Lead scoring has always been a cornerstone of effective marketing operations. The ability to qualify leads based on behavioral and demographic attributes directly impacts sales efficiency and overall pipeline health. For HubSpot users, one common debate resurfaces often: should you rely on HubSpot’s built-in lead scoring model, or continue building custom workflows and lists to manage scoring?
From our perspective at RightWave, the answer isn’t binary—it depends on your goals, data structure, and how mature your marketing operations stack is. But recent updates to HubSpot’s lead scoring functionality have made it a much stronger contender than in years past.
What’s Improved in HubSpot’s Native Lead Scoring
Historically, HubSpot’s lead scoring model lacked flexibility, leading many RevOps and MOPS teams to build parallel scoring systems using workflows and lists. That meant more time spent managing operational overhead rather than analyzing and refining the scoring strategy.
The newer system addresses several pain points:
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Score Degradation: You can now easily design models where engagement scores decrease as activity ages. This prevents stale leads from staying at the top of your funnel indefinitely.
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Attribute Capping: The ability to cap scores for certain actions or groups ensures that one type of engagement (e.g., email clicks) doesn’t artificially inflate a lead’s overall score.
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Cleaner Setup: Teams can configure more comprehensive scoring logic without relying on complex workflows, simplifying governance.
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Product Updates: HubSpot continues to release new features regularly, making it a platform worth revisiting if you dismissed its lead scoring in the past.
Limitations to Keep in Mind
While improved, the built-in model isn’t without drawbacks. For example, the number of scoring properties available depends on your Hub level. Some organizations may find the limits restrictive unless they upgrade to Marketing Enterprise. Additionally, highly customized scoring models that depend on niche engagement triggers may still require lists or workflows to supplement HubSpot’s native scoring.
Best Practice: Start with Strategy, Not the Tool
Regardless of which method you choose, the real key is clarity of purpose. Before building a scoring model, ask:
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What does a sales-ready lead look like in your business?
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Which behaviors strongly indicate buying intent versus casual engagement?
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How should scores degrade over time if engagement stops?
Once these answers are mapped, you can evaluate whether HubSpot’s built-in scoring covers your needs—or whether a hybrid approach with lists and workflows still makes sense.
RightWave’s Take
At RightWave, we’ve seen that HubSpot’s latest lead scoring features reduce complexity for many clients, especially those who struggled with workflow sprawl. For mid-market B2B companies looking to tighten sales alignment and improve reporting accuracy, the built-in model is often “good enough” and a smart first step. Larger enterprises with more nuanced buying cycles may continue blending native scoring with custom workflows until HubSpot expands its flexibility further.
The important thing isn’t the method—it’s whether your scoring model helps sales teams prioritize effectively, drives pipeline velocity, and continuously adapts to real buyer behavior.
