Switching from Zoho CRM to Close

You can test Close and review a sample of your Zoho CRM data before moving everything.

Close brings calling, texting, and email into the CRM, with conversations saved alongside the lead. Our migration team can move simple Zoho CRM data for free, or a Close admin can start an import. Rebuilding automations and transferring numbers are planned separately.

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14-day free trial. No credit card required.

Paid plans have a 30-day money-back guarantee. Confirm migration scope and timing with our team before setting a switch date.

On this page8 sections

What changes in Close?

Text from the CRM

Close has texting built in for supported countries. Zoho's Notification SMS is limited to eligible India-registered companies sending transactional messages to Indian numbers. Elsewhere, a team needs a separate tool such as Zoho Voice or a third-party extension.

Work through a call list

On Growth and Scale, the Power Dialer moves through a list of leads. Calls are logged automatically with a recording, transcript, and summary.

Try an AI agent

Close AI agents can make outbound calls, qualify leads, book meetings, and log conversations. They're available on every plan and use AI credits.

When staying with Zoho may make sense

If your team relies on Blueprint's enforced sales steps, or your current calling and texting setup works well, compare the cost of keeping it with the work of moving. Zoho's native Notification SMS may also cover eligible transactional texting for an India-registered company.

Who handles the move?

Our migration team moves simple data from Zoho CRM for free and removes duplicates. The published turnaround is five to seven business days; confirm the scope and timing for your setup on a consultation call. Complex or messy migrations may have an hourly cost, disclosed in advance.

Our team agrees on the scope, moves the data, removes duplicates, and reviews the result with you.
Your team makes sure an authorized person can export from Zoho, selects a Close admin for any self-serve import, and checks records and next steps.
Plan separately for rebuilding Blueprints, cadences, workflow rules, and call routing, and for phone-number transfers. Ask the team what onboarding and US business-texting registration support is included.

Try a call and follow-up before you move

Use the 14-day trial to test a real process before moving your data.

Connect email and get a number.Use a new Close number while you test instead of waiting for a transfer.
Make a call.Use the trial calling credits and check the logged call, recording, transcript, and summary.
Set the next step and review a sample.Add a task, then have an admin run a sample import and check where records land.

If you intend to use a dialer, workflow, or AI agent, test it with a small number of leads first.

If dialers, workflows or AI are part of your intended setup

Work a list with a dialerOn Growth and Scale, the power dialer queues the next call; Scale adds a predictive dialer that calls multiple numbers and connects you when someone answers.
Set up automated follow-upWorkflows can combine email, call, and text steps on those plans. Test the timing with one lead before adding more.
Test an AI agent and Chloe ChatAI agents are available on every plan and use monthly AI credits that don't roll over. You can buy extra credits. Chloe Chat, our in-app assistant, is in beta.

What should you budget?

Zoho CRM Standard is listed at $14 per user per month billed annually, compared with $35 for Close Essentials. Close Growth, which adds workflows and a power dialer, is $99 per user per month billed annually. Zoho Professional is $23.

98% of Close users say it saves them at least three hours a week of admin and manual work, which is more than 150 hours a year per seller.

The plans do different things. Zoho Standard includes calling and cadences. Texting outside its native India use case requires another tool, whose price isn't included in the cost table. Neither vendor's seat price covers all phone-number and calling usage.

For this work	Close	Zoho CRM
Calling, email, and automated follow-up	Close Growth$99 billed annually$109 billed monthly	Zoho CRM Standard$14 billed annually$20 billed monthly
Additional tools to compare	Close Growth$99 billed annually$109 billed monthly	Zoho CRM Professional$23 billed annually$35 billed monthly

Pricing notes

Close per user, Zoho CRM per user, per month at list price, annual and monthly billing shown separately, checked Oct 21, 2026 on each vendor's pricing page.

We checked these list prices on October 21, 2026. The comparison doesn't price a Zoho texting app or a Zoho power dialer, so the totals aren't equivalent. Zoho Standard may cover teams that mainly call and email at a lower per-seat price.

Call, number and tax charges

Both vendors charge separately for calling and phone numbers. Close calls bill per minute at carrier rates, with phone lines starting at $1 per line/month. Zoho calling uses prepaid credits worth $1 each; its listed local number is 1.15 credits/month and toll-free number 2.15. We couldn't verify Zoho's outbound per-minute rate. Zoho may add local taxes.

