Aircall vs Close

Aircall is a business phone system (VoIP) that plugs into your CRM and helpdesk, automatically logging calls, texts, and customer interactions.

If you're looking for one of the best VoIP solutions on the market and native, out-of-the-box native integration is important to you, then you'll be in good hands with Aircall would be your best bet.

While this might sound slightly confusing as we have Dialpad listed as our "Top Pick", that's because things get quite a bit more complex when you look holistically across the VoIP space. We for example chose Dialpad as the Voice over IP solution for our business, but as an integration company, we aren't afraid of building out a custom Copper + Dialpad Integration. That said, we know we aren't the average company, and to justify investing in that doesn't make sense for many companies.

Aircall actually integrates natively with many of the best CRM software and tools on the market. This means out of the box, minimal setup required. So while the integration might not be the best we've seen, it accomplishes the goal of logging texts and phone calls into the other software, which is usually what teams are ultimately looking for when it comes to a VoIP integration.

They have a relatively robust API if you do want to go the custom route, integrating Aircall into other tools.

If you're more technical and are familiar with the best integration software on the market, Aircall actually uses Tray on the back-end to integrate with many of these tools natively. Which while that's not something we particularly love, it does seem to work well enough, and it has enabled them to build more native integrations out of the gate.

Close is a CRM built primarily for sales teams that rely heavily on phone calls and SMS messaging to move deals forward. It's different from other CRMs that focus more on contact management and pipeline tracking. Close essentially tries to bring communication directly into the platform by bundling a built-in VoIP system with SMS messaging and email syncing.

It's different for sure, but it does mean your sales team can spend most of their day inside Close instead of jumping between multiple tools. For companies running high-volume outbound sales, especially teams doing a lot of cold calling, this can actually be pretty useful.

Close does the dialing tools and built-in communication workflows well, but it misses the mark on creating limitations with external tools, and the fact that some parts of the platform feel more like early versions rather than fully mature features makes for a disappointing pair.

Compared to tools we usually recommend for small businesses, Close feels hyper-specialized and a bit rigid. If your team spends all day making calls, Close might make sense. But for most SMBs looking for a flexible CRM to manage relationships and sales pipelines, there are far better options.

• Native calling and SMS functionality inside the CRM
• Sales sequences combine email, SMS, and call reminders
• Built-in autodialer designed for high-volume outbound sales
• Good option for teams running aggressive outbound sales motions

• Limited pipeline flexibility on lower tiers
• Mobile app support has lagged behind competitors
• Email experience is weaker than modern inbox tools like Gmail
• Expensive pricing with a 3-seat minimum even at the lowest tier
• Some features feel like early versions rather than polished solutions
• Forces you into using their built-in VoIP instead of integrating external tools

Close is a "specialist tool," because it offers a VoIP setup that makes it possible for sales reps to load a list of leads and automatically call through them one by one. Their system connects the rep when someone finally answers, pauses between calls for note-taking, and then continues dialing.

It works great specifically for teams doing a lot of outbound calling, but this isn't really helpful for someone who needs a well-rounded CRM tool. It's also not ideal if your team is already using (and prefers) tools like Dialpad or Aircall because Close doesn't make it easy to connect them.

Close does a good job syncing email conversations into the CRM. When you connect your Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 account, it can retroactively pull past emails into the system so you have a full history of conversations with contacts. While it's not quite as advanced as some CRM integrations we've seen, it's still better than what many competitors provide.

Close's AI features (like call transcription, summaries, and data enrichment) are useful, but they're more about saving time than completely taking control of your workflow.

With that said, some are more useful than others. For example, summaries help reps avoid manual note-taking, but data enrichment gives you context before a call, which is genuinely helpful day-to-day. That said, our favorite AI note taker is Granola which can be used alongside any CRM.

• Essentials: $49/mo per user. Best for small sales teams that want a CRM with additional communication capabilities.
• Growth: $109/mo per user. Best for teams that want to automate parts of their sales workflow.
• Scale: $149/mo per user. Best for larger teams that need more advanced control and dialing capabilities.
• Enterprise: Custom pricing. Designed for large organizations with complex CRM needs.