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Comprehensive Comparison: HubSpot vs. Microsoft Dynamics

Written by Jakub Jamny | 7/31/23

In this article, we'll go into a detailed comparison of HubSpot and Microsoft Dynamics and evaluate each platform from various perspectives such as user experience, features, customization, integration, customer support, and pricing.

Content

Introduction

HubSpot

Microsoft Dynamics

Comparison of Features: HubSpot vs. MS Dynamics

Ease of Use and User Interface

All-in-one Platform

Price: HubSpot vs. MS Dynamics

Case Studies and User Reviews

Conclusion

FAQ

Introduction

Today, reliable CRM systems are a significant part of the success of businesses, helping to manage relationships with existing customers, nurture leads, and ultimately increase sales. However, due to the sheer number of these systems, it can be difficult to choose the right one to fit your company's unique needs.

Two of the most prominent players in the market are HubSpot and Microsoft Dynamics. Both offer comprehensive systems designed to streamline marketing, sales, and service processes. However, they are designed for different types of companies and offer different feature sets, integration options and pricing structures.

Our goal is to provide you with enough information to help you decide which tool will best suit your needs. 

So whether you're a small business looking to implement your first CRM system or a large organization considering a platform change, this comparative overview will help you make the right decision.

HubSpot

Founded in 2006, HubSpot has grown to become one of the leading providers of inbound marketing, sales and services software. The company's philosophy is to provide tools that attract, engage and delight customers, develop relationships with them and build trust. The tool is designed to be user friendly, fully integratable and most importantly, to meet the needs of small and medium sized businesses as well as large corporations.

HubSpot offers a comprehensive CRM platform that can be integrated with a suite of features including Sales Hub, Marketing Hub, Service Hub and CMS Hub. Its services are used by more than 100,000 customers in over 120 countries worldwide.

Microsoft Dynamics

Microsoft Dynamics is a family of customer relationship management (CRM) and enterprise resource planning (ERP) software applications developed by Microsoft. Launched in 2003, Dynamics aims to streamline business processes through intelligent applications that adapt to the changing needs of today's dynamic marketplace.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 offers a range of features for sales, marketing and customer service. Moreover, since it is a Microsoft product, it can be seamlessly integrated with other applications from Microsoft.

Comparison of Features: HubSpot vs. MS Dynamics

The following table compares the key features of the two platforms. For each feature, we then highlighted one feature that we believe is the main advantage of each platform (bold).

Feature

HubSpot

MS Dynamics

Sales Automation

  • Automation of sales, tasks and lead rotation

  • Visualization of sales pipeline

  • Simplicity and user-friendliness
  • Process automation

  • Business opportunity management

  • Advanced and customisable automation

Marketing Automation

  • Email marketing, landing pages, social networks, SEO, blogging, analytics

  • Integration of different channels
  • Strong analytics capability, integrated campaigns, content personalization

  • Analytics and personalization

Service Automation

  • Service Hub for streamlining customer processes

  • Ticketing, feedback, extensive database of customer information

  • Operability and user-friendliness
  • Request management, performance monitoring, information database

  • Advanced, but even more complex service management

Integration

  • Marketplace with 500+ integrations

  • Gmail, Slack, Zoom, etc.

  • Very wide range of integrations
  • Integration with Microsoft products

  • Suitable primarily for companies using the Microsoft ecosystem

Contact Management

  • Contact activity on the web, single view of the customer, list segmentation

  • Comprehensive
  • Deep contact analysis, segmentation, interaction tracking

  • Sophisticated

Analytics and Reporting

  • Easy-to-use analytics for website traffic, sales activity, customer service productivity, etc.

  • Simple to understand and use
  • Integration with Power BI and other Microsoft tools

  • Advanced data processing

Ease of Use and User Interface

The user interface of a CRM system has a significant impact on its adoption and subsequent user productivity. HubSpot and MS Dynamics are as follows:

HubSpot

HubSpot is widely praised for its user-friendly and intuitive interface. Even non-technical users find the system easy to navigate and complete tasks. The platform's layout is clear, modern, and well-structured, so it's always easy to find what you need.

HubSpot interface:

Additionally, HubSpot provides guides to using its platform, making it easy to onboard new team members, for example. Its educational resources are also very extensive, from how-to articles and videos to free certifications.

Here are a few key points about HubSpot's ease of use:

  • User-friendly, intuitive interface

  • Comprehensive training and onboarding support

  • Simple but powerful features

  • Clean, modern design

MS Dynamics

MS Dynamics is a powerful platform with many capabilities. However, it can feel cluttered to users, especially those without a deeper technical background. The interface is complex and can be customized to suit the needs of the business, but this customization often requires technical skills.

MS Dynamics Interface:

While MS Dynamics offers considerable flexibility, this can sometimes be at the expense of usability, especially for smaller teams or those less familiar with technology. For companies with dedicated IT resources or those already deeply embedded in a Microsoft environment, however, MS Dynamics can be a truly useful tool.

Here are a few key points regarding the ease of use of MS Dynamics:

  • A powerful and flexible platform

  • Customizable interface

  • May require technical expertise to use fully

  • Suitable for companies already using Microsoft software

All-in-one Platform

HubSpot and Dynamics are comprehensive platforms that provide a complete backend for your business needs. HubSpot has developed its CRM from the ground up. It is a sales, marketing and service hub that provides a unified and consistent user experience. With HubSpot, you can expect seamless integration of data, reports and tools that are familiar across the board.

