Apollo.io vs Clay
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Apollo.io has the lower starting price: about $65 a month, against $185 for Clay.
At a glance
Best for
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- B2B contact database
- Email sequences
- Built-in dialer
- AI research agents
- Chrome extension
- Waterfall enrichment
- Claygent research agent
- Signal-based tables
- CRM and sequencer sync
- AI message writing
| Feature | Apollo.io | Clay |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | B2B contact database, sequences and AI sales agents | Data enrichment and AI research for outbound GTM workflows |
| Category | Sales | Sales |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Starting price | $65/mo | $185/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Made by | Apollo.io | Clay |
| Based in | United States | United States |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
|
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Pricing compared
Apollo.io has the lower starting price: about $65 a month, against $185 for Clay.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
4 plans
Free
Free
- Limited credits
- Email campaigns via Gmail
Basic
$65/mo
- Per seat
- Email sequencing
- Core integrations
Professional
$99/mo
- Per seat
- Higher credit limits and AI features
- Dialer and call recording
Organization
$119/mo
- Per seat, billed annually
- 3-seat minimum
- Custom reporting and SSO
3 plans
Free
Free
- Try enrichment workflows
- No phone number enrichment
Launch
$185/mo
- From 15K actions per month
- From 2.5K data credits per month
- Phone enrichment and signals
Growth
$495/mo
- From 40K actions per month
- From 6K data credits per month
- CRM and warehouse auto-sync
- Any HTTP API integration
Prices in USD, checked Oct 28, 2026 or later. Plans change often, so confirm on each tool's site before you buy.
Pros and cons
Apollo.io
- Lots of data for the price
- Free plan to start
- Prospecting and outreach in one tool
- Data accuracy varies by region
- Credit limits on phone numbers
Clay
- Huge range of data sources
- Very flexible workflows
- Strong community templates
- Steep learning curve
- Credit costs are hard to predict
Which one should you choose?
Choose Apollo.io if you want:
- Lots of data for the price
- Free plan to start
- Prospecting and outreach in one tool
Watch out: data accuracy varies by region.
Choose Clay if you want:
- Huge range of data sources
- Very flexible workflows
- Strong community templates
Watch out: steep learning curve.
Apollo.io vs Clay FAQ
What is the difference between Apollo.io and Clay?
Apollo.io: B2B contact database, sequences and AI sales agents. Clay: Data enrichment and AI research for outbound GTM workflows. Both are sales tools.
Is Apollo.io or Clay cheaper?
Apollo.io has the lower starting price: about $65 a month, against $185 for Clay.
Do Apollo.io and Clay have free plans?
Apollo.io: Yes. Clay: Yes.
Who makes Apollo.io?
Apollo.io is made by Apollo.io, based in United States.
Who makes Clay?
Clay is made by Clay, based in United States.
Which should I choose, Apollo.io or Clay?
Choose Apollo.io if you value lots of data for the price and free plan to start. Choose Clay if you value huge range of data sources and very flexible workflows.