HubSpot CRM vs Sprout Social
A detailed, side-by-side comparison of HubSpot CRM and Sprout Social. We compare features, pricing, ease of use, and value for money to help you make the right choice in 2026.
Reviewed by the Ikaroa team · Last updated: March 2026
Quick Verdict
HubSpot CRM edges ahead overall with a rating of 4.5/5. However, Sprout Social (4.3/5) may be the better fit if you prioritise Mid-size businesses and agencies wanting premium social media management with excellent analytics. Read on for the full breakdown.
HubSpot CRM vs Sprout Social at a Glance
HubSpot CRM
★ 4.5HubSpot offers a free CRM with powerful marketing, sales, and service tools. Popular with small to mid-sized businesses for its generous free tier and intuitive interface.
Starting from: £0/month
Best for: Small to mid-sized businesses wanting a free starting point with room to grow
Read full review →Sprout Social
★ 4.3Sprout Social is a premium social media management platform that combines publishing, analytics, engagement, and listening in a polished interface. Known for its excellent reporting, customer care features, and advocacy tools, it is the go-to choice for mid-size businesses and agencies that need professional social media management.
Starting from: £199/user/month
Best for: Mid-size businesses and agencies wanting premium social media management with excellent analytics
Read full review →HubSpot CRM vs Sprout Social Feature Comparison
Here is how HubSpot CRM and Sprout Social compare across the features that matter most. We have tested both platforms extensively across client implementations.
| Feature | HubSpot CRM | Sprout Social |
|---|---|---|
| Free Plan Available | Yes | No |
| Starting Price | £0/month | £199/user/month |
| Best For | Small to mid-sized businesses wanting a free starting point with room to grow | Mid-size businesses and agencies wanting premium social media management with excellent analytics |
| Our Rating | 4.5/5 | 4.3/5 |
| Mobile App | Yes | Yes |
| Email Marketing | Yes | No |
| Automation | Yes | Limited |
| Reporting | Yes | Yes |
| Integrations | Extensive | Limited |
| API Access | Limited | Limited |
| Ikaroa Exclusive Discount | N/A | N/A |
HubSpot CRM vs Sprout Social Pricing
Pricing is often the deciding factor. Here is a full breakdown of what each platform charges at every tier:
HubSpot CRM Pricing
Free
£0/month
- ✓Contact management
- ✓Email tracking
- ✓Deal pipeline
- ✓Live chat
Starter
£18/month
- ✓Everything in Free
- ✓Email marketing
- ✓Ad management
- ✓Landing pages
Professional
£720/month
- ✓Everything in Starter
- ✓Automation
- ✓Custom reporting
- ✓Teams
Enterprise
£3,000/month
- ✓Everything in Professional
- ✓Advanced permissions
- ✓Predictive lead scoring
- ✓Custom objects
Sprout Social Pricing
Standard
£199/user/month
- ✓5 social profiles
- ✓All-in-one inbox
- ✓Content calendar
- ✓Review management
Professional
£299/user/month
- ✓Unlimited profiles
- ✓Competitive reports
- ✓Optimal send times
- ✓Custom workflows
Advanced
£399/user/month
- ✓Digital asset library
- ✓Chatbots
- ✓Automated link tracking
- ✓Message spike alerts
Enterprise
Custom
- ✓Custom solutions
- ✓Priority support
- ✓Premier consulting
- ✓Custom implementation
Not sure which to pick?
Our team has implemented both HubSpot CRM and Sprout Social for clients. We can help you decide based on your specific needs.
HubSpot CRM Pros and Cons
✓Pros
- •Generous free tier with no time limit
- •Excellent user interface and onboarding
- •All-in-one platform (marketing, sales, service)
- •Huge integration marketplace (1,000+)
- •Strong community and learning resources
✗Cons
- •Gets expensive quickly at Professional tier
- •Free plan has HubSpot branding
- •Limited customisation on lower tiers
- •Annual contracts on paid plans
- •Per-seat pricing adds up for larger teams
Sprout Social Pros and Cons
✓Pros
- •Best-in-class analytics and reporting
- •Excellent smart inbox for engagement
- •Strong social listening capabilities
- •Beautiful, intuitive interface
- •Good CRM and customer care features
✗Cons
- •Most expensive option in the category
- •Per-user pricing is very high
- •Overkill for small businesses
- •Social listening costs extra
- •Setup and onboarding take time
Our Verdict: HubSpot CRM vs Sprout Social
Both HubSpot CRM and Sprout Social are solid options, but they serve different needs. Having implemented both for multiple clients, here is our recommendation:
Choose HubSpot CRM if you need Small to mid-sized businesses wanting a free starting point with room to grow. With a starting price of £0/month and a rating of 4.5/5, it offers generous free tier with no time limit.
Choose Sprout Social if you need Mid-size businesses and agencies wanting premium social media management with excellent analytics. Starting at £199/user/month with a 4.3/5 rating, it excels at best-in-class analytics and reporting.
Still not sure? Talk to the Ikaroa team. We have helped hundreds of businesses make this exact decision, and we are happy to point you in the right direction.
🎁 Get either product at a discount through Ikaroa Partners
Consider Open Doors Instead
Why choose between HubSpot CRM and Sprout Social? Open Doors gives you the best features of both in one platform, for less. It is an all-in-one CRM with email marketing, SMS, funnels, booking, invoicing, automation, and more, starting at just £97/month with unlimited contacts.
Need implementation help?
Ikaroa can set up HubSpot CRM or Sprout Social for your business, migrate your data, and train your team. We have done it dozens of times.
Free consultation. No obligation.