PhantomBuster
Tines
| Feature | PhantomBuster | Tines |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $69/mo | Free only |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.1 / 5 | 4.5 / 5 |
| Best For | sales-teams, recruiters, growth-hackers, lead-generation | security-teams, soc-analysts, incident-responders, security-engineers |
| Founded | 2016 | 2018 |
| Linkedin Automation | ✓ | ✗ |
| Data Extraction | ✓ | ✗ |
| Email Finder | ✓ | ✗ |
| Workflow Chains | ✓ | ✗ |
| Scheduling | ✓ | ✗ |
| Crm Export | ✓ | ✗ |
| Api Access | ✓ | ✗ |
| Workflow Automation | ✗ | ✓ |
| Alert Triage | ✗ | ✓ |
| Incident Response | ✗ | ✓ |
| Case Management | ✗ | ✓ |
| Integrations | ✗ | ✓ |
| Templates | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ PhantomBuster Pros
- Pre-built automations for LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.
- No coding required for complex scraping workflows
- Cloud-based (runs 24/7 without your computer)
- Chain multiple Phantoms for sophisticated workflows
✗ PhantomBuster Cons
- Violates most social platform terms of service
- Account ban risk on LinkedIn and other networks
- Credits system limits usage on lower plans
✓ Tines Pros
- No-code workflow builder
- Security-focused templates
- Generous free tier
- Fast implementation
✗ Tines Cons
- Security-focused (not general automation)
- Smaller community
- Limited non-security integrations
The Verdict
PhantomBuster is built for sales teams and recruiters, with a focus on linkedin-automation and data-extraction. Tines targets security teams and soc analysts and leads with workflow-automation and alert-triage.
Tines uses custom enterprise pricing, while PhantomBuster starts at $69/mo — a tangible advantage for teams with a fixed budget.
Both offer free plans, so you can test each with your real workflow before committing to a subscription.
Tines edges out on user ratings (4.5 vs 4.1). While both are well-regarded, that gap reflects real differences in user satisfaction worth considering.
Feature-wise, PhantomBuster offers broader built-in capabilities (7 features vs 6), while Tines takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
Bottom line: Tines has a slight overall edge — but if pre-built automations for linkedin, twitter, etc. matters most to you, PhantomBuster may still be the right call.