Is HubSpot's free CRM really free?
Yes, within limits. As of 4 Nov 2026, HubSpot's free CRM costs $0 with no time limit and no credit card, for up to 2 users and 1,000 contacts. It covers contacts, companies, deals, a pipeline board, Gmail or Outlook connection, 10 dashboards, the Breeze Assistant and HubSpot's connectors for Claude and ChatGPT, but your emails and meeting links carry HubSpot branding and there are no AI credits.
You start paying when you add a third user, pass 1,000 contacts, or want the branding gone. That step is Starter at $7 per seat a month billed yearly, a limited-time new-customer price against a $20 list price, so 5 users pay $420 a year now and $1,200 at list.
Email sequences, forecasting and custom reports need Professional at $90 per seat plus a required $1,500 onboarding fee: $6,900 in the first year for 5 users.
What HubSpot Free includes today
Read from HubSpot's free CRM page and pricing page on 4 Nov 2026. The limits are per account, not per user.
- Price and termOn the free plan: $0, "100% free, with no expiration date", no credit card
- UsersOn the free plan: Up to 2. There is no way to add a third user without a paid seat.
- Contacts and recordsOn the free plan: 1,000 contacts, plus 1,000 records across all other standard objects (companies, deals, tickets and the rest), per HubSpot's pricing page text
- Sales CRMOn the free plan: Contacts, companies, deals, tasks and activity history, a deal pipeline board, CRM import and the mobile app
- EmailOn the free plan: Gmail or Outlook connection, email tracking, 3 email templates and 3 snippets. 1-to-1 emails carry HubSpot branding.
- MeetingsOn the free plan: 1 personal meetings link, with HubSpot branding
- ReportingOn the free plan: 10 dashboards built from standard reports. Custom reports need Professional.
- Marketing toolsOn the free plan: Forms, live chat and marketing email: 2,000 sends a calendar month, all with HubSpot branding
- AIOn the free plan: Breeze Assistant (research companies, prep calls, summarise records). No included HubSpot Credits, so the credit-based agents are not part of Free.
- Claude, ChatGPT and APIOn the free plan: Official connectors for Claude and ChatGPT work on Free, but need a paid Claude or ChatGPT plan. API: 100 requests per 10 seconds and 250,000 a day on Free and Starter.
- SupportOn the free plan: Community, HubSpot Academy and the knowledge base. Email and chat support start on Starter.
| Area | On the free plan |
|---|---|
| Price and term | $0, "100% free, with no expiration date", no credit card |
| Users | Up to 2. There is no way to add a third user without a paid seat. |
| Contacts and records | 1,000 contacts, plus 1,000 records across all other standard objects (companies, deals, tickets and the rest), per HubSpot's pricing page text |
| Sales CRM | Contacts, companies, deals, tasks and activity history, a deal pipeline board, CRM import and the mobile app |
| Gmail or Outlook connection, email tracking, 3 email templates and 3 snippets. 1-to-1 emails carry HubSpot branding. | |
| Meetings | 1 personal meetings link, with HubSpot branding |
| Reporting | 10 dashboards built from standard reports. Custom reports need Professional. |
| Marketing tools | Forms, live chat and marketing email: 2,000 sends a calendar month, all with HubSpot branding |
| AI | Breeze Assistant (research companies, prep calls, summarise records). No included HubSpot Credits, so the credit-based agents are not part of Free. |
| Claude, ChatGPT and API | Official connectors for Claude and ChatGPT work on Free, but need a paid Claude or ChatGPT plan. API: 100 requests per 10 seconds and 250,000 a day on Free and Starter. |
| Support | Community, HubSpot Academy and the knowledge base. Email and chat support start on Starter. |
For one founder or two partners who mostly track contacts and deals and send their own emails, this is a full CRM, not a trial. The weak spots are the hard 2-user limit, the record caps, the branding on everything you send, and the lack of any automated follow-up.
The moment you have to pay
Each row is a need that HubSpot Free cannot meet, and the lowest plan that meets it. US prices per seat per month, billed yearly.
- A third userLowest plan: StarterWhat it costs: $7 a seat (offer), $20 list
- More than 1,000 contacts, or more than 1,000 companies, deals and other records combinedLowest plan: StarterWhat it costs: $7 a seat (offer), $20 list
- More than 3 email templates or 1 meetings linkLowest plan: StarterWhat it costs: $7 a seat (offer), $20 list
- AI agents such as the Prospecting agent (HubSpot Credits)Lowest plan: StarterWhat it costs: $7 a seat (offer), $20 list
- Emails and meeting links without HubSpot brandingLowest plan: StarterWhat it costs: $7 a seat (offer), $20 list
- AI meeting recording and notesLowest plan: StarterWhat it costs: $7 a seat (offer), $20 list
- Automated email sequencesLowest plan: ProfessionalWhat it costs: $90 a seat + $1,500 onboarding
- Sales forecastingLowest plan: ProfessionalWhat it costs: $90 a seat + $1,500 onboarding
- Custom reportsLowest plan: ProfessionalWhat it costs: $90 a seat + $1,500 onboarding
- Lead scoringLowest plan: ProfessionalWhat it costs: $90 a seat + $1,500 onboarding
- Call transcription and coachingLowest plan: ProfessionalWhat it costs: $90 a seat + $1,500 onboarding
- LinkedIn Sales Navigator integrationLowest plan: ProfessionalWhat it costs: $90 a seat + $1,500 onboarding
- Deal splits and pipeline approvalsLowest plan: EnterpriseWhat it costs: $150 a seat + $3,500 onboarding
| You want | Lowest plan | What it costs |
|---|---|---|
| A third user | Starter | $7 a seat (offer), $20 list |
| More than 1,000 contacts, or more than 1,000 companies, deals and other records combined | Starter | $7 a seat (offer), $20 list |
| More than 3 email templates or 1 meetings link | Starter | $7 a seat (offer), $20 list |
| AI agents such as the Prospecting agent (HubSpot Credits) | Starter | $7 a seat (offer), $20 list |
| Emails and meeting links without HubSpot branding | Starter | $7 a seat (offer), $20 list |
| AI meeting recording and notes | Starter | $7 a seat (offer), $20 list |
| Automated email sequences | Professional | $90 a seat + $1,500 onboarding |
| Sales forecasting | Professional | $90 a seat + $1,500 onboarding |
| Custom reports | Professional | $90 a seat + $1,500 onboarding |
| Lead scoring | Professional | $90 a seat + $1,500 onboarding |
| Call transcription and coaching | Professional | $90 a seat + $1,500 onboarding |
| LinkedIn Sales Navigator integration | Professional | $90 a seat + $1,500 onboarding |
| Deal splits and pipeline approvals | Enterprise | $150 a seat + $3,500 onboarding |
Most small teams leave Free for one of the first three rows: a third person joins, the database fills up, or a client-facing email with “HubSpot” in the footer stops looking right. The jump to Professional comes later, when you want sequences or forecasts. Full plan details are on the HubSpot pricing page.
AI, Claude and ChatGPT on the free plan
Free includes the Breeze Assistant at no cost and nothing else that uses AI credits. Basic AI help is free on every HubSpot plan, but AI agents use HubSpot Credits: paid plans include a monthly allowance (500 a month on US Sales Hub Starter) and extra credits cost $0.010 each. On Starter, 500 credits cover about 5 Prospecting agent lead recommendations a month at 100 credits each.
The bigger AI feature on Free is outside HubSpot. Its official MCP server and its connectors for Claude and ChatGPT work on every plan, so an assistant can look up deals and update records in your free account. Through the connectors an assistant can read, create and update records but not delete them, and the Claude connector writes at most 10 records at a time. HubSpot’s free CRM page says the connectors need a paid Claude or ChatGPT subscription, so the AI is free on the HubSpot side only.
Setup steps for each assistant are in the HubSpot review. If MCP access on a free plan is the reason you are looking, Attio’s Free plan also includes its API, webhooks and MCP server, for up to 3 seats.
What the next step costs at 2, 5 and 10 seats
Yearly totals in USD from HubSpot's US Sales Hub prices, verified 23 Oct 2026 and rechecked from the page text on 4 Nov 2026. Every user gets a paid seat. "Pro" is Professional.
- 2 users (Free also fits: $0)Starter offer: $168Starter list: $480Starter monthly: $240Pro, year 1: $3,660 (incl. $1,500 onboarding)Pro, later: $2,160
- 5 users (too many for Free)Starter offer: $420Starter list: $1,200Starter monthly: $600Pro, year 1: $6,900 (incl. $1,500 onboarding)Pro, later: $5,400
- 10 users (too many for Free)Starter offer: $840Starter list: $2,400Starter monthly: $1,200Pro, year 1: $12,300 (incl. $1,500 onboarding)Pro, later: $10,800
| Team | Starter offer | Starter list | Starter monthly | Pro, year 1 | Pro, later |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 users (Free also fits: $0) | $168 | $480 | $240 | $3,660 (incl. $1,500 onboarding) | $2,160 |
| 5 users (too many for Free) | $420 | $1,200 | $600 | $6,900 (incl. $1,500 onboarding) | $5,400 |
| 10 users (too many for Free) | $840 | $2,400 | $1,200 | $12,300 (incl. $1,500 onboarding) | $10,800 |
Starter is $7 per seat a month billed yearly or $10 billed monthly on the new-customer offer. Professional is $90 billed yearly or $100 “paid monthly”, which still commits you for a year. In Europe the same steps cost €7 and €90 per seat. Try other team sizes in the CRM Finder.
“If you used every single feature the Professional tier has, then it is 100% worth it. I'm willing to bet that most teams don't even scratch 30% of what they're paying for.”
What catches teams leaving the free plan
The second record cap arrives first
$7 is an offer, and the upgrade price depends on the page
Professional adds a fee and a one-year lock-in
Seats only shrink at renewal
In Europe, Starter stops at 10 users
Other CRMs with a free plan
Every free plan in the CRM Sorted price index, with the first paid plan you would move to. Prices per seat per month billed yearly, as each vendor shows them.
HubSpotUsers on Free: 2What Free holds: Up to 1,000 records across companies, deals and other standard objects (US pricing page, 4 Nov 2026); Up to 2 users; Up to 1,000 contacts; free access has no time limit; 1-to-1 emails and meeting links carry HubSpot branding.First paid plan: Starter: $7 per seatChecked: 4 Nov 2026
AttioUsers on Free: 3What Free holds: Up to 3 seats; 3 objects; 50,000 records; 200 emails a month.First paid plan: Plus: $35 per seatChecked: 20 Oct 2026
Bigin by Zoho CRMUsers on Free: 1What Free holds: Single user only, with 500 records, one pipeline and 3 automations.First paid plan: Express: $7 per seatChecked: 29 Oct 2026
Capsule CRMUsers on Free: 2What Free holds: Maximum 2 users, 250 contacts, 5 custom fields and 1 sales pipeline.First paid plan: Starter: $18 per seatChecked: 24 Oct 2026
ClarifyUsers on Free: Unlimited (see note)What Free holds: Unlimited seats, but only 1,000 AI credits a month (Clarify suggests 5,000 for up to 3 people), 20,000 records, 1 active campaign and 3 objects. No on-demand credits, so AI features pause when the credits run out. The tools here treat it as enough for one person.First paid plan: Starter: $40 a month flat, unlimited usersChecked: 2 Nov 2026
EngageBayUsers on Free: 15What Free holds: 250 contacts and companies and 1,000 branded emails a month. The pricing page says "Free for 15 users".First paid plan: Basic: $11.95 per seatChecked: 2 Nov 2026
FlowluUsers on Free: 2What Free holds: A two-user workspace with 1 sales pipeline, lead capture forms, projects and invoices. The plan card says 100 contacts; the comparison table says 250.First paid plan: Essential: $9 per seatChecked: 2 Nov 2026
SalesforceUsers on Free: 2What Free holds: Free Suite is listed at $0 in the Sales Cloud comparison table. Salesforce's free CRM FAQ says it includes two user licenses.First paid plan: Starter Suite: $25 per seatChecked: 24 Oct 2026
Zoho CRMUsers on Free: 3What Free holds: Up to 3 users; 5,000 records (10 MB) across all modules and 1 GB of file storage; No email integration (no Gmail, Outlook or IMAP sync); 50 emails per user a day, 150 per organization.First paid plan: Standard: $14 per seatChecked: 4 Nov 2026
| CRM | Users on Free | What Free holds | First paid plan | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HubSpot | 2 | Up to 1,000 records across companies, deals and other standard objects (US pricing page, 4 Nov 2026); Up to 2 users; Up to 1,000 contacts; free access has no time limit; 1-to-1 emails and meeting links carry HubSpot branding. | Starter: $7 per seat | 4 Nov 2026 |
| Attio | 3 | Up to 3 seats; 3 objects; 50,000 records; 200 emails a month. | Plus: $35 per seat | 20 Oct 2026 |
| Bigin by Zoho CRM | 1 | Single user only, with 500 records, one pipeline and 3 automations. | Express: $7 per seat | 29 Oct 2026 |
| Capsule CRM | 2 | Maximum 2 users, 250 contacts, 5 custom fields and 1 sales pipeline. | Starter: $18 per seat | 24 Oct 2026 |
| Clarify | Unlimited (see note) | Unlimited seats, but only 1,000 AI credits a month (Clarify suggests 5,000 for up to 3 people), 20,000 records, 1 active campaign and 3 objects. No on-demand credits, so AI features pause when the credits run out. The tools here treat it as enough for one person. | Starter: $40 a month flat, unlimited users | 2 Nov 2026 |
| EngageBay | 15 | 250 contacts and companies and 1,000 branded emails a month. The pricing page says "Free for 15 users". | Basic: $11.95 per seat | 2 Nov 2026 |
| Flowlu | 2 | A two-user workspace with 1 sales pipeline, lead capture forms, projects and invoices. The plan card says 100 contacts; the comparison table says 250. | Essential: $9 per seat | 2 Nov 2026 |
| Salesforce | 2 | Free Suite is listed at $0 in the Sales Cloud comparison table. Salesforce's free CRM FAQ says it includes two user licenses. | Starter Suite: $25 per seat | 24 Oct 2026 |
| Zoho CRM | 3 | Up to 3 users; 5,000 records (10 MB) across all modules and 1 GB of file storage; No email integration (no Gmail, Outlook or IMAP sync); 50 emails per user a day, 150 per organization. | Standard: $14 per seat | 4 Nov 2026 |
HubSpot’s free plan is not the largest. Zoho CRM Free allows 3 users and Attio Free 3 seats with 50,000 records, but Zoho’s free plan has no email integration. Bigin’s free plan is for one person. Of the CRMs in this table, only HubSpot has an affiliate link on this site. All prices and dates are in the CRM Pricing Index.
Cheaper paid options for the same team
Yearly cost of the cheapest plan with every listed capability, confirmed on the vendor's own pages, ranked by the 5-seat cost. HubSpot is included so you can see where it lands.
What Starter gives you: email sync and simple automation
- HubSpot2 users: $168 on Starter5 users: $420 on Starter10 users: $840 on Starter
- Bigin by Zoho CRM2 users: $168 on Express5 users: $420 on Express10 users: $840 on Express
Freshsales2 users: $216 on Growth5 users: $540 on Growth10 users: $1,080 on Growth
Twenty2 users: $216 on Pro5 users: $540 on Pro10 users: $1,080 on Pro
OnePageCRM2 users: $239 on Professional5 users: $597 on Professional10 users: $1,194 on Professional- Zoho CRM2 users: $336 on Standard5 users: $840 on Standard10 users: $1,680 on Standard
| CRM | 2 users | 5 users | 10 users |
|---|---|---|---|
| HubSpot | $168 on Starter | $420 on Starter | $840 on Starter |
| Bigin by Zoho CRM | $168 on Express | $420 on Express | $840 on Express |
| Freshsales | $216 on Growth | $540 on Growth | $1,080 on Growth |
| Twenty | $216 on Pro | $540 on Pro | $1,080 on Pro |
| OnePageCRM | $239 on Professional | $597 on Professional | $1,194 on Professional |
| Zoho CRM | $336 on Standard | $840 on Standard | $1,680 on Standard |
What Professional gives you: sequences, forecasting and custom reports
- Zoho CRM2 users: $336 on Standard5 users: $840 on Standard10 users: $1,680 on Standard
monday CRM2 users: $1,008 on Pro5 users: $1,680 on Pro10 users: $3,360 on Pro- OnePageCRM2 users: $719 on Max5 users: $1,797 on Max10 users: $3,594 on Max
- Clarify2 users: $480 on Starter5 users: $1,920 on Starter, 20k credits10 users: $3,840 on Starter, 40k credits
Pipedrive2 users: $936 on Growth5 users: $2,340 on Growth10 users: $4,680 on Growth
Nutshell2 users: $1,008 on Pro5 users: $2,520 on Pro10 users: $5,040 on Pro- HubSpot2 users: $2,160 on Professional + $1,500 one-time5 users: $5,400 on Professional + $1,500 one-time10 users: $10,800 on Professional + $1,500 one-time
| CRM | 2 users | 5 users | 10 users |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zoho CRM | $336 on Standard | $840 on Standard | $1,680 on Standard |
| monday CRM | $1,008 on Pro | $1,680 on Pro | $3,360 on Pro |
| OnePageCRM | $719 on Max | $1,797 on Max | $3,594 on Max |
| Clarify | $480 on Starter | $1,920 on Starter, 20k credits | $3,840 on Starter, 40k credits |
| Pipedrive | $936 on Growth | $2,340 on Growth | $4,680 on Growth |
| Nutshell | $1,008 on Pro | $2,520 on Pro | $5,040 on Pro |
| HubSpot | $2,160 on Professional + $1,500 one-time | $5,400 on Professional + $1,500 one-time | $10,800 on Professional + $1,500 one-time |
At Starter level HubSpot is among the cheapest while the offer lasts. At Professional level it is not: HubSpot’s $6,900 first year for 5 users is several times what the cheapest CRMs with sequences and forecasting charge. Price is not the only test, so compare features in the CRM Finder or read the Pipedrive and Attio pricing pages.
Stay on Free, upgrade, or switch?
- Stay on Free if you are 1 or 2 people, under 1,000 contacts, and fine with HubSpot branding. It costs nothing and never expires, and you can connect Claude or ChatGPT to it.
- Upgrade to Starter when a third person joins or the branding has to go, and you expect to add HubSpot’s marketing or service tools later. Lock in the offer price if you can, and budget for $20 a seat.
- Look elsewhere if you already know you need sequences and forecasts within a year. Professional plus onboarding is the expensive step, and several CRMs above include those features on a cheaper plan. The HubSpot review covers what you get for that price, and the Attio review covers a free-plan alternative with a more flexible data model.
FAQ
Is HubSpot CRM really free?
Yes. HubSpot's free CRM page says it is "100% free, with no expiration date" and needs no credit card. On 4 Nov 2026 it allowed up to 2 users and 1,000 contacts, with HubSpot branding on emails and meeting links.
Is HubSpot free forever?
Yes, the free CRM has no time limit. It is not a trial. What changes over time is whether your team fits inside it: 2 users, 1,000 contacts and 1,000 other records.
How many users can use HubSpot for free?
2. Older articles say the free CRM allows unlimited users; that described an earlier version. A third user needs a paid Starter seat at $7 a month billed yearly on the current offer ($20 list).
What is the difference between HubSpot Free and Starter?
Starter removes HubSpot branding, lifts the 2-user limit, adds simple workflows, AI meeting notes, 500 HubSpot Credits a month (US Sales Hub) and email and chat support. It costs $7 per seat a month billed yearly or $10 monthly while the new-customer offer runs. It still has no sequences or forecasting.
Does HubSpot's free CRM include AI?
Breeze Assistant is included and can research companies, prep calls and summarise records. Free includes no HubSpot Credits, so the agents that run on credits, such as the Prospecting agent, need a paid plan.
Can I connect Claude or ChatGPT to HubSpot's free CRM?
Yes. HubSpot's official connectors for Claude and ChatGPT work on Free and can read, create and update records but not delete them. HubSpot says they need a paid Claude or ChatGPT subscription.
What happens when you hit 1,000 contacts on HubSpot Free?
Free stops at 1,000 contacts and 1,000 records across other standard objects such as companies and deals, so you need a paid plan to keep adding. Count deals and companies too: a team that logs every company and deal can reach the second cap first.
How much does HubSpot cost after the free plan?
For 5 users billed yearly, Starter costs $420 a year on the current offer or $1,200 at list. Professional costs $5,400 a year plus a $1,500 onboarding fee, so $6,900 in the first year.
Where these facts come from
Free plan facts were read on hubspot.com/products/crm and hubspot.com/pricing/crm on 4 Nov 2026. Visitors from Europe see a different pricing page in euros, so the US free plan limits (records, templates, marketing emails) were read from the US page text, and paid US prices rest on the 23 Oct 2026 screenshots plus a text recheck on 4 Nov 2026. Team costs and alternatives are calculated from the price index. This is research, not a paid placement.
Free CRM FAQ: up to two users, 1,000 contacts, no expiration; Claude and ChatGPT connectors need a paid subscriptionUSD · hubspot.com/products/crm, local headless browser from Finland, FAQ answers opened
Free CRM page plan cards: Starter "Starts at $15/month per seat*", new-customer discount with no set end dateUSD · hubspot.com/products/crm, local headless browser from Finland
Platform pricing seen from Europe: Free up to 2 users with no credits, Starter €7 up to 10 usersEUR · hubspot.com/pricing/crm, local headless browser from Finland (shows the European page)
Free CRM product page, full lengthUSD · hubspot.com/products/crm, local headless browser from Finland
Sales Hub plan cards in USD, annual billing selected, with onboarding feesUSD · 23 Oct 2026: Rendered from a US location by DataForSEO
Sales Hub plan cards in USD, Pay Monthly selectedUSD · 24 Oct 2026: Rendered from a US location by DataForSEO (page_screenshot, US proxy pool) at /pricing/sales?term=monthly, which selects Pay Monthly
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