HubSpot Certifications
HubSpot Academy
Complete guide to passing the HubSpot Certifications exam on your first attempt.
Free
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2 years
Global
HubSpot Academy
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Complete Overview
HubSpot Certifications are online credentials issued by HubSpot Academy, HubSpot's free self-paced learning platform, covering inbound methodology, digital marketing, email marketing, sales, service, and the HubSpot software itself. They are taken by marketers, salespeople, agency staff at HubSpot Solutions Partners, and students, and the courses and exams cost nothing: HubSpot states that creating an Academy account is 100 percent free with no credit card required.
There is one important exception to the free label. Certifications that carry practical exercises inside the HubSpot product can require a paid subscription to finish. The HubSpot Marketing Hub Software certification page states plainly that the videos, quizzes, and workbooks are free to all users, but that completing the practical exercises needs a Professional or Enterprise subscription. Passing the exam alone does not award that badge.
Each certification is a course plus an exam, and some add graded practical exercises. HubSpot publishes the shape of each course on its public page. The Inbound Certification runs 7 lessons, 15 videos, 4 quizzes, and 2 hours 45 minutes of content. The Digital Marketing Certification runs 10 lessons, 30 videos, 8 quizzes, and 3 hours 24 minutes. The Inbound Sales Certification runs 7 lessons, 22 videos, 5 quizzes, and 3 hours 6 minutes. The Email Marketing Certification runs 12 lessons, 31 videos, 9 quizzes, 1 practical exercise, and 3 hours 59 minutes. The HubSpot Marketing Hub Software certification is the longest of these at 12 lessons, 52 videos, 10 quizzes, 9 practical exercises, and 5 hours.
The exam rules are uniform across the catalogue. HubSpot's certification support page states you have three hours to complete an exam, that the timer starts the moment you view the first page of questions, and that the exam must be finished in one sitting. Leaving the page, closing it, or running out of time all count as a failed attempt and lock the exam for 12 hours. Retakes are unlimited and free, and HubSpot displays only your most recent score. Scoring is a straight percentage: HubSpot states that its grading software divides your correct answers by the number of questions.
Badges expire. HubSpot states that certifications for HubSpot products and software are valid for one year and all other certifications are valid for two years, and its terms add that unless otherwise specified a badge expires one year from the end of the month following the month it was granted. Recertifying extends the badge from the recertification date, and HubSpot allows you to retake the exam without rewatching the content, though it recommends reviewing because content is refreshed annually or biannually.
HubSpot cites 200,000 or more professionals certified on its certification overview and course pages, and over 250,000 in the Why learn with Academy panel of those same pages. It describes the certifications as available across 5 languages, with individual courses listing German, Spanish, French, Japanese, and in some cases Portuguese alongside English. HubSpot publishes no pass rate for any certification.
Why Get HubSpot Certifications Certified?
The whole catalogue costs nothing. HubSpot states that an Academy account is 100 percent free with no credit card, and it charges no exam fee and no retake fee, which makes the only real cost the 3 to 5 hours of course time per certification.
Retakes are unlimited. HubSpot states you can retake an exam as many times as you wish and that only your most recent score is shown, so a failed attempt leaves no permanent record.
The lockout between attempts is 12 hours, not days or weeks, so a candidate who fails on a Monday morning can pass the same certification by Monday night.
Course lengths are published up front: 2 hours 45 minutes for Inbound, 3 hours 6 minutes for Inbound Sales, 3 hours 24 minutes for Digital Marketing, 3 hours 59 minutes for Email Marketing, and 5 hours for HubSpot Marketing Hub Software.
Certifications feed the HubSpot partner track. HubSpot states that the HubSpot Marketing Software Certification is a prerequisite to the Agency Partner Certification, and that HubSpot Certified Trainer applicants must hold valid Inbound Marketing, Inbound Sales, HubSpot Marketing Software, and HubSpot Sales Software certifications while employed at a Gold, Platinum, or Diamond tier Solutions Partner.
Badges are shareable by design. HubSpot supplies an embed code after you pass, plus an Add to profile link for LinkedIn, and permits use on a website or in an email signature.
HubSpot emails a section-by-section breakdown after every attempt, grouped into questions you got right and questions you got wrong, which turns a failed attempt into a targeted study list.
Exam Format & Structure
Duration
180 minutes. HubSpot's certification support page states you have three hours to complete an exam and that the timer starts as soon as you view the first page of questions. Individual exams set their own limit inside that window. HubSpot's FAQ tells you to open your course's left sidebar, scroll to the bottom, and click Exam: the right panel details the time limit for that exam. Check it before you begin.
Questions
HubSpot publishes no question count for any certification exam, on the course pages or anywhere else public, and its Exam panel is documented as showing the time limit only. You will not know how many questions you face until the exam opens. HubSpot states that scores are determined automatically by its grading software, which divides your correct answers by the number of questions.
Passing Score
HubSpot does not publish a single pass threshold across the catalogue. It states that scores are determined by dividing correct answers by the number of questions, and each exam shows its own requirement. Treat any specific percentage quoted on a third-party site as unverified.
