ACT! vs Close
ACT! fits act! by swiftpage — long-standing smb crm for contacts, calendars, and sales follow-up; pricing primarily contact-sales; Close fits outbound sales teams that need a communication-centric crm.
ACT!
ACT! by Swiftpage SMB CRM; contact sales for current packaging (no invented list prices).
Best for
- • ACT! by Swiftpage — long-standing SMB CRM for contacts, calendars, and sales follow-up; pricing primarily contact-sales
- • Classic SMB CRM for managing contacts, activities, and sales follow-ups — especially familiar to established small businesses
No free plan
VS
Our verdict
There is no universal winner between ACT! and Close. Choose based on pipeline depth, automation, email and calling, reporting, and pricing trade-offs.
Close is better for
- ✓ Ease of use
- ✓ Pipeline management
- ✓ Sales automation
- ✓ Email capabilities
Tie
- • Value for money
Choose ACT! if: ACT! by Swiftpage — long-standing SMB CRM for contacts, calendars, and sales follow-up; pricing primarily contact-sales
Choose Close if: Outbound sales teams that need a communication-centric CRM
Close
Sales-focused CRM for pipeline management and sales engagement workflows.
Best for
- • Outbound sales teams that need a communication-centric CRM
- • Teams that need dialing power and advanced outreach workflows
- • Teams that rely on calling, email, and SMS from the CRM
Starting from $9.00/user/mo
No free plan
Quick verdict
Start here — then dig into the evidence below.
Choose ACT! if…
- ACT! by Swiftpage — long-standing SMB CRM for contacts, calendars, and sales follow-up; pricing primarily contact-sales
- Classic SMB CRM for managing contacts, activities, and sales follow-ups — especially familiar to established small businesses
Choose Close if…
- Outbound sales teams that need a communication-centric CRM
- Teams that need dialing power and advanced outreach workflows
- Teams that rely on calling, email, and SMS from the CRM
- You prioritize ease of use
Overall recommendation
There is no universal winner between ACT! and Close. Choose based on pipeline depth, automation, email and calling, reporting, and pricing trade-offs.
Key trade-off
Close's clearest edge is ease of use.
Winner by category
Only dimensions with researched evidence for this pair.
| Dimension | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Ease of use | Close wins | Close leads on ease of use (6/10 vs 8/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing. |
| Sales | Close wins | Close leads on pipeline management (6/10 vs 8/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing. |
| Automation | Close wins | Close leads on sales automation (5/10 vs 8/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing. |
| Email capabilities | Close wins | Close leads on email capabilities (6/10 vs 8/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing. |
| Reporting | Close wins | Close leads on reporting (5/10 vs 7/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing. |
| Customization | Close wins | Close leads on customization (6/10 vs 7/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing. |
| Integrations | Close wins | Close leads on integrations (5/10 vs 7/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing. |
| Administration | Close wins | Close leads on administration (6/10 vs 7/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing. |
| Enterprise suitability | Close wins | Close leads on scalability (5/10 vs 8/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing. |
| Value | Tie | ACT! and Close are close on value for money (6/10 vs 6/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing. |
Side-by-side feature matrix
Normalized availability from product research — empty rows are not shown.
Core CRM
| Feature | ACT! | Close |
|---|---|---|
| Contact management | Strong | Strong |
| Lead management | Strong | Strong |
| Pipeline management | Strong | Strong |
| Deal management | Strong | Strong |
Sales engagement
| Feature | ACT! | Close |
|---|---|---|
| Email sync | Strong | Strong |
| Email tracking | Strong | Strong |
| Email sequences | Not evidenced | Strong |
| Call functionality | Not evidenced | Strong |
| Workflow automation | Moderate | Strong |
| Sales automation | Strong | Strong |
Reporting
| Feature | ACT! | Close |
|---|---|---|
| Reporting | Moderate | Strong |
| Forecasting | Not evidenced | Strong |
Platform
| Feature | ACT! | Close |
|---|---|---|
| Integrations | Strong | Strong |
| Custom fields | Strong | Strong |
| Custom pipelines | Moderate | Not evidenced |
| Mobile app | Strong | Strong |
| AI assistance | Not evidenced | Strong |
Additional capabilities
| Feature | ACT! | Close |
|---|---|---|
| Data enrichment | Not evidenced | Strong |
Pricing comparison
Pricing evidence last checked Aug 16, 2026.
ACT!
- ACT! (contact sales)Custom
Close
From $9.00/user/mo
- Solo$9.00/user/mo
- Essentials$35.00/user/mo
- Growth$99.00/user/mo
- Scale$139.00/user/mo
Seat-count estimates
Labeled estimates from verified starting per-seat pricing — not invoices.
| Seats | ACT! | Close |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | — | ~$45.00/mo (Solo × 5) |
| 10 | — | ~$90.00/mo (Solo × 10) |
| 25 | — | ~$225.00/mo (Solo × 25) |
| 50 | — | ~$450.00/mo (Solo × 50) |
Estimate from verified starting per-seat pricing — actual total depends on plan, annual discounts, and add-ons.
Pricing notes use verified research when available for ACT! and Close. Confirm live vendor pricing before buying.
Best for
Scenario picks from researched strengths — not a universal ranking.
- → Close
Best for ease of use
Close leads on ease of use (6/10 vs 8/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.
- → Close
Best for pipeline management
Close leads on pipeline management (6/10 vs 8/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.
- → Close
Best for sales automation
Close leads on sales automation (5/10 vs 8/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.
The differences that actually matter
Pair-specific analysis for ACT! vs Close — not generic category copy.
