Agency Migration Guide
ActiveCampaign to HubSpot Migration
What actually transfers, what quietly does not, and what has to be rebuilt by hand.
We mapped ActiveCampaign against HubSpot feature by feature: 43 features, 7 synced objects, 7 documented traps and 37 items that have to be rebuilt. The whole map is on this page, ungated.
The PDF is the same reference, formatted to send to a client.
Get The Guide And The Calculator
The full ActiveCampaign to HubSpot reference as a branded PDF you can send straight to a client, plus the Excel calculator we scope these migrations with: every one of the 43 features as a row, enter your counts, get hours.
Three files: the guide as a PDF, the same guide unbranded in Markdown for your AI tool, and the full Excel effort calculator.
ActiveCampaign to HubSpot is a moderate migration, typically 3-6 weeks. Of 43 features we mapped, 31 carry across as they are and 11 land with something lost. The work is not moving records: it is the 37 items nothing moves for you.
Migration Scorecard
- Migration complexity
- Moderate
- Typical timeline
- 3-6 weeks
- Recommended method
- HubSpot Smart Transfer for initial contact, list, and tag data migration. Data Sync for ongoing bidirectional sync of contacts, accounts, and deals during transition period. Manual rebuild for all automations, templates, and marketing assets.
- Native sync
- Data sync, two way
- Smart transfer
- Supported
- HubSpot subscription
- Free Data Sync available for default fields. Data Hub Starter ($45/mo) for custom field mappings. Data Hub Professional for advanced data quality tools.
Feature parity across 43 capabilities
- Maps directly: 31 (72%)
- Maps partially: 11 (26%)
- No equivalent: 1 (2%)
7
Objects synced natively
7
Limitations and traps
37
Manual rebuild items
4
Source editions covered
Where this comes from: Our own research corpus, verified 2026-08-01, behind every number on this page.
The Seven Objects That Sync Natively
What the connector moves for you, and which way each one flows.
Contacts
Two wayBecomes Contacts
Bidirectional contact sync with real-time field change propagation. Supports default and custom field mappings. Email address is the primary matching identifier. Contact property changes sync immediately; new/deleted contacts check every ~2 hours.
Accounts
Two wayBecomes Companies
ActiveCampaign Accounts map to HubSpot Companies. Association mapping ensures contacts are linked to their respective companies. Supports custom field mappings with paid tier.
Deals
Two wayBecomes Deals
Real-time bidirectional deal sync. Changes to deal stage, value, or owner in one platform are immediately reflected in the other. Pipeline stage mapping must be configured during setup.
Tags
Into HubSpotBecomes Contact Properties (multi-checkbox)
ActiveCampaign tags can be mapped one-way to a HubSpot custom multi-checkbox property for filtering and segmentation. HubSpot does not have a native 'tags' concept; properties and list membership are used instead. Bidirectional tag sync is not natively supported.
Email Activity
Into HubSpotBecomes Contact Timeline Events
One-way event sync from ActiveCampaign to HubSpot. Displays ActiveCampaign email opens, clicks, and automation entries directly on the HubSpot contact record timeline. Requires event sync to be enabled in integration settings.
Lists
Into HubSpotBecomes Lists
Available through Smart Transfer as a one-time post-sync transfer. Lists and their membership data can be brought into HubSpot but are not part of ongoing data sync.
Email templates
Into HubSpotBecomes Email templates
Email templates transfer, so they do not all need manual rebuilding. Documented in HubSpot's Smart Transfer data sync object mappings (knowledge.hubspot.com/integrations/supported-apps-for-hubspot-smart-transfer, read 2026-07-31).
Seven Things the Sync Does Not Tell You
Each one is documented, and each one has ended a migration in a bad week.
Tags Require Custom Property Mapping
ActiveCampaign relies heavily on tags for contact organization and segmentation. HubSpot has no tag object, so each tag becomes a contact property value, a multi-checkbox option, or list membership; the segmentation capability survives, the container does not. Tags can only be mapped one-way to HubSpot contact properties, not synced bidirectionally.
