Head to head

Aircall vs Close

Same facts, side by side: starting price, free tier, MCP, API and what each one is actually built for.

Aircall

Sales-quoted Free trial

Cloud phone system for recruiting and sales call desks, built around CRM connectors. Plans are quote-based with a three-license minimum.

Where Aircall fits

Recruiting and SDR teams living in a CRM
Agencies on Bullhorn that want a cloud handset
Desks that need recording plus CRM logging
Companies replacing desk phones with a softphone

Close

$9/user/mo Free trial

Sales CRM with a built-in power dialer. Solo is $9/user/mo billed annually ($19 monthly); trial with $5 calling credits.

Where Close fits

Small sales and recruiting desks that live on the phone
Teams that want CRM plus dialer in one login
Buyers who will try with no card
Agencies that hate Salesforce-plus-a-dialer

At a glance

Detail	Aircall	Close
Starting price	Sales-quoted	$9/user/mo
Free tier	–No	–No
Free trial	Yes	Yes
MCP server	–No	✓Yes
Public API	–No	✓Yes
Listed under	Dialers, Lead generation	Dialers, Lead generation
Capterra	4.2 from 465 reviews	4.7 from 164 reviews

Where they pull apart

Aircall

Stands out: Calls log back into HubSpot, Salesforce, Bullhorn, and Slack instead of living in a separate PBX.

Watch out: Plans start at three licenses, and no per-license price is published. AI Voice Agent minutes beyond the included bundle are consumption.

Not the right fit for

Solo recruiters who want a cheap power dialer
Teams that need LinkedIn sequencing more than voice

Stands out: Calling inside the CRM (not a bolted-on dialer), plus WhatsApp, Calendly, HubSpot, and a first-party MCP.

Watch out: Phone lines are $1/line/month, which is not the CRM seat. Solo annual is $9/user. Calling is usage-based on top.

Not the right fit for

Enterprises standardised on Salesforce
People who only need SMS
Buyers who need a sub-$9 seat

Pros and cons

Aircall

Named CRM and ATS connectors including HubSpot, Salesforce, and Bullhorn
Softphone and recording without running a PBX
AI summaries plus a small included Voice Agent minute bundle

No public per-license dollar amount
Three-license minimum on every plan
Voice-agent minutes beyond the included bundle are extra

CRM plus dialer without a second vendor
Annual Solo at $9/user/mo
MCP, API, and a real trial

Phone lines are billed separately, from $1/line/month
Calling usage is extra
Not a recruiting ATS

What each one costs

Aircall

Sales-quoted

Confirm current pricing on the vendor site.

Checked 17 Sep 2026

$9/user/mo

Confirm current pricing on the vendor site.

Checked 18 Sep 2026

Common questions

Can you try Aircall or Close for free?

Neither carries a free tier on our listing. Aircall offers a free trial. Close offers a free trial.

Does Aircall or Close have an MCP server?

Close ships a first party MCP server, so an AI assistant can work the product directly.

Not the pair you wanted?

All Aircall alternatives All Close alternatives Every Dialers tool

Editorial listings, never paid rankings. Prices checked 17 Sep 2026. Confirm current terms on the vendor site. Spot an error?