What the Zendesk Sell Retirement Means
The Deadline Is Fixed, and the Data Does Not Come Back
Sell Retires on 31 August 2027
Zendesk Sell and its mobile app stop on that date. Zendesk announced the retirement on 9 September 2025.
Data Is Deleted Permanently
Sell data is deleted when your subscription ends or from 31 August 2027, whichever comes first, and it cannot be recovered.
The Standard Export Leaves Gaps
The standard export cannot include activity history, appointments, emails, call logs or documents. Those need another route or a separate archive.
Pipedrive Is One Option, Not the Only One
Zendesk named Pipedrive as its migration partner. You are free to choose any CRM, or a tailored system, that fits how you sell.
Zendesk Sell Migration FAQs
Common Questions Before You Move
Every Sell account is set up differently. These are the questions we would ask about yours first.
Zendesk Sell and its mobile app retire on 31 August 2027. Your data is deleted when your subscription ends or from that date, whichever comes first, so a cancelled or lapsed subscription brings the deadline forward.
No. Pipedrive is Zendesk's named migration partner and may suit a straightforward sales pipeline. You can also choose HubSpot, Salesforce, another packaged CRM, or a custom or hybrid system.
Not through the standard export, which cannot include activity history, appointments, emails, call logs or documents. We assess whether that data can be retrieved another way, from an integrated system or through an archive, before the migration scope is fixed.
It depends on data volume, integrations and how much the replacement has to do. A move to a packaged CRM is usually quicker than a custom build. Discovery and a test export give a realistic plan, which is why we recommend starting well before the deadline.
The retirement notice covers Sell and its mobile app, not Zendesk Support. Your replacement CRM should still connect to Support so sales users can see tickets, and that link belongs in the migration requirements.
Advice First, Build Second
We Will Tell You If a Packaged CRM Is the Right Answer
We start with how your team sells and what your data looks like. If Pipedrive or HubSpot fits, we will say so and help you move. If it does not, we will show you why.
Zendesk Sell Data Export Checklist
Work through this list before you cancel anything. Zendesk deletes Sell data when the subscription ends or from 31 August 2027, whichever comes first, and it cannot be recovered.
| Data | In the standard export? | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Leads, contacts and deals | Yes | Export early and check record counts against Sell |
| Notes and tasks | Yes | Check notes stay linked to the right contact or deal |
| Smart lists | Yes | Some system fields, such as Parent Company, may only come out through a smart list export |
| Full account data and the Total Sales report | Yes | Keep a dated copy as your baseline for reconciliation |
| Activity history | No | Assess the API or the source system, or archive it separately |
| Appointments | No | Check whether your calendar holds the master copy |
| Emails | No | Check whether your email system holds the master copy |
| Call logs | No | Check your telephony provider's own records |
| Documents | No | List them and plan a separate retrieval and archive |
Then, for every important field, record:
- where the data lives today, and how you can get it out (CSV, API or the original system)
- how it relates to contacts, companies, deals and activities
- whether users need to search it in the new CRM, or only keep it for reference
- how long it must be kept, and who will check it after migration
- which integrations read from or write to Sell, and who owns each one
Run a test export now. It is far easier to solve a missing relationship or attachment with a year in hand than in the final fortnight.
Zendesk Sell Alternatives Compared
No replacement is right for everyone. Test each shortlisted option against the same requirements and a sample of your real Sell data.
| Option | Often suits | Check before choosing |
|---|---|---|
| Pipedrive | A straightforward, pipeline-led sales process that wants Zendesk's named migration route | What its migration tools carry across, and whether multiple pipelines, approvals and reporting fit without workarounds |
| HubSpot Sales Hub | Teams that want sales and marketing in one platform | Which features sit in higher tiers, and how costs grow as you add seats |
| Salesforce Sales Cloud | Larger or more complex sales teams with admin capacity | Licence and configuration costs, and who will run it day to day |
| Other packaged CRMs (for example Zoho CRM or Freshsales) | Smaller teams looking for a general-purpose CRM | Import options, integrations and long-term fit |
| Custom or hybrid CRM | Businesses whose quoting, approvals, service handovers or operations don't fit a standard sales CRM | Upfront investment, delivery timescale and who supports it after launch |
Our custom CRM vs HubSpot or Salesforce comparison explains when each route, or a hybrid of the two, makes sense.
How We Migrate You Off Zendesk Sell
- Audit. We map how your team really uses Sell: pipelines, custom fields, reports, automations, integrations and the workarounds nobody wrote down.
- Test export. We run the standard export, check what is missing and find another route or an archive for the data that matters.
- Choose the replacement. We compare packaged, hybrid and custom options against your requirements, and recommend the one that fits.
- Map and clean. We map every field to the new system, remove duplicates and decide what to archive rather than migrate.
- Rebuild integrations. We reconnect Zendesk Support, email, finance and any other systems, each with an owner and a test plan.
- Rehearse and switch over. We run a trial migration, reconcile record counts and values, then cut over on a planned date with support for your users.
This is the same approach we use for every CRM replacement and migration. Where the new CRM has to talk to other systems, our CRM integration work keeps data entered once and consistent everywhere.
Why Vivato
Vivato (formerly Smashed Crab Software) has designed, built and supported custom CRM and business systems for UK organisations since 2014, from offices in Hull, Sheffield and London. We are a Microsoft Partner and Cyber Essentials certified. Our 14-person in-house team includes developers and QA, so the people who assess your Sell data are the same people who move it.
For a step-by-step planning guide, read Zendesk Sell is retiring: plan your 2027 CRM migration. When you are ready, talk to us about your Zendesk Sell migration.
