Key takeaways
If you’re looking for a customer relationship management (CRM) software that can do everything under the Sun, Zoho and HubSpot both more than fit the bill. Many companies narrow their final CRM selection to these two contenders because of their comprehensive nature and wealth of plans and pricing options.
Both HubSpot and Zoho CRM offer lead management, automation, and reporting and analytics as well as advanced tools such as AI assistants and predictive forecasting. And since they offer many similar CRM features, it can be tough to choose between the two CRM platforms.
In this guide, we’ll compare them to each other and dive deep into these essential features to help you make the right choice for your business and customer relations.
Also read: 5 Best Free CRM Software of 2024
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Zoho CRM
Overall Score
4.5/5
Pricing
4.2/5
General features and interface
4.3/5
Core features
4.8/5
Advanced features
4.4/5
Integration and compatibility
5/5
UX
4.3/5
Pros
- Affordable pricing plans
- Extensive customization options
- Integration with other Zoho apps
- Comprehensive feature set
- Robust automation capabilities
- Scalable for SMBs
Cons
- Basic free version
- Less intuitive UI compared to HubSpot
HubSpot CRM
Overall Score
4.5/5
Pricing
4.8/5
General features and interface
4.4/5
Core features
4.5/5
Advanced features
3.8/5
Integration and compatibility
4.8/5
UX
4.8/5
Pros
- Visual Dashboard
- Free plan with essential features
- Integration with Marketing, Service, CMS, and Operations Hubs
- Scalable features
- Extensive training via HubSpot Academy
- Advanced analytics with customizable reports and dashboards
Cons
- Expensive upgrades
- Potential overkill for very small businesses
- Limited customization options in lower-tier plans
Zoho CRM vs. HubSpot CRM: A detailed comparison
| Feature/Aspect | Zoho CRM | HubSpot CRM |
|---|---|---|
| Free Plan | Available, limited features | Available, robust features |
| Paid Plans | Starts at $20/user/month | Starts at $20/user/month |
| Customization | Extensive | Limited in lower tiers |
| Integration | Seamless with Zoho apps | Seamless with HubSpot ecosystem |
| User Interface | Less intuitive | Highly intuitive |
| AI Capabilities | Zia AI for insights and automation | Predictive lead scoring, AI tools |
Zoho vs. HubSpot: Advantages and disadvantages comparison
On the surface, when comparing Zoho and HubSpot, it may seem as if they offer similar features—and they do. However, once you start digging deeper, you’ll realize these CRM solutions are far from identical. Keep reading to see exactly how Zoho and HubSpot compare.
What Zoho Offers
Zoho also offers a forever-free CRM software, which is one of the reasons it’s considered such a direct competitor to HubSpot. Similar to HubSpot, Zoho’s forever-free CRM offers a limited feature set that isn’t sufficient for all users.
For users who need more features, paid plans start at a reasonable $14 per person, per month for the Standard plan. If you need even more functionality, prices jump up to $23 per person per month for the Professional plan, $40 for the Zoho CRM Enterprise plan, and $52 for the Ultimate plan. In other words, even the most expensive Zoho plan costs less than half the cost of HubSpot’s Enterprise Plan for the same number of users, making it the more affordable of the two CRM solutions.
However, the tradeoff is that Zoho’s user interface (UI) is not as sophisticated as that of HubSpot, and the navigation layout isn’t as logical and intuitive. Its feature sets also aren’t as advanced as HubSpot’s when compared head-to-head; although, it does include all of the core features such as lead management, sales automation, reporting, and email marketing. For users new to CRM software, HubSpot also offers more training documentation and a more hands-on customer support package.
That said, Zoho is an excellent choice for small and growing businesses looking for a well-regarded CRM software that offers a good balance of functionality and price.
Zoho disadvantages
Zoho’s lower priced plans do come with some drawbacks. For one, Zoho’s UI does not feel as polished compared to HubSpot. Users also say the onboarding and setup process can be complicated. Some have observed that Zoho CRM feels like it’s designed more for project management than a complete sales solution, which is in keeping with its more simple approach. And Zoho’s less advanced feature sets may not be sufficient for users looking for a powerhouse CRM solution.
What HubSpot CRM offers
HubSpot is most well-known for its forever-free CRM software, but this offers limited functionality. To get the most out of the platform, you will need to upgrade to a paid plan. For the purposes of a fair comparison, we will be considering the paid versions of HubSpot, which is a more comparable platform to Zoho.
HubSpot’s CRM is included as part of its Sales Hub package, which has a reasonable starting price of $45 a month for two users and a small selection of features. If you want more functionality, the HubSpot Sales pricing plan then jumps up to a minimum of $450 a month for five users with the Professional Plan and $1,200 a month for 10 users with the Enterprise Plan.