Workaround: Create a custom multi-checkbox property in HubSpot and map ActiveCampaign tags to it. Use active lists based on this property to replicate tag-based segmentation.
Historical Activity Data Does Not Migrate Natively
The native integration and CSV export will not bring over historical activity detail (email opens, clicks, page visits, automation history) from ActiveCampaign. Activity history effectively starts over in HubSpot.
Workaround: Use a third-party tool like Skyvia or Outfunnel to pull raw activity data via ActiveCampaign API and map it to the right contacts during import. Alternatively, store summarized engagement data as custom contact properties.
New Contact Sync Delay
While field changes for already-synced contacts propagate in near real-time, new contacts and removed contacts are only checked approximately every 2 hours.
Workaround: Use the manual 'Sync now' button in the integration settings to trigger an immediate sync when needed.
Field Mapping Incompatibilities
Some fields may not sync due to API limitations or read-only fields in ActiveCampaign. Mandatory fields on either side that don't have equivalents can cause sync failures.
Workaround: Review and resolve field mapping conflicts during integration setup. Set default values for mandatory fields that don't have source data.
Automation Architecture Fundamentally Different
ActiveCampaign automations cannot be directly transferred to HubSpot workflows. The two platforms use fundamentally different automation architectures, triggers, and action types.
Workaround: Document all ActiveCampaign automations with their triggers, conditions, and actions. Redesign and rebuild each workflow natively in HubSpot using equivalent triggers and actions.
Lists Only Available via One-time Smart Transfer
ActiveCampaign Lists and Tags are data types that cannot be transferred via ongoing Data Sync. They can only be migrated to HubSpot via a one-time post-sync transfer through Smart Transfer and will not stay in sync.
Workaround: Use Smart Transfer for initial list migration, then recreate equivalent list logic as HubSpot active lists for ongoing segmentation.
Deal Pipeline Stage Mapping Requires Manual Configuration
ActiveCampaign pipeline stages do not automatically map to HubSpot deal stages. Pipeline architectures may differ significantly between the platforms.
Workaround: Map ActiveCampaign pipeline stages to HubSpot deal pipeline stages during integration setup. May need to create new stages or consolidate stages to match.
One ActiveCampaign Feature HubSpot Cannot Replace
Not a workaround away. If a client depends on one of these, it belongs in the conversation before the contract.
Automation Map
HubSpot doesn't have a visual map of workflow interconnections. Custom documentation needed.
The 37 Items That Get Rebuilt by Hand
This is the list that separates a quote that holds from one that does not.
Data And Objects
Contact Segments
ActiveCampaign segments, which are saved filter rules over contacts and their engagement.
HubSpot: Active lists
A segment is a rule, not a membership export. Rebuild the criteria or it freezes the day it lands.
Tag-based Organisation
ActiveCampaign organises contacts primarily by tag rather than by field.
HubSpot: Contact properties and active lists
The single biggest design decision in this migration. A tag-centric model and a property-centric one are not the same shape, so decide per tag whether it becomes a property value, a list, or nothing. Importing every tag as its own property produces an unusable database.
Custom Field Structures
Custom fields on contacts, accounts and deals.
HubSpot: Custom properties
Match the data type as well as the name, or a text field holding dates makes downstream filtering impossible.
Suppression and Unsubscribe Lists
Contacts who have opted out or been suppressed.
HubSpot: Unsubscribed contacts and the opt-out list
Import before the first send, not after. Sending to a previously suppressed address is the one migration error a client always hears about.
Bounced Contact Lists
Addresses that have hard bounced.
HubSpot: Non-marketable contacts
Import as non-marketable so they do not count against the marketing contact tier or re-enter sends.
Historical Engagement Data
Per-contact open and click history behind ActiveCampaign's reporting.
HubSpot: No equivalent import path
Only recoverable through the API with third-party tooling, and it arrives as data rather than as timeline engagement. Agree whether it is worth paying for before committing.
