Bitrix24
Bitrix24's blog explains MCP for small teams; still no product releases.
Comparison · CRM
Groundhogg vs Close CRM
A side-by-side editorial comparison of Groundhogg and Close CRM — release velocity, themes, recent moves, and the top alternatives to consider.
Groundhogg vs Close CRM: at a glance
What is Groundhogg?
Groundhogg 4.10 ends a year of quiet with a phone app, AI setup and dark mode.
Groundhogg is a WordPress CRM and marketing automation plugin whose visible releases centre on its flow editor and broadcasts. After 4.2.6 in October 2025, the feed was quiet for a year until 4.10 on October 30, 2026, which lets users install the CRM on a phone, connect ChatGPT or Claude in a few clicks, and switch the admin to dark mode.
What is Close CRM?
Close turns caller ID into an automatic choice with Local Presence.
Close is shipping on three tracks: the Chloe assistant, calling, and admin controls. In November the calling side moved most, with Local Presence picking a recognized or local-looking number for each call and text, and outbound calls now playing a tone while they connect. Chloe Chat is generally available and draws charts on request, and October brought object renaming and a central Security page with OIDC SSO.
Groundhogg vs Close CRM: editorial side-by-side
Groundhogg
2.5CRM
Groundhogg 4.10 ends a year of quiet with a phone app, AI setup and dark mode.
◆ Current state
Groundhogg is a WordPress CRM and marketing automation plugin whose visible releases centre on its flow editor and broadcasts. After 4.2.6 in October 2025, the feed was quiet for a year until 4.10 on October 30, 2026, which lets users install the CRM on a phone, connect ChatGPT or Claude in a few clicks, and switch the admin to dark mode.
◆ Where it's heading
The 4.10 release moves beyond the flow editor toward access from anywhere and AI assistants connected to the CRM. Versions 4.3 to 4.9 are missing from the feed, so the steps in between are not visible.
◆ Prediction
Expect follow-up 4.10.x releases around the AI connection and mobile app; the feed's gaps make the cadence hard to predict.
Close CRM
5.0CRM
Close turns caller ID into an automatic choice with Local Presence.
◆ Current state
Close is shipping on three tracks: the Chloe assistant, calling, and admin controls. In November the calling side moved most, with Local Presence picking a recognized or local-looking number for each call and text, and outbound calls now playing a tone while they connect. Chloe Chat is generally available and draws charts on request, and October brought object renaming and a central Security page with OIDC SSO.
◆ Where it's heading
Calling and texting are getting the kind of automation Chloe brought to search and reporting, with Close making choices reps used to make by hand. The admin work points at larger teams that need renamed objects and central access control.
◆ Prediction
Expect more calling features that remove manual steps, such as number management or call outcome handling, alongside further Chloe chart and action types.
Alternatives to Groundhogg and Close CRM
Other CRM products tracked by Sparkpulse, ranked by recent ship velocity. Each card links to a full editorial trajectory and lets you pivot into a head-to-head comparison with either Groundhogg or Close CRM.
Twenty
Twenty 2.58.1 stops existing accounts from joining a workspace through SSO alone.
Twenty
Twenty 2.58 rebuilds CRM permissions down to the row and adds MCP workflow steps.
GroupOffice
GroupOffice patches its 25.0 and 6.8 lines again, still with no notes.
Folk
folk adds a command panel and quick-add tasks after its agent-era repositioning.
Folk
folk now pitches itself as the CRM for the agent era.
See all Groundhogg alternatives → · See all Close CRM alternatives →
Recent activity from Groundhogg and Close CRM
Latest ship moves from both products, interleaved chronologically. ⚡ = editorial spark.
- 5d agoClose CRMHear a tone while outbound calls connect
- 9d agoClose CRMLocal Presence
- 10d agoClose CRMAsk Chloe to create donut and horizontal line charts
- 14d agoGroundhoggGroundhogg 4.10: Your CRM on Your Phone, One-Click AI Setup, and Dark Mode
- 16d agoClose CRMRename Leads, Contacts, and Opportunities
- 25d agoClose CRMChloe Chat is out of beta for all Close customers
- 1mo agoClose CRMClose adds a central Security page and OIDC single sign-on
- 1y agoGroundhoggGroundhogg 4.2.6 adds frequency limits to flow triggers
- 1y agoGroundhoggGroundhogg 4.0 adds branching and conditions to the flow editor
- 2y agoGroundhoggA new look for Funnels and Conditional Logic in Groundhogg
- 2y agoGroundhoggGroundhogg 3.7 – Personalized Dashboard, Broadcast Batching, Converting Emails To Posts & More!
- 2y agoGroundhogg⏱️ Countdown timers in Groundhogg are now revamped!
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Groundhogg and Close CRM?
They serve adjacent needs but don't currently overlap on shipped themes. Close CRM is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 5.0 vs 2.5), with 0 editorial sparks in the last 30 days against 0. See the at-a-glance table above for a side-by-side breakdown of velocity, recent sparks, and editorial themes.
Is Groundhogg better than Close CRM?
Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. Close CRM is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 5.0 vs 2.5), with 0 editorial sparks in the last 30 days against 0. For your specific use case, the alternatives sections above list other CRM products to evaluate alongside.
What are the best alternatives to Groundhogg?
Top Groundhogg alternatives in CRM are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "Groundhogg alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/groundhogg for the full list with editorial commentary on each.
What are the best alternatives to Close CRM?
Top Close CRM alternatives in CRM are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "Close CRM alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/close-crm for the full list with editorial commentary on each.