Your website has a few HubSpot forms. Maybe a contact form, a quote request form, or an enquiry form for people interested in your services.
Someone fills out the form, HubSpot saves their details, and you receive a notification.
Everything works.
But what if that's almost everything you use HubSpot for?
You're not running email marketing campaigns or using complicated sales workflows. You want people to contact your business, receive their enquiries, and keep track of who you've replied to.
Do you really need HubSpot for that?
Not necessarily.
You can replace HubSpot forms without rebuilding your website or deleting the contacts you've already collected.
And if you still need HubSpot as your CRM, you can keep using it.
In this tutorial, I'll show you how to replace HubSpot forms with Formgrid, an open-source form builder and form backend I built.
We'll cover two approaches: connecting an existing website form to a Formgrid endpoint, or creating a new form using the drag-and-drop builder.
I'll also explain what happens to your existing HubSpot contacts and when switching might not be worth it.
Do You Actually Need to Replace HubSpot Forms?
Before changing anything, it's worth understanding what HubSpot is designed for.
HubSpot isn't just a form builder. It's a CRM platform with contact management, sales tools, email marketing, reporting, and automation.
Its forms are connected to those features.
If your business uses HubSpot to manage deals, send marketing emails, assign leads to salespeople, and automate follow-ups, keeping its forms might be the easiest option.
But not every business uses HubSpot that way.
Imagine you're a freelance developer who builds websites for small businesses.
One client runs a photography business and needs a contact form. Another owns a cleaning company and wants customers to request quotes. A third runs an event venue and needs a booking enquiry form.
Your clients mainly want to receive enquiries and respond to them.
You don't necessarily need to set up a full CRM for every website.
Or maybe you've built your own website using React, Next.js, or plain HTML.
You've already designed your contact form. You just need somewhere to send the submissions.
In both situations, a dedicated form backend might make more sense.
Here's a quick comparison.
| What you need | What to consider |
|---|---|
| A complete CRM with sales and marketing tools | HubSpot |
| A contact form that sends email notifications | A form backend |
| A form builder that doesn't require coding | A no-code form builder |
| Forms for multiple client websites | A tool with project organization |
| A way to track enquiries and follow-ups | A form tool with lead management |
| A backend for an existing HTML or React form | A form endpoint |
The point isn't that HubSpot is a bad product.
It's that you should choose a tool based on what you actually need.
Will You Lose Your Contacts If You Remove HubSpot Forms?
This is probably the biggest concern when switching form providers.
Removing a HubSpot form from your website doesn't automatically delete the contacts already stored in HubSpot.
Those contacts remain in your HubSpot account, subject to your account's access and data retention settings.
What changes is where future submissions go.
For example, your current setup might look like this:
Website Contact Form
|
v
HubSpot
|
v
HubSpot CRM
After replacing the form, it could look like this:
Website Contact Form
|
v
Formgrid
|
+-- Email Notifications
|
+-- Submissions Dashboard
|
+-- Lead Pipeline
Your existing contacts stay in HubSpot.
New enquiries go to Formgrid.
One important thing to understand is that Formgrid doesn't automatically send those new submissions back into HubSpot CRM.
If you need that, you'll have to set up an integration.
What about your old form submissions?
If you plan to stop using HubSpot entirely, export the records you need before closing your account.
Depending on your setup, that might include:
- Contacts
- Previous form submissions
- Custom contact properties
- Consent information
- Notes or other important records
Keep the exported data somewhere secure, especially if it contains personal information.
You don't necessarily have to import all your old contacts into Formgrid.
You could keep historical records in HubSpot and use Formgrid for new enquiries.
Two Ways to Replace HubSpot Forms
There are two ways you can approach this, depending on whether you already have a form on your website.
Option 1: Keep your existing form and replace the backend
Let's say you've built a website using HTML, React, or Next.js.
You've already designed a contact form, and you're happy with how it looks.
You don't need to rebuild it.
Instead, you can connect it to a form backend that receives and stores submissions.
For example, a basic HTML form can send data directly to Formgrid:
<form
action="https://formgrid.dev/api/f/your-form-id"
method="POST"
>
<input
type="text"
name="name"
placeholder="Your name"
required
/>
<input
type="email"
name="email"
placeholder="Your email"
required
/>
<textarea
name="message"
placeholder="Your message"
required
></textarea>
<button type="submit">
Send Message
</button>
</form>
When someone submits the form, the browser sends the data to Formgrid.
You don't need to create a Node.js API, configure a database, or build your own email notification system.
You can keep your existing HTML and CSS.