Question Types
- Multiple-choice questions drawn from the course video content
- Scenario questions that apply a framework to a described business situation
- Questions on HubSpot product navigation and tool behaviour in the software certifications
- Lesson quizzes inside the course, separate from the exam: 4 in Inbound, 5 in Inbound Sales, 8 in Digital Marketing, 9 in Email Marketing, 10 in HubSpot Marketing Hub Software
- Practical exercises submitted inside a HubSpot account, required for some certifications: 1 in Email Marketing, 9 in HubSpot Marketing Hub Software
Delivery Method
Entirely online and unproctored through HubSpot Academy in a browser. There is no test centre, no webcam requirement, no ID check, and no scheduled sitting. Exams can be started at any time from the course sidebar.
- Practical Exercises: Some certifications require graded practical exercises in addition to the exam. HubSpot states that each individual must submit their own work, that the buyer persona exercise in the HubSpot Marketing Software Certification is the only exercise that can be submitted as a team, that some exercises are graded automatically while others are graded manually within 5 to 7 business days, and that exercises must be completed before your exam result expires.
How scoring works
Score scale
A percentage. HubSpot states that scores are determined automatically by its grading software, which divides your correct answers by the number of questions. There is no scaled score, no equating, and no adaptive selection of items.
Score needed to pass
HubSpot does not publish a pass mark, for the catalogue or for any individual exam. The only scoring mechanism it documents is that its grading software divides your correct answers by the number of questions. Any specific percentage quoted as the HubSpot pass mark does not come from HubSpot.
When results arrive
The exam result appears immediately when you submit. HubSpot then sends both an in-app notification and an email, and offers an Email me my exam breakdown option that produces a section-by-section score report. That breakdown groups questions into correct and incorrect rather than showing them in the order you answered them, and HubSpot does not release the correct answers at any point.
How the scale is built
Straight percent correct with no penalty for wrong answers, no partial credit, and no weighting between topics. Certifications with practical exercises are graded on two separate tracks: the exam is machine-marked instantly, while exercises are either graded automatically or reviewed manually. HubSpot states that manual grading takes 5 to 7 business days and that you can check the status inside your HubSpot account.
- Expiry: Certifications for HubSpot products and software are valid for one year. All other certifications are valid for two years. HubSpot's terms state that, unless otherwise specified, a badge expires one year from the end of the month following the month it was granted, and that participants must renew on or before that date to keep access to the badge. Recertifying extends the badge from the recertification date rather than from the original date.
- Exercise Validity: If you pass the exam before finishing the practical exercises, the exam result lasts as long as the badge would have lasted. HubSpot recommends completing the exercises as soon as possible, because letting the exam result expire means retaking the exam as well.
Pacing and time budget
0 questions in 180 minutes gives you A per-question budget cannot be computed from vendor data. HubSpot publishes the three-hour completion window on its certification support page but does not publish the number of questions in any exam on a public page, so totalQuestions is recorded here as 0 to mark the gap rather than to fill it with an invented figure. HubSpot's own FAQ points only to the Exam panel at the bottom of the course sidebar, and documents that panel as detailing the time limit, not the question count. Plan around the time limit instead: 180 minutes is the ceiling, most candidates finish well inside it, and the count becomes visible only once the exam opens. per question.
Minute 0, before you view the first page of questions
Nothing. Open the Exam panel in the course sidebar and read the time limit for this specific exam, which may be shorter than the three-hour ceiling. The timer starts on the first page of questions, so this is the last moment before the clock runs.
Minute 45 of the 180-minute window
A quarter of the questions. Most candidates finish well inside three hours; the limit exists so that walking away mid-exam does not become a free pass, not because the paper needs that long.
Minute 90 of the 180-minute window
Half the questions. If you are behind here, stop researching answers and start answering, because an unfinished exam is scored as a failure and locks you out for 12 hours.
Minute 150 of the 180-minute window
Every question answered, leaving 30 minutes to review flagged items before submitting.
Immediately after submitting
Click Email me my exam breakdown while the result screen is still open. That breakdown is the only feedback HubSpot gives, and it is the study plan for a retake.
| At this point | You should have answered |
|---|---|
| Minute 0, before you view the first page of questions | Nothing. Open the Exam panel in the course sidebar and read the time limit for this specific exam, which may be shorter than the three-hour ceiling. The timer starts on the first page of questions, so this is the last moment before the clock runs. |
| Minute 45 of the 180-minute window | A quarter of the questions. Most candidates finish well inside three hours; the limit exists so that walking away mid-exam does not become a free pass, not because the paper needs that long. |
| Minute 90 of the 180-minute window | Half the questions. If you are behind here, stop researching answers and start answering, because an unfinished exam is scored as a failure and locks you out for 12 hours. |
| Minute 150 of the 180-minute window | Every question answered, leaving 30 minutes to review flagged items before submitting. |
| Immediately after submitting | Click Email me my exam breakdown while the result screen is still open. That breakdown is the only feedback HubSpot gives, and it is the study plan for a retake. |
- The exam must be completed in one sitting. HubSpot states that if the page is closed or left, you are locked out for 12 hours before you can attempt it again, so close every other tab and turn off notifications first.
- The timer does not stop when you navigate away. HubSpot warns that you can leave the exam page but that failing to return and finish inside three hours fails the exam.
- There is no penalty for a wrong answer, because the score is correct answers divided by total questions. Answer every item before submitting.
