Stop Paying Twice: Zoho One Apps That Can Replace Costly Subscriptions

Let’s be real—running a business is expensive enough without throwing money away on duplicate software.

If you’ve invested in Zoho One, you’re already ahead of the game. One subscription (about the cost of one or two standalone apps) unlocks access to 50+ integrated business tools. But here’s the kicker: so many businesses still pay thousands each year for third-party platforms that Zoho already covers.

At JM Virtual Business Services, I see this all the time. A client signs up for Zoho One, uses the CRM—and that’s it. Meanwhile, they keep paying for survey tools, chat apps, project systems, signatures, and more.

The good news? With a little guidance, you can simplify your stack, cancel wasteful subscriptions, and save serious money. Here are eight Zoho apps you probably already own that can replace expensive tools.

1. Zoho Desk

Replace: Zendesk, Freshdesk

Why keep paying for a separate helpdesk when Zoho Desk gives you:

• Multi-channel support (email, chat, socials, phone)

• Direct CRM integration for customer context

• Powerful automation and AI tools

Zendesk’s top plan is over $100 per agent/month. With Zoho Desk inside Zoho One? You’re already covered.

2. Zoho Sign

Replace: DocuSign, Adobe Sign

E-signatures don’t need to cost the earth. With Zoho Sign, you get:

• Unlimited digital signatures (depending on plan)

• Integrated workflows with CRM and Mail Merge

• Custom templates so you stop re-inventing documents

DocuSign averages $30 per user/month. That adds up fast. Zoho Sign is included.

3. Zoho Billing

Replace: Chargebee, Recurly

Running subscriptions or recurring billing? You don’t need another platform. Zoho Billing gives you:

• Subscription and one-off invoicing

• Automatic dunning to reduce failures

• Revenue recognition with bookkeeping integration

Other billing tools start at $250/month PLUS transaction fees. That’s money back in your account when you use Zoho Billing.

4. Zoho Survey

Replace: SurveyMonkey, Typeform

Why shell out for outside survey apps when Zoho Survey offers:

• Unlimited questions and responses

• Branching logic & multilingual support

• Instant syncing with CRM and Desk

SurveyMonkey’s advanced plans? $90 per user/month. Using Survey with Zoho One = nothing extra.

5. Zoho Cliq

Replace: Slack, Microsoft Teams

Team chat is essential—but why double pay? With Zoho Cliq you have:

• Channels, bots, threads, plus voice/video calls

• Direct ties into CRM, Projects, and Desk

• Collaboration on mobile and desktop

Slack’s lowest paid tier runs $8+ per user/month. Zoho Cliq is already sitting in your toolkit.

6. Zoho Flow

Replace: Zapier, Make

Automations don’t need to drain your budget. Zoho Flow lets you:

• Integrate Zoho and third-party apps with ease

• Build workflows in minutes with drag-and-drop

• Scale without skyrocketing “per-task” costs

Zapier at business scale runs $170/month+. With Flow, you unlock automation inside your Zoho license.

7. Zoho Creator

Replace: Airtable, Quickbase, custom-coded apps

Need custom apps? Creator empowers you to:

• Build low-code business tools without developers

• Extend your CRM, Finance apps, and more

• Launch prototypes or full solutions quickly

Third-party app builders run $35–$50 per user/month. Creator is the quiet powerhouse already at your fingertips.

8. Zoho Analytics

Replace: Power BI, Tableau

Advanced reporting and forecasting doesn’t require extra spend. Zoho Analytics offers:

• Custom dashboards and prebuilt reports

• Data permissions for team control

• Predictive AI insights

Enterprise analytics tools often exceed $1,000/month. Analytics is inside Zoho One—with the integrations done for you.

Bonus Tools Worth Exploring

• Zoho Backstage – Ditch Eventbrite-style fees when running webinars or ticketed events

• Zoho DataPrep – No need for a pricey ETL tool to clean/transform data

• Zoho Forms – Stop paying for Jotform or Typeform clones

• Zoho LandingPage – Replace costly landing page platforms like Unbounce

Final Thoughts

Every month you’re paying for overlapping platforms, you’re losing money. Zoho One gives small and medium businesses an enterprise-grade system—without enterprise price tags.

At JMVBS, my team specialises in helping Australian businesses unlock everything they’ve already paid for inside Zoho One. Together, we’ll audit your tech stack, kill the waste, and streamline your processes so you maximise both efficiency and savings.

Instead of paying twice, let’s get every last drop of value out of your Zoho One subscription.