Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you when you purchase through our links. All opinions are our own and are not influenced by affiliate partnerships.
Why Teams Are Leaving HubSpot in 2026
HubSpot's free CRM is excellent, but scaling to Professional and Enterprise tiers reveals steep pricing. Marketing Hub Professional costs $890/month, and adding Sales Hub Professional adds another $450/month. Marketing contacts pricing means you pay more as your list grows, even for contacts who never convert.
Teams that only need CRM and basic marketing automation can find comparable functionality at 40-70% lower cost from platforms like Pipedrive, ActiveCampaign, or Zoho.
Migration Timeline
Step 1: Export Contacts and Deals
Export contacts
- Go to Contacts > Contacts
- Click "Actions" > "Export"
- Choose "All properties" to get complete data
- Select CSV or Excel format
- HubSpot emails you the download link
Export deals
- Go to Sales > Deals
- Click "Actions" > "Export"
- Include all deal properties (stage, amount, close date, associated contacts)
- Export companies separately: Companies > Actions > Export
Important: Also export your email marketing lists, form submissions, and any CMS content (landing pages, blog posts) by copying HTML source code.
Step 2: Document Workflows and Sequences
Capture your automation logic
- Workflows - Screenshot each workflow. Note triggers, delays, and actions
- Sequences - Copy email templates, timing, and task steps
- Lead scoring - Document all scoring criteria and thresholds
- Chatbots - Map conversation flows and routing rules
- Reports - Export or screenshot custom dashboards and reports
Step 3: Choose Your New Platform
Pipedrive Best for Sales
Pipedrive focuses on sales pipeline management with a visual interface that sales reps love. At $49/user/month for Professional, it includes AI sales assistant, workflow automation, and revenue forecasting.
- Migration time: 1-2 weeks
- Cost savings: 50-70% vs HubSpot Professional
- Import: CSV import with field mapping
ActiveCampaign Best Marketing Automation
ActiveCampaign provides the closest match to HubSpot's marketing automation at a fraction of the cost. Visual automation builder, lead scoring, CRM, and email marketing in one platform starting at $49/month.
- Migration time: 2-3 weeks
- Cost savings: 60-80% vs HubSpot Marketing Professional
- Import: HubSpot migration tool + CSV
Zoho CRM Plus Best All-in-One
Zoho CRM Plus bundles CRM, marketing automation, helpdesk, analytics, and social media management for $57/user/month. It is the closest all-in-one HubSpot replacement at a fraction of the cost.
- Migration time: 2-4 weeks
- Cost savings: 65-80% vs HubSpot CRM Suite
- Import: CRM migration tool + CSV + API
Cost Comparison: HubSpot vs Alternatives
| Platform | CRM + Marketing | 10-User Annual Cost | Savings vs HubSpot |
|---|---|---|---|
| HubSpot Professional | $1,340/mo | $16,080/yr | - |
| Pipedrive Pro + Campaigns | $590/mo | $7,080/yr | $9,000/yr (56%) |
| ActiveCampaign Plus | $149/mo | $1,788/yr | $14,292/yr (89%) |
| Zoho CRM Plus | $570/mo | $6,840/yr | $9,240/yr (57%) |
| Freshsales Suite Pro | $390/mo | $4,680/yr | $11,400/yr (71%) |
Ready to switch? Start a free trial and import a test batch of contacts before committing.
See All HubSpot AlternativesFrequently Asked Questions
How do I export contacts from HubSpot?
Go to Contacts > select all > Export. HubSpot exports to CSV or Excel with all properties including lifecycle stage, lead score, and custom fields. You can also use the HubSpot API for larger datasets.
Can I export my HubSpot email templates and sequences?
Email templates can be exported by copying HTML content manually. Sequences and workflows cannot be directly exported - document the logic, timing, and content of each before migrating.
Will I lose my website and landing pages?
HubSpot CMS content is tied to the platform. Export page content as HTML and rebuild on your new CMS. Download all images and files from the file manager before canceling.
What is cheaper than HubSpot Professional?
Pipedrive Pro at $49/user/month, Zoho CRM Enterprise at $40/user/month, and ActiveCampaign Plus at $49/month all offer comparable CRM and marketing features at 40-60% lower cost than HubSpot Professional.
How long does HubSpot migration take?
Contact and deal migration takes 3-7 days. Rebuilding marketing workflows and email sequences adds 1-3 weeks. Full migration including CMS content and integrations typically takes 4-8 weeks.