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Clay alternatives: 9 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Nov 8, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rankAll sales intelligence and prospecting tools

Top picks

  • Apollo.io logo

    Best overall

    Apollo.io

    Free plan + paid

  • Lusha logo

    Best free option

    Lusha

    Free plan + paid

Common reasons people leave Clay: two usage meters (actions and data credits) make costs hard to predict, and phone enrichment and CRM integrations need paid tiers. We ranked 9 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Clay, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Apollo.io currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingVerified priceOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Apollo.io logoApollo.ioFree plan + paid—NoWeb, Browser extension4 of 468.8
2ZoomInfo logoZoomInfoPaid—NoWeb, Browser extension, iOS +14 of 464.8
3Lusha logoLushaFree plan + paid—NoWeb, Browser extension4 of 461.8
4Hunter logoHunterFree plan + paid$49/month (Starter, monthly)NoWeb, Browser extension8 of 857.5
5LinkedIn Sales Navigator logoLinkedIn Sales NavigatorPaidUS$119.99/month per licence (Core)NoWeb, iOS, Android5 of 555.9
6Instantly logoInstantlyPaid$47 a month (Outreach Growth)NoWeb6 of 648.2
7lemlist logolemlistPaid$69 a month (Email plan), $55 a month billed yearlyNoWeb, Browser extension8 of 847.5
8Bardeen logoBardeenFree plan + paid$10/month (Basic)NoWeb, Browser extension5 of 542.3
9PhantomBuster logoPhantomBusterFree plan + paid$69/month ($56 billed annually)NoWeb, Browser extension4 of 442.3
  1. Apollo.io logo

    1. Apollo.ioTop pick

    Best for: Startups and small sales teams that want contact data and outreach sequencing in one affordable tool

    Free plan + paidWeb, Browser extension

    68.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from Clay

    Own contact database plus sequences in one cheaper tool, without building enrichment workflows yourself.

    Pros

    • Free plan with no time limit for light prospecting
    • Data, email sequences and dialer in one product
    • Chrome extension reveals contacts while browsing
    • Syncs with Salesforce, HubSpot and other common tools

    Cons

    • Credit system: unused credits expire each billing cycle
    • Free plan can only connect Gmail inboxes
    • API access is limited to custom plans
    Visit Apollo.io Compare with ClayDetails and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Apollo.io a good Clay alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free plan
    Yes, no time limit
    Checked Nov 8, 2026apollo.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Database
    240M+ contacts, 30M+ accounts
    Checked Nov 8, 2026apollo.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Integrations
    Salesforce, HubSpot, Outreach and more
    Checked Nov 8, 2026apollo.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Credit rollover
    No
    Checked Nov 8, 2026apollo.io(opens source in a new tab)
  2. ZoomInfo logo

    2. ZoomInfo

    Best for: Mid-size and enterprise sales and marketing teams that need broad B2B data and intent signals

    PaidWeb, Browser extension, iOS, Android

    64.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from Clay

    Single large proprietary dataset with intent signals, for enterprises that prefer one vendor over waterfalls.

    Pros

    • Broad contact and company coverage with org-level detail
    • Buyer-intent and website-visitor signals
    • Integrates with major CRMs and marketing platforms
    • Enterprise security and privacy certifications

    Cons

    • No published prices; buying goes through sales
    • Usually sold on annual contracts, a big commitment for small teams
    • No free plan, only a trial
    Visit ZoomInfo Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is ZoomInfo a good Clay alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Integrations
    HubSpot, Salesforce and more
    Checked Nov 8, 2026zoominfo.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Apps
    Chrome extension and mobile app
    Checked Nov 8, 2026zoominfo.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Buyer intent
    Real-time intent signals
    Checked Nov 8, 2026zoominfo.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Certifications
    ISO 27001, SOC 2 Type II
    Checked Nov 8, 2026zoominfo.com(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Lusha logo

    3. Lusha

    Best for: SDRs, recruiters and small sales teams who mainly need emails and phone numbers fast

    Free plan + paidWeb, Browser extension

    61.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from Clay

    Much simpler: look up emails and phone numbers from a browser extension, with a free plan.

