Close Reviews

A small SaaS sales team is frantically juggling an email inbox, a phone dialer app, and a clunky CRM spreadsheet. Leads are slipping through the cracks. Follow-ups are late. The sales manager, frustrated by slow tools and lost opportunities, asks: “Why can’t we have one system that just helps us sell instead of slowing us down?”

That’s exactly the pain point Close CRM set out to solve. Close is a CRM built by and for salespeople – a no-nonsense platform that brings all your sales communications and workflow into one place.

In this review, I’ll explore how Close tackles the “speed vs. complexity” problem that plagues many CRMs, and whether it truly empowers small business owners and SaaS teams to close deals faster.

What is Close CRM?

Close (formerly Close.io) is an all-in-one customer relationship management platform specifically built for growing sales teams. Unlike general-purpose CRMs, Close’s DNA is 100% sales-centric.

It was designed to help small and medium businesses streamline their sales process by integrating core CRM functions with built-in communication tools.

You can make calls, send emails or texts, manage your pipeline, and automate follow-ups all in one system. Close handles everything you need to sell in one app, eliminating the need for separate tools.

Who can use Close?

Close is ideal for inside sales teams and SaaS startups that primarily sell through phone and email. It offers a single workspace for SDRs and account executives to manage all conversations. 

It’s a “No BS CRM” focused on speed and clarity over unnecessary features.

That said, Close isn’t trying to be everything for everyone. The company openly admits it’s not the perfect match for every business.

Close may not be ideal for organizations needing advanced marketing automation features such as drip campaigns or landing page builders. It focuses on call and email interactions, lacking a web form builder and complex tools. Large enterprises may find Close too limited for extensive customization or complex workflows.

Key features and how they help you sell

Close comes loaded with features, but here’s the difference: every feature is geared toward helping you sell more efficiently, not just adding bells and whistles.

Let’s break down the key functionalities and why they matter in day-to-day use:

Close has a phone dialer baked right into the CRM, including power dialing capabilities. You can call prospects from your browser (and even get a local or toll-free number through Close) – no need for an external phone system.

All calls are logged and (if enabled) recorded in the contact’s timeline. This is great for inside sales reps, allowing quick dialing, voicemail drops, and moving to the next call in seconds.

Close offers a Predictive Dialer on higher plans that connects reps only when a human answers, improving efficiency. Its two-way SMS feature enables quick follow-ups, such as “Just left you a voicemail,” keeping all communication centralized for easy access.

Emailing through Close combines a polished email client with CRM functionality. You can sync Gmail or Outlook to send emails from your address, or Close directly. All email interactions with leads, including replies, are automatically logged, creating a complete history of calls, emails, texts, and notes in one timeline without manual copying.

Close offers templates with dynamic fields, open/click tracking, and bulk email sends for outreach. Sales teams can create shareable template libraries for consistent messaging in cold emails and follow-ups.

Close combines your inbox and CRM, ensuring you never forget to follow up with leads. It features an “undo send” option and a one-click email snooze button, perfect for fixing typos or delaying responses.

Close provides a visual pipeline to manage deals (Opportunities) with customizable stages and drag-and-drop features. You can assign expected values and close dates for accurate forecasts.

While it may lack some flair compared to competitors, it effectively meets essential needs, giving a clear view of deal status, value, and key information.

Close excels in linking pipelines to communication, with all calls and emails logged for easy filtering by follow-up needs or last contact date. However, the number of pipelines depends on your plan: Essential offers 1, Growth provides multiples, and Scale allows up to 10. For most SMBs, one or a few pipelines are usually sufficient.

Smart Views in Close are automated, saved filtered lists of leads or contacts that power users love. They allow for detailed filtering, such as “Leads in California AND status is ‘Proposal sent’ AND last email opened’ or “Leads from our website last 7 days AND not yet contacted.”

If that sounds complex, don’t worry: the UI for building filters is user-friendly, and they even added validation checks so you don’t create broken queries.

Why does this matter?  Smart Views let each rep have tailored call lists or follow-up lists that update in real time. 

Close includes a robust Workflow automation engine to reduce manual tasks. You can create automated workflows in Close that trigger based on actions or time. These can assign leads to reps, send templated emails or SMS, update fields, create follow-up tasks, and change lead statuses automatically, like marking a lead as “Qualified” when they book a call. One click, no manual dialing.

Automation reduces CRM admin work for your team. Be aware that lower-tier plans limit active workflows: Essentials has few or none, Growth includes some, and Scale offers more. For robust automation, consider the Growth plan.

Close offers straightforward reporting to track team performance and spot bottlenecks. Built-in reports cover activities (calls, emails per rep), pipeline changes, and sales leaderboards, with options to compare periods or see how leads move through the funnel.

Data can be exported for deeper analysis. While customization is lighter than in enterprise CRMs, it’s more than enough for most SMBs. The clean, fast dashboard gives users an instant view of their tasks and pipeline, with reports loading quickly and without lag.

Close connects with 100+ native and no-code tools, including Zapier, Calendly, Zoom, Slack, Gong.io, Clearbit, Google Workspace, Office 365, Mailchimp, Zendesk, and QuickBooks.

