HubSpot E-Mail-Marketing review 2026

HubSpot's email editor is modern and uses the Brand Kit for consistent design. With around 50 templates, the selection is more limited than at Mailchimp or rapidmail. Smart content shows different content based on each contact's CRM data – for example different offers for new and existing customers. Marketing automation is strong, but available mainly in the considerably more expensive Professional plan: workflows, lead nurturing, scoring and personalised journeys are comparable at this level with ActiveCampaign. In the free and Starter plans, the automation options are severely restricted. A/B testing is available for subject lines, content and send time. Integration with HubSpot's blog, social media, SEO tools and the CRM makes HubSpot a genuine inbound marketing platform. Scoring (20/32): Strong automation in the Professional plan, but severely restricted in cheaper plans. Smart content and CRM integration are highlights. Smaller template selection.

kosten.org does not carry out its own deliverability measurements. HubSpot's email infrastructure benefits from HubSpot's large user base and strict content policy, which protects IP reputation. SPF, DKIM and DMARC (email authentication standards) are fully supported. Dedicated IPs are available on the Enterprise plan. The inbox preview shows the email in various clients, and the spam score warns of potential delivery problems. Transactional emails are possible via HubSpot's own SMTP relay. Bounce handling and list hygiene work automatically and are integrated into the CRM contact timeline. Scoring (15/18): Solid infrastructure with CRM-integrated list hygiene. A slight deduction for dedicated IPs only on the Enterprise plan.

HubSpot offers an EU data centre in Germany (Frankfurt) – a big step forward for GDPR-conscious companies. The DPA (data processing agreement) is available as standard, and consent management integrates seamlessly into HubSpot's cookie banner and form management. Double opt-in is configurable and easy to set up. The GDPR-specific features (deletion, data export, consent tracking) are well integrated into the platform. However, EU hosting is not activated automatically – you have to select it explicitly when creating the account. For German companies that already use HubSpot, the GDPR situation with EU hosting is acceptable. For pure newsletter purposes, CleverReach or rapidmail is the safer and simpler choice. Scoring (12/16): EU hosting available and well-integrated consent management. Deductions because EU hosting is not the default and GDPR configuration requires expertise.

HubSpot's strength is its own ecosystem: CRM, Sales Hub, Service Hub, CMS Hub and Marketing Hub work together seamlessly. The App Marketplace offers more than 1,500 integrations – although many of them are CRM-specific rather than email-specific. The user interface is available in German and well structured. For email marketing alone, though, HubSpot is overwhelming: navigating through Marketing Hub, Contacts, Workflows and Reports takes some orientation. HubSpot Academy offers excellent but time-consuming training content. Marketing reporting is outstanding: attribution reports, customer journey analytics, revenue reporting and multi-touch attribution are at enterprise level. For pure newsletter reporting that is overkill. Scoring (15/20): An outstanding ecosystem and enterprise reporting. Deductions for being oversized for pure email marketing and the steep learning curve.

HubSpot offers a free plan with CRM and limited email sending (with HubSpot branding). Above that come the Marketing Hub plans Starter, Professional (full automation) and Enterprise; prices depend on user seats and marketing contacts and are only displayed dynamically on hubspot.de – check the current price for your number of contacts directly with the provider. Starter is inexpensive, while Professional and Enterprise cost many times as much. For pure email marketing, HubSpot is therefore one of the most expensive providers in the comparison. The prices are only justified if you use the whole HubSpot ecosystem (CRM, Sales, Service). For start-ups there is a special programme with discounts; HubSpot states the conditions on request. Scoring (8/14): A free entry with CRM. Clear deductions for the high Professional/Enterprise prices and the CRM lock-in strategy.