These three CRMs solve the same core small/mid-size sales problem in very different ways: Close is built around native calling and texting for outbound-heavy…
Subscription · From $9/user/month (billed annually)
Best for: Outbound-heavy sales teams and solo founders who want native calling, SMS, and an AI call assistant built into the CRM instead of bolting on a separate dialer tool.
Best for: Google Workspace-native teams, agencies, and relationship-driven B2B sellers who want a CRM that auto-captures Gmail and Calendar activity with minimal manual entry.
Subscription · From $29/user/month (billed annually)
Best for: Small and mid-sized businesses that need to manage both the sales pipeline and post-sale project delivery inside one connected system.
At a Glance
Close
Copper
Insightly
Primary category
CRM
CRM
CRM
Rating
Not documented
Not documented
Not documented
Pricing model
Subscription
Subscription
Subscription
Starting price
$9/user/month (billed annually)
$23/user/month
$29/user/month (billed annually)
Free plan
Not documented
Yes
Not documented
Free trial
Yes
Yes
Yes
Platforms
Web, iOS, Android
Web, iOS, Android
Web, iOS, Android
Team collaboration
Not documented
Not documented
Not documented
AI features
Not documented
Yes
Yes
Public API
Yes
Yes
Yes
Standout Differences
Close is the only one built around native calling and texting
Close bundles calling, SMS, and email natively, including a Power Dialer and, on its top Scale plan, a Predictive Dialer that auto-dials multiple numbers per rep, a capability neither Copper nor Insightly documents.
Close
Copper's edge is automatic Gmail and Calendar activity capture
Copper is purpose-built to live inside Google Workspace, automatically logging emails, calls, and calendar events against the correct contact without manual data entry, which neither Close nor Insightly is designed around.
Copper
Insightly is the only one with native post-sale project management
Insightly lets a won deal convert directly into a trackable delivery project inside the same platform, a differentiator that neither Close nor Copper documents.
Insightly
AI assistants appear in two of the three, not Copper
Close ships an AI assistant called Chloe for call summaries and follow-up drafting, and Insightly offers an AI Copilot on its Professional tier and above; Copper's available data does not document an AI assistant feature.
Close, Insightly, Copper
API access is gated differently across the three
Close's open API and Copper's API/app marketplace are available on their respective base paid tiers, while Insightly's REST API and webhooks require upgrading to its $49/user/month Professional tier or higher.
Insightly, Close, Copper
Feature-by-Feature
Communication and Calling
Feature
Close
Copper
Insightly
Native built-in calling/dialer
Available
Not documented
Not documented
Native SMS
Available
Not documented
Not documented
Deep email client integration
Available
Available
Available
Automation, AI and Integrations
Feature
Close
Copper
Insightly
Built-in AI assistant
Available
Not documented
Available
Workflow / sequence automation
Available
Available
Available
Native Google Workspace integration
Not documented
Available
Not documented
Platform Extensibility and Pricing
Feature
Close
Copper
Insightly
Native project management
Unavailable
Unavailable
Available
REST API access
Available
Available
Limited
Permanent free plan
Unavailable
Unavailable
Unavailable
Pricing Compared
Starting price reflects the lowest paid tier, not the full cost for every team size or usage level.
