Surfer SEO

AI-powered SEO content optimisation platform for data-driven content teams

HubSpot

AI-powered CRM platform for marketing, sales, and customer service

Surfer SEO

Moderate

14/25

HubSpot

Moderate

16/25

Score Breakdown

DimensionSurfer SEOHubSpot

Data Residency

Where is your data stored and processed?

Surfer SEO: Hosted on GCP EU region; processes public web content and user-authored text; no PII in core workflow

HubSpot: EU data hosting on AWS EU is available for Professional and Enterprise tiers but requires explicit configuration.

3/5

Hosted on GCP EU region; processes public web content and user-authored text; no PII in core workflow

3/5

EU data hosting on AWS EU is available for Professional and Enterprise tiers but requires explicit configuration.

Legal Jurisdiction

Which laws govern the company and your data?

Surfer SEO: Polish company incorporated in EU; subject to GDPR as data controller; no CLOUD Act exposure

HubSpot: US-incorporated public company on the NYSE, subject to CLOUD Act, with SCCs available for EU data transfers.

4/5

Polish company incorporated in EU; subject to GDPR as data controller; no CLOUD Act exposure

2/5

US-incorporated public company on the NYSE, subject to CLOUD Act, with SCCs available for EU data transfers.

Data Retention & Training

Is your data used for model training?

Surfer SEO: User content processed for scoring; not retained for model training; account data managed under GDPR

HubSpot: Does not train AI models on customer CRM data; configurable data retention and deletion controls are available.

4/5

User content processed for scoring; not retained for model training; account data managed under GDPR

4/5

Does not train AI models on customer CRM data; configurable data retention and deletion controls are available.

Certifications

ISO 27001, SOC 2, Cyber Essentials, etc.

Surfer SEO: No publicly disclosed security certifications; GDPR-compliant privacy policy in place

HubSpot: Holds both SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001, with a detailed sub-processor list and DPA available for all customers.

1/5

No publicly disclosed security certifications; GDPR-compliant privacy policy in place

4/5

Holds both SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001, with a detailed sub-processor list and DPA available for all customers.

Regulatory Fit

Suitability for regulated industries and professional services

Surfer SEO: Suitable for standard content and marketing teams; not designed for regulated industry compliance requirements

HubSpot: Adequate for most EU businesses when EU hosting is confirmed and DPA signed; regulated sectors should validate sub-processors.

2/5

Suitable for standard content and marketing teams; not designed for regulated industry compliance requirements

3/5

Adequate for most EU businesses when EU hosting is confirmed and DPA signed; regulated sectors should validate sub-processors.

Total Score

14/25

16/25

Best For

Surfer SEO

Best for privacy-conscious teams who need strong data retention controls; teams on a tight budget; enterprises requiring SSO integration.

HubSpot

Best for teams prioritising European legal jurisdiction; privacy-conscious teams who need strong data retention controls.

Detailed Comparison

HubSpot vs Surfer SEO: Trust & Compliance Comparison

HubSpot (HubSpot, US) scores 16/25 overall with a Bronze (Moderate) trust badge. AI-powered CRM platform for marketing, sales, and customer service. Surfer SEO (Surfer SEO, PL) scores 14/25 with a Bronze (Moderate) trust badge. AI-powered SEO content optimisation platform for data-driven content teams.

Dimension-by-Dimension Breakdown

#### Data Residency

Both score equally at 3/5.

●HubSpot (3/5): EU data hosting on AWS EU is available for Professional and Enterprise tiers but requires explicit configuration.

●Surfer SEO (3/5): Hosted on GCP EU region; processes public web content and user-authored text; no PII in core workflow

#### Legal Jurisdiction

Surfer SEO leads with 4/5 vs 2/5.

●HubSpot (2/5): US-incorporated public company on the NYSE, subject to CLOUD Act, with SCCs available for EU data transfers.

●Surfer SEO (4/5): Polish company incorporated in EU; subject to GDPR as data controller; no CLOUD Act exposure

#### Data Retention & Training

Both score equally at 4/5.

●HubSpot (4/5): Does not train AI models on customer CRM data; configurable data retention and deletion controls are available.

●Surfer SEO (4/5): User content processed for scoring; not retained for model training; account data managed under GDPR

#### Certifications

HubSpot leads with 4/5 vs 1/5.

●HubSpot (4/5): Holds both SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001, with a detailed sub-processor list and DPA available for all customers.

●Surfer SEO (1/5): No publicly disclosed security certifications; GDPR-compliant privacy policy in place

#### Regulatory Fit

HubSpot leads with 3/5 vs 2/5.

●HubSpot (3/5): Adequate for most EU businesses when EU hosting is confirmed and DPA signed; regulated sectors should validate sub-processors.

●Surfer SEO (2/5): Suitable for standard content and marketing teams; not designed for regulated industry compliance requirements

Certifications at a Glance

Certification	HubSpot	Surfer SEO
ISO 27001	Yes	No
SOC 2 Type II	Yes	No

Overall Verdict

HubSpot has a clear trust advantage, scoring 16/25 compared to Surfer SEO's 14/25. HubSpot particularly excels in certifications, regulatory fit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for EU compliance, Surfer SEO or HubSpot?

Surfer SEO has a TrustKit score of 14/25 while HubSpot scores 16/25. HubSpot currently rates higher across data residency, legal jurisdiction, data retention, certifications, and regulatory fit.

How do Surfer SEO and HubSpot compare on data residency?

Surfer SEO scores 3/5 for data residency (Hosted on GCP EU region; processes public web content and user-authored text; no PII in core workflow), while HubSpot scores 3/5 (EU data hosting on AWS EU is available for Professional and Enterprise tiers but requires explicit configuration.).

Are Surfer SEO and HubSpot GDPR compliant?

Both tools are assessed across five compliance dimensions. Surfer SEO has a regulatory fit score of 2/5 and HubSpot scores 3/5. Check the full comparison above for a detailed breakdown.

Explore Each Tool