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Technology · head to head

Close vs Zeta

Close logo

Close

Technology

The inside sales CRM of choice for startups & SMBs

From
$9/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zeta logo

Zeta

Technology

Cloud native credit card processing and core banking from Bhavin Turakhia's Zeta

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • 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); Zeta it competes against card processors with decades of production track record, and in card processing an outage is a public event, so a shorter operational history is a genuine risk factor rather than a technicality.
  • They diverge on capability: Close covers Built-in calling, Zeta covers Tachyon card processing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Close and Zeta actually diverge.

Attributes where Close and Zeta differ
AttributeCloseZeta
Starting price$9/monthOn request
Pricing modelUnknownquote
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, API, Cloud, iOS, Android
Founded2013Unknown

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Technology).

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 Zeta

  • Tachyon card processing
  • Real time authorisation
  • Rewards and offers engine
  • Core banking modules
  • Programme configuration
  • Mobile and web SDKs
  • Fraud and controls

Both cover

  • Cloud deployment

What people use each for

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

Close

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

Zeta

  • A United States bank whose card platform makes launching a new rewards product a multi quarter vendor projectnot Close
  • An issuer that wants authorisation level controls and real time data rather than end of day filesnot Close
  • A large fintech launching a credit card programme at scale with custom product logicnot Close
  • A bank consolidating card and deposit processing onto one modern platformnot 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

Zeta

  • It competes against card processors with decades of production track record, and in card processing an outage is a public event, so a shorter operational history is a genuine risk factor rather than a technicality.
  • Contracts are enterprise scale and quoted with volume minimums, which puts it out of reach of small issuers who would otherwise benefit most from modern tooling.
  • A card portfolio migration runs twelve to twenty four months at minimum, during which the issuer runs two platforms and pays for both.
  • Zeta is a processor rather than a licence holder, so network membership, BIN sponsorship and regulatory obligations remain entirely with the issuer.
  • Public references for large live United States production volumes are fewer than the announcements imply, so diligence should insist on active account counts and uptime history rather than partnership press releases.

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

Zeta

On request
  • Tachyon platform$undefined/year
    • Quoted per institution, commonly on active accounts or transaction volume
    • Implementation for a card portfolio migration measured in quarters to years
    • Minimum volume commitments typical on enterprise contracts

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 Zeta if

  • You need tachyon card processing.
  • You work on Web, API, Cloud, iOS, Android.
  • You also want real time authorisation.
Zeta review

Questions people ask

Is Close or Zeta better?
Neither clearly leads. Close starts at $9/month and Zeta at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Close or Zeta?
Close starts at $9/month and Zeta at On request.
Does Close or Zeta run on more platforms?
Close runs on Web, iOS, Android. Zeta runs on Web, API, Cloud, iOS, Android.
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 Zeta is typically brought in for.
What can Close do that Zeta cannot?
Close covers Built-in calling, Email automation, SMS messaging, Pipeline management. Zeta covers Tachyon card processing, Real time authorisation, Rewards and offers engine, Core banking modules. Both handle 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
Zeta: Which Zeta is this?

The banking technology company founded by Bhavin Turakhia, which builds the Tachyon card processing and core banking platform. Not any similarly named payroll or accounting product.

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
Zeta: What is its strongest use case?

United States credit card issuing and processing, where legacy platforms make product changes slow and expensive.

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
Zeta: Does Zeta provide the BIN or licence?

No. It processes. Network membership, BIN sponsorship and regulatory obligations stay with the issuer.

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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