Site and Event Tracking
The on-site script and custom events feeding ActiveCampaign's behavioural triggers.
HubSpot: The HubSpot tracking code and behavioural events
Swap the script on every web property. Custom events are application instrumentation, so whoever owns the site has to be in the plan.
Automation
Automation Workflows
ActiveCampaign's automation canvas and everything built on it.
HubSpot: Workflows
Completely rebuilt. The two engines differ at the root, so this is design time rather than translation time, and it is usually the largest single line in an ActiveCampaign migration.
Email Sequences and Drip Campaigns
Time-spaced automated email series.
HubSpot: Workflows with delay steps, or sequences
Decide per campaign whether it is a marketing send or a sales sequence, because they are different tools with different consent rules.
Conditional and Branching Logic
If/then paths inside automations.
HubSpot: Workflow branching logic
Branch conditions are where meaning shifts. Walk each branch with whoever owns the campaign rather than translating on sight.
Goal-based Automations
Automations that jump a contact forward when a goal is met.
HubSpot: Workflow goals and list-based enrolment
ActiveCampaign goals can pull a contact from anywhere in a flow. HubSpot models this differently, so goal-heavy automations need redesigning rather than porting.
Tag-based Automation Triggers
Automations that start when a tag is applied.
HubSpot: Property-based workflow enrolment
Follows directly from the tag decision above. Until tags are mapped to properties, none of these triggers can be rebuilt.
Split Testing in Automations
A/B paths inside an automation.
HubSpot: Workflow A/B testing
Rebuild the test, not the results. Historical winners do not carry, so record any standing conclusion before cutover.
SMS Automations
Text sends inside automations, where used.
HubSpot: HubSpot SMS or a marketplace SMS app
Consent records move with the numbers. Confirm which SMS route the client is buying before scoping.
Lead Scoring Models
ActiveCampaign contact and deal scoring.
HubSpot: Score properties
The scoring mechanics differ, so the old weights are a starting hypothesis rather than a specification.
Reporting
Campaign Performance Reports
Per-send open, click and bounce reporting.
HubSpot: Marketing email analytics
Historical sends do not transfer. Export a final set before the account closes.
Automation Performance Reports
Reporting on how contacts move through automations.
HubSpot: Workflow analytics
Starts from zero, because the workflows themselves are new. Expect a quiet first month of data.
Deal Pipeline Reports
Sales reporting over ActiveCampaign deals.
HubSpot: Deal reports
Depends on a clean deal import with owners resolving to real HubSpot users.
Contact Engagement Reports
Reporting on how contacts interact over time.
HubSpot: Contact and engagement reporting
Rebuilt against HubSpot's own metrics, which are not counted the same way. The numbers will not line up with the old ones.
Attribution Reporting
Reporting that credits revenue back to marketing touchpoints.
HubSpot: Attribution reports
Attribution is a plan-dependent feature on HubSpot. Confirm it is included in what the client is buying before promising this, and check the audited feature list for the tier.
Custom Report Dashboards
Saved dashboard layouts.
HubSpot: Dashboards
Build after the reports exist rather than alongside.
Sales And Marketing Config
Email Templates
Branded send templates from ActiveCampaign's editor.
HubSpot: Marketing email templates
Exported HTML arrives carrying the old editor's structure and renders differently. Rebuilding from brand assets is usually faster than reformatting it.
Landing Pages
ActiveCampaign hosted pages.
HubSpot: Landing pages
Rebuilt page by page. Redirect any URL linked from ads or printed material.
Forms
Embedded and hosted forms feeding ActiveCampaign.
HubSpot: Forms
Swap every embed across every web property at cutover. Missing one leaves contacts flowing into an account nobody is watching.
Deal Pipelines and Stages
ActiveCampaign's sales pipelines.
HubSpot: Deal pipelines and stages
Build first. Deals, workflows and reports all depend on it.
Lead Scoring Rules
The rules that add and subtract score.
HubSpot: Score properties
Redesigned rather than copied, since the available signals differ.
Conversations Automations
Chat automations running in ActiveCampaign Conversations.
