You've been searching for a LinkedIn automation tool to scale your outreach efforts, and Closely keeps appearing in your research. With promises of AI-powered campaigns and automated prospecting, it sounds like the perfect solution to grow your sales pipeline without the manual grunt work.

But before you commit to their $189+ monthly plans, there are some serious concerns you need to know about. After analyzing dozens of user reviews and testing reports, we've uncovered significant issues around customer support, billing practices, and most critically - LinkedIn account safety risks that could jeopardize your professional presence.

What Users Love About Closely

Let's start with what Closely does well, because despite the issues we'll discuss, some users have found genuine value in the platform.

Time-Saving LinkedIn Automation

Multiple users praise Closely's core functionality for streamlining LinkedIn outreach. As one Thingtesting reviewer noted: "Closely is a great tool that helps me save my time on LinkedIn first contacts."

The platform eliminates the tedious back-and-forth of manual messaging, with another Trustpilot user confirming: "Closely is a time-saving tool for LinkedIn first contact that eliminates the need for back-and-forth messages."

User-Friendly Campaign Interface

Several reviewers specifically highlight the platform's interface design. A Trustpilot user mentioned: "Closely has a really nice interface for LinkedIn campaigns."

This ease of use extends to the prospecting features, with a SourceForge reviewer stating: "Closely makes it easier for salespeople to find potential customers."

Real-Time Campaign Insights

One of the standout features users appreciate is the analytics capability. According to a Trustpilot review: "The most admirable benefit is that it is possible to get real-time insights into your campaign process."

This visibility into campaign performance helps users optimize their outreach strategies and track engagement metrics effectively.

The Major Problems Users Are Experiencing

While Closely offers some solid automation features, user reviews reveal several persistent issues that significantly impact the overall experience.

Customer Support Nightmare

The most consistent complaint across review platforms centers on poor customer support. Users report feeling abandoned when issues arise, with promises of solutions that never materialize.

A frustrated SourceForge reviewer stating: "Terrible user support. Promises but no fixes."

When you're paying hundreds of dollars monthly for a business-critical tool, responsive support isn't a luxury - it's essential. These recurring complaints suggest Closely's support team is either understaffed or lacks the technical expertise to resolve user issues promptly.

Shady Billing and Cancellation Practices

Multiple users have raised red flags about Closely's subscription and billing practices. One Trustpilot reviewer warned: "Super shady cancellation policy for renewals."

Another user described a particularly concerning experience: "Be very careful with a subscription. The product didn't work well at all and I hadn't used it for about 6 months" - yet they were apparently still being charged.

These billing issues become even more problematic when combined with the poor customer support, as users struggle to get help resolving subscription problems or obtaining refunds.

Clunky Interface Issues

Despite some positive feedback about the interface, other users have encountered significant usability problems, particularly with specific modules.

A Trustpilot user described their experience: "The Appoint module is clunky, with a horrible UI and a very poor experience integrating it on a website."

This inconsistency in user experience suggests that while the main LinkedIn campaign interface may be well-designed, other parts of the platform haven't received the same level of attention.

Misleading Marketing Claims

Several users have called out what they perceive as deceptive marketing practices. One particularly pointed Trustpilot review stated: "The '50 free leads' are a complete scam."

When users feel misled by promotional offers, it damages trust and raises questions about the company's overall transparency and business practices.

The LinkedIn Account Safety Concern

Here's where things get serious. LinkedIn explicitly prohibits automation tools, and using Closely could put your professional account at significant risk.

Confirmed Account Bans

User reports indicate that Closely's automation can trigger LinkedIn's anti-spam detection systems. An AppSumo reviewer shared a stark warning: "My account got banned in just 3 days after using this."

This isn't an isolated incident. Closely's own blog acknowledges the risks, with articles like "My LinkedIn Account Got Restricted - What Should I Do?" and "LinkedIn Restrictions: Why They Happen and How to Avoid".

How Closely Violates LinkedIn's Terms

Closely's core functionality directly conflicts with LinkedIn's Terms of Service in multiple ways:

Data Scraping: The platform advertises the ability to "Extract leads" from LinkedIn, which constitutes unauthorized data scraping.

