Quick Decision Summary
Choose HubSpot if...
- ✓ User experience and ease of use are critical
- ✓ Marketing + sales alignment is your #1 priority
- ✓ You want best-in-class integrations (Shopify, Stripe, etc.)
- ✓ You're willing to pay premium for polish and support
- ✓ You need inbox-first workflow out of the box
Choose Zoho One if...
- ✓ Budget is critical ($37/user vs $1,300+/mo for HubSpot suite)
- ✓ You want to own your entire stack (email, CRM, desk, finance, HR)
- ✓ You're technical or have dev resources
- ✓ You prefer vendor consolidation over best-of-breed
- ✓ You can invest time in complex setup for long-term value
Comparison Table
| Feature | HubSpot (Full Suite) | Zoho One |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | $1,300+/mo (Marketing + Sales Professional, 5 users) | $37/user/mo (40+ apps, unlimited users) |
| CRM | Excellent—inbox-first, pipelines, forecasting | Good—customizable, powerful, dated UI |
| Email & Productivity | Email tracking only (use Gmail/Outlook) | Zoho Mail (native email), Calendar, Contacts |
| Marketing Automation | Excellent—workflows, nurture, attribution, A/B testing | Good—Zoho Campaigns, SalesIQ, Forms, Pages |
| Helpdesk/Support | Service Hub (separate pricing, $450+/mo) | Zoho Desk (included in Zoho One) |
| Finance/Accounting | Third-party (QuickBooks, Xero integration) | Zoho Books (included), Invoices, Subscriptions |
| Project Management | Third-party (Asana, Monday integration) | Zoho Projects (included), Sprints |
| HR & Recruiting | Third-party integrations | Zoho People (HR), Recruit (ATS), included |
| Setup Time | 1–3 days per hub (CRM, Marketing, Service) | 1–4 weeks (40+ apps, complex integration) |
| User Experience | Modern, polished, intuitive—best-in-class | Dense, dated UI—powerful but clunky |
| Best For | Marketing + sales teams, UX priority, inbound-led | Budget-conscious SMBs, own full stack, technical teams |
The Full Stack Comparison
The real comparison isn't HubSpot vs Zoho CRM—it's HubSpot (Marketing + Sales + Service) vs Zoho One (40+ apps for every business function). Let's compare what you get:
HubSpot Full Suite Includes:
- Marketing Hub: Forms, landing pages, email campaigns, workflows, ads, SEO, social, analytics
- Sales Hub: CRM, deals, pipelines, sequences, meetings, quotes, forecasting
- Service Hub: Ticketing, knowledge base, live chat, customer portal, feedback
- CMS Hub: Website hosting, drag-and-drop builder, SEO, membership
- Operations Hub: Data sync, automation, quality, integrations
What you need to buy separately: Email (Gmail/Outlook), project management (Asana), accounting (QuickBooks), HR (BambooHR), etc. Best-of-breed approach.
Total Cost (10 users): $1,300–$3,000+/mo depending on tier and add-ons
Zoho One Includes (40+ Apps):
- CRM & Sales: Zoho CRM, SalesIQ (chat), Forms, Pages
- Email & Productivity: Zoho Mail, Calendar, Contacts, Tasks, Notes, Bookings
- Marketing: Campaigns (email), Social, Survey, Backstage (events)
- Service: Zoho Desk (helpdesk), Assist (remote support)
- Finance: Zoho Books (accounting), Invoice, Inventory, Subscriptions
- Collaboration: Cliq (chat), Connect (intranet), Meeting, WorkDrive
- HR: Zoho People (HRIS), Recruit (ATS), Expense
- Project Management: Zoho Projects, Sprints
- BI & Analytics: Zoho Analytics, Creator (low-code apps)
What you need to buy separately: Not much. Zoho One aims to be your entire stack. You may still prefer Gmail over Zoho Mail, or Slack over Cliq, but everything is included.
