Apollo.io
Follow Up Boss
| Feature | Apollo.io | Follow Up Boss |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $49/mo | From $69/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Rating | 4.4 / 5 | 4.5 / 5 |
| Best For | startups, sdrs, sales-teams, growth-teams | real-estate-teams, high-volume-agents, team-leaders, inside-sales-agents |
| Founded | 2015 | 2011 |
| Contact Database | ✓ | ✗ |
| Sequences | ✓ | ✗ |
| Email Tracking | ✓ | ✗ |
| Dialer | ✓ | ✗ |
| Deal Management | ✓ | ✗ |
| Enrichment | ✓ | ✗ |
| Lead Routing | ✗ | ✓ |
| Smart Lists | ✗ | ✓ |
| Calling | ✗ | ✓ |
| Texting | ✗ | ✓ |
| Email Drips | ✗ | ✓ |
| Reporting Dashboard | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Apollo.io Pros
- Huge contact database
- Good free tier
- Sequences included
- Affordable
✗ Apollo.io Cons
- Data accuracy varies
- Email deliverability
- Complex interface
✓ Follow Up Boss Pros
- Fast lead response system
- 200+ lead source integrations
- Excellent calling and texting
- Simple clean interface
✗ Follow Up Boss Cons
- No IDX website included
- Expensive for teams
- Limited marketing automation
The Verdict
Apollo.io is built for startups and sdrs, with a focus on contact-database and sequences. Follow Up Boss targets real estate teams and high volume agents and leads with lead-routing and smart-lists.
On pricing, Apollo.io is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $49/mo compared to $69/mo for Follow Up Boss. That $20/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Apollo.io has a free plan, which gives it a meaningful edge for individuals and small teams exploring their options. Follow Up Boss requires a paid subscription from day one.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.