# Lost call notes and history after HubSpot CRM free – need advice on recovery and alternatives **URL:** \ **Category:** Discussion & Solutions\ **Tags:** solved\ **Created:** [July 18, 2026, 12:37pm UTC](https://onehack.st/t/lost-call-notes-and-history-after-hubspot-crm-free-need-advice-on-recovery-and-alternatives/323986 "2026-07-18T12:37:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![reaper](https://onehack.st/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/f04885/32.png) [@reaper](https://onehack.st/u/reaper)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2026, 12:37pm UTC](https://onehack.st/t/lost-call-notes-and-history-after-hubspot-crm-free-need-advice-on-recovery-and-alternatives/323986/1 "2026-07-18T12:37:47Z")
Hi everyone, I’ve been using the HubSpot CRM free version, and after the 30-day, I noticed that the history associated with my contacts seems to be gone. Specifically, all the notes I had taken during calls, activity history, and other information I recorded are no longer visible. This is a major issue for me because I relied on those notes to keep track of conversations and follow-ups. I’m trying to understand: - Has anyone been able to recover their notes or activity history after the trial ended? At this point, I’m also considering moving away from HubSpot and switching to a self-hosted CRM or another alternative where I have full control over my data and don’t risk losing access after a certain period. If anyone has recommendations for self-hosted CRMs or migration strategies (assuming I can still recover my data), I’d really appreciate your suggestions. Thanks in advance for any help or guidance! ---
**Author:** ![Emanuel\_Branson](https://onehack.st/user_avatar/onehack.st/emanuel_branson/32/178452_2.png) [@Emanuel\_Branson](https://onehack.st/u/Emanuel_Branson)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2026, 3:41pm UTC](https://onehack.st/t/lost-call-notes-and-history-after-hubspot-crm-free-need-advice-on-recovery-and-alternatives/323986/2 "2026-07-18T15:41:28Z")
Good news first: your notes are almost certainly **not deleted**. HubSpot quietly changed the Free plan (late 2024 → Feb 2025) to _hide_ activity older than 30 days from the contact timeline — it’s locked, not gone. Dozens of people got burned by the exact same thing on [HubSpot’s own forum](https://community.hubspot.com/t5/CRM/Activity-information-lost-after-30-days-on-free-plan/td-p/1238513). Two ways to get your history back below — plus the self-hosted CRMs so no vendor can ever do this to you again. 👇 > **🧠 Hidden ≠ deleted — what actually happened (+ a free view most people miss)** > > The Free plan now caps the **timeline** to the last 30 days. Your data still exists — an upgrade instantly shows it all again — but you shouldn’t have to pay to see your own notes. Two facts that matter: > > - **Notes, tasks, and pinned activities are EXEMPT** from the 30-day cap — they’re supposed to stay visible. If _yours_ vanished, they were probably actually **deleted** (not just hidden) → use the Restore tool below. > - Even for hidden calls/emails, the **Activity index pages** (open the left menu → _Activities_, not the contact’s timeline) can still list items older than 30 days. That’s a free way around the cap most people never try. > **🔧 Get your history back — the 90-day Restore tool (do this first)** > > If notes were genuinely deleted, HubSpot keeps them in a recycle bin for **90 days** : > > 1. Open any contact record → top-left **Actions** → **Restore activity**. > 2. A _Restore Activities_ tab opens → filter by date range (defaults to 90 days). > 3. Tick the notes / calls / meetings / tasks you want → **Restore**. > > [Official steps + limits here](https://knowledge.hubspot.com/records/restore-deleted-activity-in-a-record). Caveats: only works within **90 days** of deletion, needs _Add & edit users_ / Super Admin, and GDPR or permanent-purge deletions can’t be recovered. > **📞 Then: escalate + never get caught again** > > - **Escalate to HubSpot support** and link that [community thread](https://community.hubspot.com/t5/CRM/Activity-information-lost-after-30-days-on-free-plan/td-p/1238513) — it shows this is a known, documented issue, not a one-off, so you get a real answer instead of a brush-off. > - **Start exporting weekly, today** — _Contacts → Actions → Export_ pulls contacts + notes + activity to CSV. Do this no matter what you decide next; it’s your insurance. > **🖥️ Own your data for good — self-hosted CRMs (you control retention, forever)** > > Host it yourself and no free-tier rule can ever hide your data again: > > | CRM | Best for | The detail | > | --- | --- | --- | > | **[Twenty](https://twenty.com/)** | modern, API-first teams | MIT licensed, ~27k★, **no per-seat fees** | > | **[SuiteCRM](https://suitecrm.com/)** | full HubSpot-level depth | most mature, deeply customizable | > | **[EspoCRM](https://www.espocrm.com/)** | small teams / simplicity | lightest to self-host | > | **[ERPNext](https://frappe.io/erpnext)** | CRM + inventory/accounting | if you want the whole business suite | > | **[Odoo](https://www.odoo.com/)** | all-in-one business suite | CRM is one module; heavier setup | > | **[Vtiger](https://www.vtiger.com/)** | sales-focused teams | open-source core + optional cloud | > > **Pick:** [Twenty](https://twenty.com/) if you want clean, modern, zero lock-in. [SuiteCRM](https://suitecrm.com/) or [EspoCRM](https://www.espocrm.com/) if you want HubSpot-level features or the simplest possible setup. > **🔄 Moving out clean — the migration checklist** > > 1. **Export everything from HubSpot first** (_Contacts → Actions → Export_): contacts, notes, deals, activity logs. > 2. **Import the CSVs** — Twenty, SuiteCRM, and EspoCRM all take CSV import. > 3. **Map** your HubSpot fields onto the new CRM’s fields. > 4. **Turn on automated backups on day one.** Now _you_ own retention — this exact problem can never happen again. > **😎 Why owning it quietly saves you** > > - The month you pause a subscription, your own customer history doesn’t vanish behind a paywall. > - A client asks “what did we agree back in March?” — you scroll back _years_, not 30 days. > - Business picks up and you hit the free contact cap at the worst moment — self-hosted has no cap. > - A vendor changes the rules overnight (like this) — can’t touch you, the data’s on your box. > - Fat-finger a delete or a bad import — with weekly backups it’s a 2-minute rollback, not a crisis. > **✅ Do this in order** > > 1. Check the **Activity index pages** — your older calls/emails may already be sitting there, free. > 2. Run **Actions → Restore activity** on affected contacts (90-day window) for any deleted notes. > 3. **Export everything** to CSV now, and message support with the thread link. > 4. Stand up **[Twenty](https://twenty.com/)** (or SuiteCRM/EspoCRM), import the CSV, switch on auto-backups. Bottom line: your notes are hidden, not gone — pull them back via the index pages + 90-day Restore, export a copy today, then move to a self-hosted CRM so retention is yours to control. Your notes were never HubSpot’s to hide — pull them back, then park them where no one can put your own words behind a paywall. 💾 ---
**Author:** ![Astrid](https://onehack.st/user_avatar/onehack.st/astrid/32/174869_2.png) [@Astrid](https://onehack.st/u/Astrid)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2026, 4:45pm UTC](https://onehack.st/t/lost-call-notes-and-history-after-hubspot-crm-free-need-advice-on-recovery-and-alternatives/323986/3 "2026-07-18T16:45:56Z")
Your notes aren’t deleted. In HubSpot a note/call/meeting is an **engagement** — a separate object from the contact. The export button only reads contact records, so engagements never appear in it. A tier change hides the view, not the rows. * * * ![image](https://onehack.st/uploads/default/original/3X/e/6/e62a1a2002d83176c343d93f84bcaa9b815f6b76.jpeg) * * * **Free path, 30 seconds:** Contacts → click the **Contacts dropdown** (top-left) → **Notes / Calls / Tasks / Meetings**. Each is its own full table. Filter → select all → export. ⏰ Anything genuinely deleted sits in the recycle bin **90 days** (attachments: 30). Check today. Everything below is collapsed — open only what you need. > **Free-tier access — activity index pages, saved views, tier limits** > > ```auto > CONTACT RECORD ──> properties ──> ✅ included in export > > TIMELINE ────────> notes ┐ > calls ├──> ENGAGEMENTS ──> ❌ never in a contact export > tasks │ ✅ but each has its own table > meetings ┘ > > ``` > > | Do | Link | > | --- | --- | > | Notes / Calls / Tasks / Meetings as standalone tables | [Filter activity index pages and record timelines](https://knowledge.hubspot.com/records/filter-activities-on-a-record-timeline) | > | Save that filtered table permanently | [Create and manage saved views](https://knowledge.hubspot.com/records/create-and-manage-saved-views) | > | Filter by date, owner, association | [View and filter records](https://knowledge.hubspot.com/records/view-and-filter-records) | > | What your tier may render on a record | [Use cards on records](https://knowledge.hubspot.com/records/use-cards-on-records) | > | Official downgrade impact matrix | [Effects of downgrading a subscription](https://knowledge.hubspot.com/account-management/downgrade-a-paid-subscription) | > | What trial expiry does to the account | [Manage your subscription](https://knowledge.hubspot.com/account/manage-your-hubspot-subscription) | > **Recovery windows — 90-day record bin, 30-day file bin** > > | What | Link | > | --- | --- | > | Restore deleted records — filter by date, user or workflow | [Restore deleted records](https://knowledge.hubspot.com/records/restore-deleted-records) | > | Files & attachments — separate 30-day clock | [Archive, delete, restore files](https://knowledge.hubspot.com/files/archive-delete-restore-files) | > > ⚠ Permanent deletes and privacy-law deletes skip the bin entirely. > **No-code export — native tables + Import2 Wizard** > > **Native:** the tables above → Actions → Export. Free. Some export paths truncate notes at ~500 characters — check a long one before trusting it. > > **[Import2 Wizard](https://wizard.import2.com)** — contacts, companies, deals **plus emails, tasks, meetings, calls**. Free under 1,000 rows. > **Scripts & CLIs — dump notes, calls, tasks + associations** > > | Tool | Output | > | --- | --- | > | [withfriendsco/hubspot-exporter](https://github.com/withfriendsco/hubspot-exporter) | Contacts, companies, **notes, tasks, calls + associations** → local SQLite (one-file database) + CSVs | > | [revfleet/hscli](https://github.com/revfleet/hscli) | CLI covering **1,180 endpoints** ; CSV / JSON / YAML out | > | [bcharleson/hubspot-cli](https://github.com/bcharleson/hubspot-cli) | Lighter CLI, handles engagements + associations | > | [openownership/hubspot-backup](https://github.com/openownership/hubspot-backup) | Scheduled full-portal dump — steal the cron pattern | > | [bomeejung/hubspot-migrate](https://github.com/bomeejung/hubspot-migrate) | Activity export JSON → importable CSV | > | [TomasPegado/Hubspot\_Data\_Export\_Automation](https://github.com/TomasPegado/Hubspot_Data_Export_Automation) | Plain Python export loop | > | [gabrielpfs/script\_integration\_crm\_hubspot](https://github.com/gabrielpfs/script_integration_crm_hubspot) | Paginated fetch → JSON / CSV / XLSX | > | [shinobukawano/hubspot-crm-importer](https://github.com/shinobukawano/hubspot-crm-importer) | CSV back in, relationships intact | > | [topics/hubspot-crm](https://github.com/topics/hubspot-crm) · [topics/hubspot-api](https://github.com/topics/hubspot-api?l=python) | Live feeds — new tools land here first | > **MCP servers — query your CRM from Claude / ChatGPT** > > MCP = a plug that lets an AI assistant use a tool for you. Paste a private-app token (a password for scripts), then ask for the data in plain language. > > | Server | Scope | > | --- | --- | > | [calypsoCodex/hubspot-mcp-extended](https://github.com/calypsoCodex/hubspot-mcp-extended) | 106 tools | > | [ZLeventer/hubspot-mcp](https://github.com/ZLeventer/hubspot-mcp) | 33 tools | > | [lkm1developer/hubspot-mcp-server](https://github.com/lkm1developer/hubspot-mcp-server) | Activity history + engagement timelines | > | [NoBanks/hubspot-mcp](https://github.com/NoBanks/hubspot-mcp) | 5 tools, writes locked behind a flag | > | [baryhuang/mcp-hubspot](https://github.com/baryhuang/mcp-hubspot) | Caching layer to dodge rate limits | > | [shinzo-labs/hubspot-mcp](https://github.com/shinzo-labs/hubspot-mcp) | One-command install | > | [HubSpot Agent CLI](https://github.com/hubspot) | First-party, beta | > **soft\_delete=True — pull archived rows and field history** > > HubSpot has **two kinds of gone** : `archived=true` = actually deleted. `archivedInDashboard=true` = only hidden from you. Production data pipes can request both. > > | Tool | Why | > | --- | --- | > | [dlt hubspot\_pipeline.py](https://github.com/dlt-hub/verified-sources/blob/master/sources/hubspot_pipeline.py) | `soft_delete=True` loads archived records; `include_history=True` writes every past field value to its own table | > | [dlt HubSpot docs](https://dlthub.com/docs/dlt-ecosystem/verified-sources/hubspot) | Config, secrets, object selection | > | [dlt → local DuckDB](https://dlthub.com/docs/pipelines/hubspot/load-data-with-python-from-hubspot-to-duckdb) | One command, lands on your machine | > | [dlt quickstart](https://dlthub.com/workspace/source/hubspot-crm) | `dlt init dlthub:hubspot_crm duckdb` | > | [Airbyte HubSpot source](https://github.com/airbytehq/airbyte/blob/master/docs/integrations/sources/hubspot.md) | The scopes people forget to tick | > | [Meltano tap-hubspot](https://hub.meltano.com/extractors/tap-hubspot--airbyte/) | Every config key listed | > | [Archived vs hidden, per HubSpot](https://developers.hubspot.com/changelog/consistency-with-term-archived-in-cms-apis) | The flag difference, official | > | [Read a deleted record by ID](https://community.hubspot.com/t5/APIs-Integrations/Find-via-API-a-deleted-contact-deal-company/m-p/344287) | Exact request shape | > | [OpenAPI schema, all endpoints](https://github.com/orgs/hubspotdev/repositories) | Build your own | > **Backups + an hourly mirror you run yourself** > > **Managed:** > > | Tool | Note | > | --- | --- | > | [Rewind](https://rewind.com/products/backups/hubspot/) | Daily auto, **unlimited version history** , item or full restore | > | [Skyvia Backup](https://skyvia.com/backup/hubspot-backup) | Date-to-date diff, field-level undo, restore into another portal | > | [SkyBackup](https://skybackup.io/) | Standalone build | > | [mycrmbackup](https://ecosystem.hubspot.com/marketplace/apps/mycrmbackup) | One-click, inside HubSpot | > | [Field comparison](https://www.saashub.com/rewind-alternatives) | ProBackup, BackHUB, others | > > **Self-run pump** — copies HubSpot → your box on a schedule: > > | Tool | Style | > | --- | --- | > | [Activepieces](https://www.activepieces.com/docs) | Visual, MIT, 700+ connectors | > | [Huginn](https://github.com/huginn/huginn) | Agent-based, MIT, fully yours | > | [Windmill](https://www.windmill.dev/docs) | Code-first, git-native | > | [Prefect](https://docs.prefect.io/) | Proper data pipeline | > | [Which are still alive](https://automationatlas.io/answers/n8n-alternatives-self-hosted/) | Licence + activity, checked July 2026 | > > **Then back up the file:** [restic](https://restic.net/) · [Borg](https://www.borgbackup.org/) (append-only) · [Kopia](https://kopia.io/) · [Litestream](https://litestream.io/) (live SQLite replication) > **Self-hosted CRMs — audit-trail builds + FR / JP / CN / VN options** > > | CRM | Why it’s here | > | --- | --- | > | [Atomic CRM](https://github.com/marmelab/atomic-crm) | React + Postgres, MIT. Notes, deals, **aggregated activity logs** , email-to-note capture. Dump your own DB anytime. | > | [marmelab.com/atomic-crm](https://marmelab.com/atomic-crm/) | Deploy path, self-host or managed | > | [openCRX](https://www.opencrx.org/) | Java, enterprise, **system-wide audit trail** built in | > | [Tryton](https://www.tryton.org/) | Modular, very stable, documented data model | > | [Axelor CRM](https://axelor.com/crm/) | Low-code CRM + ERP, REST API, webhooks | > | [PHPCRM](https://github.com/php-crm/PHPCRM) | Leads, customers, **notes** , tasks. Runs on cheap shared hosting. | > | [DaybydayCRM](https://github.com/Bottelet/DaybydayCRM) | Archived, MIT, forkable — clean schema reference | > > | Non-English | What | > | --- | --- | > | 🇫🇷 [Crème CRM](https://www.cremecrm.com/) | Python/Django, France, since 2008, no per-user licence | > | 🇯🇵 [F-RevoCRM](https://f-revocrm.jp/) · [download](https://f-revocrm.jp/download/) | PHP, 20+ languages, self-hostable | > | 🇨🇳 [WukongCRM](https://gitee.com/wukongcrm) | 10 yrs of releases, 2M+ downloads, CRM + HR + finance | > | 🇨🇳 [Gitee CRM topic](https://gitee.com/explore/topic/CRM) | 07flyCRM, FeelCRM, CeresCRM — unindexed in English | > | 🇻🇳 [Oshima CRM](https://doc.oshima.vn/oshima-crm/gioi-thieu/gioi-thieu/ma-nguon-mo) | GPLv3 | > | 🇫🇷 [Comptoir du Libre](https://comptoir-du-libre.org/) | Public-sector registry: real deployments + support providers | > > **Before choosing:** [Marmelab’s tested benchmark](https://marmelab.com/blog/2025/02/03/open-source-crm-benchmark-for-2025.html) — installed and scored. Key finding: very few let you modify the code without publishing your changes. > **Own-the-file setups — Grist, NocoDB, markdown CRMs** > > | Tool | Shape | > | --- | --- | > | [Grist](https://www.getgrist.com/) | Self-hostable spreadsheet with database powers + per-cell access rules | > | [Baserow / NocoDB / Teable / Mathesar](https://openalternative.co/alternatives/baserow) | Licences + self-host notes | > | [Airtable open alternatives](https://opensourcealternative.to/alternativesto/airtable) | Different curation | > | [Grist vs NocoDB](https://www.getgrist.com/lookup/grist-vs-nocodb/) | Honest split | > > **Plain text — still greppable in 2045:** > > | Tool | Shape | > | --- | --- | > | [obsidian-crm](https://github.com/nikhilbhansali/obsidian-crm) | Contacts, companies, deals, interactions as markdown + YAML | > | [TalkingQuickly/obsidian-crm](https://github.com/TalkingQuickly/obsidian-crm) | People/ + Notes/ folders, backlinks = timeline | > | [obsidian-contacts](https://github.com/vbeskrovnov/obsidian-contacts) | Birthdays, last-contacted, multiple formats | > | [hal\_md](https://github.com/thephm/hal_md) | Relationship management in markdown, templates included | > | [topics/personal-crm](https://github.com/topics/personal-crm) | Live feed | > **Local call capture — note lands on your disk before the CRM** > > Record and transcribe on your own machine. The CRM becomes a copy that’s allowed to break. > > | Tool | Output | > | --- | --- | > | [anarlog](https://github.com/fastrepl/anarlog) | On-device transcription, **every meeting = a `.md` file on disk**. MIT. Sync via git/Syncthing/iCloud. Bring your own LLM incl. Ollama. | > | [anarlog.so](https://anarlog.so/) | Project site + install | > | [Meetily](https://github.com/Zackriya-Solutions/meetily) | 100% local, live transcription, speaker separation, local SQLite storage | > | [Six compared](https://anarlog.so/blog/selfhosted-ai-notetakers/) | Judged on where audio goes and where notes land | > | [Wider field](https://alternativeto.net/software/meetily) | Handy STT, Vibe, Whishper, WhisperX, Voxtral | > **GDPR Art. 15/20 — free letter generator + the EDPB ruling** > > EU/EEA/UK: you have a legal right to your personal data in a **structured, commonly used, machine-readable format** , on a one-month clock. > > | Tool | Use | > | --- | --- | > | [datarequests.org generator](https://www.datarequests.org/generator/) | Writes the request. Runs in-browser — your details never hit their server. Also generates complaints. | > | [Plain-text letter](https://www.datarequests.org/downloads/sample-letter-gdpr-access-request-datarequests.org.txt) | Copy-paste. The Art. 20 line turns “no export exists” into a compliance issue. | > | [All templates](https://www.datarequests.org/sample-letters/) | Access, correction, deletion, objection | > | [noyb