While its marketplace is smaller than HubSpot or Pipedrive, Zapier and a well-documented API cover most needs. Only niche apps without Zapier support (e.g., no native Microsoft Teams integration) may be a hurdle.

For most teams, Close integrates smoothly with existing email, calendar, support, billing, and data enrichment tools.

User Experience: UI, Onboarding, and Ease of Use

Close’s UI is modern, minimalistic, and built for speed. The dashboard is clean and intuitive, with simple navigation for leads, opportunities, inbox, and tasks. Onboarding is quick; you can import data, connect email and phone, and start working on day one with guided tours and tooltips.

Basic functions are easy to learn, while advanced tools like Smart Views and workflows may require some exploration. Performance is consistently fast, making it easy to log calls, update records, and switch views without lag.

Customization is limited compared to enterprise CRMs, and advanced role-based permissions are only available on higher plans. Still, Close’s focused design encourages daily use and quick adoption, making it well-suited for teams that value efficiency over endless customization.

What sets Close apart from other CRMs?

In such a crowded CRM market (there are hundreds out there), why even consider Close? What makes it different from the likes of HubSpot, Pipedrive, Salesforce, or Zoho? Based on my testing and research, a few standout benefits differentiate Close:

All-in-One Communication (No Add-Ons Required)

Many CRMs claim to be “all-in-one” but still rely on third-party tools for essential functions. Close truly delivers CRM + Phone + Email + SMS integrated into one platform.

Unlike HubSpot or Salesforce, which require separate calling tools or add-ons for auto-dialer features, Close includes these features in all plans. Close focuses solely on core sales tools, making it an ideal choice for those seeking a purpose-built sales cockpit.

Speed and Efficiency

Close is built for sales teams, offering 40% faster lead page loading, automated call notes, and one-click lead management to boost efficiency. Users often save hours weekly on admin tasks. Unlike traditional CRMs focused on managers, Close empowers sales reps, with one user humorously noting, “Close is for closers.”

Sales-Focused AI Capabilities

Close has embraced practical AI features in a way that many competitors have not (especially at the SMB level). Close’s AI tools (Notetaker, Summaries, Email Assistant, etc.) are aimed at eliminating grunt work – taking meeting notes, summarizing long email threads, enriching contact data – so salespeople stay focused on high-value tasks.

Close stands out by providing small teams with powerful AI tools, unlike competitors like HubSpot and Salesforce. Its AI Email Rewrite Assistant suggests improved email phrasing, while AI Lead Summaries deliver quick overviews of a lead’s history. 

Transparent, flexible pricing for growing teams

 While not “cheap” in an absolute sense, Close offers straightforward pricing that scales with you, and notably includes free support and even data migration for all customers.

Close differentiates itself among CRM vendors with transparent pricing across its plans (Solo, Essentials, Growth, Scale). They offer clear per-seat prices without mandatory annual contracts, with discounts for annual payments. Unlike competitors, Close includes essential features like email and phone functionality in the base price, eliminating extra fees. 

Fast Customer Support & Resource

I mention this because when you’re a small business without a dedicated IT staff, having reliable support from your software provider matters.

Close has built strong customer loyalty through excellent support, including quick email/chat assistance and weekly webinars for live Q&A.  Close also offers free CRM coaching for new customers, unlike competitors such as Salesforce, where support often incurs extra costs. This high-touch assistance establishes Close as a partner for growing teams.

To be fair, other CRMs share some of these qualities – for example, Pipedrive also focuses on simplicity and sales pipeline; HubSpot offers an all-in-one approach (but skewed more to marketing+sales); Zendesk Sell (formerly Base CRM) had a similar inside-sales focus.

But where Close stands out is the combination of all these benefits in one package. Close focuses on being a sales communication platform without the clutter of marketing tools or overly complex features. It combines powerful dialing, automation, and AI, making it a top choice for tech startups and high-growth sales teams.

Close competitors (briefly)

It’s worth touching on how Close compares to a couple of the top competitors that buyers often evaluate:

Close vs. HubSpot CRM

HubSpot has a free CRM and some really cool marketing tools, which Close doesn’t have. But watch out, HubSpot can get pretty complicated and pricey if you start upgrading for more sales features.

If your priority is a complex marketing+sales platform and you have the budget, HubSpot might be more suitable. But for a sales-focused team that doesn’t need heavy marketing automation, Close delivers a more streamlined experience.

Close offers native calling and SMS, while HubSpot limits call minutes unless you pay extra. HubSpot has broader features like blogging and social media scheduling, which may be unnecessary for sales teams.

In short, HubSpot is a versatile tool but can feel overwhelming, while Close is a focused solution for sales calls and follow-ups. 

Close vs. Pipedrive

Pipedrive is a popular CRM for SMBs, noted for its user-friendly interface and visual pipeline. It offers extensive pipeline customization and many integrations at a lower price point. However, it lacks built-in calling and automation features that Close provides, often requiring add-ons for these functionalities.

