[object Object]
15% OFF ON ANY PLANEnds in 10 05 12Claim now →15% OFF ON ANY PLANEnds in 10 05 12Claim now →15% OFF ON ANY PLANEnds in 10 05 12Claim now →15% OFF ON ANY PLANEnds in 10 05 12Claim now →15% OFF ON ANY PLANEnds in 10 05 12Claim now →15% OFF ON ANY PLANEnds in 10 05 12Claim now →
Alternatives

Best HubSpot alternatives for freelancers & agencies (2026)

HubSpot's free CRM handles contact tracking and pipeline management well, but once a client says yes and the actual work begins, there are no proposals to send, no contract to sign, no project tasks to manage, and no time tracking connected to billing, unless you pay $890/month for a plan built for sales teams, not freelancers. Most freelancers hit this wall when the first client is ready to move forward.

Plutio keeps contact management and adds what happens after the deal closes: the proposal goes out, the signed contract starts the project, tasks pull from the agreed scope, tracked hours feed the invoice, and the client checks progress in a branded portal at your domain without asking for updates.

Six HubSpot alternatives compared by price, features, and who each one actually fits, so you can choose without testing all six.

Last updated February 2026

Try Plutio free
#1
Plutio
9.2/10
#4
HubSpot
5.5/10
#3
Zoho CRM
6.5/10
#2
Bonsai
7.5/10

TLDR (summary)

Best HubSpot alternative in 2026: Plutio ($19/month vs HubSpot Starter's $20/seat/month, Professional from $890/month). HubSpot's free CRM handles contact and pipeline management but stops there. Plutio handles the same CRM work and keeps going once the client says yes. The proposal goes out, the signed contract starts the project, tracked hours feed the invoice, and the client gets a portal, all in one place.

Why freelancers switch: Once a deal closes in HubSpot, the tool becomes a contact database. There are no interactive proposals, no contract signing connected to a project, no real task management for deliverables, no time tracking tied to billing, and no client portal where clients see project progress. Most users end up with 3-4 separate tools just to manage one client from start to finish.

Why Plutio is the best alternative: Proposals, contracts, projects, time tracking, invoicing, and a branded client portal all connect in the same system. When a client approves a proposal, Plutio creates the project from a template, assigns tasks from the scope, gives the client portal access, and queues the invoice. Context from the proposal carries forward to the project with no rebuilding required.

Other alternatives on this page: Zoho CRM (cheaper CRM suite, still no proposals or project management), Bonsai (freelancer contracts and invoicing, basic task management), Moxie (modern freelancer CRM, limited for agencies). Full comparison below.

What is the best HubSpot alternative for freelancers in 2026?

Compare pricing, CRM features, project management, invoicing, and client portal capabilities.

PRICING

Collapse

Plutio

198/199

HubSpot

106/199

Zoho

79/199

Bonsai

43/199

Moxie

85/199

Flowlu

91/199

FreshBooks

49/199

Starting price

$19/month (Core plan)

1 core seat included ($20/month/seat for Starter)

Zoho CRM Standard $14/user/mo, Professional $23/user/mo. Zoho Projects Premium $4/user/mo. Zoho Invoice free (limited). Stack total: $28+/user/mo

$15/month (Basic, $9/month annual)

$12/month (Starter, $10/month annual)

Free plan (2 users). Paid plans from $12/seat/month (Essential, $9/seat annual)

$21/month (Lite, 5 clients)

Free plan

No free plan (14-day trial available)

Free plan with CRM, forms, live chat, and email marketing (limited)

Free CRM (3 users), free Invoice (500 invoices/year, 2 users, Zoho branding), but most core apps require paid plans

No free plan (trial available)

No free plan (14-day trial)

Free plan for up to 2 users

No free plan (30-day trial)

Trial period

14-day free trial

14-day free trial on Professional and Enterprise plans

15-day free trial on most Zoho apps

7-day free trial

14-day free trial

7-day free trial on paid plans

30-day free trial

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Collapse

Plutio

198/199

HubSpot

106/199

Zoho

79/199

Bonsai

43/199

Moxie

85/199

Flowlu

91/199

FreshBooks

49/199

Manage projects and tasks

Fully flexible project and task setup you can shape to your workflow

Projects Object (GA since INBOUND 2025, available on Starter+)

Full project and task management via Zoho Projects with Kanban, Gantt, and milestone views

Basic project and task management

Projects with Table, Kanban, and Timeline views

Full project management with Kanban, Gantt, task lists, milestones, and dependencies

Basic project tracking with profitability focus

Project roles and permissions

Control exactly who can view or edit each part of a project

CRM-level permissions apply to tasks (not task-specific)

Role-based permissions in Zoho Projects

4 fixed roles (PMs cannot view financials)

4 project access levels (full, read-only, overview, hidden)

Role-based access control with customizable permissions per project

Team member permissions (Admin, Manager, Employee)

Multiple task boards

Unlimited boards to run parallel workflows in the same project

Gantt, Kanban, and Calendar views in Projects

Multiple boards per project in Zoho Projects

Strictly restricted to 1 board per project

Single board per project

Multiple task boards per project with Kanban view

No task boards (list-based tracking only)

Embeddable project boards

Live project boards embedded into client portals or websites

No embeddable project boards

No embeddable project boards

Embedding live project boards is not supported

No embeddable project boards

No embeddable project boards

No embeddable project views

Sharable project boards

Read-only public links for sharing progress without risk

No shareable project boards

Client portal access in Zoho Projects (no public read-only links)

Portal access only (no public read-only links)

Client portal access only (no public links)

No shared or public project links

Clients can view documents in portal only

Project stages and milestones

Define custom project lifecycles for different types of work

Custom project statuses (GA on Starter+)

Milestones and project statuses in Zoho Projects

Milestones with Gantt chart visualization

Custom task statuses (no formal milestones)

Project milestones with Gantt chart visualization and dependencies

No project stages or milestones

Connected proposals, contracts, and invoices

Everything related stays connected to the project automatically

Quote-to-invoice flow (no proposal-to-contract-to-project flow)

Separate apps — Zoho Projects, Zoho Sign, and Zoho Invoice are not natively connected in one workflow

Manual linking (no automatic project integration)

Proposals auto-convert to contracts and projects

Invoices and contracts linked to projects (Documents Builder, Dec 2025). No native proposals yet

Estimates and invoices connect (no contracts)

Custom project data fields

Track, sort, filter, and report on custom project data

Project dashboards with custom reporting

Custom fields available in Zoho Projects

Text, number, date, URL (no filtering)

Custom fields on CRM objects (limited on tasks)

Custom fields on projects and tasks

No custom project fields

Kanban boards

Drag-and-drop tasks across customizable columns

Kanban view available in Sales Workspace and Projects

Kanban board view in Zoho Projects

Kanban view (limited customization)

Kanban board view included

Kanban board view for projects and tasks

No Kanban boards

Table view

Bulk-edit tasks like a spreadsheet

Table view available in CRM

Table/spreadsheet view in Zoho Projects

Basic table view (no bulk editing)

Table view included

Table view available

No table view for tasks

List view

Clean task lists with clear hierarchy

List view available in CRM and tasks

List view available in Zoho Projects

Simple list view with basic sorting

No dedicated list view (table view used instead)

List view available

Task list view available

Calendar view

See tasks and deadlines on a calendar

Calendar view for tasks and meetings

Calendar view for tasks and deadlines in Zoho Projects

Calendar view for tasks and deadlines

Homebase calendar with task dates

Calendar view for tasks and deadlines

Calendar shows events, not tasks

Gantt view

Plan work visually with task order and dependencies

Gantt chart view in Projects Object

Gantt chart with dependencies in Zoho Projects

Gantt chart with drag-and-drop

Timeline view functions as Gantt chart

Gantt chart with dependencies and milestones

No Gantt charts

Subtasks

Break work down into multiple nested levels

No subtasks on tasks

Nested subtasks supported in Zoho Projects

Nested subtasks supported

Subtasks as checkboxes (single level, not nested)

