As a reviewer focused on social media management tools, I look for platforms that balance powerful features with ease of use. Having reviewed the public presentations of Closely and Databox extensively, I can help you understand which tool fits your specific workflow—and where a more streamlined alternative like PostFlow might be a better fit for creators who prioritize fast content creation.

Emilia Morosini, Chief Content Strategist at PostFlow

Closely

  • Platform: LinkedIn and email
  • Best For: Outbound sales and prospecting
  • Strength: AI personalization and CRM sync
  • Users: Not specified

Starting at $29/month

Databox

  • Platform: Multi-tool integrations
  • Best For: Data analytics and reporting
  • Strength: Unlimited users and no-code dashboards
  • Users: Not specified

Starting at $159/month

Looking for a simpler alternative? Try PostFlow for fast LinkedIn post generation. Try out now

At a Glance

Platform Support

Feature Closely Databox
LinkedIn Automation Safe sequences with human-like behavior No automation support; focuses on data integration
Email Outreach Multichannel campaigns with AI personalization No email features; analytics only
CRM Integrations Deep sync with HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive 130+ integrations including CRMs for data pulling
Data Sources Enrichment from LinkedIn, not broad data sources Supports databases, APIs, spreadsheets, cloud warehouses

AI and Automation

Feature Closely Databox
AI Personalization For DMs, InMails, emails; lead research and scoring AI for performance summaries and alerts, not personalization
Sales AI Agents Lead qualification, web research No sales-specific AI
Smart Alerts Outreach analytics, no anomaly detection AI-powered alerts for performance anomalies
No-Code Builders Sequence builder for campaigns Metric builder and drag-and-drop dashboards without SQL

Analytics and Reporting

Feature Closely Databox
Campaign Analytics Outreach performance across sequences and teams No campaign-specific; general KPI tracking
Dashboard Designer No dashboards; unified inbox for replies Drag-and-drop with 20+ visualizations and 200+ templates
Automated Reports Advanced analytics reports Email, Slack, mobile reports with AI summaries
Goals and OKRs Lead scoring, no OKRs Goal tracking, benchmarks, forecasts

Collaboration and Agency Features

Feature Closely Databox
Unified Inbox For LinkedIn DMs, InMails, emails No inbox; shared dashboards
Unlimited Users Team management in higher tiers Unlimited users with granular permissions on all plans
White-Label Options Custom domain, branding for agencies Enterprise add-on for agencies
Team Spaces No dedicated spaces Spaces to group metrics, dashboards, reports

Integrations and Data Handling

Feature Closely Databox
CRM Depth Deep bidirectional with HubSpot, Salesforce, etc. One-way data pull from 130+ tools
Data Enrichment Verified emails, phones from LinkedIn No enrichment; focuses on visualization
API and Custom Data Webhooks in custom plans APIs, SDKs, Zapier, Make, database connections
Datasets for Data Prep No data prep tools Cleaning, merging raw data without SQL
Need a tool that focuses on fast content creation? PostFlow generates LinkedIn posts in under a minute. Try out now

Pricing Comparison

Closely starts at $29/month (annual) for basic LinkedIn and email automation, scaling to $999/month for white-label unlimited. Databox begins at $159/month for professional BI features, with custom enterprise pricing. Closely offers better entry-level value for sales teams, while Databox's pricing scales with data sources for analytics-heavy users.

Closely

Starter Annual

$29/month

Solo users or small teams starting outbound

  • 1 LinkedIn account
  • Unlimited email accounts
  • 1 sender (1 LinkedIn + 1 email)
  • White-label included
  • Outreach automation and multichannel campaigns

Growth Annual

$87/month

Growing teams with multiple accounts

  • 3 LinkedIn accounts
  • Unlimited email accounts
  • White-label included
  • Bonus 3,000 credits/month (emails, phones, AI personalizations)

Essential Annual

$145/month

Mid-sized teams needing more scale

  • 5 LinkedIn accounts
  • Unlimited email accounts
  • White-label included
  • Bonus 5,000 credits/month

Custom

Custom

Large teams or agencies

  • Custom LinkedIn accounts
  • Unlimited campaigns and emails
  • Conditional sequences, smart inbox
  • CRM integrations, webhooks
  • Advanced analytics

White-label Unlimited

$999/month

Agencies with many clients

  • Unlimited seats and clients
  • Full customization (domain, branding)
  • Client portal, branded reporting
  • No usage caps

Databox

Professional

$159/month

Small teams starting with BI

  • 3 data sources
  • Unlimited users and metrics
  • Unlimited dashboards
  • Reports and notifications
  • Goal tracking
  • 130+ integrations
  • Spreadsheet connections
  • API access

Growth

$399/month

Scaling teams with advanced needs

  • Everything in Professional
  • AI performance summaries
  • Datasets for data prep
  • Advanced filtering and drilldowns
  • Benchmarks and smart alerts
  • Database connections

