When deciding between Closely and Outreach, the choice comes down to your team’s size, budget, and goals. Here’s the quick breakdown:
- Closely: A LinkedIn and email outreach tool aimed at small teams or individuals. It automates LinkedIn tasks, saves time, and starts at $49/month with transparent pricing.
- Outreach: A large-scale revenue platform for enterprises. It manages the entire sales cycle, from prospecting to forecasting, with custom enterprise pricing starting at $100/user/month.
Key Differences:
- Focus: Closely specializes in LinkedIn outreach, while Outreach covers full revenue operations.
- Target Users: Closely suits smaller teams; Outreach is built for large organizations.
- Pricing: Closely offers clear, affordable plans; Outreach uses custom quotes.
- Complexity: Closely is easy to set up; Outreach requires more robust implementation.
Quick Comparison:
| Feature | Closely | Outreach |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Focus | LinkedIn & email outreach | Full revenue management |
| Best For | Small teams, individuals | Large enterprises |
| Starting Price | $49/month | $100/user/month (annual) |
| Setup | Quick and simple | Enterprise-level complexity |
| Integrations | Basic CRM connections | 90+ integrations |
If you’re a small team or solo professional focused on LinkedIn, Closely is budget-friendly and time-saving. For enterprise-level sales operations, Outreach offers broader features tailored to large-scale needs.
Platform Overview
Overview of Closely
Closely is a LinkedIn and email outreach platform designed to simplify lead generation and messaging through AI-driven personalization. It’s tailored for B2B teams, midsize sales groups, and individual professionals, helping users cut down prospecting time by 60% while doubling the number of meetings booked with qualified leads [4].
The platform shines with its LinkedIn automation features and multichannel campaign management, making it a go-to option for teams that rely heavily on LinkedIn for outreach. With a user rating of 4.3 out of 5 from 242 reviews on FiveTaco [6], Closely has proven to be a reliable tool. Pricing starts at $49 per month, which includes one LinkedIn account, unlimited emails, and 1,000 monthly credits. Plus, there’s a 14-day free trial for those who want to test the waters [5].
On the other hand, Outreach takes a broader approach, focusing on comprehensive revenue management.
Overview of Outreach
Outreach is an all-encompassing AI-powered platform that goes beyond outreach automation to manage the entire sales cycle, from prospecting to customer retention. It’s designed for Sales, Customer Success, and RevOps teams, making it ideal for large organizations with complex revenue operations.
The platform boasts AI-driven forecasting, improving forecast accuracy by an average of 4% [2]. It also offers features like in-meeting support, coaching, risk management, and governance. With over 90 integrations, Outreach helps businesses streamline their sales tools while enabling sellers to close over 2 million opportunities every month [3]. Unlike Closely’s straightforward pricing, Outreach uses an enterprise sales model, requiring potential clients to contact their sales team for pricing details.
Here’s a breakdown of the key differences between the two platforms:
Platform Comparison Table
| Aspect | Closely | Outreach |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Focus | LinkedIn and email outreach automation | End-to-end revenue workflow platform |
| Target Users | Individual sales professionals, small to midsize teams, solo entrepreneurs | Large enterprises and complex revenue teams |
| Core Strength | LinkedIn automation with AI personalization | Comprehensive revenue management with advanced analytics |
| Pricing Model | Transparent monthly plans starting at $49/month | Enterprise pricing (contact sales) |
| Setup Complexity | Quick setup for non-tech-savvy users | Enterprise-level implementation |
| Integration | Essential CRM integrations and webhooks | 90+ integrations for tool consolidation |
| Scale Focus | Efficiency for small teams and individuals | Large-scale revenue operations and forecasting |
Is this the BEST LTD for LinkedIn Automation? Closely Review (AppSumo 2024)
Features and Capabilities
Both platforms come equipped with AI-driven tools, multichannel outreach capabilities, team management features, and analytics, each tailored to different user needs.
AI Personalization and Automation
Here’s a closer look at their AI-driven features:
- Closely uses AI to simplify targeted outreach by automating tasks like web research, lead scoring, and crafting personalized messages.
- Outreach leverages AI for predictive analytics and revenue forecasting, helping teams identify pipeline gaps and assess engagement through sentiment analysis [2].
Multichannel Campaigns
- Closely focuses on LinkedIn and email, providing a streamlined way to engage prospects and guide them through the outreach process.
- Outreach takes a broader approach, supporting complex, multichannel campaigns that enable enterprise teams to execute coordinated, multi-touch strategies.