While Pipedrive’s lower-tier plans are limited, its $15/month option is appealing for small teams or solo users. In contrast, Close’s higher cost might be justified if you need robust calling or multi-channel outreach.

Pipedrive also offers a “Campaigns” add-on for email marketing, whereas Close focuses on core sales and requires external tools for marketing. Your choice depends on your specific needs.

Close vs. Salesforce

This is like comparing a speedboat (Close) to a cruise ship (Salesforce). Salesforce is extremely powerful and customizable – it can do anything, but it requires significant time and money to set up and maintain.

Close is the opposite: out-of-the-box, ready to go, but not infinitely extensible. If you’re a startup or SMB, Salesforce is usually overkill (and users often hate the complexity). Close shines by being much simpler and faster to adopt (teams often mention they chose Close because they couldn’t manage Salesforce).

For large enterprises with multiple product lines and advanced customization needs, Salesforce or Microsoft Dynamics may be preferred.

Close is not targeting organizations that require complex features like proposal generators, inventory, or built-in marketing tools, as those are more suited for an enterprise CRM rather than a small team’s sales CRM.

Close offers a balanced option for sales teams, standing out among its competitors. Close strikes a perfect balance: more powerful than Pipedrive, simpler and cheaper than Salesforce, and more sales-focused than HubSpot.

A 14-day free trial lets you test if it suits your needs before committing.

AI-Powered features & Automations in Close

No modern software review would be complete without discussing AI, and Close has entered the AI arena, but in a very practical, sales-centric way.

Rather than flashy gimmicks, Close’s AI features aim to eliminate mundane tasks and give reps insights faster. Here are the key AI and automation capabilities in Close CRM:

Close’s AI Notetaker automatically joins Zoom, Teams, or Google Meet calls to transcribe and summarize discussions. Key points and action items are saved to the lead record, making them searchable and accessible to the whole team.

 Similar to Gong or Chorus.ai but built into Close, it’s currently a beta add-on with seamless integrations and the ability to pause or resume recordings from within the CRM.

Close can instantly condense a lead’s full history—calls, emails, and notes—into a brief highlighting last interactions, key pain points, and commitments. This saves time, speeds onboarding for new reps, and ensures quick context without sifting through dozens of entries.

Available from the Growth plan, this assistant can rewrite drafts for clarity, adjust tone, and summarize long threads. It streamlines routine follow-ups and keeps messaging sharp without replacing personalization.

This feature automatically pulls public data, like LinkedIn URLs, company size, and industry, into lead records. You can even create custom prompts to find specific insights. It reduces manual research, keeping CRM data richer with minimal effort.

Close’s automation engine lets you build multi-step workflows triggered by events (e.g., new lead added, status change). Workflows can branch based on conditions and stop when goals are met, ensuring consistent follow-up and task reminders. AI Enrich steps can be integrated directly into workflows for advanced automation.

Close is clearly investing in AI to remove friction for salespeople. It’s not AI for AI’s sake; each feature is tied to a common pain: writing emails, updating CRM records, remembering call details, etc. If you buy into the Close platform, you can expect more of these “do-it-for-me” improvements over time

Limitations & areas for improvement

Close focuses on sales, so it lacks built-in marketing automation, customer support, inventory, or billing features — these require integrations. Customization is also limited, especially on lower tiers, with constraints on custom fields, activity types, and role-based permissions.

Pricing can be high for larger teams, with no free-forever plan (only a 14-day trial) and advanced features locked to higher plans. Integration coverage is solid but smaller than giants like HubSpot or Salesforce, and some gaps exist (e.g., no native Microsoft Teams).

Minor drawbacks include occasional bugs, a basic mobile app, SMS limited to a few countries with per-message fees, and pipeline limits tied to plan tiers. These trade-offs reflect Close’s focus: depth in sales engagement rather than breadth across business functions.

If your needs align with its strengths, these limitations are unlikely to be deal-breakers. But if you require extensive customization, integrated marketing, or very large-scale operations, you may need higher-tier plans or complementary tools.

Final verdict: should you buy Close CRM?

So, after digging into all the details, who is Close ultimately best for, and who might be better off with something else?

Close is best for sales-focused teams or entrepreneurs who want to engage leads actively and streamline workflows. It’s ideal for small businesses, startups, and growing SaaS companies frustrated with slow, bloated CRMs or juggling multiple separate tools.

Teams that rely heavily on outbound calls or high-touch inbound follow-ups will benefit from Close’s integrated calling, email sequences, automation, and ease of use.

With modern AI features at SMB-friendly pricing, it’s a smart fit for 1–100 users, especially in tech, consulting, real estate, recruiting, agencies, or education sales.

In sum, Close CRM is for closers – teams and individuals who see the value in a purpose-built system to accelerate sales, and who are willing to trade a bit of budget for a lot more efficiency. If that’s you, Close could quickly become the sales secret weapon you wonder how you lived without. If not, you might find yourself fighting against its opinionated design or paying for features you don’t use.

Given all the above, I’d wholeheartedly recommend Close to small and scaling sales teams that want a modern, integrated approach.