Exporting Data from HubSpot to CSV: What Actually Works (and What Breaks)

The article was initially published on the Skyvia blog.

If you use HubSpot long enough, you eventually need to get your data out of it — usually into a CSV.

Maybe you're syncing to another system, preparing analytics, running backups, or just trying to clean up contacts before a migration.

HubSpot does support CSV exports, but the experience varies wildly depending on what you’re exporting and how often you need it. Below is a clear breakdown of every practical export method — from manual clicks to fully automated pipelines.

Manual Export Options (HubSpot UI)

These are built into HubSpot and require no code. They’re fine for occasional work, but they don't scale well when exports become routine.

1. Standard HubSpot Object Exports (UI)

This is the default way most users export:

• Contacts
• Companies
• Deals
• Tickets
• Custom objects

How it works:
Go to an object → apply filters → Export → choose CSV → wait for the email.

Pros

• Zero setup
• Easy for non-technical users
• Good for small and infrequent exports

Cons

• No scheduling
• Export size limits
• Repetitive and error-prone
• Large datasets can timeout

Use this if you export once in a while — not weekly, and definitely not daily.

2. Exporting via Lists (Dynamic or Static)

Lists can act as smart filters before exporting.

Useful for:

• Incremental exports (e.g., “updated last 7 days”)
• Avoiding huge files
• Targeted data pulls

Pros

• Cleaner subsets of data
• Better control than object-level exports

Cons

• Still fully manual
• Still emailed CSVs
• Structure doesn't always match raw objects

3. Exporting Reports to CSV

HubSpot allows exporting report data — but it’s aggregated, not raw records.

Pros

• Great for summaries
• Good for sharing analysis

Cons

• Not suitable for pipelines
• Hard to reuse downstream
• Limited control over structure

Use this only when you need analytics, not data extraction.

Programmatic and Automated Options

When exports become recurring, complex, or business-critical, teams move beyond the UI.

4. HubSpot API (Programmatic Export)

Using the HubSpot API, you can export objects, properties, and associations into CSV through your own scripts or tooling.

Pros

• Full control
• Works with large datasets
• Ideal for engineering-driven pipelines

Cons

• Requires coding
• You own retries, rate limits, and schema changes
• Maintenance over time can be non-trivial

Best for teams that already have data engineers or existing infrastructure.

5. Automated CSV Exports via Integration Platforms

This is what many teams adopt once:

• manual exports become repetitive
• non-technical teams need reliability
• data feeds other systems on a schedule
• API scripts become too time-consuming to maintain

Integration tools can:

• Pull HubSpot objects automatically
• Transform and filter data
• Generate clean CSV files
• Deliver them to cloud storage, SFTP, warehouses, etc.
• Run on schedules without supervision

Pros

• No code
• Consistent and repeatable
• Supports larger data operations (backups, analytics, migrations)
• Reduces manual errors

Cons

• Ideal for recurring workflows (not one-time tasks)

This is the most scalable option for real-world teams.

Common Issues to Watch Out For

Regardless of how you export:

• Large datasets may require chunking
• Associations (contact → company → deals) often need separate exports
• Custom properties sometimes need mapping
• Date formats may not match downstream expectations
• CSV schemas may change if your HubSpot admins add new fields

Most frustrations come from trying to automate something that wasn’t designed to be automated — unless you bring in the right tooling.

Which Export Method Should You Choose?

One-time exports → UI Export

Filtered or incremental exports → Lists

Summaries or aggregated data → Report Export

Full control + internal engineering → HubSpot API

Recurring, reliable CSV extraction → Integration Platform

Pick based on frequency, volume, and who’s responsible for maintaining the workflow.

Final Thoughts

Exporting HubSpot to CSV seems simple — until you need to do it reliably, repeatedly, or at scale. If your exports are becoming a bottleneck, that’s usually a sign your team has outgrown manual processes.

There’s nothing wrong with starting manually, but once data becomes part of your operational backbone, automation quickly pays for itself in saved time and fewer headaches.