    Pros

    • Free plan with monthly credits
    • Clear credit costs per email and per phone number
    • Chrome extension, API and MCP access to the same data
    • Paid plans can be cancelled at any time

    Cons

    • Phone numbers cost five times as many credits as emails
    • Free plan's 40 credits run out quickly
    • No built-in email sequencing like Apollo
    Visit Lusha Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Lusha a good Clay alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free plan
    40 credits per month
    Checked Nov 8, 2026lusha.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Email reveal
    1 credit
    Checked Nov 8, 2026lusha.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Phone reveal
    5 credits
    Checked Nov 8, 2026lusha.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Cancellation
    Any time
    Checked Nov 8, 2026lusha.com(opens source in a new tab)
  4. Hunter logo

    4. Hunter

    Best for: Small teams, marketers and link builders who need accurate work email addresses and simple cold email

    Free plan + paidWeb, Browser extension

    57.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from Clay

    Focused email finding and verification at a lower, more predictable price.

    Pros

    • Free plan with 50 credits a month and no credit card
    • Unlimited users on every plan
    • Finder, verifier and outreach sequences in one place
    • Browser extensions, Google Sheets add-on, API and MCP server

    Cons

    • Email-focused: no phone number data like Lusha or Cognism
    • Monthly credits reset and don't roll over
    • Sequences are basic compared with dedicated sales engagement tools
    Visit Hunter Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.363
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Hunter a good Clay alternative?

    Verified facts

    8 of 8 verified
    Free plan
    Yes, 50 credits a month
    Checked Nov 8, 2026hunter.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Users
    Unlimited on all plans
    Checked Nov 8, 2026hunter.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Credit rollover
    No
    Checked Nov 8, 2026hunter.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Starting paid price
    $49/month (Starter, monthly)
    Checked Nov 8, 2026hunter.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Compliance
    GDPR & CCPA
    Checked Nov 8, 2026hunter.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Starting price
    $49 a month, or $34 a month billed yearly (Starter)
    Checked Nov 8, 2026hunter.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Growth plan
    $149 a month, or $104 a month billed yearly
    Checked Nov 8, 2026hunter.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Scale plan
    $299 a month, or $209 a month billed yearly
    Checked Nov 8, 2026hunter.io(opens source in a new tab)
  5. LinkedIn Sales Navigator logo

    5. LinkedIn Sales Navigator

    Best for: B2B sellers whose buyers are on LinkedIn and who prospect through relationships and InMail

    PaidWeb, iOS, Android

    55.9

    score / 100

    Why switch from Clay

    Builds lead lists straight from LinkedIn's own member data with advanced filters, without a separate enrichment table.

    Pros

    • Search across LinkedIn's member base with 50+ filters
    • Job-change and activity alerts on saved leads
    • InMail credits to reach people outside your network
    • CRM sync with Salesforce, HubSpot and Dynamics on higher tiers

    Cons

    • No email addresses or phone numbers; you need another data tool
    • Per-licence price is high for individuals
    • Advanced Plus pricing isn't published
    Visit LinkedIn Sales Navigator Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.357
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is LinkedIn Sales Navigator a good Clay alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Starting price
    US$119.99/month per licence (Core)
    Checked Nov 8, 2026business.linkedin.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Search filters
    50+
    Checked Nov 8, 2026business.linkedin.com(opens source in a new tab)
    InMail
    50 credits/month
    Checked Nov 8, 2026business.linkedin.com(opens source in a new tab)
    CRM integrations
    Salesforce, HubSpot, Dynamics, Oracle
    Checked Nov 8, 2026business.linkedin.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free trial
    Yes
    Checked Nov 8, 2026business.linkedin.com(opens source in a new tab)
  6. Instantly logo

    6. Instantly

    Best for: Agencies and small outbound teams sending high-volume cold email across many mailboxes

    PaidWeb

    48.2

    score / 100

    Why switch from Clay

    Bundles a B2B lead database and contact enrichment with cold email sending, so lists don't have to move between tools.

