Comparison
Custom CRM vs HubSpot: the right tool to keep track of your customers
An off-the-shelf CRM is ready to use and packed with features. A custom CRM follows exactly the way you work. Here is how to tell which one will really save you time.
Why the question comes up
Many small businesses still track their customers in a spreadsheet, notebooks and their inbox. The day follow-ups start slipping through the cracks, the idea of a CRM comes up. HubSpot is often the first name that springs to mind, because it is well known and offers an entry-level version.
Then the doubts set in: too many menus, stages that do not match your trade, useful features reserved for higher tiers. Should you adapt to the tool, or build a tool that adapts to you? The product names mentioned are trademarks of their respective owners, cited as examples only, with no partnership or connection with us.
The options
An off-the-shelf CRM like HubSpot · A custom CRM
An off-the-shelf CRM like HubSpot
Online software on a subscription, used by many businesses and continuously developed.
Pros
- Available straight away, with no development.
- Lots of features: contacts, deals, emails, reports.
- Ready-made connections with many other tools.
- Extensive documentation and a community of users.
- The vendor handles hosting, security and updates.
Limits
- It is up to you to adapt your habits to the tool’s logic.
- Many features a small team does not need, which can be off-putting.
- The cost often depends on the number of users and the plan.
- Your data can be exported, but not always with its full history and links.
- Setting the tool up properly takes time, or requires an integrator.
The right choice if : Sales teams that follow a classic sales process and want a proven tool, without waiting.
A custom CRM
An online tool built for your business, with your stages, your fields and your documents.
Pros
- It mirrors your real stages: enquiry, site visit, quote, job, invoice.
- Only the screens you need, so your team actually uses it.
- It can be connected to your quotes, your schedule or your website.
- No per-user subscription imposed by a vendor.
- Your data and your tool belong to you.
Limits
- Time for design and development before you can use it.
- A larger upfront investment.
- Fewer secondary features than a large off-the-shelf product.
- You rely on a provider for further developments.
The right choice if : Businesses whose work does not fit a standard sales process, or that have already tried a CRM their team never adopted.
The criteria side by side
| Criterion | An off-the-shelf CRM like HubSpot | A custom CRM |
|---|---|---|
| Getting started | Immediate, then configuration | After design and development |
| Upfront cost | Low | Higher, price agreed in writing first |
| Cost over time | Subscription by plan and users | Hosting, with developments quoted |
| Fit with your trade | Partial, through settings | Complete |
| Range of features | Very broad | Limited to your needs |
| Data ownership | Held by the vendor, exportable | Held by you |
When we are not the right choice
If the way you sell looks like most businesses’ (prospect, meeting, proposal, signature), a well-configured off-the-shelf CRM will do the job. Building one from scratch would cost more for a similar result.
If you need a tool next week, or if your team already relies on advanced email marketing features, stay with off-the-shelf software. And if you have no tracking habits yet, start with a simple tool: you will then know what you are really missing.
How to decide
List your real stages, from the first call to the invoice, then try to reproduce them in the entry-level version of an off-the-shelf CRM. If everything fits without contortions, keep it. If you spend your time working around the tool, or your team drifts back to the spreadsheet, a custom build is worth considering.
Look at the cost over several years too, not just the first month, and check what you get back if you leave. Our guide on choosing between a custom CRM and off-the-shelf software sets out this method in detail.
Frequently asked questions
Can I start with HubSpot and move to a custom CRM later?
Yes, it is actually a good way to discover your real needs. We then carry over your contacts and deals from the export.
Can a custom CRM connect to other tools?
Yes, provided those tools allow it. We plan for it at the design stage and write it into the quote.
How long does it take to get a custom CRM?
It depends on the number of screens and the links with your other tools. The timeline is set out in the proposal, before we start.
Who owns the data?
With us, you do, along with the logins to the tool. You can retrieve them at any time.
How much does a custom CRM cost?
The price depends on your needs. Our guide on the price of a custom CRM explains what makes it vary, and the pricing page shows our starting point.
Further reading
- Web software and CRMCustom CRMYour clients, your conversations, your quotes and your follow-ups in one place. We build a web-based CRM that follows the way you sell, instead of forcing you to follow its way.
- GuidesCustom CRM or off-the-shelf software: how to decideA spreadsheet that has grown out of control, contacts scattered across several inboxes, follow-ups that slip through the cracks: one day you need a proper tool to keep track of your customers. The question then comes up fast: buy an off-the-shelf CRM or have one built for you? Here are simple, unbiased criteria to help you decide.
- GuidesHow much does a custom CRM cost?Your contacts are in one spreadsheet, your quotes in another piece of software and your follow-ups in your head. A custom CRM can bring it all together, in the way you work. But how much should you budget, and for what exactly? This guide explains what drives the cost, the costs after launch and how to scope the project so you stay in control of the budget.
Let’s talk about the way you work
During the free first call, we look at your stages. If an off-the-shelf CRM is enough for you, we will say so.
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