Comparison
HubSpot free CRM alternative for phone sales teams: NerdCRM
HubSpot's free CRM vs NerdCRM for a small team that sells by phone: what each free plan covers, what calling and call recording cost, and when each is the better pick.
HubSpot's free CRM covers up to 2 users, and its calling tool needs a paid Sales Hub seat: Starter for calling, Professional ($90 per seat per month billed yearly) for automatic call transcripts. NerdCRM's free plan covers up to 5 users, and the paid plan is $4 per seat per month with call recording from MicroSIP or Nerd Dial on any SIP provider, each recording linked to the right deal. Pick HubSpot if you want one platform for marketing, sales and service; pick NerdCRM if your small team sells by phone on a budget.
HubSpot vs NerdCRM, side by side
Prices in USD as listed on hubspot.com and getnerdcrm.com on 28 October 2026. HubSpot Starter was on a discount that day.
| Feature | HubSpot Free Free tools | HubSpot Sales Hub Starter / Professional | NerdCRM Free / $4 plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price per seat / month | $0 | Starter $20 list ($7 to $10 on discount); Professional $90 billed yearly | $0 free plan, $4 paid |
| Users | Up to 2 | Per paid seat | Free up to 5, then per seat |
| 5 seats / month | Not possible | Starter $100 at list price; Professional $450 | $20 |
| Calling from the CRM | — | From Starter | MicroSIP or Nerd Dial with any SIP provider |
| Call recording | — | Calls made through HubSpot | Included, kept 45 days |
| Automatic call transcripts | — | Professional and above (Bengali supported) | With the AI add-on, Bangla and English |
| AI lead qualification from calls | — | Conversation intelligence on higher tiers | +$5/seat add-on: score and next step on every lead |
| — | Higher tiers and integrations | Campaigns and shared inbox on your own number | |
| Email tracking, forms, meeting scheduler | ✓ | ✓ | Cold email sequences; no forms or scheduler |
| Marketing and service hubs | Free tools | Separate paid hubs | — |
| Native mobile apps | ✓ | ✓ | Browser only |
| Kanban deal pipeline | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
HubSpot’s free CRM is where many small teams start, and for an email-led team of one or two it is hard to beat. Phone teams run into its limits quickly: the free tools allow 2 users, calling needs a paid Sales Hub seat, and automatic call transcripts start at the Professional tier.
NerdCRM is built for that phone team. The free plan covers 5 users, and the $4 plan records every call from the softphone your reps already use and links it to the right deal.
At a glance
For a 5 person phone team, HubSpot means paid Sales Hub seats: $100 a month on Starter at list price, or $450 a month on Professional if you want call transcripts. NerdCRM is free for those 5 users, or $20 a month on the paid plan with call recording, WhatsApp campaigns and cold email included.
When HubSpot is the right pick
- You want marketing, sales and service on one platform
- Your team is email-led and calls now and then
- You need forms, landing pages, live chat and a large app marketplace
- You expect to grow into a larger team with complex processes and budget for it
When NerdCRM is the right pick
- The phone is the main channel: recruiters, agencies, EdTech admissions, real estate, BPOs
- You have 3 to 25 users and want to keep the cost per seat low
- You already have a SIP provider and want recordings linked to deals without extra tools
- You want WhatsApp campaigns on your own number in the same CRM
- You sell in Bangla, or a mix of Bangla and English, and want AI to score the calls for $5 per seat
How NerdCRM handles calls
Reps call from MicroSIP on Windows or Nerd Dial on Mac. Each recording goes to private cloud storage and is matched to the contact and deal by phone number, and every dial shows on the rep’s daily timeline. Recordings are kept for 45 days at no extra cost. With AI Call Analysis, each call is transcribed, scored on six buying signals and turned into a clear next step.
Try it
Open the live demo, no signup needed. See pricing, or compare NerdCRM with Pipedrive and Zoho Bigin.
Frequently asked questions
Is HubSpot's CRM free for a sales team?
HubSpot's free tools cover up to 2 users with no credit card. Beyond that, or for calling and sequences, you buy Sales Hub seats. On 28 October 2026 Starter listed at $20 per seat per month with a discount to $10 billed monthly or $7 billed yearly, and Professional was $90 per seat per month billed yearly. NerdCRM's free plan covers up to 5 users, and the paid plan is $4 per seat with everything included.
Can HubSpot record and transcribe sales calls?
Yes, with paid seats. HubSpot's calling tool comes with Sales Hub Starter and above, and calls made through it can be recorded. Automatic transcripts are only for users with a Sales Hub or Service Hub Professional or Enterprise seat, and HubSpot lists Bengali among its transcription languages. NerdCRM records calls from MicroSIP or Nerd Dial on your own SIP provider, and its $5 AI add-on transcribes Bangla and English calls and qualifies each lead.
How much would 5 users cost on HubSpot compared with NerdCRM?
5 users cannot stay on HubSpot's free tools, which allow 2. On Sales Hub Starter at its $20 list price, 5 seats are $100 a month; on Professional, which adds call transcripts, 5 seats are $450 a month billed yearly. On NerdCRM, 5 users are free, or $20 a month on the paid plan with call recording, WhatsApp and cold email included.
What does HubSpot do better than NerdCRM?
HubSpot is a full platform: marketing email, forms, landing pages, live chat, a service desk, a large app marketplace and native mobile apps, all on one contact database. If you want marketing and sales in one system, or plan to grow into a larger team with complex processes, HubSpot is the stronger choice.
Can I move from HubSpot to NerdCRM?
Yes. Export contacts, companies and deals from HubSpot as CSV and import them with NerdCRM's CSV importer, then map your deal stages. Email hello@nerddevs.com for help with larger moves.
See it in action
A read-only demo with phone-heavy sales data, ready in one click. No signup required.
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