If you mostly call and email, Zoho Standard may cover your process for less per seat. Price the work and connected tools you need.

List prices are a starting point. What you pay depends on your billing term, team size, calling, texting, and AI usage beyond included credits, add-ons, onboarding fees, and the terms you agree with each vendor. Prices and plans change, so confirm current pricing before you buy.

Buying for five or more sellers? Talk to our sales team about team pricing and onboarding.

From a sample import to a full migration

Connect Zoho CRM.A Close admin can connect it through Import2, the third-party migration service used inside Close. One import covers the team's data.
Review the sample.Import2 first moves a small portion of your data. Check where records land and correct errors; the sample can take a few hours depending on size.
Run the full import.Start it from the import page, or ask our migration team to handle the move. Import2 emails you when it finishes.
Rebuild and test.Plan to rebuild workflow rules, Blueprints, cadences, and call routing. Confirm whether custom buttons, functions, portals, and layouts can transfer before relying on them.

Keep your own backup too. The documentation reviewed says Zoho CSV exports have record limits, full backups are charged per request, and download links expire after seven days.

How Zoho CRM records map into Close

Zoho CRM	Close
Accounts	Leads, the closest match; confirm with Support
Contacts	Contacts associated with a lead
Deals and pipelines	Opportunities, pipelines, and statuses
Custom fields	Custom fields, created and mapped during configuration
Converted leads	The record each became moves instead

In Close, a lead holds a company's contacts and opportunities. Confirm account mapping and activity history in the sample. Custom buttons, functions, portals, and Canvas views aren't confirmed to transfer. See the CRM import guide.

Can you keep your phone numbers?

Often, but confirm each number before setting a cutover date. Our provider ports US and Canadian numbers by default. Zoho's calling uses Twilio, so ask Support whether an internal transfer is available for your numbers.

Porting stops service with the old provider. Check any contract and coordinate the transfer before canceling Zoho calling. For other countries, Support can check the number and type; international transfers can take two to six weeks. Use a new Close number while you test.

Number transfers, paperwork and US texting requirements

If your Zoho number qualifies for a Twilio transfer, Support will ask for the full numbers and your Twilio account ID and explain the transfer tickets. For a US number from another carrier, provide a signed Letter of Authorization listing the numbers and either a recent carrier invoice or Customer Service Record. The name and address must match; tell Support if you need texting.

Other countries may require approved local paperwork. Before sending business texts to US numbers, complete A2P 10DLC registration. See the number-porting guide and confirm your route with Support.

Before you switch

Choose a Close admin and confirm Zoho export permission.
Download exports or order a backup, and save downloads before their links expire.
List the Blueprints, cadences, workflow rules, and call flows you need to rebuild.
List phone numbers to keep and check their contracts and transfer eligibility.
Plan required US business-texting registration.
Review a sample import, then test a real call and follow-up before canceling Zoho CRM.

Switching questions

How long does migration take?

A sample import can take a few hours, depending on its size. Our team's published turnaround for simple migrations is five to seven business days. Phone numbers move separately, and international transfers can take two to six weeks.

What happens to workflows and Blueprints?

Plan to rebuild workflow rules, Blueprints, and cadences in Close. Workflows are available on Growth and Scale. List the steps your team relies on and test each rebuilt workflow with one lead first.

Can I keep my number?

Often, if the number is eligible to transfer. Ask Support whether your Zoho number qualifies for a Twilio transfer. A port stops service with the old provider, so coordinate the move before canceling.

What does the migration cost?

Our team moves simple data for free. Complex, multi-system, or messy-data migrations may have an hourly charge, discussed in advance. An admin can also start an Import2 import inside Close, usually at no cost.

Can I keep Zoho running during the trial?

Yes. Try calls, follow-up, and a sample import in Close while Zoho remains available. Save your Zoho exports or backup and move any numbers you need before canceling. Zoho export links expire after seven days.

Bring a sample of your data. Try a real week in Close.

Connect a number and work a few leads before moving everything.

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Migration steps are from our guide to migrating from another CRM and help center, Zoho CRM details from its help center, and prices from each vendor's pricing page, checked Oct 21, 2026.