Short answer: the right HubSpot alternative for a small business in the UK depends on how you win work. HubSpot has a free CRM for up to 2 users and paid plans charged per seat, and it shines for businesses that run email marketing, content and larger sales teams. Lidora is a simpler CRM for local service businesses, from £39 a month for the whole business, with online booking forms, automatic follow-ups and WhatsApp built in. If you mostly need to answer enquiries fast and book jobs, Lidora is the more focused choice. If you need marketing automation at scale, HubSpot is stronger.
HubSpot is one of the best-known CRMs in the world, and its free plan is a common first step for UK small businesses. As teams grow, though, costs rise per seat, and features like WhatsApp sit on higher tiers. This guide compares HubSpot with Lidora so you can see which fits a local business best.
Lidora vs HubSpot at a glance
| What you get | Lidora | HubSpot |
|---|---|---|
| Made for | Local service businesses and their teams | Businesses of all sizes, strong on marketing |
| Free option | 7-day free trial | Free CRM for up to 2 users |
| Paid pricing | £39, £79 or £159 a month for the business | Per seat; Starter from US$20 a seat a month (offers for new customers) |
| One-tap WhatsApp on every plan; automatic WhatsApp on Growth and Pro | Needs Marketing Hub or Service Hub Professional or Enterprise | |
| Online booking forms | Yes, with reminders | Meetings links (HubSpot branding on the free plan) |
| Automatic follow-ups by text and WhatsApp | Yes (Growth and Pro) | WhatsApp needs a Professional tier |
| Email marketing and landing pages | No | Yes |
| Phone app with new-lead alerts | Yes | Yes |
HubSpot details are from hubspot.com/products/crm/starter and HubSpot’s knowledge base, checked on 20 October 2026 (prices shown in US dollars from our location). Check HubSpot’s site for current UK pricing.
What HubSpot's free CRM includes
HubSpot’s free CRM is generous for getting started. According to HubSpot, it includes:
- Up to 2 users and up to 1,000 contacts.
- Basic contact and deal records, with up to 10 custom properties.
- HubSpot branding on emails, forms, live chat and meeting links.
- Limited automation: one automated action per email and one automated email per form.
For a sole trader that may be enough. Once you add a third person, want your own branding, or need text and WhatsApp follow-ups, you move onto paid seats.
What HubSpot Starter costs
HubSpot prices Starter per seat. When we checked, HubSpot showed a normal price of US$20 a seat a month, with time-limited offers for new customers (US$7 a seat a month billed yearly, or US$10 billed monthly). A team of five on the normal price would pay for five seats.
WhatsApp in HubSpot’s conversations inbox needs Marketing Hub or Service Hub at Professional or Enterprise level, which costs considerably more than Starter.
What Lidora costs
| Plan | Starter | Growth | Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price per month (whole business) | £39 | £79 | £159 |
| Users included | 2 | 5 | Unlimited |
| Booking forms | 1 | 3 | Unlimited |
| One-tap WhatsApp and calls | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Automatic WhatsApp and texts | No | Yes | Yes |
| Facebook and Instagram lead ads | No | Yes | Yes |
| Setup fee | None | None | None |
A team of five on Lidora Growth pays £79 a month in total, not per person.
When Lidora is the better fit
- Your leads come by phone, WhatsApp and website forms, and the main job is answering them before a competitor does.
- You book visits, quotes or appointments and want customers to pick a time online.
- You want automatic text and WhatsApp follow-ups without paying for a Professional marketing tier.
- You prefer one price for the business rather than paying per seat.
When HubSpot is the better fit
- Email marketing, blogs and landing pages are a big part of how you win customers.
- You have a larger sales or service team and need deep reporting, sequences and integrations.
- You want a free CRM for one or two people and can live with HubSpot branding.
Frequently asked questions
Is HubSpot free for small businesses?
HubSpot has a free CRM for up to 2 users and 1,000 contacts, with HubSpot branding and limited automation. Paid Starter seats remove the branding and add more tools.
What is a cheaper HubSpot alternative in the UK?
For local service businesses, Lidora costs £39 to £159 a month for the whole business, with booking forms, follow-ups and WhatsApp. Because it is not priced per seat, it can cost less as your team grows.
Does HubSpot work with WhatsApp?
Yes, but connecting WhatsApp to HubSpot's conversations inbox needs Marketing Hub or Service Hub at Professional or Enterprise level, according to HubSpot's knowledge base.
Can Lidora send automatic WhatsApp messages?
Yes, on the Growth and Pro plans. Lidora sends them through Twilio's official WhatsApp API, and stops the follow-ups as soon as the customer replies.
Does Lidora do email marketing?
No. Lidora sends follow-up emails to each lead, but it is not an email newsletter or campaign tool. If newsletters are central to your business, HubSpot or a separate email tool is a better fit.
Last updated: 20 October 2026. Sources: HubSpot Starter, HubSpot: connect WhatsApp, Lidora pricing. Lidora CRM is made by NexGen Rank.