Crm

Keap vs HubSpot – Small Business CRM & Automation Compared 2025

Keap (formerly Infusionsoft) vs HubSpot for small business marketing automation, CRM, and e-commerce features. Honest 2025 comparison.

Quick Verdict

FeatureKeapHubSpotWinner
Free tier❌ No (trial only)✅ YesHubSpot
Starting price$249/mo (1 user)$15/moHubSpot
Built-in payments✅ Yes✅ Starter+Tie
Invoice generation✅ Yes✅ YesTie
SMS automation✅ Built-in❌ Add-onKeap
E-commerce automation✅ Strong✅ GoodKeap
Pipeline management✅ Good✅ ExcellentHubSpot
Learning curveHighMediumHubSpot
Support✅ 24/7 chat + phone✅ Business hoursKeap

Pricing

Keap (annual, includes 1 user — additional users $29/mo each):
  • Keap Pro: $249/mo (1,500 contacts)
  • Keap Max: $329/mo (2,500 contacts)
  • Max Classic (former Infusionsoft): $199/mo
  • HubSpot (annual):
  • Free: Unlimited users, basic CRM
  • Starter: $15/mo
  • Professional: $800/mo
  • Enterprise: $3,600/mo
  • Keap is dramatically more expensive, especially for solo operators. The $249/mo entry point is hard to justify unless you're actively monetising every automation dollar.

    Where Keap Wins

    Small business automation at depth: Keap was built specifically for service businesses (coaches, consultants, agencies, local businesses). Its automation covers:
  • Quote → Invoice → Payment → Follow-up sequences in one workflow
  • Appointment booking with automated reminders
  • Lead capture forms → immediate personalised follow-up
  • Pipeline automation for service delivery (not just sales)
  • SMS: Keap has two-way SMS built into automations without extra cost or third-party integration. Payments: Native Keap Payments (or Stripe/PayPal) — invoices and recurring billing built into the CRM, not bolted on.

    Where HubSpot Wins

  • Cost: HubSpot Free covers 80% of Keap's use cases at zero cost
  • CRM depth: Pipeline stages, deal tracking, and contact management are more mature
  • Marketing tools: Landing pages, ad management, social scheduling all native
  • Scalability: HubSpot grows to enterprise; Keap is capped for SMBs
  • Talent pool: Far more HubSpot-certified freelancers and agencies available
  • Decision Matrix

    Choose Keap if:
  • You're a service business (coach, consultant, agency, contractor)
  • You need SMS + email + payments + automation in one tool
  • You process quotes and invoices from the same platform
  • You can justify $249+/mo from direct ROI on automation
  • Choose HubSpot if:
  • You want to start free and scale
  • You're a B2B company with a pure sales pipeline focus
  • You need marketing automation but don't need native invoicing
  • You want the larger ecosystem and talent pool

FAQ

Q: Is Keap the same as Infusionsoft?

A: Keap is the rebranded version with a simplified UI. Infusionsoft (now Keap Max Classic) is still available for existing users who need the legacy feature set.

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