Option 2: Build a new form without writing code
What if you don't already have a form?
Or perhaps you used HubSpot's form builder and want another visual builder to replace it.
In that case, you can create a form using Formgrid's drag-and-drop builder.
You add the fields you need, customize the appearance, and publish the form.
You can then embed it on your website or share its public link.
Both approaches send submissions to Formgrid.
The difference is whether you want to build the form yourself or let the builder handle the interface.
Let's go through the setup.
How to Replace HubSpot Forms With Formgrid: Step by Step
For this tutorial, we'll use the hosted version of Formgrid.
Full disclosure: I built Formgrid. It combines a form backend, a drag-and-drop form builder, and a lead pipeline for managing enquiries.
You can also self-host the open-source version if you prefer to run it on your own infrastructure.
Step 1: Review your existing HubSpot form
Before creating a replacement, open your current HubSpot form and check what it collects.
For example, an event enquiry form might have these fields:
Full Name
Email Address
Phone Number
Event Type
Preferred Date
Number of Guests
Additional Information
You'll want to recreate those fields unless you intentionally want to change the form.
Also check what happens after someone submits it.
Does the form redirect visitors to a thank-you page?
Does it send a notification to someone?
Does it trigger an automation?
Does it collect hidden fields or campaign information?
Write down anything you need to preserve.
You don't want to replace a form only to discover that something important stopped working.
Step 2: Create a free Formgrid account
First, head over to formgrid.dev.
Click the sign-up button and create your account.
You can start with the free plan. No credit card is required.
After signing up, you'll be taken to your Formgrid dashboard.
This is where you can create and manage forms, view submissions, and keep track of the enquiries coming through your websites.
Step 3: Create a new form from your dashboard
From your dashboard, create a new form.
Give it a name that makes sense for the website or purpose.
For example:
Website Contact Form
Event Enquiry Form
Quote Request Form
Newsletter Signup
If you manage several client websites, I'd recommend including the client's name.
For example:
Venue A: Event Enquiries
Venue B: Newsletter Signup
Cleaning Company: Quote Requests
This makes it easier to identify your forms later.
Once you've created the form, Formgrid will automatically take you to its form details page.
This is an important part of the setup.
You don't have to open the form builder immediately.
Instead, you have two options:
- Use the form backend endpoint for an existing website.
- Open the form builder to create a form without writing code.
Let's look at both.
Step 4: Choose between the form backend and the no-code builder
Option A: Use the form backend endpoint
If you already have a website with a contact form, this is probably the option you'll want.
On the form details page, you'll find your form's endpoint URL.
It will look something like this:
https://formgrid.dev/api/f/your-form-id
Each form has its own endpoint.
Copy the endpoint URL.
Now open your website's HTML form.
Let's say your existing form looks like this:
<form action="/contact" method="POST">
<input
type="text"
name="name"
placeholder="Your name"
required
/>
<input
type="email"
name="email"
placeholder="Your email"
required
/>
<textarea
name="message"
placeholder="Your message"
required
></textarea>
<button type="submit">
Send Message
</button>
</form>
To connect it to Formgrid, replace the existing action URL with your Formgrid endpoint.
Your updated form becomes:
<form
action="https://formgrid.dev/api/f/your-form-id"
method="POST"
>
<input
type="text"
name="name"
placeholder="Your name"
required
/>
<input
type="email"
name="email"
placeholder="Your email"
required
/>
<textarea
name="message"
placeholder="Your message"
required
></textarea>
<button type="submit">
Send Message
</button>
</form>
Make sure you replace your-form-id with the endpoint ID from your dashboard.
That's all you need for a basic HTML form.
When someone fills it out and clicks Send Message, the submission goes to Formgrid.
Formgrid stores the data in your dashboard and sends an email notification.
You don't have to change the form's appearance.
If you've already styled it using CSS or Tailwind CSS, those styles can stay exactly as they are.
And if you're using React or Next.js, you can still connect your existing form to the endpoint. You may need to adjust your submission handler depending on how your frontend works.
This is useful for developers who already have working websites and don't want to rebuild their forms.
Option B: Open the no-code form builder
If you don't already have a form, you can build one using Formgrid.
From the same form details page, click Open Form Builder.
This opens the drag-and-drop builder. A modal opens for you to select a template or the default template.
Formgrid's form builder lets you create and customize forms without writing code.
Let's say you're replacing a HubSpot event enquiry form.