HubSpot Sales Hub software has a well-developed user interface that is visually appealing and easy to navigate. Sales Hub offers all of the core features you would look for in a CRM software, including lead management, sales automation, reporting, and email marketing. It also integrates seamlessly with other HubSpot software, which includes HubSpot Marketing Hub, HubSpot Service Hub, HubSpot CMS, and HubSpot Operations; the different plans can be bundled together for various savings.
In short, HubSpot is the best choice for medium and large businesses that need a powerhouse CRM tool with lots of features and are willing to invest money in it to get best-in-class software.
HubSpot CRM disadvantages
While HubSpot has a lot going for it, it has some distinct disadvantages that means it won’t be a great fit for every company. For one, all of the features may be overkill for a small business, especially one looking for its first CRM solution.
HubSpot pricing also forces you to upgrade to the more premium plans to get access to the more advanced features, such as sales forecasting and analytics. Since the second tier plan is 10x the cost of the entry-level one, these upgrade costs will quickly add up.
Also read: Insightly vs. Zoho: Which CRM is Best for Your Small Business?
Zoho vs. HubSpot: Pricing comparison
Zoho CRM Pricing
| Plan Name | Cost (per user/month) | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Free Plan | $0 | Basic CRM features, limited to 3 users |
| Standard Plan | $20 | Sales forecasting, custom dashboards, scoring rules |
| Professional Plan | $35 | Email integration, workflows, inventory management |
| Enterprise Plan | $50 | Zia AI, advanced customization, multi-user portals |
| Ultimate Plan | $65 | Advanced BI, enhanced feature set, premium support |
HubSpot CRM Pricing
| Plan Name | Cost (per user/month) | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Free Plan | $0 | Basic CRM features, contact management, email marketing |
| Sales Hub Starter | $20 | Email tracking, meeting scheduling, basic automation |
| Sales Hub Professional | $200 | Advanced CRM, sales automation, forecasting |
Free plans
- Zoho CRM: Offers a basic free plan suitable for very small teams with limited features.
- HubSpot CRM: Provides a more comprehensive free plan with essential CRM tools, making it a strong starting point for small businesses.
Entry-level paid plans
- Zoho CRM Standard Plan: $14/user/month includes sales forecasting, custom dashboards, and scoring rules, offering a good balance of features at a low cost.
- HubSpot Sales Hub Starter: $45/month for 2 users ($22.50/user/month) includes email tracking and basic automation, making it more expensive per user compared to Zoho’s Standard Plan.
Mid-tier plans
- Zoho CRM Professional Plan: $23/user/month, adding email integration, workflows, and inventory management, maintaining affordability with useful upgrades.
- HubSpot Sales Hub Professional: $450/month for 5 users ($90/user/month), significantly more expensive but includes advanced CRM features, full sales automation, and forecasting, positioning it for businesses that need more sophisticated tools.
High-end plans
- Zoho CRM Enterprise Plan: $40/user/month, includes advanced customization, Zia AI, and multi-user portals, providing extensive features at a competitive price.
- HubSpot Sales Hub Enterprise: $1,200/month for 10 users ($120/user/month), includes predictive lead scoring, custom reporting, and advanced permissions, offering comprehensive features at a high cost.
Ultimate plans
- Zoho CRM Ultimate Plan: $52/user/month, offers advanced business intelligence, an enhanced feature set, and premium support, remaining cost-effective for high-tier needs.
- HubSpot does not have a directly comparable plan, but its enterprise-level offerings cover similar advanced needs at a higher cost per user.
Who wins for pricing?
Zoho CRM.
Zoho CRM offers competitive pricing with extensive customization and automation capabilities, making it a great option for cost-conscious businesses. Based on the direct comparison of cost for each tier, Zoho wins this round.
Zoho vs. HubSpot: Lead management
| Feature | Zoho CRM | HubSpot CRM |
|---|---|---|
| Target Audience | Small to medium-sized businesses | Small to large enterprises |
| Core Capability | Efficient lead scoring and filtering | Advanced lead management options |
| Approach | Customizable filters and scores | Comprehensive with advanced scoring |
| Key Components | Extensive filtering, lead scoring | Advanced sorting and grouping |
| Customization | High, customizable fields | High, with advanced features in premium tiers |
| Benefits | Easy lead import and edit | Identifies and nurtures promising leads |
| Unique Selling Point | Affordable with sufficient capabilities | Advanced capabilities for larger lead volumes |
Lead management is a critical feature of any CRM system, enabling businesses to capture, track, and nurture leads. Both Zoho CRM and HubSpot CRM offer comprehensive lead management tools, but there are distinct differences in their approach and capabilities.
