5 Best Close Alternatives in 2026 (Tested & Ranked)
The top Close alternative is HubSpot — it scores 4.6/10 and is best for growing businesses wanting an all-in-one crm and marketing platform. Free plan available.
The best Close alternatives in 2026 are HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive. HubSpot is our top pick overall — it scores 4.6/10 and directly addresses Close's main weaknesses.
- +Excellent free CRM tier
- +All-in-one platform (sales, marketing, service)
- +Strong inbound marketing tools
- −Expensive at scale
- −Professional+ plans require minimum seats
- −Complex pricing with multiple hubs
5 Best Close Alternatives in 2026
If Close’s pricing is the sticking point, you’re not alone. At $49/user/month, there are legitimate alternatives that deliver comparable crm capabilities for significantly less. We’ve ranked the best options below — not alphabetically, but by how well they actually replace what Close does.
Quick pick: If you want the fastest answer — HubSpot is the best overall Close alternative. See why below, plus 4 other options depending on your specific needs.
Comparison Table
| Alternative | Rating | Free Plan | Starting Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HubSpot | 4.6/10 | ✅ | $15/seat/month | Excellent free CRM tier |
| Salesforce | 4.5/10 | ✅ | $25/user/month | Most powerful and customizable CRM |
| Pipedrive | 4.4/10 | ❌ | $14/user/month | Intuitive visual pipeline |
| Freshsales | 4.3/10 | ✅ | $9/user/month | Generous free tier (3 users) |
| Zoho CRM | 4.3/10 | ✅ | $14/user/month | Exceptional value for the price |
1. HubSpot {#hubspot}
⭐ Best Overall Alternative
Rating: 4.6/10 | Free plan: ✅ Yes | Starts at: $15/seat/month
HubSpot stands out as a Close alternative because excellent free crm tier. All-in-one platform (sales, marketing, service)
Why choose HubSpot over Close?
- Close pain point: Expensive per user
- Close pain point: No free tier
Key differentiator: Core feature set
Best for: Growing businesses wanting an all-in-one CRM and marketing platform
Pricing:
| Plan | Details |
|---|---|
| Free | Free tier available |
| Free CRM | $0/mo ($0 annually) |
| Starter (Sales Hub) | $15/seat/month/mo ($15/seat/month annually) |
| Professional (Sales Hub) | $90/seat/month/mo ($90/seat/month annually) |
| Enterprise (Sales Hub) | $150/seat/month/mo ($150/seat/month annually) |
Pros:
- ✅ Excellent free CRM tier
- ✅ All-in-one platform (sales, marketing, service)
- ✅ Strong inbound marketing tools
Cons:
- ❌ Expensive at scale
- ❌ Professional+ plans require minimum seats
- ❌ Complex pricing with multiple hubs
→ Full comparison: HubSpot vs Close
2. Salesforce {#salesforce}
🆓 Best Free Alternative
Rating: 4.5/10 | Free plan: ✅ Yes | Starts at: $25/user/month
Salesforce stands out as a Close alternative because most powerful and customizable crm. Massive partner ecosystem
Why choose Salesforce over Close?
- Close pain point: Expensive per user
- Close pain point: No free tier
Key differentiator: Core feature set
Best for: Large enterprises needing a fully customizable, enterprise-grade CRM
Pricing:
| Plan | Details |
|---|---|
| Free | Free tier available |
| Free Suite | $0 (2 users)/mo ($0 annually) |
| Starter Suite | $25/user/month/mo ($25/user/month annually) |
| Pro Suite | $100/user/month/mo ($100/user/month annually) |
| Enterprise | Contact sales/mo (Contact sales annually) |
| Unlimited | Contact sales/mo (Contact sales annually) |
Pros:
- ✅ Most powerful and customizable CRM
- ✅ Massive partner ecosystem
- ✅ Scales to any business size
Cons:
- ❌ Very expensive at enterprise scale
- ❌ Complex to implement and maintain
- ❌ Steep learning curve
→ Full comparison: Salesforce vs Close
3. Pipedrive {#pipedrive}
🔍 Worth Considering
Rating: 4.4/10 | Free plan: ❌ No | Starts at: $14/user/month
Pipedrive stands out as a Close alternative because intuitive visual pipeline. Easy to set up and use
Why choose Pipedrive over Close?
