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CRM · head to head

Apollo.io vs Missive

Apollo.io logo

Apollo.io

CRM

Revenue intelligence platform

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Missive logo

Missive

Customer Support

Team inbox and chat for productive teams

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
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; Missive each plan caps users rather than only pricing them, at 5 on Starter and 50 on Productive
  • They diverge on capability: Apollo.io covers Contact database, Missive covers Shared inbox.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Apollo.io and Missive differ
AttributeApollo.ioMissive
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android, Mac, Windows
CategoryCRMCustomer Support
Founded20202015

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
  • Reporting
  • Salesforce
  • Outlook

Only in Missive

  • