K. Vanoirbeek
Digitalization Expert
For most Belgian SMEs, HubSpot is the better choice over Salesforce. HubSpot is faster to implement, cheaper to run, and more user-friendly for teams without a technical background. In this article we compare both platforms honestly.
In short
- For most Belgian SMEs HubSpot is the better choice: live sooner, cheaper and easier to use.
- Salesforce wins on very complex processes, large teams and heavy customisation needs.
- The real difference is implementation time and whether you need a consultant for every change.
- Choose on how your team works, not on the feature list.
For most Belgian SMEs, HubSpot is the better choice over Salesforce. HubSpot is faster to implement, cheaper to run and easier to use for teams without a technical background. Salesforce is more powerful for large enterprises with complex processes and their own IT department, but that is rarely the reality in a Belgian SME of 5 to 100 employees.
The key difference in one sentence
HubSpot is built for growing businesses that want results quickly. Salesforce is built for large organisations that need maximum flexibility and are willing to pay for it, in money as well as in time.
Comparison on 6 criteria
1. Implementation time
HubSpot: on average four weeks from zero to live at a Belgian SME. Salesforce: on average three to nine months for a basic implementation. Salesforce requires a certified Salesforce consultant and an extensive configuration phase. For an SME without an IT department, that is a heavy investment in time and attention.
2. Ease of use
HubSpot consistently scores high on ease of use in independent reviews (G2, Capterra). Employees without a technical background are productive after half a day of training. Salesforce has a steeper learning curve. The interface is more powerful, but also more complex.
3. Price
HubSpot offers a free CRM with paid extensions per Hub. For a team of 5 to 15 salespeople, a full HubSpot Sales Hub Professional setup is realistically budgetable. Salesforce is significantly more expensive for the same scope, certainly once you include the consultancy costs for implementation and customisation.
Always compare the total cost of ownership: implementation plus licence plus training plus annual maintenance. Salesforce sometimes looks cheaper on licence costs but works out more expensive overall.
4. Marketing and sales in one platform
HubSpot combines CRM, email marketing, landing pages, social media and reporting in a single platform. Salesforce offers this too (through Salesforce Marketing Cloud), but that is a separate product with its own price tag and its own integration challenges.
5. Support and community
Both platforms have extensive documentation. HubSpot Academy offers free courses in Dutch and English, which is ideal for teams that want to upskill themselves. Salesforce Trailhead is comparable but more complex.
6. So when should you choose Salesforce?
Salesforce makes sense if you have more than 250 employees, if you run exceptionally complex sales processes with many custom fields and workflows, or if you have already invested heavily in the Salesforce ecosystem. For 95% of Belgian SMEs, none of that applies.
Conclusion
Choose HubSpot if you want results quickly, are looking for a user-friendly platform and have no dedicated IT department. Choose Salesforce if you are a large enterprise with complex requirements and the resources to support them.
Still unsure? Take the DigiTest and discover which platform fits your business best. Or book a no-obligation HubSpot consultation with our team.
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