HubSpot: Chatflows
The widget swaps easily; the routing and availability logic behind it is the real work.
Sending Domain Authentication
The SPF, DKIM and DMARC records authorising email sending.
HubSpot: Connected email sending domain
Small task with a hard dependency on whoever controls DNS. Start it early: waiting on a DNS change is a classic go-live delay.
Sending Domain Warm-up
Ramping send volume so a new sending reputation builds cleanly.
HubSpot: A staged sending ramp
This is calendar time rather than work, and it runs for several weeks. Build it into the plan or the first big send lands in spam.
Users And Permissions
User Accounts and Permission Groups
Logins and the groups controlling their access.
HubSpot: Users, teams and permission sets
Created before the import so ownership resolves on the way in.
Deal Owner Assignments
Which user owns which deal.
HubSpot: Deal owner
Map ActiveCampaign users to HubSpot users before importing deals, or every deal arrives unowned and the reports read empty.
Integrations
Webhook Integrations
Outbound webhooks fired by ActiveCampaign events.
HubSpot: Workflow webhook actions
The receiving endpoint expects the old payload shape, so both ends usually need work.
E-commerce Integrations
Deep Data connections to Shopify, WooCommerce and similar.
HubSpot: App Marketplace commerce integrations
Deep Data brings order and product history that the HubSpot connector may scope differently. Check what actually syncs rather than assuming parity.
Connected CRM
Any CRM joined to ActiveCampaign.
HubSpot: HubSpot CRM itself
Often this integration disappears rather than moves, because HubSpot is the CRM. Worth pointing out as a simplification.
Zapier and Third-party Automations
External automation scenarios triggered by ActiveCampaign.
HubSpot: Updated scenarios or native workflows
Each needs editing on both sides. Some are better replaced by a native workflow than repointed.
Calendar and Scheduling Integrations
Booking and calendar connections.
HubSpot: The meetings tool and calendar integration
Per user. Old booking links stop working, so replace them anywhere they are published.
Custom API Integrations
Bespoke code written against the ActiveCampaign API.
HubSpot: HubSpot APIs
Rewritten against a different object model. Scope against the code rather than a description of it.
The Sequence
Sync First, Then Migrate
Order is the content here. These are a dependency chain, and running them out of order is a documented way these migrations fail.
- 1
Audit ActiveCampaign
Inventory all contacts, lists, tags, automations, deal pipelines, email templates, forms, landing pages, and integrations
- 2
Document Automations
Map out every automation workflow with triggers, conditions, wait steps, and actions. Identify which are still active and necessary vs. obsolete
- 3
Export Data
Download contacts (all statuses), deals, automation reports, campaign performance data, and engagement history
- 4
Configure HubSpot
Set up email domain authentication (SPF/DKIM/DMARC), create subscription types, configure compliance settings, create deal pipelines
- 5
Create HubSpot Properties
Map ActiveCampaign custom fields and tags to HubSpot contact/company/deal properties
- 6
Use Smart Transfer
Run initial data migration for contacts, lists, and tags via HubSpot Smart Transfer
- 7
Enable Data Sync
Set up ongoing bidirectional sync for contacts, accounts, and deals during transition period
- 8
Import Suppression Data
Import unsubscribed, bounced, and complained contacts with appropriate non-marketable status
- 9
Rebuild Automations
Recreate ActiveCampaign automations as HubSpot workflows, prioritizing revenue-critical workflows first
- 10
Rebuild Templates and Assets
Recreate email templates, landing pages, and forms in HubSpot
- 11
Configure Lead Scoring
Rebuild scoring models using HubSpot contact scoring
- 12
Warm up Sending Domain
Start with small engaged segments, ramp volume 10-20% per week over 4-6 weeks
- 13
Test Thoroughly
Validate all workflows, forms, deal pipeline logic, and integrations
- 14
Cutover
Disable ActiveCampaign sending and automations, activate all HubSpot equivalents
- 15
Post-migration Monitoring
Monitor deliverability, workflow performance, and data integrity for 30-60 days
Typically 3-6 weeks end to end, depending on how much of the source configuration is actually in use.
