Compare/Alternatives

PhantomBuster alternatives

4 tools our write-ups put next to PhantomBuster, with starting price, free tier, MCP and API side by side.

PhantomBuster from $69/moFree tier14 day free trialMCP serverAPI

Closest alternatives

The short answer

Apify : Actor marketplace and datasets if you want raw scrapers more than LinkedIn recipes. From $19/mo
Clay : Enrichment tables if the job is waterfall data, not browser automation. From $185/mo
Dux-Soup : Desktop LinkedIn automation if you want a Chrome-side tool instead of the cloud. From $11/mo
Waalaxy : LinkedIn-plus-email sequences if you want a campaign UI, not Phantom recipes. From $16/user/mo

Why people look past PhantomBuster

You act through your own social accounts, so limits and bans are on you. Execution hours, slots, and email credits all cap out. Exports on the trial are 10 rows.

What we noted

LinkedIn risk sits on the connected account
Hours, slots, and email credits all cap out
Trial exports stop at 10 rows

Not the right fit for

Buyers who want a pre-built B2B database
Teams unwilling to connect their own LinkedIn accounts

Worth keeping in mind: Hosted MCP at mcp.phantombuster.com plus 100+ Phantoms that run without your browser open.

PhantomBuster alternatives compared

Tool	Free tier	From	MCP	API	Head to head
PhantomBuster (the one you are on)	✓Yes	$69/mo	✓Yes	✓Yes
Apify Actor marketplace and datasets if you want raw scrapers more than LinkedIn recipes.	✓Yes	$19/mo	✓Yes	✓Yes	Head to head
Clay Enrichment tables if the job is waterfall data, not browser automation.	✓Yes	$185/mo	✓Yes	✓Yes	Head to head
Dux-Soup Desktop LinkedIn automation if you want a Chrome-side tool instead of the cloud.	–No	$11/mo	–No	✓Yes	Head to head
Waalaxy LinkedIn-plus-email sequences if you want a campaign UI, not Phantom recipes.	–No	$16/user/mo	–No	–No	Head to head

What each one does differently

Apify

$19/mo Free tier MCP API

Why it comes up: Actor marketplace and datasets if you want raw scrapers more than LinkedIn recipes.

Stands out: Hosted MCP at mcp.apify.com plus a Store of ready-made Actors, on a prepaid usage meter with overage billed on paid plans.

Watch out: Unused prepaid usage expires each cycle. Usage beyond Starter's $19 is billed on the next invoice, and residential proxy costs extra per GB.

Best for

Builders running scrapers and agents in the cloud
GTM teams buying ready-made Store Actors
Desks that want MCP to search and run Actors

4.8 on Capterra from 538 reviews

Read the Apify write-up PhantomBuster vs Apify

Clay

$185/mo Free tier 14 day free trial MCP API

Why it comes up: Enrichment tables if the job is waterfall data, not browser automation.

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.

Best for

Sourcers building enriched spreadsheets
Teams chaining many data vendors
Desks that want Claygent research columns

Read the Clay write-up PhantomBuster vs Clay

Dux-Soup

$11/mo Free trial API

Why it comes up: Desktop LinkedIn automation if you want a Chrome-side tool instead of the cloud.

Stands out: The cheap Chrome LinkedIn workhorse ($11-ish Pro) for list actions, not a pretty cloud sequencer.

Watch out: Pro is visit/connect automation, not a full cloud inbox. Turbo is $41.25 annual; Cloud Dux $74.17. LinkedIn ToS still applies.

Best for

Recruiters automating LinkedIn visits and connects on a budget
Agencies that already live in Chrome
Teams that will take the free trial

4.0 on Capterra from 16 reviews

Read the Dux-Soup write-up PhantomBuster vs Dux-Soup

Waalaxy

$16/user/mo Free trial

Why it comes up: LinkedIn-plus-email sequences if you want a campaign UI, not Phantom recipes.

Stands out: A public $16 Chrome LinkedIn seat with email (HubSpot, Pipedrive, Zapier, Make, n8n, Salesforce named), and one of the cheapest entry seats in the category.

Watch out: Pro is $16, Advanced $32, Business $55. Only Business carries cold email sequences and 500 finder credits; Pro and Advanced get 25 a month, which makes them LinkedIn-only in practice. The LinkedIn Inbox is a paid add-on on every plan, and LinkedIn automation remains a ToS risk.

Best for

SDRs running LinkedIn plus email from Chrome
HubSpot or Pipedrive shops
Teams that want a 14-day trial

4.4 on Capterra from 253 reviews

Read the Waalaxy write-up PhantomBuster vs Waalaxy

Common questions

What is the best PhantomBuster alternative?

It depends on what sent you looking. Our write-ups put Apify closest to PhantomBuster. Why it comes up: Actor marketplace and datasets if you want raw scrapers more than LinkedIn recipes. The table above shows all 4 on price, free tier, MCP and API.

Is there a free alternative to PhantomBuster?

Yes. Apify and Clay carry a free tier on our listing, so you can try the product without a card. Free tiers are capped, so check the limits against your volume before you move a team across.

What is the cheapest PhantomBuster alternative?

Of the published starting prices here, Dux-Soup is lowest at $11/mo. Starting price is the entry plan, not the seat count you will end up on, so read the plan table on each listing.

Which PhantomBuster alternatives have an MCP server?

Apify and Clay ship a first party MCP server, so you can drive them from Claude or ChatGPT without building against the API yourself.

Does PhantomBuster have a free trial?

PhantomBuster offers a 14 day free trial on our listing. Trial terms move, so confirm on the vendor site before you plan around it.

Keep looking

Back to the PhantomBuster write-up Every Lead generation tool we list Search the whole directory

Editorial listings, never paid rankings. Prices checked 18 Sep 2026. Confirm current terms on the vendor site. Spot an error?