Updated 4 September 2026 · Independent comparison

Hootsuite vs HubSpot:
which should you use?

Hootsuite and HubSpot, side by side. Find the one that fits what you need to do.

Find your best fit

The 30-second answer

Hootsuite schedules and monitors across every network a large team needs, with approvals and permissions built for agencies. HubSpot marketing, CRM and content in one place, with the AI reaching across all three because they share the same contact record.

Pricing, simplified

Start free. Upgrade when you need more.

1 of 2 have a free plan 0 of 2 prices re-read automatically · how we know No paid placement

The 30-second comparison

If you only read one section, make it this one. Rows where both sides say the same thing are left out — the point is where they differ. Where each row came from is listed underneath.

Hootsuite and HubSpot side by side, with the better fit for each row.
CategoryHootsuiteHubSpotBetter fit
What it's built forSchedules and monitors across every network a large team needs, with approvals and permissions built for agencies.Marketing, CRM and content in one place, with the AI reaching across all three because they share the same contact record.Tie
Free planNo. Paid from the start.Yes. Free plan at $0/month for up to 2 users, free indefinitely rather than a trial and no card requiredHubSpot
Cheapest way to pay$99 a month.$10 a month.HubSpot
What the paid tiers cost
  • One person, from $99/month
  • Enterprise, priced on request
  • One person, from $10/month
  • Enterprise, from $3600/month
Tie
What to watch out forIt withdrew its free plan in 2023 and now starts at $99 per user a month, so a three-person team is $297 before anything else, which has pushed most small users elsewhere. Standard also caps you at 10 social accounts.The free tier is the on-ramp and the jump to Marketing Hub is steep. Starter looks cheap because a limited-time offer is running against a $20 a seat list price, and every tier climbs with the marketing contacts and core seats you add.Tie
Made byHootsuite — Vancouver, CA.HubSpot — Cambridge, US.Tie

HubSpot is ahead on 2 of the 6 rows compared, 1 of them about how well it does the job itself. It is a single row of daylight, so read Hootsuite’s column before deciding.

Overall pick

HubSpot

Marketing, CRM and content in one place, with the AI reaching across all three because they share the same contact record.

✓ Marketing, CRM and content in one place, with the AI reaching across all three because they share the same contact record. ✓ You want to start without paying anything ✓ You want the cheaper paid plan, $10 against $99 ✓ Free plan at $0/month for up to 2 users, free indefinitely rather than a trial and no card required
Choose Hootsuite instead if…

Schedules and monitors across every network a large team needs, with approvals and permissions built for agencies.

Hootsuite is the better answer when the job is what it was built for rather than what the pick above does broadly.

✓ Schedules and monitors across every network a large team needs, with approvals and permissions built for agencies. ✓ It is aimed at working professionals ✓ Paid plans start at $99 a month

How we know

Every row that separated these two, and where it came from. Nothing here is a hands-on test — if a line rests on a vendor’s own pricing page, it says so and links it.

The 2 rows that decided this page, with the source for each.
RowFavoursWeightWhere it came from
Free planHubSpotHow well it does the jobFrom each vendor’s own pricing page. Dates and pages are listed below.
Cheapest way to payHubSpotEverything elseFrom each vendor’s own pricing page. Dates and pages are listed below.

The prices

Hootsuite. Read by hand off hootsuite.com on 4 September 2026. It is not on the monthly re-check, so confirm there before paying. hootsuite.com/plans

HubSpot. Read by hand on 4 September 2026, because HubSpot cannot be read automatically: hubspot.com returns 200 with the plans drawn in JavaScript; the browser step found no amounts either. Priced by hand from the Marketing Hub tab, which has its own monthly/annual toggle. hubspot.com/pricing/marketing

The ratings

The category these two share. Marketing & Content Creation — both are listed there in the catalogue, and the fit recorded against each listing is a judgement made here, by hand.

The nine-category grid below. Derived from what each product is listed for, by one script, once per build — so the same pair always reads the same. It is a derivation, not a review.

What this is not

Neither product was run side by side to produce this page. Nobody was paid to appear on it and nothing here is ranked by commission.

To put the same question to both and read the answers yourself, run them side by side — that is a live test, and this is not.

Choose based on what you’re doing

All ten categories, including the ones where neither of these is the answer. These ratings are derived from what each product is listed for, not from running it — a rating here is a reading of the record, and the record is linked.

01

General-Purpose AI Assistants

Questions, brainstorming, explanations, everyday tasks, decision-making, general advice.

Hootsuite
Not a good fit
HubSpot
Not a good fit
Best choice: Neither
02

Search, Research & Academics

Web research, deep research, books, academic papers, citations, news, fact-checking.

Hootsuite
Bad fit
HubSpot
Not a good fit
Best choice: Neither
03

Writing, Communication & Language

Emails, reports, essays, editing, summarizing, translation, presentations.

