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Most people assume HighLevel doesn’t connect to Zapier. They search the name, see zero results, and give up. It absolutely connects — it just uses a completely different name inside Zapier’s app directory.
The math: Time to set up: ~10 min | Tasks automated: lead routing, contact sync, notifications | Weekly time reclaimed: ~2 hours
The Search Bar Mystery: Why You Can’t Find HighLevel
Here’s the thing: HighLevel is white-labeled inside Zapier as “LeadConnector,” and that single naming mismatch causes most of the confusion.
HighLevel is a CRM (customer relationship manager) and marketing platform that bundles landing pages, email, SMS, calendars, and pipelines into one dashboard. When the HighLevel team built their Zapier integration, they published it under “LeadConnector,” which is their white-label brand name for the software’s sub-account layer. LeadConnector is the version of HighLevel that agencies resell to their clients under a custom brand.
For you, the small business owner who just bought a HighLevel Starter plan (currently $97/mo — check HighLevel’s pricing page for current rates), this means one thing: stop searching “HighLevel” in Zapier. Type “LeadConnector” instead. The app appears instantly.
The official HighLevel support portal on Zapier integration does document this, but it buries the LeadConnector detail several paragraphs deep and jumps straight into webhook instructions. You never get the plain explanation of why the name is different.
Now, the bigger decision: which account type you connect.
HighLevel has two account levels. The Agency Account is the master dashboard where you manage billing, add sub-accounts, and control everything. The Sub-Account (sometimes called a “Location”) is the individual business workspace where your contacts, pipelines, and campaigns live.
For single-business owners, use your Sub-Account key. The Sub-Account (also called a Location) is the individual workspace where your contacts, pipelines, and campaigns live. Connecting at the Sub-Account level scopes the Zap to exactly one business, which keeps things clean. Agencies managing multiple locations may connect differently depending on their workflow, but if you run one business, the Sub-Account is the right choice.
Prerequisites
Before you start, confirm you have:
- An active HighLevel account (Starter plan or above at $97/mo — usage fees for SMS and calls apply separately; check HighLevel for current pricing)
- A Zapier account (the free tier covers single-step Zaps with 100 tasks/month; ongoing multi-step automations like the examples below usually require a paid Zapier plan)
- Admin or owner access to your HighLevel Sub-Account
- A Google account if you plan to connect Google Sheets in the example Zaps below
Step-by-Step: Connecting Your Sub-Account (The Right Way)
The upshot: five steps, one API key, and about ten minutes total.
Step 1: Grab Your Sub-Account API Key (3 minutes)
Log into HighLevel and switch to the Location/Sub-Account you want to connect — not the Agency dashboard. Once inside that location, go to Settings → Business Profile → API Key tab. In some UI versions, the path is Settings → Company/Business Info → API Key. The key you want is labeled “Location API Key” or “API Key (v1)” depending on your account version.
Copy this key somewhere safe. You will paste it into Zapier in the next step.
If you do not see an API Key tab, check your Agency dashboard to confirm API access is enabled for that location.
Step 2: Create a New Zap in Zapier (2 minutes)
Open Zapier and click “Create Zap.” In the trigger app search bar, type LeadConnector. Select it.
Do not type “HighLevel.” Do not type “GHL.” Only “LeadConnector” returns results. You can also find it directly in Zapier’s LeadConnector app directory.
Choose your trigger event. Common options include “New Contact,” “New Opportunity,” or “Contact Tag Added.” Pick “New Contact” for your first test. Click continue.
Step 3: Authenticate Your Sub-Account (2 minutes)
Zapier prompts you to connect your LeadConnector account. Click “Sign in.” A window opens asking for your API key.
Paste the Sub-Account API key you copied in Step 1. Give the connection a clear name, like “Main Street Plumbing – Charlotte,” so you can tell locations apart later if you add more.
Click “Yes, Continue.” Zapier tests the connection. If it succeeds, you see a green checkmark.
If the test fails, the most common cause is pasting the Agency-level API key instead of the Sub-Account key. Go back to Step 1, confirm you are inside the correct location, and recopy.
Step 4: Set Up Your Action App (2 minutes)
Now choose what happens when the trigger fires. For your first Zap, pick Google Sheets as the action app and “Create Spreadsheet Row” as the action event.
Connect your Google account, select a spreadsheet, and map the fields. For example, map the LeadConnector “Contact Name” field to Column A, “Email” to Column B, and “Phone” to Column C.
Step 5: Test and Turn On (1 minute)
Click “Test” to send a sample contact from your HighLevel Sub-Account through to Google Sheets. Open the spreadsheet and confirm the row appeared with the correct data.
