Gold Vision CRM
Gold Vision CRM ships monthly releases on a consistent cadence — changelog details aren't surfaced in the feed.
Comparison · CRM
Close CRM vs Keap
A side-by-side editorial comparison of Close CRM and Keap — release velocity, themes, recent moves, and the top alternatives to consider.
Shared themes:crm
Close CRM vs Keap: at a glance
What is Close CRM?
Close is systematically expanding Chloe from Q&A into an operational CRM layer
Close is building Chloe — its AI assistant — outward from a simple knowledge base into a functional operations interface. In recent months, Chloe gained billing query support, Microsoft Calendar integration for meeting booking, and can now retrieve Notetaker transcripts via MCP. Alongside this, Close hardened its security posture with mandatory email verification and added a full audit event log for compliance-focused teams.
What is Keap?
Keap is folding deeper into the Thryv platform; the v2 REST API just hit parity.
Keap publishes a regular monthly product roundup covering automations, email, branding, and reporting. The biggest single move in the last cycle is the Thryv v2 REST API reaching full feature parity with the legacy XMLRPC API, with new SDKs alongside it. Branding and copy across recent updates increasingly leads with Thryv rather than Keap, suggesting the post-acquisition merge is now visible in product surfaces.
Close CRM vs Keap: editorial side-by-side
Close CRM
5.0CRM
Close is systematically expanding Chloe from Q&A into an operational CRM layer
◆ Current state
Close is building Chloe — its AI assistant — outward from a simple knowledge base into a functional operations interface. In recent months, Chloe gained billing query support, Microsoft Calendar integration for meeting booking, and can now retrieve Notetaker transcripts via MCP. Alongside this, Close hardened its security posture with mandatory email verification and added a full audit event log for compliance-focused teams.
◆ Where it's heading
The pattern across the last 10 entries is unmistakable: Close is positioning itself as an AI-agent-compatible sales stack rather than a click-through SaaS UI. The MCP transcript tool, the updated ChatGPT plugin with voice agents, and Microsoft Calendar support are all building toward a world where Chloe handles CRM operations conversationally. The traditional UI is still there, but every new capability routes through Chloe first.
◆ Prediction
Chloe's next expansion is likely into write operations — lead creation, task scheduling, pipeline stage updates — completing the agentic loop it's been building toward. The billing query launch suggests Close is comfortable giving Chloe access to sensitive data with appropriate permissions gates.
Keap
0.0CRM
Keap is folding deeper into the Thryv platform; the v2 REST API just hit parity.
◆ Current state
Keap publishes a regular monthly product roundup covering automations, email, branding, and reporting. The biggest single move in the last cycle is the Thryv v2 REST API reaching full feature parity with the legacy XMLRPC API, with new SDKs alongside it. Branding and copy across recent updates increasingly leads with Thryv rather than Keap, suggesting the post-acquisition merge is now visible in product surfaces.
◆ Where it's heading
Keap is on a steady CRM-feature cadence — scheduling, segmentation, email deliverability, automation triggers — while the underlying platform shifts under the Thryv brand and API. Developer ecosystem work (v2 REST + SDKs) signals an attempt to revive third-party integration momentum that XMLRPC was bottlenecking. Expect Keap-branded surfaces to keep narrowing as Thryv consolidates the small-business suite.
◆ Prediction
The XMLRPC API has a deprecation window coming — likely a public timeline within a quarter or two. Cross-product features (booking, reputation, marketing) will increasingly land as Thryv-branded rather than Keap-branded, accelerating the brand transition.
Alternatives to Close CRM and Keap
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 Close CRM or Keap.
Twenty
Twenty's sprint through v2.39-v2.40 stabilizes yarn pull and relicenses UI components as MIT.
Lime Connect
Lime Connect adds time-based workflow triggers and interactive UI elements for its AI Agent, deepening its bet on AI-augmented customer communication.
Easy!Appointments
Easy!Appointments 1.6 lands video conferencing, GDPR tools, and a serious security overhaul across its CalDAV and booking stack.
Streak
Streak wires automations to email and call activity, turning Gmail CRM into an event-driven workflow engine.
Snov.io
Snov.io adds ChatGPT and Claude AI, then ships AI-powered web enrichment in consecutive monthly drops
See all Close CRM alternatives → · See all Keap alternatives →
Recent activity from Close CRM and Keap
Latest ship moves from both products, interleaved chronologically. ⚡ = editorial spark.
- 6d agoClose CRMChloe Chat notifications
- 7d agoClose CRMBetter confidence indicators for Auto Updates
- 8d agoClose CRMAsk Chloe about your Close subscription, telephony, and AI credit usage
- 20d agoClose CRMImproved Android calling sound and stability fixes
- 29d agoClose CRMEvent Log is now available in Settings and on Leads
- 1mo agoClose CRMImproved navigation on macOS and Windows
- 7mo agoKeapLegal/privacy footer (scraper noise)
- 8mo agoKeapDecember Product Update: Smarter Scheduling, Clearer Reporting, and Better API Visibility
- 9mo agoKeapNovember Product Update: Smarter Emails, Cleaner Branding & Enhanced Automation Tools
- 10mo agoKeapOctober Product Update: Work Faster and Stay Organized with New Automation Tools
- 10mo agoKeapThryv API Update: Full Feature Parity and New SDKs Now Available ⚡
- 10mo agoKeapGrow 2025 Product Recap: Innovations You Need to Know
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Close CRM and Keap?
Both compete on the same themes — crm — within CRM. Close CRM is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 5.0 vs 0.0), 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 Close CRM better than Keap?
Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. Close CRM is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 5.0 vs 0.0), 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 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.
What are the best alternatives to Keap?
Top Keap alternatives in CRM are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "Keap alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/keap for the full list with editorial commentary on each.