Subtasks with checklists

No subtasks

Email to task

Turn emails into tasks without manual copying

Tasks can be created from CRM emails (not direct email-to-task)

Email-to-task available in Zoho Projects via email forwarding

No email-to-task conversion

No email-to-task conversion

Email integration available (no direct email-to-task)

No email-to-task conversion

Task comments

Keep discussions tied directly to each task

Internal notes on tasks (not full comment threads)

Comments with @mentions on tasks in Zoho Projects

Comments stay attached to tasks only

Comments and @mentions on tasks

Comments and @mentions on tasks

Team discussion on projects

Task attachments

Store files directly on the task they belong to

Files can be linked to CRM records (no direct task attachments)

File attachments on tasks in Zoho Projects

File attachments (no file manager)

File attachments (50 MB limit per file)

File attachments on tasks

Files can be attached to projects

Task priorities

Define priority levels that fit your workflow

Task priorities supported (Low, Medium, High)

Task priority levels in Zoho Projects

No priority levels

No native priority levels

Task priority levels

No task priorities

Task labels & color coding

Use unlimited labels to visually organize tasks

Task types available (no color coding)

Tags and color coding in Zoho Projects

No color coding (labels only)

No native labels or color coding

Labels and color coding on tasks

No task labels or color coding

Multiple task assignees

Assign tasks to one or multiple teammates

Task assignment to team members

Multiple assignees per task in Zoho Projects

One assignee per task (no multi-assign)

Single assignee per task only

Multiple assignees per task

Tasks can be assigned to team members

Task templates

Reuse task-level structures across projects

Task templates via sequences (Sales Hub Professional+)

Task and project templates in Zoho Projects

Task templates with dependencies

Project templates with tasks included

Task and project templates

Project templates available

Task permissions

Control access at the individual task level

CRM-level permissions apply to tasks (not task-specific)

Role-based task access (no per-task granular permissions)

Project-level only (no task-level)

4 access levels per project (not per task)

Role-based task access control

No task-level permissions

Task dependencies

Prevent work from starting out of order

No task dependencies

Task dependencies supported in Zoho Projects

Waiting on, Blocking, Related to

Basic task dependencies (limited configuration options)

Task dependencies with Gantt visualization

No task dependencies

Recurring tasks

Automate repeating work with flexible schedules

Recurring tasks supported

Recurring tasks in Zoho Projects

Daily, weekly, monthly, milestones

Daily, weekly, monthly, yearly recurring tasks

Recurring tasks supported

No recurring tasks

Custom task data fields

Add task-level fields for tracking custom details

Custom task properties available

Custom fields on tasks in Zoho Projects

Custom fields (text and number only)

Custom fields on CRM objects (limited on tasks)

Custom fields on tasks

No custom task fields

TIME TRACKING

Collapse

Plutio

198/199

HubSpot

106/199

Zoho

79/199

Bonsai

43/199

Moxie

85/199

Flowlu

91/199

FreshBooks

49/199

Time tracking system

Easily track time using timers or manual entries

No built-in time tracking

Built-in time tracking in Zoho Projects only (separate from Zoho CRM and Zoho Invoice)

Timer and manual time entry

Start/stop timer and manual entry

Built-in time tracking at project and task level

Timer and manual time entry

Task-level tracking

Log time directly against tasks and subtasks

No time tracking

Task-level time tracking in Zoho Projects

Limited to task-level only (no subtask tracking)

Track time by client, project, and task

Time tracking per task

Time tracked per service, not per task

Project-level tracking

See time spent per project and per client

No time tracking

Project-level time logs and rollup reports in Zoho Projects

Time tracked per project

Track time at project level

Time tracking per project

Time tracked per project and client

Billable time tracking

Clearly separate billable and non-billable time

No billable time tracking

Billable time in Zoho Projects (not automatically connected to Zoho Invoice)

Billable and non-billable categorization

Billable and non-billable toggle on time entries

Billable hours tracking

Billable and non-billable hours supported

Billable time invoicing

Turn tracked time into invoices without extra steps

No time tracking to convert to invoices

No direct connection from Zoho Projects time logs to Zoho Invoice — separate apps require manual export

One-click invoice from time entries

Auto-populate invoices from tracked hours

Convert billable time to invoices

Time entries convert to invoices

Timesheet reports

View detailed time reports by task, project, or client

No timesheet reports

Timesheet reports in Zoho Projects

Detailed timesheet reports

Time views by project, client, and month (no exportable reports or filters)

Timesheet reports available

Detailed time reports available

Team timesheets

See how each team member tracks their time

No team timesheets

Team timesheets with approval workflow in Zoho Projects (Premium plan)

Per-member timesheets with locking

Team time logging (no approval workflow)

Team timesheet overview

Team time tracking on higher plans

PROPOSALS

Collapse

Plutio

198/199

HubSpot

106/199

Zoho

79/199

Bonsai

43/199

Moxie

85/199

Flowlu

91/199

FreshBooks

49/199

Create and send proposals

Create proposals clients can review, approve, and sign in one flow

Quotes tool with line items and e-signatures (not full proposals)

No native proposal builder — requires third-party tools like Proposify or Qwilr

Customizable proposals with e-signatures

Drag-and-drop proposal builder

Basic proposal/estimate creation (no interactive builder)

Estimates only (not full proposals)

Drag-and-drop proposal builder

Create custom, branded proposals without layout limits or code

Template-based quote builder with sections (not drag-and-drop)

No proposal builder in any Zoho app

Visual editor (no true drag-and-drop)

Drag-and-drop with templates

No drag-and-drop proposal builder

No visual proposal builder

Reusable proposal templates

Reuse proven proposal layouts across clients

Quote templates with reusable modules

No native proposal templates

Industry templates plus custom templates

Pre-built professional templates

Basic estimate templates (limited customization)

Estimate templates available

Real-time proposal analytics

See exactly when proposals are opened and reviewed

Track quote views, downloads, and engagement

No proposal view analytics

Real-time view tracking

No view tracking or engagement analytics

No real-time proposal analytics

No proposal view tracking

Live messenger on proposals

Answer questions directly while clients review proposals

Breeze closing agent answers buyer questions on quotes (AI, not live chat)

No live messenger on proposals

No live chat in proposals

Client comments directly on proposals

No live messenger on proposals

No in-proposal messaging

Proposal flow automation

Move from proposal to contract, invoice, or booking automatically

Quote-to-invoice flow (no proposal-to-contract-to-project flow)

No proposal-to-project automation

Proposal-contract link only (no scheduler)

Auto-convert to contract and project on approval

No proposal-specific automation

Estimate to invoice only

Convert proposal to invoice

Create invoices directly from approved proposals

Quotes auto-create invoices via subscriptions or manual conversion

No native proposal-to-invoice conversion

Auto-generate invoice from accepted proposal

Auto-create invoice when agreement is signed

Convert estimates/proposals to invoices with one click

Convert estimates to invoices

Packages and add-ons

Offer upsells and add-ons directly inside proposals

Line items with tiered pricing (no interactive package selection)

No native proposal packages or add-ons

Packages with single, multi-select options

No interactive pricing tables or package selection

No packages or add-ons in proposals

No packages or add-ons

Interactive pricing tables

Let clients choose options before approving

Static pricing on quotes (no client-selectable options)

No interactive pricing tables

Static pricing only (no client selection)

No interactive pricing tables

No interactive pricing tables

Static pricing only

Dynamic data and variables

Auto-fill proposal content with client and project data

AI-generated cover letters and line items from deal context

No dynamic data variables in proposals

Basic smart fields (limited variables)

Basic merge fields (no dynamic data blocks)

Dynamic variables with automatic data filling in Document Builder

Basic placeholders available

Expiration dates

Automatically expire proposals after a set date

Quote expiration dates supported

No proposal expiration dates

Manual expiry dates (no automation)

Expiration dates not confirmed in documentation

Expiration dates on estimates

Manual expiry dates on estimates

PDF Export

Download as branded PDFs

PDF download included

PDF export available in various Zoho apps (not proposal-specific)

