ActiveCampaign vs Close CRM: Which CRM Wins in 2025?

by | Last updated Jun 3, 2025

Winner
ActiveCampaign logo
9.0
  • Marketing automation
  • Content creation
  • Dynamic content
  • Email marketing
  • Integrated AI
  • Free plan available
  • Paid Plan Starts at $15/month
Runner Up
Close CRM
7.0
  • CRM Overview
  • Communication
  • Automation
  • Cool integrations
  • Sales AI
  • Free plan available
  • Paid Plans from $35/month
Fahim AI 4 1 49

Choosing the right CRM can feel like picking a team for a big game, right?

You’ve got ActiveCampaign vs Close CRM, and honestly, it’s a tough call.

You need a CRM that boosts sales, but which one actually delivers in 2025?

It’s easy to get lost in features and tech talk.

Imagine picking the wrong one.

Wasted time, missed deals, and a clunky system. 

Let’s break down ActiveCampaign vs Close CRM in plain English. 

Overview

We’ve spent hands-on time with both ActiveCampaign and Close CRM, putting them through real-world scenarios.

Our comparison comes from direct experience, focusing on the features that truly matter for sales teams.

ActiveCampaign

Ready to explore the power of ActiveCampaign? Sign up for free Now!

9out of 10

Pricing: It has a free plan. The premium plan starts at $15/month.

Key Features:

  • Automation
  • Email Marketing
  • CRM
Close CRM Logo

Ready to boost your team’s productivity and streamline your workflow?

7out of 10

Pricing: It has a free plan. The premium plan starts at $35/month.

Key Features:

  • Built-in Calling & SMS
  • Workflow Sequences
  • Power Dialer

What is ActiveCampaign?

ActiveCampaign? It’s a powerhouse. Think marketing automation, email, and CRM all in one spot.

Do you want to automate your sales?

This tool can help. It also lets you track customers and makes your marketing smarter.

Also, explore our favorite ActiveCampaign alternatives

ActiveCampaign
ActiveCampaign
9.0

Ready to explore the power of ActiveCampaign? Sign up for free and see how it could transform your marketing and sales efforts!

Key Benefits

  • Visual automation builder: No coding needed! Design complex workflows with easy drag-and-drop tools.
  • Advanced segmentation: Go beyond basic lists—target contacts based on behavior, interests, and more.
  • Built-in CRM: Organize your contacts, track interactions, and score leads for better follow-up.
  • Over 850+ integrations: Connect with your favorite tools and streamline your workflow.
  • Personalized email marketing: Send emails that feel like a one-on-one conversation.

Pricing

ActiveCampaign offers you a tiered pricing based on the number of contacts and features you need.

  • Starter: $15/month.
  • Plus: $49/month.
  • Pro: $79/month.
  • Enterprise: $145/month.
ActiveCampaign Pricing

Pros

  • Easy to use interface.
  • Powerful automation features.
  • Robust CRM capabilities.
  • Excellent deliverability rates.
  • Helpful support resources.

Cons

  • Steeper Learning Curve
  • Can be pricey.
  • Limited design options.

What is Close CRM?

Close CRM. It’s built for sales teams—especially those who call a lot.

It prioritizes communication—think calls and emails—and focuses on outreach, which helps you close more deals.

Also, explore our favorite Close CRM alternatives

Close CRM Logo
Close CRM
7.0

Boost sales and productivity with Close CRM’s built-in calling, email sequences, and automation.

Key Benefits

  • Built-in calling: Make and receive calls directly within Close.
  • Powerful email sequences: Automate your outreach and follow-up.
  • Advanced reporting: Track your progress and identify areas for improvement.
  • Sales automation: Streamline repetitive tasks and save time.
  • Dedicated support: Get help from their expert team when you need it.

Pricing

  • Essentials: $35/seat/month.
  • Growth: $99/seat/month.
  • Scale: $139/seat/month.
Close CRM Pricing

Pros

  • Best built-in calling feature.
  • Saves me so much time.
  • The email sequences are compelling.
  • The reporting gives me valuable insights.
  • The support team is accommodating.

Cons

  • More expensive than some CRMs.
  • The interface can feel a bit overwhelming at first.
  • The mobile app could be more robust.
  • It has a steep learning curve.

Feature Comparison

Let’s dive into the core features.

We’ll compare how each CRM handles key tasks, showing you where each excels and where they might fall short.

