When it comes to Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software, HubSpot and Zoho stand out as two of the best and most popular choices. Each platform offers unique features, integrations, and pricing plans.
In this article, we’ll put HubSpot CRM and Zoho CRM head-to-head to help you make an informed decision.
Before we begin…
Zoho and HubSpot are both known for providing comprehensive suites of business software, but in this post, we’ll be focusing on a comparison of the CRM (Customer Relationship Management) functionality of both platforms.
They both offer free versions of their CRM software, which are great entry points for businesses looking to try without having to make a financial commitment.
Beyond the free tiers, Zoho and HubSpot offer tiered paid subscriptions and additional supporting software. These subscriptions unlock advanced features and functionalities beyond the CRM. In addition to Zoho’s CRM Plus, Zoho offers a suite of additional apps to streamline various aspects of business operations like Sales, Marketing, HR, Legal, and more through Zoho One.
On the other hand, the HubSpot CRM is the base of all of HubSpot’s six core products for marketing, sales, customer service, content management, operations, and commerce. By integrating these hubs, HubSpot aims to provide a holistic platform for businesses to manage customer interactions seamlessly across different touchpoints.
Now that we have a good understanding of how each of these CRMs are just a piece of a much larger puzzle, let’s move on with the rest of our comparison.
Here's what's covered in this article - just click to jump to the section you're most interested in:
Zoho is a cloud-based platform designed to help businesses manage their customer relationships, sales, and operations. Through a suite of applications, Zoho delivers CRM, accounting, invoicing, project management, inventory management, and more.
HubSpot is a platform with all the software, integrations, and resources you need to connect marketing, sales, web content management, and customer service. Each product in the platform is powerful on its own, but the real magic happens when you use them together.
Here are some key points to consider when comparing and contrasting HubSpot CRM and Zoho CRM:
Key points:
Both HubSpot CRM and Zoho CRM offer a range of pricing plans tailored to different business needs. As is usually the case with software products, the pricing is not quite an apples-to-apples comparison due to pricing tiers, free trials, per-user pricing, etc.
However, Zoho CRM is generally more budget-friendly, making it an attractive option for companies with concerns about pricing. Its plans start from $14 per user per month, with no long-term contracts, and have a free plan for up to three users.
HubSpot CRM’s free version includes essential features like contact, company, and deal management, as well as tasks, email, website visitor tracking, and live chat. Some of the additional functionalities such as workflows, automation, custom reports, and forecasting are available in the paid subscriptions.
While HubSpot CRM’s free version offers basic CRM functionality designed to grow with your business, businesses looking for advanced features and comprehensive CRM capabilities may find Zoho CRM a more appealing price tag.
| Edition | HubSpot CRM/Sales Hub | Zoho CRM |
|---|---|---|
| HubSpot Starter/Zoho Standard | $20/month per seat | $14 |
| HubSpot Professional/Zoho Professional | $100/month per seat | $23 |
| HubSpot Enterprise/Zoho Enterprise | $150/month per seat | $40 |
For the most accurate and up-to-date pricing, please refer to the pricing pages of Zoho and HubSpot.
Key points:
HubSpot CRM boasts a modern and polished interface, making navigation intuitive for users. Its organized layout streamlines tasks and enhances user experience.
On the other hand, Zoho CRM’s interface, while functional, is reported by users to be less modern.
Zoho provides extensive customization options, allowing users to tailor their layouts, fields, and modules to their liking. These initial customizations and set-up tasks require some initial investment of time.
HubSpot CRM has a more intuitive and user-friendly interface which makes it quick and easy to set up and customize. Plus, it helps you reduce the time it takes to onboard and addresses the learning curve for new employees, getting them up and running faster.
HubSpot CRM and Zoho CRM both offer basic contact and lead management features, such as email marketing, sales forecasting, built-in automation, and reporting.
Where they begin to differ is in the included features of the higher-priced tiers.
Zoho CRM can be combined with business applications like inventory management, Human Resources, and Accounting through the added cost of ZohoOne.
