HubSpot vs Keap
Compare HubSpot and Keap (formerly Infusionsoft) for drip email marketing. CRM, automation, pricing, and small business suitability reviewed.
Last updated: 2026-03-15
HubSpot
www.hubspot.comCRM platform with marketing, sales, and service hubs
Best for: B2B teams needing scalable CRM-integrated drip automation
Keap
www.keap.comCRM and marketing automation for small businesses
Best for: Small businesses and solopreneurs wanting CRM with drip automation
TL;DR: HubSpot vs Keap for Drip Campaigns
HubSpot offers a more scalable and modern CRM platform with powerful drip workflows, while Keap is tailored for small businesses with its all-in-one CRM, payments, and automation. Both are expensive for drip-only needs. Sequenzy is the best option for SaaS drip campaigns at a fraction of the cost.
Best for growing B2B teams that need a scalable CRM with advanced drip workflows.
Best for small businesses and solopreneurs wanting CRM, payments, and drip automation in one.
Best for SaaS companies needing affordable drip sequences with native billing integration.
Editor's Note
Both platforms are expensive for drip email alone. HubSpot is the better investment for growing companies. Keap is designed for small businesses that need payments and scheduling alongside drips. SaaS companies should skip both and look at Sequenzy.
HubSpot vs Keap vs Sequenzy: Quick Comparison
| Feature | HubSpot | Keap | Sequenzy | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CRM Quality | Enterprise-grade CRM | Small business CRM | Subscriber management | HubSpot |
| Built-in Payments | Via integrations | Native invoicing and payments | Native Stripe/Paddle | Keap |
| Drip Builder | Visual workflows (Pro plan) | Advanced automation builder | Pre-built + custom flows | Tie |
| Appointment Scheduling | Built-in meetings tool | Built-in appointment booking | Not available | Tie |
| Free Plan | Free CRM + 2,000 emails | No free plan | No free plan | HubSpot |
| Starting Price | $20/mo (Starter) | $249/mo | $19/mo | Sequenzy |
| Pre-built Drip Templates | 20+ workflow templates | 15+ automation templates | 40+ SaaS templates | Sequenzy |
| Small Business Focus | Serves all sizes | Built for small business | Built for SaaS | Keap |
Score Breakdown
Totals: HubSpot 62/80, Keap 52/80, Sequenzy 63/80.
Drip Email Feature Comparison
Feature-by-feature analysis of drip campaign capabilities.
Automation Building
| Feature | HubSpot | Keap | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visual Automation Builder | 9/10 Powerful workflow builder on Professional plan | 8/10 Campaign builder with visual drag-and-drop interface | 8/10 Visual editor with pre-built SaaS sequences |
| Trigger Types | 9/10 Forms, lifecycle, deals, page views, scores, dates | 7/10 Tags, forms, purchases, appointments, dates | 8/10 Signup, trial, payment, webhook |
| Action Variety | 9/10 Send email, update CRM, create task, webhook, delay | 8/10 Send email, apply tag, create task, send invoice, delay | 7/10 Send email, update subscriber, webhook, delay |
Business Operations
| Feature | HubSpot | Keap | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payment Integration in Drips | 5/10 Requires Stripe or PayPal integration | 8/10 Native invoicing and payment collection in sequences | 9/10 Deep native Stripe/Paddle billing integration |
| Appointment Booking Triggers | 8/10 Meeting booked triggers workflow | 8/10 Appointment triggers automation | 3/10 Not available |
Pricing Comparison
Both platforms are expensive for drip-only use. HubSpot Starter is affordable but lacks advanced workflows. HubSpot Pro and Keap both cost hundreds per month. Sequenzy is dramatically cheaper for SaaS drip campaigns.
Free CRM with 2,000 emails/mo
14-day free trial only
No free plan. Starts at $19/mo.
| Tier | HubSpot | Keap | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,500 contacts | $20/mo (Starter) Limited automation, no workflows | $249/mo All features included, 1,500 contacts | $19/mo 15K emails, full drip features |
| 5,000 contacts | $890/mo (Professional) Full workflows and reporting | $299/mo Automation and CRM included | $19/mo Same flat rate |
| 10,000 contacts | $890/mo (Professional) Same tier, more contacts | $349/mo Additional contact fees apply | $19/mo Best SaaS value |
| 25,000 contacts | $3,600/mo (Enterprise) Enterprise features | $449/mo Max plan pricing | Custom Contact sales |
Pricing Verdict: Keap is cheaper than HubSpot Professional but still expensive for drip-only needs. Sequenzy at $19/mo delivers purpose-built SaaS drip campaigns at a fraction of either cost.
Cost Note
Neither HubSpot nor Keap is affordable for teams that only need drip email. At $19/mo, Sequenzy delivers purpose-built SaaS drip campaigns without the CRM overhead cost.
