Hubspot vs Zoho CRM in Detail

As you might have noticed from our website, we’ve been part of Team Zoho for some time now. And we know: It’s always wise to keep an eye on the competition. One of the major players in the CRM space is and continues to be Hubspot. Along with Zoho, it stands as one of the most powerful CRMs globally. Why is this? Because it provides an integrated operating system for marketing, sales, customer service, and website management. The platform enables the integration of activities across all these areas. But Hubspot isn’t the only one, you might think? That’s right. But there’s one factor that sets Hubspot apart from the competition: The foundation is the inbound marketing concept.

What is inbound marketing?

The main objective of inbound marketing is to provide customers with valuable content. Hubspot employs inbound marketing to deliver targeted content to customers and engage them at the optimal moment along their journey. In Hubspot, you can manage the entire marketing process – from lead generation and website management to personalized email marketing and reporting.

What is HubSpot?

“Everything under one roof” or, alternatively, “an all-in-one software solution that supports users across all aspects of inbound marketing.” CRM can be utilized throughout every phase of a potential customer’s purchasing decision. And even more importantly: It integrates marketing and sales efforts by connecting all processes and information through the system. A dream come true, is it not?

Now, if you call up Hubspot and ask that question, you might just make entire departments fall out of their chairs! Because the answer to this question is: Of course! The software is naturally centered around managing the company’s own customer relationships. In addition to its foundation in inbound marketing, Hubspot has always prioritized building relationships with individual customers, as this remains crucial. Without the CRM, you can’t save leads generated from marketing efforts into the system, which means the sales team won’t be able to track and convert them into customers. You will notice: Without CRM, there can be no bridging between marketing and sales. And without this bridge, there can be no corporate success.

Is HubSpot GDPR compliant?

Once you decide to implement a CRM in your company, the GDPR will become one of your most important considerations. If you ignore the General Data Protection Regulation, you risk operating unlawfully. We therefore recommend that you familiarize yourself with these regulations. After all, your customers need to be confident that their data is safe with you.

Hubspot ensures GDPR compliance under two key conditions. On one hand, the choice of server location is crucial. Hubspot maintains data backup servers both in the USA and in Europe. To start, choose the option that ensures your data is stored on servers in Europe. The background to this is that the EU has long defined the USA as an unsafe third country when it comes to dealing with the GDPR. The definition was only revised in July 2023 with the EU-US Data Privacy Framework Agreement, meaning that the storage of data on US servers is also considered GDPR-compliant. But CAREFUL: According to experts, this new agreement is on a shaky foundation and can change again at any time. Regular testing of the framework is therefore recommended.

To be really safe, it is therefore essential to conclude a data processing agreement between your company and Hubspot. This DPA contract, as it is also called, ensures that data storage at Hubspot complies with the current GDPR regulations. It is also advisable to make additional reference to this DPA in your company’s privacy policy.

Subscriptions are the driving force behind Hubspot’s revenue, accounting for 98% of its income. In numbers, this translated to nearly $2.12 billion in subscription revenue in 2023. Professional services made up the remaining 2% and generated $46.7 million for Hubspot.

Where is Hubspot hosted?

As a US-based company, Hubspot primarily hosts its software on servers located in the USA. However, since 2021, EU data centers have also been available to customers.

Those who make big promises must also deliver big results. The software’s features demonstrate that this equation holds true with Zoho CRM. From managing sales through lead storage and evaluation, process management, and analysis, to facilitating customer communication via multi-channel support – Zoho CRM recognizes the critical role that handling and processing customer data plays in a company’s success. The effectiveness of this approach is evident in the data analysis, performance management, and sales forecasts that Zoho CRM can generate. But speaking of success: Zoho CRM offers features for sales enablement, marketing automation, team communication, and task management, allowing for measurement not just in financial terms but also in terms of team collaboration and efficiency. The cherry on top is that Zoho CRM is available as a mobile app and offers extensive platform customization.

A unique and compelling USP compared to the competition is Zoho CRM‘s free offering: The free Basic version supports up to three users. All additional features are divided into four pricing packages: Standard, available for €14 per user per month; Professional, at €23 per user per month; and Enterprise, priced at €40 per user per month. For access to the full range of Zoho CRM features, the Ultimate package is available for €52 per user per month.

How reputable is Zoho?

Even if you haven’t heard much about Zoho yet, the rest of the world is already ahead of you. Founded in 1996, the company now boasts over 100 million users across more than 55 countries worldwide. And these users are enthusiastic about it – Zoho is making a strong impression on the software world with an average rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Which companies use Zoho?

Zoho CRM is suitable for businesses of all sizes, thanks to its flexible pricing and service packages tailored to meet diverse needs. Not only small and medium-sized businesses use the software, but well-known brands like Amazon, Bosch, and Puma are also among its clients.

Hubspot vs. Zoho, a never-ending story. As you have read, both systems offer immense advantages. Ultimately, you will have to decide which tool is better suited to your needs. But we would like to give you a few pointers: Zoho’s integrated scope of services is significantly greater, and the system offers you more options without incurring infinitely high additional costs.

But – let all the information sink in, assess your needs and make the right decision. If you are leaning towards Zoho and need additional advice, give us a call! We work with you to determine your status quo, advise you on the service packages based on this and implement Zoho in your company on request. Book your free initial consultation today, we look forward to hearing from you!