guide](https://noyb.eu/en/access-your-data) | The standard dodges and how to answer them | > | [EDPB summary](https://www.edpb.europa.eu/system/files/2025-09/right-of-access-guidelines-summary_en.pdf) | Regulator: you get **the actual data, not summaries** | > | [HubSpot’s data-retrieval terms](https://legal.hubspot.com/product-specific-terms) | Read before cancelling | > | [SWIPO codes](https://swipo.eu/) | EU cloud-switching rules since Sept 2025 — signatories publish what they export | > **Discovery engines — find tools after this thread goes cold** > > | Source | Why | > | --- | --- | > | [awesome.ecosyste.ms](https://awesome.ecosyste.ms/) | Searches thousands of curated lists at once. Free API. | > | [openalternative.co](https://openalternative.co/) | Paid tool → open-source equivalent, with licences | > | [awesome-selfhosted.net](https://awesome-selfhosted.net/) | Canonical catalogue, tag-browsable | > | [easyindie.app/glance](https://easyindie.app/glance) | Only apps that install **one-click** on Cloudron / YunoHost / CapRover | > | [YunoHost catalogue](https://apps.yunohost.org/catalog) | Deep, barely overlaps the usual lists | > | [PikaPods](https://www.pikapods.com/) | Hosted open-source apps for pennies, no sysadmin | > | [EU OSS Catalogue](https://interoperable-europe.ec.europa.eu/eu-oss-catalogue) | Software governments deployed and must describe honestly | > | 🇩🇪 [openCode.de](https://opencode.de/en) · 🇫🇷 [code.gouv.fr](https://code.gouv.fr/sources/#/awesome) | National catalogues; the French one flags **publicly funded** projects | > | [Open Terms Archive](https://opentermsarchive.org/en/) · [engine](https://github.com/OpenTermsArchive/engine) | Records every version of a vendor’s terms. Self-host it, point it at your stack. | > | [Software Heritage](https://archive.softwareheritage.org) | 400M+ projects archived — dead repos still exist | > **5 situations where this stack pays for itself** > > **1. Client says “you never told me that.”** Open the Notes table, filter to their name, sort by date. Timestamped call log, two clicks. Argument over. > > **2. Someone leaves the company.** The pipeline is fine — their _notes_ are the asset. Filter Notes by owner, export, hand it to whoever picks up the accounts. > > **3. A teammate bulk-deletes the wrong list.** Inside 90 days it’s a restore. Outside 90 days it’s gone forever. Knowing which side you’re on is the whole difference. > > **4. You quoted a price you don’t remember quoting.** `include_history=True` returns every past value of every field — you can read what the deal amount was on any date. > > **5. Renewal quote doubles.** With a nightly mirror on your own box you can walk in the same week, instead of paying because three years of history is hostage. > **Pick your row → the one link you need** > > | You are | Do this | > | --- | --- | > | Panicking, not technical | The two-click activity pages above, then export. 10 minutes. | > | Think something got deleted | [Recycle bin](https://knowledge.hubspot.com/records/restore-deleted-records) — 90-day clock | > | Want it all out, no code | [Import2 Wizard](https://wizard.import2.com) | > | Can run a script | [hubspot-exporter](https://github.com/withfriendsco/hubspot-exporter) | > | Suspect hidden, not gone | [`soft_delete=True`](https://github.com/dlt-hub/verified-sources/blob/master/sources/hubspot_pipeline.py) | > | Staying, want insurance | [Rewind](https://rewind.com/products/backups/hubspot/) or an [Activepieces](https://www.activepieces.com/docs) pump | > | Leaving, want it easy | [Atomic CRM](https://github.com/marmelab/atomic-crm) or [Grist](https://www.getgrist.com/) | > | Leaving, want it bulletproof | [openCRX](https://www.opencrx.org/) — audit trail built in | > | Just want notes on people | [obsidian-crm](https://github.com/nikhilbhansali/obsidian-crm) | > | Never again | [anarlog](https://github.com/fastrepl/anarlog) | > | EU and annoyed | [datarequests.org](https://www.datarequests.org/generator/) | * * * **A tier controls what gets rendered. It never controlled what got stored.**