Compare/Head to head

Apollo vs Instantly

Same facts, side by side: starting price, free tier, MCP, API and what each one is actually built for.

Starting price

Apollo

$49/user/mo Free tier Free trial

All-in-one B2B database plus sequencer, with a free plan and paid plans from $49 per seat a month billed annually.

Where Apollo fits

Outbound recruiting and sales on one database
Teams that want free-tier access to start
Desks that need sequences next to the data
Consumers of the Apollo graph via MCP or API

Instantly

$37.60/mo Free trial

Cold-email infra for teams farming many sending mailboxes. Outreach Growth is $37.60/mo billed yearly, or $47/mo monthly.

Where Instantly fits

Outbound recruiting teams sending at volume
Agencies running many sending accounts
Desks that need warmup plus a unibox
Recruiters who want an agent to find candidates and send first outreach

At a glance

Detail	Apollo	Instantly
Starting price	$49/user/mo	$37.60/mo
Free tier	✓Yes	–No
Free trial	Yes	Yes
MCP server	✓Yes	✓Yes
Public API	✓Yes	✓Yes
Listed under	Email finders, Lead generation, Outreach	Outreach
Capterra	4.5 from 398 reviews	Not enough reviews

Where they pull apart

Apollo

Stands out: A large people database plus email sequences in one login, with MCP and a Chrome extension.

Watch out: Data quality varies by segment, and it does not match enterprise tools for intent data and org charts.

Not the right fit for

Buyers who need enterprise-class intent and org charts
Teams that want an ATS

Instantly

Stands out: Warmup, unibox, and volume send with hosted MCP and a public API, plus an AI Recruiting Agent that finds candidates from a job link and emails them.

Watch out: Deliverability still depends on your domains and inboxes, not the tool alone.

Not the right fit for

Teams that only need LinkedIn messaging
Buyers looking for an ATS

Pros and cons

Apollo

Free plan, then Basic at $49 per seat a month billed annually
Database plus sequences in one login
MCP and Chrome extension

Data quality varies by segment
Less depth on intent than enterprise vendors
Credit model needs watching

Instantly

Warmup and unibox in the same desk
AI Recruiting Agent sources candidates and drafts outreach from a job link
Hosted MCP plus REST API
No-card get-started path on the vendor site

Sending domains and inboxes are bought separately
Sequence designer is plainer than multichannel rivals
Volume tiers step up quickly as mailboxes grow

What each one costs

Apollo

$49/user/mo

Apollo has a free plan with 900 credits per seat a year, granted monthly. Basic is $49 per seat a month billed annually, with 30,000 credits per seat a year granted upfront and a 14-day trial; annual billing saves 24% against monthly. Higher plans are listed on the same page. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 4 Nov 2026

Instantly

$37.60/mo

Outreach plans: Growth $37.60/mo billed yearly, or $47 monthly, for 5,000 emails and 1,000 contacts; Hypergrowth $85.58/mo yearly, or $107 monthly, for 125,000 emails and 25,000 contacts; and Light Speed $286.30/mo yearly, or $358 monthly, for 500,000 emails. Lead credits are a separate plan from $47/mo, and bundles of both start at $94/mo. Every plan has unlimited email accounts and warmup. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 4 Nov 2026

Common questions

Is Apollo cheaper than Instantly?

Instantly starts lower, at $37.60/mo against $49/user/mo for Apollo. That is the entry plan on each side, so the real number depends on seats and the tier you land on.

Can you try Apollo or Instantly for free?

Apollo carries a free tier on our listing. Apollo offers a free trial. Instantly offers a free trial.

Does Apollo or Instantly have an MCP server?

Apollo and Instantly ship a first party MCP server, so an AI assistant can work the product directly.

Not the pair you wanted?

All Apollo alternatives All Instantly alternatives Every Email finders tool

Editorial listings, never paid rankings. Prices checked 4 Nov 2026. Confirm current terms on the vendor site. Spot an error?