Effort Estimator
How Big Is This Migration?
A handful of questions, no email required. The ranges come from the research above: every feature we mapped carries an effort figure, and this adds up the ones that apply to you.
Estimated Effort
Answer a couple of questions and an hours range appears here.
Built from our research on 43 ActiveCampaign features. It is a range, not a quote.
A planning range, not a quote. It is delivery effort only, with no project management line and no agency markup, so add your own. What moves it most in practice is data quality.
What Goes Wrong Most Often
The failures that show up again and again, in roughly the order they bite.
ActiveCampaign's Tag-based Segmentation Model Does Not Directly Map to HubSpot's Property-based Model - Plan Your Tag-to-property Mapping Carefully Before Migration
ActiveCampaign's tag-based segmentation model does not directly map to HubSpot's property-based model - plan your tag-to-property mapping carefully before migration
Historical Activity Data (email Opens, Clicks, Page Visits) Does Not Migrate Natively - Engagement History Starts Fresh Unless Extracted via API
Historical activity data (email opens, clicks, page visits) does not migrate natively - engagement history starts fresh unless extracted via API
Automation Workflows Cannot Be Copied; They Must Be Redesigned for HubSpot's Different Automation Architecture
Automation workflows cannot be copied; they must be redesigned for HubSpot's different automation architecture
ActiveCampaign's CRM (deals, Pipelines) Is Simpler Than HubSpot's - the Migration Is an Opportunity to Build More Sophisticated Pipelines, but Requires Planning
ActiveCampaign's CRM (deals, pipelines) is simpler than HubSpot's - the migration is an opportunity to build more sophisticated pipelines, but requires planning
Failing to Import Suppression Lists (unsubscribed, Bounced Contacts) Results in Compliance Violations When Those Contacts Are Emailed From HubSpot
Failing to import suppression lists (unsubscribed, bounced contacts) results in compliance violations when those contacts are emailed from HubSpot
Embedded ActiveCampaign Forms Across Websites Must All Be Replaced With HubSpot Forms
Embedded ActiveCampaign forms across websites must all be replaced with HubSpot forms
Sending to Full List Without Warming the New Domain Damages Sender Reputation
Sending to full list without warming the new domain damages sender reputation
If ActiveCampaign Was Handling Transactional Emails, a Separate Solution May Be Needed as HubSpot Transactional Email Requires Enterprise Tier
If ActiveCampaign was handling transactional emails, a separate solution may be needed as HubSpot transactional email requires Enterprise tier
Site Tracking Must Be Reconfigured - Remove ActiveCampaign Tracking Code and Install HubSpot Tracking Code on All Web Properties
Site tracking must be reconfigured - remove ActiveCampaign tracking code and install HubSpot tracking code on all web properties
SMS Functionality in ActiveCampaign Does Not Have a Direct HubSpot Equivalent Without Add-ons
SMS functionality in ActiveCampaign does not have a direct HubSpot equivalent without add-ons
Questions
ActiveCampaign To HubSpot, Answered
Yes. Data sync, two way, covering 7 objects. Smart transfer is supported. What it does not do is rebuild configuration: that is the 37 items below.
Typically 3-6 weeks. Complexity is driven by automation and reporting depth, not by record count: the connector moves records, so a large database is not by itself a long project.
Of 43 features we mapped, 31 (72%) carry across directly and 11 (26%) map partially, meaning something is lost or reshaped. 1 has no HubSpot equivalent at any tier.
37 items have to be rebuilt by hand, and 7 documented limitations are not surfaced by the connector at all. The full list of both is on this page.
Free Data Sync available for default fields. Data Hub Starter ($45/mo) for custom field mappings. Data Hub Professional for advanced data quality tools.
1: Automation Map. If a client depends on one, it belongs in the conversation before the contract.
Only in one direction. The sync is not bidirectional here, so a parallel period means picking a system of record and accepting drift in the other.
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