Drop Funnel

I remember the exact moment I realized HubSpot was bleeding my agency dry. It was 2 AM, I was staring at a $1,200 monthly charge, and I still needed three other tools to do what I needed. That’s when I threw my hands up and tried GoHighLevel.

Here’s the raw, unfiltered truth after using both for over a year.

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The Pricing Nightmare That Made Me Switch

HubSpot’s “Gotcha” Pricing:

• Started at $45/month (basic CRM)
• Quickly jumped to $1,200+ when we needed:
  • Marketing tools ($800 extra)
  • Sales features ($400 extra)
  • Additional users ($50/month each)

GoHighLevel’s Straight Talk Pricing:

• $97/month (starter)
• $297/month (unlimited)
• That’s it. No surprises.

Real result: My agency saved $9,000+ in the first year.

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Where HubSpot Still Wins (And It Hurts to Admit)

1. Email Marketing
   • HubSpot’s emails land in inboxes more reliably
   • Templates look more professional out of the box
2. Reporting
   • Prettier dashboards
   • Easier to customize for clients
3. Polish
   • Fewer random glitches
   • Mobile app actually works

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Where GoHighLevel Saved My Sanity

1. All-In-One That Actually Works
   • CRM
   • Funnels
   • SMS
   • Calendars
   • All in one damn place
2. Automation That Makes Sense
   • Set up a 14-step sequence in 20 minutes
   • Visual builder that doesn’t make my eyes bleed
3. Built for Agencies
   • White-labeling that’s actually seamless
   • Client portals that don’t look janky

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The 3 Breaking Points That Made Me Ditch HubSpot

1. The Constant Upsells
   • Every new feature = new subscription
   • Felt like getting nickel-and-dimed
2. Still Needed Other Tools
   • ClickFunnels for funnels ($297)
   • Calendly for scheduling ($30)
   • ManyChat for SMS ($50)
3. My Team Hated Using It
   • Too complex for daily use
   • GoHighLevel actually got adopted

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Who Should Stay With HubSpot?

✔️ If you have big clients who demand it
✔️ If email is 90% of your business
✔️ If money isn’t an object

Who Should Switch to GoHighLevel?

✔️ If you’re tired of the tool shuffle
✔️ If you need SMS + email together
✔️ If you manage multiple clients
✔️ If you want to actually save money

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My Current Hybrid Setup

1. Main System: GoHighLevel ($297)
   • CRM
   • Automations
   • SMS
   • Funnels
2. HubSpot Free Tier
   • Just for email (their one strength)
3. Zapier Connection
   • Syncs important data between them

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Final Take (After Wasting $15k)

For most small agencies:

• GoHighLevel is the better choice
• Does 90% of what you need at 25% of the cost

But if you:

• Live and die by email marketing
• Need fancy reports for enterprise clients
• Have money to burn

…then maybe HubSpot makes sense.

Want to see my exact setups? Reply “Show me” and I’ll send screenshots of both systems – the good, the bad, and the ugly.

• Martin

PS: That $1,200/month HubSpot charge? It’s now $297 with GHL. The math is stupidly obvious.

PPS: If you’re on HubSpot’s “starter” plan but feel the pricing walls closing in… switch before your next renewal. Your bank account will thank you.