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CRM · head to head

Apollo.io vs Freshsales

Apollo.io logo

Apollo.io

CRM

Revenue intelligence platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Freshsales logo

Freshsales

CRM

Smart CRM for growing businesses

From
$19/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Apollo.io has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • 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; Freshsales contact scoring, sales sequences and territory management require the Pro plan at $39 per user per month, more than four times the Growth price
  • They diverge on capability: Apollo.io covers Contact database, Freshsales covers Contact management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Apollo.io and Freshsales differ
AttributeApollo.ioFreshsales
Starting priceFree$19/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20202010

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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
  • Automation
  • Engagement tracking
  • Reporting
  • Salesforce
  • HubSpot

Only in Freshsales

  • Contact management
  • Lead scoring
  • Sales pipeline
  • Activity tracking
  • Email sync
  • AI insights
  • Workflow automation
  • Shopify

Both cover

  • Outlook
  • Gmail
  • Slack
  • SOC2
  • GDPR
  • Cloud deployment
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Apollo.io

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

Freshsales

  • Sales CRM with built in email, phone and chatnot Apollo.io
  • Managing deals, pipelines and sales sequencesnot 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

Freshsales

  • Contact scoring, sales sequences and territory management require the Pro plan at $39 per user per month, more than four times the Growth price
  • Forecasting insights, custom modules, sandbox and audit logs are Enterprise only at $59 per user per month
  • Every published price requires annual billing
  • The Freddy AI agent is billed separately at $49 per 100 sessions
  • Branded documents are a further $19 per user add on
  • No contact limits are stated for any tier on the pricing page

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

Freshsales

$19/month
  • Starter$19/month
    • Contact & account management
    • Pipeline management
  • Growth$39/month
    • Everything in Starter
    • Sales automation
    • Territory management
  • Pro$65/month
    • Everything in Growth
    • Forecasting
    • Advanced customization

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 Freshsales if

  • You need contact management.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want lead scoring.
Freshsales review

Questions people ask

Is Apollo.io or Freshsales better?
Neither clearly leads. Apollo.io starts at Free and Freshsales at $19/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Apollo.io or Freshsales?
Apollo.io has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Apollo.io and $19/month for Freshsales.
Does Apollo.io or Freshsales run on more platforms?
Apollo.io runs on Web. Freshsales runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Apollo.io for free?
Yes. Apollo.io has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Freshsales starts at $19/month.
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 Freshsales is typically brought in for.
What can Apollo.io do that Freshsales cannot?
Apollo.io covers Contact database, Email finder, Lead search, Automation. Freshsales covers Contact management, Lead scoring, Sales pipeline, Activity tracking. Both handle Outlook, 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
Freshsales: Is there a free trial for Freshsales?

Yes, Freshsales offers a 21-day free trial with no credit card required and no strings attached.

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
Freshsales: How do I learn pricing for Freshsales?

Pricing is not listed on the main product pages. The site directs users to request a demo or sign up for the free trial to discuss pricing with the sales team.

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
Freshsales: Is a demo required to see pricing?

The site prominently features demo and trial signup options, suggesting that pricing is discussed during the sales consultation process rather than published as standard tiers.

Source
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