Do all HubSpot websites look the same? Here’s the truth

Every so often, a prospect tells us something like:

‘HubSpot websites all look the same’ or ‘You can always spot a HubSpot site.’

It usually comes from someone who has heard it from a competitor, a friend of a friend or a LinkedIn post. And like many persistent rumours, it sticks around because it has just enough familiarity to sound plausible.

But here’s the truth: there are no meaningful visual design limitations in HubSpot at all.

None. Zero. Zilch.

If a HubSpot website looks plain or predictable, it’s not because the platform forced it. It’s because someone designed it that way.

HubSpot doesn’t limit your design. It gives you full creative freedom.

A website’s visual design is determined by three core languages: HTML, CSS and JavaScript. These control structure, styling and behaviour on the page.

HubSpot gives you full, unrestricted access to all three. The same level of access you get with WordPress, Webflow, Drupal, custom builds or anything else.

If we wanted to create a HubSpot website featuring a spinning 3D model of your CEO floating serenely in space, we absolutely could. (Should we? Different question.)

There is no HubSpot rule saying:

• ‘No fun visuals allowed’
• ‘All layouts must be beige rectangles’
• ‘Your site must look like every other site built in 2014’

So where does the myth come from?

Why do so many HubSpot websites look similar?

A lot of HubSpot sites have that same clean, modular, marketing-friendly feel. But that’s not a platform limitation.

1. Companies that invest in HubSpot tend to play it safe

HubSpot is a premium, well-known platform. The kinds of businesses that choose it often prefer sensible, reliable, conversion-focused design instead of avant-garde experimental layouts.

In other words, the aesthetic similarity comes from brand conservatism, not CMS constraints.

2. Practicality matters

To give marketers full control of your site, you need reusable, modular building blocks. That naturally leads to structured, linear layouts because they’re flexible, scalable and easy for editors to manage.

This is true of every CMS with drag-and-drop editing. It’s not unique to HubSpot.

3. ‘Different’ is not always ‘better’

People sometimes ask for high-concept, animation-heavy sites because they look cool in award galleries. But many of those sites have terrible user experience, slow loading times and sky-high bounce rates.

When push comes to shove, brands usually walk those designs back to something more practical.

What people actually mean when they say ‘We want something different’

Often, they’re not looking for a different CMS. They’re looking for:

• More animation
• More illustrations or 3D elements
• More motion design
• More interactivity
• A more distinctive brand aesthetic

All of that is completely achievable in HubSpot. It just requires more time, more technical skill and therefore more budget.

CMS = unrestricted.

Budget and imagination = the real constraints.

A smarter middle ground: high-impact pages plus flexible components

Here is the sweet spot.

Instead of designing the entire site as a high-concept digital experience, create one or two hero-level pages that push the boundaries. Think homepages, campaign hubs or key product pages packed with animation or interactivity.

The rest of the site can then use modular, marketer-friendly building blocks.

Some of the benefits of this include:

• Marketing teams still get an easy editing experience
• Visitors get a memorable first impression
• Designers and developers get room to create something bold
• You avoid building an entire site that becomes impossible to maintain

HubSpot handles this hybrid approach extremely well. You can combine custom-coded templates with drag-and-drop modules on the same site, giving you the best of both worlds.

So, is HubSpot visually limited? No.

The only real limits are:

• Brand appetite
• Budget
• Time
• The willingness to commit to something ambitious

HubSpot gives you everything you need to build creative, interactive, unique websites. If many HubSpot sites look similar, it’s because most businesses prefer simple, safe and practical. But when clients want something more expressive, the platform never gets in the way.

If you want to talk about your new website with a HubSpot expert who can help you get the best of both worlds, get in touch.