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HubSpot Marketing Alternatives That Won't Break Your Budget

  • Writer: Ntende Kenneth
    Ntende Kenneth
  • Jul 2
  • 3 min read

HubSpot is a solid marketing automation tool. But let's be real that $800+ monthly price tag makes most small business owners want to cry.

You're not stuck with HubSpot just because everyone talks about it. There are other tools that can automate your marketing without requiring a second mortgage.

Here are five alternatives that actually make sense for smaller budgets:

  1. Trembi Campaigns - Free platform with pay-per-use messaging

  2. ActiveCampaign - Automation powerhouse for growing businesses

  3. Zoho Marketing Automation - Budget-friendly suite integration

  4. Mailchimp - The familiar email marketing starter

  5. ConvertKit - Built for creators and online businesses

Quick Comparison

Platform

Starting Price

Best For

Main Strength

Trembi Campaigns

Free (pay for SMS/WhatsApp only)

Small businesses wanting free automation

No monthly fees

ActiveCampaign

$29/month

Growing businesses needing advanced automation

Powerful automation features

Zoho Marketing

From $25

Existing Zoho users

Incredibly affordable

Mailchimp

From $35

Beginners and small lists

Easy to use, well-known

ConvertKit

From $49

Content creators and online businesses

Creator-focused features


1. Trembi Campaigns - The Fresh Face

Trembi Campaigns is making waves as a newer player in marketing automation. They built their platform specifically for businesses tired of paying enterprise prices for basic features.

What it costs: Completely free. No monthly subscription fees. You only pay for SMS and WhatsApp messages when you actually send them.

What's good about it:

  • Clean, simple interface that doesn't need a PhD to figure out

  • Strong email automation with decent templates

  • Good integration options with popular tools

  • Customer support that actually responds quickly

The downsides:

  • Smaller community means fewer tutorials and resources

  • Some integrations are still in development

2. ActiveCampaign - The Automation Powerhouse

ActiveCampaign has been around long enough to know what works. They focus heavily on email marketing and customer experience automation.

What it costs: Plans start at $15/month for 1,000 contacts. The Plus plan (most popular) runs $70/month for the same contact count.

What's good about it:

  • Automation features that rival much more expensive tools

  • Excellent email deliverability rates

  • Strong CRM integration

  • Detailed reporting that actually helps you make decisions

The downsides:

  • Can get complex fast if you're not tech-savvy

  • Customer support quality varies

  • Higher-tier features require expensive plan upgrades

3. Zoho Marketing Automation - The Budget Champion

Zoho offers marketing automation as part of their business suite. If you're already using other Zoho products, this makes perfect sense.

What it costs: Free plan covers basic needs for up to 2,000 contacts. Paid plans start at $3/month per user, scaling up based on features and contact limits.

What's good about it:

  • Ridiculously affordable, especially the free tier

  • Integrates seamlessly with other Zoho apps

  • Covers email marketing, social media, and lead management

  • Good for businesses just starting with automation

The downsides:

  • Interface feels dated compared to newer tools

  • Advanced features require multiple Zoho subscriptions

  • Learning curve if you're not familiar with Zoho ecosystem

4. Mailchimp - The Gateway Drug

Mailchimp started as an email tool but added automation features over time. Most people know the name, which helps with team buy-in.

What it costs: Free plan supports up to 500 contacts. Paid plans start at $13/month for 500 contacts, jumping to $20/month for 1,500 contacts.

What's good about it:

  • Everyone knows how to use it

  • Solid email templates and design tools

  • Good mobile app for managing campaigns on the go

  • Reliable delivery rates

The downsides:

  • Automation features feel basic compared to dedicated tools

  • Pricing jumps quickly as your list grows

  • Customer support is hit-or-miss

  • Advanced features locked behind expensive tiers


5. ConvertKit - The Creator's Choice

ConvertKit built their platform for content creators, bloggers, and online course sellers. If that describes your business, pay attention.

What it costs: Creator plan starts at $29/month for the same subscriber count.

What's good about it:

  • Built specifically for creators and online businesses

  • Simple automation setup with visual workflows

  • Good landing page and form builders

  • Strong focus on email deliverability

The downsides:

  • Limited CRM features compared to full business platforms

  • Design options are more basic

  • Not ideal for traditional B2B businesses

  • Fewer integrations than larger platforms

The Real Talk

HubSpot charges premium prices because they can. Their marketing machine convinced everyone they're the only serious option.

That's not true.

These alternatives handle the core marketing automation tasks your business actually needs. Email sequences, lead scoring, contact management, and basic reporting.

The question isn't whether these tools can replace HubSpot's features. It's whether you need all those features right now.

Most small businesses don't. They need reliable email automation, decent reporting, and tools that work without requiring a dedicated admin.

Start with one of these alternatives. Grow your business. Upgrade later if you actually need those advanced features.

Your bank account will thank you.

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