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CRM software · 12 alternatives

Close alternatives: 12 compared

Sebastiaan Smits By Sebastiaan Smits · Published October 8, 2026 · Updated October 8, 2026

Teams look past Close when calling and SMS usage inflates the bill, when workflows and the power dialer sit on the $99 to $109 Growth tier, or when they want a free plan. Most go to Pipedrive or HubSpot for a broader CRM, or to Freshsales and Zoho CRM for built-in phone at lower seat prices.

Short answer: The closest replacements for Close in our CRM software ranking are Pipedrive, HubSpot and Freshsales. Choose Pipedrive if you want a visual deal pipeline and a larger app marketplace more than a built-in dialer. All 12 alternatives below are ranked products from Best CRM Software in 2026, and each says where it differs from Close and when Close is still the better choice.

Visibility in our rankings can be paid for. Payment moves a vendor's position within the shortlist; it never adds a vendor, and it never changes a word of the review or of this page. How it works: placement disclosure · editorial process.

Close at a glance

  • Headquarters: United States
  • Pricing model: Per seat / month
  • Pricing: Published per-seat tiers with no free plan; power and predictive dialing sit on the higher tiers.
  • Free option: Free trial
  • Built for: Outbound and inside-sales teams
  • Wrong for: Teams that sell mostly through inbound, referrals or in-person meetings, or enterprises needing account planning; Pipedrive or Salesforce Sales Cloud fit those better.
  • Place in our ranking: #3 of 18
  • Website: close.com

Facts from our CRM software ranking, last checked October 8, 2026.

Why buyers look past Close

  1. Usage charges sit on top of seats

    Close's pricing page says calling is charged on usage, with phone lines from $1 a line a month. SMS to US numbers needs A2P 10DLC registration, and the Call Assistant add-on costs $50 a month per organization plus $0.02 a minute. The seat price is not the bill.

  2. Automation starts on the third tier

    Workflows, the power dialer, custom activities and bulk email begin on Growth, listed at $109 monthly or $99 annually per user. The predictive dialer, custom roles and unlimited call recording retention need Scale. Solo and Essentials carry no workflows.

  3. Metered AI credits and no free plan

    Each plan includes a monthly AI credit allowance that refreshes without rollover, and extra credits are sold separately. The lowest plan, Solo, is limited to one user and 10,000 leads. Close lists no free plan, only a free trial.

12 alternatives at a glance

Closest replacement first. The last column is our place in the full 18-product ranking.

#AlternativeHeadquartersPricingKey differenceSwitch ifOur rank
1PipedriveEstoniaPer seat / month; free trialVisual pipeline built for reps who hate typing into formsyou want a visual deal pipeline and a larger app marketplace more than a built-in dialer#1
2HubSpotUnited StatesPer seat / month; free planFree-to-start CRM with marketing and service alongsideyou want marketing and service in the same system and can absorb tier jumps and onboarding fees#4
3FreshsalesUnited StatesPer user / month; free trialAI-assisted CRM with calling at a mid-market priceyou want phone and email in the CRM at a much lower entry price per seat#6
4Zoho CRMIndiaPer user / month; free planBudget CRM that scales into a full back officeyou want low seat prices and a CRM that can grow into a full business suite#2
5NutshellUnited StatesPer user / month; free trialStraightforward CRM for small teams that do not want a projectyou want email-led selling with marketing tools included and no seat minimum#10
6AttioUnited KingdomPer seat / month; free planConfigurable CRM built on your own data modelyou want a flexible data model and API access, and your reps work from email more than the phone#13
7CopperUnited StatesPer seat / month; free trialCRM that lives inside Google Workspaceyour team works from Gmail and wants the CRM inside Google Workspace#7
8Less Annoying CRMUnited StatesPer user / month; free trialSingle-price CRM for very small businessesyou want one flat price and a simple CRM, and do not need a built-in dialer#15
9Salesforce Sales CloudUnited StatesPer user / month; free trialThe configurable ceiling few small teams need to hityour sales process needs deep customization, forecasting and enterprise controls beyond a small-team CRM#5
10InsightlyUnited StatesPer seat / month; free trialCRM and project delivery in one recordyou want a CRM with project tracking and optional marketing and service modules under one vendor#8
11monday CRMIsraelPer seat / month; free trialBoard-based CRM on the monday.com work platformyour team already runs work in monday.com and wants the CRM on boards#9
12folkFrancePer seat / month; free trialRelationship CRM for networks and outreachyour selling runs on LinkedIn and relationships rather than high-volume calling#17

What each alternative does differently

1. Pipedrive

Visual pipeline built for reps who hate typing into forms · Estonia

Pipeline-first where Close leads with communication. Two-way email and calendar sync, workflow automation, a visual kanban pipeline, 500+ marketplace apps and Nova, which records and transcribes calls. A 14-day trial needs no card. Over 100,000 companies use it, according to its own site.

Switch from Close if you want a visual deal pipeline and a larger app marketplace more than a built-in dialer.