Enterprise

Custom

Large organizations

  • All Growth features
  • Custom data limits
  • Advanced security and SSO
  • Priority support
  • Onboarding and dedicated analyst
  • White-label for agencies
Want simpler pricing? PostFlow offers straightforward plans focused on fast post creation. Try out now

Feature Deep Dive

Outreach and Automation Capabilities

Closely

Strengths
  • LinkedIn sequences with safe limits and human-like actions
  • Multichannel campaigns blending LinkedIn and email
  • AI personalization for messages and InMails
  • Sales AI agents for lead research and qualification
  • Data enrichment with emails and phones
Workflow

Prospect via LinkedIn → Enrich data → Build multichannel sequence → AI personalize → Launch and monitor inbox

Databox

Strengths
  • No outreach automation
  • Focuses on data integration for post-outreach analysis
Workflow

N/A for automation

Closely is purpose-built for sales outreach automation with AI-driven personalization and multichannel support, making it ideal for prospecting. Databox lacks any automation features, focusing instead on analyzing outreach results. Closely wins for active sales execution, while Databox complements by visualizing outcomes.

Closely multichannel campaign builder

Analytics and Reporting

Closely

Strengths
  • Advanced outreach analytics for campaigns and teams
  • Lead scoring and qualification metrics
  • CRM attribution for pipeline impact
  • Unified inbox for reply tracking
Limitations
  • Sales-specific; no broad BI dashboards
  • No automated multi-format reports

Databox

Strengths
  • Drag-and-drop dashboards with 200+ templates
  • AI summaries, smart alerts, benchmarks
  • Automated reports via email/Slack/mobile
  • Goals, OKRs, forecasts for performance management
Limitations
  • Tied to data sources; no sales-specific outreach tracking

Databox provides superior general analytics with no-code dashboards, AI insights, and automated reporting across tools. Closely offers targeted outreach analytics but lacks Databox's breadth and visualization depth. Choose Databox for comprehensive BI, Closely for sales-specific metrics.

Closely outreach analytics dashboard

Integrations and CRM Handling

Closely

Strengths
  • Deep integrations with HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive, GoHighLevel
  • Bidirectional sync for leads and activities
  • Webhooks for custom workflows
  • Data export from Sales Navigator and events
Workflow

Connect CRM → Run campaigns → Auto-sync leads/replies → Attribute to pipeline

Databox

Strengths
  • 130+ one-click integrations (marketing, sales, finance tools)
  • No-code metric builder from CRM data
  • Datasets for merging CRM with other sources
  • API, Zapier, database connections
Workflow

Integrate sources → Build metrics → Create dashboards → Share reports

Both excel in CRM integrations, but Closely emphasizes deep, action-oriented sync for sales workflows, while Databox focuses on pulling data for visualization without engineering. Closely is better for operational CRM use in sales, Databox for analytical insights from CRM data.

Closely CRM integration setup

Collaboration and Agency Features

Closely

Strengths
  • Team management and advanced analytics
  • White-label platform with custom branding
  • Unlimited campaigns for agencies
  • Client portal in unlimited plan
Limitations
  • No unlimited users; scaled by accounts
  • Onboarding needed for advanced setup

Databox

Strengths
  • Unlimited users with granular permissions
  • Spaces for organizing team/client content
  • White-label options in Enterprise
  • Automated reports for client delivery
Limitations
  • Data source limits affect collaboration scale
  • Advanced security in higher tiers

Databox's unlimited users make it more collaborative for large teams, while Closely's white-label features cater specifically to sales agencies. Databox suits broad BI sharing, Closely for branded sales tools.

Closely white-label agency dashboard
Prefer a streamlined tool? PostFlow focuses purely on creating great LinkedIn content quickly. Try out now

Use Case Comparison

Outbound Sales Team

Closely 🏆

Excellent

AI personalization, multichannel campaigns, and CRM sync streamline prospecting and lead qualification.

Best Plan: Growth Annual ($87/month)

Score: 10/10

Databox

Fair

Useful for tracking sales KPIs but no automation for outreach.

Best Plan: Professional ($159/month)

Score: 5/10

Digital Marketing Agency

Closely

Good

White-label and multichannel for client outreach, but limited to LinkedIn/email.

Best Plan: White-label Unlimited ($999/month)

Score: 7/10

Databox 🏆

Excellent

Unlimited users, spaces, and white-label for client reporting across channels.

Best Plan: Growth ($399/month)

Score: 9/10

B2B Founder Scaling Prospecting

Closely 🏆

Excellent

Combines automation, enrichment, and AI agents without needing a full SDR team.

Best Plan: Essential Annual ($145/month)

Score: 9/10

Databox

Good

Dashboards for monitoring growth metrics, but no prospecting tools.

Best Plan: Professional ($159/month)

Score: 6/10

Ecommerce Brand Optimizing Metrics

Closely

Poor

Limited to sales outreach; no ecommerce-specific analytics.

