HubSpot Credits Explained: The Smart Way to Use Them for AI, Data, and Automation

TABLE OF CONTENTS
What Are HubSpot Credits?   |   4 Ways to Use Credits   |   High-Cost Features to Use Selectively   |   
Stretching Your Credits   |   Real-World Examples   |   Credits vs ChatGPT

If you’ve logged into HubSpot recently and noticed AI credits, you might be wondering what they actually do.

HubSpot introduced credits as a flexible in-system currency for using artificial intelligence (AI), intent data, and automation. We like to think of these tokens as turbo fuel that makes workflows smarter, enriches data where you need it, and gives you 24/7 AI-powered engagement.

But here’s the problem: Many users waste their credits — or never touch them at all — because they don’t know which features actually deliver ROI. We want to help you fix that.

This article breaks down what HubSpot credits are, how they work, and where to use them for the most significant business impact.

What Are HubSpot Credits?

HubSpot credits are your all-access pass to the platform’s newest AI and automation tools. You can use them for things like:

• AI workflow actions
• Smart properties
• Buyer intent signals, Data Studio
• Customer Agents (HubSpot’s AI chat)

Credits reset monthly, so if you don’t use them, you lose them.

Different actions consume varying amounts depending on their complexity, but using them doesn’t have to feel like advanced calculus. Here’s a quick cheat sheet to help you get started:

Remember: HubSpot is all about flexibility. Look at your strategy, your blind spots, and your goals to choose how best to power up your workflow when it matters most.

The 4 Smartest Ways to Use HubSpot Credits

1. AI Workflow Steps

AI workflow steps are where HubSpot credits can deliver maximum impact. Each action costs about 10 credits. And you'll get a surprisingly large amount of turbo fuel for those 10 credits.

You can summarize deals, enrich contacts, or even trigger personalized outreach. Let’s make this real with an example…

Say you have a new high-value deal getting handed off to a sales rep. It’s go time! HubSpot can generate a summary of the contact’s history, pain points, and next steps instantly. This saves hours of manual recap time and keeps your team aligned.

2. Smart Properties for Data Enrichment

Smart properties make your CRM smarter — literally. They allow you to focus on the data that is most relevant to your company and closing a deal.

Use credits to look up missing or valuable information, such as whether a company is public or private, annual revenue, or number of employees. This helps sales and marketing teams segment and score leads automatically.

We advise clients to use smart properties selectively for the most qualified contacts. For example, you might enrich leads who download a white paper, not every newsletter subscriber.

Pair smart properties with workflows that trigger only for qualified contacts. This ensures you use credits efficiently while maximizing HubSpot AI’s ROI, giving you measurable results to justify your investment of time and resources.

3. Buyer Intent Signals

Buyer intent is one of HubSpot’s newer credit-based features. And we’re not ashamed to say it’s also one of the most exciting.

It pulls external data, similar to tools like ZoomInfo or Clearbit, showing which companies are researching topics related to your business.

For example, a 1031 exchange firm might see that 942 companies have recently searched for “1031 exchange intermediaries.” You could then create a LinkedIn matched audience or targeted outreach campaign directly in HubSpot to take action on this insight.

You can also use buyer intent data to prioritize outbound efforts or fine-tune your ad audiences. In fact, it’s one of the fastest ways to spot opportunities before competitors do.

4. Data Studio for Reporting and Integration

Do you manage multiple systems? Then Data Studio can feel like magic. It lets you sync HubSpot with tools like Google Sheets, Snowflake, Jira, or Airtable, so your data stays fresh and useful across platforms.

The catch? Well, syncing among multiple platforms isn’t as straightforward as it seems. Each platform speaks its own language. And some translation has to happen to ensure data matches. This requires some advanced AI to ensure syncs are accurate and complete.

As a result, these syncs consume credits based on volume and frequency.

For smaller datasets like event attendee lists, price books, or product catalogs, Data Studio is perfect. You’ll maintain live updates without racking up costs. But for large, complex data syncs, though, credits can disappear fast.