Turn the Zap on. Every new contact that enters your HighLevel Sub-Account now lands in your spreadsheet automatically.
| The Old Way | The AI Way | Time Saved |
|---|---|---|
| Copy contact details from HighLevel, open Google Sheets, paste manually | Zap fires on new contact, row created automatically | 2-3 min per lead |
| Check HighLevel for new form submissions multiple times per day | Email or Slack notification sent instantly via Zap | 15-30 min daily |
| Manually log after-hours calls into CRM next morning | Ruby call summary pushed to HighLevel contact record via Zap | 5-10 min per call |
3 Beginner Zaps to Build Right Now
What matters here: these three Zaps solve the specific problems that cause small business owners to lose leads and waste mornings on data entry.
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Take the Quiz →Zap 1: New HighLevel Contact to Google Sheet
You built this one in the walkthrough above. Every new lead from your forms, landing pages, or manual entry gets logged to a shared spreadsheet. This is useful when a bookkeeper or VA needs lead data without a HighLevel login.
Zap 2: New Contact to Email Notification
Trigger: LeadConnector “New Contact.” Action: Gmail or Outlook “Send Email.” Send yourself (or your team) an instant alert whenever a lead comes in. Include the contact name, phone number, and source in the email body so you can call back within minutes instead of discovering the lead three hours later.
Zap 3: Ruby Call Summary to HighLevel Contact Note
This one stops the “lost after-hours lead” problem. Ruby Receptionists is a live answering service that picks up your phone when you cannot. Ruby uses real humans, not bots. After each call, Ruby generates a summary.
Your accounting stack matters too, so understanding how to connect HighLevel to QuickBooks is worth tackling before automating your billing workflows.
Set the trigger to Ruby’s “New Call” event. Set the action to LeadConnector “Create Contact” or “Add Note to Contact.” The call summary,
caller name, and reason for calling land directly on the contact record in HighLevel. Your morning routine becomes: open HighLevel, read the notes, call back the hot leads first. No more checking voicemail, email, and a separate app.
When to Use Zapier vs. HighLevel’s Native Tools
Zapier is perfect for simple, linear automations: when this happens, do that. But HighLevel already has a powerful built-in workflow engine. Before you build a Zap, ask:
Can HighLevel’s native workflows handle this? Sending an SMS when a contact fills out a form? HighLevel does that natively — no Zapier task charges required. Internal notifications, pipeline stage changes, and drip campaigns are all built in.
Do you need multi-step logic with branching? Zapier supports paths (if/then branches), but once you exceed three or four branches, you are fighting the tool. HighLevel workflows or a dedicated automation platform like Make may serve you better at that complexity level.
Is the other app already in HighLevel’s native integrations? Check Settings → Integrations inside your sub-account first. Facebook Ads, Google Ads, Stripe, Calendly, and several others connect directly without a middleman.
Use Zapier for the gaps, apps HighLevel does not natively support, like Ruby Receptionists, Slack, Airtable, or niche industry software.
Task Zero: Do This in the Next 10 Minutes
Log into your HighLevel location (Sub-Account view). Go to Settings → Business Profile → API Key tab, or Settings → Company/Business Info → API Key in older UI versions. Copy the key labeled “Location API Key” or “API Key (v1).”
Open Zapier and create a new Zap. Search for LeadConnector as your trigger app. Paste your API key when prompted and complete the authentication step.
Build Zap 1: New Contact triggers a Google Sheet row. Add a test contact in HighLevel and confirm the row appears in your spreadsheet.
One working connection. Ten minutes. Zero code.
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Get Your Free Kit →Frequently Asked Questions
Does HighLevel connect to Zapier on the Starter plan?
Yes. The HighLevel Starter plan (currently $97/mo (as of May 2026), verify current pricing at HighLevel) supports the LeadConnector Zapier integration. SMS and call fees apply on top of the base plan price.
Why can’t I find HighLevel in Zapier’s app directory?
HighLevel is listed under the name ‘LeadConnector’ in Zapier. Type that name exactly and it appears immediately. Typing ‘HighLevel’ or ‘GHL’ returns nothing useful.
Which API key do I use — location key or agency key?
Use the Sub-Account (location) API key. Open Settings inside your specific location in HighLevel, go to Business Profile or Company/Business Info, and find the API Key tab. The location key scopes the Zap to one business. The agency-level key gives Zapier access to your entire account, which is broader than most single-location owners need.
Can I connect Ruby to HighLevel through Zapier?
Yes. Ruby is a live answering service that uses real humans to pick up your phone. After each call, Ruby generates a summary. Set Ruby’s new call event as the Zapier trigger and use LeadConnector to create a contact or add a note. Summaries land directly on the contact record in HighLevel, no manual entry needed.
Can HighLevel’s built-in workflows replace Zapier?
For many tasks, yes. Sending an SMS after a form submission, moving pipeline stages, and internal notifications are all handled natively inside HighLevel. Use Zapier for apps HighLevel does not connect to directly, such as Ruby, Slack, Airtable, or niche tools specific to your industry.
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