You might need the following fields:
Full Name Text
Email Address Email
Phone Number Phone
Event Type Dropdown
Preferred Date Date
Number of Guests Number
Additional Notes Textarea
You can add those fields using the builder.
You can also change their labels, mark fields as required, and customize the form's appearance.
If you have a longer form, you can split it into multiple steps.
For example, a quote request form could have three sections:
Step 1: Contact information
Ask for the person's name, email address, and phone number.
Step 2: Project details
Ask what service they need and let them describe their project.
Step 3: Budget and timeline
Ask when they need the work completed and what their estimated budget is.
This can make a long form easier to complete.
You can also start from one of the Formgrid form templates instead of creating everything from scratch.
Once you're happy with the form, publish it.
You can share the public form link directly or embed the form on your website.
That means you don't even need a website to start collecting submissions.
Step 5: Replace the HubSpot form on your website
Now that you've created your Formgrid form, it's time to replace the existing HubSpot form.
How you do this depends on which option you chose.
If you're using the form backend
You only need to update your existing form's submission endpoint.
If your form was previously submitting to another service, change the URL to the endpoint provided by Formgrid.
Keep the rest of your HTML and CSS.
If you're using the form builder
Copy the embed code for your published Formgrid form.
Then open the page containing your HubSpot form.
An older HubSpot embed might look something like this:
<script
charset="utf-8"
type="text/javascript"
src="//js.hsforms.net/forms/embed/v2.js"
></script>
<script>
hbspt.forms.create({
region: "na1",
portalId: "YOUR_PORTAL_ID",
formId: "YOUR_FORM_ID"
});
</script>
Your actual HubSpot embed may look different.
Remove the HubSpot embed and replace it with the embed code provided by Formgrid.
If your website is built with WordPress, Webflow, or another website builder, you'll need to edit the page or embed block where the current form appears.
I recommend testing the replacement on a staging page before making it live.
Step 6: Configure email notifications
Once your form is ready, check its notification settings.
By default, Formgrid sends submission notifications to the email address associated with your account.
You can change the notification recipient and, on supported paid plans, add more recipients.
For example, imagine you're managing three different venue websites.
You might want submissions to go to different email addresses:
Venue A
bookings@venue-a.com
Venue B
events@venue-b.com
Venue C
hello@venue-c.com
You can configure the relevant recipients for each form.
You can configure notification recipients and other form settings from your dashboard.
This is particularly useful for agencies managing forms for clients.
You don't want every enquiry going to your personal inbox when it should be reaching the business owner.
Step 7: Test your form before going live
Before removing your existing HubSpot form, submit a test enquiry through the replacement.
For example:
Name: Test Customer
Email: test@example.com
Event Type: Private Event
Guests: 50
Message: Testing the new enquiry form
Then check that:
- The form submits successfully.
- The submission appears in Formgrid.
- The notification email arrives.
- All submitted fields contain the correct information.
- The confirmation message or redirect works.
- The form works on mobile devices.
If your form includes file uploads, test those as well.
You should also check required fields and spam protection.
Once everything works, publish the replacement.
What Happens After Someone Submits Your Form?
Let's say you've replaced your HubSpot contact form.
A visitor fills it out, and you receive an email notification.
Great.
But what happens after that?
Imagine you run a photography business.
Someone contacts you about wedding photography.
You reply with your availability and pricing.
They tell you they'll get back to you.
A few days pass, and you receive more enquiries.
You forget to follow up with the first person.
This is one of the problems with relying entirely on email notifications.
Receiving enquiries is one thing. Keeping track of them is another.
Viewing submissions in Formgrid
Every submission is stored in your Formgrid dashboard.
You can open your submissions page to see the information people submitted.
You can view submissions from your dashboard instead of searching through your email inbox.
You can review previous enquiries whenever you need to.
But there's another feature I wanted to include when building Formgrid.
Tracking leads with the built-in pipeline
Formgrid has a built-in lead pipeline.
When someone submits a form, the submission appears as a lead.
You can update its status as you work on it.
For example:
New
|
v
Contacted
|
v
Converted
Let's go back to the photography example.
Someone submits a wedding photography enquiry.
You open their submission in Formgrid.
You see their name, email address, preferred date, and message.
You reply with your pricing information.
You change the lead status from New to Contacted.
A few days later, they confirm the booking.
You change the status to Converted.
You can also add notes and set reminders for people you need to follow up with.
Formgrid's lead pipeline helps you keep track of enquiries and follow-ups.
If you need different stages, supported paid plans let you customize the pipeline.
