Compare/Head to head

Clay vs ContactOut

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

Starting price

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

ContactOut

$99/mo

LinkedIn-first emails and dials with a Chrome extension, MCP, and API. Paid starts around $99/mo.

Where ContactOut fits

  • Recruiters working LinkedIn all day
  • Desks that need mobiles next to email
  • Teams that want MCP with an API token
  • Daily contact lookup from a profile URL

At a glance

DetailClayContactOut
Starting price$185/mo$99/mo
Free tier✓Yes–No
Free trial14 day free trialNot on record
MCP server✓Yes✓Yes
Public API✓Yes✓Yes
Listed underLead generation, OutreachEmail finders, Lead generation
CapterraNot enough reviews4.4 from 15 reviews

Where they pull apart

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

ContactOut

Stands out: Chrome extension recruiters keep pinned, plus mobiles and a hosted MCP.

Watch out: There is no simple public price table, so confirm the current rate with the vendor.

Not the right fit for

  • Teams that need Sales Nav list export as the core workflow
  • Buyers who need a public price table

Pros and cons

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

ContactOut

  • Chrome workflow from the LinkedIn tab
  • Mobiles next to emails
  • MCP plus API
  • No simple public price table
  • Not a sequencer
  • Integration list is short

What each one costs

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 and adds CRM sync, HTTP API and webhooks. Enterprise is custom with an annual commitment. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 2 Oct 2026

ContactOut

$99/mo

From ~$99/mo. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 7 Sep 2026

Common questions

Is Clay cheaper than ContactOut?
ContactOut starts lower, at $99/mo against $185/mo for Clay. That is the entry plan on each side, so the real number depends on seats and the tier you land on.
Can you try Clay or ContactOut for free?
Clay carries a free tier on our listing. Clay offers a 14 day free trial.
Does Clay or ContactOut have an MCP server?
Clay and ContactOut ship a first party MCP server, so an AI assistant can work the product directly.

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Editorial listings, never paid rankings. Prices checked 2 Oct 2026. Confirm current terms on the vendor site. Spot an error?