Brevo vs HubSpot: Email & CRM Comparison Guide

email & crm comparison guide

Choosing the right platform for email marketing and CRM management can make or break your digital marketing strategy. In 2025, two major tools — Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) and HubSpot — continue to dominate conversations among marketers and businesses seeking a balance between affordability, automation, and scalability.

While both platforms offer powerful tools for growing customer relationships, they cater to different needs. Brevo focuses on simplicity, affordability, and omnichannel communication, while HubSpot provides an enterprise-grade marketing, sales, and service ecosystem.

In this in-depth comparison, we’ll explore how Brevo vs HubSpot stack up across features, pricing, ease of use, CRM capabilities, and automation. Whether you’re a small business or an established brand, you’ll learn which platform aligns better with your goals — without unnecessary hype.

Understanding Brevo and HubSpot: The Core Difference

Before we dive into features, let’s set the context.

  • Brevo (formerly Sendinblue):
    Known for its all-in-one communication platform, Brevo combines email marketing, SMS, CRM, and marketing automation into a single, easy-to-use dashboard. Its affordability makes it ideal for small to mid-sized businesses looking to scale without complexity.
  • HubSpot:
    HubSpot is a robust CRM and inbound marketing suite offering marketing, sales, customer service, and CMS tools. It’s built for teams that want deep automation, lead scoring, and a unified ecosystem to manage every customer touchpoint.

While Brevo simplifies marketing for growing businesses, HubSpot’s strength lies in depth and integration — but often at a higher cost.

Feature Comparison: Brevo vs HubSpot

Here’s a detailed text-based comparison of the two platforms:

FeatureBrevoHubSpot
Email MarketingEasy-to-use editor, templates, and personalizationAdvanced workflows, A/B testing, and dynamic content
CRMSimple contact management with segmentationFull-featured CRM with lead scoring, pipelines, and analytics
AutomationVisual workflows for campaigns and follow-upsComplex automation with conditional logic and triggers
SMS & WhatsApp MarketingIncluded in all plansLimited or add-on feature
Landing PagesBuilt-in, simple editorProfessional-grade landing page builder
Integrations100+ integrations (Shopify, WordPress, etc.)1,000+ integrations and native HubSpot ecosystem
PricingFree plan + affordable paid tiersFree CRM, but marketing tools become expensive at scale
Ease of UseVery beginner-friendlySlight learning curve, but powerful
Best ForSMBs and solopreneursScaling startups and enterprises

Email Marketing Capabilities

Brevo

Brevo’s email marketing tools are designed for simplicity and impact. Its drag-and-drop email editor, pre-designed templates, and intuitive segmentation make campaign creation effortless. Brevo also supports transactional emails, which is a huge plus for eCommerce and SaaS businesses.

Key highlights:

  • Drag-and-drop builder with branded templates
  • Dynamic personalization using contact attributes
  • Real-time reporting on opens, clicks, and bounces
  • A/B testing and send-time optimization

HubSpot

HubSpot’s email suite is more advanced, offering deep personalization through behavioral data and CRM insights. You can set up workflows that automatically nurture leads, re-engage inactive users, or deliver tailored content based on user actions.

Key highlights:

  • Smart personalization tokens
  • Dynamic content for segmented lists
  • Native A/B testing across email elements
  • Predictive lead scoring for follow-ups

If you’re a small business focused on sending professional, automated emails, Brevo provides excellent value. However, if your business requires complex workflows and multi-team collaboration, HubSpot is more suitable.

CRM and Contact Management

Both platforms include CRM features, but their depth differs.

Brevo’s CRM

Brevo’s CRM is a natural extension of its email marketing tool. It helps users:

  • Store and organize contact data
  • Track communication history
  • Segment contacts based on engagement
  • Manage deals with a lightweight pipeline

Brevo’s CRM feels approachable for teams that want to start managing relationships without complex systems.

HubSpot’s CRM

HubSpot’s CRM is one of the most comprehensive on the market. It provides:

  • Detailed contact timelines
  • Lead scoring and lifecycle stages
  • Custom pipelines and forecasting tools
  • Deep integration with marketing and sales automation

While HubSpot’s CRM offers more granular data, it can feel overwhelming for small teams or non-technical marketers.

Automation and Workflows

Automation is the backbone of modern marketing. Here’s how both compare:

  • Brevo Automation:
    Brevo lets you automate emails, SMS, and customer journeys with visual workflows. You can set triggers like “email opened” or “link clicked” to send personalized follow-ups. Example automation use case:
    • A user signs up → Welcome email sent
    • User clicks a link → Add tag “Interested”
    • Wait 3 days → Send educational email series
  • HubSpot Automation:
    HubSpot’s workflow automation is significantly more advanced. You can create multi-step journeys across marketing, sales, and service touchpoints. Example use case:
    • A lead downloads an eBook → Assign to salesperson
    • If lead score > 50 → Enroll in “Product Demo” sequence
    • If deal closes → Send onboarding series

Verdict:
For basic automation, Brevo is easier to set up. For enterprise-grade multi-department automation, HubSpot takes the lead.