Close
Solo — $9/user/month (annual) / $19/user/month (monthly) monthly or annual
Essentials — $35/user/month (annual) / $49/user/month (monthly) monthly or annual
Growth — $99/user/month (annual) / $109/user/month (monthly) monthly or annual
Scale — $139/user/month (annual) / $149/user/month (monthly) monthly or annual
Copper
Basic — $23/user/month (annual) / $29/user/month (monthly) Monthly or annual
Professional — $59/user/month (annual) / $69/user/month (monthly) Monthly or annual
Business — $99/user/month (annual) / $134/user/month (monthly) Monthly or annual
Insightly
Plus — $29/user/month Annual
Professional — $49/user/month Annual
Enterprise — $99/user/month Annual
Pros & Cons
Close
Pros
Calling, SMS, and email are native to the product, removing the need for a separate dialer tool
Predictive and Power Dialers can meaningfully increase outbound call volume per rep
Transparent, publicly published pricing with no forced sales calls to see costs
Fast setup compared to heavier enterprise CRMs
Cons
Calling and SMS usage costs are billed on top of the monthly subscription
Predictive Dialer and Workflows are locked to the two highest-priced tiers
Fewer built-in marketing-automation features than some all-in-one revenue platforms
Notable price jump from the Solo plan to the team-oriented Essentials plan
Copper
Pros
Deep, native integration with Gmail, Calendar, and the broader Google Workspace suite
Low learning curve for teams already working daily inside Gmail
Automatic activity capture significantly reduces manual data entry
Officially recommended CRM within the Google Workspace Marketplace
Cons
No permanent free plan, only a 14-day trial
Less deeply customizable than enterprise-grade CRMs like Salesforce
Best suited to Google Workspace users; less compelling for Microsoft 365-centric organizations
Contact and custom field limits on lower tiers may require upgrading as a business grows
Insightly
Pros
Combines CRM and project management natively in one platform
Three clear pricing tiers with a free 14-day trial
Native iOS and Android mobile apps
AI Copilot and workflow automation available on mid-tier plans
Strong reporting with pre-built business intelligence dashboards
Cons
REST API and webhooks require the Professional tier or above
Some reviews note additional onboarding and premium support fees beyond listed pricing
Recent private-equity acquisition and Unbounce merger create some brand and roadmap uncertainty
AI Copilot query limits on lower tiers may be restrictive for heavy users
Entry-level Plus plan lacks workflow automation and API access
Use Cases
Choose Close: Outbound-heavy sales teams and solo founders who want native calling, SMS, and an AI call assistant built into the CRM instead of bolting on a separate dialer tool.
Choose Copper: Google Workspace-native teams, agencies, and relationship-driven B2B sellers who want a CRM that auto-captures Gmail and Calendar activity with minimal manual entry.
Choose Insightly: Small and mid-sized businesses that need to manage both the sales pipeline and post-sale project delivery inside one connected system.
Close
Outbound cold-calling teams — Use the Power or Predictive Dialer to run high-volume outbound calling campaigns directly from the CRM.
Solo founders and consultants — Manage a personal sales pipeline with built-in calling and email without paying for a full team plan.
Scaling B2B sales teams — Replace a patchwork of separate dialer, email, and CRM tools with one connected system as the team grows.
Copper
Google Workspace-native sales teams — Sales teams already operating inside Gmail and Google Calendar adopt Copper to manage pipelines without switching context to a separate app.
Relationship-driven B2B agencies — Agencies and consultancies use Copper's automatic activity capture to track client relationships with minimal manual logging.
Low-friction CRM adoption for growing businesses — Small businesses that struggled with CRM adoption due to manual data entry use Copper's automation to improve rep compliance and pipeline visibility.
Insightly
Sales pipeline management — Sales teams track leads and opportunities through a Kanban-style pipeline from first contact to close.
Post-sale project delivery — Teams convert closed deals directly into tracked delivery projects without switching to a separate project management tool.
Marketing and CRM integration — Businesses combine Insightly's CRM with Unbounce's landing-page tools for connected lead capture and pipeline management.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which of the three has the lowest entry price?
Close's Solo plan starts at $9/user/month, undercutting Copper's Basic plan at $23/user/month and Insightly's Plus plan at $29/user/month. Close's Solo tier is capped at 10,000 leads and lacks team collaboration features, though.
Which CRM is best if my team lives in Gmail all day?
Copper, since it's built specifically for native Google Workspace integration, automatically logging Gmail and Calendar activity against CRM records with minimal manual entry.
Do any of these offer a free-forever plan?
No. All three offer only time-limited free trials, 14 days each, with no permanent free tier.
Which CRM should I pick if I need to manage delivery work after the deal closes?
Insightly, since it's the only one of the three with native project management that lets a won deal convert directly into a tracked delivery project in the same system.
Which one has built-in calling and texting?
Only Close bundles native calling and SMS directly into the product, including Power and Predictive Dialers for outbound call volume; Copper and Insightly don't document built-in calling or texting.
Is Insightly still the same company it used to be?
In July 2024, Insightly was acquired by private equity firm Crest Rock Partners and merged with the landing-page tool Unbounce, and the product now operates as 'Insightly CRM by Unbounce.' The core CRM and pricing tiers described here remain in place under that new ownership.