What is the difference between HubSpot CRM and Close?

HubSpot CRM is best for Small to mid-size businesses that want CRM + marketing in one platform, while Close is best for Inside sales teams wanting built-in calling and email. HubSpot CRM starts at Free and Close starts at $49/user/mo.

Is HubSpot CRM or Close cheaper?

HubSpot CRM starts at Free and is free. Close starts at $49/user/mo.

Is there a free alternative to Close?

Yes, HubSpot CRM offers a free tier.

HubSpot CRM vs Close

HubSpot CRM is Free CRM with marketing, sales, and service tools built in, while Close is CRM built for inside sales with built-in calling, email sequences, and pipeline management. The biggest difference up front: HubSpot CRM is free, while Close starts at $49/user/mo. HubSpot CRM is built for small to mid-size businesses that want crm + marketing in one platform, whereas Close targets inside sales teams wanting built-in calling and email.

At a glance

	HubSpot CRM	Close
Best for	Small to mid-size businesses that want CRM + marketing in one platform	Inside sales teams wanting built-in calling and email
Starting price	Free	$49/user/mo
Free tier	✓	—
Open source	—	—
Free tier available	✓	—
Open source	—	—
Automations	✓	—
Built-in Calling	—	✓
Contact Management	✓	—
Deal Pipelines	✓	—
Email Sequences	—	✓
Email Tracking	✓	—
Marketing Hub	✓	—
Pipeline	—	✓
Power Dialer	—	✓

HubSpot CRM

Strengths

Generous free tier with real functionality
All-in-one: CRM, marketing, sales, service
Easy to set up and use
Excellent content and educational resources

Weaknesses

Paid tiers are very expensive
Can lock you into the HubSpot ecosystem
Advanced features require premium plans
Reporting limitations on free/starter plans

Try HubSpot CRM → Full review

Close

Strengths

Includes Built-in Calling as a core feature, purpose-built for crm workflows
Includes Email Sequences as a core feature, purpose-built for crm workflows
Pricing starts at $49/user/mo, which includes the full crm feature set
Established product with 13+ years on the market and a mature ecosystem

Weaknesses

Starts at $49/user/mo — on the expensive side, especially for small teams or solo users
Fewer built-in features means you may need additional tools to cover gaps
Data entry overhead can slow down reps who just want to sell
Limited team/admin features if your organization eventually scales up

Try Close → Full review

The bottom line

Pricing: HubSpot CRM is completely free, which makes it the obvious pick if budget is the top concern. Close starts at $49/user/mo. That cost buys you a more polished or feature-rich experience, so it comes down to whether the extras justify the spend.

Feature gaps: HubSpot CRM offers Automations, Contact Management and Deal Pipelines that Close lacks. Close brings Built-in Calling, Email Sequences and Pipeline that HubSpot CRM does not have.

Team fit: HubSpot CRM is geared toward mid-size teams teams, while Close is aimed at small teams teams. Pick the one that matches where your team is today and where it is headed — migrating tools later is always painful.

Where each tool shines: HubSpot CRM's biggest strengths are: generous free tier with real functionality. all-in-one: crm, marketing, sales, service. Close's biggest strengths are: includes built-in calling as a core feature, purpose-built for crm workflows. includes email sequences as a core feature, purpose-built for crm workflows.

Watch out for: With HubSpot CRM, users commonly note that paid tiers are very expensive. With Close, the main complaint is that starts at $49/user/mo — on the expensive side, especially for small teams or solo users.

Choose HubSpot CRM if...

You need a tool built for small to mid-size businesses that want crm + marketing in one platform
Budget is a hard constraint — HubSpot CRM is free, Close is not
You specifically need Automations and Contact Management
You care about all-in-one: crm, marketing, sales, service
Your team size fits the mid-size teams profile HubSpot CRM is designed for

Choose Close if...

You need a tool built for inside sales teams wanting built-in calling and email
You specifically need Built-in Calling and Email Sequences
You care about includes email sequences as a core feature, purpose-built for crm workflows
Your team size fits the small teams profile Close is designed for