Comparisons
Close vs Pipedrive: Which CRM Should You Choose?
Quick answer: Close is the better fit for teams that sell primarily by phone and email and want built-in calling, while Pipedrive is the better fit for teams that want the simplest possible visual deal pipeline.
Close vs Pipedrive at a glance
| Close | Pipedrive | |
|---|---|---|
| Core focus | Calling and email-first sales | Visual deal pipeline |
| Best for | Teams selling by phone and email | Teams wanting the simplest visual pipeline |
| Built-in calling | Yes, core feature | Not native, needs integration |
| Free tier | No | No, trial only |
| Learning curve | Medium | Low |
Choose Close if...
Calling is central to how your team sells, and you want dialing, call logging, and email sequences built directly into the CRM rather than connected through a third-party integration. Close is optimized for speed during high call-volume workflows.
Choose Pipedrive if...
Your priority is the clearest possible visual view of deal stages, and calling isn't the core of your sales motion. Pipedrive is generally faster to learn for a new user who just needs to track where deals stand.
Where they overlap
Both are aimed at small-to-mid-size sales teams rather than enterprise orgs, and both are simpler to set up than a full platform like Salesforce. The real decision point is whether phone calling is core to your process (favoring Close) or secondary to visual pipeline tracking (favoring Pipedrive).
Pricing (entry-level plans)
| CRM | Starting price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Close | Solo $9 · Essentials $35 · Growth $99 · Scale $139 | Per user/month. Free 14-day trial, no credit card required. |
| Pipedrive | Lite $14 · Growth $39 · Premium $59 · Ultimate $79 | Per seat/month, billed annually (monthly billing costs more). 14-day free trial. |
Prices above are current as of writing and shown for the entry-level tiers — always confirm the latest numbers on each provider's pricing page before buying, since SaaS pricing changes often.
“They won't ask you for your firstborn, and it was developed as a CRM first, as opposed to HubSpot, which was originally a marketing platform.”
Try Close for built-in calling
Try Pipedrive for visual simplicity
Frequently asked questions
Is Close or Pipedrive better for small teams?
It depends on workflow: Close and Pipedrive both work for small teams, but they differ in setup speed, pricing structure, and built-in features — see the comparison table above for the specifics that matter most for a small team.
Can I switch from Close to Pipedrive later?
Yes. Both Close and Pipedrive support CSV import/export and most competitors provide migration guides or support to help move contacts, deals, and pipeline stages.
Which one is cheaper?
Pricing changes often on both sides, so check each provider's current pricing page for exact numbers before deciding — this guide focuses on fit rather than fixed prices, since list prices shift throughout the year.