7 Best Free Close Alternatives for Sales Teams in 2024

7 Best Free Close Alternatives for Sales Teams in 2024

Updated May 18, 20261,155 words7 tools compared

Close CRM has earned its reputation as a powerful sales tool for inside sales teams, but it's not the only option available. With a starting price of $49 per user per month, Close can quickly become expensive as your team grows. Whether you're looking for more budget-friendly options, different feature sets, or simply exploring what else is available in the CRM market, there are excellent alternatives worth considering.

The CRM landscape offers diverse solutions tailored to different business needs, team sizes, and budgets. From completely free options to enterprise-grade platforms, these Close alternatives provide unique strengths that might better align with your sales process. Some excel at automation and AI features, while others focus on simplicity and ease of use. This comprehensive guide examines seven compelling Close alternatives, analyzing their features, pricing, and ideal use cases to help you make an informed decision for your sales team.

Quick Comparison

ProductBest ForStarting PriceRatingKey Feature
HubSpotGrowing SMBsFree4.4/5All-in-one platform
AttioModern startupsFree4.7/5Flexible customization
FolkRelationship-focused teamsFree4.5/5AI-powered insights
FreshsalesHigh-velocity salesFree4.2/5Built-in phone system
PipedriveVisual pipeline management$14.90/user/mo4.3/5Visual sales pipeline
SalesforceLarge enterprises$25/user/mo4.3/5Advanced customization
CloseInside sales teams$49/user/mo4.6/5Built-in calling & SMS

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Detailed Reviews

In-depth analysis of each platform to help you make the right choice.

#1

HubSpot

Top Pick

Best For: Small to medium businesses seeking an all-in-one platform with room to scale

HubSpot stands out as the most comprehensive free Close alternative, offering a complete customer platform that includes marketing, sales, and service tools. The free tier is genuinely useful for small to medium businesses, providing essential CRM functionality without cost barriers. HubSpot's ecosystem approach means you can start with basic CRM features and expand into marketing automation, customer service, and advanced sales tools as your business grows.

Pricing: Free tier available with paid plans starting at $45/month for additional features

Key Features

  • Contact and deal management
  • Email marketing tools
  • Live chat and chatbots
  • Sales automation workflows
  • Comprehensive reporting dashboard

Pros

  • +Generous free tier with no user limits
  • +Integrated marketing and sales tools
  • +Extensive third-party integrations available

Cons

  • -Can become expensive with advanced features
  • -Learning curve for full platform utilization

Verdict

HubSpot offers the best value proposition for teams wanting a complete business platform. The free tier alone provides more functionality than many paid CRMs, making it ideal for budget-conscious growing businesses.

#2

Attio

Best For: Modern startups and teams that need flexible, customizable CRM solutions

Attio represents the next generation of CRM design, built specifically for modern startups and forward-thinking teams. Unlike traditional CRMs that force you into rigid structures, Attio adapts to your unique workflow and data requirements. The platform combines powerful flexibility with intuitive design, making it easy to create custom fields, views, and processes that match how your team actually works.

Pricing: Free plan available with paid plans starting at $29/user/month

Key Features

  • Flexible data modeling
  • Custom workflow automation
  • Real-time collaboration tools
  • Advanced data visualization
  • Native integrations with modern tools

Pros

  • +Highly customizable to fit any workflow
  • +Modern, intuitive interface design
  • +Strong data import and sync capabilities

Cons

  • -Newer platform with smaller user community
  • -May be too flexible for teams wanting simple solutions

Verdict

Attio is perfect for teams that have outgrown basic CRMs but aren't ready for enterprise complexity. Its flexibility and modern approach make it ideal for startups with unique processes.

#3

Folk

Best For: Relationship-focused sales teams and consultative selling approaches

Folk takes a relationship-first approach to CRM, recognizing that business success depends on building genuine connections with prospects and customers. The platform uses AI to automatically enrich contact data and provide insights that help sales teams focus on relationship building rather than data entry. Folk's clean interface and proactive features make it particularly appealing to teams that prioritize personal connections in their sales process.

Pricing: Free plan available with paid plans starting at $20/user/month

Key Features

  • Automatic contact enrichment
  • Multi-channel communication tracking
  • AI-powered relationship insights
  • Social media integration
  • Smart contact organization

Pros

  • +AI handles tedious data entry tasks
  • +Focus on relationship quality over quantity
  • +Affordable pricing structure

Cons

  • -Limited advanced sales automation features
  • -Smaller ecosystem compared to established platforms

Verdict

Folk excels for teams that sell through relationships rather than volume. If your sales process depends on personal connections and consultative approaches, Folk's AI-powered insights can significantly improve your effectiveness.

#4

Freshsales

Best For: Small to medium businesses with high-volume sales activities

Freshsales positions itself as an AI-powered solution for high-velocity sales teams, combining traditional CRM functionality with modern automation capabilities. The platform offers a built-in phone system, email tracking, and comprehensive analytics in both free and paid tiers. Freshsales particularly shines in its ability to handle large volumes of leads and deals while maintaining organization and follow-up consistency.

Pricing: Free plan available with paid plans starting at $15/user/month

Key Features

  • Built-in phone and email systems
  • Lead scoring and qualification
  • Visual sales pipeline management
  • Comprehensive reporting suite
  • Mobile app for field sales

Pros

  • +Strong free tier with meaningful functionality
  • +Built-in communication tools reduce tool switching
  • +Good value for money across all tiers

Cons

  • -Interface can feel cluttered with many features
  • -Advanced AI features require higher-tier plans

Verdict

Freshsales provides excellent value for teams that need comprehensive CRM functionality without breaking the budget. The built-in communication tools make it particularly attractive for teams that make frequent calls and send high volumes of emails.

