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This guide explains how to use ngrok to receive HubSpot webhooks on your localhost app. By integrating ngrok with HubSpot, you can:
  • Develop and test HubSpot webhooks locally without deploying to a public environment or setting up HTTPS.
  • Inspect and troubleshoot requests from HubSpot in real time via the inspection UI and API.
  • Modify and replay HubSpot webhook requests with a single click instead of reproducing events manually in your HubSpot account.
  • Secure your app with HubSpot webhook validation provided by ngrok. Invalid requests are blocked by ngrok before reaching your app.

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What you’ll need

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1. Start your app

For this tutorial, you can use the sample Node.js app on GitHub. To install the sample, run the following in a terminal: 
git clone https://github.com/ngrok/ngrok-webhook-nodejs-sample.git
cd ngrok-webhook-nodejs-sample
npm install
Then start the app: 
npm start
The app runs on port 3000 by default. You can confirm it’s running by visiting http://localhost:3000. The app logs request headers and body in the terminal and shows a message in the browser.

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2. Expose your app with ngrok

Once your app is running locally, you’re ready to put it online securely using ngrok.
The ngrok agent uses your authtoken to authenticate when you start a tunnel.
  • Start ngrok: 
    ngrok http 3000
  • Copy the URL ngrok displays. Your app is now exposed at that URL for use with HubSpot.

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3. Configure HubSpot to send webhooks

HubSpot can send webhook requests to your app when events occur in your account. You can use an automation workflow (HubSpot Pro or developer account) or an app in HubSpot Developers. The following uses an automation workflow:
  • Sign in to HubSpot and, if you have multiple accounts, open a Pro or App test account.
  • Click Automation and then Workflows.
  • Click Create workflow and then From scratch.
  • Enter a workflow name (for example, New Contacts), select Blank workflow, and click Next.
  • Click Set up triggers, select Contact properties as Filter type, select Contact owner, is any of, and your user, then click Apply filter and Save.
  • Click + after the Contact enrollment box, then Send a webhook.
  • In Send a webhook, select POST, enter your ngrok URL in Webhook URL (for example, https://1a2b-3c4d-5e6f-7g8h-9i0j.ngrok.app).
  • Set Authentication type to None and ensure Include all contact properties is selected.
  • Click Test action, search for a contact, and click Test.
  • Confirm your localhost app receives the test event and logs both headers and body in the terminal.
  • Click Review and publish, then on the review page select No for enrolling when the workflow turns on and click Turn on.

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Run webhooks with HubSpot and ngrok

To trigger calls from HubSpot to your app, create a contact that matches your workflow trigger:
  • Go to Contacts and Create contact.
  • Enter Email, First name, and Last name, select the same user as Contact owner (as in your workflow trigger), and click Create.
Contact owner must match the user you selected in the workflow trigger.
Confirm your localhost app receives the contact-created event and logs both headers and body in the terminal.

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Inspecting requests

ngrok’s Traffic Inspector captures all requests made through your ngrok endpoint to your localhost app. Select any request to view detailed information about both the request and response.
To avoid exposing secrets, accounts only collect traffic metadata by default. You must enable full capture in the Observability section of your account settings to capture complete request and response data.
Use the traffic inspector to:
  • Validate webhook payloads and response data
  • Debug request headers, methods, and status codes
  • Troubleshoot integration issues without adding logging to your app

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Replaying requests

Test your webhook handling code without triggering new events from your service using the Traffic Inspector’s replay feature:
  1. Send a test webhook from your service to generate traffic in your Traffic Inspector.
  2. Select the request you want to replay in the traffic inspector.
  3. Choose your replay option:
    • Click Replay to send the exact same request again
    • Select Replay with modifications to edit the request before sending
  4. (Optional) Modify the request: Edit any part of the original request, such as changing field values in the request body.
  5. Send the request by clicking Replay.
Your local application will receive the replayed request and log the data to the terminal.

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Secure webhook requests

ngrok can verify that incoming requests are from your HubSpot webhook so only that traffic reaches your app.
Webhook verification is limited to 500 validations per month on free accounts. If you need more, you can upgrade to Hobbyist or Pay-as-you-go. See TPU Pricing for details.
To add verification:
  • Create a custom app in your HubSpot developer account and note its ID.
  • In the workflow, click Actions for the Send a webhook step and Edit, then enter the app ID and save.
  • In the developer account, go to Manage apps, open your app, Auth tab, and copy the Client secret.
  • Create a Traffic Policy file named hubspot_policy.yml. Replace {your client secret} with the value you copied: 
    on_http_request:
  - actions:
      - type: verify-webhook
        config:
          provider: hubspot
          secret: "{your client secret}"
  • Restart ngrok with the policy file: 
    ngrok http 3000 --traffic-policy-file hubspot_policy.yml
  • Create a new contact in HubSpot (with the same Contact owner) to trigger the webhook.
Your app should receive the request and log it in the terminal.