SoftwareGlimpse

ACT! vs HubSpot

ACT! fits act! by swiftpage — long-standing smb crm for contacts, calendars, and sales follow-up; pricing primarily contact-sales; HubSpot fits free crm + starter customer platform seats fit early teams; hub complexity is optional.

Independently recommendedLast updated Sep 24, 202610 evidence sources14 screenshotsHow we compare
Compare another
ACT! logo

ACT!

5.6/10

ACT! by Swiftpage SMB CRM; contact sales for current packaging (no invented list prices).

Best for

  • • ACT! by Swiftpage — long-standing SMB CRM for contacts, calendars, and sales follow-up; pricing primarily contact-sales
  • • Classic SMB CRM for managing contacts, activities, and sales follow-ups — especially familiar to established small businesses

No free plan

Visit ACT!
Read review

VS

Our verdict

Our verdict

No universal winner

There is no universal winner between ACT! and HubSpot. Choose based on pipeline depth, automation, email and calling, reporting, and pricing trade-offs.

ACT! is better for

  • ✓ Administration

HubSpot is better for

  • ✓ Ease of use
  • ✓ Pipeline management
  • ✓ Sales automation
  • ✓ Email capabilities

Choose ACT! if: ACT! by Swiftpage — long-standing SMB CRM for contacts, calendars, and sales follow-up; pricing primarily contact-sales

Choose HubSpot if: Free CRM + Starter Customer Platform seats fit early teams; hub complexity is optional

See detailed comparison ↓
HubSpot logo

HubSpot

7.8/10

AI-powered customer platform with free forever CRM, plus paid Smart CRM seats and Sales/Marketing/Service hubs for growing teams.

Best for

  • • Free CRM + Starter Customer Platform seats fit early teams; hub complexity is optional
  • • Professional/Enterprise hubs and suite breadth scale with multi-team GTM
  • • SSO, custom objects, field-level permissions, and Enterprise hub seats are documented

Starting from $15.00/user/mo

Free plan available

Visit HubSpot
Read review

Quick verdict

Start here — then dig into the evidence below.

Choose ACT! if…

  • ACT! by Swiftpage — long-standing SMB CRM for contacts, calendars, and sales follow-up; pricing primarily contact-sales
  • Classic SMB CRM for managing contacts, activities, and sales follow-ups — especially familiar to established small businesses
  • You prioritize administration

Choose HubSpot if…

  • Free CRM + Starter Customer Platform seats fit early teams; hub complexity is optional
  • Professional/Enterprise hubs and suite breadth scale with multi-team GTM
  • SSO, custom objects, field-level permissions, and Enterprise hub seats are documented
  • Sales Hub pipeline, sequences, forecasting, and Breeze prospecting tools

Overall recommendation

There is no universal winner between ACT! and HubSpot. Choose based on pipeline depth, automation, email and calling, reporting, and pricing trade-offs.

Key trade-off

ACT! trades toward administration; HubSpot trades toward ease of use.

Winner by category

Only dimensions with researched evidence for this pair.

DimensionWinnerWhy
Ease of useHubSpot winsHubSpot leads on ease of use (6/10 vs 7/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.
SalesHubSpot winsHubSpot leads on pipeline management (6/10 vs 8/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.
AutomationHubSpot winsHubSpot leads on sales automation (5/10 vs 8/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.
Email capabilitiesHubSpot winsHubSpot leads on email capabilities (6/10 vs 8/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.
ReportingHubSpot winsHubSpot leads on reporting (5/10 vs 8/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.
CustomizationHubSpot winsHubSpot leads on customization (6/10 vs 8/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.
IntegrationsHubSpot winsHubSpot leads on integrations (5/10 vs 9/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.
AdministrationACT! winsACT! leads on administration (6/10 vs 5/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.
Enterprise suitabilityHubSpot winsHubSpot leads on scalability (5/10 vs 9/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.
ValueHubSpot winsHubSpot leads on value for money (6/10 vs 8/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.

Side-by-side feature matrix

Normalized availability from product research — empty rows are not shown.

Core CRM

FeatureACT!HubSpot
Contact managementStrongStrong
Lead managementStrongStrong
Pipeline managementStrongStrong
Deal managementStrongStrong

Sales engagement

FeatureACT!HubSpot
Email syncStrongStrong
Email trackingStrongNot evidenced
Email sequencesNot evidencedStrong
Workflow automationModerateStrong
Sales automationStrongStrong
Lead scoringNot evidencedModerate

Reporting

FeatureACT!HubSpot
ReportingModerateStrong
ForecastingNot evidencedModerate

Platform

FeatureACT!HubSpot
IntegrationsStrongStrong
Custom fieldsStrongStrong
Custom pipelinesModerateStrong
Mobile appStrongNot evidenced
AI assistanceNot evidencedStrong

Additional capabilities

FeatureACT!HubSpot
Single sign-onNot evidencedModerate
Role permissionsNot evidencedModerate

Pricing comparison

Pricing evidence last checked Aug 16, 2026.

