Compare/Head to head

Clay vs ZoomInfo

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

ZoomInfo

Sales-quoted

Enterprise B2B contact graph with direct dials, org charts, technographics and intent. Quote-based, and overkill if you only need emails.

Where ZoomInfo fits

  • Talent teams where sales already pays for ZoomInfo
  • Desks that need reports-to lines and org charts
  • Account-based recruiting with intent data
  • Enterprise processes that already include the graph

At a glance

DetailClayZoomInfo
Starting price$185/moSales-quoted
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, Visitor ID
CapterraNot enough reviews4.1 from 322 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

ZoomInfo

Stands out: The buying-committee graph and intent data, not just email lookup.

Watch out: Recruiter-only desks should price Wiza, ContactOut or Tomba first. This is an enterprise contract.

Not the right fit for

  • Recruiter-only buyers signing a new enterprise contract
  • Teams that only need email and mobile lookup

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

ZoomInfo

  • Org charts and intent, not only emails
  • MCP available
  • Strong value when sales already funds the seat
  • No public price
  • Enterprise contract and sales cycle
  • Overkill as a recruiter-only finder

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 (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

ZoomInfo

Sales-quoted

Sales-quoted. Contact the vendor for current terms. No public starting price on the vendor site as of the verification date.

Checked 4 Nov 2026

Common questions

Can you try Clay or ZoomInfo for free?
Clay carries a free tier on our listing. Clay offers a 14 day free trial.
Does Clay or ZoomInfo have an MCP server?
Clay and ZoomInfo 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 4 Nov 2026. Confirm current terms on the vendor site. Spot an error?