Pipeline management
Close aheadOn pipeline management, Close is ahead. ACT!: Trails Close on this criterion. Close: Close leads on pipeline management (6/10 vs 8/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.. Feature evidence also diverges on Workflow automation (ACT!: Moderate; Close: Strong); Reporting (ACT!: Moderate; Close: Strong).
Email capabilities
Close aheadOn email capabilities, Close is ahead. ACT!: Trails Close on this criterion. Close: Close leads on email capabilities (6/10 vs 8/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing..
Sales automation
Close aheadOn sales automation, Close is ahead. ACT!: Trails Close on this criterion. Close: Close leads on sales automation (5/10 vs 8/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing..
Reporting
Close aheadOn reporting, Close is ahead. ACT!: Trails Close on this criterion. Close: Close leads on reporting (5/10 vs 7/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing..
Value for money
TieACT! and Close are close on value for money. ACT! and Close are close on value for money (6/10 vs 6/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.
Pros and cons
Product-specific for this pair — derived from researched outcomes and editorial notes.
ACT!
Cons
- Trails on ease of use
- Trails on pipeline management
- Trails on sales automation
Close
Pros
- Stronger on ease of use
- Stronger on pipeline management
- Stronger on sales automation
- Stronger on email capabilities
Implementation & learning curve
Based on researched setup / ease criteria for this pair.
ACT!
- Trails on ease of use relative to Close
- Trails on administration relative to Close
Close
- Stronger on ease of use: Close leads on ease of use (6/10 vs 8/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.
- Stronger on administration: Close leads on administration (6/10 vs 7/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.
Integrations
Overlaps and exclusives from product integration data when available.
ACT!: Strong. Close: Strong.
Who should not choose each product
Decision quality improves when we say who should walk away.
Don't choose ACT! if…
- You need Close's stronger ease of use more than ACT!'s strengths
- You need Close's stronger pipeline management more than ACT!'s strengths
- You need Close's stronger sales automation more than ACT!'s strengths
- Your primary fit looks closer to: Outbound sales teams that need a communication-centric CRM
Don't choose Close if…
- Your primary fit looks closer to: ACT! by Swiftpage — long-standing SMB CRM for contacts, calendars, and sales follow-up; pricing primarily contact-sales
- Your primary fit looks closer to: Classic SMB CRM for managing contacts, activities, and sales follow-ups — especially familiar to established small businesses
Alternatives worth considering
When neither product is the right fit.
AI-powered customer platform with free forever CRM, plus paid Smart CRM seats and Sales/Marketing/Service hubs for growing teams.
Pipeline-first sales CRM for visual deal management, activity-based selling, and growing sales teams.
Simple small-business CRM for contacts, sales pipelines, tasks, and lightweight automation without enterprise complexity.
Freshworks sales CRM for lead management and pipeline workflows.
Final verdict
Scenario-level close — not a repeat of the intro.
ACT! wins when…
ACT! by Swiftpage — long-standing SMB CRM for contacts, calendars, and sales follow-up; pricing primarily contact-sales
Close wins when…
Outbound sales teams that need a communication-centric CRM
- Best for ease of useClose
- Best for pipeline managementClose
- Best for sales automationClose
Which one should you choose?
Choose ACT! if:
- ACT! by Swiftpage — long-standing SMB CRM for contacts, calendars, and sales follow-up; pricing primarily contact-sales
- Classic SMB CRM for managing contacts, activities, and sales follow-ups — especially familiar to established small businesses
Choose Close if:
- Outbound sales teams that need a communication-centric CRM
- Teams that need dialing power and advanced outreach workflows
- Teams that rely on calling, email, and SMS from the CRM
Product screenshots
Real product UI from our media library — no placeholders.
Close
FAQ
- Is ACT! better than Close?
- There is no universal winner between ACT! and Close. Choose based on pipeline depth, automation, email and calling, reporting, and pricing trade-offs.
- Which is easier to use?
- Close leads on ease of use (6/10 vs 8/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.
- Which CRM fits which team?
- ACT!: ACT! by Swiftpage — long-standing SMB CRM for contacts, calendars, and sales follow-up; pricing primarily contact-sales Close: Outbound sales teams that need a communication-centric CRM
- Which is stronger for sales automation?
- Close leads on sales automation (5/10 vs 8/10) from approved SoftwareGlimpse editorial assessments — not hands-on lab testing.
- Does ACT! or Close have a free plan?
- ACT!: No free plan. Close: No free plan.
- How does ACT! vs Close pricing compare?
- Close starts from $9.00/user/mo. Confirm live vendor pricing before purchasing.
- How did SoftwareGlimpse compare these products?
- We map both products to the same category criteria, then evaluate trade-offs using verified product, pricing and feature evidence. Affiliate relationships never change outcomes.
- reviewACT! review
- reviewClose review
- pricingACT! pricing
- pricingClose pricing
- alternativeHubSpot alternative
- alternativePipedrive alternative
- alternativeCapsule alternative
- guideWhat Is CRM Software? A Complete Beginner’s Guide
- guideHow CRM Software Works: Records, Pipelines & Activity
- guideTypes of CRM Software: Operational, Suites & Sales CRM Shapes
- categoryCRM hub
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- calculatorCost calculator
Related comparisons
Alternatives to consider
HubSpot
AI-powered customer platform with free forever CRM, plus paid Smart CRM seats and Sales/Marketing/Service hubs for growing teams.
Pipedrive
Pipeline-first sales CRM for visual deal management, activity-based selling, and growing sales teams.
Capsule
Simple small-business CRM for contacts, sales pipelines, tasks, and lightweight automation without enterprise complexity.
Freshsales
Freshworks sales CRM for lead management and pipeline workflows.
Still deciding between ACT! and Close?
Use Find My CRM for a shortlist matched to your priorities, or build another side-by-side comparison.
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- No invented scores or prices
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