- Close pain point: Expensive per user
- Close pain point: No free tier
Key differentiator: Core feature set
Best for: Sales teams wanting a visual, activity-driven CRM
Pricing:
| Plan | Details |
|---|---|
| Essential | $24/user/month/mo ($14/user/month annually) |
| Advanced | $49/user/month/mo ($29/user/month annually) |
| Professional | $69/user/month/mo ($59/user/month annually) |
| Power | $79/user/month/mo ($69/user/month annually) |
| Enterprise | $129/user/month/mo ($99/user/month annually) |
Pros:
- ✅ Intuitive visual pipeline
- ✅ Easy to set up and use
- ✅ Sales-focused design
Cons:
- ❌ No free tier
- ❌ Limited marketing automation
- ❌ Expensive for small teams
→ Full comparison: Pipedrive vs Close
4. Freshsales {#freshsales}
🆓 Best Free Alternative
Rating: 4.3/10 | Free plan: ✅ Yes | Starts at: $9/user/month
Freshsales stands out as a Close alternative because generous free tier (3 users). AI-powered features at low price point
Why choose Freshsales over Close?
- Close pain point: Expensive per user
- Close pain point: No free tier
Key differentiator: Core feature set
Best for: Small-to-mid-size businesses wanting an affordable AI-powered CRM
Pricing:
| Plan | Details |
|---|---|
| Free | Free tier available |
| Free | $0 (3 users)/mo ($0 annually) |
| Growth | $9/user/month/mo ($9/user/month annually) |
| Pro | $39/user/month/mo ($39/user/month annually) |
| Enterprise | $59/user/month/mo ($59/user/month annually) |
Pros:
- ✅ Generous free tier (3 users)
- ✅ AI-powered features at low price point
- ✅ Good integration with Freshworks suite
Cons:
- ❌ Advanced features require higher tiers
- ❌ UI less polished than HubSpot
- ❌ Limited third-party integrations vs Salesforce
→ Full comparison: Freshsales vs Close
5. Zoho CRM {#zoho-crm}
🆓 Best Free Alternative
Rating: 4.3/10 | Free plan: ✅ Yes | Starts at: $14/user/month
Zoho CRM stands out as a Close alternative because exceptional value for the price. Feature-rich at every tier
Why choose Zoho CRM over Close?
- Close pain point: Expensive per user
- Close pain point: No free tier
Key differentiator: Core feature set
Best for: Budget-conscious businesses wanting a feature-rich CRM with strong automation
Pricing:
| Plan | Details |
|---|---|
| Free | Free tier available |
| Free | $0 (3 users)/mo ($0 annually) |
| Standard | $20/user/month/mo ($14/user/month annually) |
| Professional | $35/user/month/mo ($23/user/month annually) |
| Enterprise | $50/user/month/mo ($40/user/month annually) |
| Ultimate | $65/user/month/mo ($52/user/month annually) |
Pros:
- ✅ Exceptional value for the price
- ✅ Feature-rich at every tier
- ✅ Strong Zoho ecosystem integration
Cons:
- ❌ UI feels dated compared to competitors
- ❌ Setup and configuration can be complex
- ❌ Support quality varies
→ Full comparison: Zoho CRM vs Close
How We Ranked These Alternatives
We didn’t rank alphabetically or by popularity. Each alternative was evaluated on:
- How directly it addresses Close’s weaknesses — especially: Expensive per user, No free tier
- Overall feature quality for crm use cases
- Pricing fairness — value per dollar, not just lowest cost
- Reliability and reviews — G2, Capterra, and real user data
Our Top Pick: HubSpot
HubSpot is the most well-rounded Close alternative for 2026. Excellent free CRM tier. All-in-one platform (sales, marketing, service) And unlike Close, it strong inbound marketing tools.
Related Reading
What is the best free alternative to Close? +
Is HubSpot better than Close? +
Why do people switch away from Close? +
AI Stack Picks writes and verifies long-form AI tool reviews for AI Stack Picks.