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HubSpot vs. Zoho

If you’re considering HubSpot CRM and Zoho but are struggling to choose between them, you’ve come to the right place. Both CRMs offer significant benefits to users — that’s why we’re breaking down the pros and cons of each platform. Plus, we’ll see how they compare based on several critical aspects of a great CRM. Keep reading to learn more about how HubSpot and Zoho compare!

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HubSpot CRM and Zoho comparison

Every business needs a quality customer relationship management (CRM) platform to help streamline their workflows and better understand their audience. With so many different CRM options available, it can be challenging to choose the right one. Two platforms that stand out are HubSpot and Zoho. Both are great tools for streamlining workflows, but of course, you can only choose one.

So, in the battle of HubSpot CRM vs. Zoho, which one is better? That’s the question we’re answering today, so stay tuned to learn about the pros, cons, and key attributes of both!

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HubSpot pros


HubSpot is one of the top CRMs on the market for a reason — a few reasons, actually. Some of the pros of HubSpot CRM include:

  • Reporting: HubSpot has excellent reporting capabilities that include numerous customization options and over 90 prebuilt reports within its dashboard.
  • Sales automation: Like its reporting, HubSpot’s sales automation tools offer many customization options to create personalized workflows.
  • Integration options: With over 1000+ integration options, HubSpot is a great CRM choice for those with customer data from other apps they want to transfer over.
a positive review of hubspot sales crm

HubSpot cons

HubSpot also comes with cons that you shouldn’t overlook. Here are some of the platform’s downsides:

  • User experience: HubSpot’s interface can be tricky to navigate and get comfortable with, especially if you’re not familiar with CRM software.
  • Pricing: Though HubSpot has different paid plans, it can get pretty expensive if you want to access all of the platform’s features.
  • Pipeline management: Because HubSpot’s user interface is slightly challenging to navigate, it also makes tracking and managing leads in your pipeline difficult.
a negative review of hubspot sales crm

Zoho pros

As another top CRM option, Zoho has its share of advantages:

  • In-depth reporting: Zoho offers detailed reporting capabilities that provide in-depth insights into your CRM and customer activity.
  • Pricing: Zoho’s pricing is affordable and flexible, with plans based on how you want to pay (annually or monthly) and a free plan with basic CRM features.
  • Deal creation: Another advantage of Zoho is its deal creation tools. Zoho makes it easy to create, follow up, and track the progress of those deals.
customer's text response sharing what they like about LACRM Zoho One

Zoho cons

Zoho also comes with its fair share of disadvantages:

  • Learning curve: Like HubSpot, Zoho’s user interface is tricky and comes with a steep learning curve that takes a significant amount of time to overcome. This can lead to a delay in driving results.
  • Customer service: Zoho doesn’t have the best customer service. Many customers have reported slow response times from agents and general unhelpfulness.
  • Integration options: Zoho only offers a handful of integrations, and none are available with the free plan.
customer's text response sharing what they dislike about Zoho CRM

 

HubSpot CRM vs. Zoho comparison summary

Now that we’ve explored some of the pros and cons of HubSpot and Zoho, let’s compare the two platforms on some key aspects of a good CRM.

Pricing
Contacts and data
Ease of use
Reporting
Integrations
Sales automation
$16-$79 per month
Unlimited
User-friendly, intuitive interface
Excellent reporting features, customization options included
Extensive integrations, including native, third-party, and custom options
Yes, fully customizable
Free plan available, $20–$5,000
Up to one million contacts
Poor user experience and tricky navigation
Excellent reporting features, over 90 built-in reports
1000+ app integration options (native and API)
Yes, some customization options
Free plan available, $14–$65 per month
Limited
Steep learning curve
Excellent reporting features included
Integrations offered but can be challenging to set up
Yes, some customization options

Pricing

First, let’s look at one of the key deciding factors for business when choosing a CRM: Price.

HubSpot has multiple paid plans available, but it doesn’t offer much wiggle room in price. For individuals and small teams, HubSpot offers a free plan and two paid options: $20 per month or $1,600 per month. If you’re a business or enterprise, you have options ranging from $1,600–$5,000 per month.

Meanwhile, Zoho’s pricing is more affordable, with four different plans ranging from $14–$65 per month. Plus, each plan offers a free trial for users. All in all, Zoho is the clear winner regarding price.

Ease of use

Both HubSpot and Zoho fall short regarding user-friendliness. On one hand, HubSpot’s interface is tricky to navigate and can be challenging for those unfamiliar with CRM software.

Similarly, Zoho is notorious for its steep learning curve, which takes time for new users to overcome. Their customer service isn’t the greatest, so you could feel stranded when faced with obstacles.

When debating ease of use with HubSpot and Zoho, your choice comes down to which platform you’d rather take your chances with.

Reporting

On a brighter note, detailed reporting is a key strength for both CRM platforms.

Whether you look at HubSpot or Zoho, you’ll be met with excellent reporting that’s detailed and insightful, leaving no costly gaps in your customer data profiles. HubSpot even offers 90 prebuilt reports readily available upon accessing the platform.

That said, you can’t go wrong with either CRM, but HubSpot may have a slight advantage over Zoho with the premade reports.

Integrations

Integrations are essential to any good CRM because they allow users to connect existing data to their CRM. In this category, HubSpot excels. HubSpot offers over 1000 app integrations, both native and through APIs.

Zoho offers a few built-in integrations and a marketplace with various API-powered integrations. Some of the integrations are free, while others require an additional payment. Zoho’s integrations can also be tricky to set up.

If integration options is one of your priorities, you’re likely better off with HubSpot.

Sales automation

Both HubSpot and Zoho offer sales automation tools that bring a little something for everyone.

HubSpot’s sales automation tools include a workflow builder and various premade workflow options, complete with customization options for increased personalization and efficiency.

Similarly, Zoho has excellent sales automation tools to help you customize your workflows. This includes Zia, Zoho’s artificial intelligence (AI) tool, which can recommend specific workflow automation based on your team’s activity.

HubSpot CRM vs. Zoho: Which is better?

Now that we’ve broken down the pros, cons, and key aspects of each platform, we arrive back at our original question: In the battle of HubSpot vs. Zoho, which one is better?

Both HubSpot and Zoho are great CRMs in their own right, but the one that’s best for you depends on your CRM needs and preferences. If your priorities revolve around pricing and sales automation, you’re better off choosing Zoho. Then again, if you’re more focused on finding a CRM that offers many integration options and detailed reporting capabilities, HubSpot is your prime candidate.

Then again, it’s possible that neither of these CRM platforms is right for your business. If that’s the case, no harm done — choosing a CRM is all about considering your business’s needs when making your choice.

Try Nutshell—the top alternative to HubSpot and Zoho

If you finished reading all this and concluded that neither HubSpot nor Zoho suits your business, don’t panic. Nutshell is a leading alternative that features the best aspects of both CRMs.

From integration options to a user-friendly interface, Nutshell gives you access to everything you need in a CRM with no hassle, all at an affordable price. Want to check out Nutshell for yourself? Get cracking today by starting a 14-day free trial!

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