Team Management and Scalability
- Closely offers an easy-to-use dashboard designed for small teams. It allows users to monitor campaigns, manage multiple LinkedIn accounts, and even access white-label options for customization.
- Outreach is built for larger teams, consolidating tools across Sales, Customer Success, and RevOps to create a unified operational framework.
Analytics and Reporting
- Closely provides a unified dashboard to track campaign performance and deliver actionable insights.
- Outreach offers daily-refreshed reports with access to 16 months of historical data. AI-powered forecasting and risk analysis tools further enhance the accuracy of pipeline management [7][2].
Feature Comparison Table
| Feature Category | Closely | Outreach |
|---|---|---|
| AI Capabilities | AI-driven personalization, lead scoring, web research | Predictive analytics, revenue forecasting, sentiment analysis [2] |
| Communication Channels | Focus on LinkedIn and email outreach | Supports a broad multichannel approach |
| Team Management | Dashboard for small teams, white-label options | Designed for large teams with consolidated sales tool management |
| Reporting Depth | Tracks campaign performance, actionable insights | Daily refreshed reports, 16 months of historical data [7] |
| Integration Ecosystem | Basic CRM connections | Extensive integration support (specifics not provided) |
| Data Retention | Standard campaign history | Detailed analytics retention over 16 months [7] |
| Forecast Management | Basic performance tracking | AI-enhanced forecasting capabilities [2] |
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Pricing and Value
Closely stands out with its upfront, budget-conscious pricing, while Outreach leans on a custom enterprise model. Closely offers clear plans with both monthly and annual billing options, whereas Outreach requires direct engagement with their sales team to obtain tailored quotes.
Closely Pricing
Closely’s pricing is divided into four straightforward plans:
- Starter: $49 per month, includes one LinkedIn account, unlimited email accounts, and white-label options.
- Growth: $127 per month, supports three LinkedIn accounts, and provides 3,000 monthly credits for emails, phone numbers, or AI personalizations.
- Essential: $205 per month, ideal for mid-sized operations, with five LinkedIn accounts and 5,000 monthly credits.
- Custom: $350 per month, designed for larger teams, accommodating up to 10 LinkedIn accounts.
Annual billing brings discounts across the board: Starter drops to $29 per month ($348 annually), Growth to $87 per month ($1,044 annually), Essential to $145 per month ($1,740 annually), and Custom to $206 per month ($2,472 annually). All plans include perks like unlimited campaigns, LinkedIn account warmup, dedicated residential IPs, CRM integrations, webhooks, and AI tools for personalization and lead scoring [11]. Closely also offers a free trial and a free version [8].
Outreach Pricing
Outreach takes a different approach, requiring potential customers to contact their sales team for custom enterprise quotes. Their pricing is per-user with no additional platform fees, and "Plus support" is included. Plans are categorized into Standard, Professional, Enterprise, and Unlimited tiers. The Standard plan starts at $100 per user per month and requires an annual contract [9][10].
Pricing Comparison Table
| User Type | Closely (Monthly) | Closely (Annual) | Outreach (Annual) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Individual User | $49/month | $29/month ($348/year) | $100/month ($1,200/year) |
| Small Team (3 users) | $127/month | $87/month ($1,044/year) | $300/month ($3,600/year) |
| Mid-size Team (5 users) | $205/month | $145/month ($1,740/year) | $500/month ($6,000/year) |
| Large Team (10+ users) | $350/month | $206/month ($2,472/year) | Custom pricing required |
This table underscores the stark cost differences between the two platforms. For instance, an individual user opting for Closely’s Starter plan at $348 annually saves 71% compared to Outreach’s $1,200 minimum. Similarly, small teams benefit significantly, with Closely’s Growth plan costing $1,044 annually versus $3,600 for three Outreach users.
These pricing differences reflect Closely’s focus on being an accessible LinkedIn outreach tool. Its transparent pricing and flexible billing options make it an appealing choice for small businesses across the U.S. looking to manage their budgets effectively.
Best Fit for Different User Types
Choosing between Closely and Outreach comes down to team size, technical needs, and the complexity of your workflows. Each platform is tailored to meet specific user requirements.
Individual Sales Professionals
If you’re a solo sales professional, Closely is a game-changer. It automates time-consuming tasks like lead research, profile visits, connection requests, follow-ups, and messaging. This automation can improve response rates by about 35% and free up to 10 hours per week [1][12]. Plus, its intuitive interface makes it accessible even for users with limited tech skills. Another bonus? All LinkedIn and email replies are funneled into one easy-to-navigate inbox [1]. And as you grow into team dynamics, the platform’s collaboration tools smoothly support that transition.
