Compare/Head to head

ContactOut vs Hunter

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

Starting price

ContactOut

$49/mo Free tier

LinkedIn-first emails and dials with a Chrome extension, MCP, and API. Free plan; paid starts at $49/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

Hunter

$34/mo Free tier Free trial

Name-plus-domain email search with a verifier, API and MCP. Free tier, then $49/mo monthly or $34/mo on annual billing.

Where Hunter fits

  • Recruiters doing name-plus-domain lookup
  • Teams that need a finder API
  • Buyers who want a free tier plus MCP
  • Desks that live in Chrome or Google Sheets

At a glance

DetailContactOutHunter
Starting price$49/mo$34/mo
Free tier✓Yes✓Yes
Free trialNot on recordYes
MCP server✓Yes✓Yes
Public API✓Yes✓Yes
Listed underEmail finders, Lead generationEmail finders, Verification, Lead generation
Capterra4.4 from 15 reviews4.6 from 711 reviews

Where they pull apart

ContactOut

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

Watch out: Team and API plans are quoted by sales, and the self-serve prices are shown as discounts, so confirm the current rate with the vendor.

Not the right fit for

  • Teams that need Sales Nav list export as the core workflow
  • Teams that want API access without a sales call

Hunter

Stands out: The default finder API, with MCP and a widely used free Chrome extension.

Watch out: Built around work email, so it is not a mobile-number product.

Not the right fit for

  • Teams that need mobiles as the core product
  • Buyers who want a sequencer in the same login

Pros and cons

ContactOut

  • Chrome workflow from the LinkedIn tab
  • Mobiles next to emails
  • MCP plus API
  • Team and API plans are quoted by sales
  • Not a sequencer
  • Integration list is short

Hunter

  • Public $49 monthly Starter, cheaper annually
  • Free browser extensions
  • MCP plus REST API
  • Work email rather than mobile numbers
  • No sequencer
  • Credit caps on the entry plan

What each one costs

ContactOut

$49/mo

Free plan at $0. Email is $49/mo and Email + Phone is $99/mo, both shown as discounts from $99 and $199. Team and API plans are quoted by sales. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 4 Nov 2026

Hunter

$34/mo

Free plan with 50 credits a month. Starter is $34/mo billed yearly ($408), or $49 monthly, for 2,000 credits a month; Growth is $104/mo yearly or $149 monthly for 10,000 credits; Scale is $209/mo yearly or $299 monthly for 25,000 credits. Credits do not roll over. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 4 Nov 2026

Common questions

Is ContactOut cheaper than Hunter?
Hunter starts lower, at $34/mo against $49/mo for ContactOut. That is the entry plan on each side, so the real number depends on seats and the tier you land on.
Can you try ContactOut or Hunter for free?
ContactOut and Hunter carry a free tier on our listing. Hunter offers a free trial.
Does ContactOut or Hunter have an MCP server?
ContactOut and Hunter ship a first party MCP server, so an AI assistant can work the product directly.

Not the pair you wanted?

All ContactOut alternatives All Hunter 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?