Basic PDF export (limited branding)

Contracts stored in client profile (no standalone PDF export documented)

PDF export available

PDF export included

Reusable content blocks

Create reusable proposal sections you can reuse on demand

Reusable template modules (not individual content blocks)

No reusable proposal content blocks

Reusable blocks not supported (templates only)

No reusable content blocks

No reusable content blocks

No reusable content blocks

Legally binding e-signatures

Collect secure electronic signatures on proposals

E-signatures on quotes (10/month Pro, 30/month Enterprise, powered by Dropbox Sign)

Via Zoho Sign — separate paid app ($10/user/mo)

Basic e-signatures (limited audit trail)

E-signatures on proposals

No e-signatures on proposals

No e-signatures

Custom proposal data fields

Create custom proposal data you can sort, filter, and report on

Custom deal and quote properties available

No proposal custom fields (no native proposal module)

Text and date custom fields only

Merge fields for client and project info (no sortable custom data)

Custom variables and fields available in Document Builder

No custom proposal fields

CONTRACTS

Collapse

Plutio

198/199

HubSpot

106/199

Zoho

79/199

Bonsai

43/199

Moxie

85/199

Flowlu

91/199

FreshBooks

49/199

Create and sign contracts

Create, send, and sign contracts in one continuous flow

No native contract creation (e-signatures only on quotes, third-party needed for contracts)

Zoho Sign handles e-signatures (separate paid app, $10/user/mo). Zoho Contracts is a separate enterprise product

Legally vetted templates with e-signatures

Legally vetted contract templates

Contract creation via Documents Builder (Dec 2025). E-signatures not yet available

Contracts not supported

Drag-and-drop contract builder

Create fully custom contracts with flexible layouts, no code or formatting limits

No contract builder

No drag-and-drop contract builder

Visual editor (no full drag-and-drop)

Pre-built legal templates

Template-based Documents and Contracts Builder (Dec 2025)

No contract builder

Legally binding e-signatures

Collect secure signatures with audit trails and signer verification

E-signatures on quotes only (not standalone contracts)

Via Zoho Sign — legally binding e-signatures (separate paid app)

Legally binding e-signatures

E-signatures on contracts with audit trail

No e-signatures (must use third-party)

No e-signatures

Multi-signature / signees

Collect signatures from multiple people on the same contract

Counter-signing on quotes (limited multi-party)

Multiple signers via Zoho Sign (separate app)

Multiple signers and recipients

Single signer per contract (no multi-party signing)

No multi-signature support

Not supported

Reusable contract templates

Reuse contract structures to create new agreements faster

No contract templates (quote templates only)

No native contract templates (Zoho Contracts is a separate enterprise product)

Industry-specific and custom templates

Pre-built legal templates

Reusable document templates with on-brand designs and HTML editor

No contract templates

Auto-reminders automation

Automatically follow up until contracts are signed

No contract reminders (workflow reminders for deals)

Automated reminders via Zoho Sign (separate app)

Auto-reminders (stop after 16 days overdue)

Automatic follow-up reminders

No contract auto-reminders

No contract reminders

Dynamic data/variables

Auto-fill contract content with client and project data

No contract variables (quote variables only)

No dynamic variables in contracts (no native contract builder)

Basic smart fields (limited variables)

Merge fields for client data (no dynamic data blocks)

Dynamic variables with automatic data filling from CRM and other modules

Not applicable

Contract automation triggers

Trigger automated workflows the moment a contract is signed

No contract triggers (deal stage triggers exist)

No contract automation triggers

Contract & proposal triggers only

Signed contracts trigger project creation and invoice generation

No contract automation triggers

Not supported

View notifications

See when contracts are opened and reviewed

Quote view and engagement tracking available

View and sign notifications via Zoho Sign (separate app)

Basic email notifications (no detailed tracking)

Real-time tracking (sent, viewed, paid, overdue)

No contract view notifications

Email notifications when viewed

PDF download with signature certificate

Download signed contracts with official proof of signature

Countersigned quotes downloadable (limited certificate)

Signed PDF with certificate via Zoho Sign (separate app)

Basic PDF download (limited certificate)

Signed contracts stored in client profile (no signature certificate)

No e-signature or signature certificates

Not applicable

Custom signer data fields

Collect structured signer information during signing

No custom signer data fields on contracts

No custom signer data fields

Standard fields only (name & email)

Standard signer fields (name and email only)

No custom signer data fields

Not applicable

Custom contract data fields

Create custom contract data you can sort, filter, and report on

No contract data fields

No custom contract fields (no native contract builder)

Custom fields (contact info only)

Merge fields only (no sortable or filterable custom data)

Custom variables available in Document Builder templates

Not applicable

INVOICES & PAYMENTS

Collapse

Plutio

198/199

HubSpot

106/199

Zoho

79/199

Bonsai

43/199

Moxie

85/199

Flowlu

91/199

FreshBooks

49/199

Create invoices and get paid

Send invoices and collect payments in one connected flow

Free invoicing with HubSpot Payments or Stripe

Zoho Invoice is free but limited (500 invoices/year, 2 users, Zoho branding on free plan)

Invoicing with multiple payment options

Customizable invoice templates with online payments

Create and send invoices with online payment collection

Full invoicing with online payments

Fully branded invoices

Match invoices to your brand with custom logos, colors, and layout

Basic branding (logo and colors, fixed template layout)

Custom branding in Zoho Invoice (Zoho footer shown on free plan; full custom branding on paid plans)

Limited branding (logo and colors only)

Customizable templates

Branded invoices with company logo and colors

Customizable invoice branding

Drag and drop invoice builder

Create custom invoice layouts visually without formatting limits

No drag-and-drop invoice builder (template-based)

Invoice builder in Zoho Invoice

Pre-built templates (no drag-drop)

Template-based editor (not drag-and-drop)

Invoice editor (not drag-and-drop)

Template-based editor only

Customizable line items

Edit pricing, quantities, descriptions, and structure freely

Line items with descriptions, quantities, and pricing

Customizable line items in Zoho Invoice

Line items (no advanced customization)

Custom descriptions, quantities, and pricing per line

Customizable line items on invoices

Fully customizable line items

Item or invoice discounts

Apply discounts at the item or full invoice level

Discounts supported on invoices

Discounts on line items and invoices in Zoho Invoice

Discounts (percentage or fixed, no tiered)

Basic discount support

Discounts on invoices

Discounts supported

Customizable taxes

Create tax rules that match your location and use case

Tax configuration supported

Tax configuration in Zoho Invoice

Basic tax configuration (no automation)

Basic tax calculations (not full tax automation)

Tax configuration on invoices

Custom tax rates

ACH payments

Accept bank transfers for lower-fee payments

ACH bank debits supported (US-based companies, first $50K/month free)

ACH available via Stripe integration in Zoho Invoice (not direct)

ACH via Bonsai Payments (US, UK, CA, AU only)

Stripe, PayPal, and ACH

No ACH payment support

ACH bank payments supported

Stripe integration

Accept credit and debit cards instantly

Full Stripe payment processing integration

Stripe payment gateway supported in Zoho Invoice

Stripe payments supported

Stripe integration included

Stripe integration for payments

Stripe payments supported

Square integration

Collect in-person payments when needed

Square integration via third-party tools (not native)

Square not natively supported (Stripe, PayPal, Razorpay available)

Not supported

No Square integration

Square integration for online invoice payments

Square not integrated

PayPal integration

Let clients pay using PayPal

PayPal integration via third-party tools (not native)

PayPal payment gateway supported in Zoho Invoice

PayPal payments supported

PayPal integration included

PayPal integration for payments

PayPal payments supported

Flexible partial payments

Collect deposits and split payments across milestones

Deposit requests available via subscriptions (limited installment options)

Partial payments supported in Zoho Invoice (limited configuration)

Partial payments (manual milestone setup)

Deposit requests (limited installment options)

Basic partial payment support

Partial payments supported

Payment plans

Break invoices into scheduled installments

Recurring invoices and subscription billing supported

Payment terms configurable in Zoho Invoice (no structured payment plan builder)