Total Cost (10 users): $370/mo (all 40+ apps, unlimited users)
The Value Proposition:
Zoho One costs 75–90% less than HubSpot for a comparable full-stack solution. However, you'll pay with setup complexity, learning curve, and a dated UI. HubSpot costs more but delivers a polished, integrated experience with faster time-to-value. Choose based on whether budget or ease of use is your bigger constraint.
Inbox-led Scenario Walkthrough
Let's walk through a typical inbox-led business scenario to see how each platform handles lead capture, sales, support, and finance:
Step 1: Inbound Lead from Website
HubSpot: Form auto-creates contact, assigns owner, triggers welcome email workflow. Deal created, rep notified. All native, no external tools needed.
Zoho One: Zoho Forms creates lead in CRM, triggers Campaigns email workflow. SalesIQ chatbot can qualify. Deal created via automation. Requires configuration across multiple apps.
Step 2: Sales Rep Emails from Gmail
HubSpot: Gmail add-on logs email, threads automatically, syncs to CRM timeline. Rep works in Gmail, full context in HubSpot.
Zoho One: If using Zoho Mail, native integration. If using Gmail, plugin or BCC required. Threading can be inconsistent. Zoho ecosystem works best when you use Zoho Mail.
Step 3: Customer Submits Support Ticket
HubSpot: Service Hub ticket created, assigned to support rep. Full customer context (deals, emails, conversations) visible. Requires Service Hub (additional $450+/mo).
Zoho One: Zoho Desk ticket created, linked to CRM contact. Full context across CRM, Desk, and Mail. Included in Zoho One, no extra cost.
Step 4: Close Deal, Send Invoice
HubSpot: Mark deal won in CRM. Use third-party (QuickBooks, Stripe) for invoicing. Requires integration and separate subscription.
Zoho One: Mark deal won in CRM. Create invoice in Zoho Books (included). Sync payment via Zoho Subscriptions or Payment Gateway. All native, no extra cost.
Step 5: Team Collaboration on Project
HubSpot: Use third-party (Asana, Monday, Slack). Requires integration and separate subscription. Context switching between tools.
Zoho One: Zoho Projects tracks tasks, Cliq for chat, WorkDrive for files. All included. Full context across CRM, Projects, and communication. Tighter integration but less polish than Slack/Asana.
Step 6: Reporting Across Full Funnel
HubSpot: Marketing + Sales + Service dashboards show full customer journey. Attribution, pipeline, support metrics. Pre-built reports, easy to customize.
Zoho One: Zoho Analytics pulls data from CRM, Desk, Books, Campaigns. Powerful custom dashboards, but setup required. More complex but more customizable.
Leakage Risk Verdict:
HubSpot prevents leakage in marketing + sales with best-in-class inbox integration and UX. But you'll leak context when handing off to third-party tools (finance, project management, HR). Zoho One prevents leakage across the entire business with native integration—but requires discipline to set up and maintain 40+ apps. Choose based on whether you prioritize best-of-breed (HubSpot) or vendor consolidation (Zoho One).
Where Leads Get Lost (and How Each Platform Prevents It)
1. Email Not Logged (Gmail Users)
HubSpot: Gmail add-on auto-logs emails. Seamless, no BCC needed.
Zoho One: Requires Zoho Mail for native sync, or plugin/BCC for Gmail. Gaps more common.
Winner: HubSpot (better Gmail integration)
2. Lost Context Between Sales and Support
HubSpot: Requires Service Hub (extra $450+/mo). Once purchased, context is unified.
Zoho One: CRM + Desk integrated natively. Full context included, no extra cost.
Winner: Zoho One (support included)
3. Lost Context Between Sales and Finance
HubSpot: Third-party integration (QuickBooks, Xero). Data sync via Zapier or native connector. Gaps and sync delays common.
Zoho One: CRM + Books native integration. Deals flow to invoices, payments sync back. Real-time.
