Sales is a tough game. It's competitive, and it requires a lot of hard work and dedication to be successful. And while different sales professionals have their own methods and preferences, there are two CRM platforms that seem to stand out above the rest: Pardot and Hubspot. Both are great at what they do, but which one is the best for your business? Let's take a closer look.
In the Salesforce ecosystem, Pardot vs Hubspot is a burning topic of discussion as you have to manage all of your contacts but manually. In the HubSpot ecosystem, if a user updates their information on LinkedIn, it is automatically updated in the HubSpot database without any additional actions from the administrator.
In addition to this synchronisation, we also want to cover marketing automation and lead nurturing so our team can be notified when leads go cold or reach their quota for an autoresponder series. Pardot includes marketing automation and lead nurturing capabilities out-of-the-box and provides advanced targeting options such as those based upon company size and industry vertical.
This enables administrators to stay ahead of key business initiatives such as B2B product launches and extensive marketing campaigns.
HubSpot includes marketing automation and leads nurturing capabilities as well, but it's up to you to find a third-party solution. The HubSpot Ecosystem allows for integration with marketing automation and CRM software such as Marketo and Salesforce.
This means that if you already use one of these tools, then the data will automatically sync between your CRM/marketing automation platform, HubSpot, Pardot, etc.
The advantage of this is the ability to have complex integrations that are not possible with Pardot alone. However, since each integration requires extra work on your end (and often an additional cost), many users choose to only integrate their CRM with HubSpot rather than also integrate their marketing automation tool(s).
So, HubSpot users are more likely to have the ability to use advanced targeting capabilities if they also use an external marketing automation tool.
Both platforms provide advanced A/B testing functionality for landing pages, pop-ups, etc. However, HubSpot does not yet provide A/B testing on email campaigns at this time. They plan to release this feature in early 2016; however, it is unlikely that they will offer as many options for testing your emails as Pardot does (and currently provides).
HubSpot includes paid ads management tools like Facebook and Google Ads, along with SEO tools like Moz's Open Site Explorer. These features allow you to manage multiple accounts simultaneously without needing another agency or service for each one.
Hubspot makes it much easier to organize your contacts into meaningful groups. For example, you can easily segment your list by industry, company size, purchase history, etc. This makes it easy for marketers to strike the right chord with the right person in their audience.
Pardot allows users to segment their contact lists based upon any given criteria (e.g., company size). They also allow admins to easily create custom segments based upon these criteria and then target specific audiences using dynamic content in email campaigns - features that are not offered by HubSpot at this time.
Yes! HubSpot offers full feature parity with Pardot through its integration with Marketo or Salesforce CRM platforms; however, that comes at an additional cost.
Which platform is best for you depends on a variety of factors, such as the size and complexity of your organization, the marketing automation and CRM tools that you are currently using, and your budget. As always, it's best to try out both platforms to see which one works better for you.
At the end of the day, HubSpot is an excellent platform with a ton of features (and growing), while Pardot is great for those who want a more streamlined experience with fewer integrations needed. Whichever platform you choose, make sure to use it to its fullest potential by taking advantage of all that it has to offer!
HubSpot and Pardot both allow for a high degree of customization, but there are some key differences.
HubSpot allows for more granular control over user roles and permissions. This means that you can finely tune what each individual user is able to see and do within the platform.
For example, you can give your marketing team access to all of the features, while restricting access to the administrative functions to just a few key people. You can also easily change these settings at any time as your needs change.
Pardot does not offer as much in terms of role-based permissions. Admins have total control over what users can see and do, which may be a bit too much power for some organizations. Also, you can't easily change your permissions as needs change, but you must either delete users and re-add them with the new role or just give the user all permissions to start.
HubSpot and Pardot both allow for a high degree of customization, but there are some key differences. HubSpot allows for more granular control over user roles and permissions. This means that you can finely tune what each individual user is able to see and do within the platform.
For example, you can give your marketing team access to all of the features, while restricting access to the administrative functions to just a few key people. You can also easily change these settings at any time as your needs change.
Pardot does not offer as much in terms of role-based permissions. Admins have total control over what users can see and do, which may be a bit too much power for some organizations. Also, you can't easily change your permissions as needs change, but you must either delete users and re-add them with the new role or just give the user all permissions to start.
HubSpot is known for its ease of use. It offers a simple way to design marketing automation workflows that are easy enough for non-technical users to master—and even create their custom fields if they're feeling adventurous!
Pardot requires more technical knowledge to get started with marketing automation workflows because it allows you to implement complex tracking mechanisms that require coding knowledge.
If you plan on creating any custom behaviours in the platform, you'll need at least some basic understanding of JavaScript Object Notation (JSON). However, Pardot does have a robust API that can be used by developers to create more intricate integrations.
User Interfaces:
Both HubSpot and Pardot offer user interfaces that are clean and intuitive. However, there are some key differences.