    Pros

    • Unlimited sending accounts and warm-up on outreach plans
    • Built-in B2B lead database with email enrichment
    • Unified inbox and AI reply handling
    • Cheaper than per-seat tools when one person runs many inboxes

    Cons

    • Email only: no LinkedIn or calling steps
    • Separate subscriptions for outreach, credits and CRM can add up
    • Plans cap monthly emails and uploaded contacts
    Visit Instantly Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.332
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Instantly a good Clay alternative?

    Verified facts

    6 of 6 verified
    Starting price
    $47 a month (Outreach Growth)
    Checked Nov 8, 2026instantly.ai(opens source in a new tab)
    Email warm-up
    Unlimited
    Checked Nov 8, 2026instantly.ai(opens source in a new tab)
    Lead database
    450M+ B2B leads
    Checked Nov 8, 2026instantly.ai(opens source in a new tab)
    Enrichment
    Waterfall with 5+ providers
    Checked Nov 8, 2026instantly.ai(opens source in a new tab)
    Hypergrowth plan
    $107 a month
    Checked Nov 8, 2026instantly.ai(opens source in a new tab)
    Light Speed plan
    $358 a month
    Checked Nov 8, 2026instantly.ai(opens source in a new tab)
  7. lemlist logo

    7. lemlist

    Best for: Small sales teams, founders and agencies running personalised multichannel cold outreach

    PaidWeb, Browser extension

    47.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from Clay

    Finds and enriches leads from its own database, then runs multichannel email and LinkedIn sequences in the same app.

    Pros

    • Email, LinkedIn, calls, SMS and WhatsApp in one sequence
    • Email warm-up and deliverability tools included on all plans
    • Built-in lead database with email and phone finder
    • Interface available in English, French, German and Spanish

    Cons

    • No free plan, only a trial
    • Lead data and intent signals are paid add-ons
    • LinkedIn automation can put your LinkedIn account at risk
    Visit lemlist Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.329
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is lemlist a good Clay alternative?

    Verified facts

    8 of 8 verified
    Free trial
    14 days
    Checked Nov 8, 2026lemlist.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Lead database
    650M+ leads
    Checked Nov 8, 2026lemlist.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Warm-up
    Included on all plans (lemwarm)
    Checked Nov 8, 2026lemlist.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Channels
    Email, LinkedIn, calls, WhatsApp, SMS
    Checked Nov 8, 2026lemlist.com(opens source in a new tab)
    CRM integrations
    HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive
    Checked Nov 8, 2026lemlist.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Starting price
    $69 a month (Email plan), $55 a month billed yearly
    Checked Nov 8, 2026lemlist.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Multichannel plan
    $109 a month, $87 a month billed yearly
    Checked Nov 8, 2026lemlist.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Enterprise plan
    Custom price
    Checked Nov 8, 2026lemlist.com(opens source in a new tab)
  8. Bardeen logo

    8. Bardeen

    Best for: Small sales, recruiting and growth teams building lead lists from the web on a modest budget

    Free plan + paidWeb, Browser extension

    42.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from Clay

    Cheaper credit-based lead scraping and enrichment for small teams that don't need Clay's full data waterfall.

