Custom objects in HubSpot allow you to create data structures beyond the standard Contacts, Companies, Deals, and Tickets objects. If your business tracks inventory, properties, subscriptions, projects, shipments, or any other entity that doesn’t fit neatly into the standard CRM schema, custom objects solve that problem without requiring a separate database or system. This guide covers when to use custom objects, how to set them up, and how they connect to the rest of HubSpot’s CRM.
That makes them especially valuable for businesses with unusual data models or more complex operational workflows.
HubSpot custom objects are useful when a business needs to track data that standard contacts, companies, deals, or tickets do not handle cleanly. They let teams model more specific relationships in the CRM without forcing everything into a generic structure.
What Custom Objects Are and When to Use Them
A custom object is a new data type you define – with its own properties, associations to other objects, and access controls. Think of it like creating a new table in a database, but one that’s fully integrated with HubSpot’s CRM, workflows, reporting, and API.
Common use cases:
- Real estate: Properties (listings) as custom objects, associated with contacts (buyers/sellers) and deals (transactions)
- SaaS: Subscriptions as custom objects, associated with contacts (account holders) and companies (organisations)
- Manufacturing: Products or equipment as custom objects, associated with deals and companies
- Professional services: Projects as custom objects, associated with contacts (team members, clients) and deals (engagements)
- Logistics: Shipments as custom objects, associated with deals and companies
Custom objects are available on Enterprise plans only (Sales, Marketing, Service, or Operations Hub Enterprise). This is a significant gating decision – if custom objects are essential to your use case, the Enterprise requirement affects your entire pricing calculation.
Creating a Custom Object
Create custom objects via the Object Schema API or through the HubSpot UI (Enterprise): Settings ? Objects ? Custom Objects ? Create custom object. Define:
- Object name (singular and plural): e.g., “Subscription” / “Subscriptions”
- Primary display property: The property that identifies a record of this type (e.g., Subscription ID or Plan Name)
- Properties: All the fields this object needs (Plan Type, Start Date, Monthly Value, Status, Renewal Date)
- Associations: Which standard objects this connects to (Contact, Company, Deal) and the relationship type (one-to-many, many-to-many)
Associations: Connecting Custom Objects to the CRM
The value of custom objects comes from their associations to standard CRM objects. A Subscription object associated with a Contact gives you a complete view on the contact record – you can see which plans they’re subscribed to, their renewal dates, and their subscription status, all within the familiar contact view.
Set up association definitions when creating the object, or add them later via Settings ? Objects ? [Custom Object] ? Associations. Associations support one-to-one, one-to-many, and many-to-many relationship types.
Using Custom Objects in Workflows
Custom objects can serve as workflow enrollment triggers: “When a Subscription object’s Status property changes to ‘At Risk’ ? create a task for the account manager and send an internal notification.” This allows you to build retention workflows triggered by changes to your custom object data – without the workaround of cramming subscription data into contact properties.
Custom object workflows are available in Operations Hub Enterprise and CRM Enterprise tiers.
Custom Objects in Reporting
Custom objects can be included in custom reports via the Custom Report Builder (Enterprise): select your custom object as a data source, and join it with standard objects (contacts, companies, deals) through the defined associations. This enables reporting like “total monthly recurring revenue by customer segment” when subscriptions are stored as custom objects.
Custom Objects via API
Create and manage custom object records programmatically via the CRM Objects API – the same API used for contacts, companies, and deals, but with your custom object type name. This is the primary way to populate custom objects with data from external systems:
POST /crm/v3/objects/{customObjectType}– create a recordPATCH /crm/v3/objects/{customObjectType}/{recordId}– update a recordPOST /crm/v3/objects/{customObjectType}/batch/upsert– bulk create/update- Association endpoints to link records to contacts, companies, or deals
Custom Objects vs Custom Properties: When to Use Each
Not every data extension need requires a custom object. Use custom properties when the data belongs to an existing object type – adding “Contract Start Date” to a contact is a custom property. Use custom objects when the data represents a distinct entity with its own lifecycle, multiple records per contact, or its own set of properties that don’t fit onto an existing object.
A rule of thumb: if a contact can have more than one of the thing you’re tracking (multiple subscriptions, multiple properties, multiple projects), it should be a custom object, not a custom property on the contact.
Sources
HubSpot, Custom Objects Documentation (2026)
HubSpot, Object Schema API Reference (2025)
HubSpot, Custom Objects in Workflows and Reporting (2025)
HubSpot, Custom Objects vs Custom Properties Guide (2025)
Is HubSpot easy to learn for beginners?
HubSpot has a learning curve, but its official free training platform HubSpot Academy provides structured paths from beginner to advanced. Most users handle day-to-day tasks within 2-4 weeks. Admin and developer skills take 3-6 months to develop proficiently.
What are the biggest HubSpot mistakes to avoid?
Top mistakes include: over-customizing before understanding your process, skipping user training, importing dirty data without cleansing, and not establishing naming conventions. Avoid these four and your implementation will be significantly more successful.
How often does HubSpot release new features?
HubSpot releases major updates quarterly. HubSpot also ships smaller updates continuously to all tiers.
Does HubSpot offer customer support?
Yes. Support is available via chat, email, and phone depending on your plan tier. Enterprise plans include dedicated customer success managers. HubSpot Academy and the HubSpot Community are excellent free support resources.
Can HubSpot integrate with other business tools?
Yes. HubSpot App Marketplace has 1,500+ integrations including Gmail, Slack, Zoom, Shopify, and WordPress.
The best custom-object setup is the one that matches the business process instead of warping it. If the structure is too clever, it becomes hard to explain and harder to maintain.
Common Challenges with HubSpot Custom Objects and How to Solve Them
Problem: Getting Your Team to Consistently Use HubSpot
Adoption gaps occur when teams revert to old habits after initial training. Fix: Identify the 2-3 daily workflows where HubSpot adds the most value for your specific role. Focus training on those workflows first. Use HubSpot in-app guidance to provide contextual help at the moment of need rather than relying solely on one-time classroom training.
Problem: CRM Data Quality Degrading Over Time
CRM data decays at approximately 30% per year as contacts change roles and companies. Fix: Schedule a quarterly data quality audit. Use HubSpot deduplication tools to merge duplicate records. Establish data entry standards enforced through validation rules. Consider a data enrichment tool like Clearbit or ZoomInfo to update stale records automatically.
Problem: HubSpot Reports Not Matching Actual Business Results
Reports are only as accurate as the data entered. Discrepancies between CRM reports and actual revenue indicate data entry gaps. Fix: Audit closed-won records against actual invoices monthly. Make CRM data the source of truth for commission calculations so reps have a direct incentive to enter accurate data.