- Only your most recent score counts. HubSpot states it shows the latest score, so a retake replaces the earlier result rather than averaging with it.
- For certifications with practical exercises, budget separately for grading. Manually graded exercises take 5 to 7 business days, which matters if you need the badge by a specific date.
- Content is refreshed annually or biannually, so if you are recertifying after a year, skim the lesson list for new material before starting the exam even though HubSpot allows you to take the exam without rewatching.
Where the marks are
HubSpot Marketing Hub Software practical exercises
9 practical exercises across 12 lessons
The exam alone does not award this badge, and the exercises require a Professional or Enterprise subscription. Candidates on a free account fail at this step rather than at the exam.
Workflows and automation
46 minutes of the 5-hour HubSpot Marketing Hub Software course
The single longest lesson in the software certification, covering building workflows, nurturing leads, and data hygiene. It also underpins the automation content in the Email Marketing certification.
Buyer personas and the buyer's journey
43 minutes of the 2 hour 45 minute Inbound Certification
Two consecutive lessons in Inbound, repeated as a whole lesson in the software certification, and the buyer persona exercise is the one practical exercise HubSpot allows a team to submit together.
Email permissions and deliverability
30 minutes of the 3 hour 59 minute Email Marketing course
Covers privacy regulation, consent management, and sender reputation. It is the lesson taught by HubSpot's own deliverability team and the one with the most rule-based content to get wrong.
Earning the attention of the empowered buyer
40 minutes of the 3 hour 6 minute Inbound Sales course
The longest lesson in Inbound Sales, and it carries the connect phase of the four-phase methodology plus the personalised outreach material the exam scenarios are built on.
AI in digital marketing
37 minutes of the 3 hour 24 minute Digital Marketing course
The longest lesson in the Digital Marketing certification and the newest content in it, covering task automation, personalisation at scale, and real-time campaign optimisation.
Forms and calls-to-action
66 minutes across two lessons of the software certification
Forms alone runs 42 minutes, the second longest lesson in the course, and both tools feed practical exercises rather than exam questions only.
The flywheel model and company purpose
50 minutes across two lessons of the Inbound Certification
The conceptual core that later certifications assume you already hold. It is also the material most likely to have been updated since the funnel-era version of the course.
| Topic | Weight | Why it scores |
|---|---|---|
| HubSpot Marketing Hub Software practical exercises | 9 practical exercises across 12 lessons | The exam alone does not award this badge, and the exercises require a Professional or Enterprise subscription. Candidates on a free account fail at this step rather than at the exam. |
| Workflows and automation | 46 minutes of the 5-hour HubSpot Marketing Hub Software course | The single longest lesson in the software certification, covering building workflows, nurturing leads, and data hygiene. It also underpins the automation content in the Email Marketing certification. |
| Buyer personas and the buyer's journey | 43 minutes of the 2 hour 45 minute Inbound Certification | Two consecutive lessons in Inbound, repeated as a whole lesson in the software certification, and the buyer persona exercise is the one practical exercise HubSpot allows a team to submit together. |
| Email permissions and deliverability | 30 minutes of the 3 hour 59 minute Email Marketing course | Covers privacy regulation, consent management, and sender reputation. It is the lesson taught by HubSpot's own deliverability team and the one with the most rule-based content to get wrong. |
| Earning the attention of the empowered buyer | 40 minutes of the 3 hour 6 minute Inbound Sales course | The longest lesson in Inbound Sales, and it carries the connect phase of the four-phase methodology plus the personalised outreach material the exam scenarios are built on. |
| AI in digital marketing | 37 minutes of the 3 hour 24 minute Digital Marketing course | The longest lesson in the Digital Marketing certification and the newest content in it, covering task automation, personalisation at scale, and real-time campaign optimisation. |
| Forms and calls-to-action | 66 minutes across two lessons of the software certification | Forms alone runs 42 minutes, the second longest lesson in the course, and both tools feed practical exercises rather than exam questions only. |
| The flywheel model and company purpose | 50 minutes across two lessons of the Inbound Certification | The conceptual core that later certifications assume you already hold. It is also the material most likely to have been updated since the funnel-era version of the course. |
The numbers
12 hours, applied whether you failed on score, ran out of time, or closed the exam page
Retake lockout between attempts
Source: HubSpot, Academy certifications Frequently Asked Questions, knowledge.hubspot.com, last updated 6 August 2026
3 hours, with the timer starting when the first page of questions is viewed
Exam completion window
Source: HubSpot, Certifications and Programs FAQ, academy.hubspot.com/certification-support
1 year for HubSpot product and software certifications; 2 years for all other certifications
Badge validity
Source: HubSpot, Certifications and Programs FAQ, academy.hubspot.com/certification-support
Automatic for some exercises; 5 to 7 business days for those graded manually
Practical exercise grading turnaround
Source: HubSpot, Academy certifications Frequently Asked Questions, knowledge.hubspot.com
200,000 or more cited on the certification overview and course pages; over 250,000 cited in the Why learn with Academy panel of the same pages
Certified professionals
Source: HubSpot Academy, academy.hubspot.com/certification-overview and individual course pages
Inbound 2 hours 45 minutes; Inbound Sales 3 hours 6 minutes; Digital Marketing 3 hours 24 minutes; Email Marketing 3 hours 59 minutes; HubSpot Marketing Hub Software 5 hours
Course length of the five headline certifications
Source: HubSpot Academy course pages at academy.hubspot.com
If you fail
Wait before retaking
12 hours from the previous attempt. HubSpot applies the lockout to every kind of failed attempt, including running past the time limit and closing the exam page, and states that it cannot unlock an exam early.
