Cognism
4.6 AI Sales & CRM
Compliance-first B2B sales intelligence with phone-verified mobile data, intent signals, and AI research for global GTM teams.
Custom Visit ↗
Apollo.io
AI Sales & CRM 4.7 /5 MaxAEO Score
All-in-one AI sales platform combining a 275M+ contact B2B database with prospecting, enrichment, and engagement.
Quick answer
Apollo.io is best for SDR and outbound teams. It offers a free tier, with paid plans from $49/mo. Its standout strength is massive verified contact database with a usable free plan; the main trade-off is data accuracy and email deliverability can vary, especially outside North America. Top alternatives: Cognism and Clay.
Pricing
Free tier · $49/mo
Free tier
Yes
MaxAEO Score
4.7 /5
Pricing as of June 2026 and may change — verify on the vendor's site. · Data verified 2026-06-03
Third-party ratings: G2 4.7 · 9,000+ reviews
Pricing plans
| Plan | Price | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 900 credits/seat/year; AI Assistant (limited), 2 sequences, Gmail & Salesforce extensions |
| Basic | $49/seat/mo billed annually | 30,000 credits/seat/year; unlimited sequences, advanced filters, CRM integrations, deliverability suite |
| Professional | $79/seat/mo billed annually | Most popular. 48,000 credits/seat/year; A/Z testing, workflows, call recordings & AI insights |
| Organization | $119/seat/mo billed annually (min 3 seats) | 72,000 credits/seat/year; SSO, advanced security, bring-your-own-LLM key |
Verify pricing on the vendor's site (as of 2026-06-03).
Best for
SDR and outbound teams SMB and mid-market sales Founders doing their own prospecting
Why we recommend it
Apollo is the default all-in-one prospecting platform for outbound teams, pairing one of the largest verified B2B databases with built-in sequencing, dialer, and AI research. It holds a 4.7/5 rating across 9,000+ G2 reviews and is used by sellers at 600,000+ companies, making it a safe, high-coverage starting point at SMB-friendly pricing.
Our take
From our research, Apollo's biggest draw is bundling a large B2B contact/company database, multichannel sequencing, and an AI assistant into one per-seat subscription that starts cheap ($49/seat/mo), which is why it resonates with SDRs, founders, and SMB teams consolidating tools. The key tradeoff is the credit model: data access (emails 1 credit, phone numbers 8, dialer 2/min) draws down an annual credit pool, so heavy prospecting or calling can hit limits faster than the flat seat price suggests — and parallel dialing and website-visitor identification are paid add-ons.
Key use cases
- Find verified emails and phone numbers from a 275M+ contact database
- Build targeted prospect lists with 65+ filters and buying-intent signals
- Run AI-assisted multichannel sequences (email, calls, LinkedIn tasks)
- Enrich and keep CRM records up to date automatically
- Score and route inbound leads, then book meetings
Integrations
Salesforce HubSpot Outreach Salesloft Marketo SendGrid LinkedIn Gmail Microsoft Outlook Clay Chili Piper
Pros
- Massive verified contact database with a usable free plan
- Replaces several tools (data, sequencing, dialer, CRM enrichment) in one subscription
- 4.7/5 on G2 across 9,000+ reviews
Cons
- Data accuracy and email deliverability can vary, especially outside North America
- Credit limits and feature gating push heavy users to higher tiers quickly
What to compare
- Best price-to-value: largest self-serve B2B database with a genuine free-forever tier
- Bundles data + sequencing + dialer + deal management in one tool vs point solutions
- US data depth is strong; EU/UK mobile coverage and compliance trail Cognism
Apollo.io alternatives
Clay
4.8 AI Sales & CRM Top pick
AI-native data enrichment and GTM automation that waterfalls 75+ data providers and runs an AI research agent at scale.
Free tier · $185/mo Visit ↗
lemlist
4.6 AI Sales & CRM
All-in-one multichannel outreach platform spanning email, LinkedIn, calls, WhatsApp, and SMS with built-in data and AI.
$39/mo Visit ↗
Frequently asked questions
What are Apollo credits and how are they consumed?
Credits unlock verified emails, phone numbers, and enriched data. Per Apollo's pricing page, an email costs 1 credit, a phone number 8 credits, data enrichment 1–8 credits, AI research 1 credit per run, and the US dialer 2 credits per minute. Each paid plan includes an annual credit allotment (e.g. 30,000 on Basic, 48,000 on Professional), and you can buy more anytime.
Can I send email campaigns on the free plan, and what are the limits?
Yes — email campaigns are included on every plan, including the free tier. But on non-paying plans you can only connect Gmail/Microsoft mailboxes (custom SMTP requires a paid plan), and the free tier caps you at 2 sequences and 250 daily email sends.
How much does Apollo.io cost?
Apollo.io starts at $49/mo. A free tier is available to start.
Who is Apollo.io best for?
Apollo.io is best for SDR and outbound teams, SMB and mid-market sales, Founders doing their own prospecting. A typical use: find verified emails and phone numbers from a 275M+ contact database.
What are the best Apollo.io alternatives?
Top Apollo.io alternatives include Cognism, Clay, lemlist — compare them on features, pricing, and best-fit use case.
Is Apollo.io worth it?
Massive verified contact database with a usable free plan, though data accuracy and email deliverability can vary, especially outside North America. It is a strong fit for SDR and outbound teams.
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