Head to head

Hunter vs PipiLeads

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

Hunter

$49/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

PipiLeads

$0.030/credit Free tier

B2B email finder with a free 50-credit plan and pay-as-you-go packs from $0.030/credit for 500 credits.

Where PipiLeads fits

  • Solo prospectors who want a free 50-credit start
  • Teams buying lifetime credit packs instead of a seat
  • Users pulling emails from LinkedIn with the extension
  • Shops that want unused subscription credits to roll

At a glance

DetailHunterPipiLeads
Starting price$49/mo$0.030/credit
Free tier✓Yes✓Yes
Free trialYesNot on record
MCP server✓Yes–No
Public API✓Yes–No
Listed underEmail finders, Verification, Lead generationEmail finders, Lead generation
Capterra4.6 from 711 reviewsNot enough reviews

Where they pull apart

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

PipiLeads

Stands out: Pay-as-you-go credits never expire, and subscription leftover credits roll while you stay paid.

Watch out: One credit buys one email. Records older than 30 days are refreshed before download. Phone numbers sit on higher paid tiers.

Not the right fit for

  • Teams that need phones on the cheap tiers
  • Buyers who want a published REST API

Pros and cons

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

PipiLeads

  • Free 50 credits every month
  • PAYG from $0.030/credit, never expires
  • Subscription leftovers roll while paid
  • Phones not on the cheap credit packs
  • One credit per email, including re-checks
  • Cancel drops you to 50 free credits

What each one costs

Hunter

$49/mo

Free, paid from ~$49/mo. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 7 Sep 2026

PipiLeads

$0.030/credit

Free plan is 50 credits/month. PAYG is $0.030/credit from 500 credits, down to $0.008 at 500,000, with a 250-credit minimum and lifetime validity. Subscriptions are Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum at 250, 500, 1,250, and 2,500 credits. Those named tiers list credits rather than a dollar grid. Unused subscription credits roll while you stay paid. Confirm current terms on the vendor site.

Checked 19 Sep 2026

Common questions

Is Hunter cheaper than PipiLeads?
PipiLeads starts lower, at $0.030/credit against $49/mo for Hunter. That is the entry plan on each side, so the real number depends on seats and the tier you land on.
Can you try Hunter or PipiLeads for free?
Hunter and PipiLeads carry a free tier on our listing. Hunter offers a free trial.
Does Hunter or PipiLeads have an MCP server?
Hunter 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 7 Sep 2026. Confirm current terms on the vendor site. Spot an error?