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Software · head to head

Close vs HubSpot

Close logo

Close

Software

The inside sales CRM of choice for startups & SMBs

From
$9/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
HubSpot logo

HubSpot

Software

Grow better with HubSpot

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only HubSpot 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); HubSpot free tier limited to 2 users and 1,000 contacts; severely restricts growing teams
  • They diverge on capability: Close covers Built-in calling, HubSpot covers CRM.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Close and HubSpot actually diverge.

Attributes where Close and HubSpot differ
AttributeCloseHubSpot
Starting price$9/monthFree
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, Mobile, Cloud
Founded20132006

Identical on both: 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 Close

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

Only in HubSpot

  • CRM
  • Email marketing
  • Marketing automation
  • Sales pipeline
  • Customer service
  • Content management
  • Analytics
  • Social media

Both cover

  • Slack
  • SOC2
  • GDPR

What people use each for

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

Close

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

HubSpot

  • Small businesses and startups using CRM, email marketing, sales pipeline, and customer service in single platformnot Close
  • Organisations requiring integration with 2,000+ third-party applicationsnot Close
  • Teams leveraging AI agents for prospecting, service automation, and data analysisnot 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

HubSpot

  • Free tier limited to 2 users and 1,000 contacts; severely restricts growing teams
  • Many advanced features (automation workflows, custom objects, advanced reporting) gated to paid tiers
  • Starter plan at $7/month per seat scales quickly for larger teams (300+ users would cost significantly more)
  • Free tier removes credit card requirement but lacks most enterprise capabilities

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

HubSpot

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the HubSpot review.

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 HubSpot if

  • You need crm.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile, Cloud.
  • You also want email marketing.
HubSpot review

Questions people ask

Is Close or HubSpot better?
Neither clearly leads. Close starts at $9/month and HubSpot at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Close or HubSpot?
HubSpot has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $9/month for Close and Free for HubSpot.
Does Close or HubSpot run on more platforms?
Close runs on Web, iOS, Android. HubSpot runs on Web, Mobile, Cloud.
Can I use HubSpot for free?
Yes. HubSpot 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 HubSpot is typically brought in for.
What can Close do that HubSpot cannot?
Close covers Built-in calling, Email automation, SMS messaging, Pipeline management. HubSpot covers CRM, Email marketing, Marketing automation, Sales pipeline. Both handle Slack, 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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