Automated Messaging: Closely promotes features to "Automate profile visits, connection requests, follow-ups, and messaging on LinkedIn – at scale," all of which violate LinkedIn's prohibition on automated interactions.

Closely's "Safety" Claims

To address these concerns, Closely markets several "safety features":

• Residential Proxies: "Dedicated proxy are used to run each LinkedIn account on a built-in, residential network – ensuring secure activity"

• Smart Limits: "Smart safety limits use researched daily caps and delays to mimic human behaviour and avoid LinkedIn restrictions"

However, these measures are essentially attempts to circumvent LinkedIn's detection systems rather than legitimate compliance solutions. LinkedIn's terms are clear about prohibiting automation regardless of how sophisticated the evasion techniques are.

The Real Risk to Your Professional Brand

Losing access to your LinkedIn account isn't just an inconvenience - it can be devastating for your professional reputation and business relationships. As one user noted in their experience with restrictions: "LinkedIn can still reply to you within two weeks. If it doesn't happen and your account is still permanently banned, then it's probably time to move on."

Consider what you'd lose if your LinkedIn account were permanently banned:

• Years of professional connections

• Your professional reputation and credibility

• Access to potential clients and business opportunities

• Historical conversations and relationship context

• Professional endorsements and recommendations

Closely's Pricing Structure

Closely offers four pricing tiers, starting at $189 per month for their Starter plan. Here's the breakdown:

• Starter ($189/month): 1 sender, 5,000 credits, LinkedIn and email campaigns

• Growth ($389/month): 3 senders, 15,000 credits, CRM integration, AI Agents

• Essential ($769/month): 10 senders, 50,000 credits, customer success manager

• Enterprise: Custom pricing with unlimited senders and white-label options

While these features might seem attractive, the pricing becomes questionable when weighed against the risks and user satisfaction issues documented in reviews.

Alternatives Worth Considering

Given the risks and issues we've outlined, you might want to explore safer alternatives for LinkedIn outreach:

Manual Outreach with Templates

While more time-consuming, manually sending personalized messages using saved templates ensures full compliance with LinkedIn's terms while maintaining the personal touch that often leads to better response rates.

LinkedIn Sales Navigator

LinkedIn's official premium tool provides advanced search and lead generation features without violating terms of service. While it doesn't automate outreach, it significantly improves targeting and prospect identification.

Email-First Approach

Consider focusing your automation efforts on email marketing platforms that don't risk your social media accounts. Many prospects can be reached through email discovery tools combined with traditional email automation platforms.

Enhance Your LinkedIn Messaging with Kondo

If the primary challenge isn't automating outreach but rather taming a chaotic LinkedIn inbox, a different approach is needed. Tools that enhance your ability to manage communications within LinkedIn's rules offer a safer path to productivity.

Kondo is designed for this very purpose, transforming your LinkedIn messaging experience into a streamlined hub, often described as 'Superhuman for LinkedIn'. Instead of automating risky outreach, Kondo focuses on making you more efficient with the DMs you already have. Key features include:

• Labels & Split Inboxes: To categorize conversations and prevent important messages from getting buried.

• Reminders (Snooze): To ensure you never miss a follow-up.

• Keyboard Shortcuts: To navigate and manage your inbox at speed.

• Snippets: To quickly insert common replies without repetitive typing.

Critically, Kondo operates without automating messages, scraping data, or modifying LinkedIn pages, prioritizing your account's safety and adhering to LinkedIn's Terms of Service. It's built to help you achieve 'Inbox Zero' and respond faster to valuable leads, clients, or candidates, all while keeping your account secure. If you're looking to reclaim hours and reduce inbox anxiety without the risks associated with automation, exploring how Kondo can optimize your LinkedIn workflow is a worthwhile step. For more details on its safety, you can review its compliance with LinkedIn's ToS.

Our Verdict: Proceed with Extreme Caution

Based on our analysis of user reviews and platform risks, Closely presents a challenging value proposition. While some users appreciate its automation capabilities and interface design, the combination of poor customer support, questionable billing practices, and significant LinkedIn account safety risks makes it difficult to recommend.

