★★★★

HUBSPOT
IN DEPTH
‍REVIEW

January 20th 2025

HubSpot is a leading all-in-one customer relationship management (CRM) platform that helps businesses of all sizes manage marketing, sales, customer service, and operations. Founded in 2006, HubSpot has become a go-to solution for companies looking to enhance customer interactions, optimize workflows, and grow their businesses efficiently.

Hubspot Review
Lee Bunting
Software Reviewer

Apollo - Quick Takes

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Apollo Customer Support

Support is slow compare to other Sales solutions. Bit disappointing that they don't have live chat on the dashboard.  They do have good support docs & video learning material.

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Choosing Apollo

The main reason for me choosing Apollo for my business was that it seemed to have one of the biggest databases of my target audience (other tech companies). I also liked the email sheduling functionality & the ability to create cold email sequences.

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Integrations We Use

Apollo Integrated well with Hubspot. We also use the Apollo Api fuctionalty for powering one of our internal tools.

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Apollo Usability

The UI is simple for a complex product, but the learning curve is steep when setting upthe CRM. Video tutorials are helpful but sometimes confusing due to separate settings for manyfeatures.

The Review

Background:

I've been using HubSpot CRM for my small tech startup for about 6 months now. We're currently pre-revenue, focusing on lead tracking and management. Previously, at another company, we used Pipedrive, which shares similar terminology with HubSpot, making the transition relatively smooth.

Ease of Setup:

Learning Curve:

HubSpot has a steep learning curve, especially if you're new to CRM systems. However, my familiarity with Pipedrive meant I could set up our HubSpot account in approximately one week.

Recommendation for Setup:
If you're a more established company migrating from another CRM, I strongly recommend hiring a HubSpot consultant to ensure a smooth transition and to tailor the setup to your specific business processes.

Usability:

User Interface:

Once you get past the initial setup, HubSpot's CRM is intuitive and user-friendly. The dashboard is customizable, which helps in managing sales activities efficiently.

Integration:
We've integrated HubSpot with Zapier to automate the push of deals into the CRM. Additionally, we use Apollo for lead generation, which seamlessly feeds targeted leads into HubSpot. This integration has been crucial for streamlining our lead management process.

Features and Functionality:

Core Features:

HubSpot offers a robust set of tools for lead tracking, contact management, and deal pipelines. The email tracking and meeting scheduling features are particularly useful for our sales team.

Additional Features:
Many advanced features are locked behind paywalls, which can be a limitation for startups watching their budget. You'll find that to access marketing automation, social media publishing, or advanced reporting, an upgrade is necessary.Cost:Pricing Model: HubSpot operates on a per-seat basis, which can become expensive as your team grows. It's essential to plan your costs carefully, considering which team members truly need access to the CRM and which features are indispensable for your operations.

Scalability:
While the free version is quite comprehensive for basic CRM needs, scaling up or accessing premium features will significantly increase costs.

Pros:

Comprehensive Free Tier:

Even the free version provides a lot of functionality, which has been a boon for us in the pre-revenue phase.

Scalability:
As your business grows, HubSpot can scale with you, offering more advanced tools.

Integration:
The ecosystem around HubSpot, including Zapier and Apollo, makes it highly integrative with other tools we use.

Cons:

Cost:

The price can add up quickly, especially for small teams needing multiple users or advanced features.

Feature Upgrades:
Some essential features for growing businesses are only available in paid plans, which might not be feasible for startups in their early stages.
The Conclusion

HubSpot provides an excellent suite of tools for CRM and sales management. While there are some challenges in terms of pricing transparency and advanced feature costs, its user-friendly design andsolid integration capabilities make it a strong choice for SaaS companies like Partner.io

FAQs

Answers to questions you might have about Hubspot.

How accurate is Apollo.io’s database?

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From my experience, the database is very accurate, especially for tech companies. I’ve rarely encountered outdated contact information, which has been a huge plus for my outreach efforts.

How easy is it to integrate Apollo.io with other platforms?

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Apollo has a warm-up tool, but deliverability can still be a challenge. I’ve faced issues like Gmail spam warnings and occasional emails landing in spam folders. If deliverability is crucial, you may need to supplement Apollo with additional email tools or strategies.

Is Apollo.io beginner-friendly?

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The interface is generally easy to navigate, but there is a learning curve for some features, like list creation and the Discover Contacts tool. Watching a few tutorial videos helped me get comfortable.

Does Apollo.io provide good customer support?

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Support is done via email, with responses typically taking about 24 hours. While the support team is helpful, the lack of live chat from the dashboard is a downside.

How much does Apollo.io cost?

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Pricing is competitive. My team pays $427 per month, which feels like good value considering how much we use the platform for outbound lead generation.