Comparison · Last updated June 2026
Close CRM vs Pipedrive
Close and Pipedrive are both sales-focused CRMs, but they target different workflows. Close builds calling, email, and SMS into one inside-sales cockpit, while Pipedrive centers on an affordable, visual deal pipeline.
🏆 Who should choose which?
Close
Pipedrive
Close
Pipedrive
📊 Quick specs
Quick verdict
Close is built for high-velocity inside-sales teams that live on the phone, bundling native calling, SMS, and the Chloe AI agent on every plan. Pipedrive is the lighter, cheaper visual-pipeline CRM that small and mid-sized teams adopt fast, with an AI Sales Assistant for deal prioritization. Pick Close if outbound calling is core to your motion. Pick Pipedrive if you want an affordable, easy pipeline without paying for a built-in dialer.
Close CRM
Inside-sales CRM with built-in calling, email, and SMS
From $19/user/mo
Full review →Pipedrive
Visual sales pipeline CRM with AI deal insights
From $14/user/mo
Full review →Try Pipedrive →What is Close CRM?
Close is an inside-sales CRM that bundles native calling, email, and SMS into a single workspace, so reps prospect and close without bolting on a separate dialer or sequencing tool. It is built for high-velocity teams that work the phones, with a power dialer on higher tiers and Chloe, its built-in AI sales agent, included on every plan to call leads, book meetings, and draft follow-ups. Close targets startups and SMBs that want communication and CRM unified.
What is Pipedrive?
Pipedrive is a sales CRM built around a visual, drag-and-drop deal pipeline that shows reps exactly where every opportunity stands and what to do next. Founded by salespeople, it is activity-first, nudging users toward the next call, email, or task. Beyond the pipeline it adds email sync, workflow automation, web forms, scheduling, and forecasting. Its AI Sales Assistant analyzes deals to predict win probability, flag stalled deals, and recommend next actions, all at an affordable per-seat cost.
Key differences at a glance
Built-in communication: Close builds native calling, email, and SMS directly into the CRM, while Pipedrive centers on a visual pipeline and relies on integrations for phone calling.
AI features: Close includes the Chloe AI sales agent on every plan with monthly credits, whereas Pipedrive provides an AI Sales Assistant focused on deal prioritization and win-probability cues.
Entry pricing: Pipedrive starts cheaper at $14 per user per month annual, while Close starts at $19 per user per month monthly and scales higher to $149 at its top tier.
Dialer capabilities: Close offers power and predictive dialers on higher tiers, a feature Pipedrive does not provide natively.
Integrations: Pipedrive offers a larger third-party integration marketplace with 500-plus apps, while Close emphasizes an all-in-one communication-plus-CRM stack.
Free plan: Neither tool offers a permanent free plan, but both provide a 14-day trial with no credit card required.
Pros and cons
Close CRM
Strengths
- Native calling, email, and SMS built into the CRM, no separate dialer needed
- Chloe AI sales agent included on every plan, with credits scaling by tier
- Power and predictive dialers on higher tiers for outbound velocity
- Unlimited users and leads from the Essentials tier upward
- 14-day trial with no credit card required
Limitations
- Higher entry and top-tier per-seat pricing than many pipeline CRMs
- No permanent free plan, only a 14-day trial
- Communication-heavy feature set can be overkill for non-calling teams
- Lighter native marketing tooling than all-in-one suites
Pipedrive
Strengths
- Clean, visual pipeline that teams adopt quickly with minimal training
- Low entry price relative to communication-heavy CRMs
- AI Sales Assistant surfaces stalled deals and prioritization cues
- Strong automation and email tracking even on mid tiers
- Large integration marketplace and solid mobile apps
Limitations
- No native phone dialer built in, calling needs an integration or add-on
- No permanent free plan, only a 14-day trial
- Advanced AI, security, and enrichment features are gated to higher tiers
- Add-ons like LeadBooster can raise the real per-seat cost
Pricing comparison
Close CRM Close has no free plan and runs four per-user tiers billed monthly: Solo $19, Essentials $49, Growth $109, and Scale $149 per user per month, with lower effective rates on annual billing (Solo drops to $9 and Scale to $139). A 14-day trial with no credit card is available. Verified June 2026 from close.com.
Pipedrive Pipedrive has no free plan and runs four per-user tiers: billed annually, Lite is $14, Growth $39, Premium $59, and Ultimate $79 per user per month. Monthly billing costs more per seat. A 14-day full-feature trial with no credit card is available. Verified June 2026 from www.pipedrive.com.