#5

Pipedrive

Best For: Small to medium businesses that prioritize visual deal management

Created by salespeople for salespeople, Pipedrive focuses on visual pipeline management and deal progression. The platform's strength lies in its intuitive interface that makes it easy to see exactly where each deal stands and what actions are needed next. While Pipedrive doesn't offer a free tier, its 14-day trial and affordable pricing make it accessible to most teams, and its user-friendly design means faster adoption across sales teams.

Pricing: $14.90/user/month with 14-day free trial available

Key Features

  • Visual drag-and-drop pipeline
  • Activity-based selling methodology
  • Email integration and tracking
  • Goal setting and progress tracking
  • Mobile sales app

Pros

  • +Extremely intuitive and easy to use
  • +Strong focus on sales process optimization
  • +Excellent mobile experience for field sales

Cons

  • -No free tier available
  • -Limited marketing automation features

Verdict

Pipedrive is ideal for teams that want a straightforward, effective CRM without complexity. If visual pipeline management and ease of use are priorities, Pipedrive's focused approach delivers excellent results.

#6

Salesforce

Best For: Large enterprises with complex sales processes and dedicated CRM administrators

Salesforce remains the gold standard for enterprise CRM solutions, offering unmatched customization capabilities and integration options. While it comes with higher costs and complexity, Salesforce provides the scalability and feature depth that large organizations require. The platform's AI capabilities, extensive app marketplace, and advanced automation tools make it suitable for complex sales processes and large sales teams with diverse needs.

Pricing: $25/user/month for basic plans, with enterprise features requiring higher tiers

Key Features

  • Advanced workflow automation
  • Extensive customization options
  • AI-powered sales insights
  • Large app marketplace
  • Enterprise-grade security and compliance

Pros

  • +Unmatched scalability and customization
  • +Comprehensive ecosystem of integrations
  • +Industry-leading AI and analytics capabilities

Cons

  • -Steep learning curve and complexity
  • -Requires dedicated administration resources

Verdict

Salesforce is the right choice for large organizations that need maximum flexibility and have the resources to manage complexity. Smaller teams should consider simpler alternatives unless they have specific enterprise requirements.

#7

Freshworks (Freshsales)

Best For: Growing businesses that need professional CRM features with reasonable complexity

Freshworks has evolved into a comprehensive business software suite, with Freshsales serving as their CRM offering. The platform combines ease of use with powerful features, offering built-in phone systems, email automation, and AI-powered insights. Freshsales works well for teams that want professional CRM capabilities without the complexity of enterprise solutions, making it accessible to businesses of various sizes.

Pricing: Free plan available with paid plans starting at $15/user/month

Key Features

  • Integrated communication tools
  • Lead scoring and qualification
  • Visual pipeline management
  • Comprehensive analytics
  • Multi-channel customer engagement

Pros

  • +Well-balanced feature set for most business needs
  • +Good integration with other Freshworks products
  • +Competitive pricing across all tiers

Cons

  • -May lack some advanced features for complex sales processes
  • -Customer support quality can vary

Verdict

Freshsales offers a solid middle-ground option for teams that need more than basic CRM functionality but don't require enterprise-level complexity. It's particularly valuable for businesses already using other Freshworks products.

Frequently Asked Questions about free close alternatives

A good Close alternative for small businesses should offer essential CRM functionality at an affordable price point, ideally with a free tier or trial period. Key features to look for include contact management, deal tracking, email integration, and basic automation capabilities. The platform should be easy to use without requiring extensive training, have good mobile access for field sales, and offer room to grow as the business expands. Integration capabilities with existing tools and responsive customer support are also crucial factors for small business success.

Free CRM alternatives can be highly effective for many businesses, especially those with straightforward sales processes and smaller teams. Platforms like HubSpot, Attio, and Folk offer substantial functionality in their free tiers that rivals paid solutions. However, free plans typically have limitations in terms of users, storage, or advanced features. The effectiveness depends on your specific needs – if basic contact management, deal tracking, and email integration meet your requirements, free alternatives can be just as effective as paid solutions.

Most CRM platforms provide data import tools and migration assistance to help transfer your information from Close. Start by exporting your data from Close in CSV format, including contacts, deals, companies, and activities. Clean and organize this data before importing to ensure accuracy. Many alternatives like HubSpot and Salesforce offer dedicated migration services or detailed guides. Consider running both systems in parallel during a transition period to ensure data integrity. Some platforms also provide professional migration services for complex transitions, which can be worth the investment for larger datasets.

HubSpot typically offers the best value for growing sales teams due to its generous free tier and scalable pricing structure. The free plan supports unlimited users and includes essential CRM features, marketing tools, and basic automation. As teams grow, they can gradually add paid features without switching platforms. Attio and Folk also provide excellent value with their flexible pricing and modern feature sets. The best choice depends on your specific needs – HubSpot for comprehensive functionality, Attio for customization, or Folk for relationship-focused selling approaches.

Conclusion

Choosing the right Close alternative depends on your team's specific needs, budget, and growth plans. HubSpot stands out as the most comprehensive option with its generous free tier and all-in-one approach, making it ideal for growing businesses that want to consolidate their tools. For teams seeking modern flexibility, Attio offers exceptional customization capabilities that adapt to unique workflows. Folk excels for relationship-focused sales approaches, while Freshsales provides solid value for high-volume sales activities.

When evaluating these alternatives, consider factors beyond just price and features. Think about your team's technical expertise, the complexity of your sales process, integration requirements with existing tools, and long-term scalability needs. Many of these platforms offer free trials or tiers, allowing you to test functionality before committing. Take advantage of these opportunities to ensure the platform aligns with your team's workflow and preferences. The right CRM choice can significantly impact your sales effectiveness, so invest time in thorough evaluation to find the solution that best supports your business growth objectives.

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