Zoho CRM provides extensive lead management capabilities designed to cater to small and medium-sized businesses. Key features include:
- Lead Scoring and filtering: Zoho CRM allows users to set up custom scoring rules and filters to prioritize leads based on specific criteria such as engagement level, demographics, and behavior. This helps sales teams focus on the most promising prospects.
- Lead assignment and distribution: The platform supports automated lead assignment based on predefined criteria, ensuring that leads are directed to the right sales representatives promptly.
- Comprehensive Lead Tracking: Users can track the entire lead lifecycle, from capture to conversion, with detailed logs of all interactions and activities.
- Multichannel Lead Capture: Zoho CRM integrates with various channels, including email, social media, web forms, and chat, enabling seamless lead capture across multiple touchpoints.
- Zia AI: Zoho’s AI assistant, Zia, offers predictive lead scoring and insights, helping sales teams identify potential high-value leads and take proactive measures to nurture them.
HubSpot CRM, on the other hand, is known for its user-friendly interface and advanced lead management capabilities tailored for growing businesses. Key features include:
- Lead Scoring and Segmentation: HubSpot provides sophisticated lead scoring and segmentation tools that allow users to categorize leads based on various attributes and behaviors. Advanced lead scoring models help in identifying and prioritizing leads more effectively.
- Automated Lead Nurturing: The platform offers powerful automation features, enabling users to create workflows that automatically nurture leads through personalized email sequences, follow-ups, and task assignments.
- Comprehensive Contact Management: HubSpot’s CRM provides a centralized database to manage all lead information and interactions. The system is designed to track every touchpoint, giving sales teams a 360-degree view of each lead.
- Real-Time Lead Tracking: Users can monitor lead activities in real-time, such as website visits, email opens, and content downloads, allowing for timely and relevant follow-ups.
- Integrated Sales and Marketing Tools: HubSpot’s CRM seamlessly integrates with its Marketing Hub, providing a unified platform for lead generation and nurturing efforts. This integration ensures that marketing and sales teams are aligned and can collaborate effectively.
Who wins for lead management?
HubSpot.
HubSpot CRM offers a highly user-friendly design, advanced automation features, sophisticated lead scoring and nurturing capabilities, real-time tracking, and seamless integration with marketing tools.
Its comprehensive contact management system and automated workflows significantly enhance sales team efficiency and improve lead conversion rates. While Zoho CRM is a more cost-effective solution that still offers extensive customization and multichannel integration, HubSpot’s features and interface make it more compelling as a powerful lead management solution.
Zoho vs. HubSpot: Sales automation comparison
| Feature | Zoho CRM | HubSpot CRM |
|---|---|---|
| Target Audience | Small to medium-sized businesses | Businesses of all sizes |
| Core Capability | Automate routine tasks | Automate follow-up and task creation |
| Approach | Custom workflows | Sequences and workflows |
| Key Components | Unlimited rules on all paid plans | Limited in free plan, extensive in paid plans |
| Customization | High, detailed workflow setup | Custom presets available |
| Benefits | Frees up team for value-added tasks | Streamlines sales processes |
| Unique Selling Point | Unlimited automation on all plans | Requires upgrade for extensive automation |
Sales automation streamlines the sales process by automating repetitive tasks. Our two competitors do this well, but we did identify a winner in this category. Read on to find out who takes the crown for sales automation:
Zoho CRM key features include:
- Workflow automation: Zoho CRM allows users to create custom workflows to automate various sales processes, such as lead assignment, follow-up reminders, and task creation. This helps in reducing manual effort and ensuring consistency.
- Email automation: Users can set up automated email campaigns to nurture leads and follow up with prospects. Zoho CRM supports advanced email automation, including triggers based on lead behavior and engagement.
- Macros: Zoho CRM offers macros to automate repetitive tasks in bulk, such as updating records or sending out emails.
- SalesSignals: This feature provides real-time notifications about customer interactions across different channels such as social media or email, enabling sales reps to respond promptly to inquiries.
- Zia AI: Zoho’s AI assistant enhances automation by providing insights and suggestions for workflow improvements.
HubSpot CRM key features include:
- Sequences and workflows: HubSpot offers advanced automation tools, including sequences for automating follow-up emails and workflows for complex automation tasks. Users can create custom workflows to automate lead nurturing, task assignments, and more.
- Predictive lead scoring: This feature uses machine learning to score leads based on their likelihood to convert, allowing sales teams to prioritize high-potential leads.
- Email templates and scheduling: The platform allows sales reps to create and use email templates, schedule emails, and set up automated follow-ups based on recipient behavior, such as opens and clicks.
- Task automation: HubSpot CRM automates task creation and assignment based on specific triggers.
- Sales playbooks: HubSpot provides sales playbooks to standardize best practices and automate parts of the sales process, such as call scripts and email templates, ensuring consistency and efficiency. Zoho does not offer a similar tool.