Attempt limit
None. HubSpot states you can retake an exam as many times as you wish and that only your most recent score is shown.
Retake fee
Free. HubSpot charges nothing for exams or retakes. Its terms reserve the right to add a fee, change access, add prerequisites, or discontinue a certification at any time without prior notice.
The lockout is designed as study time: HubSpot tells failed candidates to use the 12 hours to review the content and the study guide, and provides an emailed breakdown grouped into correct and incorrect questions to steer that review. Retaking replaces your score rather than averaging with it. If the certification includes practical exercises, a retake of the exam does not require redoing exercises you have already had graded, but HubSpot does require the exercises to be finished before the exam result expires, and that result runs on the same clock as the badge would have. For a renewal rather than a failure, HubSpot allows you to sit the exam without rewatching the content, and dates the new badge from the recertification date rather than the original.
Exam Domains & Topics
HubSpot publishes no exam blueprint weights for any of its certifications. What it does publish is course structure: the Inbound Certification runs 7 lessons, 15 videos, and 4 quizzes across 2 hours 45 minutes, with no practical exercises. Available in English, German, Spanish, French, Japanese, and Portuguese.
Key Topics to Master:
- Fundamentals of inbound, 36 minutes
- Growing a business with the flywheel model, 19 minutes
- Creating a company purpose, 31 minutes
- Setting business goals, including OKRs and the three horizon framework, 25 minutes
- Creating buyer personas, 24 minutes
- Developing the buyer's journey, 19 minutes
10 lessons, 30 videos, 8 quizzes, 3 hours 24 minutes, no practical exercises. Available in English, German, Spanish, French, and Japanese. The broadest of the free methodology certifications and the one that added an AI lesson.
Key Topics to Master:
- Digital marketing fundamentals, 26 minutes
- Consumer behaviour and psychology in digital spaces, 29 minutes
- Building ethical digital marketing strategies, 14 minutes
- Creating a digital presence with ads and social media, 32 minutes
- Creating a digital presence with content marketing and SEO, 20 minutes
- AI as a strategic advantage in digital marketing, 37 minutes, the longest lesson in the course
12 lessons, 31 videos, 9 quizzes, 1 practical exercise, 3 hours 59 minutes. The practical exercise means the badge is not awarded by the exam alone, so plan for the grading turnaround as well as the exam.
Key Topics to Master:
- Segmentation and contact management, 24 minutes
- Permissions and deliverability, 30 minutes
- Personalisation and automation, 19 minutes
- Design in email marketing, 27 minutes
- Maximising the impact of copy, 34 minutes, the longest lesson in the course
- Analysing marketing emails and improving them through testing, 36 minutes across two lessons
7 lessons, 22 videos, 5 quizzes, 3 hours 6 minutes, no practical exercises. Available in English, German, Spanish, French, and Japanese. Built around the four phases of identify, connect, explore, and advise.
Key Topics to Master:
- Inbound sales fundamentals, 26 minutes
- Prioritising active buyers over passive buyers, 37 minutes
- Earning the attention of the empowered buyer, 40 minutes, the longest lesson in the course
- Understanding the buyer's context, 38 minutes
- The CGP, TCI, and BA framework for exploratory calls
- Delivering personalised sales presentations, 31 minutes
12 lessons, 52 videos, 10 quizzes, 9 practical exercises, 5 hours. The critical constraint is subscription level: HubSpot states the videos, quizzes, and workbooks are free to all users, but the practical exercises need a Professional or Enterprise subscription, and the certification requires them.
Key Topics to Master:
- Understanding workflows in HubSpot, 46 minutes, the longest lesson in the course
- Creating forms in HubSpot, 42 minutes
- Exploring and segmenting the contacts database, 48 minutes across two lessons
- Creating calls-to-action and campaigns, 46 minutes across two lessons
- Understanding social media tools in HubSpot, 28 minutes
- Understanding reporting in Marketing Hub, 23 minutes
The gated part of the catalogue. HubSpot states that the HubSpot Marketing Software Certification is a prerequisite to the Agency Partner Certification because it wants partners to be able to use the software before it teaches them to sell services around it. The Solutions Partner Certification badge carries the company name rather than an individual name and is not transferable.
