Close vs Zoho
A side-by-side look at 2 CRM & Sales tools for 2026 — the verdict, pricing, ratings, features, and what readers think.
close.com
Best for Inside-sales and outbound teams that want calling, email and SMS in one CRM
Sales CRM with built-in calling, email, SMS and an AI agent, built for inside-sales teams that live on the phone.
Visit Close
zoho.com
Best for Small and mid-sized businesses that want one affordable suite for CRM, finance and operations
Suite of 45+ cloud-based business apps for every aspect of your business.
Visit ZohoPricing compared
Close
$9/user/mo
Zoho
Zoho CRM free for 3 users; paid plans per user/month
Head to head
| Close | Zoho | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $9/user/mo | Zoho CRM free for 3 users; paid plans per user/month |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Free trial | 14-day free trial, no credit card required | Free trial on paid Zoho CRM editions |
| Platforms | Web · iOS · Android · API | Web · iOS · Android |
| Founded | 2013 | — |
Pros & cons
Close
Pros
- Calling, email and SMS live inside the CRM, so every touchpoint is logged automatically.
- Power dialer and predictive dialer suit high-volume outbound teams.
- Chloe AI agent can call, qualify and book meetings without leaving the CRM.
- Built-in importers for HubSpot, Pipedrive and HighLevel ease migration.
- 30-day money-back guarantee and a no-card 14-day trial lower the risk of trying it.
Cons
- No permanent free plan.
- Workflows, the power dialer and bulk email only start on the Growth plan ($99).
- Calling and SMS are usage-based and AI runs on monthly credits, so the bill is less predictable than a flat seat price.
- The entry-level Solo plan is capped at one user and 10,000 leads.
Zoho
Pros
- Zoho CRM has a forever-free edition for up to 3 users with workflow automation.
- Over 45 apps spanning CRM, finance, HR, marketing and IT under one login.
- Zoho One bundles the suite for a single per-user price.
- CRM is available in 28 languages.
- Month-to-month plans with no contract lock-in on Zoho CRM.
Cons
- The breadth of the suite means a steeper setup and learning curve than single-purpose tools.
- Advanced CRM features such as AI agents, process management and CPQ start on Professional, not the free edition.
- Local taxes such as VAT or GST are charged on top of listed prices.
- Pricing varies by app and edition, so total cost is harder to predict than a flat per-seat tool.
Features compared
| Close | Zoho | |
|---|---|---|
| Plans & pricing | ||
| Free tier | — | ✓ Yes |
| Free trial | — | ✓ Yes |
| Pricing model | — | Per seat / per app or bundled (Zoho One) |
| Platforms & access | ||
| Web app | — | ✓ Yes |
| Mobile apps | — | ✓ Yes |
| Desktop app | — | ✗ No |
| Self-hosted option | — | ✗ No |
| Integrations & extensibility | ||
| Public API | — | ✓ Yes |
| Webhooks | — | ✓ Yes |
| Native integrations | — | 1,000+ via Zoho Marketplace & Zapier |
| Automation (Zapier/Make) | — | ✓ Yes |
| Security & compliance | ||
| SSO / SAML | — | ✓ Yes |
| Two-factor auth | — | ✓ Yes |
| SOC 2 | — | ✓ Yes |
| GDPR compliant | — | ✓ Yes |
| Encryption at rest | — | ✓ Yes |
| Collaboration | ||
| Team workspaces | — | ✓ Yes |
| Real-time collaboration | — | ✓ Yes |
| Role-based permissions | — | ✓ Yes |
| Guest access | — | ✓ Yes |
| Support | ||
| Email support | — | ✓ Yes |
| Live chat support | — | ✓ Yes |
| Phone support | — | ✓ Yes |
| Knowledge base | — | ✓ Yes |