Softwr

Technology · head to head

Close vs Folk

Close logo

Close

Technology

The inside sales CRM of choice for startups & SMBs

From
$9/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Folk logo

Folk

CRM

The CRM that works for you, not the other way around

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Folk has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: 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); Folk no native mobile app, only works through mobile browser which is not optimized for phones
  • They diverge on capability: Close covers Built-in calling, Folk covers Contact management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Close and Folk actually diverge.

Attributes where Close and Folk differ
AttributeCloseFolk
Starting price$9/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb
CategoryTechnologyCRM
Founded20132020

Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Close

  • Built-in calling
  • Email automation
  • SMS messaging
  • Pipeline management
  • Lead management
  • Activity tracking
  • Reporting
  • Mobile app

Only in Folk

  • Contact management
  • Email tracking
  • Mail merge
  • Chrome extension
  • Tags & groups
  • Notes & activities
  • Import/export
  • Search & filters

Both cover

  • Zapier
  • Calendly
  • GDPR
  • Cloud deployment
  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Close

  • Inside salesnot Folk
  • Outbound salesnot Folk
  • Lead managementnot Folk
  • Sales engagementnot Folk
  • Pipeline trackingnot Folk

Folk

  • Contact managementnot Close
  • Sales outreachnot Close
  • Networkingnot Close
  • Recruitmentnot Close
  • Investor relationsnot Close

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

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

Folk

  • No native mobile app, only works through mobile browser which is not optimized for phones
  • Limited workflow automation capabilities compared to enterprise CRMs
  • No automatic phone call tracking, requires manual entry
  • Limited reporting and analytics features
  • Monthly caps on email sends and enrichment credits on lower tiers
  • LinkedIn Chrome extension sometimes has synchronization problems
  • Email sent through Folk sometimes doesn't appear as sent in user's Outlook account

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Folk

Free
  • Standard$24/month
    • Pipeline management
    • Email campaigns
    • Contact enrichment
  • Premium$48/month
    • Custom objects
    • Email sequences
    • Dashboards
  • Enterprise$80/month
    • Dedicated account manager
    • Custom integrations
    • Priority support

Which should you pick?

Choose Close if

  • You need built-in calling.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want email automation.
Close review

Choose Folk if

  • You need contact management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want email tracking.
Folk review

Questions people ask

Is Close or Folk better?
Neither clearly leads. Close starts at $9/month and Folk at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Close or Folk?
Folk has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $9/month for Close and Free for Folk.
Does Close or Folk run on more platforms?
Close runs on Web, iOS, Android. Folk runs on Web.
Can I use Folk for free?
Yes. Folk has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Close starts at $9/month.
What is Close best used for?
Close is most often used for inside sales, outbound sales, lead management, sales engagement. Of those, inside sales and outbound sales are not what Folk is typically brought in for.
What can Close do that Folk cannot?
Close covers Built-in calling, Email automation, SMS messaging, Pipeline management. Folk covers Contact management, Email tracking, Mail merge, Chrome extension. Both handle Zapier, Calendly, GDPR, Cloud deployment.

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%.

Source
Folk: What are Folk's pricing plans?

Folk offers three plans: Standard at $24/month per member (billed annually), Premium at $48/month with custom objects and email sequences, and Enterprise from $80/month with advanced security and dedicated support. New workspaces get a 2-week free trial with all Premium features.

Source
Close: 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.

Source
Folk: Does Folk offer a mobile app?

Folk does not have native iOS or Android apps. The web interface technically works on mobile browsers but is built primarily for desktop use.

Source
Close: 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.

Source
Folk: Does Folk track phone calls automatically?

No, Folk does not automatically track phone calls. All call interactions must be manually entered into the system.

Source
Close: 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.

Source
Folk: What integrations does Folk support?

Folk supports over 5,000 integrations through platforms like Zapier and Make. It includes native email, calendar, and WhatsApp sync, LinkedIn extension, and can enrich contact data using its built-in enrichment tool.

Source
Close: 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.

Source
Close: 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.

Source
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