Switching from Zoho to HubSpot is more than just a software upgrade—it’s a strategic decision that can unlock powerful automation, better sales/marketing alignment, and scalable growth. Whether you're already planning the move or wondering if it's the right time, this guide breaks down:
Why businesses migrate from Zoho
Zoho’s most common limitations
What to expect in the migration process
Key steps in data mapping
What to include in your migration scope
How long it takes
What to do after you’ve moved into HubSpot
While Zoho CRM offers flexibility and cost-efficiency, many businesses begin to outgrow it as operations expand. That’s where HubSpot comes in. Here’s why businesses make the move:
HubSpot brings marketing, sales, customer service, CMS, and automation tools into a single platform.
HubSpot’s intuitive UX improves adoption and productivity across teams.
Unlike Zoho’s limited rules-based flows, HubSpot’s Workflows allow dynamic, powerful automation across objects.
HubSpot dashboards are more customizable, visual, and interactive—great for executive reporting.
With native integrations, HubSpot plays well with most tools without needing heavy dev lift.
You might love Zoho’s modular approach—but it also creates friction. Here are the most common issues companies face:
Confusing UI/UX
Limited out-of-the-box automation
Clunky app integrations within Zoho One
Rigid reporting and dashboards
High reliance on custom scripting for flexibility
Fragmented data across modules
Migrating to HubSpot requires strategic planning, not just technical execution. Here are some key considerations:
Data Complexity: Are your fields standardized? Is your data clean?
Custom Modules: Zoho’s custom modules don’t directly map to HubSpot.
Relationship Mapping: Contacts-to-Companies or Deals-to-Contacts need accurate associations.
Email Logs and Activity History: These aren’t always fully transferrable.
Automations & Workflows: Zoho workflows don’t translate directly—plan to rebuild these in HubSpot.
Successful migration starts with accurate data mapping. Here’s how to approach it:
Catalog all Zoho modules and field structures across Leads, Contacts, Accounts, Deals, etc.
HubSpot uses 4 core objects—Contacts, Companies, Deals, Tickets. Identify where your Zoho records fit.
Set up custom fields in HubSpot for anything unique in Zoho (dropdowns, dates, IDs, etc.).
Maintain parent-child links—like Contact-to-Deal or Company-to-Deal—to ensure CRM functionality.
De-duplicate, standardize formats, and clean unnecessary data. Migrating messy data just copies problems.
Here’s a checklist of what your migration plan should cover:
Contact, Company, and Deal records
All custom fields and tags
Notes, tasks, meetings, call logs (where possible)
Workflows (recreated in HubSpot)
Lists and segments
Email templates and marketing assets
Integrations and third-party apps
User permissions and team setup
The time required depends on your data volume, number of modules, and customizations:
| Project Complexity | Timeline Estimate |
|---|---|
| Simple migration (basic CRM data, <20K records) | 1–2 weeks |
| Standard (with lists, automations, 50K–100K records) | 2–4 weeks |
| Complex (custom modules, APIs, workflows, 100K+ records) | 4–6+ weeks |
Welcome to HubSpot! But CRM success doesn’t end at data migration. Now it’s time to unlock the full value of HubSpot and ensure it powers your growth.
HubSpot uses Contacts, Companies, Deals, and Tickets as core objects. Learn how they’re structured and associated so you can build effective automation and reporting.
Every team’s use case is different. Clarify:
Who uses HubSpot?
What info do they need?
Will you host landing pages or blogs?
How will success be measured?
Set realistic, department-aligned growth goals. Your CRM should serve your strategy—not the other way around.
HubSpot supports long-term strategic growth. Use it to align teams around future milestones, recurring campaigns, and customer success metrics.
Don’t over-automate. Use workflows to reduce manual work, trigger alerts, or send key emails—but always keep human connection at the center.
Dirty data is expensive. Use HubSpot’s deduplication tools, property validations, and lifecycle tracking to keep your CRM accurate and actionable.
Leverage HubSpot Academy for training, and consider outside help if needed. Whether it’s a HubSpot Admin, consultant, or SyncMatters’ expert team, having the right support ensures HubSpot evolves with your business.
When your CRM becomes central to business operations, you’ll need someone to manage it—whether full-time or part-time. Here are your options:
| Option | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Agency | Full-service expertise | Expensive, long-term contracts |
| CRM Admin | Focused support | May lack HubSpot depth |
| HubSpot Admin Program (Trujay) | Flexible, expert-led, cost-effective | Month-to-month engagement |
With SyncMatters and Trujay’s HubSpot Admin Program, you get certified HubSpot experts without the long-term lock-in. Tier up or down as your needs change.
The migration is a one-time event. But how you implement and manage HubSpot afterward determines whether your investment leads to growth or frustration.
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