Close Review: How to Make Money as an Affiliate
Disclosure: some links in this post are affiliate links. If you buy through them, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
What Is Close?
Close is a CRM built for salespeople. It puts your leads, emails, calls, texts, and follow-ups in one place, so your team spends more time selling and less time switching tabs.
Here's the difference. Many CRMs are mostly a database you have to update. Close is built around doing the actual outreach. You can call, email, and text leads right from inside it.
It's popular with startups and small sales teams that live on the phone and in the inbox.
Here's what you get:
- Lead and contact management with unlimited contacts on team plans
- Built-in calling and SMS, plus a power dialer and predictive dialer on higher plans
- Email with templates, bulk email, and a central inbox
- Workflows that automate multi-step follow-up
- Pipelines and reporting to track deals
- Chloe, Close's AI assistant, included on all plans
- Call recording and live call coaching on the top plan
- Built-in forms to capture new leads
If your business runs on sales conversations, Close is one of the most focused CRMs you can pick.
How Does Close Work?
For Users
- Start a 14-day free trial. No credit card needed.
- Import your leads from a spreadsheet or another CRM.
- Connect your email and set up calling and SMS.
- Build your pipeline and create email templates.
- Set up Workflows so follow-ups happen automatically.
- Work your inbox and task list each day, and check reports to see what's closing.
For Affiliates
- Apply to the Close Partner Program. One application covers affiliates, creators, agencies, and other partner types. Approval usually takes 1 to 2 business days.
- Once approved, you get a unique referral link and a dashboard, managed through PartnerStack.
- Create helpful content for founders, salespeople, and small teams.
- Readers click your link and start a trial.
- When they become paying customers, you earn a share of their subscription for up to 12 months.
Close Pricing
Close has four main plans, priced per user, per month. Annual billing is cheaper. Larger companies can get custom pricing.
| Plan | Monthly | Annual | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solo | $19 | $9 | Core CRM, 1 user, up to 10k leads, no Workflows |
| Essentials | $49 | $35 | Unlimited leads, team features, email, calling, SMS, forms |
| Growth | $109 | $99 | Workflows, power dialer, bulk email, custom activities |
| Scale | $149 | $139 | Permissions, predictive dialer, call coaching, unlimited call recording retention |
Calling and SMS are billed separately at cost, based on usage. Every plan includes Chloe and AI credits.
Prices change. Check Close's own pricing page for current numbers before you buy or write about it.
Who Should Use Close?
Users
Close is a strong fit for startups, SaaS companies, agencies, and small to mid-sized sales teams that do a lot of calling and emailing. Solo founders can start on the Solo plan.
If you mostly need marketing automation, or you rarely talk to leads one on one, a different tool may suit you better. Close shines when the job is outreach.
Affiliates
Close fits affiliates whose audience is founders, salespeople, SaaS builders, and agency owners. If you already write about cold outreach, lead generation, or sales tools, it slots right in.
Pros and Cons of Close
Pros
- Calling, email, and SMS built in, so reps don't switch tools
- 14-day free trial with no card required
- AI assistant included on every plan
- Powerful Workflows for automated follow-up
- Solid affiliate program: 30% for up to 12 months
Cons
- Workflows need the Growth plan or higher
- Calling and SMS cost extra on top of the plan
- Pricier than simple small business CRMs
- Affiliate commissions stop after 12 months for standard affiliates
Close vs Alternatives
Close isn't the only CRM for small teams. Here's how it compares to a few tools I've already reviewed.
| Tool | Main Focus | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Close | Sales CRM with built-in calling, email, and SMS | Sales teams that live on outreach |
| Capsule CRM | Simple CRM for contacts, pipelines, and projects | Small teams that want an easy CRM |
| Keap | CRM plus marketing automation and payments | Service businesses that want sales and marketing together |
| Apollo.io | B2B contact data plus outreach | Teams that need to find leads, not just manage them |
If you want something simpler, read my Capsule CRM review. If marketing automation matters more, see my Keap review.
Need to find leads first? My Apollo.io review covers a data-first option.
How to Make Money with Close as an Affiliate
Here's why Close is worth promoting. Sales teams pay per user, and growing teams add users. When a team grows during your commission window, your commission grows too.
- Commission: 30% of subscription revenue from each referred customer
- Duration: Up to 12 months for standard affiliates (some higher partner tiers can earn longer)
- Cookie: Not published. Check the terms in your partner dashboard.
- Payout: Monthly, through PartnerStack
A few rules to know. Only subscription revenue counts, not calling or services. Bidding on Close's brand terms in paid ads isn't allowed, and you can't offer your own discounts without approval. Read the full partner agreement when you join.
Angle 1: "Best CRM for Startups"
Founders search for solutions, not brand names. Write an honest guide to picking a first sales CRM, and show Close as the pick for teams that sell by phone and email. Mention the no-card trial so the next step feels easy.
Angle 2: Head-to-Head Comparisons
"Close vs HubSpot" and "Close vs Pipedrive" are classic buyer-intent searches. Be fair about price and features. Readers can tell when you're not.
Angle 3: The Outbound Sales Stack
Show the full stack: lead data, cold email, and a CRM. Close pairs naturally with a cold email tool like the one in my Instantly review. One article, several commissions. And if you're new to how these programs are run, my PartnerStack review explains the platform.
Content Ideas That Rank
- Close CRM review
- Close CRM pricing
- Close vs HubSpot
- Close vs Pipedrive
- Close CRM alternatives
- Best CRM for startups
- Best CRM with built-in calling
- Best sales CRM for small teams
Common Questions About Close
Is there a free trial of Close?
Yes. Close offers a 14-day free trial, and you don't need a credit card.
Does Close include calling?
Yes. Calling and SMS are built in. Usage is billed separately at cost.
How much does the Close affiliate program pay?
30% of subscription revenue from each referred customer, for up to 12 months on standard affiliate terms.
How do Close affiliates get paid?
Monthly, through PartnerStack.
Can I bid on "Close CRM" in Google Ads?
No. Brand bidding is prohibited under the partner agreement.
Do I need to be a Close customer to join?
No. Close says existing customers aren't required to apply.
Final Thoughts
Close is a focused, outreach-first CRM. It isn't trying to do everything. It's built to help salespeople call, email, and follow up faster.
For affiliates, that focus makes it easy to explain who it's for. And with 30% of the subscription for up to a year, a single growing team can pay you well.
Start with one helpful article. Then another. That's how this works.
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