HubSpot CRM vs Zoho CRM: who will be voted the best CRM for your business in 2025?
In 2025, choosing a CRM is no longer just a question of a product sheet or a pretty price table. It's a strategic commitment, a bit like choosing between a Mac and a PC, or between filter coffee and espresso. The same objective, but two very different visions.
In the CRM software arena, HubSpot and Zoho are vying for the favour of businesses - from growing start-ups to ambitious SMEs.
One focuses on user experience and all-in-one integration. The other on customisation, modularity... and a price-quality ratio that makes you think.
So, who comes out on top in the HubSpot CRM vs Zoho CRM duel?
We put on our gloves, compared the data, read the customer reviews (lots of them), analysed the features and tested the interfaces. And we've told you all about it. Without bullshit, with concrete use cases, and a tone that won't put you to sleep in a meeting.
What is HubSpot CRM?
Overview of HubSpot CRM
HubSpot CRM is the CRM we recommend to those who want to do everything right, straight away.
Designed as a central cockpit for sales, marketing and customer service teams, it stands out for its simplicity, its scalability... and its well-oiled brand image.
Its target market? SMEs and SMBs who want to structure their growth without drowning in indigestible software. But also start-ups in an acceleration phase, attracted by its free version and native automation features.
Its main use cases:
- Track prospects from A to Z without friction
- Align sales and marketing with a clear pipeline
- Automate campaigns without becoming a dev
- Centralising customer data without getting bogged down in integrations
How is it positioned?
HubSpot presents itself as an all-in-one, user-first CRM. It's quick to get to grips with, with a gentle learning curve, and an interface that's... downright pleasant. And if you need it, its ecosystem of 'hubs' (Sales, Marketing, Service, etc.) means you can go a long way.
Our customers include companies such as Doctolib, WWF and SoundCloud, proving that it's possible to be mass-market without losing robustness.
Key features of HubSpot CRM
HubSpot is not short of features. It doesn't just manage contacts, it orchestrates the entire customer relationship, from the first click to customer loyalty. Here are the essential building blocks that make the difference:
- Ultra-intuitive contact management: complete timeline view, interaction history, automatic scoring. Everything is designed to provide context, effortlessly.
- Customisable sales pipelines: drag & drop creation of pipelines, opportunity tracking, sales forecasts... even reluctant sales reps will find their way around.
- Integrated marketing automation: emails, campaigns, forms, landing pages... and above all, automation without coding. Yes, even for complex scenarios.
- Conversational tools: live chat, AI chatbot, integrated knowledge base, omnichannel support. You can talk to your prospects even when you're asleep.
- Customised dashboards & reporting: real-time KPIs, lead attribution, campaign ROI, all with clear, shared dashboards.
- Mobile CRM & Gmail/Outlook extension: smartphone management, real-time notifications, integration with everyday tools.
And if that's not enough? You can always activate the other 'Hubs' (Marketing, Sales, Service, CMS) to create a real commercial war machine.
HubSpot CRM
Advantages and disadvantages of HubSpot CRM
Like all good software, HubSpot CRM has its fans... and its frustrated ones. Here's a quick roundup of its strengths and limitations, based on user feedback and expert analysis.
✅ What we like about HubSpot CRM
- A neat, easy-to-use interface: even non-techies love it. It's fluid, visual and easy to understand where to click.
- Really usable free version: you can seriously start a business with the Free plan, without having to pay for it.
- Ultra-complete modular ecosystem: CRM, marketing, customer service, CMS, automation... everything is connected, everything communicates.
- Training and educational resources: HubSpot Academy is a goldmine for getting to grips with the software and strengthening your processes.
- Powerful automation right from the intermediate plans: workflows, lead nurturing, automatic qualification... we save hours every week.
❌ What we don't like
- Pricing that climbs quickly: switching to "pro" or "enterprise" plans can sting, especially if you need several modules.
- Customisation sometimes limited on certain advanced bricks (particularly reports or emailing, according to reviews).
- Customer support varies from plan to plan: with the free version, you're pretty much on your own (even if the documentation is solid).
What is Zoho CRM?
