HubSpot is the most common upgrade destination for Keap users who need a more modern CRM and marketing platform. HubSpot's free CRM tier is genuinely capable and the paid tiers scale well for growing businesses.
This guide covers everything you need to migrate from Keap to HubSpot without losing subscribers or breaking your automations. Estimated time: 1-2 days.
What transfers and what does not
| Item | Transfers? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Contacts and email addresses | Yes | Via CSV export/import |
| Tags and segments | Partial | Export as custom fields, remap on import |
| Custom field data | Partial | Transfers if mapped correctly during import |
| Unsubscribe history | Yes | Import as suppressed contacts |
| Email templates | No | Need to be rebuilt in HubSpot |
| Automation workflows | No | Need to be rebuilt from scratch |
| Campaign history | No | Historical stats stay in Keap |
Step-by-step migration guide
Sign up at www.hubspot.com before doing anything else. Keep your Keap account running throughout the migration: do not cancel it until everything is confirmed working in HubSpot.
Add your domain to HubSpot and follow the DKIM authentication instructions. This improves deliverability and ensures your emails arrive in inboxes, not spam folders. Complete this before importing any contacts.
In Keap, go to your audience and export your full contact list as a CSV. Make sure to include all custom fields, tags, and segments. Export your unsubscribed contacts separately: you will need to suppress these in HubSpot to stay compliant.
Upload your CSV into HubSpot and map each column to the correct field. Import your unsubscribed contacts as suppressed. Review the import report carefully before proceeding: fix any mapping errors before building automations.
Screenshot or document all your active automations in Keap before rebuilding them in HubSpot. Start with your highest-priority flows: typically your welcome series and any active nurture sequences. Do not activate them until you have tested them with your own email address.
Build your signup forms in HubSpot and replace the Keap embed codes on your website. Test each form to confirm subscribers land in the right list and trigger the correct automation.
Send a test campaign to yourself. Trigger your automations manually. Check every link. Confirm your unsubscribe flow works correctly. Only cancel Keap once you are fully satisfied that HubSpot is working as expected.
Once HubSpot is fully operational, cancel your Keap account. Check your billing date to avoid being charged for another month. Download any historical reports or data you want to keep before cancelling.
The bottom line
HubSpot is the right move if you need a modern, scalable CRM and marketing platform. It is more expensive at the full-featured tiers, but the CRM quality and automation capabilities are significantly stronger than Keap.
Not sure HubSpot is the right destination? Take the Marketing Automation Buyer's Guide quiz for a personalized recommendation.