The 5 best Close alternatives
Short answer
The best Close alternatives are HubSpot, Pipedrive, ActiveCampaign. HubSpot is our top pick — it scores 8.8/10 and is best for Agencies managing multiple client relationships. The right choice depends on your budget, team size, and which features matter most.
Why look for a Close alternative?
Close scores 8.5/10 in our review and works well for many teams — but it is not the right fit for everyone. The most common reasons readers look elsewhere:
- ✗No free plan or free trial (demo available)
- ✗Overkill for businesses not doing active outbound sales
- ✗Less marketing automation than HubSpot or ActiveCampaign
Close alternatives, ranked
HubSpot
Top pickCRM, marketing, sales, and service platform
HubSpot is the leading inbound marketing and CRM platform. The free CRM is genuinely excellent and used by thousands of agencies. Paid hubs (Marketing, Sales, Service) are expensive but deeply integrated. The affiliate program pays 30% recurring for up to a year — one of the best in SaaS.
Strengths
- ✓Free CRM is genuinely excellent
- ✓All-in-one if you buy hubs
- ✓Best integrations ecosystem in business software
Best for
- →Agencies managing multiple client relationships
- →Teams with dedicated sales/marketing
Pipedrive
The CRM built for salespeople
Pipedrive is a sales-focused CRM with a clean pipeline view. Much easier to use than HubSpot or Salesforce, and priced fairly. Popular with small agencies and consultancies managing a sales pipeline.
Strengths
- ✓Most intuitive pipeline CRM available
- ✓Fast to set up
- ✓Good value vs HubSpot
Best for
- →Sales-led agencies and consultants
- →Teams wanting a simple, clean CRM
ActiveCampaign
Marketing automation and CRM for growing businesses
ActiveCampaign is the most powerful email marketing automation platform in its price range. Deep segmentation, conditional logic, site tracking, and a full CRM. The go-to for agencies running marketing campaigns for clients and for businesses with complex customer journeys.
Strengths
- ✓Best-in-class email automation at mid-market price
- ✓Powerful conditional logic and segmentation
- ✓Built-in CRM with pipeline
Best for
- →Agencies running email marketing for clients
- →Businesses with complex customer journeys
Zoho CRM
Full-featured CRM at a price that doesn't punish growth
Zoho CRM is part of the broader Zoho ecosystem — a suite of 55+ business applications covering accounting, HR, project management, and more. The CRM itself covers leads, contacts, deals, workflows, email integration, telephony, and AI-powered sales predictions. The free plan supports up to 3 users with core CRM features, making it one of the few enterprise-grade CRMs with a meaningful free tier. Deep value for businesses already in or willing to adopt the Zoho ecosystem.
Strengths
- ✓Free plan supports 3 users — rare among full-featured CRMs
- ✓Zia AI for sales predictions and anomaly detection
- ✓Deep integration with the broader Zoho suite (Books, Desk, Projects)
Best for
- →Cost-conscious small businesses wanting enterprise CRM features without enterprise pricing
- →Teams already using Zoho Books, Zoho Desk, or other Zoho tools
Streak
CRM that lives inside Gmail — no new tool to learn
Streak is a CRM built entirely within Gmail, turning your inbox into a pipeline. Email threads become deal records; pipelines live in Gmail's sidebar. Streak is ideal for teams who already live in Gmail and resist adopting an external CRM — the onboarding is zero friction because there's nothing new to log into. The free plan covers personal CRM use. Paid plans add team pipelines, shared contacts, reporting, and data enrichment. Popular with recruiters, sales teams, and business development professionals.
Strengths
- ✓Zero context switching — CRM lives in your existing Gmail inbox
- ✓No data entry overhead — emails automatically populate deal records
- ✓Free plan covers individual sales tracking
Best for
- →Solo consultants and freelancers who want CRM without leaving Gmail
- →Small Google Workspace teams resistant to adopting an external CRM tool
Close vs. the alternatives
Close alternatives — FAQ
What is the best Close alternative?
HubSpot is our top-rated Close alternative, scoring 8.8/10. It is best for Agencies managing multiple client relationships.
Is there a free Close alternative?
Yes — HubSpot, Zoho CRM, Streak offer a free plan you can use to evaluate the tool before paying.