Overview of Zoho CRM
Zoho CRM is the chameleon software par excellence. Less showy than HubSpot, but formidably effective for those who want to control and customise everything without blowing their budget.
Its target market? SMEs, ETIs and scale-ups who want a modular CRM capable of adapting to their specific sales cycle, with maximum freedom. And who like to get their hands dirty (at least a little).
Its main uses:
- Centralising leads from multiple channels (email, networks, telephone, web, etc.)
- Create advanced automation without code (or with code, if you like it)
- Track complex sales cycles with multiple contacts
- Monitor performance with customised reports
Its positioning?
Zoho is playing the ultra-customisable CRM card, backed up by a software suite (Zoho One) that covers just about everything: accounting, HR, project management, support, and so on. The approach is modular, but designed to remain coherent.
Customers include companies such as Amazon India, Bose and Suzuki, as well as a host of SMEs around the world (more than 250,000 business users according to Zoho).
Zoho doesn't promise to get you up and running straight away, but rather to tailor a solution to your needs. A CRM that you can tailor to your needs, like a good old spreadsheet... only a lot sexier.
Key features of Zoho CRM
Zoho CRM is the modern salesperson's toolbox. Flexible, comprehensive, sometimes a little dense... but when you know what you want, it can do it. Here are the features that make it so formidable:
- Advanced customer relationship management: 360° view of each contact, detailed segmentation, interaction history, multi-channel management (email, telephone, social networks, chat, etc.).
- Process automation: personalised workflows, scoring rules, automatic lead assignment, reminders, alerts. You configure it, and Zoho does the job.
- SalesSignals: a real-time alert system when a prospect interacts with your brand (opens an email, visits a page, clicks on a link, etc.). Extremely useful for reacting at the right moment.
- Sales blueprints: a tool for modelling your sales processes step by step. Perfect for structuring a team or industrialising your pipeline.
- Zia, Zoho's AI: suggests leads to contact, predicts conversions, analyses sentiment in emails... all with a touch of AI made in India.
- Customisable reports and dashboards: very granular, very powerful. Provided you know what you're looking for.
- Marketplace and integrations: over 1,000 extensions to connect Zoho to your tools (Slack, Mailchimp, Zapier, Google Ads, etc.).
It's dense, yes. But the level of control offered by Zoho is rare at this price point.
Zoho CRM
Advantages and disadvantages of Zoho CRM
Zoho CRM is a bit like the Swiss Army knife of customer management software: ultra-complete, but sometimes requiring you to read the manual. Here's what users and industry experts have to say.
✅ What we like about Zoho CRM
- Unbeatable price/features ratio: powerful automation features and great functional depth... right from the first paying plans.
- Extensive customisation: from the customer file to the business workflow, almost everything can be modified. And that's rare.
- Rich Zoho ecosystem: if you use other Zoho tools (Books, Projects, Desk...), integration is seamless and native.
- Well-thought-out Zia AI: not just marketing. Zia learns behaviours, suggests actions and detects trends. Quite clever.
- Blueprints = concrete sales processes: ideal for structuring your sales when you're moving from Excel to a real team.
❌ What we like less
- Interface less sexy than HubSpot: it has made progress, but remains sometimes busy or unintuitive for neophytes.
- Steeper learning curve: to take full advantage of Zoho's power, you need to spend a bit (a lot?) of time on it.
- Feedback suggests that customer support can be improved, especially in European time zones.
- Bugs or occasional slowness mentioned in some reviews of Capterra and G2.
Zoho CRM vs HubSpot: compare features
When it comes to CRM, it's not just about contact records and pipelines. What really makes the difference is usage. So we compared HubSpot CRM and Zoho CRM on 5 key criteria, the ones that teams on the ground use every day.