    Pros

    • Scraping, enrichment and AI qualification in one workflow
    • Free monthly credit allowance to try it
    • Exports straight to Google Sheets, Airtable, Notion or CSV
    • SOC 2 Type II and GDPR compliance claims for business use

    Cons

    • Credit pricing makes costs hard to predict for large lists
    • Enrichment rows cost three times a normal row
    • Scrapers can break when the target site changes its layout
    Visit Bardeen Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.312
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Bardeen a good Clay alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Starting price
    $10/month (Basic)
    Checked Nov 8, 2026bardeen.ai(opens source in a new tab)
    Free plan
    100 credits every month
    Checked Nov 8, 2026bardeen.ai(opens source in a new tab)
    Credit cost
    1 credit per row, 3 for enrichment
    Checked Nov 8, 2026bardeen.ai(opens source in a new tab)
    Exports
    CSV, Google Sheets, Airtable, Notion
    Checked Nov 8, 2026bardeen.ai(opens source in a new tab)
    Security
    SOC 2 Type II, GDPR
    Checked Nov 8, 2026bardeen.ai(opens source in a new tab)
  9. PhantomBuster logo

    9. PhantomBuster

    Best for: Growth marketers and sales ops who build LinkedIn and web lead lists with scheduled automations

    Free plan + paidWeb, Browser extension

    42.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from Clay

    Scheduled automations that extract and enrich leads from LinkedIn and the web.

    Pros

    • Large library of ready-made extraction and enrichment automations
    • Chains automations into scheduled multi-step workflows
    • Free plan and 14-day trial without a credit card
    • Pricing per workspace rather than per seat

    Cons

    • Execution hours, slots and credits make costs hard to predict
    • Free plan limits exports to 10 rows
    • LinkedIn automation can get accounts restricted
    Visit PhantomBuster Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.312
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is PhantomBuster a good Clay alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free plan
    30 min execution time/month, 1 slot
    Checked Nov 8, 2026phantombuster.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Starting price
    $69/month ($56 billed annually)
    Checked Nov 8, 2026phantombuster.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free trial
    14 days, no card
    Checked Nov 8, 2026phantombuster.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Start plan limits
    20 hours, 5 slots per month
    Checked Nov 8, 2026phantombuster.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best Clay alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Apollo.io logo

Best Clay alternative for most people

Apollo.io

Own contact database plus sequences in one cheaper tool, without building enrichment workflows yourself.

Lusha logo

Best Clay alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Lusha

Much simpler: look up emails and phone numbers from a browser extension, with a free plan.

ZoomInfo logo

Best Clay alternative for iPhone and Android

ZoomInfo

Single large proprietary dataset with intent signals, for enterprises that prefer one vendor over waterfalls.

Hunter logo

Best Clay alternative for working in the browser

Hunter

Focused email finding and verification at a lower, more predictable price.

Clay alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Clay?

Apollo.io ranks first right now. Own contact database plus sequences in one cheaper tool, without building enrichment workflows yourself. ZoomInfo and Lusha follow it in our ranking.

Clay vs Apollo.io: what's the difference?

Both Clay and Apollo.io are free with paid plans. Only Apollo.io runs on Browser extension.

Is Clay free?

Clay is free with paid plans. Free plan: Yes, 100 data credits and 500 actions/month; Starting price: From $185 a month (Launch); Growth plan: From $495 a month; Free trial: 14 days. Checked on Clay's own site, November 2026.

How much do Clay alternatives cost?

Verified prices for the top-ranked Clay alternatives: Hunter, $49/month (Starter, monthly); LinkedIn Sales Navigator, US$119.99/month per licence (Core); Instantly, $47 a month (Outreach Growth); lemlist, $69 a month (Email plan), $55 a month billed yearly; Bardeen, $10/month (Basic). Each price was checked on the app's own site; see each card below for the date and source.

Is there a free alternative to Clay?

Yes. Apollo.io (free plan + paid), Lusha (free plan + paid), Hunter (free plan + paid) and Bardeen (free plan + paid) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Clay?

None of the 9 alternatives in this list is open source.

Why do people switch from Clay?

The complaints we hear most: two usage meters (actions and data credits) make costs hard to predict; phone enrichment and CRM integrations need paid tiers; steep learning curve compared with simple contact lookup tools.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Clay, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.