Swap out only the part of HubSpot you're unhappy with. For a simple CRM, look at Zoho CRM or Capsule. For email marketing, Mailchimp or Brevo. For a sales pipeline, Pipedrive or Close. And if you want one tool that does most of it, ActiveCampaign or Keap are the usual shortlist.
HubSpot rarely lets people down across the board. Usually one part rubs. Maybe the plan they need for one feature drags in five features they'll never touch. Maybe the sales side feels heavy for a team of two. Or maybe they only ever used it to store contacts and send a newsletter.
So before you look at a single tool, it helps to be honest about what you're really using. That's how I'd approach it with any small business owner, and it's how this guide is laid out.
Which part of HubSpot are you replacing?
HubSpot is a set of hubs that share one contact database: a CRM at the centre, then marketing, sales, service and content tools around it. Most small businesses lean on one or two of those. Here's the quick version:
- CRM only: you mainly need a tidy place for contacts, companies, notes and follow-up reminders.
- Email marketing: you mainly send newsletters, welcome emails and simple automations.
- Sales pipeline: you track deals through stages and want your team calling and emailing from one screen.
- All-in-one: you want contacts, email, automation and deals in a single tool, without stitching apps together.
If you're not sure where you sit, my guide on what to look for when choosing a CRM system walks through the questions in more detail.
Replacing the CRM on its own
A lot of small teams don't need marketing automation at all. They need to know who they spoke to, when, and what happens next. These two keep that simple.
Zoho CRM
Zoho CRM suits businesses that want room to grow without changing tools later. It has a free edition for very small teams, and it sits inside the wider Zoho family, so you can add invoicing, help desk or forms from the same company if you need them. Its main strength is how much you can customise. Its main limit is the same thing: there are a lot of settings, and it can feel busy until you switch off what you don't use.
Capsule CRM
Capsule suits owners who want a clean, uncluttered CRM and nothing more. Contacts, a simple sales pipeline, tasks and tags are all easy to find, and it connects to common accounting and email tools. It's a calm choice if HubSpot felt like too much. The trade-off is that you won't get built-in email marketing, so you'll pair it with a separate newsletter tool.
Replacing the email marketing side
If HubSpot was really your newsletter tool, a dedicated email platform will usually feel lighter and easier.
Mailchimp
Mailchimp suits beginners and small shops who want a familiar, well-supported email tool. It has a free plan, plenty of templates, and good basic automations like welcome series and abandoned cart emails for online stores. Its main limit is that plans are based on contacts, so check the current pricing page as your list grows, and the CRM side is basic compared with HubSpot.
Brevo
Brevo, which used to be called Sendinblue, suits businesses that send email and also want SMS or WhatsApp messages from the same place. It has a free plan, a simple CRM and automations. Its main strength is breadth for a small business tool. Its limit is that the design editor and reporting aren't as polished as some rivals, so test a couple of real campaigns before you commit.
Replacing the sales pipeline
When your money comes from deals and conversations, you want a pipeline your team will open every morning.
Pipedrive
Pipedrive suits small sales teams who like a visual board of deals. You drag a deal from stage to stage, and it nudges you when something has gone quiet. It's quick to learn and has a big library of integrations. Its main limit is marketing: email campaigns are an add-on, so it's not a full HubSpot swap on its own.
Close
Close suits teams that sell by phone and email all day. Calling, email sequences and SMS are built in, so reps don't jump between tabs. It's a strong pick for inside sales. Its limit is that it's built for selling, not for running newsletters or a website, and smaller teams may find it more than they need.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
Replacing the whole bundle
Some owners want one login for contacts, email, automation and deals. These two are the usual shortlist.
ActiveCampaign
ActiveCampaign suits businesses that want powerful email automation with a CRM attached. You can build branching journeys based on what people open, click or buy, then pass hot leads to a sales pipeline. Its main strength is automation depth. Its main limit is the learning curve: give yourself time to set it up, or it'll sit half-used.
Keap
Keap, formerly known as Infusionsoft, suits service businesses like coaches and consultants. It combines a CRM, email automation, appointment booking and invoicing, so you can follow a lead from first contact to paid. Its limit is that it's aimed squarely at service firms, so online stores and larger teams may find a better fit elsewhere.
If you'd like to see how these compare by headcount, my guide to the best CRM for small business by team size is a good next read.
Make a CRM or email marketing tool? See how to get it featured on this list.
What to check before you migrate
Switching CRMs is where most of the pain lives, not choosing one. Work through this list before you cancel anything:
- Contacts and companies. Export everything, including custom properties, lifecycle stages and owner fields. Check that the new tool can hold the same fields, and map them before you import.
- Deals and history. Export open and closed deals, notes, call logs and email history. Some tools import notes cleanly and some don't, so test a small batch first.
- Workflows. Automations don't move between tools. Write down every live workflow, what triggers it and what it does, then rebuild the ones you still need.
- Forms. List every form on your site and landing pages. Each one will need replacing, and the new form has to send contacts to the right list with the right tags.
- Tracking code. Remove the old tracking script from your website once the new one is live, and update any cookie banner wording. If consent rules matter in your country, check with your adviser.
I'd also keep your old account open, even on the lowest plan you can, for a few weeks after the move. It's a safety net if something didn't come across.
How the eight HubSpot swaps line up
| Tool | Replaces | Suits | Free option |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zoho CRM | CRM | Growing teams who like to customise | Yes |
| Capsule | CRM | Owners who want simple | Check current plans |
| Mailchimp | Email marketing | Beginners and small shops | Yes |
| Brevo | Email and SMS | Multi-channel messaging | Yes |
| Pipedrive | Sales pipeline | Small sales teams | Trial |
| Close | Sales pipeline | Phone and email sellers | Trial |
| ActiveCampaign | All-in-one | Automation-heavy marketing | Trial |
| Keap | All-in-one | Coaches and service firms | Trial |
Free options and trials change often, so check each tool's current plans before you decide. And if you're still weighing up whether you need a CRM at all, start with my guide to CRM for small businesses.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest alternative to HubSpot?
Zoho CRM, Mailchimp and Brevo all have free plans that cover the basics for a small business. Plans change often, so check each tool's current pricing page before you move.
Is there a free CRM like HubSpot?
Yes. Zoho CRM has a free edition for small teams, and Brevo includes a simple CRM on its free plan. Both are lighter than HubSpot, so check they hold the fields you need.
Can I move my data out of HubSpot?
Yes. You can export contacts, companies and deals as files, then import them into most CRMs. Workflows and forms don't transfer, so you'll rebuild those by hand.
Which HubSpot alternative is best for a sales team?
Pipedrive suits teams who like a visual pipeline, and Close suits teams who sell by phone and email all day. Try both with a few real deals before you choose.
