When it comes to CRMs and marketing automation tools for ecommerce, SharpSpring and HubSpot are two names that frequently pop up.
But which one actually gives ecommerce store owners the best bang for their buck?
I spent over 100 hours testing both platforms across ecommerce setups — from Shopify to WooCommerce — to help you make the right choice.
After this deep dive, HubSpot stands out as the better all-in-one CRM for most ecommerce businesses.
SharpSpring vs HubSpot: Quick Verdict
HubSpot – Best overall CRM for ecommerce businesses, ideal for stores scaling fast
SharpSpring – Better suited for agencies and hybrid ecommerce/B2B setups
In this review, I’ll walk you through how each platform performs across key areas: ecommerce integrations, email marketing, automation, pricing, and more.
Quick Comparison: SharpSpring vs HubSpot
Here’s a quick side-by-side comparison of the two platforms:
| Feature | HubSpot | SharpSpring |
|---|---|---|
| Ecommerce Integrations | Native (Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce) | Limited (via Zapier or API) |
| CRM Features | Built for ecommerce workflows | Flexible, more B2B-focused |
| Email Automation | Easy to build, ecommerce triggers | Customizable, but steeper learning curve |
| Cart Recovery | Built-in with ecommerce platforms | Requires workarounds or Zapier |
| Reporting | Ecommerce dashboards and revenue tracking | Manual setup for ecommerce reporting |
| Pricing | Starts at $20/month | Starts at $449/month (unlimited users) |
| Best For | Ecommerce stores | Agencies or hybrid B2B/ecommerce teams |
Best for Pricing: Depends on Your Business Size
Winner: HubSpot for small businesses, SharpSpring for large teams and agencies
When comparing SharpSpring and HubSpot on price, the right choice depends heavily on your team size and growth stage.
HubSpot has a much lower entry point, starting at $20 per month for its Starter CRM Suite, while SharpSpring comes in at $449 per month — but with unlimited users included.
HubSpot Pricing
- Free CRM – $0/month: Basic CRM features, limited email
- Starter CRM Suite – $20/month: Email marketing, forms, basic automation
- Marketing Hub Professional – $800+/month: Advanced segmentation, workflows, and reporting
- Sales Hub Add-ons – $50-$500/month: Sales automation, quotes, and pipelines
HubSpot’s lower starting price makes it more accessible for solo entrepreneurs and small ecommerce stores.
However, the per-user pricing model means costs can add up quickly as your team grows, especially if you need access to advanced marketing automation.
SharpSpring Pricing
- Standard Plan – $449/month: Unlimited users, full CRM, automation, and email
- Agency Plan – $999+/month: White labeling, client management tools
SharpSpring’s pricing can feel steep at first, but for businesses with larger teams or agencies managing multiple clients, the unlimited user model offers excellent value.
It also bundles advanced automation and CRM tools in every plan, so there’s no need to upgrade for core features.
For me, the deciding factor was budget and scale. Smaller ecommerce businesses will find HubSpot’s lower entry point easier to manage, while larger teams could save more with SharpSpring in the long run.
If you expect to grow rapidly or have multiple team members handling marketing, SharpSpring’s flat-rate pricing might work out cheaper over time.
Best for Ecommerce Integration: HubSpot
Winner: HubSpot
If you’re running an online store, ecommerce integration is essential. You want your CRM to talk directly to your checkout platform — no middlemen, no Zapier headaches.
HubSpot’s Ecommerce Integrations
HubSpot makes ecommerce integration incredibly smooth. I tested it with both Shopify and WooCommerce and was able to:
- Sync customer order history and revenue data
- Trigger workflows based on purchase behavior
- View abandoned cart reports
- Personalize emails with dynamic product content
All of this worked right out of the box — no coding, no third-party hacks.
Supported platforms include:
- Shopify (via official app)
- WooCommerce
- BigCommerce
- Magento (with extensions)
- Stripe, PayPal, and Square
SharpSpring’s Ecommerce Limitations
SharpSpring doesn’t offer native ecommerce integrations. I had to use Zapier to connect it to Shopify — and even then, it didn’t pull in order-level detail or product data automatically.
You can set up automation based on form fills or page visits, but there’s no plug-and-play support for common ecommerce actions like:
- Abandoned cart recovery
- Product-based personalization
- Order-based segmentation
Unless you have a developer or agency setup, this can be a dealbreaker.
Best for Email Marketing & Automation: Tie (Different Strengths)
Verdict: HubSpot is better for ecommerce workflows. SharpSpring offers more customization for advanced users.
HubSpot’s Email & Automation Tools
With HubSpot, email automation is directly tied to ecommerce behavior. When I tested abandoned cart workflows, I was able to:
- Send multi-step recovery emails
- Apply discount codes dynamically
- Use drag-and-drop email blocks to insert products
- Segment users by total spend or product category
Other features include:
- Pre-built ecommerce templates
- Smart send time optimization
- A/B testing built-in
- Real-time workflow performance tracking
This is perfect for stores that want plug-and-play automation without writing rules from scratch.
SharpSpring’s Automation Flexibility
SharpSpring’s visual workflow builder is impressive — it’s one of the most flexible I’ve used. You can build sequences using:
- Lead scores
- Custom fields
- Email opens/clicks
- Website visits
But the ecommerce data isn’t native. You’ll have to pass purchase behavior into the system manually (or via Zapier), then set up your logic accordingly.
This makes SharpSpring better suited to agencies or advanced teams who want granular control — but not the best choice for smaller ecommerce stores wanting fast results.
Best for Cart Recovery: HubSpot
Winner: HubSpot
Cart abandonment recovery is non-negotiable for ecommerce. According to Baymard Institute, nearly 70% of online shopping carts are abandoned. If you’re not recovering at least some of those, you’re losing sales.