Dynamics, on the other hand, offers a wider range of products such as marketing, sales, customer service, field service and more. While these extensions provide additional functionality, they also require more maintenance and impose a steeper learning curve. However, if you already know how to use Microsoft 365, then Dynamics can be a great option as it integrates seamlessly with the platform. For example, integration with Outlook allows users to conveniently track email appointments, tasks and contacts across the entire system.

Both HubSpot and Dynamics include all the tools your front office teams need, including CRM, sales, marketing, and service tools. By leveraging these connected tools, your team can collaborate more effectively, resulting in a unified and seamless customer experience.

Price: HubSpot vs. MS Dynamics

In the table below, we compare the price of features designed to increase sales:

 

HubSpot Sales Enterprise

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales Enterprise

List price 

$6,000/month for 50 registered users

$4,750 USD/month for 50 registered users

License costs

Payment of $120/month for each additional paid user

Payment of $95-135/month for each additional user depending on the package

Implementation

Flat rate of $3,000 per implementation for businesses

Additional technical consulting services are available for an additional fee

Average flat rate of USD 15,000 per implementation

Plus an additional $1,000 for administrator training

Extensive reports

Included with Sales Hub Professional and Enterprise

Requires Dynamics 365 Sales Premium 

Additional $2,000/month for 50 registered users beyond Sales Enterprise

Platform maintenance

Enjoy a seamless platform with HubSpot CRM, sales, marketing, and customer service products built on a single codebase

The platform can be integrated with Dynamics 365 products such as field service, marketing and more

Customer support costs

Phone, chat and email support included for all Professional and Enterprise plans

Phone and email support included in the price of a Dynamics 365 subscription

Outbound calling software

Included in all plans. Calling limits apply (2,000 minutes per user/month for Enterprise); not available in all countries

Not included

 Requires integration

Sales support software

Included in Enterprise price:

Team Email
Tasks
Inbox for conversations
HubSpot Video
Email Sequences
and more

Not included

Requires integration

ESTIMATED TOTAL COST FOR 1 YEAR

(for a team of 50 people)

$75,000

$98,000

Case Studies and User Reviews

Nothing speaks to the effectiveness of a CRM platform better than real-world experience. In this section, we offer several case studies and user reviews that offer a deeper look at how HubSpot and MS Dynamics work in practice.

HubSpot

That being said, HubSpot is praised for its user-friendly interface, extensive feature set, and excellent customer support. Many users find its intuitive design and approach to sales, marketing, and customer service a major advantage.

Let's take a look at a case study:

Case Study 1: XYZ Company

Company XYZ, a mid-sized e-commerce company, implemented HubSpot and saw a significant improvement in their sales and marketing processes. With an easy-to-use interface and comprehensive analytics, the company was able to effectively track customer interactions, improve customer care, and increase conversions.

More specific case studies on the HubSpot platform can be found here.

User Reviews:

"If you're thinking about HubSpot as a CRM, stop thinking about it and do it. We recently switched to Sales Hub Enterprise from HubSpot and it's a finished product that's easy to use, intuitive, and offers powerful automation tools and robust reporting. With HubSpot, we have visibility into the entire customer lifecycle from leads to closing the deal, and our teams can customize everything they need to do their jobs. We've achieved 100% employee adoption and couldn't be happier."

CASSY RUBIS - ZOOM Marketing Director

MS Dynamics

MS Dynamics users often praise its extensive customization options and extensive analytics. So let's take a look at a case study and user reviews:

Case Study 2: ABC Company

Company ABC, a large manufacturing company with a dedicated IT department, adopted MS Dynamics. It found that the platform's extensive customization capabilities and its integration with other Microsoft products significantly improved its efficiency and productivity.

User Reviews:

"With MS Dynamics, we are able to provide technical and functional support to users. The product is great for managing customers and their interactions with the company. The scope of its use is really great. Individual processes can be easily automated, including scheduling emails or messages."

MOHD NAZISH - HCLTech Consultant

Conclusion

Choosing the right CRM platform can significantly affect the functioning of the entire business. Both HubSpot and MS Dynamics have their own unique strengths and offer sophisticated feature sets for different types of businesses.

HubSpot stands out for its user-friendly environment, simplicity and comprehensive approach to sales, marketing and customer service. It is especially beneficial for teams looking for an intuitive platform that simplifies complex marketing and sales processes.

On the other hand, MS Dynamics offers extensive customization and deeper analytics, providing powerful options for companies with more complex needs and those that have invested heavily in the Microsoft ecosystem.

Ultimately, the choice between HubSpot and MS Dynamics should be driven by your company's specific needs, resources, and the technical prowess of your team.

If you're still not sure which CRM is right for you, contact us to arrange a free consultation. Our team of experts will assess your unique business needs and help you determine which platform is best for you. We also offer comprehensive onboarding and support to ensure a smooth transition.

And in case you're considering other options, you can also read our article on Big Comparison of CRM Systems for 2023, where we also look at Salesforce, Activecampaign, Pipedrive and more.

FAQ

1. What is the main difference between HubSpot and MS Dynamics?

HubSpot is user-friendly and versatile. MS Dynamics offers extensive customization options and detailed analytics.

2. Is HubSpot better for small businesses than MS Dynamics?

Often yes, due to its simplicity and comprehensive features, but it depends on your specific needs.

3. Is MS Dynamics only suitable for large companies?

No, it can be beneficial for any business that needs strong customization and analytics.

4. Can HubSpot be integrated with other software?

Yes, HubSpot has a robust API and offers over 500 integrations.

5. Is it difficult to use MS Dynamics?

MS Dynamics can be complex and may require technical expertise, but it offers extensive features and flexibility.

6. Which platform offers better customer support?

Both offer solid customer support, but HubSpot is more often praised for its extensive training resources.