Payment plans (limited automation)

Recurring invoices (no milestone-based installment schedules)

No payment plan support

Manual setup required

Automated recurring invoices

Automatically send invoices on a recurring schedule

Recurring invoices with auto-charge or manual payment

Recurring invoices and subscription billing in Zoho Invoice

Weekly, biweekly, monthly, yearly recurrence

Recurring invoices with custom frequency

Basic recurring invoice support

Recurring invoices supported

Subscription management

Manage ongoing client subscriptions and billing

Subscription billing via HubSpot Payments or Stripe

Subscription management via Zoho Subscriptions (separate app)

Recurring invoices (no subscription portal)

Recurring invoices only (no subscription portal or client self-service)

No subscription management

Retainers available on Plus plan

Automated payment reminders

Follow up automatically until invoices are paid

Payment reminders via workflows (Professional+ only)

Automated payment reminders in Zoho Invoice

Automated reminders (stop after 16 days)

Automatic follow-up reminders with late fees

Automated payment reminders

Automated late payment reminders

Reusable invoice templates

Reuse invoice layouts without rebuilding each time

Basic invoice templates (limited customization)

Invoice templates in Zoho Invoice

Templates available (limited customization)

Customizable templates

Reusable invoice templates

Invoice templates available

Multiple currency support

Bill clients globally in their local currency

130+ currencies supported (Starter+)

Multi-currency support in Zoho Invoice

Multi-currency (manual exchange rates)

81+ currencies supported

Multiple currency support

Multi-currency supported

Invoice automation triggers

Trigger automated workflows when invoices are sent or paid

Invoice and payment events trigger workflows (Professional+)

Basic automation in Zoho Invoice (limited compared to a full automation builder)

Payment & form triggers only

Pipeline stage triggers only (Pro plan)

Basic invoice automation (limited triggers)

Limited automation

View notifications

See when invoices are opened and paid

Invoice view and payment notifications

Email notifications when invoices are viewed and paid in Zoho Invoice

Email notifications (no real-time tracking)

Real-time tracking (sent, viewed, paid, overdue)

Basic invoice view tracking

Email notifications when viewed

Built-in expense tracking

Track project-related costs alongside invoices

No built-in expense tracking

Zoho Expense is a separate app (not built into Invoice or Projects)

Expense tracking (auto-categorization via bank sync)

Expense tracking with receipt attachment and Plaid bank sync

Built-in expense and revenue tracking with profit reports

Full expense tracking with receipts

Invoice deposits

Collect upfront payments before work starts

Deposit requests via subscriptions (limited)

Retainers/deposits supported in Zoho Invoice

Deposits supported (manual collection)

Deposit requests available

Basic deposit support

Deposit invoicing supported

Auto-invoice billable time

Turn tracked time into invoices automatically

No time tracking to convert to invoices

No direct connection from Zoho Projects time logs to Zoho Invoice — separate apps with no auto-billing

Time-to-invoice (manual confirmation required)

Auto-populate invoices from tracked hours

Convert billable time to invoices

Time to invoice conversion

Custom invoice data fields

Create custom invoice data you can sort, filter, and report on

Custom invoice properties available

Custom fields on invoices in Zoho Invoice

Text and date custom fields only

Basic custom fields on invoices

Basic custom fields on invoices

No custom invoice fields

INBOX

Collapse

Plutio

198/199

HubSpot

106/199

Zoho

79/199

Bonsai

43/199

Moxie

85/199

Flowlu

91/199

FreshBooks

49/199

Centralized unified inbox

Manage email, chat, and messages from one shared inbox

Conversations inbox with email, chat, forms, and Facebook Messenger

No unified inbox — Zoho Mail, Zoho Cliq, and Zoho CRM are all separate apps

A unified client inbox is not supported

Communicator with email, SMS, and phone in one view (Pro plan)

No centralized unified inbox

No unified inbox

Full email integration

Connect and manage all your email accounts in one place

Two-way email sync with Gmail and Outlook

Email via Zoho Mail integration (separate app)

Send-only (no inbox sync)

Two-way email sync via Communicator (Pro plan)

Email integration with IMAP sync (Gmail, Outlook, and more)

No email integration

Embeddable live chat

Add real-time chat to your website and client portals

Free live chat widget for websites

Zoho SalesIQ provides embeddable live chat (separate app)

Not supported

No embeddable live chat

No live chat widget

No live chat

Instant direct messages

Message teammates privately without leaving your workspace

Internal comments and @mentions (no dedicated DM system)

Zoho Cliq for team direct messaging (separate app)

Direct messaging is not supported

Direct messages via Communicator

Built-in instant messenger with group channels, @mentions, and file sharing

No direct messaging

Contextual project conversations

Keep conversations tied directly to the project they belong to

CRM record-based conversations (not project-contextual)

Conversations not natively connected to projects across separate Zoho apps

No in-app project messaging

Full conversation history in Communicator

Comments and @mentions on projects (no dedicated conversations)

Project discussions available

Team channels

Create shared spaces for team-wide discussions

No team channel system

Team channels via Zoho Cliq (separate app)

Team chat is not supported

No team channel system

Custom user groups for targeted team communication (Focus Group Collaboration)

No team channels

Customized channels

Organize channels by team, topic, or workflow

No customized channel system

Custom channels in Zoho Cliq (separate app)

Not supported

No channel system

Custom user groups by department or project team for targeted communication

Not applicable

@mentions

Notify teammates instantly inside conversations

@mentions in CRM comments and tasks

@mentions in Zoho Cliq and within individual apps (not unified)

Not supported

@mentions supported in task comments

@mentions in comments

No @mentions

Message read receipts

See when messages are read

Email open and click tracking included

Read receipts in Zoho Cliq (separate app)

Read receipts are not supported

Conversation history tracked (no read receipts)

No message read receipts

No read receipts

File sharing in chat

Share files directly inside conversations

File sharing in Conversations inbox

File sharing in Zoho Cliq and other Zoho apps

Share files and links in portal messages

50 MB attachments or external links (no native file storage)

Content sharing in instant team chats

No chat feature

Shared email inbox

Collaborate on incoming emails as a team

Shared team email inbox included (free)

No shared email inbox feature

Not supported

No shared team email inbox

No shared email inbox

No shared inbox

Inbox mobile app

Access and respond to messages on mobile

Full inbox access on mobile apps

Zoho Mail and Zoho Cliq have mobile apps (separate apps)

Not supported

iOS and Android apps

No inbox mobile app

No inbox in app

Email reply to inbox

Reply from your email client and keep conversations synced

Email replies sync to Conversations inbox

No unified email-reply-to-inbox feature

Not supported

Email replies sync to Communicator threads

No email reply to inbox

No inbox sync

FILES

Collapse

Plutio

198/199

HubSpot

106/199

Zoho

79/199

Bonsai

43/199

Moxie

85/199

Flowlu

91/199

FreshBooks

49/199

Store and manage files

Keep all client and project files in one organized place

File Manager for marketing assets (not a project file system)

Zoho WorkDrive for file storage and management (separate app)

Project document storage with client access

File attachments on tasks (50 MB limit, no file manager)

File storage on projects (no dedicated file manager)

Basic file storage in projects

Advanced folder organization

Organize files by project, client, or structure you choose

Folder structure in File Manager (marketing-focused)

Folder organization in Zoho WorkDrive

Project-level only (no granular)

Project-level organization (no complex hierarchy)

Project-based file organization (no advanced folder system)

No folder organization

Folder permissions

Control who can view or edit folders

CRM-level access controls apply to files

Permission-based folder access in Zoho WorkDrive

Project-level only (no granular)

4 project access levels apply to files

Project-level permissions apply to files

No folder permissions

People folders

Group files by person when needed

Files are asset-based, not person-based

Team folders in Zoho WorkDrive (no people-specific personal folders)

Not supported

No person-based file organization

No people-specific folders

Not supported

Project folders

Keep files scoped to each project

Files can be associated with CRM records

Project file folders in Zoho Projects (not auto-synced with WorkDrive)

