HubSpot has introduced a new pricing structure for customers across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. But as software becomes increasingly usage-based, we think small businesses deserve something simpler.
Running a small business is expensive enough without having to calculate how much your software will cost every time you add a team member, send an email or automate a task.
Yet that’s increasingly the direction business software is heading.
On 1 October 2026, HubSpot introduced a new pricing model for new customers across EMEA, combining per-user charges with a credit-based system for certain activities.
And while there’s an argument for paying for what you use, we think there’s a fundamental problem with that approach for growing businesses.
The more successful and productive your business becomes, the more your software could cost you.
What’s changing with HubSpot?
Under the new model, businesses pay for user seats alongside credits consumed by certain activities.
This includes things like:
- Sending marketing and automated emails.
- Running workflow automations.
- Using certain AI-powered features.
- Adding more team members who need paid access.
Plans include a monthly credit allowance, but businesses exceeding their allowance may face additional charges. Not every email or action consumes credits, and the precise costs depend on the plan and activity.
For larger organisations with dedicated software budgets, this might make sense.
But for a small business with five, ten or twenty employees, it introduces another layer of cost management.
Want to give another employee access? That could cost more.
Want to send more marketing emails? That could cost more.
Want to automate more of your processes? Again, potentially more.
Suddenly, the software that’s supposed to make running your business easier becomes another expense you need to monitor.
We think that’s the wrong way around
When we started developing Gather CRM, we had a pretty simple idea.
Small businesses shouldn’t need half a dozen different platforms to run their operations.
They shouldn’t need one subscription for sales, another for projects, another for HR and yet another for invoicing.
And they certainly shouldn’t have to navigate complicated pricing calculators to work out what their software is going to cost.
We wanted to build one platform that brings everything together, at a price businesses can actually plan around.
That’s still our philosophy today.
One system. One price. Everything included.
With Gather CRM, you get access to the tools you need to manage your business in one place.
From tracking leads and managing customers to organising projects, raising invoices, managing contracts, looking after your team and using AI-powered business insights.
It’s all part of the platform.
We don’t charge per user seat. We don’t sell additional feature packs. And we don’t make you purchase credits every time you want to use an automation or ask AI to analyse your business.
Our pricing is based on straightforward plans with clear user allowances, rather than individual seat charges or metered usage.
You know what you’re paying each month.
And, importantly, you know what you’re getting.
Growth shouldn’t come with a penalty
Imagine you’ve just secured three new clients.
That’s brilliant news. Your team is busier, you’re sending more emails, generating more invoices and running more processes.
Your CRM should be helping you handle that growth, not making you think twice about using its features.
We believe automation should be encouraged, not rationed.
We believe every employee who needs access to your business systems should be able to work effectively without you worrying about another individual licence.
And we believe powerful tools, including AI, should be accessible to small businesses without complicated usage-based billing.
We’re building Gather for businesses like ours
We’re a UK SME ourselves.
We know what it’s like to manage cash flow, recruit employees, win new customers and try to keep everything running smoothly.
We also know how frustrating it can be when software that seemed affordable at the beginning becomes increasingly expensive as your business grows.
That’s why we’ve deliberately taken a different approach.
We’re not suggesting HubSpot is a bad product. It’s an incredibly capable platform, and for some businesses it will absolutely be the right choice.
But we don’t believe every small business needs enterprise-level complexity, particularly when it comes to pricing.
Sometimes, simpler really is better.
Business software should make life easier. Full stop.
Our mission with Gather isn’t to build the biggest or most complicated CRM on the market.
It’s to build the one that small businesses genuinely enjoy using.
One that brings their business together, gives them useful insights, saves them time and doesn’t surprise them with extra charges.
Because the last thing a growing business needs is another unpredictable bill.
One system. Transparent pricing. No nasty surprises.
Explore Gather CRM and see exactly what’s included.
Explore Gather CRM pricing UK-based support. All-inclusive features. Straightforward plans.
Pricing note: HubSpot’s new seats-and-credits structure applies to new EMEA customers from 1 October 2026. Existing accounts and other markets may be on different pricing arrangements. Published pricing and allowances can change. HubSpot’s official pricing FAQ.