Winner: Zoho One (finance included)
4. Lost Context Between Marketing and Sales
HubSpot: Unified platform. Marketing + Sales see same timeline. Attribution built in. Best-in-class alignment.
Zoho One: CRM + Campaigns integrated, but weaker than HubSpot. Attribution and handoff require configuration.
Winner: HubSpot (marketing-sales alignment)
5. Complex Setup Prevents Adoption
HubSpot: 1–3 days per hub. Intuitive UI. Self-serve possible. Fast time-to-value.
Zoho One: 1–4 weeks for full stack. 40+ apps to configure. Training required. High initial investment.
Winner: HubSpot (faster adoption)
6. Vendor Fragmentation (Multiple Subscriptions)
HubSpot: Requires third-party tools for email, finance, projects, HR. 5–10 vendors typical. Licensing complexity, integration maintenance.
Zoho One: One vendor, one price, 40+ apps. Eliminates fragmentation. Unified admin, SSO, data governance.
Winner: Zoho One (vendor consolidation)
The Best-of-Breed vs All-in-One Trade-off
The HubSpot vs Zoho One decision is really about best-of-breed (HubSpot + third-party tools) vs all-in-one (Zoho One for everything). Each has trade-offs:
Best-of-Breed Advantages (HubSpot Approach)
Polish and UX: Each tool is best-in-class. HubSpot for CRM, Slack for chat, Asana for projects, QuickBooks for finance. Better user experience overall.
Flexibility: Swap tools when better options emerge. Not locked into one vendor's roadmap.
Proven integrations: Popular tools have robust integrations. Less custom work.
Trade-off: Vendor fragmentation, integration maintenance, higher total cost, lost context between tools.
All-in-One Advantages (Zoho One Approach)
Unified data and context: CRM, email, desk, finance, projects—all share data natively. No sync delays, no lost context.
Single vendor simplicity: One login, one admin panel, one support contract. Easier governance and compliance.
Unbeatable price: $37/user/mo for 40+ apps vs $100–$300/user/mo for best-of-breed stack.
Trade-off: Dated UI, steeper learning curve, vendor lock-in, less polish than specialized tools.
The Hybrid Approach:
Many teams use HubSpot for marketing + sales (where UX matters most) and Zoho for finance, projects, or HR (where price matters more). This balances polish and budget but reintroduces integration complexity. Choose pure best-of-breed, pure all-in-one, or hybrid based on your team's technical capacity and budget.
Pricing Reality (Full Stack Comparison)
HubSpot Full Stack (10 Users)
- Marketing Professional: $800/mo
- Sales Professional: $500/mo (5 users included)
- Service Professional: $450/mo (5 users included)
- Gmail/Outlook: $0–$12/user/mo (Google Workspace or Microsoft 365)
- Project Management: $10–$25/user/mo (Asana, Monday)
- Accounting: $30–$70/mo (QuickBooks)
- HR/ATS: $5–$10/user/mo (BambooHR, Greenhouse)
Total: $1,750–$2,500+/mo for 10 users
Zoho One Full Stack (10 Users)
- Zoho One: $37/user/mo = $370/mo
- Includes: CRM, Mail, Campaigns, Desk, Books, Projects, People, Cliq, Analytics, and 30+ more apps
Total: $370/mo for 10 users (all apps included)
3-Year Total Cost of Ownership:
HubSpot + Best-of-Breed: $1,750–$2,500/mo × 36 months = $63,000–$90,000
Zoho One: $370/mo × 36 months = $13,320
Zoho One costs 79–85% less over 3 years. However, add 40–80 hours of setup time ($4k–$8k in opportunity cost) and ongoing admin overhead. The gap narrows but Zoho One is still significantly cheaper if you can handle the complexity.