ACT! logo

ACT!

No free planFree trial available
  • ACT! (contact sales)Custom
HubSpot logo

HubSpot

From $15.00/user/mo

Free plan availableFree trial available
  • Free CRM$0.00/user/mo
  • Starter (Smart CRM / Customer Platform)$15.00/user/mo
  • Professional (Smart CRM / Customer Platform)$50.00/user/mo
  • Enterprise (Smart CRM / Customer Platform)$75.00/user/mo

Seat-count estimates

Labeled estimates from verified starting per-seat pricing — not invoices.

SeatsACT!HubSpot
5—~$75.00/mo (Starter (Smart CRM / Customer Platform) × 5)
10—~$150.00/mo (Starter (Smart CRM / Customer Platform) × 10)
25—~$375.00/mo (Starter (Smart CRM / Customer Platform) × 25)
50—~$750.00/mo (Starter (Smart CRM / Customer Platform) × 50)

Estimate from verified starting per-seat pricing — actual total depends on plan, annual discounts, and add-ons.

Pricing notes use verified research when available for ACT! and HubSpot. Confirm live vendor pricing before buying.

Open cost calculator →

Best for

Scenario picks from researched strengths — not a universal ranking.

  • → ACT!

    Best for administration

    ACT! leads on administration (6/10 vs 5/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.

  • → HubSpot

    Best for ease of use

    HubSpot leads on ease of use (6/10 vs 7/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.

  • → HubSpot

    Best for pipeline management

    HubSpot leads on pipeline management (6/10 vs 8/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.

  • → HubSpot

    Best for sales automation

    HubSpot leads on sales automation (5/10 vs 8/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.

The differences that actually matter

Pair-specific analysis for ACT! vs HubSpot — not generic category copy.

  • Pipeline management

    HubSpot ahead

    On pipeline management, HubSpot is ahead. ACT!: Trails HubSpot on this criterion. HubSpot: HubSpot leads on pipeline management (6/10 vs 8/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.. Feature evidence also diverges on Workflow automation (ACT!: Moderate; HubSpot: Strong); Reporting (ACT!: Moderate; HubSpot: Strong); Custom pipelines (ACT!: Moderate; HubSpot: Strong).

  • Email capabilities

    HubSpot ahead

    On email capabilities, HubSpot is ahead. ACT!: Trails HubSpot on this criterion. HubSpot: HubSpot leads on email capabilities (6/10 vs 8/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing..

  • Sales automation

    HubSpot ahead

    On sales automation, HubSpot is ahead. ACT!: Trails HubSpot on this criterion. HubSpot: HubSpot leads on sales automation (5/10 vs 8/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing..

  • Reporting

    HubSpot ahead

    On reporting, HubSpot is ahead. ACT!: Trails HubSpot on this criterion. HubSpot: HubSpot leads on reporting (5/10 vs 8/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing..

  • Value for money

    HubSpot ahead

    On value for money, HubSpot is ahead. ACT!: Trails HubSpot on this criterion. HubSpot: HubSpot leads on value for money (6/10 vs 8/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing..

Pros and cons

Product-specific for this pair — derived from researched outcomes and editorial notes.

ACT! logo

ACT!

Pros

  • Stronger on administration

Cons

  • Trails on ease of use
  • Trails on pipeline management
  • Trails on sales automation
HubSpot logo

HubSpot

Pros

  • Stronger on ease of use
  • Stronger on pipeline management
  • Stronger on sales automation
  • Stronger on email capabilities

Cons

  • Trails on administration

Implementation & learning curve

Based on researched setup / ease criteria for this pair.

ACT!

  • Trails on ease of use relative to HubSpot
  • Stronger on administration: ACT! leads on administration (6/10 vs 5/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.

HubSpot

  • Stronger on ease of use: HubSpot leads on ease of use (6/10 vs 7/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.
  • Trails on administration relative to ACT!

Integrations

Overlaps and exclusives from product integration data when available.

ACT!: Strong. HubSpot: Strong.

Who should not choose each product

Decision quality improves when we say who should walk away.