Pricing: Published per-seat tiers from Lite to Ultimate, billed monthly or annually; email sync and automations start on Growth, and email campaigns, project tracking and, below Premium, lead capture are paid add-ons. (free trial)

Full review: #1 of 18 in our ranking · Visit Pipedrive →

2. HubSpot

Free-to-start CRM with marketing and service alongside · United States

A free CRM for up to two users, then Starter from $7 a seat annually and Professional from $90, with a one-time $1,500 onboarding fee. Calling minutes are included by tier, 3,000 on Starter. Reaches into marketing and service where Close stays sales-only, with steeper tier jumps.

Switch from Close if you want marketing and service in the same system and can absorb tier jumps and onboarding fees.

Pricing: Free CRM for up to two users, then Sales Hub Starter, Professional and Enterprise priced per seat, with steep jumps between editions and a required one-time onboarding fee on Professional and Enterprise. (free plan)

Full review: #4 of 18 in our ranking · Visit HubSpot →

3. Freshsales

AI-assisted CRM with calling at a mid-market price · United States

Phone is listed on the Growth plan at $9 per user annually, so calling does not wait for a higher tier. Sequences, contact scoring and territory management start on Pro at $39, forecasting and custom modules on Enterprise at $59. A 21-day trial; Freddy AI sessions are an add-on.

Switch from Close if you want phone and email in the CRM at a much lower entry price per seat.

Pricing: Published per-user tiers; contact scoring, deal insights, sequences and territory management start on Pro, forecasting insights and custom modules on Enterprise, and the Freddy AI Agent is a paid add-on. (free trial)

Full review: #6 of 18 in our ranking · Visit Freshsales →

4. Zoho CRM

Budget CRM that scales into a full back office · India

A free edition for up to three users, no long-term contract, and built-in telephony from Standard. It sits in the wider Zoho suite and can be bundled with CRM Plus. Cheaper and more configurable than Close, with more modules to set up before reps can use it.

Switch from Close if you want low seat prices and a CRM that can grow into a full business suite.

Pricing: Free edition for up to three users, then low per-seat tiers rising through Professional, Enterprise and Ultimate; also bundled in Zoho One. (free plan)

Full review: #2 of 18 in our ranking · Visit Zoho CRM →

5. Nutshell

Straightforward CRM for small teams that do not want a project · United States

Five published tiers from Foundation at $13 to Enterprise at $79 per user, no seat minimum, with forms, landing pages and email marketing on every plan. Phone support comes only with Enterprise, and SMS and WhatsApp need the $16 Engagement add-on. Its pricing page lists no dialer.

Switch from Close if you want email-led selling with marketing tools included and no seat minimum.

Pricing: Published per-user tiers from Foundation up; basic email marketing is included, with paid Marketing, Engagement (SMS and social messaging) and other add-ons. (free trial)

Full review: #10 of 18 in our ranking · Visit Nutshell →

6. Attio

Configurable CRM built on your own data model · United Kingdom

Free for three seats, Plus at 39 euros for up to ten seats, Pro at 93 euros unlimited, with record and email caps by plan. Sequences and call intelligence start on Pro. API and webhook access is on every paid tier, and credits meter AI and workflows.

Switch from Close if you want a flexible data model and API access, and your reps work from email more than the phone.

Pricing: Published per-seat plans with a free tier for up to three seats, Plus and Pro above it, and AI features metered through monthly credits. (free plan)

Full review: #13 of 18 in our ranking · Visit Attio →

7. Copper

CRM that lives inside Google Workspace · United States

Built around Google Workspace, with a Gmail and Calendar extension, Drive linking and Sheets integration. Basic is $23 a month annually for 2,500 contacts, Professional $59 for 15,000, Business $99 for unlimited. Suits teams that live in Gmail; its pricing page lists no dialer.

Switch from Close if your team works from Gmail and wants the CRM inside Google Workspace.

Pricing: Published per-seat tiers; automation and deeper reporting require the middle and upper plans. (free trial)

Full review: #7 of 18 in our ranking · Visit Copper →

8. Less Annoying CRM

Single-price CRM for very small businesses · United States

One price, $15 per user per month, with every feature included, no tiers and no contracts, plus a 30-day trial. It includes unlimited contacts and pipelines and 25 GB of storage per user. Deliberately plain: it logs email, but its pricing page lists no dialer or sequences.

Switch from Close if you want one flat price and a simple CRM, and do not need a built-in dialer.

Pricing: A single published price of $15 per user per month that includes every feature, with no tiers, no contract and a 30-day free trial. (free trial)

Full review: #15 of 18 in our ranking · Visit Less Annoying CRM →

9. Salesforce Sales Cloud

The configurable ceiling few small teams need to hit · United States

Editions run from Starter Suite at $25 to Max at $550 per user per month, with Pro Suite at $100, Core at $195 and Advanced at $395. Premier and Signature support cost 30 percent of net license fees. Far deeper customization than Close, at a much higher cost and setup effort.

Switch from Close if your sales process needs deep customization, forecasting and enterprise controls beyond a small-team CRM.

