Close vs Thryv
Side-by-side comparison — pricing, features, ratings, use cases. Find which Marketing fits you best.
🔍 Independently researched ·
📊 Data-driven
· ⭐ Ratings from G2 (real user reviews)
76/100
Free tier
Close is best for SMB sales teams that rely on high-volume phone outreach and need a simple, all-in-one CRM with built-i
★ Best
💰 Pricing
🆓 Free tier available
🔧 Features
✓ Automation✓ Crm
📋 Assessment
💪 Strengths
- Native calling and power dialer: Close integrates a full phone system directly into the CRM. Reps can make calls with one click, and the power dialer automatically loads the next number from a saved list, significantly increasing call volume. The built-in caller ID, call recording, and voicemail dropdown (with pre-recorded messages) streamline the entire process. This is a huge time-saver for outbound teams that live on the phone.
- Custom automation builder: The visual workflow automation lets you create multi-step sequences without coding. For example, you can set up a rule that triggers an email and SMS follow-up when a lead status changes to 'contacted'. It also supports conditionals and delays. This reduces repetitive manual tasks and ensures consistent follow-up, which is crucial for lead conversion.
- Coaching and training features: Close allows managers to listen to live calls, review recordings, and leave time-stamped comments directly on the conversation timeline. The 'coaching moments' feature tracks these interactions, helping managers monitor rep improvement over time. This is a powerful tool for sales enablement, and it's rarely found at this price point.
- Custom reporting and funnels: You can build tailored reports with custom widgets, such as call volume, conversion rates, and revenue by source. Funnel reports visualize the stages of your pipeline, helping identify bottlenecks. This gives managers actionable insights without needing a separate BI tool.
- Email and SMS tracking with templates: All email and SMS communications are logged automatically, with open and click tracking. You can create reusable templates for email and SMS, and even use the ' email sequence' feature to drip campaigns. This ensures that team communication is transparent and consistent.
⚠ Watch out for
- Learning curve: The interface packs a lot of functionality, and it might take new users a week or more to become productive. Especially if you're coming from a simpler tool, the sheer number of options in the UI can be overwhelming. The automation builder also requires a bit of logic-thinking.
- Limited reporting customization for advanced analytics: While custom reports are available, they don't match the depth of tools like Tableau or even built-in analytics in Salesforces. For instance, you can't create fully custom calculated fields or query the database directly. Teams with very complex reporting needs might outgrow it.
- Email integration is limited: Close works with Gmail and Outlook but has limited native integration with other email providers. Also, the email sync is two-way but can occasionally lag or miss a message. For teams that use a different email client, this can be a hassle.
- No free tier for larger teams: The free plan only supports up to 2 users, and it's quite limited (only basic features). For a growing SMB, the cost can add up quickly, especially when you add on SMS credits and additional users. Each user starts at $49/month (annual billing), which is pricier than some competitors like Pipedrive.
- Mobile app is weaker: The mobile app is functional for viewing and making calls, but it lacks some of the features of the desktop version, such as advanced automation and report building. For teams that need to operate heavily on mobile, this might be a drawback.
🎯 Best for
Close is best for SMB sales teams that rely on high-volume phone outreach and need a simple, all-in-one CRM with built-in calling and automation.
🚫 Who should skip
Skip Close if you're looking for a free CRM, an enterprise-level reporting solution, or a primarily email-only sales workflow without heavy phone usage.
📚 Learning curve
Moderate. Setup is straightforward for calling and pipelines, but configuring workflows, custom fields, and the power dialer takes time and practice.
🧑⚖️ Verdict
Close is an excellent choice for SMB sales teams that rely on phone calls and want to streamline outbound processes with integrated communication, automation, and coaching. It's not for those seeking a simple contact manager or for teams that primarily use email-only workflows. If you're serious abo
48/100
Free tier
Service-based small business owners (like salons, tutors, tradespeople) who want one simple system for scheduling, billi
💰 Pricing
🆓 Free tier available
Starting at 36 €
📋 Assessment
💪 Strengths
- The smart inbox is a game-changer for busy business owners. It consolidates emails, texts, social media messages, and even calendar bookings into one unified feed, allowing you to respond to customers without switching apps. This reduces response times and ensures no message slips through the cracks, which is crucial for maintaining high customer satisfaction and winning reviews.
- Thryv's marketing automation tools are quite robust for a small business platform. You can set up automated email and SMS follow-up sequences for new leads, appointment confirmations, and post-service check-ins. This 'set and forget' approach keeps your business top-of-mind and drives repeat bookings without manual effort, something that directly impacts revenue.
- The drag-and-drop campaign builder makes creating professional-looking newsletters, promotional emails, and social media posts feasible for non-designers. With pre-built templates and an intuitive editor, you can launch a multi-channel campaign in minutes. The built-in analytics track open rates, clicks, and conversions, providing insights to refine future campaigns.