Use Data Studio for smaller, structured datasets and limit sync frequency. Weekly or bi-weekly syncs often strike the right balance between accuracy and efficiency.

High-Cost Features to Use Selectively

Some actions cost significant HubSpot automation credits. So, are any of them really worth that price tag? And how can you make sure you're getting your money’s worth? Customer Agent is one such feature.

Customer Agent (100 Credits per Conversation)

Customer Agent is an AI chat that runs on your website 24/7, using CRM data to engage visitors and answer questions. But there’s a downside. Each conversation costs about 100 credits. You heard that right: one hundred for one visitor interaction.

That adds up fast, especially on high-traffic sites. Obviously, you can’t achieve high AI ROI by using it on just any interaction. So, when should you use it?

For most brands in financial services, SaaS, or eCommerce, Customer Agent can deliver massive value by handling routine inquiries instantly without the added cost of AI credits.

But if you have a high-value clientele that expects live help outside business hours and doesn't take no for an answer, it’s worth the credits.

How to Stretch Your Credits Further

Your credits pack serious value, but they’re not unlimited. The key? Using them wisely. Here’s how to make every one count with smart, strategic moves:

• Use credits for high-impact automations: Ask yourself, “Does this replace manual work or add new insight?” If not, skip it. Know the difference between the vital actions and nice-to-haves.
• Turn on free enrichment first: HubSpot already enriches company data from public sources. Use that before paying for extra AI lookups. If you already have what you need, then that's a wasted credit.
• Build workflows with triggers: Only run automations when specific conditions are met, such as a lead score threshold or deal stage.
• Limit Data Studio syncs: Weekly updates usually give you all the accuracy you need without draining your credits. Be realistic about how often you actually review that data. Don’t spend credits syncing information that won’t move the needle.
• Audit credit usage monthly: Check what’s consuming your credits and adjust based on ROI.

A little planning goes a long way. With it, you can keep HubSpot AI efficient and cost-effective.

Real-World Client Use Cases

Here are a few ways real teams are maximizing their HubSpot credits, and how you can, too:

• A custom home builder uses ZIP code data and AI enrichment to group leads by location, helping prioritize sales territories and tailor campaigns to specific regions.
• A qualified intermediary firm taps into buyer intent data to spot companies researching “1031 exchanges,” then builds matched audiences and outbound campaigns around that insight.
• A financial services company uses the Customer Agent to handle after-hours client questions, with built-in compliance guardrails that keep every interaction within regulatory limits.
• Event management teams leverage Data Studio to sync attendee lists and automatically update CRM records, keeping event insights flowing seamlessly into marketing and sales pipelines.

Each example is focused, efficient, and ROI-driven, proof that when used strategically, credits can deliver serious business value.

The Conundrum: Use HubSpot Credits or ChatGPT?

Here’s the deal: HubSpot AI credits power tools within your CRM, pulling directly from your data to deliver insights with full context. Because it’s native to HubSpot, this AI can trigger follow-up actions instantly, like updating records, creating tasks, or launching workflows.

The tradeoff? Credits come at a cost, which can limit scalability if you’re using them for every small task.

That’s where tools like ChatGPT come in. Even with the free version, you can generate summaries, draft content, or uncover insights without tapping into your credits. Often, that’s all your team needs to keep deals moving and clients happy.

The smartest approach? Use both tools strategically. Let HubSpot AI handle in-CRM automation and data-driven actions, while ChatGPT supports planning, brainstorming, and communication tasks. You’ll preserve credits for when they truly drive ROI.

Learn more ways to use ChatGPT to elevate your workflows here.

Next Steps

HubSpot credits are your key to unlocking AI-driven efficiency … when you use them strategically.

Focus on leveraging credits to automate repetitive tasks and uncover high-value insights you simply can’t achieve with less integrated AI tools.

The secret to maximizing ROI? Intentionality. Reserve your credits for actions that replace manual work, enhance data accuracy, or deliver insights that drive meaningful decisions. In other words, don’t spend credits on convenience. Spend them on transformation.

Need help prioritizing where to start? Book a free HubSpot AI roadmap call with LAIRE.