1. Marketing Automation Platform

  • ActiveCampaign offers a robust marketing automation platform. It’s built for detailed customer journeys and features complex email campaigns, automated workflows, and deep personalization.
  • Close CRM focuses more on direct sales. While it has some automation, it’s not as extensive as ActiveCampaign’s.
activecampaign integrated ai new

2. Sales Automation

  • Both CRMs offer sales automation, but in different ways. ActiveCampaign’s automation ties closely with marketing, automating follow-ups and lead nurturing.
  • Close CRM emphasizes automating the sales process, with features like automated call logging and activity tracking.

3. Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

  • Both platforms are customer relationship management tools, but they handle it differently. ActiveCampaign excels at detailed customer profiles and behavior tracking.
  • Close CRM is built for quick, efficient deal closing, focusing on communication and pipeline management.

4. Email Campaigns

  • ActiveCampaign offers advanced email campaign capabilities. Design, segment, and automate with ease.
  • Close CRM’s email features are more straightforward and geared towards sales outreach.

5. Integration

  • Both platforms offer integration with various tools. However, ActiveCampaign boasts a wider range of third-party integrations.
  • Close CRM integrates well with tools that are very important to salespeople.

6. Salesforce

  • While both can integrate with other platforms, neither is a direct replacement for Salesforce. If you are looking for a powerful enterprise CRM, then you should look at Salesforce.
  • Both platforms can seamlessly integrate with many of the same platforms that Salesforce does.
closely linkedin email campaign

7. Personalization

  • Personalization is a strong suit of ActiveCampaign, allowing you to tailor experiences based on customer behavior.
  • Close CRM offers some personalization but is more focused on personalizing sales outreach.

What to Look For When Choosing CRM Software?

  • Ease of Use: Can your team adopt it quickly?
  • Essential Features: Does it cover your core sales/marketing needs?
  • Scalability: Will it grow with your business?
  • Integration: Does it connect with your existing tools?
  • Customer Support: Is help readily available?
  • Budget: Does the pricing align with your resources?
  • Mobile Access: Can your team access it on the go?
  • Ease of Use: Can your team adopt it quickly?
  • Essential Features: Does it cover your core sales/marketing needs?
  • Scalability: Will it grow with your business?
  • Integration: Does it connect with your existing tools?
  • Customer Support: Is help readily available?

Final Verdict

Choosing between ActiveCampaign and Close CRM depends on your needs.

If you prioritize detailed marketing automation and personalized customer journeys, ActiveCampaign is the stronger choice.

Close CRM excels if you focus on streamlined sales processes and efficient deal closing. 

We’ve spent significant time testing both, and based on our experience, for businesses needing strong marketing and sales alignment.

ActiveCampaign edges ahead.

However, we encourage you to consider your specific requirements.

We’ve given you the facts, now it’s up to you to decide which CRM best fits your 2025 strategy.

More of ActiveCampaign

Here’s a comparison of ActiveCampaign with its alternatives:

  • ActiveCampaign vs GoHighLevel: ActiveCampaign focuses on advanced email marketing and customer journey automation. In contrast, GoHighLevel provides an all-in-one suite for agencies, including funnels, websites, and extensive sales/marketing tools.
  • ActiveCampaign vs Pipedrive: ActiveCampaign excels in marketing automation and lead nurturing with integrated CRM. Pipedrive, however, is a sales-centric CRM that emphasizes visual pipeline management and efficient deal tracking.
  • ActiveCampaign vs Keap: ActiveCampaign offers robust marketing automation and email capabilities. Keap is tailored for small businesses, blending CRM with sales and email for an integrated approach.
  • ActiveCampaign vs HubSpot: ActiveCampaign is a leader in email marketing automation and customer engagement. HubSpot provides a more comprehensive, all-in-one platform covering marketing, sales, service, and content management.
  • ActiveCampaign vs ClickFunnels: ActiveCampaign is ideal for email marketing automation and lead nurturing within a CRM context. ClickFunnels specializes in building sales funnels and landing pages for direct conversions.
  • ActiveCampaign vs Folk: ActiveCampaign is known for sophisticated marketing automation and detailed customer segmentation. Folk offers a simpler, collaborative CRM for contact management, email campaigns, and basic sales pipelines.
  • ActiveCampaign vs Instantly: ActiveCampaign delivers advanced marketing automation and a comprehensive CRM. Instantly focuses more on cold email outreach and lead finding with basic CRM features for simplified sales.
  • ActiveCampaign vs ClickUp: ActiveCampaign excels in marketing-specific automation and customer relationship management. ClickUp is a versatile work management platform that can be customized for CRM and emphasizes project management.
  • ActiveCampaign vs Monday CRM: ActiveCampaign provides powerful marketing automation and email campaigns with strong CRM integration. Monday CRM emphasizes visual collaboration and customizable boards for lead and deal management.
  • ActiveCampaign vs Capsule: ActiveCampaign offers robust email marketing and advanced automation for sales and customer journeys. Capsule CRM provides straightforward contact management and sales pipeline features, ideal for basic CRM needs.
  • ActiveCampaign vs Insightly: ActiveCampaign focuses on deep marketing and sales automation with lead scoring and tracking. Insightly combines CRM with project management, suiting teams needing both sales and project delivery.
  • ActiveCampaign vs Freshsales CRM: ActiveCampaign provides comprehensive marketing automation and email with integrated CRM functionalities. Freshsales CRM focuses on sales management and streamlining sales processes with AI-powered insights.
  • ActiveCampaign vs Salesforce: ActiveCampaign specializes in marketing automation and email engagement for small to medium businesses. Salesforce is an extensive, scalable CRM platform for large enterprises, covering sales, service, and marketing.

