We may earn a commission if you buy through links on this page. It never changes a score or a ranking. How we make money
It's a split decision.
Choose HubSpot Marketing Hub if you need marketing automation connected to CRM data, campaigns, content, and reporting. Its listed entry price is $7 per seat monthly, and it has a free plan. Choose Close if your team needs a sales CRM with calling, email, SMS, pipeline tools, and AI. Close starts at $9 per user monthly on annual billing, but workflows begin on Growth at $99 per user monthly. These products serve different jobs, so the better pick depends on whether marketing or sales is the priority.
01Side by side
| HubSpot Marketing Hub | Close | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $7 per seat/month; billing basis unclear | $9 per user/month, annual billing |
| Free plan | Free plan available | No free plan listed |
| Best for | Marketing teams connecting campaigns and CRM | Sales teams managing calls and pipelines |
| Core strength | Marketing automation, content, and campaign reporting | Built-in calling, email, SMS, and sales AI |
| Learning curve | Ease-of-use review score: 5/10 | Ease-of-use review score: 7/10 |
| Integrations/data | CRM-linked records; two-way sync with dozens of apps | Sales channels and pipeline in one CRM |
| Team/seat costs | Extra seats billed per user; contact add-on costs not published | Per-user plans; usage and add-ons can cost extra |
| Support | Review support score: 6/10 | Review support score: 5/10 |
HubSpot Marketing Hub Choose HubSpot Marketing Hub if
- Choose HubSpot Marketing Hub if campaigns need connected CRM data.
- Choose HubSpot Marketing Hub if you want a free plan.
- Choose HubSpot Marketing Hub if marketing reporting is a priority.
Close Choose Close if
- Choose Close if your team works calls, email, and SMS leads.
- Choose Close if sales pipeline management is the main need.
- Choose Close if you want workflows on Growth or higher.
02Pricing compared
HubSpot has a free plan, and its pricing page lists Starter at $7 per seat per month, Professional at $90, and Enterprise at $175. The page defaults to annual billing, but does not break out separate monthly prices. Additional seats cost extra, and HubSpot Credits for AI agents and automation are sold separately or pay-as-you-go; contact add-on costs are not published here.
Close has no free plan. Its annual rates start at $9 per user per month for Solo, but that plan is limited to one user, 10,000 leads, and no workflows. Essentials is $35 annually or $49 monthly, also without workflows. Automated workflows start on Growth at $99 annually or $109 monthly per user. Calling and SMS are usage-based, and Close lists its Call Assistant at $50 per organization monthly plus $0.02 per minute.
03Features and depth
These products cover different parts of the customer lifecycle. HubSpot Marketing Hub is built around marketing: its tools include email, social publishing and monitoring, forms, SEO/AEO, campaign analytics, and content creation. Its Content Agent generates blog posts, social content, and landing pages; its Nurture Agent rewrites emails using CRM data and behavior signals. The homepage also lists multi-touch attribution and customer journey analytics. Advanced workflows and social account management are included at Professional, according to the pricing page.
Close is centered on sales conversations and pipeline work. It combines calling, email, SMS, deal-stage tracking, reporting, and sales workflows. Its AI sales agent, Chloe, can call and qualify leads, book meetings, and update CRM records. AI notes and an assistant support call follow-up and pipeline questions. But automation has a plan boundary: workflows are not included in Solo or Essentials and begin at Growth. Close is the better fit for sales execution; HubSpot is the closer match for campaign operations and marketing measurement.
04Ease of use and learning curve
The simpler choice depends on what your team needs to manage. HubSpot connects marketing work to CRM records, but its broader set of content, campaign, automation, and reporting tools can mean more configuration. Close keeps its focus on sales activity, though teams needing workflows must move to Growth, and calling or SMS adds usage costs to track.
The published reviews score HubSpot 5.8 overall, with ease of use at 5, and Close 7 overall, with ease at 7. Those scores are directional, not proof that either product will be easier for your team. If you mainly need marketing campaigns, HubSpot’s scope fits better; if reps need calls, texts, and pipeline management, Close keeps the job more focused.
Questions people ask
Can HubSpot Marketing Hub replace Close?
Not as a like-for-like swap. HubSpot Marketing Hub focuses on marketing campaigns, content, automation, and reporting connected to CRM data. Close focuses on sales communication and pipeline management, with built-in calling, email, SMS, and sales workflows. Choose based on which work your team needs the system to handle.
Can Close replace HubSpot Marketing Hub?
Close can handle sales communication and workflow tasks, but the published feature list does not position it as a marketing automation platform for content, social publishing, campaign planning, or multi-touch attribution. If those are requirements, Close is not a direct substitute for Marketing Hub based on the available information.
Which product is cheaper?
HubSpot lists a free plan and a $7-per-seat monthly Starter price, though it does not publish a separate monthly billing rate here. Close starts at $9 per user monthly with annual billing, but workflows require Growth at $99 annually per user monthly. Usage costs can add to Close’s bill.
Does Close include sales workflows on its cheapest plan?
No. The pricing details say Solo and Essentials do not include workflows. Automated workflows start on Growth, listed at $99 per user per month with annual billing or $109 with monthly billing. Solo also has a 10,000-lead limit, while Essentials lists unlimited leads and contacts.