HubSpot vs Jobber vs a custom CRM: 3-year cost compared

Over three years, a subscription CRM like HubSpot or Jobber costs its monthly fee times 36, plus extra users and add-ons, while a custom CRM costs a one-time build plus a smaller monthly care fee. Which comes out cheaper depends on your team size and which plan you actually need, so the honest way to compare HubSpot vs Jobber cost in Canada against a custom system is to run your own numbers over the same period.

This post gives you the method, a worked example, and the questions that change the answer. We don't quote HubSpot's or Jobber's prices here, because they change and depend on plan, users and currency. Check their current pricing pages before you plug numbers in.

What are you actually comparing?

The three options solve slightly different problems.

• HubSpot is a CRM and marketing platform with a free tier and paid tiers. It is strong on contact management, email marketing and sales pipelines.
• Jobber is field-service software built for home service businesses: quoting, scheduling, dispatch and invoicing for crews in the field.
• A custom CRM is built around how your business already runs. Ours is Papaya Admin, which covers customers, enquiry capture, a workflow board, quotes and invoices with HST, job costing and a lean ledger.

If one of the subscription tools already fits your workflow closely, that matters more than the price.

How to calculate a 3-year cost

Whichever option you look at, add up the same five lines:

1. Setup. One-time fees, onboarding, data import, or a build cost.
2. Monthly fee × 36. For the plan you would actually need, not the entry plan.
3. Extra users. If you add staff over three years, what does each one add?
4. Add-ons. Features you need that aren't in the base plan.
5. HST and currency. Ontario HST is 13%. If a tool bills in US dollars, convert at a realistic rate and expect it to move.

Then look at year four. A subscription keeps billing at the same rate or higher. A one-time build doesn't.

A worked example

The subscription figure below is invented for illustration. It isn't HubSpot's or Jobber's price.

Say a subscription plan that fits your team costs $250 a month, with no setup fee. Papaya Admin starts from $4,000 one-time plus Admin Care from $149 a month.

In this example, the two options land close together over three years, and the custom system costs less every year after that. Change the subscription to $150 a month and the subscription wins at three years. Change it to $400 a month, or add two more paid users, and it goes the other way.

What the example leaves out

Price per month is only part of the cost. A few things that move the real number:

• Price changes. Subscription prices can rise. A one-time build is fixed once it is paid.
• Workarounds. If the tool doesn't fit how you work, someone spends time copying data between it and a spreadsheet. That time has a cost.
• Exit cost. If you leave, can you export everything cleanly? Papaya Admin runs on your own Cloudflare account, so the data stays with you.
• Scope. Papaya Admin pricing is a starting point. A larger build with more features costs more, and final pricing depends on scope.

We wrote about the broader trade-off in owning vs renting business software.

When is a subscription the better choice?

Often, honestly. If you are a one- or two-person business and a free or entry-level plan does what you need, a custom build is hard to justify.

The same goes if a tool like Jobber already matches your crew's workflow closely: scheduling, routes, quotes on site. Software built for a specific industry can save you a lot of setup thinking.

When does a custom CRM make more sense?

A custom system tends to earn its place when:

• You need several paid users and the per-user cost adds up.
• You need job costing tied to quotes and invoices, not just a contact list.
• You are paying for a large suite but using a small part of it.
• You want the data on infrastructure you control.

Treat this like any capital decision: compare total cost over the period you will actually use it, not the first month's bill.

Where Papaya fits

Papaya Admin is our custom CRM and admin system, from $4,000 one-time plus Admin Care from $149 a month, plus HST. See the CRM and admin systems page for what is included, or send us your current setup through the contact form and we can run the comparison with you.

Common questions

How do I compare HubSpot vs Jobber cost in Canada?

Add up setup fees, the monthly price of the plan you would actually need times 36, extra users, add-ons and HST over three years. Check whether the tool bills in US dollars and convert at a realistic rate.

Is a custom CRM cheaper than a subscription CRM?

It depends on team size and plan. A custom system usually has a higher upfront cost and a lower monthly fee, so it tends to compare better over three or more years and with several users.

How much does Papaya Admin cost over three years?

At starting prices, $4,000 one-time plus $149 a month for Admin Care comes to $9,364 over 36 months, plus HST. Final pricing depends on scope.