Comparison table of key features
| Functionality | HubSpot CRM | Zoho CRM |
| User interface | Ultra-fluid, intuitive | Complete, but dense |
| Automation | Simple and powerful | Very advanced, more technical |
| Integrated AI | Yes (HubSpot AI, co-pilots) | Yes (Zia AI) |
| Process customisation | Medium (depending on plan) | Very advanced |
| Third-party integrations | +1500, very varied | +1000, excellent in Zoho ecosystem |
| Native marketing functionalities | Yes, highly developed | Present but less central |
| Multi-channel management | E-mail, chat, social networks | Very comprehensive multi-channel |
| Easy to set up | Excellent | Average (needs configuration) |
Focus 1: Automations
HubSpot is all about simplicity. Workflows can be created using drag-and-drop, with ready-to-use scenarios for lead nurturing, scoring, reminders, etc. Automation is fluid, even if you're not an expert.
Zoho, on the other hand, goes one step further. Blueprints, multi-step workflows, conditional rules, macros, custom functions in Deluge (its in-house language)... You can script almost anything. But that requires a real configuration phase.
👉 To remember
For young or non-technical teams, HubSpot makes automation easy and hassle-free. For complex processes, Zoho offers formidable granularity.
HubSpot allows you to automate quickly and efficiently, while Zoho allows you to get to the heart of the business logic.
Focus 2: Customisation
Zoho is the king of customisation. Every field, every module, every stage of the process can be adapted. It is even possible to create custom modules, customer or partner portals, and dedicated views by role.
HubSpot offers more controlled customisation, particularly in its upper levels. Pipelines, fields and forms can be customised, but the framework remains more 'designed' by the publisher.
👉 To remember
If you have a standard sales cycle, HubSpot is sufficient. If you have specific needs or a complex organisation, Zoho has the edge.
Zoho CRM adapts to your organisation. HubSpot offers an efficient structure, but is less flexible.
Focus 3: UX and user experience
This is where HubSpot shines. Modern interface, fluid navigation, clear terminology. You can feel that the design has been thought through to help teams adopt the software quickly. Special mention should be made of the HubSpot Academy, which helps you get to grips with the software.
Zoho CRM has made progress, but remains a little more dense. A lot of menus, sometimes an overload of information on the screen, and a more 'power user' oriented user experience. It does the job, but takes some getting used to.
👉 To remember
If you have a sales team that isn't very tech-savvy, it's best to opt for a crystal-clear UX. HubSpot is clearly more accessible from day one.
HubSpot CRM is easy to use. Zoho CRM is richer, but less intuitive.
Focus 4: AI and intelligent assistants
Zia, Zoho's AI assistant, offers predictions, task suggestions, sentiment analysis, intelligent reports... It's powerful, but you need data to get anything out of it.
At HubSpot, AI is also well integrated, with automatic email generation, recommended actions and AI-powered chatbots. The interface is simpler, but sometimes less sophisticated when it comes to analysis.
👉 To remember
Both AIs have their strengths, but Zia is more complete. HubSpot compensates by integrating better with the interface.
Zia for advanced analysis, HubSpot AI for a fluid, actionable experience.
Focus 5: Native marketing features
HubSpot is historically a marketing automation tool. It has everything: landing page creation, A/B testing, advanced emailing, segmentation, tracking, multi-channel campaigns, etc. It's a veritable marketing arsenal.
Zoho CRM offers marketing tools, but that's not its core business. For more comprehensive functionality, you need Zoho Campaigns, a separate tool that you can connect to.
👉 To remember
If your marketing team runs campaigns from the CRM, HubSpot is unbeatable. For sales-only use, Zoho remains relevant.
HubSpot CRM natively integrates marketing. Zoho CRM delegates it to other modules in the Zoho ecosystem.
Zoho CRM vs HubSpot: compare prices
Choosing a CRM also means making a budgetary choice. Especially when one plays the intelligent freemium card (HubSpot) and the other the surgical quality/price ratio card (Zoho).
