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It's a split decision.
Choose Clay if you need multi-provider enrichment and flexible GTM workflows; its Free plan has 500 actions and 100 data credits monthly, while Launch starts at $167 per month billed annually ($185 monthly). Choose Apollo if you want prospecting and outreach in one workspace: Basic starts at $49 per seat monthly billed annually ($65 monthly), with 2,500 credits monthly. Both offer free plans and 14-day trials. Compare usage limits and data quality before switching.
01Side by side
| Clay | Apollo | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $167/month annual; $185 monthly | $49/seat/month annual; $65 monthly |
| Free plan | 500 actions and 100 data credits monthly | 75 credits per seat monthly |
| Best for | Teams building enrichment and GTM workflows | Sellers combining prospecting and outreach |
| Core strength | 200+ data vendors and waterfall enrichment | Prospecting, outreach, and dialing together |
| Learning curve | Not published on the vendor's site | Not published on the vendor's site |
| Integrations and data | 200+ vendors; LinkedIn, Meta, Google audiences | 240M+ contacts; Apollo Anywhere across CRM and tools |
| Team and seat costs | Seat costs not published; Free has unlimited seats | Paid plans priced per seat; Organization minimum three |
| Support | Enterprise includes a dedicated growth strategist | Custom includes dedicated support |
Clay Choose Clay if
- Choose Clay if you need multi-provider enrichment and waterfall workflows.
- Choose Clay if visual GTM workflows matter more than built-in prospecting.
- Choose Clay if unlimited Free-plan seats matter to your team.
Apollo Choose Apollo if
- Choose Apollo if you want prospecting, outreach, and dialing together.
- Choose Apollo if per-seat pricing fits your team budget.
- Choose Apollo if you want to use Apollo from CRM, email, or browser.
02Pricing compared
Clay Launch starts at $185 per month billed monthly or $167 per month billed annually. Growth is $495 monthly or $446 annually. The listed prices are plan prices, and Clay seat costs are not published; check its action and data-credit limits before comparing the total cost with a per-seat tool. Capacity tiers are available at additional listed prices.
Apollo Basic costs $65 per seat monthly or $49 per seat per month billed annually, paid upfront. Professional is $99 monthly or $79 annually per seat; Organization is $149 or $119 and requires at least three seats. Both products offer a free plan and a 14-day trial. Apollo’s added-credit price is not published, and its Inbound Essentials add-on starts at $119 per team per month billed annually.
03Features and depth
Clay is the more flexible enrichment and workflow layer. Its marketplace brings together more than 200 data and AI vendors, and its waterfall enrichment can combine providers. The listed tools include research and scoring agents, job-change signals, visual workflows, CRM enrichment, and audience sync to LinkedIn, Meta, and Google. Growth adds web intent signals, CRM and data warehouse auto-sync, and unlimited ad audiences.
Apollo bundles prospecting and outreach with B2B data: its homepage lists 240 million-plus contacts and 30 million-plus accounts. Teams can manage prospecting, email outreach, and dialing in one workspace. Its AI agents can research accounts, build lists, write outreach, follow up, and book meetings. Apollo also lists waterfall enrichment and buying signals, including intent, job changes, and website visits, plus Apollo Anywhere for use from a CRM, ChatGPT, Claude, Gmail, or a browser.
Choose Clay when stitching data providers into custom GTM workflows is the priority. Choose Apollo when reps need data and outbound tools together.
04Ease of use and learning curve
Apollo is likely the more direct starting point for a sales team that wants prospecting, outreach, and dialing in one workspace. Its plan limits are easier to map to seats, credits, sequences, and workflows, though the credit math still deserves a close read.
Clay’s visual canvas and reusable workflows offer more room to shape enrichment and GTM processes, but teams must manage actions, data credits, and provider choices. That flexibility can mean more setup and ongoing usage planning. The right fit depends on whether you want a bundled sales workspace or a configurable workflow system; neither product’s published details guarantee data quality.
Questions people ask
Which is cheaper, Clay or Apollo?
Apollo has a lower listed entry price per user: Basic is $49 per seat per month billed annually, or $65 monthly. Clay Launch is $167 per month billed annually, or $185 monthly, with seat costs not published. Compare expected seats, credits, actions, and enrichment volume before deciding.
Is Clay or Apollo better for prospecting?
Apollo combines contact data, prospecting, outreach, and dialing in one workspace, making it the more direct fit for teams running outbound there. Clay focuses on enrichment and configurable GTM workflows, including research, scoring, and personalized outreach. The better choice depends on whether you want a sales workspace or workflow flexibility.
How do Clay actions compare with Apollo credits?
They are separate usage measures, so the listed totals are not directly comparable. Clay Free includes 500 actions and 100 data credits per month. Apollo Free includes 75 credits per seat per month. Check the planned workflow and current plan limits; Apollo’s extra-credit price is not published.
Do Clay and Apollo have free plans or trials?
Yes. The published pricing details list a free plan and a 14-day trial for both products. Clay Free includes 500 actions and 100 data credits per month. Apollo Free includes 75 credits per seat per month, two email sequences, and 250 daily email sends.