Project-based file sections in portal

Files organized within projects

Files organized within projects

Files organized by project

In-app previews

Preview files instantly without downloading

In-app file previews supported

File previews in Zoho WorkDrive

Not supported

Basic file previews within tasks

In-app file previews

Basic file previews

Custom file data fields

Capture file metadata you can sort and filter

No custom file metadata fields

File metadata in Zoho WorkDrive (limited custom fields)

Contact info only (no CRM fields)

No custom file metadata fields

No custom file data fields

No custom file fields

Built-in documents

Create and edit documents directly inside Plutio

Document tracking tool for sales content (no editor)

Zoho Writer for document creation (separate app in Zoho suite)

No built-in document editor

Proposal and contract documents only

Knowledge base with rich text pages

No document editor

Comments on files and docs

Leave comments directly on files and documents

No file commenting system

Comments on files and docs in Zoho WorkDrive and Writer

No file commenting system

Comments and @mentions on tasks

Comments on knowledge base pages (not on files)

No file comments

Bulk file actions

Move, tag, or manage many files at once

Basic bulk actions in File Manager

Bulk actions in Zoho WorkDrive (limited operations)

Not supported

No bulk file operations

No bulk file actions

No bulk actions

Files search & filter

Find files quickly using search and filters

Search and filter in File Manager

Search and filter in Zoho WorkDrive

Not supported

Search within project context

Basic file search within projects

Basic search

External cloud sync

Sync files with Google Drive or Dropbox

Google Drive, Dropbox via integrations (no native sync)

Google Drive and Dropbox sync via integration (not native WorkDrive sync)

Not supported

No native cloud storage sync

Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive integrations

Dropbox and Google Drive integrations

Secure sharing controls

Restrict access with permissions or passwords

Document tracking with password protection and link controls

Secure sharing with permissions in Zoho WorkDrive

Not supported

4 project access levels control file visibility

Project-level sharing controls

Basic sharing via portal

File sharing links

Share files externally with controlled access

Trackable document sharing links

Shareable file links in Zoho WorkDrive

Portal sharing only (no direct file links)

Share via task attachments or external links only

No dedicated file sharing links

No shareable file links

SCHEDULING

Collapse

Plutio

198/199

HubSpot

106/199

Zoho

79/199

Bonsai

43/199

Moxie

85/199

Flowlu

91/199

FreshBooks

49/199

Schedule meetings

Let clients book meetings directly without back-and-forth emails

Basic scheduling link free; group and round-robin scheduling on Starter+ only

Zoho Bookings for appointment scheduling (separate app)

Booking pages with calendar sync

Embeddable booking page with calendar sync

No scheduling or booking system

No scheduling features

Branded booking page

Build a fully branded, customizable booking system using a drag-and-drop editor

Branding on paid plans (Starter removes HubSpot branding)

Custom booking page in Zoho Bookings (separate app)

Custom branding on booking pages

Customizable booking page with branding

No booking pages

No booking pages

Advanced availability management

Define flexible availability rules applied automatically to bookings

Custom availability windows with configurable start time increments

Availability rules in Zoho Bookings (separate app)

Event types with availability windows

Custom availability windows with calendar blocking

No availability management

Not applicable

Automatic buffer times

Add buffer time automatically between meetings

Buffer times between meetings supported

Buffer times in Zoho Bookings (separate app)

Buffer times (no daily limits)

Configurable buffer between meetings

No buffer time settings

Not applicable

Multiple meeting types

Create unlimited booking types with different rules and setups

Multiple scheduling page types supported

Multiple service types in Zoho Bookings (separate app)

Custom event types with different durations

Multiple meeting types with unique settings

No meeting type configuration

Not applicable

Calendar sync (Google/Outlook)

Two-way calendar sync that stays up to date automatically

Two-way sync with Google Workspace, Outlook, and Office 365

Google and Outlook calendar sync via Zoho Calendar

Calendar sync (Google and Outlook only)

Google, Outlook, iCloud, CalDAV

No calendar sync for scheduling

Calendar sync for late payments only

Customizable booking confirmations

Fully customizable confirmation pages with no layout or branding limits

Customizable confirmation and reminder emails

Booking confirmations in Zoho Bookings (separate app)

Email customization (limited template control)

Automated confirmations and reminders

No booking confirmations

Not applicable

Redirect after booking

Send bookers anywhere after scheduling, not just a fixed thank-you page

Redirect after booking supported

Redirect after booking in Zoho Bookings (separate app)

Redirect supported (basic URL redirect)

Customizable confirmation pages

No booking system

Not applicable

Booking automation triggers

Trigger automated workflows the moment a meeting is booked

Meeting booked triggers workflows (Professional+)

Basic automation in Zoho Bookings (limited triggers)

Booking triggers (limited action types)

Automated reminders and confirmations

No booking automation

Not applicable

Smart meeting reminders

Send automatic reminders without manual follow-ups

Automatic meeting reminders included

Email reminders in Zoho Bookings (separate app)

Auto-reminders (email only, no SMS)

Automated meeting reminders

No meeting reminders

Not applicable

Automatic timezone detection

Handle timezones automatically without manual adjustments

Automatic timezone detection based on browser

Timezone detection in Zoho Bookings

Timezone detection (basic support)

Calendar sync handles timezones (no explicit detection documented)

No timezone detection for booking

Timezone support for invoicing

Paid appointments (Stripe/PayPal)

Collect payments during booking without extra steps

Payment collection via HubSpot Payments or Stripe (no PayPal at booking)

Paid bookings via Zoho Bookings with Stripe/PayPal integration (separate app)

Require payment to book via Bonsai Payments or Stripe

Require payment before meeting is booked

No paid appointments

Not applicable

Custom booking forms

Build booking forms with full control over questions and layout

Custom questions on scheduling pages

Custom intake questions in Zoho Bookings (separate app)

Custom intake questions and forms on booking events

Custom intake forms on meeting types

No custom booking forms

Not applicable

Minimum notice / daily booking limits

Set booking limits to control lead time and daily volume

Minimum notice and booking frequency controls

Booking limits and notice periods in Zoho Bookings (separate app)

Notice periods (no per-event daily limits)

Booking limits not confirmed in documentation

No booking limits

Not applicable

Rescheduling and cancellation controls

Define flexible rules for rescheduling and cancellations

Reschedule and cancel links included in booking confirmations

Rescheduling and cancellation in Zoho Bookings (separate app)

Clients can reschedule or cancel from confirmation email

Clients can reschedule or cancel bookings

No rescheduling controls

Not applicable

AUTOMATION

Collapse

Plutio

198/199

HubSpot

106/199

Zoho

79/199

Bonsai

43/199

Moxie

85/199

Flowlu

91/199

FreshBooks

49/199

Automated workflows builder

Build advanced workflows visually without code or rigid templates

Visual workflow builder with branching logic (Professional+, 300 workflow limit)

Workflow automation within individual Zoho apps; cross-app automation requires Zoho Flow (separate product)

Contract, proposal, invoice, form triggers

Visual workflow builder (Pro plan only)

Automation rules (no visual workflow builder)

No workflow builder

Trigger-based workflows

Start workflows from real events across projects, clients, and payments

Triggers from contacts, deals, tickets, forms, and custom objects

Trigger-based workflows within each Zoho app (not unified across apps)

Contract signed, proposal accepted, form filled

Pipeline, form submission, and invoice triggers (Pro plan only)

Trigger-based automation rules

Limited payment and invoice triggers

Schedule-based workflows

Run workflows on schedules you control, not fixed intervals

Date-based and scheduled workflow triggers

Scheduled workflows within individual Zoho apps

Not supported

No independent time-based triggers

No schedule-based automation

Recurring invoices only

Multi-step workflows

Chain multiple actions into one continuous automation

Multi-step workflows with branching supported

Multi-step workflows in Zoho Flow (separate product) or within individual apps

Not supported

Multi-step sequences with branching

Multi-step business processes with stages and automated actions

No multi-step automation

True/False branching

Create conditional paths instead of one-size-fits-all flows

If/then branching with conditional logic

Conditional branching in Zoho Flow (separate product)

