Customer relationship management (CRM) systems can make your life a lot easier and help you to improve your business processes. There are plenty of options available when it comes to CRM software. But, HubSpot and InStream are the two most popular CRM software that can help you grow your business.
Both platforms can provide you with a way to stay organized and interact with your leads in a more cohesive matter. But which one is better? To help you decide, we’re going to take a look at the key differences between these two services so you can make an informed decision.
HubSpot is one of the best CRM platforms that can help growing companies manage their customer interactions—from email marketing to social media and beyond.
HubSpot offers a range of products and services that are ideal for use by traditionally SMB / mid-market B2B businesses. Its toolset is well suited to help businesses nurture leads into customers while improving the overall performance of their website. It offers multiple paid plans as well as an array of free tools that can be implemented by any size business.
InStream is the relationship management tool built for small and mid-sized businesses. It can help you manage your business relationships such as customers, prospects, and leads. It can track interactions, manage and plan tasks, automate follow-ups, and more.
Its system utilizes customizable forms and automated responses to generate new leads, build quality relationships, and close sales. With its analytics tool, you can gain actionable insights from your leads and turn this information into reports that can be sent directly to clients or passed along to team members.
To help with the decision-making process, we've put together a feature comparison chart for you to review. The chart below outlines the key features offered by both platforms.
|
|
HubSpot |
InStream |
|
Typical Customers |
Small-Business, Mid-Market, Enterprise |
Small-Business, Mid-Market |
|
Free Demo |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Free Trial |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Starting Price |
$0/Unlimited Users |
$0/1 users |
|
Phone |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Live Rep |
Yes |
No |
|
|
Yes |
Yes |
|
Knowledge Base |
Yes |
Yes |
|
24/7 support |
Yes |
No |
|
Campaign Management |
Yes |
No |
|
Case Management |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Email Marketing |
Yes |
No |
|
Forecasting |
Yes |
No |
|
Lead Management |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Marketing ROI Analytics |
Yes |
No |
|
Reporting |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Sales Force Automation |
Yes |
Yes |
HubSpot is more powerful and has more features than InStream. The most notable difference between the two is that InStream does not offer marketing automation functionality like marketing ROI analytics, email marketing, and campaign management that HubSpot does.
Both HubSpot and InStream have a free plan for their software. So, you can easily try out their free plan and upgrade to paid once you feel satisfied with their services.
InStream free plan comes with the limitation of 1 user, 100 contacts while HubSpot offers a free plan with up to 1,000,000 contacts for unlimited users. HubSpot free plan is a great option for companies that are starting out, or who need access to simple marketing tools without investing in the full package.
Besides the free plan, HubSpot offers three pricing plans to choose from.
Each tier of service comes with unlimited users and more features than the last. The Standard plan includes the most essential features for growing your audience while the Professional and Enterprise plans have several extra features that can help your marketing strategy reach new heights, including marketing automation, campaign management, and A/B testing.
InStream paid plan starts at $9 mo /per user and goes up to $49 mo/per user. However, in terms of features and users, HubSpot is a more affordable option.
HubSpot offers a comprehensive onboarding process that allows you to learn the platform more quickly with less training. It provides a great deal of guidance on how to use the software and how to get the most out of your account. Its knowledgebase takes you through each step of setting up your account. HubSpot Academy also offers free training courses, certification programs so that anyone can learn the skills they need to grow better.
HubSpot also offers consulting-based onboarding where experts will guide you through the process. Or you can work with an agency partner like No Bounds Digital to get your account set up and customized for your business and marketing goals.
On the other hand, InStream provides documentation to help you get started. But there are no dedicated onboarding or training reps for new users. So, it may take some time for new users to get comfortable using the software's features without assistance from an expert.
Migrating data from one platform to another can be a nightmare if you're not familiar with the process. However, HubSpot provides guides and educational resources that will walk you through the various steps of the migration process. It also has a number of migration options and tools available for customers who are interested in migrating their data to HubSpot.
You can also work with a partner like No Bounds Digital which specializes in HubSpot migrations. They can handle all the data transfer and provide a variety of services to match your specific needs.
When it comes to customer service, HubSpot is the leader in the industry. They offer support via phone and email, as well as an online chat feature that allows you to communicate with a live agent at any time. Their pro or higher plan users can get 24/7 support.
They have an impressive knowledge base that contains thousands of articles from experts on topics ranging from marketing best practices to technical troubleshooting issues. This allows users to find answers without having to contact someone directly every time they need assistance. The HubSpot support services are part of your subscription, so you will never have to pay extra for help.
InStream offers standard customer support via email, phone but no chat feature. It also does not offer 24/7 support as HubSpot does. Compare to InStream, HubSpot’s response time is fast and the quality of their service is consistently high.
No one will deny that InStream and HubSpot are great CRM platforms, but in terms of features and usability, HubSpot offers a more advanced CRM toolkit. It offers better tracking, more integrations, and overall accessibility. HubSpot free account also offers more features, users, and contacts capability than InStream which makes it more affordable for smaller businesses. HubSpot customer service and knowledgebase are much better than InStream. For those reasons alone, HubSpot is the better choice.
https://www.g2.com/products/hubspot-sales-hub/features