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HubSpot seat types: choosing the right access for each user

Understand HubSpot’s current seat types, how seats differ from permissions and how to choose appropriate access for each user.

HubSpot seats determine which tools a user can access through your organisation’s subscriptions. Permissions then determine the specific actions that user can perform, such as viewing, creating, editing or deleting information.

Choosing the right combination of seat and permissions helps users perform their roles while controlling access and managing subscription costs.

The seat types available depend on your HubSpot products, subscription levels and pricing model.

Seats and permissions are different

A seat gives a user access to a category of HubSpot tools and features.

Permissions control what the user can do within the tools their seat makes available.

Assigning a particular seat does not automatically give somebody unrestricted access to every associated feature. Their permissions must also be configured appropriately.

Similarly, enabling a permission does not give a user access to a feature that requires a seat they have not been assigned.

View-Only Seat

A View-Only Seat is intended for users who need visibility into HubSpot without actively managing records, settings or tools.

Users with this seat may be able to:

  • View CRM records and customer data
  • View dashboards and reports
  • Filter reports
  • Receive Billing admin permissions from a Super Admin

A View-Only Seat does not allow users to edit records, save reports, change settings or manage HubSpot tools. These users also cannot be given Super Admin access.

This seat can suit directors, executives and other stakeholders who primarily review information.

Example: A finance director who reviews performance dashboards without changing CRM records or configuration.

HubSpot currently provides free, unlimited View-Only Seats for Starter, Professional and Enterprise subscriptions.

Core Seat

A Core Seat provides access to the core tools and features included in the organisation’s purchased HubSpot subscriptions.

Depending on those subscriptions and the user’s permissions, a Core Seat may support activities such as:

  • Creating and editing CRM records
  • Working with marketing or content tools
  • Creating reports
  • Managing eligible automation and assets
  • Accessing account tools and settings
  • Logging emails and other activities

A Core Seat does not automatically include every advanced Sales Hub, Service Hub or Revenue Hub feature.

This seat can suit marketers, administrators, operations teams and other users who actively create, edit or manage work in HubSpot without requiring all the specialist features of another paid seat.

Example: A marketing manager who builds campaigns and reports, subject to the account’s subscriptions and their assigned permissions.

Sales Seat

A Sales Seat provides access to the features included with Sales Hub Professional or Enterprise.

Depending on the subscription and permissions, these can include specialist sales capabilities used for prospecting, managing opportunities and supporting sales activity.

This seat may be appropriate for:

  • Sales representatives
  • Business development teams
  • Sales managers
  • Other users who require paid Sales Hub features

Example: A sales representative who uses HubSpot’s professional sales tools as part of their daily prospecting and deal-management activity.

Sales Hub Starter uses Core Seats rather than separate Sales Seats. Separate Sales Seats apply to Sales Hub Professional and Enterprise.

Service Seat

A Service Seat provides access to the features included with Service Hub Professional or Enterprise.

This seat may be appropriate for:

  • Customer support agents
  • Service managers
  • Customer success teams
  • Other users who require paid Service Hub features

Depending on the subscription and permissions, these users may work with tools for managing customer enquiries, support activity and service processes.

Example: A support agent who needs the professional service tools required to manage and resolve customer issues.

Service Hub Starter uses Core Seats rather than separate Service Seats. Separate Service Seats apply to Service Hub Professional and Enterprise.

Revenue Seat

A Revenue Seat provides access to the features included with Revenue Hub Professional or Enterprise.

This seat is intended for users who need to work with the specialist tools available through the organisation’s Revenue Hub subscription.

A Core Seat may allow a user to view certain Revenue Hub information, such as quotes, without allowing them to create or edit it. The precise access available depends on the subscription and permissions.

Partner Seat

A Partner Seat is a free seat available to eligible employees of HubSpot Solutions Partners.

It can provide a partner user with access to features in a client’s HubSpot account without using one of the client’s paid seats.

Partner access should still be limited to what is necessary. Organisations should review partner users and their permissions regularly and remove access when it is no longer required.

Developer Seat

A Developer Seat is a free seat that provides access specifically to HubSpot’s developer platform.

A Developer Seat cannot be combined with another seat or with Super Admin permissions. If a user with another seat requires developer capabilities, a Super Admin can instead grant the appropriate Developer tools access permission.

Legacy subscriptions may work differently

HubSpot’s seats-based pricing model applies to new accounts and subscriptions created after 5 March 2024.

Accounts created before that date that have not moved to the newer model may use legacy Sales Hub or Service Hub seat arrangements.

Before changing seats, check the account’s current subscription, pricing model and contractual terms rather than assuming every HubSpot account has the same options.

Choosing the right seat

Start with the practical question:

What does this person need to do in HubSpot?

Consider whether the user needs to:

  • View information only
  • Create or edit CRM records
  • Build marketing, content or operational assets
  • Configure account tools or settings
  • Use specialist Sales Hub features
  • Use specialist Service Hub features
  • Use specialist Revenue Hub features
  • Access the developer platform
  • Work in the account as an eligible HubSpot Solutions Partner

Choose the lowest appropriate seat that supports those requirements, then configure permissions according to the principle of least privilege.

Job title alone should not determine the seat. Two people with similar titles may need different access based on their responsibilities.

Managing seat changes and billing

Super Admin or Modify billing permissions are generally required to assign, change, add or remove paid seats.

Administrators should be aware that:

  • Changing a seat does not automatically update all user permissions
  • Unassigning a paid seat does not necessarily stop billing for it
  • A seat normally needs to be unassigned before it can be removed
  • Seat reductions may not take effect until the next renewal or billing period
  • Subscription minimum commitments may limit how many seats can be removed
  • Records, assets and responsibilities may need to be reassigned before removing a user

Review the commercial effect of any seat change before confirming it.

What can Forbidden help with?

Forbidden can help you assess what different user groups need to do in HubSpot, map those requirements to suitable seats and configure appropriate permissions.

We can also help identify unnecessary elevated access and support periodic user-access reviews. Final purchasing, contractual and billing decisions remain with your organisation and HubSpot.

Further information