Drip Campaign Types Comparison
How each platform handles different types of drip email campaigns.
Welcome and Onboarding
Introducing new contacts to your business through drip sequences
HubSpot
CRM-enriched welcome workflows with lifecycle stage triggers
Keap
Welcome sequences with tag-based segmentation and task creation
Sequenzy
Pre-built SaaS onboarding with trial milestone triggers
Verdict: All three handle welcome drips. Sequenzy excels for SaaS onboarding.
Payment Follow-up
Drips triggered by payment events like invoices and purchases
HubSpot
Requires integration setup for payment triggers
Keap
Native invoice creation and payment follow-up in automations
Sequenzy
Native billing event triggers for upsell and retention drips
Verdict: Keap and Sequenzy both excel. Keap for small business invoicing, Sequenzy for SaaS billing.
Appointment-based Drips
Pre and post-appointment automated email sequences
HubSpot
Meeting booked triggers with CRM integration
Keap
Native appointment booking with automated reminders and follow-ups
Sequenzy
Not applicable
Verdict: Keap appointment booking integration with drip automation is very smooth.
Lead Nurturing
Multi-step drips to convert prospects into customers
HubSpot
Advanced nurture with lifecycle stages and lead scoring
Keap
Tag-based nurture with lead scoring and task assignment
Sequenzy
Trial-to-paid conversion drips with usage data
Verdict: HubSpot leads for B2B lead nurturing. Sequenzy is best for SaaS conversion.
Re-engagement
Win-back campaigns for inactive contacts
HubSpot
Engagement scoring with automated re-engagement workflows
Keap
Tag-based inactivity detection with win-back sequences
Sequenzy
Usage-decline detection with churn prevention drips
Verdict: HubSpot and Sequenzy offer the strongest re-engagement capabilities.
The Bigger Picture
Keap unique strength is payment-triggered drips with native invoicing. This is valuable for service businesses. For SaaS billing events, Sequenzy native Stripe/Paddle integration is more relevant.
Automation Builder Comparison
| Feature | HubSpot | Keap | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visual Builder | Yes Pro plan required for full workflows | Yes Campaign builder with visual interface | Yes Visual editor with SaaS templates |
| Conditional Logic | Yes Multi-condition branching on CRM data | Yes If/else based on tags and contact data | Yes Plan and billing-based conditions |
| Payment Actions | No No native payment actions | Yes Send invoice, process payment in automation | No Read-only billing data |
| Task Creation | Yes Create CRM tasks within workflows | Yes Assign tasks to team members | No Not available |
| Webhook Actions | Yes Webhooks and custom code | Yes Webhook integration available | Yes Webhook triggers and actions |
| SMS Steps | No Not natively in workflows | Yes SMS messages in automations | No Email only |
Email Templates & Editor
| Aspect | HubSpot | Keap | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Editor Type | Drag-and-drop with HubL | Basic email builder | Drag-and-drop with code editor |
| Template Count | 50+ templates | 30+ templates | 40+ SaaS templates |
| Design Quality | Modern, professional templates | Functional but dated designs | Clean, SaaS-focused designs |
| Personalization | Full CRM property tokens | Contact merge fields | Plan and usage tokens |
| Mobile Preview | Built-in preview | Basic preview | Mobile preview |
Deliverability Comparison
| Factor | HubSpot | Keap | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Inbox Placement | 90-93% | 85-89% | 91-94% |
| Dedicated IP | Add-on available | Shared IP only | Shared IP pool |
| Authentication | SPF, DKIM, DMARC | SPF, DKIM | SPF, DKIM, DMARC |
| Bounce Management | Automatic handling | Basic bounce handling | Automatic cleanup |
| List Hygiene | Engagement-based cleanup tools | Basic list management | Automatic bounce removal |
HubSpot has better deliverability infrastructure. Keap deliverability can vary and has historically been a common complaint among users.
Integration Ecosystem
HubSpot: ~1500 integrations. Keap: ~230. Sequenzy: ~25.