Here's a comparison table to help you make up your mind before you pull out your bank card.
| Plan / Features | HubSpot CRM | Zoho CRM |
|
1️⃣ Free |
✅ Yes - unlimited contacts, emails, basic pipelines | ✅ Yes - 3 users, limited functionality |
|
2️⃣ Entry-level |
Starter - €15/month/user | Standard - €14/month/user |
| Functions included (entry) | - Simple automation - Email marketing - Customisable pipelines |
- Advanced automation - Multi-channel lead management - Customised reporting |
|
3️⃣ Intermediate |
Professional - 90€/month/user | Professional - €23/month/user |
| Functions included (interm.) | - Multi-step workflows - Deal scoring - Advanced reporting |
- Zia AI (forecasts, alerts) - Sales blueprint - Multiple integrations |
|
4️⃣ Advanced / Premium |
Enterprise - €150/month/user | Enterprise - €40/month/user |
| Functions included (advanced) | - Advanced AI - Customised permissions - Complex hierarchies |
- Zia voice commands - Custom modules - External portals |
|
5️⃣ Complete CRM Suite |
CRM Suite - according to profile includes Sales + Marketing + Service |
Zoho CRM Plus - €52/month/user includes 8 Zoho apps (Campaigns, Desk, etc.) |
👉 To remember
Zoho CRM is clearly more affordable, especially for SMEs or growing teams.
HubSpot CRM 's free entry-level price is attractive... but it quickly becomes expensive if you need advanced features or multi-user collaboration.
Zoho CRM vs HubSpot: which interface is more intuitive?
A CRM can be ultra-powerful... but useless if nobody knows how to use it.
The user experience (UX) is what makes the difference between a tool that has been adopted and one that has been abandoned after 3 months. And here, HubSpot and Zoho aren't really playing in the same league.
On the one hand, HubSpot is all about fluidity and simplicity. On the other, Zoho offers a dense but ultra-configurable interface.
| Criteria | HubSpot CRM | Zoho CRM |
| User-friendliness | ⭐⭐⭐⭐✩ - Very fast, clear interface, smooth onboarding | ⭐⭐✩✩✩ - Requires time to adapt, especially without support |
| Design / navigation | ⭐⭐⭐⭐✩ - Modern UI, logical menu, pleasant to use | ⭐⭐✩✩✩ - Lots of menus, dense interface |
| UX customisation | ⭐⭐⭐✩✩ - Good visual customisation of pipelines and fields | ⭐⭐⭐⭐✩ - Highly customisable, right down to the complete layout |
| Mobile / App | ⭐⭐⭐⭐✩ - Well-rated app, very fluid | ⭐⭐⭐✩✩ - Functional but a little less fluid |
| Learning curve | ⭐⭐✩✩✩ - Very weak, even for non-techies | ⭐⭐⭐⭐✩ - Longer, but logical for advanced users |
| User support (help, guides) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - HubSpot Academy + very active community | ⭐⭐⭐✩✩ - Full help but sometimes slow support |
👉 To remember
HubSpot CRM is easy and quick to learn.
Zoho CRM requires more effort at the outset, but can offer an ultra-personalised experience for those who like to configure.
Zoho CRM vs HubSpot: compare integrations
An isolated CRM is like a smartphone without Internet: frustrating and quickly limited.
A CRM's ability to integrate with your existing tools (ERP, accounting, marketing, support, etc.) is crucial if you are to avoid lengthy copy-pasting and streamline your workflows.
HubSpot and Zoho are both making great strides in this area, but with different approaches: HubSpot relies on a super-rich App Marketplace, while Zoho relies on an interconnected in-house ecosystem.
| Criterion | HubSpot CRM | Zoho CRM |
| Number of integrations | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - +1500 apps available (Slack, Zapier, Salesforce, Shopify, etc.) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐✩ - +1000 integrations via Marketplace and Zoho One |
| Easy to connect | ⭐⭐⭐⭐✩ - Connect in just a few clicks via App Marketplace | ⭐⭐⭐✩✩ - Parameterisation sometimes more technical |
| Native ecosystem | ⭐⭐⭐⭐✩ - Integrated marketing, sales and service hubs | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Zoho Suite (Desk, Books, Campaigns, Projects...) fluid and coherent |
| Inter-app automation | ⭐⭐⭐⭐✩ - Workflows interconnected via Zapier, natively possible | ⭐⭐⭐⭐✩ - Native automation + open API |
| Integration support | ⭐⭐⭐⭐✩ - Good doc and active community | ⭐⭐⭐✩✩ - Support sometimes less responsive |
👉 To remember
HubSpot CRM is ideal if you want to easily connect your CRM to a multitude of tools already in place.
