HubSpot CMS alternatives
WordPress suits teams that want to keep using the HubSpot CRM while owning their website, and Webflow suits marketing teams with a designer who want cleaner output. A custom website suits companies that want speed and ownership with HubSpot forms embedded, and Framer suits fast-moving startup marketing teams.
Not sure which fits? Send me your site and I’ll tell you honestly.
If staying on HubSpot CMS is the right call, I’ll say so. Free, from me.
Why people leave HubSpot CMS
Costs climb with tiers and seats
Content Hub is often bundled with other hubs, and the bill grows as the team grows. Smaller businesses question whether the website needs to be part of it.
Templates only run on HubSpot
The theme and modules can’t go with you. Everything visual has to be rebuilt elsewhere.
Tracking scripts can add weight
HubSpot’s marketing scripts are useful, but they can add load time to every page.
What to look for in a replacement
Keep the CRM connection
You may be leaving the CMS, not HubSpot. Make sure forms on the new site still create contacts in the CRM.
Landing pages your team can build
Marketers used to building landing pages in HubSpot need a way to keep doing that, or a fast process for requesting them.
A blog that holds its URLs
HubSpot blogs often have years of posts. Pick somewhere that can host them with matching or redirected URLs.
The alternatives, ranked
Ranked for a typical small business leaving this platform. Your best fit depends on what you’re leaving for.
- WordPressOpen-source CMS
Best for marketing teams that publish a lot and want full ownership. HubSpot’s forms and tracking code work on WordPress.
HubSpot CMS vs WordPress, compared - WebflowVisual development platform
Best for a team with a designer who wants a strong CMS and clean markup, with HubSpot forms embedded where needed.
HubSpot CMS vs Webflow, compared - Custom websiteHand-built
Best for a company that wants a faster site it owns, while keeping the HubSpot CRM for sales and email.
HubSpot CMS vs Custom website, compared - FramerWebsite builder
Best for a startup marketing team that wants to ship pages quickly and doesn’t need the CMS tied to the CRM.
HubSpot CMS vs Framer, compared
How they stack up
Against HubSpot CMS, on the factors people usually leave over. Ratings are my own assessment for a typical small business, as of October 2026. Platforms change their features and plans often, so check the vendor’s current documentation before you decide.
| HubSpot CMS | WordPress | Webflow | Custom website | Framer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ownership | Partial | Fully yours | Partial | Fully yours | Partial |
| SEO control | Strong | Strong | Extensive | Extensive | Strong |
| AI search | Good | Good | Good | Strong | Mixed |
| Speed | Good | Varies | Good | Strong | Good |
| Design | Flexible | Flexible | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Upkeep | Minimal | Heavy | Minimal | Minimal | Minimal |
When to stay on HubSpot CMS
If your team lives in HubSpot, uses smart content and reporting, and builds landing pages weekly, staying makes sense. The joined-up data is the reason it exists. Leave when you’re paying for the CMS but barely using what makes it different.
Migration checklist
What to do, in order, when you leave HubSpot CMS.
Export pages and blog posts
Use HubSpot’s export to download pages and blog posts as HTML. Save author, tag and date information for the blog.
Download files from the file manager
Images and PDFs are served from HubSpot’s file URLs, often under /hubfs/. Download them and plan redirects for any linked externally.
Plan forms and tracking
Decide whether to embed HubSpot forms on the new site or replace them. If you keep the CRM, add the tracking code so contact activity still records.
List every URL
Include blog posts, tag listings, landing pages and thank-you pages. Landing pages tied to live campaigns need to keep working.
Map 301 redirects
Redirect old URLs on the new host. Don’t rely on HubSpot’s redirect tool once the domain points elsewhere.
Update DNS and disconnect the domain
Point the domain at the new host, then disconnect it in HubSpot so it doesn’t keep trying to serve pages.
Leaving HubSpot CMS, answered
Yes. HubSpot’s CRM, forms and tracking code work on websites hosted elsewhere, so many teams move the site and keep the rest.
Not to run elsewhere. Templates and modules only work on HubSpot, so the design has to be rebuilt on the new platform.
They need rebuilding on the new site, or you keep a HubSpot plan for landing pages only. Redirect any that are linked from ads or emails.
Keep reading
- nick@tavro.ca
- 587-439-9994
- Calgary, Alberta