Introduction
Marketing automation software has become an essential tool for all marketers to manage their lead generation and lead nurture campaigns. The cloud-based marketing automation tools Marketo, HubSpot, and Pardot are some of the most popular platforms in the market. However, with so many advanced tools and features, choosing the right one for your business can be a daunting task. To make it easier for you to decide, we have researched and compared all three platforms based on different parameters to help you choose the best-fit software according to your business needs.
Marketo vs HubSpot vs Pardot - Comparison
Pricing
When it comes to pricing, all three platforms offer different pricing plans depending on the number of contacts and features you need. Here is a quick overview of their pricing plans:
- Marketo: Starts at $895/month for up to 10,000 contacts. Custom pricing available for larger businesses. Additional add-ons such as Web Personalization, Account-Based Marketing, and Predictive Content are available at an additional cost.
- HubSpot: Starts at $50/month for up to 1,000 contacts. Custom pricing available for larger businesses. Additional add-ons such as Meetings, Signals, and Sales Forecasting are available at an additional cost.
- Pardot: Starts at $1,250/month for up to 10,000 contacts. Custom pricing available for larger businesses. Additional add-ons such as Einstein Analytics for Pardot, Salesforce Engage, and Salesforce Maps are available at an additional cost.
Features
All three platforms offer similar features that include email marketing, lead management, lead scoring, landing pages, social media integration, and analytics. However, some features are available only in certain packages. Here is a comparison of features in their base packages:
| Feature | Marketo | HubSpot | Pardot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Email Marketing | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Lead Management | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Lead Scoring | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Landing Pages | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Social Media Integration | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Analytics | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Integration
All three platforms integrate with different CRM systems such as Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, and SugarCRM. However, Marketo and Pardot are both built on the Salesforce platform, making the integration process smoother.
Usability
Marketo, HubSpot, and Pardot all have user-friendly interfaces that are easy to navigate. However, HubSpot offers a more visual approach and a smoother, more intuitive user experience than the other two platforms.
Customer Support
All three platforms offer different levels of customer support depending on your pricing plan. HubSpot's customer support is available 24/7 via phone, email, and chat. Pardot offers phone and email support during business hours only, while Marketo offers email support, phone support, and a customer portal.
Conclusion
All three platforms offer similar features, but the pricing, integration, usability, and customer support make the difference. If your business operates within the Salesforce ecosystem, then Marketo or Pardot may be the best fit for you. If you're on a tight budget, then HubSpot may be the best choice. If you want an intuitive user experience, then HubSpot is your platform.
Which platform did you find the most suitable for your business needs? Let us know in the comments!
References
- Marketo pricing - https://www.marketo.com/pricing/
- HubSpot pricing - https://www.hubspot.com/pricing/marketing
- Pardot pricing - https://www.pardot.com/pricing/