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Top 10 Reasons to Choose Close Over Other CRMs
Our Top Picks
Ranked on the criteria below, with ratings, standout features and current pricing.
Close
Close
Outbound and calling-first sales teams
- Native calling, email and SMS in one lead timeline
- Power and Predictive Dialers for high-volume outbound
- Calls, emails and texts log themselves on the lead
ShowHide editorial summary
Close is a sales CRM with calling, email and SMS built in, plus workflows, call transcripts and summaries, and an AI assistant, starting at $19 per user per month.
Pros
- Native calling, email and SMS in one lead timeline
- Power and Predictive Dialers for high-volume outbound
- Calls, emails and texts log themselves on the lead
- Built-in importer for HubSpot, Pipedrive, Salesforce and 25+ CRMs
Cons
- Workflows and Power Dialer require the Growth plan or above
- AI credits are capped per plan and pooled across the team
- Voice Agent currently covers English and US and Canada numbers
Full Analysis & Buying Guide
Most CRMs are built to serve marketing, support and sales at once, which is why many feel heavy for a team that simply needs to talk to more prospects and follow up consistently. Close takes the opposite approach: it is a CRM built for sales, with calling, email and SMS inside the product. Below are the ten reasons Close gives for choosing it over other CRMs, with our notes on who each one matters to.
Close at a Glance
Close is aimed at small and scaling teams that win customers through conversations. Close reports 2,000+ five-star reviews on G2, about two hours average support response during the workday, and 11,500+ businesses selling with it. Those are the companyโs own figures, so treat them as a starting point and run a trial before you commit.
Top 10 Reasons to Choose Close
1. Built for selling
Close is made for teams that sell by talking to people, not for running a marketing department or a stack of add-ons. If your revenue comes from conversations and steady follow-up, a CRM designed around that job removes a lot of clutter you would otherwise pay for and ignore.
2. Calling is built in
You can call any lead in one click. According to Close, the Power Dialer (Growth plan) and Predictive Dialer (Scale plan) work through call lists for you, so there is no separate dialer to buy and connect. For outbound teams, that is often the biggest line item a CRM absorbs.
3. Email syncs both ways
Connect Gmail or Outlook and every email lands on the right lead automatically. Templates and bulk email are ready to use, so reps can send one-to-one and one-to-many messages without leaving the lead record.
4. Texting lives there too
Send and receive SMS from the lead record. Calls, emails and texts sit in one timeline your whole team can see, which makes handoffs and coverage far easier than piecing together a conversation from three tools.
5. Follow up when you said you would
Workflows mix email, SMS and call steps into a single sequence and can enroll new leads automatically. Missed follow-up is the quiet reason most deals die, and sequences are the simplest fix for it.
6. Way less data entry
Calls, emails and texts log themselves on the lead. Turn on Call Assistant and recorded calls come with a transcript and summary. Less manual logging means cleaner records and more selling time.
7. Chloe, your personal assistant
Chloe is Closeโs AI assistant. Ask her about your pipeline, get a briefing before your meetings, and have her draft emails for you to review and send. You stay in control of what goes out.
8. Agents that make calls for you
A Voice Agent can call warm leads, such as new sign-ups or webinar attendees, and log the outcome on the lead. Close notes this currently covers English and US and Canada numbers, so check it fits your market before counting on it.
9. Your team will actually use it
Close reports that 9 out of 10 new users start calling, emailing, texting or booking meetings in Close during their first week. Adoption is the make-or-break factor for any CRM, and a tool built around daily rep activity tends to clear that bar.
10. Switching is easy
Bring your data over from HubSpot, Pipedrive, Salesforce and 25+ other CRMs with the built-in importer, usually at no cost. Migration worries keep many teams on tools they have outgrown, so a free importer lowers the barrier.
Who Close Fits Best
A good fit if you:
- Run an outbound or inbound sales team that lives on calls, email and texts
- Want calling and SMS included instead of bolted on
- Are moving off HubSpot, Pipedrive, Salesforce or a spreadsheet
Look elsewhere if you:
- Need a CRM that also runs marketing automation and a full campaign suite
- Rarely use the phone or SMS in your sales process
Plan limits matter too. Workflows and the Power Dialer sit on the Growth plan and above, and AI credits are capped per plan and pooled across the team, so match the tier to how you will really use it.
Current Offer
Close is running a limited promotion: choose annual billing and use code STACK20 for an extra 20% off your first year. Per Close, it applies to annual plans only, to new customers only, one code per customer, and it ends December 31, 2026. Confirm the terms at checkout.
How to Try It
- Start a trial. Sign up and connect Gmail or Outlook.
- Import your data. Use the built-in importer to bring contacts over from your current CRM.
- Build a first sequence. Combine email, SMS and call steps and enroll a small batch of leads.
Read our full Close profile ยท Visit Close
The Bottom Line
If your team sells through conversations, Closeโs built-in calling, email, texting and automatic logging make a strong case, and the free importer makes trying it low risk. If you need a broad marketing suite, a different CRM may suit you better. Features, plans and prices change often, so confirm current details on Closeโs site. ExpertPicked may earn a commission from links on this page; this never changes our ratings.
How We Evaluate & Rank
Our rankings are editorially independent. Recommendations are based on transparent, disclosed criteria โ never on who pays the most. We weigh real-world trade-offs and update our research as the market changes.
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Real-world fit
The best pick for one reader is rarely the best for another. We weigh how each option performs for different budgets, situations and needs.
Transparency and terms
What a provider discloses up front, how clear its terms are, and whether the trade-offs are stated plainly or buried.
Service and support
Speed, responsiveness and the quality of help when something goes wrong โ the difference a comparison chart rarely captures.
Track record
Reputation, longevity and verifiable customer experience, checked against independent sources rather than the marketing.
Overall value
How the total package stacks up at the tier you would realistically choose โ not the cheapest one advertised.
ExpertPicked may earn a commission when you buy through our links, which never affects how providers are ranked. Details change frequently โ always confirm current pricing and terms on the providerโs own site before you buy.
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Reviewed by
James OkaforSenior Technology Reviewer
James Okafor is a technology journalist and former CNET contributor with 9 years of experience reviewing consumer tech, cybersecurity software, and digital privacy tools. He has a computer science degree from MIT and has reviewed over 400 tech products. James runs his own home lab for testing VPNs, security software, and smart home devices under real-world conditions.
Editorial independence & disclosure. ExpertPicked is reader-supported and may earn a commission on purchases made through our links. This never affects our rankings or recommendations, which are based solely on the disclosed criteria above. Read our full editorial policy.