Pricing: Per-user editions from Starter Suite and Pro Suite up to Core, Advanced and Max, with Agentforce AI added to Core and above or bundled in Max, and usually a paid implementation partner. (free trial)

Full review: #5 of 18 in our ranking · Visit Salesforce Sales Cloud →

10. Insightly

CRM and project delivery in one record · United States

Plus is $29, Professional $49 and Enterprise $99 per user, billed annually. Workflow automation and lead routing begin on Professional, quotes and sandboxes on Enterprise. Marketing, service and AppConnect are priced separately, or in All-in-One bundles from $349 a month.

Switch from Close if you want a CRM with project tracking and optional marketing and service modules under one vendor.

Pricing: Published per-seat tiers from Plus to Enterprise; workflow automation starts on Professional, custom objects need Enterprise, and AppConnect, marketing and service are sold separately or in All-in-One bundles. (free trial)

Full review: #8 of 18 in our ranking · Visit Insightly →

11. monday CRM

Board-based CRM on the monday.com work platform · Israel

Sold in seat bundles with a three-seat minimum, from 12 euros on Basic to 28 on Pro, billed annually. Standard lifts limits to 10,000 contacts and 250 automations a month; mass email and sequences begin on Pro. Board-style configurability in place of Close's call-first layout.

Switch from Close if your team already runs work in monday.com and wants the CRM on boards.

Pricing: Per-seat tiers sold in seat bundles with a three-seat minimum; automation and integration actions are capped per month by plan. (free trial)

Full review: #9 of 18 in our ranking · Visit monday CRM →

12. folk

Relationship CRM for networks and outreach · France

A relationship CRM with a LinkedIn extension and email, calendar and WhatsApp sync. Standard is $24 and Premium $48 per member, billed monthly; sequences, custom objects and API access begin on Premium. A two-week trial needs no card. Closer to relationship tracking than power dialing.

Switch from Close if your selling runs on LinkedIn and relationships rather than high-volume calling.

Pricing: Published per-member Standard and Premium plans with a cheaper annual rate, an Enterprise tier listed from a starting price, and a two-week free trial. (free trial)

Full review: #17 of 18 in our ranking · Visit folk →

When Close is still the right choice

Stay with Close if your reps spend their day on calls, SMS and email from one inbox. Close puts the dialer, Workflows, email sync and a single activity timeline in one product, and it describes itself as profitable and customer-funded after 13 years. Few CRMs are built as tightly around outbound communication.

What to expect when you switch from Close

  1. Export JSON, not only CSV

    Close exports leads, contacts and opportunities as CSV or JSON, and JSON is the only format that includes all activities: emails, calls, SMS, notes and custom activities. The download link arrives by email and expires after seven days, so plan the export run.

  2. Phone numbers and recordings

    Close's terms say leased phone numbers are forfeited if you downgrade or terminate, with no guarantee they stay yours. Recording retention is 30 days on Solo and Essentials and 90 on Growth. Settle numbers and recordings before you cancel.

  3. Rebuilding what the export misses

    Smart Views, templates, custom fields, notes and phone numbers are not in the standard export. Close publishes support tools that download each as CSV with an API key. The export pages mention no workflow definitions, so budget time to rebuild automations by hand.

Questions and answers

Can I export all my data from Close?

Yes: leads, contacts and opportunities export as CSV or JSON, and JSON is the only format that carries all activities. The download link arrives by email and expires after seven days; Smart Views and templates use separate tools.

How long does Close keep my data after I cancel?

Close's terms say your content remains retrievable for 30 days after termination, and that it may delete it afterwards. Finish your export before cancelling, not after, and keep a copy of anything you may need later.

Will I keep my Close phone numbers?

Not necessarily: Close's terms say you forfeit phone numbers leased from Close if you downgrade or terminate. Lines you bring yourself are a separate case, so ask support what applies to each number before you cancel.

Does Close have a free plan to fall back on?

No. The pricing page lists Solo, Essentials, Growth and Scale, plus a trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Solo is limited to one user and 10,000 leads. Several alternatives, such as HubSpot, Zoho CRM and Attio, have free tiers.

How much notice does Close give before a price change?

The terms promise at least 30 days' notice, given in the application or by email, before a new price takes effect. Continued use after that date counts as agreement, so check the renewal date and your billing email.

What happens to my call recordings if I leave?

Recording retention is capped by plan: 30 days on Solo and Essentials, 90 on Growth, unlimited on Scale. We could not confirm that the bulk export contains audio files, so download any recordings you need before you leave.

Sources

Prices, plan limits and product facts about Close on this page were checked against the vendors' own pages on October 8, 2026. Vendors change both without notice, so treat the figures as of that date.

Who wrote this

Sebastiaan Smits Sebastiaan Smits, Founder, wrote, edited and fact-checked this page. Founder of The Interregnum and of 2 Steps Ahead, an AI search visibility agency. Writes, edits and fact-checks every page here. Last reviewed October 8, 2026. How we review.