To migrate from Keap to GoHighLevel: (1) Audit your Keap instance, (2) export contacts via Keap → Contacts → People → Export (over 1,000 contacts = email delivery), (3) normalise multiple emails per contact to a single primary email BEFORE export, (4) recreate custom fields, pipelines, and tag categories in GHL, (5) fill in fake unique emails for Keap contacts without emails (GHL requires email for import), (6) test-import 100-200 contacts, (7) document every active Campaign Builder sequence then rebuild in GHL Workflow Builder, (8) replace PlusThis with GHL-native equivalents, (9) run parallel for 2-3 weeks before cutover.
Timeline: 2-3 weeks for small migrations (under 5,000 contacts, minimal campaigns), 4-8 weeks for complex Infusionsoft migrations with 20+ active Campaign Builder sequences. The single biggest risk is assuming the Campaign Builder will transfer. It will not. Rebuild everything actively used, archive everything you no longer need.
1. Why Do Businesses Migrate from Keap to GoHighLevel?
Definition: Businesses migrate from Keap (Infusionsoft, Keap Max Classic, Keap Pro, Keap Ultimate) to GoHighLevel primarily to consolidate a fragmented Keap+PlusThis+Zapier+landing-page-tool stack into one platform, reduce per-contact pricing, and access native SMS, AI, and agency reseller features that Keap does not offer.
- Per-contact pricing at scale: Keap pricing scales with contact count. Businesses growing their list find their monthly Keap bill increases even without adding users. GHL's flat-rate model ($97-$497/month) does not scale with contact count.
- Stack consolidation: A typical Keap user pairs Keap with PlusThis (for enhanced campaign features), Zapier (for integrations), a landing page tool (Leadpages, ClickFunnels, Instapage), and a scheduling tool. GoHighLevel consolidates all of these into one platform.
- Native SMS and WhatsApp: Keap requires third-party SMS integrations. GHL has native SMS, MMS, and WhatsApp Business API integration built into every plan, sharing the same Unified Inbox as email conversations.
- AI Employee suite: GHL's AI Voice Agent, Conversation AI, and Workflow AI have no direct Keap equivalent as of July 2026.
- Agency and SaaS Mode: Agencies serving multiple Keap clients pay per Keap instance. GHL's sub-account architecture manages multiple clients from one dashboard, and SaaS Mode lets agencies white-label and resell GHL.
GHL is NOT a drop-in Keap replacement for every business. Keap remains meaningfully better for: businesses that depend on Keap's e-commerce and order forms module for physical/digital product sales, users with hundreds of hours of PlusThis-specific campaign investment, and Infusionsoft merchants who use the built-in Keap Pay processor for card-present transactions. If your Keap use case is centered on Keap Pay or Keap's shopping cart, verify GHL can meet those specific needs before migrating.
2. What Data Transfers and What Does Not?
Definition: GoHighLevel's official Keap migration guide (article 155000003384) confirms which assets are covered by the standard migration process. Other assets require manual re-creation or must be left in Keap as an archive.
| Keap Asset | Transfers? | How |
|---|---|---|
| Contacts | Yes | CSV export from Keap > CSV import to GHL |
| Custom fields | Manual recreation | Must be recreated in GHL BEFORE contact import |
| Tags | Yes (Keap Ultimate) | Export with contact record; recreate as GHL tags |
| Companies | Manual mapping | Import as GHL Companies or as Custom Field on Contact |
| Pipelines / Opportunities | Manual rebuild | Pipeline stages must be recreated in GHL first |
| Campaign Builder sequences | NO | Must be documented and rebuilt in GHL Workflow Builder |
| Order records | NO | Do not export stay in Keap archive |
| Notes | NO | Do not export stay in Keap archive |
| Landing pages | Manual rebuild | Rebuild in GHL Funnel/Website Builder |
| Email templates | Manual copy | Copy HTML source of each active template into GHL |
| PlusThis add-ons | NO | Replace with GHL-native equivalents |
| Zapier integrations | Manual reconnect | Rebuild with GHL native integrations or GHL webhooks |
Order records, Notes, and Opportunities do NOT come over in a standard Keap data export. Cited from Julian Mills. Practical implication: historical purchase data, note history, and open deal records stay in Keap as an archive. Do not cancel your Keap subscription immediately after migration keep it active as read-only archive access for 60-90 days minimum, longer if you need to reference historical order data. If you need Order records in GHL as active data, you need an API-based migration (not CSV) to preserve the relationships.
