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Technology · head to head

Close vs HubSpot CRM

Close logo

Close

Technology

The inside sales CRM of choice for startups & SMBs

From
$9/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
HubSpot CRM logo

HubSpot CRM

Remote Work

Free CRM for sales and marketing

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only HubSpot CRM 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 CRM starter plan discount for new customers only, subject to discontinuation at any time without notice
  • They diverge on capability: Close covers Built-in calling, HubSpot CRM covers Contact management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Close and HubSpot CRM actually diverge.

Attributes where Close and HubSpot CRM differ
AttributeCloseHubSpot CRM
Starting price$9/monthFree
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, Mobile iOS, Mobile Android
CategoryTechnologyRemote Work
Founded20132006

Identical on both: 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
  • Mobile app
  • Segment

Only in HubSpot CRM

  • Contact management
  • Deal tracking
  • Email
  • Automation
  • GitHub
  • Salesforce
  • Mobile iOS support
  • Mobile Android support

Both cover

  • Reporting
  • Zapier
  • Slack
  • Google Workspace
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Close

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

HubSpot CRM

  • Contact and deal management for sales teamsnot Close
  • Customer data organization and reportingnot Close
  • Team collaboration with permission controlsnot 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 CRM

  • Starter plan discount for new customers only, subject to discontinuation at any time without notice
  • Free plan limited to 2 users and 1,000 contacts, requiring upgrade for larger teams
  • Per-seat pricing model on all paid tiers, making team expansion costly

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 CRM

Free
  • Free CRMFree
    • Up to 2 users
    • 1,000 contacts
    • Unlimited customer data
  • Starter$15/month
    • Required fields
    • Permission sets
    • Multiple currencies
  • Professional$50/month
    • AI customer agent
    • Duplicate management
    • Standard contact scoring
  • Enterprise$75/month
    • Custom objects
    • Organize teams
    • Single sign-on

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 CRM if

  • You need contact management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile iOS, Mobile Android.
  • You also want deal tracking.
HubSpot CRM review

Questions people ask

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

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
HubSpot CRM: What is the cost of HubSpot CRM for different company sizes?

Free CRM for up to 2 users at $0/month. Starter at $15/month per seat (new customers only), Professional at $50/month per seat, Enterprise at $75/month per seat.

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
HubSpot CRM: What are the user and contact limits on the free HubSpot CRM plan?

Free plan supports up to 2 users, 1,000 contacts, and unlimited customer data with no expiration date or credit card required.

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
HubSpot CRM: Can data migrate from free to paid HubSpot CRM plans without loss?

Users can upgrade from free to premium tiers without data migration required, meaning all contacts and information transfer to the new plan.

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
HubSpot CRM: Is there a discount for HubSpot CRM new customer pricing?

Starter plan offers a new customer discount with no set end date, but HubSpot reserves the right to discontinue this offer at any time.

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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