Ep63 | Hubspot vs GHL - The Great CRM Debate

HubSpot vs. GoHighLevel: Which CRM Is Right for Your Physical Therapy Clinic?

If you're a clinic owner, you need a CRM. That part isn't up for debate.

The real question most clinic owners ask isn't if they need one, but which CRM they should use. In today's episode, Jeremy breaks down the two platforms almost every clinic owner ends up choosing between: HubSpot and GoHighLevel.

This isn't theory or opinion. Jeremy has used both platforms extensively, running his own clinic on each, and now building CRMs for hundreds of clinics through Patch. The answer isn't flashy, but it's honest: the right CRM depends on where your clinic is right now.

📌 Episode Topics

• Why every clinic needs a CRM regardless of size
• The real differences between HubSpot and GoHighLevel
• How revenue stage should drive software decisions
• The hidden risk of CRM ownership most clinics overlook
• Why reporting quality matters more as you scale

🧠 Why This Decision Matters

CRMs are not just software. They are systems.

They control your follow-up, your data, your automation, and ultimately how predictable your revenue is. Choosing the wrong CRM for your stage either slows growth or creates unnecessary complexity.

There is no "best" CRM. There is only the right CRM for your current stage of business.

⚖️ The Core Difference: Stage of Growth

Jeremy makes one thing very clear: solo clinic owners and multi-clinic operators both need CRMs, but they should not be using the same one.

Different stages require:

• Different levels of structure
• Different reporting depth
• Different tolerance for complexity and risk

🚀 GoHighLevel: Best for Clinics Under $20K/Month

If your clinic is consistently doing under $20,000 per month, GoHighLevel is usually the right starting point.

Why?

• Low monthly cost (around $100/month)
• Strong basic automations
• Centralized lead and patient tracking
• Email and SMS follow-up built in

At this stage, you need leverage, not perfection. GoHighLevel gives you everything you need to follow up properly without overbuilding your systems.

⚠️ Important Note on Ownership

Most GoHighLevel accounts live under an agency umbrella, meaning the agency technically owns the CRM.

For early-stage clinics, this risk is usually acceptable. You're moving fast, testing systems, and focused on growth. Once revenue increases, this becomes a problem.

🏗️ HubSpot: Best for Clinics Over $20K/Month

Once your clinic crosses $20,000 per month, the equation changes.

At this level, HubSpot becomes a competitive advantage because:

• You own the CRM outright
• Reporting answers why things happen, not just what happened
• Systems scale without breaking
• Staff adoption is significantly easier

HubSpot is not just software. It becomes an asset.

Jeremy shares that owning his HubSpot account was a major factor in the valuation and multiple when he sold his clinic. Buyers don't just buy revenue. They buy systems.

📊 Reporting: The Real Divider

This is where the platforms truly separate.

GoHighLevel reporting answers:

• What happened in the funnel?

HubSpot reporting answers:

• Why did it happen?
• What should we do next?

If you're spending real money on ads and trying to scale, surface-level reporting is not enough. Strategic decisions require strategic data.

⚙️ Automation: More Similar Than You Think

For about 90% of clinics, automation capabilities are similar across both platforms.

Both can:

• Send automated emails
• Trigger follow-ups
• Move leads through pipelines

The difference isn't automation volume. It's automation stability. HubSpot handles complexity without duct tape. GoHighLevel excels with simple systems.

🧑‍💻 Usability for Owners and Staff

GoHighLevel is easier to jump into but easier to break.

HubSpot is harder to learn but much harder to mess up.

For solo owners, this may not matter. For growing teams, it matters a lot.

Across hundreds of clinic onboardings, staff adoption is consistently smoother in HubSpot once systems are built correctly.

✅ The Simple Rule

Under $20K/month: Use GoHighLevel. Save money. Build habits. Invest in growth.

Over $20K/month: Use HubSpot. Own your data. Scale safely. Build real systems.

The biggest mistake clinic owners make is choosing software based on how it feels in week one instead of how it behaves in year two.

📞 Want Help Choosing or Building the Right CRM?

The Patch team builds CRMs in both HubSpot and GoHighLevel. There's no bias toward either platform.

Strategy calls are run by clinic owners who actively use these systems, one on HubSpot and one on GoHighLevel.

👉 Book a free