Key Topics to Master:
- Agency Partner Certification, gated behind the HubSpot Marketing Software Certification
- Solutions Partner Certification, offered only to HubSpot partners
- HubSpot Certified Trainer program, open by application to staff at Gold, Platinum, or Diamond tier Solutions Partners
- Trainer eligibility also requires valid Inbound Marketing, Inbound Sales, HubSpot Marketing Software, and HubSpot Sales Software certifications
- Trainers must deliver at least one in-person or online training on inbound or HubSpot every 6 months to stay certified
- Partner-specific certifications do not transfer to a non-partner account when you move your certifications to a new email address
Recommended Study Plan
- 1Create a free HubSpot account, avoiding blocked sign-up domains, which HubSpot lists as including hubspot.com, google.com, linkedin.com, facebook.com, and test.com
- 2Set your first and last name correctly in Profile and Preferences, because that is the name printed on every certificate you earn
- 3Work through all 7 lessons and 15 videos of the Inbound Certification, 2 hours 45 minutes of content
- 4Take all 4 lesson quizzes rather than skipping them, since they are the only free feedback before the exam
- 5Open the Exam panel in the course sidebar and note the time limit for that exam before starting
- 1Block three uninterrupted hours, close every other tab, and take the Inbound exam in one sitting
- 2Click Email me my exam breakdown on the result screen whether you passed or failed
- 3If you failed, use the 12-hour lockout to work the incorrect group from the breakdown, then retake
- 4Add the badge to LinkedIn using the Add to profile link, and save the embed code HubSpot supplies
- 5Diarise the expiry: two years for a methodology certification, one year for a product or software one
- 1Work the 10 lessons and 30 videos, 3 hours 24 minutes of content
- 2Spend extra time on the 37-minute AI lesson, the longest and newest in the course
- 3Take all 8 lesson quizzes
- 4Note the overlap with Inbound: buyer behaviour, personas, and the customer journey repeat across both
- 5If English is not your strongest language, check the course page language list, which includes German, Spanish, French, and Japanese for this certification
- 1Take the exam in a single uninterrupted sitting inside the three-hour window
- 2Request the breakdown and file it, since HubSpot never releases the answers themselves
- 3Compare the breakdown against the lesson list to find which lesson each weak area came from
- 4Retake after the 12-hour lockout if needed; retakes are unlimited and only the latest score is shown
- 5Update your LinkedIn profile with the second badge
- 1Decide between Inbound Sales (7 lessons, 22 videos, 5 quizzes, 3 hours 6 minutes) and Email Marketing (12 lessons, 31 videos, 9 quizzes, 1 practical exercise, 3 hours 59 minutes)
- 2If you pick Email Marketing, check now whether you can complete the practical exercise in your HubSpot account
- 3Work the first half of the chosen course
- 4For Inbound Sales, learn the four phases of identify, connect, explore, and advise as a spine for the scenarios
- 5For Email Marketing, treat the 30-minute permissions and deliverability lesson as the highest-risk material
- 1Complete the remaining lessons and all quizzes
- 2For Inbound Sales, work through the CGP, TCI, and BA framework until you can apply it to an unseen scenario
- 3Sit the exam in one sitting
- 4For Email Marketing, submit the practical exercise immediately after passing rather than waiting
- 5Check exercise grading status in your HubSpot account, allowing 5 to 7 business days for manual grading
- 1Confirm what your HubSpot account can actually do, because the HubSpot Marketing Hub Software certification needs a Professional or Enterprise subscription for its 9 practical exercises
- 2If you do not have that access, ask your employer or a partner agency, or plan to sit the free videos and quizzes without pursuing the badge
- 3Start the course: 12 lessons, 52 videos, 10 quizzes, 5 hours of content
- 4Work the first six lessons, through creating campaigns
- 5Do each practical exercise as its lesson finishes rather than batching them at the end
- 1Work the remaining six lessons, including the 42-minute forms lesson and the 46-minute workflows lesson
- 2Complete the buyer persona exercise, the only one HubSpot allows a team to submit jointly
- 3Complete the remaining practical exercises, remembering that each individual must submit their own work
- 4Take all 10 lesson quizzes
- 5Sit the exam once every exercise is submitted
- 1If you work at a Solutions Partner, note that HubSpot makes the HubSpot Marketing Software Certification a prerequisite to the Agency Partner Certification
- 2Check whether your agency tier qualifies for the HubSpot Certified Trainer program, which requires Gold, Platinum, or Diamond status
- 3If you are applying to be a trainer, confirm you hold valid Inbound Marketing, Inbound Sales, HubSpot Marketing Software, and HubSpot Sales Software certifications
- 4Note that the Solutions Partner Certification badge carries the company name and is not transferable to an individual
- 5Note that partner-specific certifications do not move with you if you transfer certifications to a non-partner account
- 1List every badge you now hold with its expiry: one year for product and software certifications, two years for the rest
- 2Use the Expiring Soon filter in the in-app Learning Center to confirm those dates against HubSpot's own record
- 3Set calendar reminders 30 days before each expiry, since HubSpot removes badge access once it lapses
- 4Confirm the name on every certificate matches how you present yourself professionally, and correct it through Profile and Preferences if not
- 5If you plan to move employers, transfer certifications to a personal email address while you still have access to the work one
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Best Study Resources
HubSpot Academy course catalogue
Official learning platformThe catalogue itself, browsable by role or by subscription from the My learning tab. Each course page publishes the lesson count, video count, quiz count, practical exercise count, total run time, and available languages before you enrol.
Free
Academy certifications Frequently Asked Questions (knowledge.hubspot.com)
Official knowledge base articleThe definitive rules page, carrying a last-updated date so you can tell whether the policy changed. It covers the 12-hour retake lockout, the one-sitting requirement, how scores are computed, practical exercise grading, and how to change the name on a certificate.
