Closely vs Adobe
Closely
- Platform: LinkedIn and Email
- Best For: Outbound sales teams and agencies
- Strength: Safe automation with AI personalization
- Users: Not specified
Starting at $29/month
Adobe
- Platform: Creative, Marketing, Document
- Best For: Designers, marketers, and enterprises
- Strength: Industry-standard tools with AI integration
- Users: Not specified
Starting at $9.99/month
Table of Contents
At a Glance
Sales Outreach & Automation
| Feature | Closely | Adobe |
|---|---|---|
| LinkedIn Automation | ✓ Sequences with safe limits and human-like behavior | ✗ Not supported; focus on creative tools |
| Email Outreach | ✓ Multichannel campaigns combining LinkedIn and email | ✗ Limited to marketing campaigns in Experience Cloud |
| AI Personalization for Messages | ✓ AI for DMs, InMails, and emails | ✓ Firefly AI for content generation, not outreach personalization |
| Lead Qualification & Scoring | ✓ Sales AI Agents for research and scoring | ✓ In Experience Cloud for customer journey analytics |
| Data Enrichment | ✓ Verified emails and phones from LinkedIn | ✗ Asset enrichment in Creative Cloud, not lead data |
Creative & Content Tools
| Feature | Closely | Adobe |
|---|---|---|
| Photo & Video Editing | ✗ Not supported | ✓ Photoshop, Premiere Pro, After Effects |
| Graphic Design | ✗ Not supported | ✓ Illustrator, InDesign, XD |
| Generative AI for Assets | ✓ AI for personalization and research | ✓ Firefly for image/text generation integrated across apps |
| Content Collaboration | ✓ Unified inbox for replies | ✓ Shared libraries, comments, review workflows |
| Asset Management | ✗ Not supported | ✓ Cloud storage, libraries across apps |
Marketing & Analytics
| Feature | Closely | Adobe |
|---|---|---|
| Campaign Analytics | ✓ Outreach analytics across campaigns and teams | ✓ Experience Cloud for customer journey and personalization analytics |
| Personalization Tools | ✓ AI for sales outreach | ✓ Target for dynamic content personalization |
| Customer Journey Management | ✗ Not supported | ✓ Experience Cloud for full journey mapping |
| A/B Testing | ✗ Not supported | ✓ Integrated in Experience Cloud |
| ROI Attribution | ✓ CRM attribution for outreach | ✓ Advanced analytics in Experience Cloud |
Integrations & CRM
| Feature | Closely | Adobe |
|---|---|---|
| CRM Integrations | ✓ Deep with HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive | ✓ Experience Cloud integrates with various CRMs |
| Unified Inbox | ✓ For LinkedIn DMs, InMails, emails | ✗ Collaboration tools but no sales inbox |
| API & Webhooks | ✓ For custom integrations | ✓ Extensive APIs in Experience Cloud |
| White-Label Options | ✓ For agencies with custom branding | ✗ Enterprise customization but not white-label |
Document & Workflow Management
| Feature | Closely | Adobe |
|---|---|---|
| PDF Editing & E-Signatures | ✗ Not supported | ✓ Acrobat Pro and Sign |
| Cross-Platform Access | ✓ Web-based for outreach | ✓ Desktop, web, mobile for all apps |
| Enterprise Security | ✓ For sales data | ✓ Governance and admin controls |
| Team Collaboration | ✓ Team management in sequences | ✓ Shared workflows and libraries |
Pricing Comparison
Closely starts at $29/month (annual) for sales automation, scaling to custom for agencies, while Adobe begins at $9.99/month for photography plans, up to custom enterprise solutions. Closely's pricing suits sales teams, offering value in CRM integration, whereas Adobe provides broader creative access at entry levels but scales expensively for full suites.