Small and Midsize Teams
For small and midsize teams, Closely integrates communication tools directly into its CRM. This allows teams to manage email, calls, and SMS outreach in one place, boosting LinkedIn engagement and creating more pipeline opportunities – all while cutting down on manual work [12][14].
Large Enterprises
When it comes to large enterprises handling complex sales operations, Outreach often becomes the go-to choice. Its unified, multichannel platform is designed to meet the demands of larger teams. While Closely focuses on targeted outreach, Outreach provides the advanced features and scalability that bigger organizations typically require [13].
User Type Recommendation Table
| User Type | Recommended Platform | Key Reasons |
|---|---|---|
| Individual Sales Professional | Closely | Automates tasks to save time and increase response rates [1][12] |
| Small Team (2-5 users) | Closely | Integrated CRM with multichannel communication for seamless collaboration [14] |
| Midsize Team (6-20 users) | Closely or Outreach* | Closely fits simpler workflows; Outreach offers advanced tools for more complex operations [13][14] |
| Large Enterprise (20+ users) | Outreach | Built for enterprise needs with a robust multichannel messaging platform [13] |
*For midsize teams, the choice depends on your workflow complexity and budget.
Ultimately, the decision comes down to your team’s size and operational needs. Closely is ideal for individual professionals and smaller teams looking for a LinkedIn-focused solution, while Outreach is better suited for larger enterprises requiring a more comprehensive, multichannel approach.
Choosing the Right Platform
Picking between Closely and Outreach boils down to aligning your specific needs with what each platform does best. Since these tools cater to different audiences, your choice will depend on factors like team size, budget, and how complex your operations are. Let’s break it down with a focus on what matters most to users in the US.
Key Factors for US Users
When deciding, think about these key points: budget, ease of setup, scalability, and how well the platform integrates with your existing tools. For example, Closely offers a Starter plan at $49 per month, which is ideal for solo sales professionals or small teams. Its straightforward setup makes it a good choice if you’re looking for a quick, hassle-free solution. On the other hand, enterprise-level platforms often come with more extensive onboarding and integration requirements.
Scalability is another big consideration. If your team is small now but you’re planning to grow, make sure the platform you choose can grow with you. Closely, for instance, supports CRM integrations and other tools that help streamline prospecting and campaign management. Take a close look at how well it fits with the tools you already use to avoid disruptions.
Final Recommendation
For users in the US who need cost-effective LinkedIn automation and work in smaller teams or as individuals, Closely provides a practical and affordable solution. Its focus on LinkedIn outreach, combined with automation features and flexible pricing, makes it a solid option for many.
However, if you’re part of a large enterprise with complex sales operations, you’ll likely need a platform that offers more advanced features, customization options, and enterprise-level support.
FAQs
What should I consider when deciding if Closely or Outreach is right for my sales team?
When choosing between Closely and Outreach, it’s crucial to weigh your team’s size, budget, and specific sales goals. If you’re running a small to medium-sized business and need a straightforward tool for LinkedIn outreach and sales automation, Closely could be the better fit. It’s user-friendly, quick to set up, and doesn’t demand extensive training or technical know-how.
In contrast, Outreach caters more to larger teams or enterprises that require advanced capabilities like in-depth reporting and AI-driven analytics. That said, it often comes with more complex pricing and might need dedicated management or consulting to get the most out of it. Think about your priorities – whether it’s scalability, simplicity, or a feature-rich platform – and match them with the tool that aligns best with your team’s needs.
What is the difference in pricing between Closely and Outreach, and how should I plan my budget for these tools?
Closely provides a range of pricing options through its tiered plans, making it a budget-friendly choice for individuals and small teams. If you’re looking to save on long-term costs, annual subscriptions often come with discounts that can ease the financial load.
On the flip side, Outreach is tailored for enterprise-level operations, which means its pricing reflects the needs of larger organizations with more complex demands.
When planning your budget, think about factors like your team’s size, the amount of outreach you’ll handle, and the specific features you require. It’s also worth considering the potential return on investment – like boosted efficiency and better response rates – to ensure the tool fits both your sales objectives and financial plan.
When is Closely the best choice for a sales team?
Closely is a smart pick for sales teams in small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) or startups that want an easy-to-use tool for LinkedIn outreach and sales automation. It’s especially helpful for teams that need to get their outreach efforts up and running quickly, without sinking too much time or resources into setup and management.
Designed with simplicity and affordability in mind, Closely works well for teams focused on getting started fast, increasing daily efficiency, and keeping things straightforward. It’s a practical option for businesses aiming to improve their sales workflows without the complexity or cost of larger enterprise platforms.