Best Plan: Not suitable

Score: 2/10

Databox 🏆

Excellent

Integrates ad platforms, tracks conversions, LTV with forecasts.

Best Plan: Growth ($399/month)

Score: 10/10

Sales Leader Needing CRM Attribution

Closely 🏆

Excellent

Deep CRM integrations track outreach to pipeline impact.

Best Plan: Custom

Score: 10/10

Databox

Good

Visualizes CRM data but lacks direct attribution from outreach.

Best Plan: Growth ($399/month)

Score: 7/10

Business Analyst Empowering Teams

Closely

Poor

No self-service analytics; sales-focused only.

Best Plan: Not suitable

Score: 3/10

Databox 🏆

Excellent

No-code metrics and dashboards enable non-technical access.

Best Plan: Professional ($159/month)

Score: 9/10

Agency Offering Lead Generation Services

Closely 🏆

Excellent

White-label platform for client-branded outreach and analytics.

Best Plan: White-label Unlimited ($999/month)

Score: 10/10

Databox

Good

Client dashboards for reporting, but no lead gen automation.

Best Plan: Enterprise (Custom)

Score: 6/10

Executive Needing High-Level KPI Views

Closely

Fair

Outreach analytics available, but not broad KPI dashboards.

Best Plan: Essential Annual ($145/month)

Score: 5/10

Databox 🏆

Excellent

Automated summaries and mobile alerts for quick insights.

Best Plan: Growth ($399/month)

Score: 10/10

Small Team Running Multichannel Campaigns

Closely 🏆

Excellent

LinkedIn + email campaigns with unified inbox.

Best Plan: Growth Annual ($87/month)

Score: 9/10

Databox

Fair

Tracks multichannel data but no campaign execution.

Best Plan: Professional ($159/month)

Score: 4/10

Scaling SaaS Company Tracking Metrics

Closely

Good

Sales outreach for growth, CRM sync for revenue tracking.

Best Plan: Custom

Score: 7/10

Databox 🏆

Excellent

Unified view of product, marketing, revenue metrics.

Best Plan: Growth ($399/month)

Score: 10/10

Solo Prospector on Budget

Closely 🏆

Excellent

Low entry price for automation without team overhead.

Best Plan: Starter Annual ($29/month)

Score: 9/10

Databox

Poor

High price for individual use; overkill for solo prospecting.

Best Plan: Not suitable

Score: 3/10

Consultant Managing Client Reporting

Closely

Good

White-label for sales reports, but limited scope.

Best Plan: Growth Annual ($87/month)

Score: 6/10

Databox 🏆

Excellent

Unlimited users and white-label for multi-client dashboards.

Best Plan: Growth ($399/month)

Score: 9/10

Still deciding? PostFlow offers a simple, focused approach to LinkedIn content creation. Try out now

Pros and Cons

Closely

Pros

  • Comprehensive LinkedIn/email automation with safe, human-like behavior
  • AI personalization and sales agents for efficient prospecting
  • Deep CRM integrations ensure seamless data flow
  • Unified inbox centralizes communications
  • Flexible pricing with annual discounts and white-label options
  • Data enrichment and multichannel campaigns boost outreach effectiveness
  • Advanced analytics for team performance and attribution

Cons

  • Interface complexity for basic users
  • Best suited for structured outbound, not casual posting
  • Pricing higher for solos compared to simple tools
  • Onboarding time for white-label and advanced features
  • No content creation or broad social scheduling
  • Credit system for AI/enrichment may limit heavy use

Databox

Pros

  • Unlimited users facilitate team-wide adoption
  • 130+ integrations cover diverse data sources
  • No-code tools empower non-technical users
  • AI summaries and alerts accelerate decision-making
  • Drag-and-drop dashboards with templates speed setup
  • Automated reporting saves time on updates
  • Strong agency support with white-label and spaces

Cons

  • Pricing scales with data sources, increasing costs
  • Advanced features like OKRs in higher tiers
  • Not ideal for highly custom or SQL-heavy analytics
  • Learning curve for datasets and filtering
  • No automation for sales or outreach execution
  • Navigation issues with some legacy pages
Want the best of both worlds? Try PostFlow for fast content creation without the complexity. Try out now

Final Verdict

Closely and Databox target distinct needs: Closely automates sales outreach on LinkedIn and email with AI and CRM depth, ideal for prospecting teams. Databox delivers no-code BI for data centralization, dashboards, and insights, suiting analytics-focused organizations. They complement each other in sales-to-insights pipelines.

Select Closely for executing and scaling sales outreach with automation and personalization. Opt for Databox if your priority is visualizing and reporting on performance data across tools. For full-stack sales ops, integrate both: Closely for generation, Databox for analysis.

Overall Scores

Closely

4.5 / 5.0

Value: 8/10

Databox

4.4 / 5.0

Value: 7/10

Ready to get started with PostFlow?

Try it out

No credit card required.

No signup required.