For example, a cleaning company might use:
New Enquiry
|
v
Quote Sent
|
v
Awaiting Response
|
v
Job Confirmed
For some businesses, this is enough to manage enquiries without setting up a separate CRM.
A Real Example: An Agency Managing Forms Across Multiple Websites
One of the interesting use cases I've seen while building Formgrid involves a marketing agency managing forms for several venue websites.
The agency previously used HubSpot forms and later moved its website forms to Formgrid.
The forms were used for event enquiries, newsletter registrations, and similar purposes.
Think about what this involves.
The agency might be managing websites for several venues.
Each venue has its own forms:
Venue A
- Event Enquiry Form
- Newsletter Signup
Venue B
- Private Booking Form
- Newsletter Signup
Venue C
- Contact Form
- Event Enquiry Form
The agency needs to know which form belongs to which website.
The venue owners need to receive the right enquiries.
And someone needs to follow up when a potential customer asks about booking an event.
Formgrid lets you organize forms into projects, making it easier to manage forms belonging to different clients or websites.
On the Business plan, you can also invite team members or clients and configure their access using project roles.
That way, a client can access the relevant project without needing unrestricted access to everything in your account.
This is one of the situations where a dedicated form tool can make sense.
If an agency already depends on HubSpot's CRM and marketing tools, keeping HubSpot might still be the better option.
But if it's mainly using HubSpot to collect website enquiries, there are other ways to handle that.
HubSpot Forms vs Formgrid: What's the Difference?
HubSpot and Formgrid can both collect website form submissions.
But they are designed for different purposes.
HubSpot is a CRM and marketing platform that includes forms.
Formgrid focuses on creating forms, collecting submissions, and managing the enquiries those forms receive.
Here's a comparison.
| Feature | HubSpot | Formgrid |
|---|---|---|
| No-code form builder | Yes | Yes |
| Embed forms on websites | Yes | Yes |
| Contact management | Full CRM | Built-in lead pipeline |
| Email notifications | Yes | Yes |
| Marketing email campaigns | Yes, depending on plan | No |
| Advanced sales automation | Yes, depending on plan | No |
| Form backend for developers | Forms API and related integrations | Direct form endpoint |
| Follow-up tracking | CRM tools | Notes, stages, and reminders |
| Project organization | Depends on setup | Built-in projects |
| Open source | No | Yes |
| Self-hosting | No | Yes |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
If you need a full CRM, marketing automation, and detailed sales reporting, HubSpot offers features that Formgrid isn't trying to replace.
But if you mainly need contact forms, email notifications, and a way to track enquiries, Formgrid may be enough.
I've also written a separate comparison covering the differences in more detail.
Read the Formgrid vs HubSpot Forms comparison.
How Much Does Formgrid Cost?
Formgrid has a free plan, so you can try it before paying.
The paid plans start at $12 per month.
| Plan | Price | Monthly submissions |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 50 |
| Premium | $12/month | 1,000 |
| Business | $29/month | 15,000 |
The Free plan works for smaller websites and people who want to try Formgrid.
Premium includes features such as file uploads, integrations, and higher submission limits.
Business includes features for agencies and teams, including client access, webhooks, and higher limits.
You can see the current features and limits on the Formgrid pricing page.
I wouldn't compare Formgrid's $12 plan with HubSpot's most expensive plans and claim everyone will save hundreds of dollars.
HubSpot's larger plans provide features that go well beyond form submissions.
The question is whether you need those features.
If you're using HubSpot for CRM, email marketing, and automation, the cost might be justified.
But if you're mainly collecting contact form submissions, a smaller tool may be enough.
Can You Keep HubSpot CRM and Use Formgrid for Forms?
Yes.
You can keep HubSpot CRM while using Formgrid to collect new website submissions.
But there's one important thing to understand.
New Formgrid submissions won't automatically appear in HubSpot CRM.
If you need that, you'll have to configure an integration.
There are two ways to approach this.
Option 1: Keep historical contacts in HubSpot
This is the simplest approach.
Your old contacts stay in HubSpot.
New enquiries go to Formgrid.
You manage those new enquiries using Formgrid's submissions dashboard and lead pipeline.
This works if you no longer need every website enquiry to become a HubSpot contact.
Option 2: Continue sending new enquiries to HubSpot
If your sales team still works in HubSpot, you may want new Formgrid submissions to create or update HubSpot contacts.
You could build an integration using the relevant APIs or use an automation service that supports both platforms.
You'd need to consider field mapping, duplicate contacts, consent information, and failed requests.
If your current HubSpot forms trigger important workflows, test those dependencies carefully before switching.
