Close
Top PickBest For: Inside sales teams, SaaS startups with 5-30 reps, high-velocity sales motions
Close stands out as the best all-in-one sales CRM for B2B SaaS startups. Unlike generic CRMs that require add-ons, Close includes calling, email, and SMS natively within the platform. The AI-powered automation handles follow-ups and deal tracking without forcing you to context-switch. For inside sales teams, this integrated approach saves hours each week and reduces the friction that makes most teams abandon their CRM.
Key Features
- Built-in VoIP calling with call recording
- Native email integration without Outlook/Gmail plugin complexity
- SMS capabilities for lead outreach
- AI-powered follow-up automation
- Real-time activity capture across channels
Pros
- +All communication channels built-in saves 10+ hours/month on tool switching
- +Transparent per-seat pricing with no hidden fees or setup costs
- +Faster sales cycles with native calling (no context switching to Zoom/phone)
- +Strong onboarding and customer success team helps teams adopt quickly
Cons
- -Less suitable if you need heavy marketing automation (no built-in email campaigns)
- -Smaller app ecosystem compared to HubSpot or Salesforce
- -Limited advanced reporting for enterprise-scale teams
Verdict
Close is the best HubSpot alternative if your team prioritizes sales velocity and simplicity. The integrated calling, email, and SMS eliminate the chaos of bouncing between five tools. At $49/user/month, it's more expensive than basic CRMs like Pipedrive, but the built-in communication channels justify the cost for inside sales teams. Ideal for startups in Series A-B doing $2-10M ARR with dedicated sales teams.