SoftwareDuel

SmartRecruiters vs Close

A head-to-head comparison to help you pick the right tool

SmartRecruiters

SmartRecruiters is an enterprise talent acquisition platform that offers a genuinely free plan alongside paid enterprise tiers. Its free plan includes unlimited job postings, candidate tracking, and team collaboration — making it one of the most generous free ATS options available. SmartRecruiters is used by global enterprises including Visa, Bosch, and LinkedIn.

Freemium pricing · Get Pricing →

Close

Close is a CRM built specifically for inside sales teams that do high-volume outreach via phone, email, and SMS. It has built-in calling, emailing, and SMS so sales reps can reach out to prospects without switching tools. Close is designed to maximize sales productivity for teams that rely on outbound sales.

Paid pricing · Get Pricing →

Pros

  • Genuinely useful free plan with unlimited jobs and users
  • Enterprise-grade features available as you scale
  • Strong AI candidate screening on paid plans
  • Used by large global enterprises giving it credibility with candidates

Cons

  • Free plan has limited analytics and automation
  • Enterprise pricing can be expensive
  • Interface can feel complex for small teams
  • Implementation requires dedicated time for enterprise features

Pros

  • Best-in-class built-in calling and email sequencing
  • Designed specifically for high-volume inside sales teams
  • Strong reporting on sales activity and performance
  • Fast and efficient interface for power users

Cons

  • Expensive compared to general-purpose CRMs
  • Overkill for teams that do low-volume or inbound-only sales
  • Limited marketing automation features

Our Take

Choose SmartRecruiters if companies of all sizes wanting a scalable ats from free to enterprise. Choose Close if inside sales teams doing high-volume outbound calling and emailing.

Best For

Companies of all sizes wanting a scalable ATS from free to enterprise

Best For

Inside sales teams doing high-volume outbound calling and emailing