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HubSpot vs Zoho People

HubSpot logo

HubSpot

All industries

Grow better with HubSpot

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zoho People logo

Zoho People

HR & Recruiting

Cloud HR software for growing businesses

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: HubSpot free tier limited to 2 users and 1,000 contacts; severely restricts growing teams; Zoho People slow response times and slow loading on the platform affecting user efficiency
  • They diverge on capability: HubSpot covers CRM, Zoho People covers Employee Database.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which HubSpot and Zoho People actually diverge.

Attributes where HubSpot and Zoho People differ
AttributeHubSpotZoho People
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
PlatformsWeb, Mobile, CloudWeb
CategoryAll industriesHR & Recruiting
Founded20061996

Identical on both: starting price (Free), 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

  • CRM
  • Email marketing
  • Marketing automation
  • Sales pipeline
  • Customer service
  • Content management
  • Analytics
  • Social media

Only in Zoho People

  • Employee Database
  • Time Off
  • Time Tracking
  • Attendance
  • Performance
  • Onboarding
  • Self-Service
  • Zoho CRM

Both cover

  • Slack

What people use each for

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

HubSpot

  • Small businesses and startups using CRM, email marketing, sales pipeline, and customer service in single platformnot Zoho People
  • Organisations requiring integration with 2,000+ third-party applicationsnot Zoho People
  • Teams leveraging AI agents for prospecting, service automation, and data analysisnot Zoho People

Zoho People

No use cases recorded yet. See the Zoho People review.

Where each one falls short

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

HubSpot

  • Free tier limited to 2 users and 1,000 contacts; severely restricts growing teams
  • Many advanced features (automation workflows, custom objects, advanced reporting) gated to paid tiers
  • Starter plan at $7/month per seat scales quickly for larger teams (300+ users would cost significantly more)
  • Free tier removes credit card requirement but lacks most enterprise capabilities

Zoho People

  • Slow response times and slow loading on the platform affecting user efficiency
  • Limited customization options for leave and performance management workflows
  • Mobile app is missing key features available in desktop version, like timesheets and reporting
  • Customer support is ticket-based only with no live chat unless on premium plan

Pricing, plan by plan

HubSpot

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the HubSpot review.

Zoho People

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Zoho People review.

Which should you pick?

Choose HubSpot if

  • You need crm.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile, Cloud.
  • You also want email marketing.
HubSpot review

Choose Zoho People if

  • You need employee database.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want time off.
Zoho People review

Questions people ask

Is HubSpot or Zoho People better?
Neither clearly leads. HubSpot starts at Free and Zoho People at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, HubSpot or Zoho People?
HubSpot starts at Free and Zoho People at Free.
Does HubSpot or Zoho People run on more platforms?
HubSpot runs on Web, Mobile, Cloud. Zoho People runs on Web.
Can I use HubSpot for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is HubSpot best used for?
HubSpot is most often used for small businesses and startups using crm, email marketing, sales pipeline, and customer service in single platform, organisations requiring integration with 2,000+ third-party applications, teams leveraging ai agents for prospecting, service automation, and data analysis. Of those, small businesses and startups using crm, email marketing, sales pipeline, and customer service in single platform and organisations requiring integration with 2,000+ third-party applications are not what Zoho People is typically brought in for.
What can HubSpot do that Zoho People cannot?
HubSpot covers CRM, Email marketing, Marketing automation, Sales pipeline. Zoho People covers Employee Database, Time Off, Time Tracking, Attendance. Both handle Slack.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Zoho People: Does Zoho People have a free tier?

Yes, the Free plan supports up to 5-10 users with essential HR tools, email support, and 30-day free trial available on all paid plans with no credit card required.

Source
Zoho People: What is the pricing for Zoho People?

Pricing starts at $1.25 per user per month when billed annually. The Essential HR plan costs $1.50 monthly per user, dropping to $1.25 annually with five tiers available: Free, Essential HR, Professional, Premium, and Enterprise.

Source
Zoho People: Does Zoho People work with other Zoho applications?

Yes, Zoho People integrates with the Zoho ecosystem including Zoho CRM, Zoho Books, and other Zoho applications for unified business management.

Source
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