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CRM · head to head

Apollo.io vs HubSpot Service Hub

Apollo.io logo

Apollo.io

CRM

Revenue intelligence platform

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
HubSpot Service Hub logo

HubSpot Service Hub

Customer Support

Customer service software for scaling companies

From
Free
Free plan
Yes

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; HubSpot Service Hub the free tier is capped at 2 users
  • They diverge on capability: Apollo.io covers Contact database, HubSpot Service Hub covers Ticketing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Apollo.io and HubSpot Service Hub actually diverge.

Attributes where Apollo.io and HubSpot Service Hub differ
AttributeApollo.ioHubSpot Service Hub
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android
CategoryCRMCustomer Support
Founded20202006

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

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
  • HubSpot
  • Outlook
  • Gmail

Only in HubSpot Service Hub

  • Ticketing
  • Knowledge base
  • Customer feedback
  • Live chat
  • Conversational bots
  • HubSpot CRM
  • Zoom
  • Microsoft Teams

Both cover

  • Reporting
  • Salesforce
  • Slack
  • SOC2
  • GDPR
  • 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 HubSpot Service Hub
  • Contact database management for sales teamsnot HubSpot Service Hub
  • Email outreach and workflow automationnot HubSpot Service Hub

HubSpot Service Hub

  • Shared inbox and ticketing for a support teamnot Apollo.io
  • Knowledge base and customer self-servicenot Apollo.io
  • Live chat and chatbots on a websitenot Apollo.io
  • Customer feedback surveys and CSATnot Apollo.io
  • Support reporting tied into the HubSpot CRMnot 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

HubSpot Service Hub

  • The free tier is capped at 2 users
  • Professional carries a one-off onboarding fee of $1,500, and Enterprise $3,500, on top of the seat price
  • Seats are $90 a month billed monthly against $100 billed annually on Professional, so the annual commitment is not the cheaper option per month
  • AI features run on monthly credits, 500 on Starter and 3,000 on Professional, which do not roll over
  • Extra credits cost $0.010 each once the monthly allocation is spent

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

HubSpot Service Hub

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Contact management
    • Ticketing
    • Team email
  • Starter$10/month
    • Simple ticket automation
    • Multiple ticket pipelines
    • Live chat
  • Professional$100/month
    • Help desk workspace
    • Customer success workspace
    • Customer agent
  • Enterprise$150/month
    • Skill-based routing
    • Conditional SLAs
    • Customer journey analytics

Which should you pick?

Choose Apollo.io if

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

Choose HubSpot Service Hub if

  • You need ticketing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want knowledge base.

Questions people ask

Is Apollo.io or HubSpot Service Hub better?
Neither clearly leads. Apollo.io starts at Free and HubSpot Service Hub at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Apollo.io or HubSpot Service Hub?
Apollo.io starts at Free and HubSpot Service Hub at Free.
Does Apollo.io or HubSpot Service Hub run on more platforms?
Apollo.io runs on Web. HubSpot Service Hub runs on Web, Ios, Android.
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 HubSpot Service Hub is typically brought in for.
What can Apollo.io do that HubSpot Service Hub cannot?
Apollo.io covers Contact database, Email finder, Lead search, Automation. HubSpot Service Hub covers Ticketing, Knowledge base, Customer feedback, Live chat. Both handle Reporting, Salesforce, 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
HubSpot Service Hub: How much does HubSpot Service Hub cost per user?

Free plan at $0/month. Starter at $10/month per seat (new customers; regular $20/month), Professional at $100/month per seat, Enterprise at $150/month per seat.

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
HubSpot Service Hub: What is the free trial length for HubSpot Service Hub?

A 14-day free trial is available for evaluating Service Hub functionality before commitment to a paid plan.

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
HubSpot Service Hub: Does HubSpot Service Hub have a free permanent plan?

Yes, the free plan includes contact management, ticketing, and team email features at $0/month with no credit card required.

Source
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