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Switching from Salesforce Starter: the monthly export and the renewal notice
Updated Oct 6, 2026
Run Salesforce's Data Export with files and attachments included: it gives a zip of CSV files, once every 29 days on Starter, and the zip is deleted 48 hours after the email. Cancel through Customer Service Billing, or by logging a Renewals case on a monthly plan. Fees are non-refundable, and data can be requested for 30 days after the contract ends. Zoho CRM imports the Salesforce zip directly.
The steps
- Step 1 · Notice at least 30 days before the term ends · Fees paid are non-refundable
Check your renewal date and notice
Salesforce's main agreement renews subscriptions for one-year terms unless you give notice at least 30 days before the end. It won't accept cancellation requests until it's time to renew.
source - Step 2 · One export every 29 days on the monthly service · not stated on its pages
Run the Data Export
Export all your org's data as CSV files. Select the boxes for images, documents, attachments and Salesforce Files. Starter gets the monthly export service.
source - Step 3 · Within 48 hours of the email · not stated on its pages
Download the zip files quickly
Salesforce emails a link to a zip of CSV files. Download one file at a time; the files are deleted 48 hours after the email, not counting weekends.
source - Step 4 · not stated on its pages · not stated on its pages
Import into Zoho CRM
Upload the Salesforce export zip. Zoho maps leads, accounts, contacts, deals, notes, activities and attachments. Zoho also offers free migration help on request.
source - Step 5 · Large imports may take several hours · Needs a Professional or Enterprise subscription; this page states no price
Or import into HubSpot
HubSpot's Salesforce import runs through its Salesforce integration and needs a Professional or Enterprise hub.
source - Step 6 · Allow 24 hours for an Import2 migration · Import2 is free up to 1,000,000 records
Or import into Pipedrive
Use Import2; Salesforce is on its supported list.
source - Step 7 · At renewal; cancellation requests aren't accepted before then · not stated on its pages
Cancel the subscription
Contact Customer Service Billing. On a monthly Starter plan, log a Renewals case on the Contract page; on an annual contract, click Don't Renew once it's within 90 days of renewal.
source - Step 8 · Within 30 days after the contract ends · not stated on its pages
Request your data within 30 days if needed
After the contract ends, Salesforce makes your data available for export or download if you ask within 30 days.
source
Carries over
- One export covers all objects, plus attachments and Salesforce Files if you tick them.
- Zoho CRM imports the Salesforce export zip, notes, activities and attachments included.
- HubSpot imports leads, contacts, accounts, opportunities, tasks, cases and events.
- Import2 moves Salesforce data into Pipedrive free up to 1,000,000 records.
What you lose
- Starter gets the monthly export: one run every 29 days.
- Export zips are deleted 48 hours after the email; formula and roll-up fields aren't exported.
- No refund of fees paid; cancellation is only handled at renewal.
- HubSpot's Salesforce import needs a Professional or Enterprise hub, each with a required onboarding fee.
Where to switch to
| Destination | Price from | Visit |
|---|---|---|
| Zoho CRM No affiliate relationship | $0 per month | Visit Zoho CRMOn zoho.com |
| HubSpot No affiliate relationship | $0 per month | Visit HubSpotOn hubspot.com |
| Pipedrive No affiliate relationship | $24 per month | Visit PipedriveOn pipedrive.com |
Salesforce makes the export easy and the timing strict. You get one full export a month on Starter, a 48-hour window to download it, and a contract that only ends at renewal. Facts below are from each company's own pages, read Sep 30, 2026.
Leaving Salesforce Starter
Exporting. Salesforce's Data Export service exports all your org's data as CSV files in a zip. Weekly exports are for Enterprise, Performance and Unlimited. Monthly exports cover all editions, so Starter can run one every 29 days. Select the boxes for images, documents, attachments and Salesforce Files. The export never includes formula and roll-up summary fields. Salesforce's FAQ adds that Recycle Bin data isn't exported, and that there's no SLA: a request may take longer than a week. It points to the Data Loader tool or AppExchange apps as alternatives.
Download fast. The zip files are deleted 48 hours after the email, not counting weekends. Queuing a new export also removes the old files. Downloads go one file at a time, with a 60-second wait between them.
Cancelling. Salesforce's help article says to contact Customer Service Billing to cancel a paid subscription. On a monthly Starter plan, the renewals page says to log a case on the Contract page and pick Renewals. On an annual contract, you click Don't Renew once you're within 90 days of renewal. That page also says "We can’t accommodate cancellation requests until it’s time to renew."
Contract terms. The Main Services Agreement renews subscriptions for one-year terms unless either side gives notice at least 30 days before the end. It says fees paid are non-refundable, and you can't cut seat numbers mid-term. It names no separate early termination fee, but the term is paid in full. After the contract ends, you can ask for your data within 30 days.
Where to go
Zoho CRM takes the Salesforce export zip as it is: the CSV files plus the Attachments folder. It maps users, leads, accounts, contacts, deals, campaigns, notes, activities (tasks, events, calls) and attachments. Zoho also offers free migration help on request. Neither page states how long a migration takes.
HubSpot imports Salesforce leads, contacts, accounts, opportunities, tasks, a campaign, cases and events through its Salesforce integration. That article lists Professional and Enterprise subscriptions. HubSpot's Smart Transfer is marked for all plans and lists Salesforce, but we use the stricter reading. Professional comes with a required one-time onboarding fee of $1,500 (its pricing page, read Sep 27, 2026). HubSpot's switching page says most businesses complete their migration within three months.
Pipedrive lists Salesforce among the sources for Import2. Import2 is free up to 1,000,000 records, and Pipedrive suggests allowing 24 hours. You can also import CSV files yourself through its spreadsheet importer.
Who should move, and who should wait
If your renewal is close, send notice now: the agreement wants it at least 30 days ahead. If you rely on attachments and files, Zoho's importer is built for the Salesforce zip. If you're weighing HubSpot, check whether the Professional price and onboarding fee fit before you plan around its Salesforce import. Compare the options on our CRM ranking and our methodology.