Free
HubSpot Certifications Help and Support (academy.hubspot.com/certification-support)
Official policy pageThe page that states the three-hour exam window, that the timer starts on the first page of questions, that retakes are unlimited with only the latest score shown, and the validity split of one year for product and software certifications against two years for everything else. It also carries the full certification terms and conditions.
Free
Certification study guides
Official study materialHubSpot points candidates at the study guide during the 12-hour lockout after a failed attempt. Use the guide together with the emailed exam breakdown rather than instead of it.
Free
Exam breakdown email
Official feedbackRequested with the Email me my exam breakdown button on the result screen. It groups questions into correct and incorrect rather than showing them in answer order, and it is the only per-question feedback HubSpot provides, since it does not release correct answers.
Free
HubSpot free tools and free CRM
Practice environmentEnough to rehearse contacts, forms, and email basics. Not enough for the HubSpot Marketing Hub Software certification, whose practical exercises HubSpot states require a Professional or Enterprise subscription.
Free
In-app Learning Center with the Expiring Soon filter
Official tracking toolFilters your certifications by approaching expiry so you can renew before a badge lapses. Because HubSpot expires badges one year from the end of the month following the grant month for most product certifications, this is more reliable than counting twelve months yourself.
Free
HubSpot Community certification discussion board
Official forumThe board HubSpot directs certification questions to, and where Academy staff answer directly. Useful for confirming whether a course has been retired, which happens: the Inbound Marketing Certification Course now shows a retired notice.
Free
HubSpot Education Partner Program knowledge base
Official programme documentationFor university and college instructors bringing HubSpot into a course, with its own knowledge base at help.hubspotedu.com covering free software, resources, and support for classroom use.
Free
HubSpot content usage guidelines
Official termsRead before writing about a certification or reusing its badge. HubSpot prohibits altering badges, forbids company or agency names on individual badges, forbids selling Academy content, and asks that you never publish specific exam questions or answers.
Free
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Assuming every HubSpot certification is genuinely free
The courses are, but not every badge is. The HubSpot Marketing Hub Software certification page states that the videos, quizzes, and workbooks are free to all users while the practical exercises require a Professional or Enterprise subscription, and the certification requires those exercises. Check the practical exercise count on the course page before you invest five hours.
Starting the exam and then leaving the page
HubSpot states that the exam must be finished in one sitting and that closing or leaving the page locks you out for 12 hours. The timer keeps running while you are away, and running past three hours fails the attempt. Close other tabs, silence notifications, and treat it as a fixed block.
Passing the exam and never submitting the practical exercises
The badge is not awarded until the exercises are graded. HubSpot states that your exam result lasts only as long as the badge would have lasted, so letting it expire means retaking the exam too. Submit exercises immediately and allow 5 to 7 business days for anything graded manually.
Studying for the retired Inbound Marketing Certification
The Inbound Marketing Certification Course page now shows a retired notice. The current foundational certification is the Inbound Certification, 7 lessons and 2 hours 45 minutes. Older study guides and third-party summaries frequently still describe the retired course.
Sitting a certification under the wrong name
The certificate prints the name on your HubSpot profile, not a name you type at exam time. Fix it in Profile and Preferences before you sit, then recheck the certificate from the Completed list in My learning. The one exception is the Solutions Partner Certification, whose badge carries the company name and is not transferable.
Leaving certifications on a work email address you are about to lose
HubSpot lets you transfer certifications to a new email address, but only if you have access to both addresses; otherwise you must contact support. Partner-specific certifications will not transfer into a non-partner account at all. Move them before you leave the employer.
Treating all badges as having the same shelf life
HubSpot states that certifications for HubSpot products and software last one year while all others last two, and its terms add that badges expire one year from the end of the month following the grant month unless otherwise specified. Use the Expiring Soon filter in the in-app Learning Center rather than counting months from the date you passed.
Expecting to see which questions you got wrong in order
HubSpot sends a breakdown grouped into correct and incorrect, not in the order you answered, and it never releases the correct answers. Request the breakdown on the result screen, then map each incorrect item back to a lesson yourself.
Trying to share practical exercise work across a team
HubSpot requires each person to submit their own completed exercises and test for grading, even when several users share one HubSpot account. The buyer persona exercise in the HubSpot Marketing Software Certification is the only current exercise that can be submitted as a team.
Recertifying by taking the exam without checking what changed
HubSpot allows you to take the exam again without going through the content, but states that it updates course content annually or biannually and recommends reviewing. A year-old memory of a HubSpot tool is the most common source of a failed renewal, because the software changes faster than the methodology does.
Exam Day Tips
- 1
Open the Exam panel at the bottom of the course sidebar first. HubSpot documents it as showing the time limit for that specific exam. The question count is not published anywhere and does not appear until the exam opens, so budget against the clock rather than against a count.
- 2
Block three uninterrupted hours. HubSpot states you have three hours to complete the exam and that the timer starts as soon as you view the first page of questions.
- 3
Finish in one sitting. Closing or leaving the exam page locks you out for 12 hours, and there is no way for HubSpot support to unlock it early.
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Use a stable connection and a browser you have already tested on Academy video content. If videos will not play, HubSpot suggests whitelisting anything from app.hubspot.com/learning-center before you sit the exam.
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There is no proctor, no webcam check, and no ID requirement, so the practical risk is technical rather than procedural. Disable auto-updates and screen savers rather than worrying about identity verification.
