Software · head to head
Amazon Lex vs Close

Amazon Lex
Software
AWS conversational AI service
- From
- $0.00075/per text request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Amazon Lex pay-as-you-go model with no standard free tier, only AWS free credits for new customers (6 months, $200 limit); Close hidden costs beyond subscription: calling charges (~$0.02/minute), SMS usage fees, phone numbers ($1-5/month), AI call assistant ($50/month + $0.02/min transcription)
- They diverge on capability: Amazon Lex covers Speech recognition, Close covers Built-in calling.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Amazon Lex and Close actually diverge.
| Attribute | Amazon Lex | Close |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $0.00075/per text request | $9/month |
| Pricing model | usage-based | Unknown |
| Platforms | Web, AWS Cloud | Web, iOS, Android |
| Founded | 2006 | 2013 |
Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Amazon Lex
- Speech recognition
- Natural language understanding
- Voice and text
- Lambda integration
- AWS services
- Lambda
- DynamoDB
- SNS
Only in Close
- Built-in calling
- Email automation
- SMS messaging
- Pipeline management
- Lead management
- Activity tracking
- Reporting
- Mobile app
Both cover
- Web support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Amazon Lex
- Building conversational chatbots leveraging Alexa deep learning enginenot Close
- Voice and text-based NLU applications requiring automatic speech recognitionnot Close
- Custom conversational interfaces integrated into existing applicationsnot Close
Close
- Inside salesnot Amazon Lex
- Outbound salesnot Amazon Lex
- Lead managementnot Amazon Lex
- Sales engagementnot Amazon Lex
- Pipeline trackingnot Amazon Lex
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Amazon Lex
- Pay-as-you-go model with no standard free tier, only AWS free credits for new customers (6 months, $200 limit)
- Speech requests cost $0.004 each, text requests $0.00075 each, training costs $0.50 per minute
- Variable costs can accumulate quickly for high-volume applications
Close
- Hidden costs beyond subscription: calling charges (~$0.02/minute), SMS usage fees, phone numbers ($1-5/month), AI call assistant ($50/month + $0.02/min transcription)
- No built-in lead lists, company intelligence, or contact enrichment; must source leads separately
- Limited marketing automation compared to competitors like HubSpot; lacks lead scoring and nurturing campaigns
- Calling cost at scale can double effective monthly cost for high-volume SDR teams making 50+ calls per day
- Limited customization of data model compared to Salesforce; cannot create fully custom objects or complex relationships
Pricing, plan by plan
Amazon Lex
$0.00075/per text requestNo published plan breakdown. See the Amazon Lex review.
Close
$9/month- Solo$9/month (annual)
- 1 user only
- 10,000 leads max
- Calling, email, SMS
- Essentials$35/month (annual)
- Unlimited contacts
- Team collaboration
- 1,000 AI credits/month
- Growth$99/month (annual)
- Automation workflows
- Power dialer
- Bulk email
- Scale$139/month (annual)
- Role-based permissions
- Predictive dialer
- Unlimited recording
Which should you pick?
Choose Amazon Lex if
- You need speech recognition.
- You work on Web, AWS Cloud.
- You also want natural language understanding.
Choose Close if
- You need built-in calling.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want email automation.
Questions people ask
- Is Amazon Lex or Close better?
- Neither clearly leads. Amazon Lex starts at $0.00075/per text request and Close at $9/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Amazon Lex or Close?
- Amazon Lex starts at $0.00075/per text request and Close at $9/month.
- Does Amazon Lex or Close run on more platforms?
- Amazon Lex runs on Web, AWS Cloud. Close runs on Web, iOS, Android.
- What is Amazon Lex best used for?
- Amazon Lex is most often used for building conversational chatbots leveraging alexa deep learning engine, voice and text-based nlu applications requiring automatic speech recognition, custom conversational interfaces integrated into existing applications. Of those, building conversational chatbots leveraging alexa deep learning engine and voice and text-based nlu applications requiring automatic speech recognition are not what Close is typically brought in for.
- What can Amazon Lex do that Close cannot?
- Amazon Lex covers Speech recognition, Natural language understanding, Voice and text, Lambda integration. Close covers Built-in calling, Email automation, SMS messaging, Pipeline management. Both handle Web support.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Close: What are Close's pricing plans and what do they include?
Close offers four plans: Solo ($9-19/user/month), Essentials ($35-49), Growth ($99-109), and Scale ($139-149). All include calling, email, SMS, and Chloe AI agent access. Essentials adds unlimited contacts and team collaboration. Growth adds automation, power dialer, and custom activities. Scale adds role-based permissions and unlimited recording. Annual billing saves up to 50%.
SourceClose: What are the hidden costs in Close's pricing beyond the subscription?
Close charges usage-based fees for calling (~$0.02 per minute), SMS charges per message, and phone number rentals ($1-5/month). The AI Call Assistant add-on costs $50/month plus $0.02 per minute for transcription. Heavy outbound calling teams can see their total costs increase 30-50% beyond the base seat price.
SourceClose: What is Chloe, Close's AI sales agent, and what can it do?
Chloe is an AI sales agent built into Close that automatically calls leads, qualifies prospects through real conversations, and can book meetings while updating the CRM automatically. Chloe features AI-generated call summaries, transcripts, and action items automatically logged to contacts.
SourceClose: Does Close include lead lists, data enrichment, or contact information?
No. Close does not provide built-in lead lists, company intelligence, or contact enrichment features. Organizations must source leads separately or use third-party data providers. This differs from platforms like HubSpot which include integrated lead databases.
SourceClose: What communication features does Close include?
Close includes built-in calling with automatic call logging, email templates and bulk email capabilities, SMS messaging with tracking and automation, email syncing with Gmail, and automated follow-up workflows. All communication happens within the CRM platform.
SourceClose: Does Close have marketing automation capabilities?
Close's marketing automation features are limited compared to HubSpot. It includes basic email sequences, task reminders, and workflow automation, but lacks advanced lead scoring, nurturing campaigns, and detailed marketing analytics. Organizations requiring extensive marketing automation need separate tools.
SourceRelated pages
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