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Close vs HubSpot: built-in calling against a free plan and workflows
Updated Oct 6, 2026
HubSpot's Sales Hub Starter costs $20 a seat a month at the regular price and includes up to 50 workflows and inbox connection, and HubSpot has a free plan for 2 users. Close's Essentials plan costs $35 a user billed annually or $49 monthly, with built-in calling and SMS (usage billed at cost), unlimited contacts and two-way email sync, but no workflows. On the readings we use, both give email support.
At a glance, by our score
- Lowest price
#2 HubSpot
Teams that want 15 million contacts, all five basics we check and a free plan for two users
8.3/10Very goodOur scoreVisit HubSpotOn hubspot.com #10 Close
Built-in calling, email and SMS, with unlimited contacts and two-way email sync on Essentials
6.1/10FairOur scoreVisit CloseOn close.com
HubSpot's lowest monthly price is lower than Close's, checked Oct 9, 2026 and Sep 27, 2026.
Side by side
| Criterion | Close | HubSpot |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 6.1/10FairOur score #10 of 10 | 8.3/10Very goodOur score #2 of 10 |
| Cost for five users (35%) | 5.0 / 10 | 8.0 / 10 |
| Included on the entry plan (25%) | 8.0 / 10 | 10.0 / 10 |
| Free plan (15%) | 6.0 / 10 | 10.0 / 10 |
| Support (15%) | 3.0 / 10 | 3.0 / 10 |
| Contact limit (10%) | 10.0 / 10 | 10.0 / 10 |
| Price from | $19 / month | $0 / month |
| Best for | Built-in calling, email and SMS, with unlimited contacts and two-way email sync on Essentials | Teams that want 15 million contacts, all five basics we check and a free plan for two users |
| Visit | Visit CloseOn close.com | Visit HubSpotOn hubspot.com |
Who should pick which
- Close: Built-in calling, email and SMS, with unlimited contacts and two-way email sync on Essentials
- HubSpot: Teams that want 15 million contacts, all five basics we check and a free plan for two users
At a glance
| Close | HubSpot | |
|---|---|---|
| Entry plan | Essentials | Sales Hub Starter |
| Price per user | $35 a month billed annually ($420 a year); $49 billed monthly | $20 a seat a month at the regular price, monthly or annually ($240 a year); new-customer offer $10 monthly or $7 annually |
| Cost for five users | $175 a month billed annually; $245 billed monthly | $100 a month at the regular price |
| Contact limit | Unlimited contacts and leads | 15 million contact records |
| Deal pipelines | Included | Up to 15 per account |
| Email sync | Yes, up to 3 email accounts | Gmail, Outlook or Exchange inbox connection |
| Automation | Workflows not included (Growth) | Up to 50 workflows, restricted triggers |
| Dashboards | Activity reports and dashboards | 30 dashboards |
| Mobile app | iOS and Android, with calls and texts | iOS and Android |
| Free plan | No: 14-day trial, no card | Yes: up to 2 users |
| Support | Email and a 24/7 knowledge base | Pages conflict; we use email only |
Prices and features from Close's pricing page and HubSpot's pricing page, read Sep 27, 2026. Where a company's own pages conflict, we use the worse reading for a buyer.
Price
| Close Essentials | HubSpot Sales Hub Starter | |
|---|---|---|
| One user, billed annually (a month) | $35 | $20 |
| One user, billed monthly | $49 | $20 |
| Five users, billed annually (a month) | $175 | $100 |
| Five users, billed monthly | $245 | $100 |
Billed annually, five users on HubSpot cost $75 a month less than on Close. Billed monthly, five users on HubSpot cost $145 a month less than on Close.
Close bills calling and SMS on top, at cost: most outbound calls around $0.02 a minute and phone numbers from about $1 a month. HubSpot's $10 and $7 seat prices are a new-customer offer for a limited time, with no end date; the regular price is $20. On the offer, five seats cost $35 a month billed annually or $50 billed monthly, until it ends.
Where they differ
- Calling and texting. Close is a sales CRM with built-in calling, email and SMS; its mobile app lets you "make & receive calls and texts" (pricing page). Calling and SMS usage is passed through at cost.
- Automation. Close Essentials says "Workflows not included"; automated workflows start on Growth, $99 a user billed annually. HubSpot Starter has up to 50 workflows with restricted triggers and actions (pricing page).
- Free plan. HubSpot is free for up to 2 users with no credit card. Close has a 14-day trial and no free plan; its Solo plan ($9 a month billed annually) is limited to one user.
- Contacts and email. Close Essentials has unlimited contacts and leads and two-way email sync for up to 3 email accounts. HubSpot Starter has a 15 million contact record limit and connects a Gmail, Outlook or Exchange inbox (product catalog).
- Support. Close lists email support and a 24/7 knowledge base on every plan, with no chat or phone. HubSpot's pricing FAQ gives Starter email support; its Starter page says 24/7 chat and email. We use the email-only reading, the worse one for a buyer.
Who should pick which
Pick Close if your team sells by phone and text and wants calling, SMS and email in one place, with no cap on contacts. Budget for call usage on top, and for Growth if you need workflows.
Pick HubSpot if you want to start free, then pay less per seat for workflows, dashboards and inbox connection. Plan for the regular $20 a seat once the new-customer offer ends.
Compare both in our CRM ranking, and see how we score CRMs.