3. How Do You Export Contacts and Data from Keap?
Definition: Keap exports contacts as CSV files through the Contacts → People module. GoHighLevel's official Keap migration guide walks through the exact steps.
- Navigate to contacts: In Keap, go to Contacts → People.
- Select contacts to export: Choose specific contacts or use the Select All option.
- Click Export: Choose to download the contact data as a CSV file.
- For large exports (over 1,000 contacts): Enter your email address to receive a download link from Keap. Confirmed from GHL's official guide.
- Document (do NOT export) custom fields: Note that custom fields need to be recreated manually in HighLevel. Take screenshots or export the field configuration list for reference.
- Back up the exported data: GHL's official guide explicitly instructs: "Ensure all exported data is securely backed up before starting the migration process." Store CSVs in secure cloud storage before beginning transformation.
Two data-quality issues that create migration failures if left unresolved: (1) Contacts without email addresses Keap allows this, GHL does NOT. Any contact imported to GHL without an email address is silently ignored. Workaround (from Julian Mills): create fake unique email addresses in a pre-import spreadsheet, using a pattern like noemail-KEAP-ID-12345@yourdomain.com. This lets you import the contact into GHL, and you can later prompt for the real email through a workflow. (2) Contacts with multiple email addresses (Email1, Email2, Email3 in Keap) can create duplicate contacts in HighLevel unless you normalize to a single primary email BEFORE import. Cited from ClonePartner (April 2026), referencing help.gohighlevel.com. Pick the most recently active or verified email as the primary; move secondary emails to a Custom Field "secondary-email" for reference.
4. How Do You Handle Keap Tags and Custom Fields?
Definition: Keap uses tags to encode segmentation logic, campaign entry conditions, and lifecycle state. A single business might have 500-2,000 active Keap tags. Not all of these need to migrate most Keap instances have accumulated tag debt that should be cleaned up during migration.
- Segmentation tags MIGRATE: Tags used to group contacts by demographic, interest, or behaviour (Customer, Prospect, Newsletter-Subscriber, Product-A-Buyer). These become GHL tags on the imported contact.
- Campaign state tags REBUILD IN WORKFLOW: Tags used to track campaign progress (Welcome-Series-Day-3, Onboarding-Complete, Nurture-Sequence-Active). These do not migrate as tags they get rebuilt as GHL workflow state within the corresponding rebuilt workflow.
- Legacy tags ARCHIVE: Tags applied years ago for campaigns no longer running. These do not need to migrate. Document them in a spreadsheet if needed for compliance, then drop them from the import.
- Utility tags CONVERT TO CUSTOM FIELDS: Tags used as pseudo-fields (Preferred-Contact-Method-Email, VIP-Client, Payment-Method-Stripe). Convert these into proper GHL Custom Fields for cleaner data structure.
Detail (Custom field mapping):
- Document Keap custom fields: Open Keap → Admin → Settings → Custom Fields. List every field with name, data type (text, number, date, dropdown, list), and picklist values if applicable.
- Recreate in GHL: In GoHighLevel, Settings → Custom Fields. Create each Keap custom field with matching name and data type. For dropdowns, recreate the exact picklist values.
- Map field names in CSV: Update the export CSV column headers to match the GHL custom field internal names exactly. Any column with no matching GHL custom field is silently dropped during import confirmed by ghlcrms as "Mistake 1".
- Test with sample: Import 100-200 contacts first to verify every custom field appears correctly on the imported records.