CRM / Sales
| Service | HubSpot | Keap | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Built-in CRM | Yes (Enterprise-grade) | Yes (Small business CRM) | No (Subscriber management) |
| Salesforce | Yes (Deep sync) | No (Not supported natively) | No (Not supported) |
Payment / Billing
| Service | HubSpot | Keap | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stripe | Yes (Via integration) | Yes (Native payment processing) | Yes (Native deep integration) |
| PayPal | Yes (Via integration) | Yes (Native payment option) | Yes (Native deep integration) |
Analytics & Reporting
| Metric | HubSpot | Keap | Sequenzy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Email Performance | Per-workflow analytics | Basic email stats | Per-sequence metrics |
| Revenue Attribution | Multi-touch attribution (Pro+) | Basic revenue tracking | MRR per sequence |
| Pipeline Reporting | Full pipeline analytics | Basic pipeline reports | Billing pipeline |
| Custom Reports | Advanced dashboards | Limited reporting | SaaS dashboards |
| Contact Timeline | Full activity timeline | Basic activity log | Usage and billing timeline |
HubSpot: Unique
- + Multi-touch attribution
- + Custom report builder
- + Cross-object analytics
Keap: Unique
- + Payment and invoice tracking
- + Appointment analytics
- + Text message delivery stats
Sequenzy: Unique
- + MRR impact per drip
- + Trial conversion funnel
- + Churn prevention metrics
Pros & Cons
HubSpot
Pros
- + Scalable enterprise CRM with powerful drip workflows
- + Advanced lead scoring and lifecycle management
- + Massive integration ecosystem
- + Multi-touch attribution reporting
- + Free CRM tier to get started
Cons
- - Professional plan ($890/mo+) needed for real drip automation
- - Can be overwhelming for small businesses
- - No native payment processing
- - Steep learning curve for the full platform
Keap
Pros
- + All-in-one for small business: CRM, payments, appointments, drips
- + Native invoicing and payment collection in automations
- + Built for solopreneurs and small teams
- + SMS messaging included
- + Appointment scheduling with drip triggers
Cons
- - Expensive starting price ($249/mo)
- - Dated email template designs
- - Limited integration ecosystem
- - Deliverability can be inconsistent
- - Reporting and analytics are basic
- - Not suitable for enterprise scaling
Best For: Who Should Use What?
Growing B2B Company
Scaling lead nurturing drips as the sales team grows
HubSpot CRM scales better with growing teams and more complex workflows.
Service-based Small Business
Solopreneur needing CRM, appointments, invoicing, and drip follow-ups
Keap is purpose-built for this exact use case with all tools in one place.
SaaS Subscription Drips
Running drip sequences tied to SaaS billing events
Sequenzy native Stripe/Paddle integration and pre-built SaaS sequences are ideal.
Enterprise Sales Pipeline
Complex multi-stage sales with CRM-triggered drip campaigns
HubSpot enterprise CRM and workflow capabilities are unmatched.
Budget-Conscious Drip Email
Wanting effective drip campaigns without spending $200+ per month
At $19/mo, Sequenzy is the only affordable option among these three.
Migration Guide
HubSpot to Keap
- 1. Export HubSpot contacts with all properties
- 2. Map HubSpot fields to Keap contact fields
- 3. Import contacts into Keap
- 4. Recreate workflows as Keap campaigns
- 5. Set up payment integrations in Keap
- 6. Configure appointment booking
- 7. Test all automations
Watch Out
- ! HubSpot workflow complexity may not translate to Keap
- ! Lead scoring models need complete rebuilding
- ! Enterprise CRM features have no Keap equivalent
- ! Reporting depth will decrease significantly
Keap to HubSpot
- 1. Export Keap contacts and tags
- 2. Import into HubSpot with field mapping
- 3. Recreate campaigns as HubSpot workflows
- 4. Set up payment integration separately
- 5. Configure lifecycle stages and scoring
- 6. Test workflows and verify data
Watch Out
- ! Budget for HubSpot Professional for full workflow access
- ! Keap payment automation needs separate setup in HubSpot
- ! Appointment booking works differently in HubSpot
The Bottom Line
Choose HubSpot if...
- ✓ You need an enterprise-grade CRM with scalable drip workflows
- ✓ Lead scoring and lifecycle stage management are critical
- ✓ You want the largest integration marketplace
- ✓ Your company plans to grow beyond a small team
Choose Keap if...
- ✓ You are a solopreneur or small business wanting everything in one tool
- ✓ Native invoicing and payment collection in drip sequences is important
- ✓ Appointment scheduling with drip follow-ups is part of your workflow
- ✓ You prefer a platform built specifically for small businesses
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Keap or HubSpot better for small business drip emails?
Keap is more tailored for small businesses with its built-in payments and appointment scheduling. HubSpot is better if you plan to scale beyond a small team or need advanced CRM features.
Why is Keap so expensive?
Keap bundles CRM, email marketing, payments, appointment booking, and text messaging into one platform. The price reflects this all-in-one approach for small businesses.
Can I get HubSpot drip automation on the free plan?
Very limited. HubSpot free plan offers basic email and simple automation. Full drip workflow automation requires the Professional plan at $890/mo or higher.
Is there a cheaper option for SaaS drip emails?
Yes. Sequenzy at $19/mo offers pre-built SaaS drip sequences with native Stripe and Paddle billing integration, making it far more affordable than both HubSpot and Keap.