Pricing Comparison

Pricing often decides the tool you stick with.

  • Brevo Pricing (2025):
    • Free plan (up to 300 emails/day)
    • Starter: From $9/month
    • Business: From $18/month
    • Enterprise: Custom
    Brevo’s pricing scales based on emails sent, not contact count — a significant advantage for list-heavy marketers.
  • HubSpot Pricing (2025):
    • Free CRM forever
    • Marketing Hub Starter: From $20/month
    • Professional: From $890/month
    • Enterprise: From $3,600/month
    HubSpot grows powerful — and expensive — as you add more contacts or need automation.

If you’re on a budget or just starting your marketing journey, Brevo offers more flexibility without compromising essential tools.

Ease of Use and Onboarding

Brevo’s minimal interface makes onboarding quick. You can create campaigns, segment lists, and set up automation within minutes. HubSpot’s ecosystem, on the other hand, takes time to master.

However, HubSpot compensates with rich educational resources and a well-documented knowledge base — ideal for marketers willing to invest in a long-term system.

Integration Ecosystem

  • Brevo: Integrates with WordPress, Shopify, WooCommerce, and CRMs like Salesforce or Pipedrive.
  • HubSpot: Integrates with over 1,000 tools — including Google Ads, Slack, Zoom, and LinkedIn Ads.

If your marketing stack is small, Brevo’s integrations are sufficient. But if you operate across multiple departments, HubSpot’s ecosystem offers deeper connectivity.

Value-Added Framework: The “M.A.T.C.H.” Decision Model

When choosing between Brevo and HubSpot, use this 5-step M.A.T.C.H. Framework to guide your decision:

StepQuestionHelps You Determine
M — Mission FitDoes this tool match your business goals?Purpose alignment
A — Automation LevelHow advanced do your workflows need to be?Complexity tolerance
T — Team SizeHow many users will access it daily?Collaboration needs
C — Cost FlexibilityCan you scale affordably over time?Long-term sustainability
H — Hands-on UsabilityHow comfortable is your team with tech tools?Learning curve management

If your business scores higher on simplicity, cost-efficiency, and usability, Brevo is a strong match.
If it scores higher on complexity, depth, and scalability, HubSpot will likely be the better fit.

Expert Insight: Where Each Platform Excels

“The best CRM or email marketing tool isn’t the one with the most features — it’s the one your team actually uses consistently.”
A seasoned digital marketing strategist

Brevo helps small and growing businesses establish an effective marketing foundation without the overhead. HubSpot, meanwhile, empowers growth-oriented teams to create detailed customer journeys and analytics-driven strategies.

If you’re just getting started, consider reading What Is Brevo? Complete Beginner’s Guide (2025 Edition) or Building Your Online Presence with Email Marketing to understand how to structure your campaigns before choosing a tool.

For those comparing tools, check out Brevo vs Mailchimp: Which Email Tool Is Better in 2025? for additional insights into email platform ecosystems.

Conclusion

Both Brevo and HubSpot are excellent tools — but they serve distinct audiences.

  • Choose Brevo if you value affordability, simplicity, and omnichannel communication in a single dashboard.
  • Choose HubSpot if you need a powerful, integrated system with enterprise-grade automation and analytics.

The real key is not the platform itself — but how well it supports your marketing strategy. Define your business goals, assess your workflow needs, and apply the M.A.T.C.H. framework to decide confidently.

FAQ: Brevo vs HubSpot (2025 Edition)

1. Is Brevo better than HubSpot for beginners?
Yes, Brevo’s interface is simpler and more intuitive, making it ideal for beginners or small teams starting with email marketing and basic CRM.

2. Can I integrate Brevo or HubSpot with my eCommerce store?
Both platforms support integrations. Brevo connects easily with Shopify and WooCommerce, while HubSpot integrates with broader eCommerce and CRM ecosystems.

3. Which tool offers better marketing automation?
HubSpot offers more advanced automation workflows, but Brevo provides an easier setup for small businesses looking for practical automation.

4. Is HubSpot worth the higher price?
For medium to large businesses with multi-department operations, HubSpot’s price is justified by its advanced CRM and analytics features. Smaller businesses might find Brevo more cost-effective.

5. Does Brevo include SMS marketing?
Yes. Unlike HubSpot, Brevo includes SMS and WhatsApp campaigns in its plans — perfect for multi-channel communication.

6. Can both tools manage contact segmentation?
Absolutely. Brevo and HubSpot both allow segmentation based on user behavior, engagement, or custom fields.

7. Which is better for long-term scaling?
HubSpot scales better for enterprises, while Brevo scales more economically for small to mid-sized businesses.

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