5. How Do You Rebuild Keap Campaign Builder Sequences in GHL?
Definition: Keap Campaign Builder uses a visual canvas with goals, decision nodes, sequences, and merge fields to build multi-step automations. GoHighLevel Workflow Builder uses triggers, actions, wait steps, and if/else branches. The models are similar but not identical there is no export/import path between them. Every actively-used campaign must be documented and manually rebuilt.
- Business intent: What does this campaign achieve? "Welcome new leads from the free download form, deliver the lead magnet, then nurture toward a discovery call over 14 days."
- Entry goal: What starts it? "Web form submitted with tag Lead-Magnet-Download applied."
- Sequence steps in order: What does it do? "Send lead magnet email → Wait 2 days → Send case study email → Wait 3 days → If tag Discovery-Booked NOT applied, send discovery call invitation → Wait 4 days → If still not booked, send final email."
- Decision nodes: Any conditional branches? "If contact clicks discovery call link, apply tag Discovery-Clicked and skip to conversion sequence."
- Exit goals: When does the campaign complete or exit the contact? "When tag Discovery-Booked is applied or when contact is Unsubscribed."
Then rebuild in GHL:
- Trigger: GHL Workflow → Add Trigger → "Contact Tag Added: Lead-Magnet-Download" (matches Keap entry goal).
- Actions in order: Send Email (lead magnet) → Wait 2 days → Send Email (case study) → Wait 3 days → If/Else (Tag Discovery-Booked) → Send Email (discovery invite) → Wait 4 days → If/Else → Send Email (final).
- Merge fields: Keap uses ~ContactFirstName~ token syntax. GHL uses {{contact.first_name}} custom value syntax. Replace every merge field during rebuild.
- Test end-to-end: Add yourself as a test contact with the trigger tag. Verify every email arrives, every wait step timing is correct, every branch fires as expected. Only enable for live traffic after test passes.
For the full GHL Workflow Builder walkthrough: GoHighLevel Workflow Automation Guide →
For the pre-migration audit checklist: GHL Migration Mistakes →
A campaign rebuild is the chance to fix broken and outdated Keap automations. Most Keap migrations reveal that 30-50% of Campaign Builder sequences have not fired in over a year, target campaigns that ended, or run on assumptions no longer relevant. Migrating only the actively used sequences reduces rebuild time and produces a cleaner GHL environment. Use GHL's native SMS, AI Voice, and Conversation AI actions where they add value that Keap did not offer.
6. How Do You Replace PlusThis and Other Keap Integrations?
Definition: PlusThis is the most common Keap add-on it extends Campaign Builder with features like appointment reminders, countdown timers, dynamic content, SMS integrations, and advanced webinar sequences. Because PlusThis is Keap-specific, none of it migrates to GoHighLevel. Each PlusThis feature must be replaced with a GHL-native equivalent or an alternative.
| PlusThis Feature | GHL-Native Replacement | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Appointment reminders (SMS/email) | GHL Workflow with Send SMS + Send Email actions | GHL native, no add-on needed |
| Countdown timers in emails | Third-party service (Sendtric, MotionMail) | Not native in GHL either use image service |
| Dynamic content by tag | GHL Custom Values in email templates | Native replacement, cleaner implementation |
| Webinar registration sequences | GHL Workflows + Zoom/GoToWebinar webhook | Rebuild trigger and follow-up as GHL workflow |
| Referral tracking | GHL Custom Fields + Attribution workflow | Custom implementation, no native referral engine |
| Video engagement tracking | Wistia/Vimeo webhooks to GHL | Rebuild using video platform webhooks + GHL triggers |
| SMS gateway integration | GHL native SMS via Twilio or LC Phone | Native replacement often better than PlusThis |
| Card decline recovery | GHL Payment failure workflow | Native replacement for Stripe/other payment gateways |
Detail (Zapier integrations): Every Zapier zap connected to Keap needs to be reviewed. Some can be replaced with GHL's native integration (Slack, Google Sheets, Mailchimp native GHL). Others need to be rebuilt as GHL webhooks calling the target system, or reconnected via Zapier using GHL as the source instead of Keap.
