HubSpot4 min read
How long does a HubSpot implementation take?
Typical HubSpot implementation timelines by project type, what makes them run long, and how to keep yours on schedule.
HubSpot vs Salesforce for B2B companies
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The short answer
HubSpot is usually the better fit for B2B companies that want marketing and sales in one system, quick adoption and a CRM someone in sales operations can run. Salesforce suits complex, highly customized processes with a dedicated admin or developer behind them. The deciding factor is often who will run the system day to day, not the feature list.
The short version
Both are capable CRMs. The difference is how much configuration your sales process needs, and who will keep the system running once it's live.
HubSpot | Salesforce | |
|---|---|---|
Getting started | Faster to set up and adopt; reps tend to use it with less training | Longer setup; usually needs a partner or an experienced admin |
Day-to-day admin | A sales ops person or a technical sales manager can run it | Usually needs a dedicated admin as you grow |
Customization | Custom properties, pipelines and workflows; custom objects on Enterprise | Almost anything, through custom objects, flows and Apex code |
Marketing | Marketing Hub is built in, sharing the same records | Marketing tools are separate products connected to the CRM |
Quoting and CPQ | Built-in quotes, or a CPQ such as DealHub alongside | Salesforce's own CPQ products, or a third-party CPQ |
Ecosystem | Large app marketplace, simpler integrations | Very large ecosystem, more enterprise tooling |
When HubSpot is usually the better fit
Marketing and sales should share one system. Marketing Hub and Sales Hub use the same contacts, companies and reports, so the handoff from marketing to sales is visible end to end.
You don't have, or don't want, a full-time admin. HubSpot's settings are approachable enough that someone in sales or revenue operations can maintain them.
Your sales process is standard B2B. Pipelines, deal stages, lead routing, quotes and forecasting cover most B2B sales without custom code.
You want adoption quickly. Reps who find the CRM easy to use keep it up to date, which matters more than any feature.
When Salesforce is usually the better fit
Your process is genuinely complex. Many interrelated custom objects, complex territory rules, or industry-specific data models.
You have admin and developer capacity. Salesforce rewards a dedicated team who can configure and maintain it.
You're already deep in its ecosystem. Existing Salesforce products, integrations or industry clouds can make staying the cheaper choice.
Enterprise requirements drive the decision, such as complex permission structures across large teams.
Questions to answer before you choose
Who will own the CRM day to day, and how much of their time can it take?
What does your sales process need that a standard pipeline can't express? Write it down specifically.
Where do marketing and sales hand off, and does that need to live in one system?
What else must the CRM connect to: CPQ, ERP, billing, support?
What will migration cost, in data cleanup, retraining and rebuilt integrations, not just licences?
If the honest answers are "a sales manager with a few hours a week", "nothing unusual" and "yes, one system", HubSpot is usually the better fit. If they're "a dedicated admin", "a lot" and "no", Salesforce often is.
Switching CRMs
Switching is a project, not a weekend import. Plan for:
Data cleanup before migration, so duplicates and dead records don't move across. See how to clean up a messy HubSpot CRM; the same steps apply in either direction.
Rebuilding, not copying, your process. A migration is the moment to fix pipelines, stages and routing that never fit.
Rebuilding integrations to your CPQ, ERP and website forms.
Training and a firm cut-over date, with the old system read-only from that day.
Sometimes the right answer is to stay where you are and fix the setup. A CRM that doesn't fit how you sell usually has a configuration problem, not a platform problem.
Related guides
The B2B quote-to-cash integration guide, for how the CRM connects to quoting and finance
We work in both HubSpot and Salesforce, and will tell you which fits, even if the answer is to keep what you have. See our CRM & RevOps service.
Questions
Is HubSpot good enough for complex B2B sales?
For most B2B sales processes, yes: multiple pipelines, lead routing, quotes, forecasting and, on Enterprise, custom objects. It struggles when you need many interrelated custom objects or very complex permissions, which is where Salesforce's flexibility pays off.
Should we switch from Salesforce to HubSpot?
Only if the reasons are about fit, not frustration with a poor setup. If Salesforce is hard to use because it was configured badly, fixing the configuration costs less than migrating. If you're paying for flexibility and admin effort you don't need, switching can make sense.
Can HubSpot and Salesforce run side by side?
Yes. A common setup uses HubSpot for marketing and Salesforce as the sales CRM, connected by HubSpot's Salesforce integration. It works, but every field needs a clear owner and sync rules, or the two systems disagree.
What does it take to migrate between them?
Data cleanup first, then rebuilding pipelines, automation and integrations rather than copying them, then training and a firm cut-over date. The data import is the smallest part; the decisions about process take the time.
More guides
HubSpot6 min read
How to clean up a messy HubSpot CRM
A step-by-step way to clean up HubSpot: audit first, merge duplicates, fix properties and lifecycle stages, then keep it clean.
HubSpot6 min read
HubSpot implementation checklist
A step-by-step HubSpot implementation checklist: account setup, data model, pipelines, imports, automation, integrations, reporting and launch.