Close CRM Review: Is This Sales CRM Worth the Price?

Close CRM has been around since 2013, marketing itself as the sales CRM built by salespeople, for salespeople. The pitch? Double your team's productivity with built-in calling, SMS, and email all in one place. But does it actually deliver? I've dug through the features, pricing, and real user feedback to give you the straight answer.

Here's the bottom line: Close is a solid choice for small to mid-sized sales teams that do heavy outbound work—cold calls, email sequences, SMS follow-ups. If that's your world, keep reading. If you need a full marketing automation suite or you're just tracking inbound leads, this probably isn't your tool.

Close CRM Pricing Breakdown

Let's start with what everyone wants to know—how much does Close actually cost?

Close offers four pricing tiers:

Annual billing saves you roughly 35% compared to monthly. All plans include a 14-day free trial with no credit card required, which is actually generous compared to competitors who gate their trials.

Here's the catch: the Solo and Essentials plans don't include workflow automation or the Power Dialer. If you want the features that make Close actually useful for scaling outbound, you're looking at minimum $99/user/month. For a 5-person sales team, that's nearly $6,000/year at the Growth tier.

Want more pricing details? Check out our full Close CRM pricing breakdown.

What Close Does Well

Built-In Calling That Actually Works

This is Close's killer feature. Unlike most CRMs where you need Aircall, RingCentral, or some other integration, Close has calling baked right in. You can make and receive calls directly from the platform with automatic call logging. All calls are logged automatically—duration, notes, recordings—without your reps doing anything.

The Power Dialer (available on Growth and Scale) lets reps blast through call lists without manually dialing each number. The predictive dialer on Scale goes even further, automatically dialing the next prospect while the current call wraps up.

Call Coaching features allow managers to listen in, whisper tips, or barge into calls when needed. The Call Assistant automatically transcribes and summarizes every call with action items—useful for reviewing conversations without re-listening to recordings.

Unified Inbox for Everything

Close syncs all your email, SMS, and call communications into one centralized inbox. This means you and your team can see every touchpoint with a prospect in one timeline view. No more bouncing between Gmail, your phone system, and separate CRM tabs.

Email syncs work with both Gmail and Outlook. You can create email sequences with automated follow-ups based on triggers or time intervals. The SMS functionality works across all plans—you can send and receive texts directly through the platform.

Smart Views for Lead Prioritization

The Smart Views feature lets you create dynamic lists based on custom filters—recent email opens, leads who haven't been contacted in X days, high-value opportunities, etc. You can then automate outreach workflows around these saved views. It's a practical way to keep reps focused on the right leads without constant manager oversight.

Data Organization That Makes Sense

Close uses a Lead → Contact → Opportunity structure. Leads are companies/organizations, Contacts are people at those companies, and Opportunities track potential deals. Everything related to a company lives in one Lead profile—contacts, tasks, communication history, opportunities. For teams who hate toggling between separate contact and company records, this is refreshing.

Where Close Falls Short

The Price Jump is Brutal

Going from Essentials ($35/user) to Growth ($99/user) is nearly a 3x price increase. And that's where all the useful automation lives. The workflow builder, bulk email, AI features, and Power Dialer all require Growth tier or higher. Many teams will feel forced to upgrade faster than they'd like.

Limited Marketing Features

Close is laser-focused on sales engagement. If you need lead scoring, landing pages, marketing automation, or robust analytics for top-of-funnel activities, you'll need another tool. This isn't necessarily a con—it's just not what Close is built for. But don't expect HubSpot-style marketing capabilities here.

No Social Messaging Integration

Close doesn't connect with WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, or LinkedIn messages. If your sales process involves heavy social selling or messaging app outreach, you'll need to manage that separately.

Learning Curve and UX Complaints

Real users on G2 report that while Close is powerful, the interface can feel dated and there's a learning curve—especially with the workflow builder. Some users mention that the sequencing features feel basic compared to dedicated sales engagement tools.

Phone Support is Limited

Some users complain about support being email-only without phone options. Billing transparency has also been flagged—invoices aren't always itemized, particularly around calling and SMS usage charges.

Who Should Use Close CRM?

Close is ideal for:

Close probably isn't right for:

Close vs. The Competition

How does Close stack up against alternatives? Here's the quick comparison:

Close vs. HubSpot: HubSpot offers a free tier and more marketing tools, but built-in calling requires paid add-ons. Close is better for pure outbound; HubSpot is better if you need marketing + sales in one platform.

Close vs. Pipedrive: Pipedrive has cleaner visual pipelines and more advanced marketing tools with email analytics and segmentation. Close has stronger built-in calling and SMS. Choose Pipedrive for visual pipeline management, Close for phone-heavy teams.

Close vs. Monday CRM: Monday offers more project management flexibility and works well for teams beyond just sales. Close has better built-in communication features for dedicated sales teams.

For more CRM comparisons, see our guides on the best CRM software and CRM for small business.

Real User Feedback Summary

Across G2, Capterra, and TrustRadius, Close consistently scores high for ease of use (9.2-9.3) and support quality (9.3). Users praise the unified communication features and intuitive lead management that's "ready to jump into right out of the box."

Common complaints include: limited customization options, occasional lag, dated UX in some areas, and the steep price jump to access automation. Some users note phone quality issues, though that's often related to internet connection rather than Close itself.

G2 currently lists Close among their top-rated CRM systems alongside Salesforce, HubSpot, and Pipedrive.

The Verdict: Should You Use Close CRM?

Close CRM delivers on its core promise: a sales-focused CRM with built-in calling, SMS, and email that actually reduces tool-switching for outbound teams. If your sales process involves heavy phone and email outreach, the unified inbox and native calling features are genuinely useful.

But be realistic about pricing. You'll likely need the Growth tier ($99/user/month) to get real value from automation features. For solopreneurs or very small teams on a budget, the Solo and Essentials plans work, but you're missing the features that make Close stand out.

The 14-day free trial is your best move. Test the calling features, build a workflow or two, and see if the interface clicks for your team. Just know that some features are gated behind higher tiers, so test what you'd actually pay for.

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Close CRM FAQ

Does Close CRM offer a free plan?

No, Close doesn't have a permanent free tier. They offer a 14-day free trial with full feature access—no credit card required.

Is Close CRM good for small businesses?

Yes, if your small business does outbound sales. The built-in calling and unified inbox are designed for SMBs that want to avoid juggling multiple tools. Just budget for the Growth tier if you need automation.

What integrations does Close support?

Close integrates with Zapier, Slack, Zoom, Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, DocuSign, Calendly, HubSpot Marketing Hub, ActiveCampaign, and more. They also have an open API for custom integrations.

Can I make calls directly from Close?

Yes—this is Close's standout feature. All plans include built-in calling with automatic logging. Higher tiers add Power Dialer, predictive dialing, and call coaching features.

How does Close compare to Salesforce?

Close is simpler and cheaper than Salesforce, designed for SMBs rather than enterprises. Salesforce offers deeper customization and scalability but has a much steeper learning curve and higher cost. For small sales teams, Close is usually the better fit.