Teams in HubSpot let you organize your users into groups for organizational and reporting purposes. You can have a main team and additional sub-teams. (Learn More)
Available in HubSpot Sales Hub Professional and Enterprise subscriptions.
Collaborative ABM tools enable you to connect and unite your marketing and sales teams. Use these intuitive tools to create seamless buying experiences for your highest-value accounts. (Learn More)
Available in HubSpot Sales Hub Professional and Enterprise subscriptions.
Use this tool to transcribe and analyze your sales meetings, enabling you to coach your team more effectively. (Learn More)
Available in HubSpot Sales Hub Professional and Enterprise subscriptions.
Arm your sales reps with the latest scripts, guides, and more using interactive playbooks. (Learn More)
Available in HubSpot Sales Hub Professional and Enterprise subscriptions.
One thing that really sets Zoho CRM apart from the rest is the high level of customization available with Canvas Design Studio. You can redesign the look and feel of your CRM with Canvas, a simple drag-and-drop editor.
“Create the experience you want from scratch or choose from the wide range of customized templates created by our in-house artists, from minimalist views that deliver role-critical information to industry-specific views that deliver sales data with broader industry context.” (Learn More)
Tie your sales processes and procedures, including deal closure, lead follow-up, order management, and discount processing to Zoho. With Zoho’s Blueprints, you can capture each phase of your sales processes within your CRM system and implement them methodically. (Learn More)
Key Points:
Both HubSpot CRM and Zoho CRM offer support via email, phone, online chat, and online resources depending on your level of subscription.
However, HubSpot boasts a more comprehensive and accessible online support system that includes the HubSpot Community, HubSpot Academy, and an extensive online KnowledgeBase.
Zoho CRM’s support system relies primarily on online chat and ticketing. Some users report support is limited and less responsive.
Key Points
Both HubSpot and Zoho offer extensive marketplaces to integrate and connect additional applications such as Google Workspace, Slack, Shopify, and more. HubSpot boasts 1,000+ integrations, while Zoho has an impressive 800+. Although pretty close in terms of the size of integration marketplaces, it’s worth taking the time to think about your CRM implementation and the integrations you’ll need. By knowing this, you can do your research and make sure the integrations you need are available with the CRM you choose.
HubSpot’s platform seamlessly integrates with other HubSpot products to enhance both marketing and operational capabilities.
Zoho CRM differs from HubSpot in that it offers a broader suite of integrated apps. Applications cover a range of business functions from project management, to HR, to legal – all available with ZohoOne.
In summary, Zoho CRM is a budget-friendly option focused on a holistic suite of integrated business apps. HubSpot CRM provides a similar connected and integrated suite of Hubs focused on driving business growth.
When deciding between HubSpot CRM and Zoho CRM, it’s essential to consider your business priorities, customization requirements, and budget constraints. Zoho CRM stands out for its extensive customization options and affordability, while HubSpot CRM offers a modern interface, robust integrations, and premium support services. To make an informed decision, thoroughly explore both platforms and assess how well they align with your specific needs.
Both are designed to provide a single source of truth integrated with additional apps to manage additional aspects of your business. That’s key in a CRM.
At Growth Spurt, we’re big fans of HubSpot. They’ve focused the core of their software on revenue and operations. So, instead of over 40+ different apps in their product suite like Zoho, HubSpot has distilled it down to 6 core Hubs including, Sales Hub, Marketing Hub, CMS Hub, Operations Hub, Commerce Hub, and Service Hub. Each of these Hubs has been (and continues to be) pushed to the limits by HubSpot. They are constantly improving and adding new features to the software. That’s a big part of why we choose HubSpot.
Choosing a cheaper option can be a smart move for your business, especially when budget constraints are a concern in the short term. Sometimes, a lower price aligns perfectly with your current needs and resources.
However, it’s important to recognize that in the long run, you often get what you pay for. While opting for more affordable solutions might offer immediate benefits, investing in a platform like HubSpot is a long-term investment in your business’s growth and success.
HubSpot CRM is great, but don't just take our word for it - Here's what users think of HubSpot CRM