Which CRM Has the Best Email Tracking?
Email tracking in a CRM means knowing when prospects open your emails, click links, and engage with your sequences. But the features vary drastically by tier. HubSpot Free offers basic open tracking. Pipedrive Growth ($39/seat/mo) adds full two-way sync. Close Essentials ($49/seat/mo) bundles email with built-in calling and SMS. This guide maps exactly what you get at each price point.
Singh · Founder & Lead Reviewer · March 2026
Tests software tools, tracks pricing changes weekly, and builds comparison data from first-party vendor sources.
Tested: Pricing verified from vendor pages · 4 sources verified
See our methodology →Email Tracking by CRM and Tier
| CRM | Tier | Price | Email Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| HubSpot | Free | $0 | Open tracking (limited), email logging, basic templates |
| HubSpot | Starter | $20/seat/mo | Open/click tracking, email sequences (limited), templates, email health |
| Pipedrive | Lite | $14/seat/mo | Basic email integration, activity logging (no full sync) |
| Pipedrive | Growth | $39/seat/mo | Full two-way email sync, open/click tracking, templates, scheduler |
| Close | Essentials | $49/seat/mo | Email + calendar sync, Power Dialer, email sequences, templates |
| Close | Growth | $109/seat/mo | All email features + workflows, call recording, multiple pipelines |
| Freshsales | Growth | $11/seat/mo | Email sync, sequences, templates, AI contact scoring |
Feature Deep Dive: What “Email Tracking” Actually Means
Open and Click Tracking
- HubSpot Free — Basic open tracking via pixel. Click tracking available but limited notifications. No detailed engagement timeline.
- HubSpot Starter ($20/seat/mo) — Full open and click tracking with notifications. Activity timeline shows every email interaction on the contact record.
- Pipedrive Growth ($39/seat/mo) — Open and click tracking with real-time notifications. Integrates with email sync to show full conversation history.
- Close Essentials ($49/seat/mo) — Full open/click tracking. Every interaction logged on the lead timeline. Built-in SMS and calling activity tracked alongside email.
- Freshsales Growth ($11/seat/mo) — Open/click tracking with AI-powered contact scoring that weighs email engagement.
Email Sequences (Automated Follow-ups)
- HubSpot Free — No sequences. Manual follow-ups only.
- HubSpot Starter ($20/seat/mo) — Basic email sequences. Limited number of active sequences and enrollments.
- Pipedrive Growth ($39/seat/mo) — Automation-based sequences via workflow triggers. Not purpose-built for outbound sequences like Close.
- Close Essentials ($49/seat/mo) — Purpose-built email sequences with multi-step drip campaigns. Designed for inside sales outreach.
- Freshsales Growth ($11/seat/mo) — Email sequences included. Good value for the price.
Email Templates
- HubSpot Free — 5 email templates with basic personalization tokens.
- HubSpot Starter ($20/seat/mo) — 5,000 templates. Full personalization. Template performance reporting.
- Pipedrive Growth ($39/seat/mo) — Unlimited templates with merge fields. Shared team templates.
- Close Essentials ($49/seat/mo) — Templates with dynamic variables. Template performance tracking.
- Freshsales Growth ($11/seat/mo) — Email templates with merge tags. Shared across team.
Our Recommendation by Use Case
- Budget-conscious tracking: HubSpot Starter ($20/seat/mo) gives you open/click tracking, basic sequences, and templates in a CRM with a generous free tier to fall back on.
- Best value for the price: Freshsales Growth ($11/seat/mo) includes email sync, sequences, templates, and AI scoring. Cheapest full-featured email tracking in a CRM.
- Sales-focused email + calling: Close Essentials ($49/seat/mo) combines email tracking with built-in Power Dialer and SMS — no separate tools needed. Best for high-volume inside sales.
- Pipeline-centric with email: Pipedrive Growth ($39/seat/mo) offers excellent email sync and tracking alongside the best visual pipeline management. Best for deal-driven teams.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does HubSpot Free include email tracking?
Basic open tracking yes, but with limited notifications and no email sequences. For full open/click tracking, templates, and sequences, you need HubSpot Starter at $20/seat/mo.
Which CRM has the cheapest full email tracking?
Freshsales Growth at $11/seat/mo includes email sync, open/click tracking, sequences, templates, and AI contact scoring. It is the cheapest option with full email features in a CRM.
Is Close worth $49/seat for email tracking?
If your team makes calls alongside email outreach, yes. Close Essentials ($49/seat/mo) bundles email, Power Dialer, and SMS in one tool. You'd spend more buying Pipedrive Growth ($39/seat) plus a separate calling tool like Aircall.
Can I get email sequences on Pipedrive?
Pipedrive Growth ($39/seat/mo) supports automation-based email follow-ups via workflow triggers. It works but is not as purpose-built for outbound email sequences as Close. For dedicated sequence capability, Close Essentials ($49/seat/mo) is the better choice.