Zoho CRM has the edge if you're banking on an integrated "all-in-one" ecosystem, where everything is designed to work together.
When should you choose HubSpot CRM or Zoho CRM?
Beyond features and price, the real criterion is your business context.
Here are the scenarios where HubSpot or Zoho clearly has the edge.
If... HubSpot CRM is for you
- You're looking for a CRM that's simple and quick to deploy, so that your teams adopt it in a matter of days.
- Your priority is to boost both marketing and sales (campaigns, landing pages, nurturing).
- You need a free CRM to get you started, but with the option of upgrading.
- Your team isn't very technical and prefers a clear interface rather than a highly customisable tool.
- You want to take advantage of a complete ecosystem, without having to multiply the number of service providers (HubSpot Sales, Marketing, Service, CMS, etc.).
If... Zoho CRM is for you
- You're looking for a highly customisable CRM to match your specific business processes.
- Your budget is limited, but you don't want to sacrifice advanced functionality.
- You work with complex or multi-contact sales cycles, requiring detailed follow-up.
- You like to configure, test and adapt your tool to suit your organisation.
- You're thinking of switching to an integrated software suite (Zoho One) covering CRM, accounting, HR, customer support, etc.
Things to remember about the Zoho CRM vs HubSpot battle
In the final analysis, there is no real loser in this duel. HubSpot CRM and Zoho CRM both meet very real needs... but for companies with different profiles.
HubSpot is the rocket ready to take off, designed to appeal to marketing and sales teams with a clear interface. Zoho is the configurable Swiss Army Knife, ideal for organisations that want a tailor-made CRM without breaking the bank.
Summary table Need / Recommendation
| Need | Our recommendation |
| Free CRM to get you started | HubSpot CRM |
| Intuitive interface and fast adoption | HubSpot CRM |
| Powerful native marketing campaigns | HubSpot CRM |
| Advanced, customisable automation | Zoho CRM |
| Complex, multi-contact sales cycles | Zoho CRM |
| Tight budget, but need for depth | Zoho CRM |
| Complete software suite (CRM + accounting + HR) | Zoho CRM (Zoho One) |
FAQ on Zoho CRM vs HubSpot
Is HubSpot CRM really free?
Yes, HubSpot offers a 100% free plan, with no time limit, which allows you to manage your contacts, create pipelines and send basic emails. However, as soon as you need advanced automation or more advanced reporting, you need to switch to the paid plans.
Is Zoho CRM more affordable than HubSpot?
Generally speaking, yes. Zoho CRM starts at €14/month/user, compared with €20/monthfor HubSpot Starter. And its superior plans are still considerably cheaper than HubSpot's, for comparable features.
Which is easier to use?
HubSpot CRM wins this point: modern interface, almost immediate familiarity, very well-designed onboarding. Zoho CRM is more powerful, but requires a set-up phase and time to adapt.
Which is best for SMEs?
It all depends. If the priority is marketing + rapid growth, HubSpot is often the logical choice.
If the priority is budget + customisation, Zoho has a clear advantage.
Can HubSpot and Zoho be customised in the same way?
No. Zoho CRM offers a much higher level of customisation: fields, workflows, modules, dashboards, even the very structure of the CRM.
CRM remains more structured, even though its higher-level plans add flexibility.
Which CRM is the most comprehensive for marketing?
No surprise: HubSpot CRM, historically designed as a marketing automation tool. It includes landing pages, advanced tracking, nurturing and marketing ROI reporting. Zoho CRM is more sales-oriented and delegates marketing to Zoho Campaigns.
What about integration with other tools?
HubSpot CRM is winning over customers with its App Marketplace (over 1,500 integrations).
Zoho CRM integrates with more than 1,000 apps, but its real strength is the Zoho One ecosystem, which covers accounting, HR, customer support and so on.
HubSpot CRM or Zoho CRM: which is better in 2025?
There is no universal 'best', only the best for your context:
- HubSpot for simplicity and integrated marketing.
- Zoho for customisation and budget control.
Article translated from French