More of Close CRM

Here’s a brief comparison of Close CRM with these software solutions:

  • Close CRM vs Gohighlevel: Close CRM focuses on sales teams with built-in calling and email for efficiency, while GoHighLevel is an all-in-one platform integrating sales, marketing automation, and lead generation.
  • Close CRM vs Pipedrive: Close CRM emphasizes robust communication tools and automation for inside sales. At the same time, Pipedrive is known for its intuitive visual sales pipeline management for small to medium businesses.
  • Close CRM vs Keap: Close CRM is a sales-focused CRM with built-in calling and email sequences, whereas Keap offers more comprehensive marketing automation and e-commerce integrations.
  • Close CRM vs HubSpot: Close CRM is designed for sales teams and prioritizes built-in calling and rapid deal closing, while HubSpot offers a broader suite that encompasses marketing, sales, and customer service.
  • Close CRM vs Clickfunnels: Close CRM is a sales-oriented CRM for managing leads and deals; ClickFunnels is a specialized tool for building sales funnels and optimizing conversions.
  • Close CRM vs Folk: Close CRM is a sales-focused CRM with robust sales automation and built-in communication, while Folk offers flexible, collaborative contact management with a focus on organization and simple outreach.
  • Close CRM vs Instantly: Close CRM provides a comprehensive sales CRM with integrated calling and broader sales automation, while Instantly specializes in high-volume cold email outreach and deliverability.
  • Close CRM vs Clickup: Close CRM is a dedicated sales CRM for pipeline management and communication, whereas ClickUp is a versatile work operating system with project management, task organization, and customizable CRM capabilities.
  • Close CRM vs Monday CRM: Close CRM is a specialized sales CRM with advanced automation for closing deals. Monday CRM is a visual work OS offering customizable workflows for various business functions, including sales.
  • Close CRM vs Capsule CRM: Close CRM offers robust sales automation and built-in communication for dedicated sales teams. Capsule CRM is a simpler, more affordable contact manager primarily for basic relationship tracking.
  • Close CRM vs Insightly: Close CRM is mainly a sales-focused CRM with strong communication tools. At the same time, Insightly offers a broader CRM solution that includes robust project management and more extensive integrations.
  • Close CRM vs Freshsales CRM: Close CRM emphasizes sales efficiency with built-in communication and automation. Freshsales CRM provides a comprehensive solution with advanced sales automation and in-depth reporting.
  • Close CRM vs Salesforce: Close CRM is a sales engagement platform for SMBs with integrated calling and email, while Salesforce is an extensive, highly customizable enterprise-level CRM with broad sales, marketing, and service capabilities.
  • Close CRM vs Zendesk: Close CRM is specifically built for sales teams and has robust calling and email features. At the same time, Zendesk is primarily a customer service platform focused on ticketing and support management.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is ActiveCampaign better for marketing automation than Close CRM?

Yes, ActiveCampaign offers more comprehensive marketing automation. It excels in email campaigns, personalized workflows, and detailed customer journey tracking. Close CRM focuses more on sales-specific automation.

Which CRM is easier to integrate with other tools?

ActiveCampaign generally has a wider range of integrations. Both integrate well with common sales and marketing platforms, but ActiveCampaign’s ecosystem is more extensive.

Does Close CRM focus more on sales than customer relationship management?

While both are customer relationship management tools, Close CRM prioritizes sales efficiency. It streamlines the sales process with features like automated call logging and pipeline management, focusing on closing deals.

Can ActiveCampaign handle complex email campaigns?

Absolutely. ActiveCampaign is known for its robust email campaign capabilities. You can design, segment, and automate emails with advanced personalization, making it ideal for detailed marketing strategies.

Which CRM is better for small businesses?

It depends on the business’s focus. If a small business needs strong marketing automation, ActiveCampaign is a good fit. If the focus is on direct sales and efficient deal closing, Close CRM might be more suitable.