HubSpot vs. Close: A data-backed comparison

Explore HubSpot and Close’s features, pricing, adoption trends, and ideal use cases to help you determine which CRM platform best fits your team’s sales and customer management needs.

HubSpot vs. Close at a glance

HubSpot offers a comprehensive inbound marketing and sales CRM platform with integrated marketing automation, content management, and customer service tools, designed for teams focused on lead nurturing and growth. Close specializes in inside sales with built-in calling, SMS, and email automation aimed at maximizing outbound sales efficiency and pipeline management.

HubSpot excels at marketing-sales alignment, while Close is focused on streamlined outbound communication and sales activity tracking.

HubSpot overview

HubSpot provides an all-in-one CRM platform combining marketing automation, sales pipeline management, and customer service tools. It is ideal for teams seeking to unify marketing and sales workflows, with a strong emphasis on inbound lead generation and customer lifecycle management.

HubSpot key features

Features

Description

CRM and Contact Management

Centralizes customer information and tracks sales and marketing interactions for better pipeline visibility.

Marketing Automation

Enables automated workflows and email campaigns for efficient lead nurturing.

Sales Enablement

Supports email tracking, pipeline management, and meeting scheduling to accelerate sales cycles.

Customer Service Tools

Manages tickets, live chat, and knowledge base to improve support quality.

Analytics and Reporting

Provides real-time dashboards and reports to optimize marketing and sales efforts.

Integrations and App Marketplace

Offers hundreds of integrations to customize the platform for specific business needs.

Close overview

Close is a CRM tailored for inside sales teams that need efficient communication tools like built-in calling, SMS, and email sequences. It prioritizes simplicity and speed, helping sales reps focus on outreach and pipeline progression with minimal setup.

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.

Pros and cons

Tool

Pros

Cons

HubSpot

  • Unified marketing, sales, and service platform.
  • Intuitive user interface with minimal learning curve.
  • Strong automation and lead nurturing features.
  • Extensive integrations and marketplace apps.
  • Detailed reporting and analytics.
  • Higher tiers can be costly for growing businesses.
  • Limited customization compared to enterprise CRM platforms.
  • Some advanced features require expensive add-ons.
  • May be overwhelming for teams needing only basic CRM.
  • Sales forecasting tools less sophisticated than some competitors.

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.

Which tool is better?

HubSpot is best suited for teams that require a unified platform for inbound marketing, lead nurturing, and sales pipeline management. Close is more appropriate for inside sales teams prioritizing outbound calling, quick outreach, and sales activity tracking.

When HubSpot is the better choice

  • Your team needs an integrated platform combining marketing automation and CRM.
  • Your team needs to focus on inbound lead generation and customer lifecycle management.
  • Your team needs detailed analytics linking marketing campaigns to sales results.
  • Your team needs extensive support for marketing, sales, and customer service alignment.

When Close is the better choice

  • Your team needs to prioritize outbound sales calls and email sequences.
  • Your team needs built-in communication tools for faster sales outreach.
  • Your team needs pipeline visibility and activity tracking without complex setup.
  • Your team needs streamlined workflows optimized specifically for inside sales teams.

Time is money. Save both.