How to Combine Lists in Hubspot for Better Segmentation

Combining lists in Hubspot is essential when you need accurate segments for email marketing, reporting, and automation without creating messy duplicates. Instead of manually merging contacts, you can use list filters and logical rules to build dynamic lists that stay updated automatically.

This guide walks you through the exact steps to combine multiple lists using standard list filters, AND/OR logic, and exclusions, following the official behavior of the tool.

Key ways to combine lists in Hubspot

In Hubspot, you do not literally merge lists into a single static file. Instead, you create a new active list and define rules that reference your existing lists. The platform then calculates membership based on those rules.

You can combine lists using:

• AND logic – contacts must be in all selected lists.
• OR logic – contacts can be in any of the selected lists.
• Exclusion rules – contacts must be in one list but not in another.

All of this is done through the list tool in your Hubspot account.

Before you start in Hubspot

Make sure you have the following ready in Hubspot before combining lists:

• Access to the Lists tool in your account.
• At least two existing lists you want to combine.
• Clarity on your goal, such as “contacts in List A or List B” or “contacts in List A but not in List C”.

If you need help designing your segmentation strategy, you can review service options at Consultevo for broader marketing and CRM guidance.

Step-by-step: create a combined list in Hubspot

Use this process to build a new list that combines two or more existing lists.

1. Navigate to the lists tool in Hubspot

1. Log in to your Hubspot account.
2. In the main navigation, go to Contacts > Lists (or the Lists area under your contacts tools).
3. Click the button to create a new list.

You can usually choose between an active list and a static list. For combined logic that updates as contacts change, active lists are recommended.

2. Set basic list details

1. Give your new list a clear, descriptive name, such as “Newsletter master list – A OR B”.
2. Select the object type if prompted (for example, Contacts).
3. Confirm you are working with an active list if you want it to update automatically.

Good naming in Hubspot makes it much easier to manage complex segments later.

3. Add first list filter in Hubspot

1. In the filter panel, start a new filter group.
2. Choose the filter category related to lists, typically labeled as something like List membership or List.
3. Set the condition to indicate that a contact is a member of a specific list.
4. Select your first source list from the dropdown.

This first rule tells Hubspot that the contact must meet at least one list membership condition from this group.

4. Combine multiple lists with OR logic

Use OR logic when you want contacts from any of several lists to appear in your new combined list.

1. In the same filter group, add additional filters for the other lists you want to include.
2. Configure each additional filter as “is member of list”.
3. Set the logic between these filters to OR (this is often the default inside a single filter group).

Example configuration:

• Contact is member of List A OR
• Contact is member of List B OR
• Contact is member of List C

With this setup, Hubspot adds any contact that belongs to at least one of those lists to the combined list.

5. Combine multiple lists with AND logic

Use AND logic when you only want contacts that appear in all specified lists. This narrows your audience to the overlap between lists.

1. Create separate filter groups, or adjust the logic to ensure conditions are joined with AND.
2. In each group, add a list membership filter for one of the lists you want to require.
3. Confirm the top-level logic between groups is set to AND.

Example configuration:

• Group 1: Contact is member of List A
• Group 2: Contact is member of List B

With AND logic between these groups, Hubspot only includes contacts that are simultaneously in both List A and List B.

6. Exclude a list from another in Hubspot

Sometimes you want contacts in one list but not in a second list. This is a common pattern when building master email lists or suppressing unsubscribed segments.

1. Start with a filter group that defines the base list, such as “Contact is member of List A”.
2. Add another filter (in the same group or a separate group, depending on your preferred structure) for list membership.
3. Set the second filter’s condition to something like “is not member of” and choose the list you want to exclude.

Example configuration:

• Contact is member of Customer list AND
• Contact is not member of Unsubscribed list

This way, Hubspot builds a clean audience without people who should not receive certain communications.

Practical examples of combined Hubspot lists

Here are a few practical setups you can replicate in Hubspot using the steps above.

Example 1: All marketing leads from multiple sources

• Contact is member of Ad campaign leads OR
• Contact is member of Webinar signups OR
• Contact is member of Newsletter opt-ins

This gives you one master list covering several acquisition channels.

Example 2: High-intent sales prospects

• Contact is member of Demo requests AND
• Contact is member of Pricing page engaged

This defines a smaller, high-intent segment for your sales team.

Example 3: Newsletter audience without current customers

• Contact is member of Newsletter opt-ins AND
• Contact is not member of Active customers

Hubspot will maintain a subscriber list focused on prospects, excluding anyone who is already a client.

How Hubspot updates combined lists

When you use active lists, all combined list logic runs automatically. As contacts join or leave the underlying lists, the combined list updates based on your filters.

Key behaviors:

• New contacts added to a source list that meets your filters appear in the combined list.
• Contacts removed from a source list may leave the combined list if they no longer satisfy any condition.
• Using exclusion filters ensures that suppression is always up to date.

Because of this dynamic behavior, you rarely need to export and manually merge data when working inside Hubspot.

More details and official Hubspot reference

For the latest interface labels, screenshots, and any product changes, review the official documentation at Hubspot’s list combination article. The concepts described in this guide follow the same logic as the native help center, but the exact wording in the app can evolve over time.

By mastering list filters, AND/OR rules, and exclusions, you can build precise, scalable segments inside Hubspot without creating unnecessary duplicates or manual exports.

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