- Built-in reputation management automatically prompts customers to leave reviews via email or SMS, directing your most satisfied clients to Google, Facebook, or other review sites. This simplifies a crucial aspect of small business growth and helps build a strong online presence without third-party apps.
- Being an all-in-one platform, Thryv eliminates the need to integrate separate scheduling, CRM, and marketing tools. This not only saves money on subscriptions but also avoids the technical headaches of API integrations. The seamless data flow between appointments, customer history, and campaign targeting means you can deliver highly personalized experiences based on past interactions.
⚠ Watch out for
- The learning curve is steep for some users. While the interface is clean, the sheer number of features can be overwhelming, especially for non-tech-savvy business owners. Reports of difficulty in understanding how to fully utilize the system are common, often requiring multiple tutorials and support calls to get everything set up correctly.
- Pricing can be confusing. The free plan is quite limited, with caps on contacts and number of campaigns. Paid plans start at $99 per month, which is expensive for very small businesses or solopreneurs. The additional marketing add-ons, such as advanced reporting or email automation, may incur extra costs, so the final price may exceed expectations.
- Some users have reported that the email marketing functionality is less advanced than dedicated platforms like Mailchimp or Constant Contact. For instance, the drag-and-drop editor offers a limited array of widgets, and segmentation lacks the granularity required for sophisticated A/B testing or behavioral triggers. This could be a significant drawback for businesses with complex email strategies.
- The mobile app, while functional, has mixed reviews. Some users find it crashes or lacks some of the desktop features, which is problematic for business owners who rely on their phone for on-the-go management. The experience is not as seamless as the desktop version, which can be frustrating given the emphasis on mobile-centric customer interactions.
- Implementation can be time-consuming. Transferring existing client data, setting up automation workflows, and customizing the dashboard may take several weeks to reach full use, and some users report that customer support during this period is not always proactive or immediate, leading to delays in getting fully operational.
🎯 Best for
Service-based small business owners (like salons, tutors, tradespeople) who want one simple system for scheduling, billing, client communication, and marketing.
🚫 Who should skip
Businesses with complex sales pipelines, e-commerce inventory needs, or teams that require advanced reporting and deep customizations.
📚 Learning curve
Minimal — the interface is user-friendly, but understanding and leveraging the full marketing features takes some time.
🧑⚖️ Verdict
Thryv is a comprehensive solution for small service-based businesses that want to consolidate client management and marketing into one platform. Its strength lies in automation and integration, making it a worthy investment for those willing to invest time in setup. However, freelancers or very smal
📊 Use Case Suitability
Higher score = better fit. Scores from editorial review.
Use CaseCloseThryv
High-volume cold calling for SMB sales teams95—
Close's power dialer and native calling are purpose-built for reps making dozens
Managing multi-stage B2B sales pipelines88—
Customizable pipelines, drag-and-drop deal stages, and activity tracking give sa
Automated email and SMS follow-up sequences82—
Workflow automation can trigger personalized follow-ups based on call outcomes,
Sales coaching and performance monitoring75—
Call recording, call coaching tools, and activity dashboards let managers review
Affiliate/partner program management via PartnerStack55—
Close integrates with PartnerStack, but it is not an affiliate platform itself.
Appointment Scheduling & No-Show Reduction—95
Native online booking and automated reminder workflows directly address appointm
Review Generation & Reputation Management—88
Automated review requests and centralized monitoring make it easy to improve you
Client Invoicing & Payments—80
Built-in invoices and payment capture are convenient for service businesses, tho
🧭 Which One Should You Pick?
Choose Close if...
- You are: Close is best for SMB sales teams that rely on high-volume phone outreach and need a simple, all-in-one CRM with built-i
- 👍 Native calling with power dialer directly in the CRM, so no third-party telephony setup is needed.
- 👍 Strong activity logging: emails, calls, and SMS are automatically tracked against the contact or lea
- 👍 Flexible workflows for automating repetitive tasks like follow-up reminders and data enrichment.
- 💰 Free tier available
- ⚠ Trade-off: No permanent free tier; the trial period is only 14 days, which can be short for
Choose Thryv if...
- You are: Service-based small business owners (like salons, tutors, tradespeople) who want one simple system for scheduling, billi
- 👍 Free plan includes CRM, scheduling, invoicing, and review requests, giving small businesses a robust
- 👍 Automated text and email reminders significantly reduce no-shows for appointment-based businesses.
- 👍 Multichannel marketing tools (email, social, text) are accessible to non-marketers.
- 💰 From $39/mo
- ⚠ Trade-off: Social media posting is limited to basic post creation, not a full scheduling or
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Is Close really free?
No. Close does not offer a permanent free plan; the listed 'Free' refers to a 14-day free trial. Paid plans start after the trial, with pricing based on features and team size.
Can I migrate data from another CRM into Close?
Yes, Close provides built-in CSV import and offers migration assistance from popular CRMs like HubSpot, Salesforce, and Pipedrive. Some historical data (like email threading) may need cleanup depending on the source.
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