HubSpot vs Skool: Complete Comparison (2026)
An in-depth comparison of HubSpot and Skool to help you choose the right tool for your business.
Last updated: November 2026
HubSpot
6.9/10
HubSpot is a CRM platform with a free tier and paid per-seat Sales Hub plans, plus companion marketing and service hubs, aimed at small and mid-sized businesses.
Skool
5/10
Skool is an all-in-one community platform that lets creators, coaches and small businesses run paid online communities with courses, live calls and gamification.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | | |
|---|---|---|
| Scores | ||
| Overall Rating | 6.9/10 | 5/10 |
| Integration | 9/10 | 3/10 |
| Scalability | 7/10 | 6/10 |
| Analytics | 7/10 | 4/10 |
| Cost | 5/10 | 7/10 |
| Customization | 6/10 | 2/10 |
| Ease of Use | 8/10 | 9/10 |
| Security | 7/10 | 4/10 |
| Support | 6/10 | 4/10 |
| Pricing | ||
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Cheapest paid plan | $20/user/mo Sales Hub Starter | $9/mo Hobby |
| Estimated cost for 10 users | $200/mo Sales Hub Starter | $9/mo Hobby |
| Features | ||
| A/B Testing | Not listed | |
| Landing Pages | Not listed | |
| SMS Marketing | Not listed | |
| Webinars | Not listed | |
| More features | ||
| Marketing Automation | Not listed | |
| Built-in Calling | Not listed | |
| Customer Support Management | Not listed | |
| Integrations | Not listed | |
| Sales Automation | Not listed | |
| Opportunity Management | Not listed | |
| Contact Management | Not listed | |
| Reporting & Analytics | Not listed | |
| Mobile Access | Not listed | |
HubSpot vs Skool cost by team size
HubSpot costs less at 1 user; Skool costs less from 5 users.
| Team size | HubSpot | Skool |
|---|---|---|
| 1 user | FreeFree | $9/moHobby |
| 5 users | $100/moSales Hub Starter | $9/moHobby |
| 10 users | $200/moSales Hub Starter | $9/moHobby |
| 25 users | $500/moSales Hub Starter | $9/moHobby |
| 50 users | $1,000/moSales Hub Starter | $9/moHobby |
The plan that fits each team size, billed monthly, before add-ons and usage charges. Each cost opens that tool's pricing calculator for the team size.
Which One Should You Choose?
Why choose HubSpot
- Has a free plan (Skool does not)
- Higher Integration score (9/10 vs 3/10)
- Higher Customization score (6/10 vs 2/10)
- Better fit for marketing teams (8/10 vs 2/10)
- Better fit for agencies (7/10 vs 2/10)
Why choose Skool
- Lower estimated cost for 10 users: $9/mo vs $200/mo
- Higher Cost score (7/10 vs 5/10)
- Higher Ease of Use score (9/10 vs 8/10)
- Better fit for freelancers (8/10 vs 5/10)
Pros & Cons
HubSpot
Pros
- The free CRM has no time limit and covers contacts, deals, tickets, a shared inbox, a reporting dashboard and mobile apps.
- The HubSpot Marketplace lists over 2,000 integrations.
- Sales, marketing and service hubs share one customer database, so teams avoid syncing separate tools.
- G2 reviewers often praise the sales automation and how easy everyday use is.
Cons
- The free tier is now limited to two users and 1,000 contacts.
- Professional and Enterprise tiers require one-time onboarding fees of $1,500 to $7,000, depending on the hub.
- Reviewers report a steep price jump from Starter to Professional, and extra costs from marketing-contact tiers and credits.
- Reviewers cite annual contract lock-in and setup and administration complexity as recurring complaints.
Skool
Pros
- Feed, courses, calendar and leaderboard sit in one simple interface, so members need little onboarding.
- The points and levels system can gate content and encourages members to return.
- Both plans include unlimited members, courses and videos at a flat monthly price.
- Skool acts as merchant of record, handling sales tax and paying out weekly.
- A discovery page can bring in new members without paid advertising.
Cons
- The Hobby plan's 10% fee becomes expensive once monthly revenue passes about 1,300 USD.
- There is no native email marketing, landing page or funnel builder.
- Branding is limited to a custom URL, and fonts, colours and layout cannot be changed.
- Zapier, webinars, affiliates and the custom URL are Pro-only.
- You cannot use your own Stripe account, and Trustpilot reviews complain about cancellations and unanswered support requests.
Not sold on either?
Frequently Asked Questions
HubSpot scores higher on our Marketing criteria: 6.9/10 against 5/10 for Skool. The largest gap is in Integration: 9/10 for HubSpot and 3/10 for Skool.
Skool costs less for 10 users: about $9/mo on its Hobby plan, against about $200/mo on its Sales Hub Starter plan for HubSpot, billed monthly.
HubSpot has a free plan; Skool does not list one.
HubSpot is the better fit for marketing teams: we rate it 8/10 for them, against 2/10 for Skool.