Decision Matrix
| Your Situation | Recommended Choice |
|---|---|
| Marketing + sales alignment is critical, inbound-led | HubSpot |
| User experience and ease of use are top priority | HubSpot |
| Fast time-to-value, minimal training budget | HubSpot |
| Willing to pay premium for polish and support | HubSpot |
| Budget is critical, need full stack for under $500/mo | Zoho One |
| Want to own entire stack (email, CRM, desk, finance, HR, projects) | Zoho One |
| Vendor consolidation and governance matter | Zoho One |
| Technical team, can invest in complex setup | Zoho One |
| Prefer best-of-breed tools, okay with integration complexity | HubSpot |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Zoho One really replace my entire tech stack?
For most SMBs, yes. Zoho One includes 40+ apps covering CRM, email, marketing, support, finance, projects, HR, and more. However, some tools (Zoho Mail, Cliq) are less polished than Gmail or Slack. You may prefer best-of-breed for mission-critical tools and use Zoho for the rest.
Is HubSpot worth 5x the cost of Zoho One?
Depends on your priorities. HubSpot delivers superior UX, faster time-to-value, and best-in-class marketing-sales alignment. If user adoption, speed, and polish matter, yes. If budget is critical and you can handle complexity, Zoho One offers 80% of the value at 20% of the cost.
Which has better CRM features?
HubSpot. Its CRM is more intuitive, inbox integration is better, and sales workflow is smoother. Zoho CRM is powerful and customizable, but has a steeper learning curve and dated UI. For pure CRM, HubSpot wins. For CRM + full stack value, Zoho One wins.
Can I start with Zoho One and switch to HubSpot later?
Yes, but it's painful. You'll need to migrate CRM data, rebuild workflows, retrain users, and switch away from Zoho Mail/Books/Desk. Plan for 2–4 months of transition. Most teams stick with their choice for 3+ years. Choose carefully.
Should I use Zoho Mail or stick with Gmail?
If you go all-in on Zoho One, Zoho Mail makes sense (native CRM integration, included in price). If you use Gmail, Zoho's integration is weaker (plugin or BCC required). Many Zoho One customers keep Gmail and pay for both—reducing the price advantage.
Which prevents lead leakage better?
Depends on where leakage happens. HubSpot prevents marketing-sales leakage better with inbox integration and unified timeline. Zoho One prevents cross-functional leakage (sales-support-finance) better with native integration across 40+ apps. Choose based on your biggest leakage risk.
Is Zoho One's UI really that bad?
It's dated and inconsistent across apps. Not bad, but nowhere near HubSpot's polish. If your team is technical and tolerant of clunky UX, it's fine. If user adoption is fragile or you need non-technical users onboarded quickly, HubSpot is safer.
Can I use HubSpot Free + Zoho One?
Yes. Some teams use HubSpot Free CRM for sales and Zoho One for marketing, support, finance, etc. This gives you HubSpot's CRM UX plus Zoho's full-stack value. However, you'll lose marketing-sales alignment and need to integrate HubSpot with Zoho apps.
What's the biggest risk with Zoho One?
Over-buying. You pay for 40+ apps but may only use 5–10. If you don't need email, finance, projects, and HR—Zoho One is overkill. Stick with Zoho CRM + Campaigns for $37/user or less. Only get Zoho One if you'll use at least 10+ apps.
Which has better support and training resources?
HubSpot. World-class documentation, HubSpot Academy, active community, and responsive support. Zoho's support is hit-or-miss, and documentation varies by app. If self-serve onboarding is critical, HubSpot is safer.
Never Lose a Lead, Without Vendor Lock-In
Whether you choose HubSpot or Zoho One, all-in-one platforms create vendor lock-in. HubSpot locks you into premium pricing. Zoho One locks you into 40+ apps that may not be best-in-class.
Ralivi is built for teams that want inbox-led CRM without committing to a massive platform. We capture every enquiry from email, forms, calls, and calendars—then keep follow-ups tight with reminders, sequences, and shared visibility. No vendor lock-in. No paying for unused features. Just the CRM you need, without the stack you don't.