Is HubSpot free? What the free CRM really includes in 2026

Yes, HubSpot's core CRM is genuinely free, not a time-limited trial: contact records, deals, tickets and basic marketing tools are usable indefinitely for up to two users. The catch is that automation depth, reporting, branding removal and extra seats all sit behind paid tiers, so most growing teams outgrow the free plan within a year.

SpotDev is a HubSpot Diamond partner. This guide is written by the engineers who build on the platform, including what it does not do out of the box.

For the fuller picture of what HubSpot is and how the free CRM fits into the wider platform, see our complete guide: what is HubSpot?

What's included in HubSpot's free CRM?

HubSpot's free CRM includes contact, company, deal and ticket records on one shared timeline, basic email marketing and forms, live chat, and a limited number of automated actions, all usable by up to two users with no expiry date. Checked in July 2026, the free tier remains the same genuine, indefinite offer it has been for several years, just with tighter caps than it once had.

Verdict: the free CRM is a genuine product, not a bait-and-switch, but it is scoped for a very small team running simple processes, not a business that already needs automation or reporting depth.

What are the real limits of the free plan?

HubSpot's free plan limits show up in four places: branding, automation, seats and support. Every outbound asset carries visible HubSpot branding until a paid tier is added, only two users are permitted, workflow automation is capped at simple single-step actions, and there is no dedicated support channel beyond community help.

• Branding: every outbound-facing asset (emails, forms, meeting links, chat widget) shows a visible HubSpot brand until a paid seat is added.
• Automation caps: workflow automation is limited to a small number of simple, single-step actions; anything with branching logic or delays needs a paid tier.
• Two users: the free plan is hard capped at two users; a third seat requires moving to a paid tier.
• Support: free accounts get community forum access and self-serve resources only, with no dedicated support line.

Verdict: none of these limits are unreasonable for a genuinely free product, but a business that has already outgrown two users or needs branded, multi-step automation should treat free as a starting point, not a plan to defend.

What's the first paid step up from free?

The first paid step from HubSpot's free CRM is Starter, priced from £18 a month per hub, with a promotional rate sometimes available from £7 a month per seat on annual billing for new customers (checked in July 2026). Starter removes branding and lifts the two-user cap; the next step up, Professional, is where full workflow automation, custom reporting and more seats become available, at a materially higher price point.

Full pricing across every hub and tier is in our complete guide: how much does HubSpot cost in the UK?

Verdict: the jump from Starter to Professional is the real cliff, both in price and in capability, so businesses should plan for that step rather than be surprised by it.

When do businesses actually need to upgrade from free?

Businesses typically need to upgrade from HubSpot's free CRM when they hire a third person who needs a seat, when branding on customer-facing emails and forms starts to matter, or when they need workflow automation with more than one step. Reporting needs are usually the last trigger, arriving once a team wants to see performance across contacts, deals and tickets together rather than one object at a time.

For the fuller trade-off between HubSpot’s strengths and its tiered limitations, see our honest pros and cons assessment, and our first-90-days setup checklist if the free CRM is where a business is starting.

How to start on HubSpot's free CRM properly

Starting on HubSpot's free CRM properly means setting up the contact and deal properties a business actually needs before importing data, connecting one email inbox properly rather than several partially, and deciding lifecycle stages upfront so reporting means something later. Businesses that skip this step tend to rebuild their data model within months, which costs more time than doing it properly first.

1. Map the handful of contact and deal properties the business actually needs before importing any data.
2. Connect one email inbox properly, rather than several inboxes partially.
3. Decide lifecycle stages (lead, opportunity, customer) before contacts start flowing in, not after.
4. Agree who owns data hygiene from day one, since the free plan will not stop duplicate or messy records building up.
5. Revisit the plan honestly once a third user, branded automation, or cross-object reporting becomes a real need, rather than working around the cap.

The bottom line

HubSpot’s free CRM is a legitimate way to start, but almost every growing business reaches the upgrade cliff within a year. For the full breakdown of what each tier and hub costs, read our HubSpot pricing guide, or request a quote for advice on which tier actually matches the requirement.

Frequently asked questions

Is HubSpot actually free, or is it a trial?

HubSpot's core CRM is genuinely free with no expiry date, not a time-limited trial. Up to two users can use contact, deal and ticket records, basic email marketing, forms and live chat indefinitely. The trade-off is that branding, automation depth, reporting and extra seats all sit behind paid tiers.

How many users does HubSpot's free plan support?

HubSpot's free plan supports up to two users. A third user requires moving to a paid Starter seat on the relevant hub, priced from £18 a month (checked in July 2026), with a promotional rate sometimes available from £7 a month per seat for new customers on annual billing.

Does HubSpot's free CRM show HubSpot branding?

Yes. Every outbound-facing asset on HubSpot's free plan, including emails, forms, meeting links and the chat widget, carries visible HubSpot branding. Removing that branding requires upgrading to at least the Starter tier on the relevant hub.

What automation can I do on HubSpot's free plan?

HubSpot's free plan supports only simple, single-step automated actions; multi-step workflows with branching logic or delays require a paid tier, typically Professional. Businesses that need genuine marketing or sales automation should budget for that step rather than trying to force the free plan to do it.

What's the first thing businesses usually pay for after HubSpot's free CRM?

Most businesses first pay for Starter to remove branding and add a third user, then upgrade to Professional once they need multi-step automation or custom, cross-object reporting. Starter is priced from £18 a month per hub (checked in July 2026); Professional pricing is materially higher and varies by hub.

Is HubSpot's free CRM good enough to run a small business?

HubSpot's free CRM is genuinely good enough for a very small team running simple processes: a shared contact record, basic email and forms, and standard reporting. It stops being enough once a business needs a third user, branded automation, or reporting across more than one object at a time.