Closely
Starter Annual
$29/month
Solo users starting outbound sales
- 1 LinkedIn account
- Unlimited email accounts
- White-label included
- Access to outreach automation and multichannel campaigns
Growth Annual
$87/month
Small teams scaling outreach
- 3 LinkedIn accounts
- Unlimited email accounts
- White-label included
- Bonus 3,000 credits per month for emails, phones, AI
Essential Annual
$145/month
Growing teams with more accounts
- 5 LinkedIn accounts
- Unlimited email accounts
- White-label included
- Bonus 5,000 credits per month
Custom
Custom
Large teams or agencies
- Custom LinkedIn accounts
- Unlimited campaigns
- CRM integrations and webhooks
- Advanced analytics
White-label Unlimited
$999/month
Agencies with multiple clients
- Unlimited seats
- Full customization and branding
- No usage caps
Adobe
Photography Plan (20GB)
$9.99/month
Photographers starting out
- Photoshop and Lightroom
- 20GB cloud storage
- Mobile and web access
Creative Cloud All Apps (Individual)
$59.99/month
Freelance creators needing full suite
- Over 20 apps including Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere
- Firefly AI features
- Cloud storage and libraries
Acrobat Pro (Individual)
$19.99/month
Professionals handling PDFs
- Advanced editing, OCR, forms
- E-signature integration
Creative Cloud for Teams (All Apps)
$84.99/month per license
Creative teams
- All apps per user
- Admin console, collaboration
Adobe Experience Cloud (Enterprise)
Custom
Large marketing organizations
- Analytics, personalization, content management
- Enterprise support
Feature Deep Dive
Sales Automation & Outreach
Closely
Strengths
- Multichannel campaigns blending LinkedIn and email
- Safe LinkedIn automation with human-like limits
- AI-powered personalization for all messages
- Sales AI Agents for lead research and scoring
- Data enrichment from LinkedIn exports
Workflow
Build prospect list → Enrich data → Create personalized sequence → Automate outreach → Track in unified inbox
Adobe
Strengths
- Experience Cloud for marketing campaigns
- Personalization in customer journeys
- Analytics for campaign performance
Workflow
Design assets → Launch campaign in Experience Cloud → Analyze journeys → Optimize personalization
Limitations
- No direct LinkedIn/email automation
- Focused on inbound marketing, not outbound sales
Closely dominates sales automation with LinkedIn-specific tools and safe outreach, ideal for B2B prospecting. Adobe supports marketing campaigns but lacks direct sales automation, making it better for broader customer engagement strategies.
Creative Design & Content Creation
Closely
Strengths
- AI for message personalization
- No native creative tools
Workflow
Use AI to personalize text → Integrate with external designs if needed
Limitations
- Lacks design or editing capabilities
- Focused solely on text-based outreach
Adobe
Strengths
- Full suite: Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere Pro
- Firefly generative AI for images and text effects
- Cross-app asset sharing and cloud libraries
- Mobile and web access for on-the-go creation
Workflow
Ideate with AI → Edit in specialized apps → Collaborate via libraries → Export for use
Adobe is the industry leader in creative tools with professional-grade apps and AI integration. Closely offers no creative features, relying on external tools for any visual needs in outreach.
Analytics & Reporting
Closely
Strengths
- Advanced outreach analytics for campaigns and teams
- CRM attribution for lead tracking
- Performance across sequences and multichannel
Limitations
- Sales-focused, no creative or journey analytics
Adobe
Strengths
- Experience Cloud for deep customer analytics
- Journey mapping, personalization insights
- Cross-channel reporting and A/B testing
Limitations
- Complex for simple sales reporting
Adobe provides superior marketing analytics for customer journeys and personalization at scale. Closely excels in sales-specific outreach metrics and CRM integration, but lacks breadth.
Integrations & CRM Capabilities
Closely
Strengths
- Deep integrations with HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive
- Webhooks for custom workflows
- Seamless data sync for leads
Workflow
Connect CRM → Automate lead import/export → Attribute outreach to deals
Adobe
Strengths
- Experience Cloud APIs for CRM connections
- Integration with marketing stacks
- Asset sharing across Adobe ecosystem
Workflow
Integrate with CRM → Pull data for personalization → Analyze cross-channel impact
Limitations
- Less focused on sales CRMs; more marketing-oriented
Closely offers tighter, sales-specific CRM integrations for outbound workflows. Adobe's integrations suit enterprise marketing but require more setup for sales use.
Use Case Comparison
Outbound Sales Team
Closely 🏆
Excellent
Multichannel automation, AI personalization, and CRM sync perfect for scaling prospecting without risking LinkedIn bans.
Best Plan: Growth Annual ($87/month)
Score: 10/10
Adobe
Poor
Lacks sales automation; better for creating sales collateral but not outreach.
Best Plan: Not suitable
Score: 2/10
Creative Agency
Closely
Poor
No design tools; white-label useful but irrelevant without creative features.
Best Plan: Not suitable
Score: 1/10
Adobe 🏆
Excellent
Full creative suite with collaboration and AI generation ideal for producing client work.
Best Plan: Creative Cloud for Teams ($84.99/month per license)
Score: 10/10
Marketing Team Needing Analytics
Closely
Fair
Good for outreach analytics but limited to sales campaigns.
Best Plan: Essential Annual ($145/month)
Score: 5/10
Adobe 🏆
Excellent
Experience Cloud provides comprehensive journey analytics and personalization.
Best Plan: Adobe Experience Cloud (Custom)
Score: 10/10
B2B Founder Scaling Without SDR Team
Closely 🏆
Excellent
AI agents and automation handle prospecting, enrichment, and CRM sync efficiently.