In some situations, keeping HubSpot forms may be simpler.
Five Things to Check Before Removing HubSpot Forms
Before switching, there are a few things I'd recommend checking.
1. Hidden fields
Some HubSpot forms collect information visitors don't see.
For example, you might use hidden fields to track where enquiries came from.
If that information matters to you, make sure your replacement form collects it.
2. Email notifications
Submit a test enquiry and check that the correct person receives the notification.
Don't assume everything works just because the form displays a success message.
3. Confirmation messages and redirects
If your HubSpot form redirects visitors to a thank-you page, configure the same behavior in your replacement.
This is especially important if you track form conversions using analytics.
4. Existing automations
A HubSpot form might trigger a workflow, update a contact property, or notify someone on your sales team.
Check whether your replacement setup needs to reproduce those actions.
5. Privacy and consent
If your forms collect personal information, make sure your privacy notice, consent fields, and data handling remain appropriate.
Changing form providers doesn't remove your responsibility to protect the information people submit.
When I Would Keep Using HubSpot Forms
I built Formgrid, but I wouldn't recommend replacing HubSpot forms in every situation.
If your business relies on HubSpot for its sales and marketing operations, keeping its forms may be the better choice.
For example, you might want to stay with HubSpot if you use it to:
- Manage your entire sales pipeline
- Run email marketing campaigns
- Assign leads to salespeople
- Score and qualify contacts
- Automate follow-up emails
- Track marketing campaigns
- Generate CRM reports
In those cases, HubSpot forms are already connected to the tools your team uses.
Moving them elsewhere could mean building and maintaining additional integrations.
But if your main requirement is collecting enquiries from your website, you have more options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I remove HubSpot forms without losing my contacts?
Yes.
Removing a HubSpot form from your website doesn't automatically delete the contacts already stored in HubSpot.
If you plan to close your HubSpot account, export the records you need first.
Can I replace HubSpot forms without rebuilding my website?
Yes.
If you already have a custom HTML form, you can keep its design and change the endpoint that receives submissions.
If you're using a HubSpot embed, you can replace it with a form created using another builder.
Can I use Formgrid with an existing HTML form?
Yes.
After creating a form in Formgrid, you'll be taken to the form details page.
Copy the form endpoint and use it as your HTML form's action URL.
For example:
<form
action="https://formgrid.dev/api/f/your-form-id"
method="POST"
>
<input
type="email"
name="email"
required
/>
<button type="submit">
Send
</button>
</form>
Formgrid handles receiving and storing the submission.
Do I have to use the Formgrid form builder?
No.
That's one of the main differences between the two ways of using Formgrid.
If you already have a website form, you can use the form backend endpoint.
If you want to create a form without writing code, open the form builder from the form details page.
Both options send submissions to your Formgrid dashboard.
Can I create a form without having a website?
Yes.
You can use Formgrid's no-code builder to create a form and share its public link directly.
You don't need to build a website first.
Does Formgrid work with WordPress, Webflow, and other website builders?
Formgrid provides embeddable forms and a standalone form endpoint.
You can use it with website platforms that support the necessary embed code or compatible form submission configuration.
The exact setup depends on the platform.
Can I keep using HubSpot as my CRM?
Yes.
You can keep your existing HubSpot contacts and use Formgrid to collect new submissions.
If you need those new submissions to appear automatically in HubSpot, you'll need an integration.
Does Formgrid have a free plan?
Yes.
Formgrid has a free plan with up to 50 submissions per month.
You can create forms, receive notifications, view submissions, and use the built-in lead pipeline.
Is Formgrid open source?
Yes.
Formgrid is open source and can be self-hosted.
If you don't want to manage your own deployment, you can use the hosted version at formgrid.dev.
Final Thoughts
Replacing HubSpot forms doesn't mean you have to stop using HubSpot entirely.
You can keep your existing contacts and decide separately how you want to collect new enquiries.
If your business depends on HubSpot's CRM and marketing tools, keeping its forms might be the easiest option.
But if you mainly need contact forms, email notifications, and a way to track enquiries, you don't necessarily need a full CRM for that.
That's one of the reasons I built Formgrid.
After signing up, you can create a form from your dashboard.
From the form details page, you can choose to use the form backend endpoint with an existing website or open the drag-and-drop builder to create a form without writing code.
Either way, submissions appear in your dashboard, and you can track the enquiries you receive.
If that sounds like what you need, you can try Formgrid for free.
No credit card required.
And if you're still comparing your options, read the Formgrid vs HubSpot Forms comparison before deciding.
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