What HubSpot Offers
With native Shopify or WooCommerce integration, HubSpot offers:
- Tracks when users abandon carts
- Triggers recovery sequences based on time delays
- Offers dynamic content insertion for abandoned products
- Lets you stop the sequence when a purchase is completed
All of this can be set up in under 30 minutes. And you can even A/B test your recovery subject lines or incentives.
What SharpSpring Requires
SharpSpring doesn’t offer a built-in cart recovery system. You’ll need to:
- Set up event tracking using JavaScript or Zapier
- Map the behavior manually to a lead
- Create your own email sequences from scratch
This works — but requires technical setup and time. Not ideal for ecommerce businesses looking for quick wins.
Best for Pricing: Depends on Your Team Size
| Platform | Starting Price (USD) | User Limits | Ecommerce Ready? |
|---|---|---|---|
| HubSpot | $20/month (Starter CRM Suite) | Paid per user | Yes, from Starter tier |
| SharpSpring | $449/month | Unlimited users | Only with custom setup |
Winner: HubSpot for small businesses, SharpSpring for agencies
HubSpot Pricing
HubSpot’s pricing scales with your business:
- Free CRM: Great for basic contact management
- Starter Suite ($20/mo): Includes email marketing, forms, and limited automation
- Marketing Hub Pro ($800+/mo): Unlocks advanced segmentation and workflows
The downside? You’ll pay per user, and the costs can rise fast if your team grows.
SharpSpring Pricing
SharpSpring has one major pricing advantage: unlimited users.
- Starts at $449/month
- Includes full access to CRM, automation, email, and lead scoring
- Ideal for agencies or large internal teams
That flat pricing model makes it cheaper at scale — but more expensive upfront. If you’re a solo founder, the $449/month commitment is tough to justify.
Best for Reporting & Analytics: HubSpot
Winner: HubSpot
Being able to track what’s working in your ecommerce funnel is essential. HubSpot is better equipped to handle revenue-centric reporting out of the box.
HubSpot Reporting Features
In my tests, I could easily access:
- Revenue by channel
- Cart abandonment rates
- Email ROI
- Customer lifetime value (LTV)
- Sales attribution across touchpoints
I didn’t need to set up custom events or connect third-party tools. Everything was available in pre-built ecommerce dashboards.
SharpSpring Reporting Features
SharpSpring’s reporting is flexible — but not ecommerce-first. It’s great at:
- Email metrics (opens, clicks, conversions)
- Form and page conversion rates
- Lead scoring and funnel tracking
But if you want to track ecommerce-specific data like average order value or revenue per email campaign, you’ll need to build custom dashboards — or integrate third-party tools.
Best for Agencies: SharpSpring
Winner: SharpSpring
If you run an ecommerce agency or handle multiple clients, SharpSpring is hard to beat.
Why SharpSpring Wins for Agencies
- Unlimited users at no extra cost
- White-label dashboards and reports
- Client switching tools
- Built-in agency billing and management features
HubSpot does offer a Partner Program, but each client has their own portal — and pricing is per user.
If you’re an agency scaling across 5–10 ecommerce clients, SharpSpring’s model could save thousands annually.
What also makes SharpSpring agency-friendly is its centralized control panel. I could manage multiple client brands from a single login, complete with separate analytics and lead funnels for each business.
That meant no hopping between accounts or juggling credentials. This is a big win for agencies looking to scale operations efficiently without getting bogged down by clunky workflows.
Best for Ease of Use: HubSpot
Winner: HubSpot
I found HubSpot much easier to use overall — especially if you’re just starting out.
HubSpot Experience
- Simple onboarding
- Drag-and-drop email and form builders
- Pre-built templates for ecommerce
- Clean dashboards with walkthroughs
The interface feels intuitive, and the help articles are top-notch.
I also appreciated how HubSpot handles onboarding. Within minutes of signing up, I had access to a guided setup tailored to ecommerce.
SharpSpring Experience
SharpSpring has a steeper learning curve. The UI is more dense, and I had to go through more tutorials to understand automation, reporting, and contact segmentation.
That said, once you’re familiar with it, it becomes powerful — just not beginner-friendly.
One feature I did like was SharpSpring’s visual workflow builder. While it’s more complex than HubSpot’s, it allows for deeper customization.
Final Verdict: HubSpot Is Better for Most Ecommerce Brands
If you’re running an ecommerce business — especially on Shopify or WooCommerce — HubSpot is the clear choice.
You’ll get:
- Seamless integrations with your store
- Pre-built ecommerce workflows
- Email automation tied to real purchase data
- In-depth revenue reporting
- Faster setup without technical help
That said, SharpSpring is still a solid platform — especially for agencies or businesses that need white labeling, multiple users, and more flexibility in automation logic.
Here’s a final side-by-side summary:
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Ecommerce Integration | HubSpot |
| Cart Recovery | HubSpot |
| Email Automation | HubSpot |
| CRM Features | Tie |
| Reporting | HubSpot |
| Pricing (Small Business) | HubSpot |
| Pricing (Agencies) | SharpSpring |
| Agency/Client Management | SharpSpring |
| Ease of Use | HubSpot |
HubSpot’s strength lies in its ability to cater directly to ecommerce workflows — it’s fast, flexible, and made for merchants. It feels like a platform that understands what online stores actually need, from cart recovery to dynamic segmentation.
And for businesses looking to move quickly and scale cleanly, that’s invaluable.
Try Before You Buy
Both platforms offer trials — here’s how to test them:
- HubSpot: Sign up for free — no credit card required
- SharpSpring: Request a demo — limited access without a sales call
My advice? Try both platforms for a few days and see what feels right for your team and your store.
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