Softwr

CRM & Sales · head to head

Apollo.io vs Kudos

Apollo.io logo

Apollo.io

CRM & Sales

Revenue intelligence platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Kudos logo

Kudos

HR & Recruiting

Employee recognition that drives performance

From
$5/month
Rated
-

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; Kudos kudos publishes no price for any of its three tiers (Basic, Plus, Enterprise); the entire plans page gates every tier behind "Request a Demo" or "Request a Trial" with only a discount for not-for-profit organizations over 100 employees mentioned, no figures given (archived plans page, 22 February 2021)
  • They diverge on capability: Apollo.io covers Contact database, Kudos covers Peer-to-peer recognition.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Apollo.io and Kudos differ
AttributeApollo.ioKudos
Starting priceFree$5/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android, Api
CategoryCRM & SalesHR & Recruiting
Founded20202010

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

Only in Kudos

  • Peer-to-peer recognition
  • Manager recognition
  • Social recognition wall
  • Points & rewards
  • Awards & nominations
  • Anniversary celebrations
  • Analytics dashboard
  • Company values alignment

Both cover

  • Slack
  • SOC2
  • GDPR

What people use each for

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

Apollo.io

  • Lead generationnot Kudos
  • Prospect researchnot Kudos
  • Sales automationnot Kudos

Kudos

  • Employee recognitionnot Apollo.io
  • Culture buildingnot Apollo.io
  • Employee engagementnot Apollo.io
  • Retention improvementnot Apollo.io
  • Values reinforcementnot 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

Kudos

  • Kudos publishes no price for any of its three tiers (Basic, Plus, Enterprise); the entire plans page gates every tier behind "Request a Demo" or "Request a Trial" with only a discount for not-for-profit organizations over 100 employees mentioned, no figures given (archived plans page, 22 February 2021)

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

Kudos

$5/month
  • Plus$5/month
    • Peer recognition
    • Social recognition wall
    • Points system
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Everything in Plus
    • Awards & nominations
    • Advanced 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 Kudos if

  • You need peer-to-peer recognition.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want manager recognition.

Questions people ask

Is Apollo.io or Kudos better?
Neither clearly leads. Apollo.io starts at Free and Kudos at $5/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Apollo.io or Kudos?
Apollo.io has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Apollo.io and $5/month for Kudos.
Does Apollo.io or Kudos run on more platforms?
Apollo.io runs on Web. Kudos runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
Can I use Apollo.io for free?
Yes. Apollo.io has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Kudos starts at $5/month.
What is Apollo.io best used for?
Apollo.io is most often used for lead generation, prospect research, sales automation. Of those, lead generation and prospect research are not what Kudos is typically brought in for.
What can Apollo.io do that Kudos cannot?
Apollo.io covers Contact database, Email finder, Lead search, Automation. Kudos covers Peer-to-peer recognition, Manager recognition, Social recognition wall, Points & rewards. Both handle Slack, SOC2, GDPR.

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