Who wins for sales automation?
HubSpot.
HubSpot takes round three largely for its seamless integration across marketing and service platforms. Its sequences, workflows, predictive lead scoring, and sales playbooks enable sales teams to operate efficiently and effectively, irrespective of business size.
Zoho does not fall far behind in its sales automation capabilities, though. Zoho provides extensive customization, affordability, and AI-driven optimization for small to medium-sized businesses, but HubSpot’s advanced automation features, user-friendly design, and unified customer relationship management make it the more compelling solution for automating the sales pipeline.
Also read: The Best AI CRM for 2024
Zoho vs. HubSpot: Reporting and analytics comparison
| Feature | Zoho CRM | HubSpot CRM |
|---|---|---|
| Target Audience | Businesses needing detailed insights | Businesses requiring advanced analytics |
| Core Capability | Real-time reporting | Detailed and customizable reports |
| Approach | Preset and custom reports available | Custom reporting requires upgrade |
| Key Components | Customizable dashboards | Advanced analytics in higher tiers |
| Customization | Available in all paid plans | Intuitive setup, higher tiers needed |
| Benefits | Tracks performance and forecasts | Advanced insights and data analysis |
| Unique Selling Point | Affordable custom reporting | Powerful reporting, intuitive setup |
Reporting and analytics tools are more advanced features found in comprehensive CRMs. Going beyond a mere customer database system, reporting and analytics features allow you to track performance and identify trends.
Zoho CRM is designed to provide comprehensive reporting and analytics capabilities that cater to small and medium-sized businesses. Key features include:
- Customizable dashboards: Zoho CRM allows users to create and customize dashboards with various widgets to track key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics relevant to their business.
- Preset and custom reports: The platform offers a wide range of preset reports and the ability to create custom reports based on specific criteria. Users can filter, sort, and drill down into data to gain deeper insights.
- Advanced analytics with Zoho Analytics: Zoho CRM integrates seamlessly with Zoho Analytics, providing advanced business intelligence capabilities, including data visualization, trend analysis, and predictive analytics.
- Scheduled reports: Users can schedule reports to be generated and emailed at regular intervals, ensuring that stakeholders are always updated with the latest data.
- AI-powered insights: Zia, Zoho’s AI assistant, provides AI-powered insights and anomaly detection, helping users identify trends and potential issues before they become significant problems.
HubSpot CRM, known for its user-friendly interface, offers powerful reporting and analytics tools tailored for growing businesses. Key features include:
- Custom reporting: HubSpot allows users to create custom reports using a drag-and-drop report builder. This feature enables users to tailor reports to their specific needs and track metrics that matter most to their business.
- Reporting dashboards: Users can build customizable dashboards to visualize data in real-time. These dashboards can include multiple reports, providing a comprehensive view of business performance.
- Advanced analytics: HubSpot offers advanced analytics features, including revenue attribution, funnel analysis, and customer journey tracking, providing detailed insights into sales and marketing effectiveness.
- Preset reports: The platform includes a variety of preset reports that cover common use cases such as sales performance, deal forecasting, and email campaign effectiveness.
- Integration with marketing and sales tools: HubSpot’s CRM integrates seamlessly with its Marketing and Sales Hubs, allowing for unified reporting across different business functions and better alignment between marketing and sales teams.
Who wins for reporting and analytics?
It’s a draw.
With Zoho’s powerful Zia AI, custom reports, and full analytics software, it can confidently go head to head with HubSpot’s marketing software and hold its own.
Zoho CRM excels in customizable dashboards, custom reporting, integration with Zoho Analytics for advanced visualization and predictive analytics, scheduled reports, and AI-powered insights. HubSpot CRM offers user-friendly custom reporting, real-time dashboards, advanced analytics like revenue attribution and funnel analysis, preset reports, and unified reporting across marketing and sales functions.
Also read: Best Sales Engagement Software 2024
Choosing between Zoho CRM and HubSpot CRM
It’s clear both Zoho CRM and HubSpot CRM offer powerful and comprehensive solutions for managing customer relationships, but each have their own strengths and weaknesses.
Zoho CRM is ideal for small to medium-sized businesses seeking extensive customization and affordability, with powerful features like workflow automation, advanced analytics, and AI insights from Zia. HubSpot CRM, on the other hand, is perfect for businesses that require a highly intuitive user interface and advanced automation, reporting, and analytics capabilities. The seamless integration with HubSpot’s Marketing and Sales Hubs enhances its appeal for companies looking for a unified platform.
Each offering unique and powerful reporting tools, your decision will be a winning one no matter which CRM you choose.
Still not sure if Zoho or HubSpot are right for you? Check out our CRM Software Guide for a full list of options.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
