users who need to view data without full editing access. Starter subscriptions commonly use Core and View-only seat types, and admins can change a user’s seat in settings. :contentReference[oaicite:19]{index=19}
How many marketing contacts are included with Starter?
Marketing Hub Starter includes 1,000 marketing contacts (per HubSpot’s published Marketing Hub pricing guide). :contentReference[oaicite:20]{index=20}
What is the Starter Customer Platform?
It’s HubSpot’s bundled Starter plan that includes multiple Starter products in one package with a per-seat base price. HubSpot’s product pages describe it as “all of HubSpot in one plan.” :contentReference[oaicite:21]{index=21}
Need Help Picking the Right Plan (or Setting It Up Correctly)?
If you want to avoid common portal mistakes (messy properties, confusing lifecycle stages, broken reporting, or automation that doesn’t match reality), No Bounds Digital can help you plan, implement, migrate, and train your team so HubSpot supports how you actually sell and service customers.
Typical projects: CRM architecture, lifecycle + pipeline design, automation strategy, reporting dashboards, integrations, data cleanup, and website/blog migrations.
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