Apollo.io
Close
| Feature | Apollo.io | Close |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $49/mo | From $49/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Rating | 4.4 / 5 | 4.5 / 5 |
| Best For | sales-teams, startups, recruiters, agencies, b2b-companies | inside-sales-teams, startups, smbs, call-heavy-teams |
| Founded | 2015 | 2013 |
| Contact Database | ✓ | ✗ |
| Email Sequences | ✓ | ✓ |
| Linkedin Integration | ✓ | ✗ |
| Dialer | ✓ | ✗ |
| Analytics | ✓ | ✗ |
| Lead Scoring | ✓ | ✗ |
| Enrichment | ✓ | ✗ |
| Calling | ✗ | ✓ |
| Pipeline | ✗ | ✓ |
| Sms | ✗ | ✓ |
| Predictive Dialer | ✗ | ✓ |
| Reporting | ✗ | ✓ |
| Workflows | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Apollo.io Pros
- 275M+ verified contacts database
- Email sequences with A/B testing
- Free tier with 10,000 credits/month
- LinkedIn integration for prospecting
✗ Apollo.io Cons
- Data accuracy varies by region
- Email deliverability can suffer at scale
- Learning curve for sequence optimization
✓ Close Pros
- Built-in VoIP calling and SMS
- Powerful email sequences with tracking
- Designed specifically for inside sales workflow
- Fast setup — productive in minutes not weeks
✗ Close Cons
- No free tier available
- Limited marketing automation
- Fewer integrations than HubSpot or Salesforce
The Verdict
Apollo.io is built for sales teams and startups, with a focus on contact-database and email-sequences. Close targets inside sales teams and startups and leads with calling and email-sequences.
Both tools come in at similar price points ($49/mo for Apollo.io, $49/mo for Close), so pricing won't make the decision for you.
Apollo.io has a free plan, which gives it a meaningful edge for individuals and small teams exploring their options. Close requires a paid subscription from day one.
Both tools are a solid fit for startups — in those cases, the decision often comes down to workflow style and how your team prefers to organize work.
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.