Softwr

CRM · head to head

Apollo.io vs Copper

Apollo.io logo

Apollo.io

CRM

Revenue intelligence platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Copper logo

Copper

CRM

Gmail-native CRM for growth teams

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Apollo.io everything is metered in credits, and the free Starter plan runs on them too, so prospecting volume is capped rather than the feature set; Copper the Basic plan caps at 2,500 contacts and 25 companies, which is small for a CRM at $23 per user per month
  • They diverge on capability: Apollo.io covers Contact database, Copper covers Gmail integration.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 2 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Apollo.io and Copper actually diverge.

Attributes where Apollo.io and Copper differ
AttributeApollo.ioCopper
Founded20202014

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (subscription), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (CRM).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Apollo.io

  • Contact database
  • Email finder
  • Lead search
  • Engagement tracking
  • Reporting
  • Salesforce
  • HubSpot
  • Outlook

Only in Copper

  • Gmail integration
  • Contact management
  • Deal tracking
  • Pipeline management
  • Email tracking
  • Google Calendar
  • Zapier

Both cover

  • Automation
  • Gmail
  • Slack
  • SOC2
  • GDPR
  • Cloud deployment
  • Web support
  • English language support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Apollo.io

  • Sales prospecting and lead generationnot Copper
  • Contact database management for sales teamsnot Copper
  • Email outreach and workflow automationnot Copper

Copper

  • CRM for teams working inside Google Workspacenot Apollo.io
  • Pipeline and deal trackingnot Apollo.io
  • Contact enrichment and activity capturenot Apollo.io
  • Workflow automation on the higher tiersnot Apollo.io

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Apollo.io

  • Everything is metered in credits, and the free Starter plan runs on them too, so prospecting volume is capped rather than the feature set
  • Plans described as unlimited are capped in the fair use policy at 10,000 credits a month for non-paying accounts
  • Connecting a mailbox that is not Gmail or Microsoft requires a paid plan
  • How many records can be selected at once varies by tier
  • Running out of credits means buying more rather than waiting for a reset

Copper

  • The Basic plan caps at 2,500 contacts and 25 companies, which is small for a CRM at $23 per user per month
  • Professional at $59 per user per month still caps at 15,000 contacts and 50 companies
  • Workflow automation, bulk email and reporting all require Professional
  • Email sequences, custom reports and multi-currency are Business tier only at $99 per user per month
  • The advertised prices are the annual rates; monthly billing runs from $29 to $134 per user

Pricing, plan by plan

Apollo.io

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Basic contact search
    • Limited searches
  • Starter$49/month
    • Everything in Free
    • Advanced search
    • Email finder
  • Professional$149/month
    • Everything in Starter
    • Automation
    • Advanced analytics

Copper

Free
  • Basic$undefined/mo
  • Professional$undefined/mo
  • Business$undefined/mo

Which should you pick?

Choose Apollo.io if

  • You need contact database.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want email finder.
Apollo.io review

Choose Copper if

  • You need gmail integration.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want contact management.
Copper review

Questions people ask

Is Apollo.io or Copper better?
Neither clearly leads. Apollo.io starts at Free and Copper at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Apollo.io or Copper?
Apollo.io starts at Free and Copper at Free.
Does Apollo.io or Copper run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Apollo.io for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Apollo.io best used for?
Apollo.io is most often used for sales prospecting and lead generation, contact database management for sales teams, email outreach and workflow automation. Of those, sales prospecting and lead generation and contact database management for sales teams are not what Copper is typically brought in for.
What can Apollo.io do that Copper cannot?
Apollo.io covers Contact database, Email finder, Lead search, Engagement tracking. Copper covers Gmail integration, Contact management, Deal tracking, Pipeline management. Both handle Automation, Gmail, Slack, SOC2.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Apollo.io: Does Apollo offer a free plan?

Yes, Apollo offers a Starter plan that is free forever and includes unlimited email addresses for contacts. Gmail and Microsoft email account linking are available on the free plan with limited third-party email account linking.

Source
Copper: How much does Copper cost per person?

Basic is $29/month (or $23/month annual). Professional is $69/month (or $59/month annual). Business is $134/month (or $99/month annual). All pricing is per seat in USD, excluding taxes.

Source
Apollo.io: How does Apollo's credit system work?

Apollo uses a credit-based system for exporting contact data outside the platform. Free and non-paying accounts have a monthly credit limit of 10,000 credits. Paid accounts receive limits based on their plan pricing, calculated as the lesser of annual commit divided by $0.025 or 1 million credits annually.

Source
Copper: What contact limit does each plan allow?

Basic allows 2,500 contacts. Professional allows 15,000 contacts. Business allows unlimited contacts.

Source
Apollo.io: How much do trial plans cost on Apollo?

Apollo trial plans include 50 credits and 5 mobile credits to test paid features at no charge. Trial versions do not support non-Gmail/Microsoft email account linking. Upgrades take effect immediately while downgrades take effect at the end of the billing cycle.

Source
Copper: How much can I save by paying annually?

Annual billing saves 14-26% vs. monthly: Basic saves 20%, Professional saves 14%, Business saves 26%. For example, Professional costs $69/month on monthly billing but only $59/month when billed annually.

Source
Copper: Is there a free trial or free plan?

Yes. Copper offers a 14-day free trial with instant activation and no credit card required. Trial includes full access to all features.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Apollo.io

More on Copper

Keep looking

Other head to heads