HubSpot's interface is very modern and sleek, with an emphasis on using visuals to help you understand your data. The interface is also fully responsive, meaning it will look great no matter what device you're using it on.
Pardot's interface is a bit more dated looking, but still easy to use. It doesn't have the same focus on visuals as HubSpot but makes for it with its wealth of data fields and options. It's also not responsive, so it might not look great on smaller screens.
Performance and Reliability:
Both HubSpot and Pardot are incredibly reliable platforms, with uptimes that are consistently above 99.9%. However, there are some key differences.
HubSpot is a bit more forgiving when it comes to errors. If something goes wrong with a workflow or an email campaign, HubSpot will usually try to fix it automatically. If that fails, the error will be logged, and you can troubleshoot it yourself.
Pardot is much more rigid in its approach to errors. If something goes wrong with a workflow or an email campaign, Pardot will refuse to send the campaign and will not log the error. You'll need to troubleshoot it yourself and figure out what went wrong.
Digital Marketing:
Both HubSpot and Pardot are powerful platforms for digital marketing, with a wide range of features that allow you to do everything from creating landing pages to managing paid ads. However, there are some key differences.
HubSpot has a much more comprehensive set of tools for search engine optimization (SEO). It offers built-in tools for optimizing your website content, tracking your keyword rankings, and building backlinks.
Pardot lacks many of the built-in SEO features that HubSpot has, but it does offer integration with several popular SEO tools like Moz and RavenTools.
Search Marketing in Hubspot
HubSpot pulls in data from Google Analytics, so you can easily see how many people are visiting your website. From there, you can create and manage search ads to drive traffic to specific pages on your site.
You can also use the platform's in-depth keyword research tools to help determine which keywords you should be targeting for improved organic rankings—as well as track their performance to see if they're helping or hurting your results.
Search Marketing in Pardot
Pardot is a bit lacking when it comes to search marketing. It does allow you to add "tags" (pieces of information) to contacts that will show up in paid search advertisements, but this feature doesn't offer much functionality beyond traditional tagging used by most email marketing platforms.
HubSpot does not allow for file hosting outside of its platform. However, users can access all files they've uploaded in the past when needed.
Once you upload a file to Pardot, it will be available under the Documents section of your account. These documents are easily accessible anytime, and they're even indexed by Google so that anyone searching for them can find them with ease. You'll need to keep an eye on your storage limits, though—Pardot offers 15 GB of total space but caps individual file sizes at 250 MB apiece.
Dynamic Content:
Both HubSpot and Pardot offer extensive support for dynamic content, but there are some key differences.
HubSpot lets users build customized fields that allow for more control over what information is pulled into campaigns. This can be incredibly valuable for businesses with complex targeting needs.
Pardot allows users to dynamically pull in contact data from web forms right within their emails, which can help increase conversions by up to 10%.
There isn't as much flexibility when it comes to customizing these forms, though—you'll have to set them up on the Pardot side and create a form integration in your email marketing platform (or vice versa). It also doesn't let you add metadata like tags and Webhook attachments (see below) directly through its interface.
Blog Platform Forms:
HubSpot offers a robust blog platform that lets you create and manage posts, add images and videos, and track reader engagement. It also includes an easy-to-use form builder that lets you create custom forms to gather information from readers. You can then use this data to create targeted email campaigns or add leads to your CRM.
Pardot's blog platform is much more simplistic in comparison. It allows for creating and managing posts, adding images, and tracking reader engagement. However, it doesn't include a built-in form builder, so you'll need to find an external solution or use one of Pardot's many integrations. This can be a drawback for businesses that want to collect lead information from their blog readers.
Landing Pages:
Landing pages are an essential part of any inbound marketing strategy, and HubSpot offers a number of features to make creating them easy. You can design pages using a drag-and-drop editor, add custom HTML or CSS, use pre-built templates, create A/B tests, and track conversion rates.
Plus, you can easily integrate forms created in HubSpot's form builder into your landing pages to gather lead information.
Pardot also offers a variety of landing page templates as well as the ability to create custom pages. However, it doesn't include a drag-and-drop editor, so you'll need to be comfortable with HTML and CSS if you want to create your own pages. It also doesn't include A/B testing or conversion rate tracking.
Images and Graphics:
Both HubSpot and Pardot offer image hosting and editing capabilities. HubSpot lets you resize and crop images, add filters, and create text overlays. You can also use its built-in photo editor to design graphics for your blog posts, emails, and landing pages.
Pardot offers a bit more functionality when it comes to graphics design. In addition to the basic resizing, cropping, and filtering options, it also lets you create multiple types of graphics—including custom forms, charts and graphs, logos, infographics, and even animations.
Plus, all of the filters are non-destructive to the original image file. It also doesn't let you use a built-in photo editor like HubSpot does.