7. What Is the Phased Cutover Process?
Definition: Phased cutover means running Keap and GoHighLevel in parallel for 2-3 weeks before fully switching over. This gives you a safety net while GHL is being validated with real production data.
- Week 1 Route new leads to GHL: Update website forms and lead capture endpoints to send new leads to GHL. Existing Keap contacts continue in their Keap campaigns.
- Week 2 Migrate active contacts: Export contacts actively in Keap campaigns (open opportunities, active nurture sequences). Import to GHL. Rebuild the workflows they need in GHL.
- Week 3 Validate deliverability and workflow accuracy: Confirm GHL is receiving new leads, workflows are firing correctly, emails are being delivered (open rates within 10% of Keap baseline), appointments are being booked. Warm up the new email sending domain.
- Cutover: Once GHL is performing consistently for 5-7 business days, route all inbound traffic to GHL. Keep Keap subscription active as an archive for 60-90 days.
- Final export: Take one final full data export from Keap (contacts + custom fields + tags) before the eventual subscription cancellation. Store securely as a permanent backup.
8. How Does Keap Migration Compare to Zoho, HubSpot, or Salesforce?
Definition: Keap migrations are moderate complexity easier than Salesforce, similar to HubSpot Marketing Hub, harder than Zoho.
| Factor | Keap | Zoho | HubSpot | Salesforce |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Data export ease | Moderate (1,000+ contacts via email) | Moderate (200K record limit) | High (multiple export types) | High (3 methods) |
| Automation transferability | No Campaign Builder does NOT export | No workflows do NOT export | No Marketing sequences do NOT export | No Flows do NOT export |
| Object model complexity | Moderate (contacts + tags + opportunities) | Moderate (modules + custom fields) | Moderate (contacts + companies + deals) | Very high (relational + custom objects) |
| Add-on ecosystem | PlusThis + Zapier heavy | Zoho ecosystem apps | HubSpot marketplace | Salesforce AppExchange |
| Typical timeline | 2-8 weeks | 2-4 weeks | 3-6 weeks | 4-8 weeks |
| Biggest risk | Campaign Builder rebuild scope | Workflow rebuild scope | Data loss from complex exports | Relational data breakage |
For the equivalents: Zoho to GoHighLevel Migration →
HubSpot to GoHighLevel Migration →
Salesforce to GoHighLevel Migration →
GHL Scale Up handles end-to-end Keap to GoHighLevel migrations: Keap audit, tag classification and cleanup, contact data preparation (email normalization, multi-email consolidation), custom field mapping, Campaign Builder documentation and rebuild in GHL Workflow Builder, PlusThis replacement, phased cutover, and 30-day post-migration support.
See real GoHighLevel results and case studies: real GoHighLevel results and case studies →
For a specific plan for your Keap instance, book a free strategy call at ghlscaleup.com/contact →
9. Frequently Asked Questions
Can I migrate Keap Campaign Builder to GoHighLevel?
Not automatically. Keap Campaign Builder sequences do not export confirmed across multiple ecosystem sources including Automize (June 2026), ClonePartner (April 2026), and Julian Mills. They must be documented (business intent, entry goal, sequence steps in order, decision nodes, exit conditions) and then manually rebuilt in GoHighLevel's Workflow Builder using GHL's own trigger and action system. This is the most time-consuming phase of a Keap migration typically 40-60% of total project time depending on active campaign count. Most Keap migrations also find 30-50% of Campaign Builder sequences are outdated and do not need rebuilding, reducing the actual work required.
What data transfers from Keap to GoHighLevel?