Best Plan: Starter Annual ($29/month)
Score: 9/10
Adobe
Fair
Useful for creating pitch materials but no automation for outreach.
Best Plan: Creative Cloud All Apps ($59.99/month)
Score: 4/10
Business Relying on PDF Workflows
Closely
Poor
No document tools; email integration only.
Best Plan: Not suitable
Score: 1/10
Adobe 🏆
Excellent
Acrobat Pro for editing, signing, and secure sharing.
Best Plan: Acrobat Pro ($19.99/month)
Score: 10/10
Agency Offering Lead Generation Services
Closely 🏆
Excellent
White-label platform, unlimited seats, and multichannel for client outreach.
Best Plan: White-label Unlimited ($999/month)
Score: 10/10
Adobe
Good
Creative tools for client assets, but no lead gen automation.
Best Plan: Creative Cloud for Teams ($84.99/month per license)
Score: 6/10
Professional Designer or Photographer
Closely
Poor
Irrelevant for design work.
Best Plan: Not suitable
Score: 1/10
Adobe 🏆
Excellent
Industry-standard apps like Photoshop and Lightroom.
Best Plan: Photography Plan ($9.99/month)
Score: 10/10
Enterprise Marketing Department
Closely
Fair
CRM integrations help, but lacks full marketing suite.
Best Plan: Custom
Score: 4/10
Adobe 🏆
Excellent
Integrated Experience Cloud for scalable content and analytics.
Best Plan: Adobe Experience Cloud (Custom)
Score: 10/10
Solo User for Personal Prospecting
Closely 🏆
Excellent
Affordable entry with unlimited emails and basic automation.
Best Plan: Starter Annual ($29/month)
Score: 9/10
Adobe
Poor
Overkill and irrelevant for solo sales.
Best Plan: Not suitable
Score: 2/10
Content Marketer Managing Multichannel Campaigns
Closely
Good
LinkedIn/email focus, but no broader content creation.
Best Plan: Growth Annual ($87/month)
Score: 7/10
Adobe 🏆
Excellent
Creative tools plus Experience Cloud for full campaigns.
Best Plan: Creative Cloud All Apps ($59.99/month)
Score: 9/10
Small Team Needing CRM Attribution
Closely 🏆
Excellent
Deep CRM integrations and analytics for sales attribution.
Best Plan: Essential Annual ($145/month)
Score: 10/10
Adobe
Fair
Integrations available but marketing-focused.
Best Plan: Creative Cloud for Teams ($84.99/month per license)
Score: 5/10
Video Production Team
Closely
Poor
No video tools.
Best Plan: Not suitable
Score: 1/10
Adobe 🏆
Excellent
Premiere Pro and After Effects for professional editing.
Best Plan: Creative Cloud All Apps ($59.99/month)
Score: 10/10
Pros and Cons
Closely
Pros
- Comprehensive LinkedIn/email automation with safe practices
- AI personalization and sales agents for efficient prospecting
- Deep CRM integrations for seamless data flow
- Unified inbox simplifies reply management
- White-label options for agencies at all tiers
- Flexible pricing with annual discounts
- Strong analytics for outreach performance
Cons
- Complex interface for basic users
- Pricing high for solo or casual use
- Credit system limits enrichment without upgrades
- No creative or content creation tools
- Focused only on sales outreach, not broader marketing
- Onboarding needed for advanced features
- Lacks native post scheduling beyond automation
Adobe
Pros
- Industry-standard creative apps for design and editing
- Integrated AI via Firefly across tools
- Experience Cloud for advanced marketing analytics
- Robust document management with Acrobat
- Cross-platform access and cloud collaboration
- Enterprise-grade security and scalability
- Low entry pricing for specific needs like photography
Cons
- Subscription model expensive for full access
- Steep learning curve for professional apps
- Overwhelming for narrow or simple requirements
- No sales automation or LinkedIn outreach
- License management adds complexity for teams
- Regional pricing variations
- Less focused on outbound sales workflows
Final Verdict
Closely and Adobe cater to vastly different needs: Closely is a specialized sales automation tool for LinkedIn and email prospecting with CRM focus, while Adobe is a versatile ecosystem for creative production, marketing intelligence, and document handling. They overlap minimally in AI and analytics but serve sales vs. creative/marketing domains.
Select Closely for targeted sales outreach and automation on LinkedIn/email. Opt for Adobe if creative tools, marketing analytics, or document workflows are your priority. For hybrid needs, integrate Closely for sales and Adobe for content creation.
Overall Scores
Closely
Value: 7/10
Adobe
Value: 8/10
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