Don't choose ACT! if…

  • You need HubSpot's stronger ease of use more than ACT!'s strengths
  • You need HubSpot's stronger pipeline management more than ACT!'s strengths
  • You need HubSpot's stronger sales automation more than ACT!'s strengths
  • Your primary fit looks closer to: Free CRM + Starter Customer Platform seats fit early teams; hub complexity is optional

Don't choose HubSpot if…

  • You need ACT!'s stronger administration more than HubSpot's strengths
  • Your primary fit looks closer to: ACT! by Swiftpage — long-standing SMB CRM for contacts, calendars, and sales follow-up; pricing primarily contact-sales
  • Your primary fit looks closer to: Classic SMB CRM for managing contacts, activities, and sales follow-ups — especially familiar to established small businesses

Alternatives worth considering

When neither product is the right fit.

  • Pipedrive logoPipedrive

    Pipeline-first sales CRM for visual deal management, activity-based selling, and growing sales teams.

  • Capsule CRM logoCapsule

    Simple small-business CRM for contacts, sales pipelines, tasks, and lightweight automation without enterprise complexity.

  • Freshworks logoFreshsales

    Freshworks sales CRM for lead management and pipeline workflows.

  • Salesforce logoSalesforce

    Enterprise CRM platform for sales, service, marketing, and customer data across large and mid-market teams.

Final verdict

Scenario-level close — not a repeat of the intro.

ACT! wins when…

ACT! by Swiftpage — long-standing SMB CRM for contacts, calendars, and sales follow-up; pricing primarily contact-sales

HubSpot wins when…

Free CRM + Starter Customer Platform seats fit early teams; hub complexity is optional

  • Best for administrationACT!
  • Best for ease of useHubSpot
  • Best for pipeline managementHubSpot
  • Best for sales automationHubSpot

Which one should you choose?

Choose ACT! if:

  • ACT! by Swiftpage — long-standing SMB CRM for contacts, calendars, and sales follow-up; pricing primarily contact-sales
  • Classic SMB CRM for managing contacts, activities, and sales follow-ups — especially familiar to established small businesses

Choose HubSpot if:

  • Free CRM + Starter Customer Platform seats fit early teams; hub complexity is optional
  • Professional/Enterprise hubs and suite breadth scale with multi-team GTM
  • SSO, custom objects, field-level permissions, and Enterprise hub seats are documented
  • Sales Hub pipeline, sequences, forecasting, and Breeze prospecting tools

Product screenshots

Real product UI from our media library — no placeholders.

HubSpot

  • Official Free CRM hero product visualization.
  • Sales Hub sales dashboard UI from HubSpot 2025 product creatives.
  • Sales Hub prospecting workspace UI.
  • Sales Hub Prospecting Agent marketing UI.

FAQ

Is ACT! better than HubSpot?
There is no universal winner between ACT! and HubSpot. Choose based on pipeline depth, automation, email and calling, reporting, and pricing trade-offs.
Which is easier to use?
HubSpot leads on ease of use (6/10 vs 7/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.
Which CRM fits which team?
ACT!: ACT! by Swiftpage — long-standing SMB CRM for contacts, calendars, and sales follow-up; pricing primarily contact-sales HubSpot: Free CRM + Starter Customer Platform seats fit early teams; hub complexity is optional
Which is stronger for sales automation?
HubSpot leads on sales automation (5/10 vs 8/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.
Does ACT! or HubSpot have a free plan?
ACT!: No free plan. HubSpot: Free plan available.
How does ACT! vs HubSpot pricing compare?
HubSpot starts from $15.00/user/mo. Confirm live vendor pricing before purchasing.
How did SoftwareGlimpse compare these products?
We map both products to the same category criteria, then evaluate trade-offs using verified product, pricing and feature evidence. Affiliate relationships never change outcomes.

Still deciding between ACT! and HubSpot?

Use Find My CRM for a shortlist matched to your priorities, or build another side-by-side comparison.

Find My CRMCompare another
  • Independent criterion outcomes
  • No invented scores or prices
  • Affiliate links never change winners

Some visit links may be affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Comparison outcomes are never based on commission.

Affiliate disclosure: some links may be affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Rankings and scores are never based on commission. Full disclosure

Methodology disclosure: scores and recommendations follow SoftwareGlimpse evaluation criteria (version 1.0.0). Affiliate relationships do not determine rankings.

How we recommend: product claims are tied to recorded research where available.

AI-assisted disclosure: drafts may be AI-assisted from approved facts and assessments. Humans approve publishable editorial judgments. AI does not invent live prices or claim hands-on testing.

Part of CRM Software hub · Software comparisons

Try a decision tool

Interactive helpers use recommendation criteria — affiliate status never changes outcomes.