## Introduction
In many startups and SMBs, HubSpot CRM is often used to handle customer relationship management, including the collection and processing of leads via contact forms. HubSpot’s integrated contact forms simplify lead capture but come at a premium cost that can weigh heavily on bootstrapped startups or lean teams. A practical and cost-effective alternative is to automate contact form data processing using n8n with popular form tools like Typeform or Tally. This solution benefits startup teams, automation engineers, and operations specialists who seek full ownership of their data workflows, want to avoid vendor lock-in, and aim to save on subscription fees without sacrificing functionality.
This guide will demonstrate step-by-step how to build an end-to-end automation workflow in n8n that captures submissions from Typeform or Tally, processes the lead data, and inserts it into a database or CRM — all without relying on HubSpot’s contact forms.
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## Why Replace HubSpot Contact Forms?
### Problem It Solves:
HubSpot’s contact form feature is a plug-and-play solution but comes with several drawbacks:
– Monthly recurring cost scales with contact volume
– Limited customization without expensive plan upgrades
– Data lock-in within HubSpot’s platform
### Who Benefits?
– Startups and SMBs minimizing SaaS spend
– Automation engineers wanting complete control over workflows
– Operations teams looking for customizable, scalable lead capture
By using n8n together with Typeform or Tally, you decouple form hosting from CRM workflows, dramatically reduce costs, and gain full control over automation.
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## Tools and Services to Integrate
– **n8n:** Workflow automation platform for complex integrations
– **Typeform or Tally:** User-friendly form builders for contact forms
– **Database or CRM (optional):** e.g., Google Sheets, Airtable, PostgreSQL, or custom CRM backend
– **Notification tools (optional):** Slack, Email for lead alerts
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## How the Workflow Works
The core workflow triggers on a new form submission from Typeform or Tally via webhook, processes and formats the data, optionally performs enrichment or filtering, and then outputs the contact to a destination such as a database or CRM. Depending on your needs, notifications or next-step automations can be configured.
### High-Level Flow:
1. Form Submission (Typeform or Tally) →
2. Trigger n8n Workflow via Webhook →
3. Data Parsing and Validation →
4. Insert Lead into Database/CRM →
5. Optional Notifications or Enrichments
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## Step-by-Step Technical Tutorial
### Prerequisites
– An n8n instance running (self-hosted or cloud-hosted)
– A Typeform or Tally account with a published form
– Access to your destination database or CRM API credentials
### Step 1: Create a New n8n Workflow
– Log in to n8n, click **New Workflow**
– Name it e.g., “Typeform Contact Form Automation”
### Step 2: Add a Webhook Node
– Add a **Webhook”** node
– Set HTTP Method to **POST**
– Copy the generated **Webhook URL** — this will be used in your form platform to send submission data
### Step 3: Configure Typeform or Tally to Send Data to the Webhook
#### For Typeform:
– Go to your Typeform workspace
– Open your form and go to **Connect** > **Webhooks**
– Add a new webhook with the n8n webhook URL
– Enable the webhook and save
#### For Tally:
– On your Tally form, go to **Integrations** > **Webhook**
– Add the webhook URL
– Save and activate
### Step 4: Add a Set Node (Optional for Parsing)
– To customize the fields or map the data,
– Add a **Set** node connected to the Webhook node output
– Map incoming JSON fields to descriptive keys, e.g., “name,” “email,” “message”
### Step 5: Validate Data
– Add an **IF** node to ensure required fields are present
– For example, check if `email` or `name` fields are filled
– If validation fails, you can route to an error handling node or send yourself a notification
### Step 6: Insert Lead into Database or CRM
**Example: Google Sheets**
– Add a **Google Sheets** node
– Authenticate and connect your Google account
– Select the spreadsheet and worksheet
– Map form fields to columns such as Name, Email, Message, Submission Date
**Example: PostgreSQL**
– Add a **PostgreSQL** node
– Provide DB credentials
– Use an INSERT query to add the lead data
**Example: Custom CRM API**
– Use an **HTTP Request** node
– Configure POST request to your CRM’s API endpoint
– Send lead data in JSON format
### Step 7: Optional Notifications
– Add Slack or Email nodes to alert sales or ops teams about new leads
– Configure messages with dynamic data from submissions
### Step 8: Finalize and Activate Workflow
– Save your workflow
– Set it to **Active** mode
– Perform test submissions to verify data captures correctly
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## Common Errors and Tips for Robustness
– **Webhook Not Triggering:** Ensure webhook URL is correct and active on Typeform/Tally
– **Field Mapping Issues:** Validate the payload structure from form submission JSON; use the n8n node’s output preview
– **Data Validation:** Always add IF nodes to check for missing or malformed input
– **Rate Limits:** For high submission volume, consider adding queue or wait nodes to throttle downstream API calls
– **Security:** Use n8n credentials management and secure webhooks with tokens or IP restrictions if possible
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## Scaling and Adaptation
– To support multiple forms, clone and customize the workflow per form or add branching logic based on payload data
– Integrate lead enrichment APIs (e.g., Clearbit) to enhance lead data
– Implement deduplication by querying your CRM or DB before insertion
– Extend via triggers to start sales sequences or automated email campaigns
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## Summary and Bonus Tip
Replacing HubSpot’s contact forms with n8n automations connecting Typeform or Tally forms is a highly customizable, cost-effective solution to capture leads. The workflow provides complete control over data handling, integration flexibility, and scalability suited to fast-moving startups.
**Bonus Tip:** Use n8n’s built-in Expression editor to dynamically generate personalized notification messages or conditional logic nodes to segment leads automatically based on form responses, enabling smarter automation pipelines beyond simple data routing.
With this guide, your technical team can confidently build a robust, HubSpot-free lead capture automation, saving costs while maintaining professional, scalable operations.