Pipedrive is the cheaper entry point, while Close charges more per seat but bundles native calling and the Chloe AI agent that would otherwise require separate tools. For team-by-team cost modelling, use our AI Cost Calculator.
Which tool should you choose?
Choose Close CRM if you…
- → Outbound or inside-sales calling is central to your motion
- → You want calling, email, SMS, and CRM in one tool
- → You need a built-in power or predictive dialer
- → You want an AI sales agent included on every plan
Choose Pipedrive if you…
- → You want the lowest per-seat entry price for a pipeline CRM
- → Your team works deals more by email and tasks than by phone
- → You value a fast learning curve and simple visual pipeline
- → You want a large integration marketplace to add capabilities as needed
Not sure which fits your workflow? Take our AI Tool Finder Quiz for a recommendation based on your role and needs.
Bottom line: Close CRM vs Pipedrive
Close and Pipedrive both focus on sales, but they solve different problems. Close is the stronger pick for teams whose motion runs on calls, SMS, and tight follow-up, since it bundles communication and the Chloe AI agent into one workspace. Pipedrive wins on affordability and simplicity, giving small and mid-sized teams a fast-to-adopt visual pipeline with solid automation and AI prioritization. Your choice hinges on whether built-in calling is essential or a nice-to-have.
If outbound calling drives revenue, Close earns its higher price. If you want the cheapest, simplest pipeline CRM and can integrate calling separately, Pipedrive is the more economical fit for most SMBs.
🔄 Switching? Keep in mind
Both CRMs offer CSV import and integration-based migration, so moving contacts and deals between them is feasible, though Close-specific call logs and SMS history and Pipedrive-specific automation recipes will not transfer cleanly and need rebuilding.
Frequently asked questions
Is Close or Pipedrive cheaper?
Pipedrive is cheaper at entry. Billed annually, Pipedrive Lite is $14 per user per month, while Close starts at $19 per user per month on monthly billing (or $9 annual on its Solo tier). At the top end, Close Scale reaches $149 per user per month versus Pipedrive Ultimate at $79. The gap reflects what you get: Close bundles native calling, SMS, and the Chloe AI agent, which Pipedrive does not include natively. If you only need a pipeline, Pipedrive costs less; if you need built-in communication, Close can be cheaper than buying separate tools.
Does Close or Pipedrive have a free plan?
Neither Close nor Pipedrive offers a permanent free plan. Both provide a 14-day free trial with no credit card required, letting you test core features before committing. Close's trial includes calling, email, SMS, workflows, and the Chloe AI assistant. Pipedrive's trial gives full feature access across its tiers. After the trial, both require a paid plan to keep using the product. If a no-cost CRM is a hard requirement, neither fits, but the trials let you fully evaluate each before paying.
Which is better for cold calling and outbound sales?
Close is built for outbound and cold calling. It includes native calling, SMS, and email in one workspace, plus a power dialer on its Growth tier and a predictive dialer on Scale, so reps can dial through lists without leaving the CRM. The Chloe AI agent can also call and qualify leads. Pipedrive can support calling, but it relies on integrations or add-ons rather than a built-in dialer, making it less suited to high-volume outbound. For teams whose revenue depends on phone outreach, Close is the more purpose-built choice.
How do the AI features compare?
Both include AI, but with different focus. Close ships Chloe, a built-in AI sales agent, on every plan, with monthly AI credits scaling from 500 on Solo to 2,000 on Scale; Chloe can call leads, book meetings, and draft follow-ups. Pipedrive's AI Sales Assistant analyzes deals, contacts, and emails to predict win probability, flag stalled deals, and recommend next actions, with AI email tools and custom scoring on higher tiers. Close leans toward active outreach automation, while Pipedrive leans toward in-pipeline prioritization and forecasting cues.
Can I migrate from Pipedrive to Close or vice versa?
Yes. Both CRMs support importing contacts, leads, and deals via CSV files, and both have integrations and import tools to ease migration. Standard records like companies, people, and deal stages transfer with mapping. However, platform-specific data does not move cleanly: Close's logged call recordings and SMS threads and Pipedrive's native automation workflows and LeadBooster setups will need to be rebuilt in the new system. Plan for some manual reconfiguration of automations, pipelines, and custom fields after the data import to fully replicate your old setup.
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