Compare/Head to head

Captain Data vs Clay

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

Starting price

Captain Data

€59.99/1k credits

Usage-based B2B data API priced in euros. Base rate is €59.99 per 1,000 credits, falling with volume, and new accounts get 100 free credits.

Where Captain Data fits

  • Builders who want to pay per credit, not per seat
  • Data pipelines that already call REST APIs
  • Teams testing with 100 free credits
  • Buyers comfortable with euro invoicing

Clay

$185/mo Free tier 14 day free trial

Waterfall enrichment plus Claygent research columns for GTM and recruiting list work. Free plan exists; paid Launch starts at $185/mo, with a 14-day trial.

Where Clay fits

  • Sourcers building enriched spreadsheets
  • Teams chaining many data vendors
  • Desks that want Claygent research columns
  • RevOps pushing clean rows to a sequencer or ATS

At a glance

DetailCaptain DataClay
Starting price€59.99/1k credits$185/mo
Free tier–No✓Yes
Free trialNot on record14 day free trial
MCP server–No✓Yes
Public API✓Yes✓Yes
Listed underEmail finders, Lead generationLead generation, Outreach

Where they pull apart

Captain Data

Stands out: One credit meter for every endpoint, with no seat fees and no feature tiers.

Watch out: Prices are in euros only. The per-credit rate depends on monthly volume, and pilot or high-volume pricing is set with sales.

Not the right fit for

  • US buyers who need USD pricing
  • Non-technical users who need a prospecting UI

Clay

Stands out: 150+ provider waterfall plus Claygent on every row, with MCP and API.

Watch out: Not a sender. Paid plans start at $185/mo on Launch, CRM sync needs Growth from $495/mo, and credit burn adds up.

Not the right fit for

  • Teams that need Clay to send the email
  • Buyers who want a cheap single-finder

Pros and cons

Captain Data

  • 100 free credits, no card
  • No seat fees or feature tiers
  • API key available at signup
  • Prices in euros only
  • Unit rate depends on volume
  • No prospecting UI for reps

Clay

  • Free plan, then Launch from $185/mo
  • 14-day trial documented
  • Waterfall plus Claygent in one table
  • Does not send mail; you still need a sequencer
  • CRM sync needs Growth, from $495/mo
  • Credit burn is easy to underestimate

What each one costs

Captain Data

€59.99/1k credits

Usage-based. The base rate is €59.99 per 1,000 credits and drops as monthly volume rises; high-volume and pilot pricing (around €5 per 1,000) goes through sales. New accounts get 100 free credits. Prices are in euros; no USD rate card is published. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 4 Nov 2026

Clay

$185/mo

Free plan with 100 Data Credits and 500 Actions a month. Launch starts at $185 a month (2,500 Data Credits, 15,000 Actions, job change and signal tracking). Growth starts at $495 a month (6,000 Data Credits, 40,000 Actions) and adds CRM sync, HTTP API and webhooks. Enterprise is custom with an annual commitment. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 4 Nov 2026

Common questions

Can you try Captain Data or Clay for free?
Clay carries a free tier on our listing. Clay offers a 14 day free trial.
Does Captain Data or Clay have an MCP server?
Clay ships a first party MCP server, so an AI assistant can work the product directly.

Not the pair you wanted?

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