Video Hosting And Management:
HubSpot's video hosting features include unlimited bandwidth, custom URLs for each page on your site, and a simple interface that lets you upload large videos quickly. You can also easily edit videos with its built-in video editing tool or add effects using one of its prebuilt templates.
Pardot offers similar video hosting capabilities as HubSpot but isn't as user-friendly. It offers unlimited bandwidth, custom URLs per page on your site, and the ability to edit videos with its built-in video editor or using its many pre-built templates. However, it doesn't offer custom URL domains for your videos nor does it let you upload large files quickly as HubSpot does.
Email Creation And Management:
HubSpot uses Campaign Monitor as its designated email marketing platform (it's included in the Marketing Hub plan), which is one of the most user-friendly platforms available today. It lets you design emails using HTML and CSS, create A/B tests within the app, schedule campaigns for later delivery, and more.
Plus, it has a number of integrations that let you easily add content from other sources, like your blog or social media accounts.
Pardot also uses Campaign Monitor as its email marketing platform. It has many of the same features as HubSpot, including the ability to design emails using HTML and CSS, create A/B tests, schedule campaigns, and more. However, it doesn't have as many integrations as HubSpot does and can be a bit less user-friendly.
HubSpot includes an email resubscribe feature that allows readers to unsubscribe from your list with a single click. This is especially helpful if you're sending out multiple emails per week and want to make sure people who no longer want to receive your emails can easily unsubscribe.
Pardot also includes an email resubscribe feature, but it's not as user-friendly as HubSpot's. It requires the reader to enter their email address and then click a link in an automated email they'll receive. This could be more difficult for some people than HubSpot's one-click unsubscribe.
Overall, HubSpot and Pardot are both great marketing automation platforms with a variety of features to help you create effective campaigns. However, HubSpot is a bit more user-friendly and offers more features, like image and video hosting, A/B testing, and conversion tracking.
If you're looking for a platform that makes creating marketing materials easy, HubSpot is the best option. If you're looking for a more customizable platform with more integrations, Pardot may be a better choice.
Email A/B Testing:
HubSpot's email A/B testing tool lets you test up to five different versions of an email against each other to see which performs the best. You can then use the results of the test to send the winning email to the rest of your subscribers.
Pardot also offers email A/B testing, but you can only test two versions of an email at a time. It also doesn't offer as many features as HubSpot's tool does, like the ability to track conversions or use multiple goals for your tests.
Automated Email Responses:
HubSpot's automated email response tool lets you create a series of automated emails that will be sent to people after they sign up for your list or download one of your ebooks. This is a great way to welcome new subscribers and give them a taste of what they can expect from your content.
Pardot also offers an automated email response tool, but it's not as user-friendly as HubSpot's. It requires you to create rules for the types of emails you want to send and the conditions under which they should be sent. It also doesn't offer the ability to track conversions or use multiple goals for your tests.
Email Template:
HubSpot offers a variety of email templates that you can use to create your emails. These templates are pre-designed and let you add your own content, making it easy to create professional-looking emails without any design experience.
Pardot also offers email templates, but they're not as user-friendly as HubSpot's. You have to select a template first and then customize it using HTML and CSS code. This could be more difficult for some people than HubSpot's pre-designed templates.
HubSpot and Pardot both offer great lead management tools, but HubSpot slightly edges out Pardot in this area because of its lead scoring feature.
Contact Management:
HubSpot and Pardot both offer great contact management tools, but HubSpot's is a bit more user-friendly. It allows you to add notes about each contact, track their interactions with your content, and assign them to specific teams or individuals.
Lead Nurturing:
HubSpot and Pardot both offer lead nurturing tools, but HubSpot's is a bit more user-friendly. It allows you to create a series of automated emails that will be sent to people after they sign up for your list or download one of your ebooks. This is a great way to welcome new subscribers and give them a taste of what they can expect from your content.
Lead Scoring:
HubSpot's lead scoring tool automatically ranks your leads according to their estimated sales value or probability of conversion based on the activity they've engaged in (like downloading an ebook or requesting information).
It then uses that score to segment your list by highest-value customers, allowing you to send more personalized emails and follow up with the people who are most likely to become customers.
Pardot also offers a lead scoring tool, but it's not as user-friendly as HubSpot. You have to manually rank your leads by sales value and then manually sort them into lists based on that information, which takes a lot of time.
Automated Alerts And Notifications:
HubSpot's automated alerts and notifications tool lets you configure an automated email to be sent to the highest-ranking member of your sales team when certain criteria are met (like a new person becoming a lead or a lead scoring above a certain threshold).
You can also receive text message alerts about certain events happening in your HubSpot account, like when someone visits your website from a mobile device.
Pardot also offers an automated alerts and notifications tool, but it's not as user-friendly as Hubs. It doesn't provide the ability to send text message alerts, and it doesn't have the ability to configure an automated email.