The documented cases of account bans, combined with Closely's own acknowledgment of restriction risks in their blog content, should give any professional serious pause. The potential consequences of losing your LinkedIn account far outweigh the time-saving benefits of automation.

If you decide to use Closely despite these warnings:

1. Test with a secondary LinkedIn account first - Never risk your primary professional profile

2. Start with extremely conservative settings - Use the lowest possible activity levels

3. Monitor your account closely for any signs of restrictions or unusual activity

4. Have a backup plan for your outreach strategy that doesn't rely on LinkedIn automation

5. Read the cancellation policy carefully to avoid billing issues if you need to cancel

The Bottom Line

Closely offers legitimate automation features that can save time in LinkedIn outreach, and some users have found success with the platform. However, the persistent customer support issues, billing concerns, and most importantly, the documented risk of LinkedIn account bans make this a high-risk proposition.

For most professionals, the potential damage to your LinkedIn presence and professional reputation isn't worth the convenience of automated outreach. The user who reported a ban after just 3 days said it best: "It is not safe to use like other apps... Stay away."

Before investing in Closely's $189+ monthly plans, carefully weigh whether the automation benefits justify risking your professional network and reputation. While automation tools promise efficiency, the documented risks often outweigh the rewards.

Instead, consider how you can improve your existing processes. For direct LinkedIn communication, focusing on tools that enhance your management and response capabilities within LinkedIn's guidelines, like Kondo, offers a more sustainable and safer path to productivity. In most cases, a combination of LinkedIn's official tools, diligent manual outreach, and effective inbox management will provide better long-term results without jeopardizing your account.

Remember, building genuine professional relationships takes time and personal attention. Opting for solutions that enhance your ability to manage these interactions, rather than taking risky shortcuts, will better serve your professional credibility and network in the long run.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Closely safe to use for LinkedIn automation?

No, using Closely for LinkedIn automation carries a significant risk of your LinkedIn account being restricted or permanently banned. LinkedIn's Terms of Service explicitly prohibit the use of third-party automation tools like Closely. While Closely promotes "safety features," numerous user reports and even Closely's own blog acknowledge the risk of account penalties, indicating these measures are not foolproof against LinkedIn's detection systems.

What are the main benefits of using Closely?

Closely is primarily praised for its ability to save time through LinkedIn automation, its user-friendly interface for creating and managing outreach campaigns, and its provision of real-time analytics on campaign performance. Some users have found these features genuinely helpful for streamlining their initial contact efforts on LinkedIn and optimizing their outreach strategies based on engagement data.

What are the biggest complaints about Closely?

The most significant and recurring complaints about Closely revolve around its extremely poor customer support, with users reporting unresolved issues and unfulfilled promises. Other major concerns include questionable billing and cancellation practices leading to unexpected charges, a clunky and difficult-to-use interface for certain modules (like the Appoint module), and misleading marketing claims, such as the "50 free leads" offer.

How much does Closely cost?

Closely's pricing begins at $189 per month for its "Starter" plan. They offer several tiers, including a "Growth" plan at $389 per month and an "Essential" plan at $769 per month, with an "Enterprise" option available at custom pricing. These plans vary by the number of senders, available credits, and access to features like CRM integration and AI Agents.

Why is LinkedIn automation with tools like Closely considered risky?

LinkedIn automation is considered risky primarily because it violates LinkedIn's Terms of Service, which forbid the use of software to automate actions like sending connection requests, messages, or scraping data. LinkedIn employs detection systems to identify and penalize accounts using such unauthorized tools. This can lead to warnings, temporary restrictions, or even permanent suspension of your LinkedIn account, thereby jeopardizing your professional network, reputation, and access to business opportunities.

What are safer alternatives to Closely for LinkedIn outreach?

Safer alternatives to Closely for LinkedIn outreach include performing manual outreach using personalized templates, utilizing LinkedIn's official Sales Navigator tool for advanced prospecting, shifting to an email-first automation strategy, or employing tools like Kondo. Kondo enhances your LinkedIn messaging management capabilities within LinkedIn's rules, helping you handle DMs more efficiently without automating risky actions, thus prioritizing account safety.