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The faster signup lost

  • Teardown
  • 5 July 2026
  • 5 min
  • Based on my Medium post

Two CRMs, tested side by side in one afternoon.

READ IN 8 SECONDS

PROBLEM
Every CRM claims to be "up and running in minutes". I wanted to test that.
DECISION
Same day, same laptop, same test company. Count every click and time the first deal.
RESULT
Zoho's signup was twice as fast. HubSpot delivered a working deal about four minutes sooner.

END OF SUMMARY. SCROLL FOR DETAILS ↓

10 slides · use ← → to navigate · swipe on mobile

FILE 05 · ZOHO VS HUBSPOT

  1. READ IN 8 SECONDS

    PROBLEM
    Every CRM claims to be "up and running in minutes". I wanted to test that.
    DECISION
    Same day, same laptop, same test company. Count every click and time the first deal.
    RESULT
    Zoho's signup was twice as fast. HubSpot delivered a working deal about four minutes sooner.

    END OF SUMMARY. SCROLL FOR DETAILS ↓

    Tap right for next · tap left to go back

  2. Two new signups on the same day: Zoho CRM Free and HubSpot Free. I recorded my screen for both.

    Chart: Zoho reaches the dashboard in 8 clicks but the first deal takes about 14 minutes; HubSpot takes 16+ clicks and about 10 minutes

    every click counted, every minute timed

  3. I signed in to both with Google. Neither product made use of it afterwards.

    I signed in to both with Google, and both acted like it never happened: Zoho distrusted the identity and asked for a mobile number and SMS code, HubSpot asked me to continue with Google again
    Screens from my Medium post.

    2 of 2

    products that ignored my Google sign-in

  4. Same sign-in, two extra requests.

    1. Google sign-in done
    2. Zoho: phone + SMS code
    3. HubSpot: Google again, all boxes ticked

    Zoho requested my phone number. HubSpot requested my inbox and calendar, pre-ticked.

  5. Your turn

    A user has just signed up with Google. What should you ask for next?

    Choose an option before you continue.

  6. A. Their phone number
    B. Every Google permission at once
    C. Nothing until they have used it my pick

    C. I cancelled HubSpot's request, so it got nothing. One small request, later, would probably have worked.

    Principle 01

    Ask after the first win

    Friction after the first win is an investment. Before it, it is a toll.

  7. HubSpot took me through 11 decisions with an AI assistant before I saw the product. Zoho opened on a dashboard with 13 menu items and no guidance.

    Zoho dropped me on a dashboard with 13 menu items and no hints: the Zoho CRM home screen with empty tasks, meetings, leads and deals panels
    Screens from my Medium post.

    11

    decisions before HubSpot showed me the product

  8. Zoho's first contact form had about 25 fields. Its deal form would not save without an Account I had not created.

    Zoho's first contact form had about 25 fields: the Create Contact page with owner, name, account, email, four phone fields, fax, date of birth and more
    Screens from my Medium post.

    25

    fields on my first contact, including map coordinates, twice

  9. Guess the number

    your guess: 15

    Make your best estimate.

  10. 8 vs 16+

    clicks to the dashboard. Zoho got me in faster. HubSpot got me to a working deal about four minutes sooner.

    Clicks measure friction. Minutes measure value.

  11. RECEIPT · ZOHO VS HUBSPOT

    CLICKS TO DASHBOARD Z / H
    8 / 16+
    MIN TO FIRST DEAL Z / H
    ~14 / ~10
    GOOGLE SIGN-INS IGNORED
    2 OF 2
    SCREENS RECORDED
    27 + 45
    OVERALL WINNER
    HUBSPOT, NARROWLY

    FULL TEARDOWN ON MEDIUM

    A narrow win, not a decisive one.

  12. SWIPE UP ↑ Next file: Have a break, have an AI break

The receipt

Every change from this file, on one receipt.

Read the full teardown on Medium →

RECEIPT · ZOHO VS HUBSPOT

CLICKS TO DASHBOARD Z / H
8 / 16+
MIN TO FIRST DEAL Z / H
~14 / ~10
GOOGLE SIGN-INS IGNORED
2 OF 2
SCREENS RECORDED
27 + 45
OVERALL WINNER
HUBSPOT, NARROWLY

FULL TEARDOWN ON MEDIUM

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