Not supported

Decision widget with AND/OR logic

No conditional branching

No conditional logic

Delay-based actions

Add precise timing between steps, down to minutes or days

Delay actions between workflow steps

Delay actions in Zoho Flow (separate product)

Not supported

Wait For conditions only (no timed delays)

No delay-based actions

Payment reminder delays

Create & update records

Create, update, or move records automatically across the system

Create and update contacts, deals, tasks, and tickets via workflows

Record creation and updates within individual Zoho apps

Auto-create (projects and clients only)

Create projects, send invoices, send agreements

Create and update records via automation

No record automation

Move & duplicate records

Reorganize work automatically without manual cleanup

Move deals through pipeline stages (no duplicate action)

Record operations within individual Zoho apps

Not supported

Change pipeline stage only (no move/duplicate/archive)

Move records (no duplicate action)

Not supported

Delete & archive records

Automatically archive or remove records based on rules

Delete contacts via workflows (limited scope)

Delete/archive within individual Zoho apps

Not supported

No auto-delete or archive rules

Archive records (no auto-delete)

Not supported

API calls (webhooks)

Trigger or receive real-time events from external systems

Full API access with webhooks and Service Keys

Webhook support across Zoho apps

Webhooks (outgoing only, no incoming)

Webhook events (Pro plan only)

API access and webhooks

Limited webhook support

Send emails

Send automated emails tied to real workflow events

Send automated emails via workflows

Automated email sending in Zoho CRM and other apps

Logo & colors (no custom domain)

Send email from templates with tokens

Send email notifications via automation

Automated invoice and reminder emails

Post comments

Add notes or comments automatically where work happens

Internal notes via workflows (not comments on tasks)

Comments automation within individual Zoho apps

Not supported

No auto-comment action

Leave comments via automation rules

No automated comments

Complete automation logs

See exactly what ran, when, and why

Workflow execution history and logs

Automation logs within each Zoho app (not unified)

Not supported

No automation activity logs

No complete automation logs

Basic activity history

Auto-fill data/variables

Pass data between steps dynamically without manual mapping

Dynamic CRM data in workflow emails and actions

Dynamic variables within individual Zoho apps

Not supported

Basic token replacement in emails and agreements

No auto-fill variables

Basic invoice placeholders

Cross-entity connections

Run workflows that span projects, tasks, proposals, invoices, and more

Workflows span contacts, deals, tickets, companies, and custom objects

No native cross-app automation — requires Zoho Flow (separate product)

Not supported

Pipeline-triggered only (limited cross-entity scope)

Basic cross-entity links (CRM to projects)

Clients link to invoices and projects

FORMS

Collapse

Plutio

198/199

HubSpot

106/199

Zoho

79/199

Bonsai

43/199

Moxie

85/199

Flowlu

91/199

FreshBooks

49/199

Create branded forms

Build fully branded forms that match your workflow and client experience

Free form builder with branding and WYSIWYG editor

Zoho Forms for custom branded intake forms (separate app)

Branded intake and questionnaire forms

Unlimited form creation with templates

Basic form creation (limited field types)

No form builder

Drag-and-drop form builder

Design forms visually with full layout control, no code required

Drag-and-drop form builder included

Drag-and-drop builder in Zoho Forms (separate app)

Form editor (no true drag-and-drop)

Form builder with reusable templates

Basic form builder (not full drag-and-drop)

Not applicable

Reusable form templates

Reuse form structures without rebuilding from scratch

Form templates available

Form templates in Zoho Forms (separate app)

Form templates with auto-CRM sync

Reusable form templates

Basic form templates

Not applicable

Custom form data fields

Collect structured data you can sort, filter, and report on

Custom fields with multiple field types

Custom fields in Zoho Forms (separate app)

Custom fields (limited field types)

Custom fields (text, select, radio, checkbox)

Limited custom field types

Not applicable

Smart conditional logic

Show or hide fields based on responses, not static forms

Conditional logic to show/hide fields based on responses

Conditional logic in Zoho Forms (separate app)

Conditional logic (limited complexity)

Conditional show/hide fields with AND/OR logic

No conditional logic in forms

Not applicable

Instant email notifications

Get notified immediately when forms are submitted

Email notifications on form submission

Email notifications on form submission in Zoho Forms

Email notifications (no customization)

Auto-responses on submission

Email notifications on form submission

Not applicable

Form automation triggers

Trigger automated workflows when a form is submitted

Form submissions trigger workflows

Basic automation on submission in Zoho Forms (cross-app via Zoho Flow)

Basic automation triggers (limited actions)

Form submissions can feed into automations (Pro plan)

Basic form automation (limited triggers)

Not applicable

Embed forms

Embed forms anywhere without layout restrictions

Embeddable forms on any website

Embeddable forms via Zoho Forms (separate app)

Embed via iframe (limited styling control)

Embeddable on websites

Basic form embedding

Not applicable

Advanced field preferences

Control required, hidden, and default field behavior

Required fields, progressive profiling, and smart forms

Advanced field options in Zoho Forms

Not supported

Basic field types only

No advanced field preferences

Not applicable

Comprehensive field types

Collect text, files, dates, selections, and more

Text, number, date, dropdown, checkbox, file upload, and more

Wide range of field types in Zoho Forms

Not supported

Text, select, radio, checkbox (no regex or conditional validation)

Basic field types (text, number, date, dropdown)

Not applicable

Form signature field

Collect legally binding signatures directly inside forms

No signature field on forms (e-signatures on quotes only)

Signature field via Zoho Sign integration in Zoho Forms (separate app)

E-signature field (basic, no advanced options)

E-signatures via contract documents

No signature field in forms

Not applicable

File upload fields

Accept file uploads as part of form submissions

File upload fields supported on forms

File upload fields in Zoho Forms

Clients can upload files to projects

File attachments (50 MB limit)

File upload field available

Not applicable

Redirect after submission

Send submitters to a custom next step, not a fixed thank-you page

Custom redirect URL after form submission

Redirect after submission in Zoho Forms

Not supported

Custom redirect after form submission

No redirect after form submission

Not applicable

CRM

Collapse

Plutio

198/199

HubSpot

106/199

Zoho

79/199

Bonsai

43/199

Moxie

85/199

Flowlu

91/199

FreshBooks

49/199

Manage clients and leads

Manage contacts and companies in one connected system

Industry-leading CRM with contact management, deal pipeline, and lead scoring

Full CRM with contacts, leads, and deals in Zoho CRM

CRM with Deals pipeline for leads

Client profiles with lifetime earnings and sales pipeline

CRM with pipeline management, lead tracking, and deal stages

Client management included

Full company management

Track organizations, not just individual contacts

Company records with contact associations and hierarchy

Account/company management in Zoho CRM

Companies (basic info only, no hierarchy)

Client records (no separate company entities)

Organization and company management in CRM

Client records only (no companies)

Custom contact data fields

Collect and manage structured contact data you define

Up to 1,000 custom properties per object

Custom fields on contacts in Zoho CRM

Custom fields (text and select only)

Custom fields on CRM objects

Custom fields on contacts

No custom client fields

Complete activity timeline

See every interaction with a client in one place

Full activity timeline on every CRM record

Activity timeline within Zoho CRM (not unified across all Zoho apps)

Activity log (projects and invoices only)

Historical data per client (not a formal timeline)

Activity timeline on contacts and deals

Client activity history available

Contacts labeling and grouping

Organize contacts flexibly without rigid pipelines

Lists, segments, and lifecycle stages for contact organization

Tags and segmentation in Zoho CRM

Tags (no advanced segmentation)

Prospect vs Client record types (no tags)

Contact tags and segmentation

No labels or grouping

WIKI

Collapse

Plutio

198/199

HubSpot

106/199

Zoho

79/199

Bonsai

43/199

Moxie

85/199

Flowlu

91/199

FreshBooks

49/199

Comprehensive knowledge base

Create an internal wiki for processes, docs, and guides

Knowledge base available (Service Hub Professional+ only, $90/seat/month)