Hootsuite
Not a good fit
HubSpot
Not a good fit
Best choice: Neither
04

Coding, Data & Technical Work

Programming, debugging, data analysis, spreadsheets, math, engineering, technical research.

Hootsuite
Bad fit
HubSpot
Bad fit
Best choice: Neither
05

Business, Finance & Professional Work

Business strategy, investing, market research, legal, sales, HR, accounting, consulting.

Hootsuite
Not a good fit
HubSpot
Good fit
Best choice: HubSpot
06

Image & Design

Image generation, photo editing, logos, graphics, product design, advertising creatives.

Hootsuite
Not a good fit
HubSpot
Not a good fit
Best choice: Neither
07

Video

Video generation and editing, clipping, subtitles, avatars, animation and motion capture.

Hootsuite
Not a good fit
HubSpot
Not a good fit
Best choice: Neither
08

Audio, Voice & Music

Voice generation, transcription, music, dubbing, sound cleanup and podcast production.

Hootsuite
Bad fit
HubSpot
Bad fit
Best choice: Neither
09

Marketing & Content Creation

Social media, SEO, advertising, copywriting, content ideas, scripts, brand development.

Hootsuite
Good fit
HubSpot
Good fit
Best choice: Tie
10

Productivity, Automation & Personal Life

AI agents, workflows, scheduling, meetings, organization, shopping, travel, personal finance.

Hootsuite
Bad fit
HubSpot
Not a good fit
Best choice: Neither
Pick Hootsuite if

Schedules and monitors across every network a large team needs, with approvals and permissions built for agencies.

Vancouver, CA
Schedules and monitors across every network a large team needs, with approvals and permissions built for agencies.
It is aimed at working professionals
Paid plans start at $99 a month
Pick HubSpot if

Marketing, CRM and content in one place, with the AI reaching across all three because they share the same contact record.

Cambridge, US
Marketing, CRM and content in one place, with the AI reaching across all three because they share the same contact record.
You want to start without paying anything
You want the cheaper paid plan, $10 against $99
Free plan at $0/month for up to 2 users, free indefinitely rather than a trial and no card required

Pricing, simplified

The plans people actually compare, read from each vendor’s own page.

PricingSimple, up-to-date plan overview.
Hootsuiteby Hootsuite
HubSpotby HubSpot
Free version
Hootsuite
No — paid from the startPaid from the start
HubSpot
Yes — Free plan availableFree plan at $0/month for up to 2 users, free indefinitely rather than a trial and no card
Individual plans
Hootsuite
Standard $99 / month
Professional $199 / month
Advanced $399 / month
HubSpot
Marketing Hub Starter $10 / month$7 / month (annual)
Marketing Hub Professional $890 / month$800 / month (annual)
Business plans
HootsuiteNot sold to teams
HubSpotNot sold to teams
Enterprise
Hootsuite
Custom pricing
HubSpot
From $3600 / user / monthMarketing Hub Enterprise
View full details
Interactive

Tell us what you use AI for

Pick your main job and the verdict below changes to match. Every answer is on the page already, so this works as a reader, not a lookup.

The verdict for that job
HubSpot
Close call. Both cover marketing & content creation at the same level; only HubSpot has a free plan; HubSpot is cheaper to start paying for, $10 against $99.
6 rows compared

Frequently asked questions

Is Hootsuite or HubSpot better?

HubSpot is ahead on 2 of the 6 rows compared, 1 of them about how well it does the job itself. It is a single row of daylight, so read Hootsuite’s column before deciding. only HubSpot has a free plan; HubSpot is cheaper to start paying for, $10 against $99. Hootsuite: Schedules and monitors across every network a large team needs, with approvals and permissions built for agencies. HubSpot: Marketing, CRM and content in one place, with the AI reaching across all three because they share the same contact record.

Is Hootsuite or HubSpot cheaper?

HubSpot — paid plans start at $10 a month against $99 a month.

Do Hootsuite and HubSpot both have free plans?

HubSpot does — Free plan at $0/month for up to 2 users, free indefinitely rather than a trial and no card required. Hootsuite does not.

What should I watch out for?

Hootsuite: It withdrew its free plan in 2023 and now starts at $99 per user a month, so a three-person team is $297 before anything else, which has pushed most small users elsewhere. Standard also caps you at 10 social accounts. HubSpot: The free tier is the on-ramp and the jump to Marketing Hub is steep. Starter looks cheap because a limited-time offer is running against a $20 a seat list price, and every tier climbs with the marketing contacts and core seats you add.

Read more

Hootsuite

What it is for, who makes it, what it costs and what to use instead.

HubSpot

What it is for, who makes it, what it costs and what to use instead.

Best AI for Marketing

Social media, SEO, advertising, copywriting, content ideas, scripts, brand development.