Live Chat And Chatbots:
HubSpot offers a live chat tool that lets you chat with your website visitors in real-time. This is a great way to provide customer support, answer questions, and close more sales.
Pardot also offers a live chat tool, but it's not as user-friendly as HubSpot's. It requires you to create rules for the types of chats you want to have and the conditions under which they should be initiated. It also doesn't offer the ability to track conversions or use multiple goals for you.
Reporting And Analytics:
HubSpot and Pardot both offer great reporting and analytics tools, but HubSpot's is a bit more user-friendly. It offers dashboards that give you a high-level overview of your website traffic, leads, and email marketing performance. You can also create custom reports based on the information that's most important to you.
Pardot also offers reporting and analytics tools, but they're not as user-friendly as HubSpot's. The reporting interface is difficult to navigate, and there are limited customization options.
Web Analytics:
HubSpot and Pardot both offer web analytics tools, but HubSpot's is a bit more user-friendly. It gives you in-depth reporting on which pages your visitors are visiting and how much time they're spending on each page. That can help you diagnose problems with the design or structure of your website so that you can fix them.
Pardot also offers web analytics, but it's not as user-friendly as HubSpot's. In fact, it doesn't offer any web analytics tools at all, so you have to use a third-party tool like Google Analytics instead.
Email Reporting:
HubSpot and Pardot both offer email reporting tools, but HubSpot's is a bit more user-friendly. It automatically tracks opens and link clicks and allows you to create reports and segment your click-throughs so you can see which emails are getting the most engagement. That lets you optimize your email campaigns and subject lines for better results.
Pardot also offers an email reporting tool, but it's not as user-friendly as HubSpot's. It doesn't track open rates or click-throughs, so you have to use a third-party tool like MailChimp instead.
ROI Analytics:
Both Pardot and HubSpot offer great ROI analytics tools, but HubSpot's is a bit more user-friendly. It automatically tracks conversions from your AdWords, Facebook ads, LinkedIn ads, outbound links (like phone calls), website traffic (sessions), and emails. That's a lot of information, so you can track everything you care about in one single platform.
Pardot also offers great ROI analytics tools, but it doesn't provide the same level of detail that HubSpot does. It only tracks clicks on links to your website or blog posts that you share on social media or other websites (like someone clicking on an ad). That may be enough for some marketers, but others will need more sophisticated tracking options to properly analyze their campaigns.
The final difference between HubSpot and Pardot is their pricing. HubSpot is a bit more expensive than Pardot, but it offers more features, and it's a bit more user-friendly. If you're looking for a great all-in-one marketing platform, HubSpot is the better option. If you only need essential lead management and contact management features, Pardot may be a better option.
The HubSpot Marketing Hub is offered in three distinct planes, each with a different price tag. Although an annual subscription is necessary, the pricing is based on a monthly fee.
It's also worth mentioning that the costs indicated are based on the number of contacts, 1,000, that your account is not allowed to have. If it exceeds the limit, the membership fee will increase by $50 per month for each additional 1,000 contacts.
The HubSpot Marketing Hub is available in three unique plans, each with its own price. Despite the fact that a yearly subscription is required, the price is based on a monthly cost. It's also worth noting that the prices listed are based on the number of contacts, 1,000, that your account is not permitted to have.
If it exceeds the limit, the membership charge will rise by $50 per month for every 1,000 contacts beyond the limit.
Pardot's plans are organised similarly to HubSpot's. They, too, have three distinct plans with varying levels. Unlike HubSpot, however, Pardot provides 10,000 contacts in all three of its plans, as opposed to HubSpot's list price, which does not include 10,000 contacts until you reach HubSpot's Enterprise Plan.
The following is a summary of Pardot's pricing:
Pardot Growth Plan - The Growth plan from Pardot costs $1,200 per month.
Pardot Plus Package - The Plus plan from Pardot costs $2,500 per month.
Pardot Advanced Plan - The Advanced plan from Pardot costs $4,000 per month.
One final difference between HubSpot and Pardot is their pricing. HubSpot is a bit more expensive than Pardot, but it offers more features, and it's a bit more user-friendly. If you're looking for a great all-in-one marketing platform, HubSpot is the better option. If you only need basic lead management and contact management features, Pardot may be a better option.
It really comes down to whether or not you need advanced reporting and analytics on top of powerful lead management tools. Customers who only need those features will likely be fine with either service, whereas customers who need advanced reporting and analyses should go with HubSpot because they offer the best ROI Analytics in the industry.
If you're looking to connect with contacts across your entire revenue operations (Leads, Prospects, Existing, and Churned Clients), Cliently would be a great way to engage at scale. Sometimes multiple tools can leave blind spots in who's engaging, how they're engaging, and when to engage; this is where Cliently could benefit you the most.
