How Migration Difficulty Is Actually Measured
Difficulty isn't a feeling it's how much of your existing setup transfers automatically versus how much you rebuild by hand. We score each platform 1 (easiest) to 5 (hardest) across six weighted factors:
| Factor | Weight | What It Measures |
|---|---|---|
| Automation/workflow rebuild complexity | 25% | How different the platform's trigger-and-action logic is from GHL's |
| Data model / structural complexity | 20% | Custom objects, associations, blueprints, permission structures |
| Content migration | 20% | Pages, courses, or funnels, and whether a native import path exists |
| Data portability | 15% | How cleanly contacts and core records export |
| Integrations and payments reconnection | 10% | Volume of third-party tools needing reconnection |
| Native import tool availability | 10% | Dedicated importer versus CSV/API/manual only |
The 8 Platforms Ranked by Migration Difficulty
| Rank | Platform | Weighted Score | Migration Method | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mailchimp | 1.55 | CSV export/import | Simplest data model on this list primarily email-centric, minimal structural complexity |
| 2 | ClickFunnels | 2.25 | Native URL importer (page design) | Page design clones automatically; automations, Stripe, and domains still need rebuilding |
| 2 | ActiveCampaign | 2.25 | CSV export/import, no native importer | Similar trigger-based automation model to GHL, but no native importer exists |
| 4 | Keap | 2.75 | CSV export/import, no native importer | Campaign Builder logic is navigable, but long-tenured accounts often depend on third-party add-ons needing replacement |
| 4 | HubSpot | 2.75 | CSV/API export, no native importer | Clean data export, but custom properties and associations accumulate heavily at scale |
| 6 | Kajabi | 2.80 | Native Course Importer + CSV | Course structure and media now import automatically for published lessons; quizzes, automations, offers, and community still need full manual rebuild |
| 7 | Zoho CRM | 3.00 | CSV/API export, no native importer | Blueprint workflows and territory management are structurally different from GHL's trigger model |
| 8 | Salesforce | 3.45 | CSV/API export, no native importer | Multi-object data model (leads, contacts, accounts, opportunities, custom objects) doesn't map directly to GHL's contact-centric structure |
some guides (including an earlier version of this one) rank Kajabi as the single hardest migration, based on the claim that course content has no import path at all. That claim is outdated. GoHighLevel's native Kajabi Course Importer automatically brings over video, image, and text content for published lessons. What still requires manual work quizzes, assignments, drip scheduling, offers, community, and automations is broad enough that Kajabi remains a genuinely harder-than-average migration, just not for the reason often cited.
Platform-by-Platform Breakdown
Mailchimp
EasiestMailchimp's data model is the simplest on this list: audiences, tags, and campaigns export cleanly via CSV, and most Mailchimp accounts don't carry the deep automation or custom-object complexity that drives difficulty elsewhere. The main work is rebuilding email automations as GHL workflows and reconnecting any e-commerce integrations. See Mailchimp to GoHighLevel migration for the full process.
→ Mailchimp to GoHighLevel migration →ClickFunnels
Moderate-EasyGoHighLevel's URL import tool clones ClickFunnels page designs automatically, working for both ClickFunnels 1.0 and 2.0. What doesn't transfer: automations, Stripe connections, and domain settings. See ClickFunnels to GoHighLevel migration for what specifically breaks and how to fix it.
→ ClickFunnels to GoHighLevel migration →ActiveCampaign
Moderate-EasyActiveCampaign's trigger-and-action automation model is conceptually similar to GHL's, which makes the rebuild intuitive even though nothing imports automatically. The real complexity is in mapping ActiveCampaign's dual list-and-tag segmentation system correctly. See ActiveCampaign to GoHighLevel migration for the list-vs-tag mapping risk in detail.
→ ActiveCampaign to GoHighLevel migration →Keap
ModerateKeap's visual Campaign Builder maps reasonably well to GHL's workflow logic conceptually, but accounts that have been active for years (many still under their original Infusionsoft branding) often depend on third-party add-ons for functionality Keap doesn't natively provide those need direct GHL replacements, not just a rebuild.
HubSpot
ModerateHubSpot exports contacts and deals cleanly, but the difficulty scales with account age: 2+ year old accounts typically carry dozens of custom properties and company associations that need auditing before rebuilding. The 25-day data deletion window after cancellation adds real time pressure. See How to Migrate from HubSpot to GoHighLevel for the complete breakdown.