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Answer every question. Scores are correct answers divided by total questions, so a blank scores the same as a wrong answer and a guess is free.
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Do not go hunting through the HubSpot product mid-exam if it means navigating away from the exam page. HubSpot warns that leaving can end the attempt.
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Click Email me my exam breakdown on the result screen, whether you passed or failed. It is the only feedback available and you cannot request it later from a fresh attempt.
- 9
If you fail, treat the 12-hour lockout as the study window HubSpot intends it to be: it explicitly suggests using that time to study the content and read the study guide.
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After passing, grab the embed code HubSpot gives you and use the Add to profile link for LinkedIn straight away, then set a renewal reminder for one or two years out depending on the certification type.
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If your certification includes practical exercises, submit them the same day. Manual grading takes 5 to 7 business days and the exam result expires on the same clock as the badge.
Career Paths & Salary Ranges
Public relations or content specialist
The Digital Marketing and Email Marketing certifications map directly onto this work, covering content marketing, SEO, social media, copy, and design. BLS lists a bachelor's degree as typical entry-level education and projects 5 percent growth from 2024 to 2034.
$69,780 median in 2024, per the US Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook
Sales development representative
The Inbound Sales Certification is built for this role: identify, connect, explore, and advise, plus the CGP, TCI, and BA exploratory-call framework across 3 hours 6 minutes of content.
$74,100 median for wholesale and manufacturing sales representatives in 2024, per the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
Marketing coordinator or specialist
The most common entry point, and the one where a stack of free badges does the most work on a CV with little experience behind it. The HubSpot Marketing Hub Software certification matters more here than the methodology ones, because the job involves operating the tool.
$76,950 median for market research analysts in 2024, per the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
Agency consultant at a HubSpot Solutions Partner
This is where HubSpot's own gating applies. HubSpot requires the HubSpot Marketing Software Certification before the Agency Partner Certification, and reserves the Solutions Partner Certification and the Certified Trainer program for partner staff, with trainer applicants needing Gold, Platinum, or Diamond tier employment.
$101,190 median for management analysts in 2024, per the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
Marketing manager
At this level the certifications are a hiring signal rather than a qualification, and the ones that carry weight are the software certifications that prove you can run the platform your team lives in. BLS projects 6 percent growth from 2024 to 2034.
$159,660 median for advertising, promotions, and marketing managers in 2024, per the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
Prerequisites & Requirements
- None for the open catalogue. HubSpot Academy is publicly available to everyone, and an account is free with no credit card required.
- A HubSpot account created with an email address and a company name and URL. HubSpot does not validate the company name or URL, so any values work, but some domains are refused at sign-up, including hubspot.com, google.com, linkedin.com, facebook.com, and test.com.
- A browser that can play HubSpot Academy video. If your network blocks it, HubSpot recommends whitelisting anything from app.hubspot.com/learning-center.
- For certifications with practical exercises, access to a HubSpot account you can work in. The HubSpot Marketing Hub Software certification specifically requires a Professional or Enterprise subscription to complete its 9 practical exercises.
- For the Agency Partner Certification, the HubSpot Marketing Software Certification is a stated prerequisite.
- For the HubSpot Certified Trainer program, employment at a Gold, Platinum, or Diamond tier HubSpot Solutions Partner plus valid Inbound Marketing, Inbound Sales, HubSpot Marketing Software, and HubSpot Sales Software certifications, an accepted application, and a pass in the HubSpot Trainer Certification.
- No proctoring, identification document, test centre booking, or scheduled sitting is required for any HubSpot Academy exam.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are HubSpot certifications really free?
The courses and exams are. HubSpot states that creating an Academy account is 100 percent free with no credit card needed, and there is no exam fee and no retake fee. The exception is certifications that require practical exercises inside the product: the HubSpot Marketing Hub Software certification page states that its videos, quizzes, and workbooks are free to all users, but that the practical exercises need a Professional or Enterprise subscription, and the badge requires them.
How soon can I retake a failed exam?
12 hours after the previous attempt. HubSpot applies the same 12-hour lockout whether you failed on score, ran out of time, or closed the exam page, and states it cannot unlock the exam early. It recommends using that window to study the content and read the study guide.
How many times can I retake an exam?
As many times as you wish. HubSpot states there is no limit and that only your most recent score is displayed, so an earlier failure does not sit on your record. Each attempt still triggers the 12-hour lockout.
What does a retake cost?
Nothing. HubSpot charges no fee for any Academy certification exam or retake. Its terms do reserve the right to change access, add prerequisites, discontinue certifications, or start charging a fee at any time, so the free position is a current policy rather than a permanent guarantee.
What is the passing score?
HubSpot does not publish one figure for the whole catalogue. It states only that scores are determined automatically by its grading software, which divides your correct answers by the number of questions. No threshold is published on any public HubSpot page, so percentages quoted on third-party sites are not sourced from HubSpot.
How long is the exam and how many questions does it have?
HubSpot's certification support page states you have three hours to complete an exam, with the timer starting when you view the first page of questions. It does not publish question counts anywhere. What it does document is the Exam panel at the bottom of the course's left sidebar, which shows the time limit for that particular exam once you are signed in.
Can I pause an exam and come back later?
