Custom CRM vs Salesforce vs HubSpot: Making the Right Choice
Should you build a custom CRM or use Salesforce/HubSpot? Compare costs, flexibility, and ROI to make the right decision for your business.
The CRM Decision Every Growing Business Faces
Your team has outgrown spreadsheets for tracking customers. Now you face a decision that will shape your operations for years: custom CRM vs Salesforce vs HubSpot — or one of dozens of other options.
This isn't a simple comparison. Each approach has genuine advantages depending on your business size, complexity, and growth trajectory. Let's cut through the marketing and look at the real tradeoffs.
Salesforce: The Enterprise Standard
When Salesforce Makes Sense
- Large sales teams (20+ reps) with complex workflows
- Enterprise clients who expect Salesforce integration
- Complex reporting needs across multiple departments
- Established processes that match Salesforce's out-of-the-box workflows
The Real Cost of Salesforce
The sticker price is misleading. Here's what Salesforce actually costs:
| Cost Component | Annual Cost (10 users) |
|---|---|
| Licenses (Enterprise) | $18,000 |
| Implementation partner | $15,000-50,000 |
| Customization | $10,000-30,000 |
| Admin/maintenance | $5,000-15,000 |
| Additional apps/integrations | $5,000-10,000 |
| Total Year 1 | $53,000-123,000 |
| Total Year 2+ | $28,000-43,000 |
For a 10-person team, you're looking at $50K-120K in year one and $30-40K annually thereafter. That's before you add premium features, additional modules, or scale to more users.
Salesforce Pitfalls
- Complexity — Most businesses use 20% of Salesforce's features but pay for 100%
- Customization limits — When your process doesn't fit Salesforce's model, customization gets expensive fast
- Vendor lock-in — Migrating away from Salesforce is a major undertaking
HubSpot: The Mid-Market Sweet Spot
When HubSpot Makes Sense
- Small to mid-size teams (2-15 people)
- Marketing-heavy businesses where CRM + marketing automation integration matters
- Standard sales processes without heavy customization needs
- Budget-conscious teams who want to start free and grow
The Real Cost of HubSpot
| Cost Component | Annual Cost (10 users) |
|---|---|
| Professional plan | $10,800 |
| Onboarding | $3,000-5,000 |
| Customization | $2,000-5,000 |
| Total Year 1 | $15,800-20,800 |
| Total Year 2+ | $10,800-15,000 |
HubSpot is significantly cheaper than Salesforce and easier to use. But it has real limitations.
HubSpot Pitfalls
- Feature gaps at lower tiers — Key features are locked behind expensive upgrades
- Limited customization — Custom objects exist but are less flexible than Salesforce
- Pricing jumps — Moving from Professional to Enterprise is a significant cost increase
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Get in TouchCustom CRM: Built for Your Business
When Custom Makes Sense
- Unique workflows that don't fit standard CRM models
- Industry-specific needs (real estate, healthcare, logistics) where generic CRMs require extensive customization anyway
- Integration-heavy operations where the CRM must connect deeply with proprietary systems
- Competitive advantage — When your customer management process IS your competitive edge
- Long-term cost — When you'll pay more for SaaS licenses over 3-5 years than building custom
The Real Cost of Custom CRM
| Cost Component | Cost |
|---|---|
| Discovery and design | $3,000-8,000 |
| Development (MVP) | $15,000-40,000 |
| Testing and deployment | $2,000-5,000 |
| Total Build Cost | $20,000-53,000 |
| Annual maintenance | $3,000-8,000 |
A custom CRM MVP typically costs $20-50K to build, with $3-8K annually in maintenance. Compare that to Salesforce's $50-120K year one + $30-40K annually. The math favors custom surprisingly often.
Custom CRM Advantages
- Perfect fit — Every feature matches your exact workflow
- No per-user licensing — Add users without cost increases
- Full ownership — No vendor lock-in, you own the code
- Integration freedom — Connect to any system without marketplace limitations
Custom CRM Risks
- Upfront cost — Higher initial investment than SaaS
- Maintenance responsibility — You own the updates and bug fixes
- Feature development — New features require development time, not just a toggle
The Decision Framework
Ask yourself these questions:
- How standard is your sales process? Standard → SaaS. Unique → Custom.
- How many users? 2-15 → HubSpot. 20+ with budget → Salesforce. Any size with unique needs → Custom.
- What's your 3-year budget? Calculate total cost of ownership, not just year one.
- How important is integration? Light integration → SaaS. Deep integration → Custom.
- Is your CRM a competitive advantage? No → SaaS. Yes → Custom.
The Hybrid Approach
Many businesses find success with a hybrid: use HubSpot or Salesforce for standard CRM functions, then build custom tools for the unique parts of their workflow. A custom dashboard that pulls data from your CRM via API gives you the best of both worlds.
At Soatech, we've built custom CRMs from scratch and built custom tools that integrate with existing CRM platforms. The right choice depends on your specific situation.
Need help deciding between custom and off-the-shelf? Let's talk — we'll give you an honest assessment based on your business needs, not a sales pitch.
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