HubSpot automation: What you can (and should) automate at each subscription level

9 Apr

HubSpot’s automation tools can turn your CRM from a digital filing cabinet into a powerful engine that drives sales, marketing, and customer service on autopilot. But what can you actually automate at each subscription level? More importantly, what should you automate to save time, improve efficiency, and make sure your team isn’t drowning in repetitive tasks (or worse, manually copying and pasting emails like it’s 2005)?

Let’s break it down.

HubSpot Free – The manual slog

What you can automate:

Basic email responses with chatbots (not quite AI magic, but better than nothing)
Contact capture via forms (so you don’t have to chase people with post-it notes)
Ticket creation for customer service (because manually logging complaints is a nightmare)

What should you automate?

Use the chatbot to collect key information before a call – otherwise, you’ll be answering “How much do you charge?” 500 times a week.
Set up simple email confirmations when a form is submitted, so leads aren’t left wondering if their request went into the void.

When should you upgrade?

Free is great until you realise you’re spending more time managing contacts than actually talking to them. If your inbox is turning into a never-ending to-do list, Starter lets you automate basic follow-ups and remove HubSpot branding (so it doesn’t look like you’re emailing from a free trial forever).

HubSpot Starter – Some automation, but still limited

What you can automate:

Simple email sequences for nurturing leads (so you’re not writing the same email 50 times a day)
Auto-responders for form submissions (no more “Did you get my message?” follow-ups)
Basic sales pipeline automation (because deals should move forward, not disappear into a black hole)

What should you automate?

Create an automated nurture sequence for new leads, so they don’t forget about you the second they leave your website.
Set up deal pipelines that automatically assign leads to the sales team, instead of letting them sit in limbo.

When should you upgrade?

If your follow-up process involves a lot of “Oh no, I forgot to email that lead from two weeks ago,” it’s time to upgrade. Professional gives you advanced workflows, lead scoring, and proper automation – because winging it isn’t a sustainable strategy.

HubSpot Professional – Where automation gets serious

What you can automate:

Multi-step workflows for sales and marketing (finally, automation that feels smart)
Lead scoring and segmentation (so your sales team focuses on the right leads, not just the ones who reply first)
Personalised email automation based on behaviour (because “Hey [First Name]” isn’t real personalisation)
Deal stage automation (sales shouldn’t be a guessing game)
Ticketing workflows for customer service (because customers love instant responses, not “We’ll get back to you in 3-5 business days”)

What should you automate?

Lead nurturing campaigns that actually move prospects toward buying, instead of just “checking in.”
Automated task creation for sales reps when a lead reaches a scoring threshold – so the hottest prospects don’t slip through the cracks.
Customer onboarding sequences, because nobody wants to hold a new client’s hand through the same 10 steps over and over.

When should you upgrade?

If your sales and marketing teams are doing great but still feel like they’re missing a trick, Enterprise offers deeper customisation, custom objects, and multi-touch attribution. Basically, it’s like moving from a smart car to a Formula 1 pit stop – if you’ve got the need for speed and complexity, it’s worth the upgrade.

HubSpot Enterprise – Full automation power

What you can automate:

AI-powered lead scoring (because your gut feeling isn’t always right)
Multi-touch revenue attribution (finally, proof that marketing isn’t just “brand awareness”)
Advanced workflows with custom objects (so you can track whatever unique data you need)
Enterprise-level security and permissions (because not everyone should have access to everything)

What should you automate?

Complex approval workflows, so deals don’t get stuck waiting for someone’s signature.
AI-driven lead scoring, because sales should be focusing on the best opportunities, not just the ones that shout the loudest.
Multi-channel nurture sequences, so you can keep leads engaged across email, social, and more – without manually sending messages at 11 p.m.

When should you upgrade?

Enterprise is for businesses that need full flexibility and automation at scale. If your team spends more time working around limitations than actually selling, it’s time to move up.

So, are you automating smartly, or is your team still drowning in busywork? Find one process that eats up too much time and automate it this week. Need help figuring out where to start? Let’s chat – and let’s make sure you’re not wasting time on things a machine could do for you.