By Mehdi HassanHubSpot is often two products wearing one login: a CRM the sales team lives in and a CMS the marketing team tolerates. Teams want to change the second without touching the first. The good news is that HubSpot CRM works with almost any website, as long as two things are set up properly: the tracking code and the forms. This guide checks every alternative against exactly that. For the wider platform choice, start with our guide to choosing a platform for your marketing site.
What can replace HubSpot CMS while keeping HubSpot CRM?
Webflow, WordPress, Framer and Next.js with a headless CMS can all replace HubSpot CMS while keeping HubSpot CRM. Each supports the HubSpot tracking code and HubSpot forms, which is what the CRM needs to create contacts and record their visits.
Platform | Tracking code | HubSpot forms | Native forms to HubSpot | Setup effort |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Webflow | Via official app or custom code | Embed, or map Webflow forms via the app | Yes, through the integration | Low |
WordPress | Official HubSpot plugin | Plugin or embed | Yes, via the plugin | Low |
Framer | Site-wide custom code | Embed component | Webhook or automation, pass the cookie | Medium |
Next.js + headless CMS | Script in the root layout | Embed script | HubSpot Forms API with the cookie | Medium to high |
Before choosing, read leaving HubSpot CMS while keeping the CRM, which covers the audit and order of operations.
How do HubSpot forms and tracking actually work on another site?
The HubSpot tracking code sets a cookie that identifies each visitor and records page views. When that visitor submits a HubSpot form, HubSpot links the cookie to a contact, so their earlier visits and source appear on the contact record.
This is why both pieces matter. The tracking code alone records anonymous visits. Forms alone create contacts with no history. Together, they rebuild what HubSpot CMS gave you natively: source attribution, page views on the timeline and lists based on pages visited. When you build native forms instead of embedding HubSpot's, the submission must include the visitor's tracking cookie value, usually called hutk, or the link breaks. Our guide to connecting website analytics to HubSpot or Salesforce goes deeper on attribution.
Is Webflow a good HubSpot CMS alternative?
Webflow is a strong HubSpot CMS alternative for B2B marketing teams that publish often and want design freedom. Its official HubSpot integration handles tracking and can send native Webflow form submissions straight into HubSpot.
Marketers get the Editor and structured CMS collections for posts, case studies and resources, which usually feels more flexible than HubSpot themes. The integration means you can design forms in Webflow and still map fields to HubSpot properties. Watch Webflow's CMS item caps on your plan if you have a large blog. Our HubSpot CMS vs Webflow comparison and the HubSpot to Webflow migration guide cover the details.
Is WordPress still a good fit for HubSpot users?
WordPress is a good fit for HubSpot users who want maximum flexibility and plugins. HubSpot's official WordPress plugin installs tracking, embeds forms and can capture submissions with little setup.
The trade-off is maintenance: themes, plugins and hosting need upkeep, and page builders can slow the site. For a team with a developer who keeps WordPress lean, it is one of the easiest ways to keep HubSpot connected. For a team without one, it can recreate the frustration you are trying to escape. See Framer vs WordPress for how it compares with a visual builder.
Can Framer or Next.js keep HubSpot attribution intact?
Yes. Both keep HubSpot attribution intact when you install the tracking code site-wide and either embed HubSpot forms or send native submissions with the tracking cookie. They need slightly more setup than Webflow or WordPress.
In Framer, add the tracking code in site-wide custom code and embed forms with an Embed component, or route native forms through a webhook. The step-by-step version is in our HubSpot to Framer migration guide. In Next.js, load the script in the root layout, respect consent, and submit forms to the HubSpot Forms API from a server route, including the cookie, page URL and page name. That gives the cleanest forms and full control.
Pros
- Framer: fastest design and iteration
- Next.js: complete control over forms and data
- Both: no theme limits
- Both: fast pages when built well
Cons
- Framer: native forms need a webhook step
- Next.js: needs a developer for changes
- Both: smart content must be rebuilt or dropped
- Both: test attribution carefully at launch
Hypothetical example: auditing a HubSpot CMS site before leaving
For example, suppose a B2B SaaS team has 30 pages, a blog and 12 HubSpot forms on HubSpot CMS. The audit finds that smart content is used on one page, HubDB on none, and memberships on none. Two forms feed lead-scoring workflows that depend on hidden fields.
The plan: rebuild the site on Webflow, use the HubSpot integration for most forms, keep the two workflow-critical forms as HubSpot embeds so the hidden fields keep working, and replace the smart content block with a simpler static version. Nothing in the CRM changes.
What HubSpot CMS features won't transfer?
Features that depend on HubSpot rendering the page won't transfer: smart content, HubDB tables, CMS memberships, HubSpot's built-in page tests and some native page reporting. CRM features, email, workflows, sequences and meetings are unaffected.
- Smart content needs a personalization tool or a simpler approach.
- HubDB content moves into the new platform's CMS collections.
- Memberships move to your product or a dedicated membership tool.
- Page tests move to a testing tool that works with your new platform.
- Landing pages can stay on HubSpot on a subdomain if campaign teams rely on them.
If your site is product-led, also think about where signups go after the move. Our guide to PLG website design covers getting users to sign up without a sales call.