No. HubSpot states you are required to finish the exam in one sitting, and that if the page is closed or left you will be locked out for 12 hours. You can technically navigate away, but the clock keeps running and failing to return within three hours fails the attempt.
When do I get my result?
Immediately on submission, followed by an in-app notification and an email. If you have unsubscribed from HubSpot email at some point you may not receive the message, and HubSpot publishes a route to resubscribe to certification-related email only. Practical exercises are separate: some grade automatically, others are reviewed manually within 5 to 7 business days.
Can I see which questions I got wrong?
Partly. Click Email me my exam breakdown on the result screen and HubSpot emails a section-by-section report showing which questions you answered correctly and which you did not, grouped by outcome rather than in the order you took them. HubSpot does not release the correct answers at any point, including after you pass.
How long is a HubSpot certification valid?
Certifications for HubSpot products and software are valid for one year, and all other certifications are valid for two years. HubSpot's terms add that unless otherwise specified a badge expires one year from the end of the month following the month it was granted, and that you must renew on or before that date to keep badge access.
How do I recertify, and are there continuing education credits?
There are no continuing education credits, no CE hours, and no maintenance fee. Recertifying means taking the exam again. HubSpot states that your new badge extends from the recertification date, that you must redo any required practical exercises if you have not already, and that you can take the exam without going through the content, though it recommends reviewing because content is refreshed annually or biannually.
What ID do I need?
None. HubSpot Academy exams are unproctored and taken in a browser, with no webcam check, no identity document, and no test centre. The only identity element is the name on your HubSpot profile, which is what prints on the certificate, so set it correctly before you sit.
Are the exams proctored or monitored?
No. There is no proctoring software, no screen recording, and no lockdown browser. HubSpot's controls are policy-based instead: it does not release exam questions or answers, prohibits candidates from publishing them, requires individual submission of practical exercises, and will not disclose your performance to anyone else without your permission.
Can I use notes or have HubSpot open during the exam?
HubSpot publishes no rule banning notes, and the exam is unproctored. The practical constraint is the mechanism rather than the policy: HubSpot warns that leaving the exam page can end the attempt and that the three-hour timer does not stop, so anything that pulls you away from the tab is a real risk.
Are accommodations available?
HubSpot does not publish a formal accommodations process for Academy certifications, which is unsurprising for an unproctored self-scheduled online exam with a three-hour limit and unlimited free retakes. If you need something beyond that, the route HubSpot publishes for certification questions is its Community discussion board or HubSpot Support.
Which certification should I start with?
The Inbound Certification, 7 lessons and 2 hours 45 minutes, because it carries the flywheel model, company purpose, buyer personas, and the buyer's journey that later certifications assume. Note that the separate Inbound Marketing Certification Course has been retired, so a study guide naming it is out of date.
How does the Inbound Certification differ from the HubSpot Marketing Hub Software certification?
One teaches a methodology and one teaches a product. Inbound is 7 lessons, 15 videos, 4 quizzes, and 2 hours 45 minutes with no practical exercises, and its badge lasts two years. HubSpot Marketing Hub Software is 12 lessons, 52 videos, 10 quizzes, 9 practical exercises, and 5 hours, needs a Professional or Enterprise subscription for the exercises, and its badge lasts one year because it is a product certification.
Do I need to use HubSpot software to get certified?
Not for the methodology certifications. Inbound, Digital Marketing, and Inbound Sales list no practical exercises, so the exam alone earns the badge. The software certifications are different, and the Marketing Hub one explicitly requires a Professional or Enterprise subscription for its exercises.
Can my team submit one set of practical exercises?
No, with one exception. HubSpot states that each person must submit their own completed exercises and test for grading, even when several users share one HubSpot account, because the badge is awarded to an individual. The buyer persona exercise in the HubSpot Marketing Software Certification is the only current exercise that can be submitted as a team.
What if I have multiple HubSpot accounts?
If you access several portals with the same email address, HubSpot says you can complete the practical exercises in whichever account you prefer, as long as you are logged in as the same user who takes the exam. Exercises are tied to your login and profile rather than to a specific portal.
How do I move my certifications to a different email address?
Through the My team tab in the Academy, provided you have access to both the old and the new address; otherwise you must contact HubSpot support. Some certifications will not move: HubSpot states that partner-specific certifications will not transfer from a Solutions Partner account into a non-partner account.
What is the pass rate?
HubSpot publishes no pass rate for any certification. It publishes course structure, the retake policy, the scoring method, and validity periods, but no outcome statistics. Any pass-rate percentage attached to HubSpot certifications does not come from HubSpot.
How many people hold HubSpot certifications?
HubSpot cites 200,000 or more professionals on its certification overview and individual course pages, and over 250,000 HubSpot Academy certified professionals in the Why learn with Academy panel on the same course pages. It does not break the figure down by certification, region, or year.
Success Stories
“Started with Inbound and kept going. The free certifications helped me land my current role. Employers recognize HubSpot training.”
Jessica H.
Marketing Manager
“Required my team to complete certifications. The training improved our service quality. Being a certified partner brings credibility with clients.”
Tom R.
Agency Owner
“Coming from a different field, HubSpot certifications gave me marketing credentials for free. Combined with portfolio work, they helped me transition into marketing.”
Michelle K.
Career Changer
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