Close vs. Freshworks: a data-backed comparison

Explore Close and Freshworks’ features, pricing, adoption trends, and ideal use cases to help you determine which CRM and sales tool best fits your team.

Close vs. Freshworks at a glance

Close focuses on SMB and startup sales teams with built-in calling, email sequences, and simple CRM workflows. It integrates quickly, supports fast outreach automation, and appeals to teams wanting lightweight setup and activity tracking.

Freshworks offers a unified suite combining CRM, marketing, and service tools. It supports multi-channel customer touchpoints, deeper enterprise integrations, and AI-assisted workflows, making it a strong fit for growing companies needing scalable, full-stack customer engagement.

Metrics

Close

Freshworks

Relative cost

7% lower cost than category average

60% lower cost than category average

Adoption trend

10% QoQ adoption growth

11% QoQ adoption growth

Primary user segment

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Best for

Micro businesses that need streamlined sales CRM and calling functionality without the complexity of enterprise-level systems.

Mid-market and enterprise businesses that need comprehensive customer experience and business software suites without the complexity of custom enterprise solutions.

Close overview

Close is a sales-focused CRM and outreach platform built for SMB and mid-market teams. Its core offering includes voice, SMS, email sequences, activity tracking, and pipeline management. Best for business development reps and small sales teams aiming to improve efficiency and velocity without complex configurations.

Close key features

Features

Description

Built-in Calling and SMS

Integrated phone and text communication with automated logging and messaging.

Email Automation

Personalized email sequences with tracking and analytics for lead nurturing.

Visual Sales Pipeline

Drag-and-drop deal management to monitor sales stages and progress.

Activity Tracking and Reporting

Comprehensive logging of communications and sales activities with performance insights.

AI-Powered Insights

Machine learning-driven recommendations to prioritize leads and forecast deals.

Integrations and API

Connectivity with popular apps and custom workflows via API support.

Freshworks overview

Freshworks provides a comprehensive suite including CRM, marketing automation, helpdesk, and analytics. Its core offering covers multi-channel customer engagement via email, chat, phone, and AI tools. Best for mid-market to enterprise teams needing integrated sales, service, and marketing solutions within one platform.

Freshworks key features

Features

Description

Contact and Deal Management

Centralizes customer data and tracks sales pipelines visually for better deal management.

Email Automation and Sequences

Automates personalized outreach with scheduling and analytics.

AI-Powered Lead Scoring

Prioritizes leads based on behavior and engagement signals.

Multi-Channel Communication

Manages email, phone, chat, and social messages within a single workspace.

Analytics and Reporting

Provides dashboards and reports on sales activity and performance metrics.

Integration and API

Connects to external business apps and supports custom workflow automation.

Pros and cons

Tool

Pros

Cons

Close

  • Built-in calling and SMS with logging and automation.
  • Visual sales pipeline for deal tracking.
  • Automated personalized email sequences.
  • AI-powered lead prioritization and next step suggestions.
  • Activity tracking and detailed reporting.
  • Limited marketing automation features.
  • Lacks customer support and service modules.
  • May not scale well for enterprise-level customization.
  • Pricing can be high for small teams with multiple users.

Freshworks

  • Intuitive interface with minimal learning curve.
  • AI-powered lead scoring and sales automation.
  • Supports multiple communication channels in one platform.
  • Detailed analytics for pipeline and performance tracking.
  • Limited deep customization for complex workflows.
  • Some advanced features locked behind higher-tier plans.
  • May lack specialized industry modules for niche markets.
  • Reporting can be basic compared to specialized BI tools.

Use case scenarios

Close excels for outbound-focused sales teams wanting streamlined calling and emailing, while Freshworks delivers a broader, integrated platform for multi-channel customer engagement and enterprise-scale workflows.

When Close is the better choice

  • Your team needs built-in calling and emailing for faster outreach workflows.
  • Your team needs CRM tools built specifically for outbound sales teams.
  • Your team needs a lightweight setup without complex enterprise configuration.
  • Your team needs to track rep activity with minimal manual input.
  • Your team needs built-in sales automation without third-party dependencies.

When Freshworks is the better choice

  • Your team needs multi-channel support across email, chat, and phone.
  • Your team needs integrated CRM, marketing, and helpdesk in one suite.
  • Your team needs AI tools for lead scoring and routing.
  • Your team needs broader use beyond sales, including customer service teams.
  • Your team needs deep integrations with other tools in your stack.

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