Close is a strong crm tool, but it is not the only option. Free alternatives include Attio, Capsule CRM, Freshsales. We compared 17 crm tools to help you find the right fit by use case, price, and technical requirements.
Independently verified metrics. Sources: Vendor documentation, independent research. Verified 2026.
| Tool | Time to Deploydays | Free Contacts | Integrations+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Close (this) | 2 | 0 | 100 |
| Attio | 1 | -1 | 30 |
| Folk | 2 | 100 | 50 |
| Freshsales | 2 | - | 200 |
Alternatives are not always the right move. Close remains strong in these scenarios.
17 CRM alternatives evaluated. Most teams switching from Close cite pricing, feature gaps, or scalability as the main reasons.
Expert Take
The Power Dialer is the real differentiator: Built-in Calling and Email Sequences mean your reps never leave the CRM to do outreach. Worth every dollar if your team lives on the phone.
·Expert analysis by Oleh Kem, Founder & Editor
Simple pipelines and affordable pricing for SMBs
Advanced automation, custom objects, and enterprise security
CRM with native email sequences and outreach automation
LFlat $15/user pricing with no feature tiers: Calendar and Email Logging just work with zero configuration rabbit holes. Rated higher than Close (4.9 vs 4.7/5); $34/mo cheaper.
Custom Objects let you model almost any business relationship beyond standard deals: Relationship Intelligence then surfaces patterns across those records. Rated higher than Close (4.8 vs 4.7/5); $20/mo cheaper.
MThe Automations are flexible if your team already lives in monday. Rated slightly lower than Close (4.6 vs 4.7/5); $37/mo cheaper. Trade-off: one way monday.com can be improved is by enhancing the notification system, which is not trustworthy for me, as some notifications.
The Chrome Extension plus Enrichment pipeline makes building a prospect list and launching Email Sequences faster than any tool I've tested. $25/mo cheaper.
CTask Management and Calendar keep follow-ups visible without burying reps in complexity. $28/mo cheaper.
FThe Built-in Phone removes the need for a separate dialer: AI Lead Scoring then surfaces who to call first. Rated slightly lower than Close (4.5 vs 4.7/5); $38/mo cheaper. Trade-off: the licensing costs should be based on the amount of data and number of clients that one can insert into the application..
Runs entirely inside Gmail: Pipeline Management and Mail Merge happen without opening another tab. Rated slightly lower than Close (4.5 vs 4.7/5); $34/mo cheaper.
The free tier is genuinely useful: Deal Pipeline and Forms work without a credit card. Rated slightly lower than Close (4.4 vs 4.7/5); $29/mo cheaper. Trade-off: there are areas that could be improved in terms of custom reporting..
If your team runs entirely on Gmail, the Google Workspace Integration auto-logs emails and creates contacts without manual entry. Rated slightly lower than Close (4.5 vs 4.7/5); $37/mo cheaper.
SWorth it for enterprises that need Sales Forecasting tied directly to Opportunity Management at scale. Rated slightly lower than Close (4.4 vs 4.7/5); $24/mo cheaper. Trade-off: i wish that when I bring up a report or enter my opportunities, I could easily edit some fields..
The Visual Pipeline is the best-designed sales board I've used: drag-and-drop Deal Management clicks instantly for reps. Rated slightly lower than Close (4.3 vs 4.7/5); $47.83/mo cheaper. Trade-off: there is room for improvement..
Built-in Email Marketing means you're not paying for a separate tool from day one. Rated slightly lower than Close (4.3 vs 4.7/5); $30/mo cheaper.
ZWorth it if you're already on Zendesk Support: Pipeline Management syncs with tickets so reps never context-switch. Rated slightly lower than Close (4.2 vs 4.7/5). Trade-off: the ability to communicate on the Zendesk ticket through the actual user software, so TOPs, would have been helpful..
The AI Assistant Zia sounds impressive in demos but underdelivers on lower tiers. Rated slightly lower than Close (4.1 vs 4.7/5); $29/mo cheaper. Trade-off: one area of Zoho CRM that could be improved would be email support..
The Marketing Automation plus Appointments combo is genuinely powerful for service businesses that book calls. Rated slightly lower than Close (4.2 vs 4.7/5); $250/mo more expensive. Trade-off: fluent email campaign and shopping experience design..
Rare among CRMs: Project Management is baked in, so a closed deal hands off to delivery without switching tools. Rated slightly lower than Close (4.2 vs 4.7/5); $20/mo cheaper.
AI Predictions and Sales Forecasting are solid for mid-market at $19, but the 3. Rated slightly lower than Close (3.8 vs 4.7/5); $30/mo cheaper. Trade-off: the only challenge was that we implemented it in our on-premise data center instead of using it in the cloud..
LSwitch to Less Annoying CRM for better reporting or more flexible contact management
Switch to Attio for better reporting or more flexible contact management
Mmonday CRM works best for teams that want simpler setup with less configuration
Close compared against all 17 crm alternatives. Pricing, free plan availability, rating, and crm-specific capabilities.
| Tool | Price | Free Plan | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| $49/mo | No | ★4.7G2 | |
| $15/mo | No | ★4.9G2 | |
| $29/mo | ★4.8G2 | ||
| $12/mo | No | ★4.6G2 | |
| $24/mo | No | ★4.7G2 | |
| $21/mo | ★4.7G2 | ||
| $11/mo | ★4.5G2 | ||
| $15/mo | ★4.5G2 | ||
| $20/mo | ★4.4G2 | ||
| $12/mo | No | ★4.5G2 | |
| $25/mo | No | ★4.4G2 | |
| $1.17/mo | No | ★4.3G2 | |
| $19/mo | No | ★4.3G2 | |
| Custom | No | ★4.2G2 | |
| $20/mo | ★4.1G2 | ||
| $299/mo | No | ★4.2G2 | |
| $29/mo | ★4.2G2 | ||
| $19/mo | No | ★3.8G2 |
Explore the Close ecosystem - pricing, comparisons, and category rankings.