Most marketing automation tools are priced on different functionality or database size levels, typically with added costs for additional integrations and training. Because of these incremental costs, it is important to do your research before deciding on a system that fits your business.
HubSpot is priced somewhere in the lower middle of the major all-in-one marketing software platforms. We looked at the pricing of three alternative systems that provide similar purposes – Infusionsoft, Marketo, and Pardot – and compared each to HubSpot’s pricing tiers.
Just like HubSpot’s pricing structure, Infusionsoft also has three tiers. A plan starts at $199 and ranges to a premium plan for $379 per month. None of the Infusionsoft plans require a contract, while HubSpot does require a minimum one-year contract.
Infusionsoft lacks CMS and SEO functionality, but does provide e-commerce tools and sales automation in the premium plans. Therefore, Infusionsoft may be a good fit for a small business focused on online sales. I like that both systems focus on the inbound marketing methodology and embrace education.
Marketo starts at $895 per month and requires an additional cost for increased email deliverability functionality, which seems concerning to me. I would expect a thorough spam check to be included in the basic versions of any email software.
The basic plan, which is called Marketo Spark, is mainly focused on email and event marketing and does not include some additional functionality, including analytics and real-time data.
With a base monthly cost of $1,000, Pardot is one of the more expensive all-in-one marketing softwares. Pardot was acquired by Exact Target and subsequently acquired by the Salesforce Sales Cloud, but remains available as a standalone solution.
While the initial setup and training is included in the cost, the basic version is fairly limited and does not include advanced analytics, email rendering preview & spam analysis, and even chat or phone support. In fact, you only get phone support with the ultimate level that costs $3,000 per month.
While pricing should not be considered first when deciding on a platform, it can certainly help make a decision when you are stuck between two systems. Infusionsoft has the lowest entry point costs with $199/month, but requires an initial launch and training payment of $1,999. Hubspot starts at $200/month with a one-time training free of $575. Marketo and Pardot require a higher investment, starting at $895 and $1,000/ month, respectively.
Make a list of which features your business requires and see if they are included in the package before making the final decision. Based on this article and your own research, which do you think works best for your company? Let us know why in the comments below.