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Customer Support · head to head

HubSpot Service Hub vs Zoho CRM

HubSpot Service Hub logo

HubSpot Service Hub

Customer Support

Customer service software for scaling companies

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Zoho CRM logo

Zoho CRM

CRM

The world's favorite CRM

From
Free
Free plan
Yes

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: HubSpot Service Hub the free tier is capped at 2 users; Zoho CRM free tier limited to 3 users only
  • They diverge on capability: HubSpot Service Hub covers Ticketing, Zoho CRM covers Lead management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which HubSpot Service Hub and Zoho CRM actually diverge.

Attributes where HubSpot Service Hub and Zoho CRM differ
AttributeHubSpot Service HubZoho CRM
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb, Ios, Android, Api
CategoryCustomer SupportCRM
Founded20061996

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (subscription), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in HubSpot Service Hub

  • Ticketing
  • Knowledge base
  • Customer feedback
  • Live chat
  • Conversational bots
  • Reporting
  • HubSpot CRM
  • Zoom

Only in Zoho CRM

  • Lead management
  • Deal tracking
  • Contact management
  • Sales automation
  • Analytics
  • Mobile CRM
  • Email marketing
  • AI assistant (Zia)

Both cover

  • Slack
  • SOC2
  • GDPR

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

HubSpot Service Hub

  • Shared inbox and ticketing for a support teamnot Zoho CRM
  • Knowledge base and customer self-servicenot Zoho CRM
  • Live chat and chatbots on a websitenot Zoho CRM
  • Customer feedback surveys and CSATnot Zoho CRM
  • Support reporting tied into the HubSpot CRMnot Zoho CRM

Zoho CRM

  • Sales automationnot HubSpot Service Hub
  • Lead managementnot HubSpot Service Hub
  • Customer supportnot HubSpot Service Hub
  • Marketing automationnot HubSpot Service Hub
  • Analytics & reportingnot HubSpot Service Hub

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

HubSpot Service Hub

  • The free tier is capped at 2 users
  • Professional carries a one-off onboarding fee of $1,500, and Enterprise $3,500, on top of the seat price
  • Seats are $90 a month billed monthly against $100 billed annually on Professional, so the annual commitment is not the cheaper option per month
  • AI features run on monthly credits, 500 on Starter and 3,000 on Professional, which do not roll over
  • Extra credits cost $0.010 each once the monthly allocation is spent

Zoho CRM

  • Free tier limited to 3 users only
  • Steep pricing when scaling beyond 10 users
  • Limited offline capabilities compared to some competitors
  • Setup and configuration can require significant customization

Pricing, plan by plan

HubSpot Service Hub

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Contact management
    • Ticketing
    • Team email
  • Starter$10/month
    • Simple ticket automation
    • Multiple ticket pipelines
    • Live chat
  • Professional$100/month
    • Help desk workspace
    • Customer success workspace
    • Customer agent
  • Enterprise$150/month
    • Skill-based routing
    • Conditional SLAs
    • Customer journey analytics

Zoho CRM

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 3 users
    • Basic modules
    • Standard dashboards
  • Standard$14/month
    • Sales forecasting
    • Custom dashboards
    • Workflow automation
  • Professional$23/month
    • Inventory management
    • AI predictions
    • Advanced customization
  • Enterprise$40/month
    • Zia AI assistant
    • Multi-currency
    • Advanced analytics

Which should you pick?

Choose HubSpot Service Hub if

  • You need ticketing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want knowledge base.

Choose Zoho CRM if

  • You need lead management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want deal tracking.

Questions people ask

Is HubSpot Service Hub or Zoho CRM better?
Neither clearly leads. HubSpot Service Hub starts at Free and Zoho CRM at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, HubSpot Service Hub or Zoho CRM?
HubSpot Service Hub starts at Free and Zoho CRM at Free.
Does HubSpot Service Hub or Zoho CRM run on more platforms?
HubSpot Service Hub runs on Web, Ios, Android. Zoho CRM runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
Can I use HubSpot Service Hub for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is HubSpot Service Hub best used for?
HubSpot Service Hub is most often used for shared inbox and ticketing for a support team, knowledge base and customer self-service, live chat and chatbots on a website, customer feedback surveys and csat. Of those, shared inbox and ticketing for a support team and knowledge base and customer self-service are not what Zoho CRM is typically brought in for.
What can HubSpot Service Hub do that Zoho CRM cannot?
HubSpot Service Hub covers Ticketing, Knowledge base, Customer feedback, Live chat. Zoho CRM covers Lead management, Deal tracking, Contact management, Sales automation. Both handle Slack, SOC2, GDPR.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

HubSpot Service Hub: How much does HubSpot Service Hub cost per user?

Free plan at $0/month. Starter at $10/month per seat (new customers; regular $20/month), Professional at $100/month per seat, Enterprise at $150/month per seat.

Source
Zoho CRM: Does Zoho CRM have a free tier?

Yes. Zoho CRM offers a free plan for up to 3 users that includes core CRM functionality like lead, contact, and account management, basic workflow automation, and customizable dashboards.

Source
HubSpot Service Hub: What is the free trial length for HubSpot Service Hub?

A 14-day free trial is available for evaluating Service Hub functionality before commitment to a paid plan.

Source
Zoho CRM: What does Zoho CRM cost for a paid plan?

Zoho CRM pricing ranges from $14 per user per month for the Standard plan up to $52 per user per month for the Ultimate plan when billed annually. Most sales teams use the Professional plan around $23/user/month or Enterprise at $40/user/month.

Source
HubSpot Service Hub: Does HubSpot Service Hub have a free permanent plan?

Yes, the free plan includes contact management, ticketing, and team email features at $0/month with no credit card required.

Source
Zoho CRM: Is Zoho CRM independent or owned by another company?

Zoho CRM is part of Zoho Corporation, which is independent and bootstrapped. The parent company was founded in 1996 as AdventNet, rebranded to Zoho in 2009, and has never accepted external venture funding.

Source
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