Zoho Wiki for knowledge base (separate app)

Not supported

No wiki or knowledge base

Built-in knowledge base (wiki) with rich text pages

No knowledge base

Beautiful rich text pages

Write structured, formatted content without complexity

Rich text knowledge base articles (Service Hub Professional+ only)

Rich text pages in Zoho Wiki (separate app)

Not supported

No rich text wiki pages

Rich text editor for wiki pages

Not applicable

Unlimited nested pages

Build deep knowledge hierarchies without limits

Category and subcategory structure (not unlimited nesting, Service Hub Pro+)

Nested pages in Zoho Wiki (separate app, limited depth)

Not supported

No nested documentation

Nested page structure in knowledge base

Not applicable

Granular page permissions

Control exactly who can view or edit each page

No granular per-page permissions on knowledge base

Page permissions in Zoho Wiki (separate app)

Not supported

No wiki permissions

Basic page permissions (project-level, not per-page)

Not applicable

DASHBOARDS

Collapse

Plutio

198/199

HubSpot

106/199

Zoho

79/199

Bonsai

43/199

Moxie

85/199

Flowlu

91/199

FreshBooks

49/199

Custom dashboards and pages

Build dashboards around what matters to you, not fixed metrics

Custom dashboards with report widgets

Custom dashboards within individual Zoho apps (no unified cross-app dashboard)

Dashboard (fixed layout, no customization)

Homebase dashboard (not fully customizable)

Customizable dashboards with widgets

Financial dashboard only

Drag-and-drop dashboard builder

Design dashboards visually with full layout control

Widget-based dashboard builder (not full drag-and-drop)

Dashboard builder within Zoho Analytics (separate app)

Pre-configured widgets only

No drag-and-drop dashboard builder

Drag-and-drop dashboard builder

No custom dashboard builder

Charts widget

Visualize data with customizable charts

Custom report charts available

Chart widgets in Zoho Analytics and individual app dashboards

Charts (revenue and time only)

Basic pipeline and revenue charts

Charts and graph widgets

Financial charts available

Metrics widget

Track key numbers without manual reporting

KPI and metric tracking on dashboards

Metrics/KPI widgets in Zoho Analytics

Metrics (revenue and project totals only)

Revenue and time metrics (no custom KPIs)

Metrics and KPI widgets

Key financial metrics displayed

Goals widget

Monitor progress toward defined goals

Goals tracking for sales teams (Sales Hub Professional+)

Goals tracking in Zoho CRM (no unified goals widget across apps)

Not supported

No goal tracking

No goals widget

No goals widget

Notes widget

Add contextual notes directly to dashboards

Text widgets available (not dedicated notes widget)

Notes within individual Zoho apps (no unified notes dashboard widget)

No notes widget

No notes widget on dashboard

Text widgets (not dedicated notes)

No notes widget

Calendar widget

View upcoming events alongside work and metrics

Calendar and task widgets on dashboard

Calendar view in individual apps (not a unified dashboard widget)

Calendar widget (upcoming tasks only)

Calendar widget on homebase

Calendar widget on dashboard

No calendar widget

Financial widgets

Track revenue and expenses in the same view

Revenue and deal reporting (no expense tracking)

Financial reports in Zoho Invoice and Zoho Analytics (separate apps)

Revenue tracking (invoices only, no expenses)

Basic financial overview

Financial overview widgets (revenue, expenses, profit)

Comprehensive financial widgets

BRANDING

Collapse

Plutio

198/199

HubSpot

106/199

Zoho

79/199

Bonsai

43/199

Moxie

85/199

Flowlu

91/199

FreshBooks

49/199

White-label and branding

Run the entire platform under your brand

HubSpot branding removable on Starter+ (not full white-label)

No white-label — Zoho branding visible on free Invoice plan; full removal requires enterprise/developer plans

Documents and portal only (no admin theming)

White-label on Pro plan ($25/month) only

White-label available on Ultimate plan (custom pricing)

Branding on invoices only

Custom interface theme

Apply your brand colors across the system

Brand colors, logos, and favicons configurable

No custom interface theming

No admin interface theming

Logo, colors, fonts on client portal (Pro plan)

Basic theme customization (Advanced plan and above)

No interface customization

Stylesheet customization

Fine-tune styling beyond basic theming

Custom CSS on CMS Hub pages only (not CRM interface)

No CSS customization

No CSS customization

No custom CSS

No custom CSS or stylesheet

No CSS customization

Custom login/signup pages

Use branded authentication pages instead of generic screens

Customer portal login can be branded (Service Hub Pro+)

No custom login or signup pages

Branded login (fixed layout)

Branded portal welcome page (Pro plan)

Custom branding on login (Ultimate plan)

No custom login pages

Email branding

Send all system emails with your branding

Branded email templates with custom design

Custom email branding in Zoho Invoice and CRM (Zoho footer shown on free plans)

Logo in emails (no custom templates)

No custom SMTP

Email branding (Ultimate plan)

Logo on emails (Premium only)

Custom brand fonts

Use your own fonts throughout the platform

Custom fonts configurable in brand settings

No custom brand font uploads

No custom fonts

Custom fonts and logo on portal (Pro plan)

No custom fonts

No custom fonts

Custom brand logos

Replace all platform logos with your own

Logo upload on all branded content

Logo upload available in individual Zoho apps

Logo (documents and portal only)

Custom fonts and logo on portal (Pro plan)

Custom logo/branding from Free plan for invoices; full white-labeling on Ultimate plan

Logo upload supported

Custom domain name

Run everything on your own domain

Custom domain for CMS, email, and portal content

No custom domain for client portal

No custom domain

Custom domain via CNAME (Pro plan only)

Custom domain (Ultimate plan, custom pricing per user)

No custom domain

Custom email SMTP

Send emails from your own email infrastructure

No custom SMTP (sends from HubSpot infrastructure)

Custom SMTP available in Zoho CRM and Zoho Mail (separate configuration per app)

No custom SMTP

SMTP configuration for sending from your own email address

Custom email available on Ultimate plan (custom domain and email)

No custom SMTP

Full workspace embedding

Embed Plutio directly into your website or product

No embeddable workspace

No full workspace embedding

No workspace embedding

No workspace embedding

No embeddable workspace

No workspace embedding

CUSTOMIZATION

Collapse

Plutio

198/199

HubSpot

106/199

Zoho

79/199

Bonsai

43/199

Moxie

85/199

Flowlu

91/199

FreshBooks

49/199

Flexible workspace setup

Shape the platform to match how your business works

Configurable CRM layout (not fully flexible workspace)

Customizable within each Zoho app (not a unified workspace setup)

No workspace customization

Workspace configuration included

Customizable workspace with modules

Fixed workspace structure

Main menu editor

Add, remove, or reorder navigation items freely

Navigation can be partially rearranged

No main menu editor (separate app navigation per Zoho product)

Fixed menu (no customization)

Toggleable portal modules (not full menu editor)

Configurable sidebar (limited menu editing)

No menu customization

User-based menus

Show different navigation for different roles

Permission-based feature visibility (not true menu customization)

No user-based menu customization

Same menu for all users

No user-based menu customization

No user-based menu configuration

Fixed menus for all users

Custom user roles

Create role types beyond preset permissions

Predefined roles with configurable permissions (Super Admin, Admin, etc.)

