Softwr

CRM · head to head

Close vs Hiver

Close logo

Close

CRM

The inside sales CRM of choice for startups & SMBs

From
$9/month
Free plan
No
Visit CloseFull review
Hiver logo

Hiver

Customer Support

Gmail-based help desk

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit HiverFull review

The short version

  • Close is a sales engagement CRM.
  • Hiver has a free plan, then $19/mo; Close starts at $9/mo.
  • Only Close lists built-in calling; only Hiver lists shared inbox.
  • Where Close falls short: no built-in lead lists, company intelligence, or contact enrichment; must source leads separately.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 13 November 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Close and Hiver actually diverge.

Attributes where Close and Hiver differ
AttributeCloseHiver
Starting price$9/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, Browser extension
CategoryCRMCustomer Support
Founded20132011

Not yet recorded: pricing model for Close.

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 Hiver

  • Shared inbox
  • Email assignment
  • Collision detection
  • Email notes
  • Templates
  • Analytics
  • Gmail
  • Asana

Both cover

  • Slack
  • Google Workspace
  • SOC2
  • GDPR
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Close

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

Hiver

  • Shared inbox managementnot Close
  • Customer support via Gmailnot Close
  • Team email collaborationnot 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

Hiver

  • Hiver tiers as captured 28 December 2023: Lite at $15/user/month capped at 2 shared inboxes (up to 10 users each), Pro at $39/user/month capped at 5 shared inboxes and 50 shared labels, Elite at $59/user/month, all annual pricing with higher month-to-month rates of $19/$49/$69

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

Hiver

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 2 users
    • Email management
    • Basic analytics
  • Lite$19/mo
    • Unlimited users
    • Email templates
    • Notes & @mentions
  • Pro$49/mo
    • CSAT surveys
    • SLA management
    • Custom reports
  • Elite$69/mo
    • Round-robin
    • Skill-based routing
    • Okta SSO

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 Hiver if

  • You need shared inbox.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Browser extension.
  • You also want email assignment.
Hiver review

Questions people ask

Is Close or Hiver better?
Neither clearly leads. Close starts at $9/month and Hiver at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Close or Hiver?
Hiver has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $9/month for Close and Free for Hiver.
Does Close or Hiver run on more platforms?
Close runs on Web, iOS, Android. Hiver runs on Web, Browser extension.
Can I use Hiver for free?
Yes. Hiver 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 Hiver is typically brought in for.
What can Close do that Hiver cannot?
Close covers Built-in calling, Email automation, SMS messaging, Pipeline management. Hiver covers Shared inbox, Email assignment, Collision detection, Email notes. Both handle Slack, Google Workspace, SOC2, GDPR.

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
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
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
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
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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