Contacts, custom fields (after manual recreation in GHL), and tags (from Keap Ultimate/Max Classic/Infusionsoft) transfer via CSV export. Confirmed from GoHighLevel's official Keap migration guide (article 155000003384, modified October 1, 2024). Custom fields must be recreated manually in GHL before contact import. What does NOT transfer: Campaign Builder sequences, Order records, Notes, Opportunities (in a standard export), PlusThis add-ons, Zapier zaps, and landing pages all require manual re-creation or replacement. Keep your Keap subscription active as a read-only archive for 60-90 days minimum after migration.
How do Keap tags map to GoHighLevel?
Not all Keap tags should migrate. Classify every Keap tag into four categories: segmentation tags (migrate as GHL tags), campaign state tags (do not migrate as tags rebuild as workflow state within the corresponding GHL workflow), utility tags (convert to GHL Custom Fields for cleaner data structure), and legacy tags (archive to a spreadsheet, do not migrate). A typical Keap instance with 1,000-2,000 tags often reduces to 80-200 active tags in GHL after classification. This tag cleanup is one of the biggest wins of the migration.
What happens to PlusThis when I migrate from Keap to GHL?
PlusThis does not migrate. It is a Keap-specific add-on and must be replaced with GHL-native equivalents or third-party services. Common replacements: appointment reminders (replaced by GHL native SMS workflow), dynamic content by tag (replaced by GHL custom values in email templates), Zoom webinar registration (rebuilt as GHL workflow with Zoom webhook), SMS gateway integration (replaced by GHL native SMS via Twilio or LeadConnector Phone), and card decline recovery (replaced by GHL payment failure workflow). Countdown timers do not have a GHL-native equivalent and typically require a third-party image service like Sendtric or MotionMail.
How long does a Keap to GoHighLevel migration take?
Small migrations (under 5,000 contacts, minimal Campaign Builder activity, no PlusThis dependency) can complete in 1-2 weeks. Standard migrations (10,000-50,000 contacts, 10-20 active campaigns, moderate PlusThis usage) typically take 3-5 weeks. Complex migrations (100,000+ contacts, 20+ active campaigns, deep PlusThis and Zapier integration) can take 6-8 weeks. The single longest phase is Campaign Builder documentation and workflow rebuild confirmed across ClonePartner (April 2026) and Automize (June 2026).
What is the cost difference between Keap and GoHighLevel?
Keap pricing scales with contact count and starts at approximately $299/month for Keap Ultimate (previously Keap Max Classic / Infusionsoft). Adding PlusThis is typically $29-$99/month depending on features. Zapier for integrations adds $20-$99/month. Landing page tool (ClickFunnels/Leadpages) adds another $99-$297/month. Total typical Keap stack: $450-$800/month for a mid-sized business. GoHighLevel is flat-rate at $97-$497/month plus usage fees for SMS and email. For a typical Keap Ultimate + PlusThis + Zapier + ClickFunnels stack at $536/month, migrating to GoHighLevel Unlimited at $297/month plus $80/month usage typically saves $150-$200/month while consolidating tools.
Is Keap Ultimate different from Keap Pro for migration purposes?
Yes, in one key way: tag export. Keap Ultimate (formerly Keap Max Classic, still called Infusionsoft by many users) can export tags along with the contact record, making tag migration straightforward. Keap Pro (the newer streamlined product) has more limited tag export capabilities tags may need to be exported separately or documented before migration. Other differences: Keap Ultimate has the full Campaign Builder (with the largest campaign investment for most legacy users), while Keap Pro uses a simpler automation model. Migration complexity is usually higher for Keap Ultimate users due to campaign volume, but tag migration is easier. Verify your specific Keap edition's current export capabilities before finalizing your migration plan.
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All primary migration steps are verified against GoHighLevel's official Keap to HighLevel Migration Guide (article 155000003384, modified October 1, 2024) as of July 2026. Campaign Builder translation guidance is aggregated from multiple ecosystem partners (Automize, ClonePartner, Julian Mills, ghlcrms, Growthable, HireGHLDeveloper) with each specific claim sourced. Keap features, PlusThis integrations, and API limits change over time verify current details in your Keap account before executing your migration.
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