Custom roles and profiles in Zoho CRM and other Zoho apps

4 fixed roles (no custom)

Fixed roles only (no custom role creation)

Custom user roles with permissions

3 fixed roles only

Advanced user permissions

Control access at a granular level

Granular CRM permissions by object and property

Role-based permissions in Zoho CRM and across Zoho apps

Project permissions (no granular control)

No granular per-task permissions

Granular user permissions

Basic permission levels

SSO / OAuth

Support enterprise-grade single sign-on

SAML-based SSO on Enterprise tier only

SSO via Zoho One (requires separate Zoho One subscription)

Email & password login only

No SSO or OAuth

SSO on Ultimate plan only

No SSO support

INTEGRATIONS

Collapse

Plutio

198/199

HubSpot

106/199

Zoho

79/199

Bonsai

43/199

Moxie

85/199

Flowlu

91/199

FreshBooks

49/199

Connect with other tools

Integrate with external systems without lock-in

2,000+ integrations via App Marketplace

Zapier, Zoho Flow, and native integrations across 45+ Zoho apps

Integrations (Zapier and Make only)

Native: Stripe, PayPal, QuickBooks, Google/Outlook Calendar, Zoom, Google Meet, Plaid

Integrations with Stripe, PayPal, Google, Slack, and more

100+ integrations available

Zapier integration

Connect to thousands of apps without custom code

Full Zapier integration (free for all users)

Zapier integration available for Zoho apps

Zapier (limited triggers and actions)

Zapier integration (Pro plan only)

No Zapier integration (uses Make.com, Pabbly Connect, and Apix Drive instead)

Zapier supported

Make.com integration

Build advanced automation scenarios visually

Make.com integration supported

Make.com integration available for Zoho apps

Make.com (limited modules)

Make.com integration (Pro plan only)

Full Make.com integration available

Make.com supported

Pabbly Connect

Connect services without usage-based limits

Possible via API (no native Pabbly module)

Pabbly Connect integration available for Zoho apps

No Pabbly integration

Pabbly Connect integration (Pro plan only)

Pabbly Connect integration available

Limited Pabbly support

Full REST API access

Build custom integrations with full system access

Full REST API with OAuth, Service Keys, and extensive documentation

REST API available across Zoho apps

REST API (read-only, limited endpoints)

Public API with 29 endpoints (Pro plan only)

Full REST API access

Developer API available

Incoming & outgoing webhooks

Send and receive real-time events

Full webhook support (incoming and outgoing)

Webhooks supported across Zoho apps

Webhooks (outgoing only, limited events)

Webhook events (Pro plan only)

Webhook support

Limited webhook support

PLATFORM

Collapse

Plutio

198/199

HubSpot

106/199

Zoho

79/199

Bonsai

43/199

Moxie

85/199

Flowlu

91/199

FreshBooks

49/199

Mobile apps

Access your business from native mobile apps

Full-featured iOS and Android apps

iOS and Android apps available for most Zoho apps (CRM, Projects, Invoice, and more)

Mobile apps (iOS and Android, limited features)

iOS and Android apps

Mobile apps for iOS and Android

iOS and Android apps

iOS app

Full-featured iPhone app

Full iOS app available

iOS apps available for Zoho CRM, Projects, Invoice, and more

iOS app (basic features only)

iOS app available

iOS app available

Full iOS app available

Android app

Full-featured Android app

Full Android app available

Android apps available for Zoho CRM, Projects, Invoice, and more

Android app (basic features only)

Android app available

Android app available

Full Android app available

Mac desktop app

Native macOS app for desktop workflows

No native Mac desktop app (web-only)

Web-based primarily; some Zoho apps have Mac desktop wrappers

Web only (no Mac app)

No Mac desktop app

No Mac desktop app (web-only + mobile)

No Mac desktop app

Windows desktop app

Native Windows app for desktop workflows

No native Windows desktop app (web-only)

Web-based primarily; some Zoho apps have Windows desktop wrappers

Web only (no Windows app)

No Windows desktop app

No Windows desktop app (web-only + mobile)

No Windows desktop app

Frequently asked questions about HubSpot alternatives

Can Plutio replace HubSpot?

Yes. Plutio handles CRM (contacts, pipeline, deal tracking) plus everything HubSpot's free tier skips: proposals, contracts with e-signatures, project management, time tracking, invoicing, and a client portal. All in one connected system at $19/month.

Is Plutio cheaper than HubSpot?

Yes. HubSpot's free CRM has no proposals, contracts, or project management. The Starter plan runs $20/seat/month. Marketing Hub Professional (where automation and analytics become useful) starts at $890/month with $3,000 mandatory onboarding. Plutio Core is $19/month flat, with no per-contact pricing and no mandatory setup fees.

Can I use Plutio outside the US and Canada?

Yes. Plutio works in any country and lets you invoice clients in their local currency. HubSpot works globally too, but its payment processing features (HubSpot Payments) are limited to the US, Canada, and a small set of countries. Plutio connects to Stripe and PayPal for payments globally.

Does HubSpot have invoicing for freelancers?

HubSpot has basic payment collection through HubSpot Payments and Stripe, but it's not a full invoicing workflow. There are no line items tied to time tracking, no project-linked invoices, and no invoice history attached to a client's project record. Plutio's invoicing connects to tracked time and the project scope, so invoices match the actual work without manual copying.

Is it hard to switch from HubSpot to Plutio?

HubSpot has one of the cleaner data export options in this category. Contacts, companies, and deals export as CSVs with consistent field naming. Most freelancers move their client list in under an hour. Plutio's import tools map HubSpot fields directly, and our support team can assist with more complex migrations.

Does Plutio have AI features?

Yes. Plutio's AI assistant can draft proposals from project briefs, suggest task breakdowns from a project description, and flag overdue items automatically. HubSpot has added AI email drafting and content suggestions, but those features require paid Marketing Hub plans to access.

Can my team use Plutio?

Yes. Plutio supports agencies and multi-user teams on paid plans. HubSpot's team collaboration features (task assignment, deal rotation, team reporting) are available at the Starter level, but project management for client deliverables requires separate tools that HubSpot doesn't include.

Is Plutio good for agencies currently using HubSpot?

Yes. Plutio handles the agency workflow that HubSpot's CRM doesn't cover: proposals that become projects, contracts tied to work, time tracking that feeds billing, and white-labeled portals where clients see project progress. Agencies using HubSpot for lead tracking can keep that and use Plutio for the delivery side, or bring both together in Plutio.

Is my data safe with Plutio?

Yes. Your data is private, encrypted, and never used to train AI models. Plutio makes data export straightforward at any time, so you are never locked in.

Does HubSpot have project management for freelancers?

HubSpot has basic task creation within contact and deal records, but it's not project management. There are no Kanban boards, Gantt charts, task dependencies, or timeline views in the free CRM. Projects as a standalone feature appears in paid Sales Hub and Operations Hub tiers. Plutio includes full project management (boards, Gantt, dependencies, and milestones) in every paid plan from $19/month.

What integrations does Plutio support?

Plutio connects to 5,000+ apps through Zapier, including Google Calendar, Stripe, PayPal, QuickBooks, and Slack. Plutio also has a REST API for custom integrations. Native integrations include calendar sync, payment processors, and email services. HubSpot connects as a Zapier integration if you want to pass leads from HubSpot into Plutio when deals close.

Does Plutio have a mobile app?

Yes. Plutio has native iOS and Android apps for managing projects, communicating with clients, tracking time, and sending invoices from your phone. The mobile apps sync in real-time with the web platform.

Does Plutio offer a free trial?

Yes. Plutio offers a 14-day free trial with full access to all features. No credit card required to start. You can explore proposals, contracts, invoicing, project management, and client portals before choosing a plan.

Can I white-label Plutio with my own branding?

Yes. Plutio offers complete white-labeling including custom domains, branded login pages, your logo and colors throughout, custom email templates with your SMTP, and CSS customization. Clients see your brand, not Plutio. HubSpot's free CRM and Starter tiers include HubSpot branding on emails and documents; white-labeling requires higher-tier plans.

Does Plutio have time tracking?

Yes. Plutio has built-in time tracking that connects to projects and tasks. You can track time manually or with a running timer, then convert tracked hours directly into invoice line items. Time entries stay linked to the project so you always know where hours went and invoices reflect the actual work. HubSpot has no native time tracking feature.

The complete HubSpot alternative

All the CRM you need in HubSpot, plus the project and billing workflow it's missing

Proposals that become projects, time tracking that feeds invoices, and a branded client portal where clients check progress. From $19/month.

No credit card required

Plutio - Your entire business, one login away