By Mehdi HassanMany B2B startups end up on HubSpot CMS by default: they bought HubSpot for the CRM and the website came along. A year later, the site feels templated, every new page fights the theme, and the design team works around HubSpot instead of with it. Framer is the usual escape plan. This comparison keeps HubSpot CRM in the picture, because for most B2B teams the CRM is not moving. For the wider platform choice, see our guide to choosing a platform for your marketing site.
Framer vs HubSpot CMS: which is better for a B2B startup website?
Framer is better for most B2B startup websites when design quality and shipping speed matter, as long as you connect it to HubSpot CRM properly. HubSpot CMS is better when your marketing depends on smart content, CRM-driven personalization and all-in-one reporting.
Framer | HubSpot CMS | |
|---|---|---|
Design freedom | High, canvas-based, strong motion | Theme and module based |
Speed to ship pages | Fast, designers publish directly | Slower for custom layouts |
CRM connection | Tracking code plus embedded or native forms | Native, no setup |
Personalization | Limited without tooling | Smart content by CRM properties |
Reporting | Analytics plus HubSpot contact timelines | Page performance tied to CRM in one place |
CMS | Simple collections, item limits | Blog, HubDB, memberships |
Cost shape | Site plan plus editor seats | Part of HubSpot Content Hub tiers |
Can you use Framer with HubSpot CRM?
Yes. A Framer site works with HubSpot CRM through two pieces: the HubSpot tracking code, which records page views against contacts, and HubSpot forms, which create and update contacts. Set both up and HubSpot keeps most of what it knew about your visitors.
Install the tracking code
Copy your HubSpot tracking code from HubSpot settings and add it to Framer's site-wide custom code, so it loads on every page.
Embed HubSpot forms
Paste each HubSpot form's embed code into a Framer Embed component. Submissions go straight into HubSpot with attribution intact.
Or use native Framer forms
Style forms natively in Framer and send submissions to HubSpot through a webhook or automation tool. Pass the HubSpot tracking cookie so the contact links to its page history.
Set up the cookie banner
Connect consent to the tracking code so HubSpot only tracks visitors who agree, in line with your privacy policy.
Test end to end
Submit test leads from several pages and check that each contact shows the right source and page views in HubSpot.
What do you lose by leaving HubSpot CMS?
Leaving HubSpot CMS means losing the features that only work when HubSpot renders the page: smart content, CMS-based memberships, on-platform A/B testing of pages and some native page reporting. Your CRM, email, workflows and sales tools are unaffected.
- Smart content. Swapping copy by lifecycle stage, list membership or country stops working on Framer pages.
- HubDB and memberships. Dynamic tables and gated content areas need a new approach.
- Page tests. HubSpot's built-in page A/B tests move to a separate testing tool.
- Reporting in one place. Page analytics move to your analytics tool, while contact-level page views stay in HubSpot through the tracking code.
If none of those features are in use today, the loss is small. Audit before you decide. Our guide to HubSpot CMS alternatives that keep your CRM compares other destinations, too.
Is Framer's CMS enough to replace HubSpot's blog?
Framer's CMS is enough to replace a HubSpot blog for most startups with a modest blog and simple categories. It gets tight for very large libraries or content with many relationships between types.
Framer collections handle posts, authors and categories, with templates per collection and SEO fields per item. The limits show up in item caps on lower plans and the lack of multi-reference fields, which matters if posts link to several products or integrations. Our article on Framer CMS limits explains what happens when you hit them, and importing content into Framer CMS covers the CSV and plugin routes for moving HubSpot posts. Teams with heavy content can keep Framer for design and move content to a headless CMS, as described in Framer to headless CMS.
What to export from HubSpot before you switch
Before cancelling anything, export blog posts with their meta titles, descriptions, featured images, authors and tags. Export a list of every live URL from HubSpot, including landing pages, so you can build a redirect sheet. Download images from HubSpot's file manager, because those URLs will stop resolving once the CMS is gone.
Also list every HubSpot form, CTA and smart content module, with the pages they appear on. That list becomes your rebuild checklist in Framer.
How do the costs compare?
Framer usually costs less for the website itself, because you pay a site plan and editor seats instead of a Content Hub tier. The comparison changes if you would keep paying for HubSpot Content Hub anyway for other features.
Check which HubSpot tier you are on and why. If you bought Content Hub only for the website, moving to Framer may let you drop or downgrade it, which can offset part of the rebuild cost over time. If you also use its blog analytics, SEO tools and smart content heavily, the saving shrinks. Price both options against your real usage on each pricing page, since plans change. Then add the migration: agencies commonly quote 6 to 10 weeks for a HubSpot CMS exit, and costs vary with page count and the number of forms.
Who edits the site day to day?
In Framer, designers and marketers edit on a visual canvas and see the real page as they work. In HubSpot CMS, marketers edit modules inside a theme that a developer set up, which is safer but slower for anything new.
Framer's risk is the opposite of HubSpot's. In HubSpot, the theme limits what editors can do, so pages stay consistent but new layouts need a developer. In Framer, editors can change almost anything, so you need a component system and clear rules to keep pages consistent. Our CMS setup guide covers how to give marketers freedom without breaking the design. A step-by-step move is in our HubSpot CMS to Framer migration guide.