→ How to Migrate from HubSpot to GoHighLevel →Kajabi
Moderate-HardGoHighLevel's native Kajabi Course Importer automatically transfers video, image, and text content for published lessons a real time-saver this ranking previously didn't credit. What still needs manual work: quizzes and assignments (imported as empty shells), drip scheduling, offers, community, affiliate data, and all automation logic. See Kajabi to GoHighLevel migration for exactly what the importer does and doesn't handle.
→ Kajabi to GoHighLevel migration →Zoho CRM
HardZoho's Blueprint workflows and module customizations are built on a structurally different model than GHL's trigger-and-action builder, requiring more conceptual translation than a platform like ActiveCampaign. Contacts and deals export cleanly; the automation layer is where the real effort concentrates.
Salesforce
HardestSalesforce's data model leads, contacts, accounts, opportunities, and custom objects, all relationally connected doesn't map directly onto GHL's flatter, contact-centric structure. This isn't specific to GoHighLevel; Salesforce migrations are widely regarded as the highest-complexity CRM transition type generally, because the relational architecture itself has to be deliberately redesigned, not just re-exported.
Migration Method Matters as Much as Difficulty
A single difficulty label hides an important distinction: what kind of migration are you actually doing?
| Migration Method | Platforms | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| Native importer available | ClickFunnels (pages), Kajabi (course content) | Structure/content imports automatically; logic and configuration still need manual work |
| CSV/API export, no native importer | ActiveCampaign, HubSpot, Zoho, Salesforce, Keap, Mailchimp | Data transfers with careful field mapping; everything beyond raw data is a manual rebuild |
How Difficulty Affects Your Migration Timeline
| Platform | Simple | Standard | Complex |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mailchimp | 1–2 weeks | 2–3 weeks | 3–4 weeks |
| ClickFunnels | 1–2 weeks | 2–3 weeks | 3–5 weeks |
| ActiveCampaign | 2–3 weeks | 3–5 weeks | 5–7 weeks |
| Keap | 2–3 weeks | 3–5 weeks | 5–7 weeks |
| HubSpot | 3–4 weeks | 4–6 weeks | 6–8 weeks |
| Kajabi | 1–2 weeks | 3–5 weeks | 5–8 weeks |
| Zoho CRM | 2–3 weeks | 3–4 weeks | 4–6 weeks |
| Salesforce | 3–4 weeks | 5–7 weeks | 8–12 weeks |
Automation count is still the primary driver of timeline within any single platform, more than platform choice itself. For the general framework these ranges build on, see the GHL migration timeline guide.
What Should You Do Next?
Read your platform-specific guide from the links above for the exact process, what transfers, and what breaks. Then work through the GoHighLevel migration checklist to make sure nothing gets missed regardless of platform.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the easiest platform to migrate to GoHighLevel from?
Mailchimp, due to its simple, primarily email-centric data model. Among platforms with more CRM/automation depth, ClickFunnels and ActiveCampaign are tied for easiest.
What is the hardest platform to migrate to GoHighLevel from?
Salesforce, because its multi-object data model (leads, contacts, accounts, opportunities, custom objects) doesn't map directly onto GoHighLevel's contact-centric structure this is true of Salesforce migrations generally, not specific to GoHighLevel.
Does GoHighLevel have a Kajabi course importer?
Yes. It automatically imports video, image, and text content for published Kajabi lessons. Quizzes, assignments, and assessments are not included and require manual recreation.
Does migration difficulty mean GoHighLevel isn't a good fit for that platform's users?
No. Difficulty measures manual rebuild effort, not whether GoHighLevel suits your business. Salesforce ranks hardest because of its data model, not because GoHighLevel is a worse fit for Salesforce users many still find GHL the right platform once they need the operational breadth Salesforce doesn't provide.
How long does each platform's migration typically take?
Simple migrations range from 1–4 weeks across all 8 platforms. Salesforce and HubSpot typically run longest at standard-to-complex scale (up to 8–12 weeks for Salesforce) due to data model complexity and account age respectively. Automation count is the biggest driver of timeline within any single platform.
Related Articles in This Series
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