Ask the Expert: HubSpot CMS Starter vs other platforms

HubSpot CMS Hub has so many great features for businesses looking to win at digital transformation. And now, there’s one more option to choose from!

HubSpot CMS Hub has so many great features for businesses looking to win at digital transformation. And now, there’s one more option to choose from!

On 4 Aug 2021, HubSpot announced the launch of their newest addition to the HubSpot CMS hubs - CMS Starter. This news made us all excited here at Spitfire, as we love using the CMS and having a starter option gives more people the ability to use this new tool. 

Much like all the HubSpot hubs, CMS starter is built not only for developers but for marketers as well. Meaning that you’ll be able to get a fast, secure, reliable website that’s easy to maintain - and an all-on-one CRM Platform. 

What you need to know about CMS hub

We know that a key pain point for many businesses is having to choose between a simple web page builder that a marketer can update or a customised website which represents your brand. As HubSpot says, “if you want to grow your business through your website, you need a CMS that both your marketers and developers love.” 

And I can tell you that both our marketing team and developers love CMS Hub because; 

  1. Our dev guys can create flexible themes using the tool and tech they are used to. 
  2. And then our marketing team can take ownership of the website and do what we do best - analyse the data we get and easily tweak the design, content, and feel of the website as needed. 

Why CMS starter is right for you

Following the announcement of the CMS Starter launch, I met with our partner in crime Ryan Wallis from website development experts, 5px, to discuss this exciting new hub. As an expert in websites, he gave us some insights into why you should choose CMS Starter. Take a look.

  1. As a developer, why do you choose HubSpot?
    Ryan: HubSpot simplifies the dev process and takes a lot of the pain out of staging and deploying websites. It allows us to build interfaces that empower the end user, by driving quality design with high powered data.

  2. What makes HubSpot CMS hub great?
    Ryan: The ability to leverage CRM data in a completely customisable web interface. HubSpot support is also incredible, offering a standard of support we don’t usually get from CMS platforms.

  3. What sets CMS Starter apart from other CMS platforms?
    Ryan: HubSpot prioritises security, ease of use, and the ability to tap into customer data, regardless of the price. With Starter, this is now accessible to businesses with smaller budgets, so we’re now able to work on the platform we prefer with all our customers.

  4. In your experience, how easy is it to create a custom website using CMS hub?
    Ryan: Exceptionally Easy. It’s incredibly user friendly and easy to learn. HubSpot offers a wide range of resources online, including the HubSpot Academy, which allows all developers to not only work on the platform but also upskill themselves.

  5. What do you love most about working on the HubSpot CMS?
    Ryan: The efficiency and accessibility it brings to the web dev process.

  6. Who would you recommend CMS Starter to?
    Ryan: Anyone who wants to grow their business and still get bang for their buck. Dynamite comes in small packages.

What do you get in CMS Starter?

CMS Starter has a long list of amazing features we know you’ll love, but there are three key goals you can achieve which we want to highlight:

  • Secure your website
    • Premium hosting
    • Content delivery network (CDN)
    • Standard SSL certificate
    • Web application firewall (WAF)
  • Leverage the full CRM platform

What to give HubSpot a try? Sign up for HubSpot Free today. 

Other features worth mentioning are that HubSpot boasts 99.9% measured uptime and because of the access to the free HubSpot Marketing, you get an email marketing tool. You can find out more on the HubSpot pricing page

What does CMS Starter cost?

CMS hub Starter is one of the most affordable CMS platforms you can get with regard to value. Not only because you’re getting an amazing website, but because you also get access to other CRM tools - which you wouldn’t get from any other CMS platform. 

So, what does it cost?
$25 per month - that’s less than R400 a month

How does that compare to other CMS platforms? Well, it’s the same price as the Wordpress Business package. However, unlike Wordpress, you get the addition of the free Hubspot tools including the CRM. And you don’t need to worry about long-term costs like plugin maintenance. 

Ultimately, your website is the online face of your business, and to really move into the digital transformation space, you have to be able to optimise and grow. Choosing a CMS platform that not only lets you build an amazing website, but also gives you access to robust reporting and other key marketing and sales tools is a must. 

Want to find out more about CMS Starter and HubSpot? Get in touch and we’ll help your business grow.

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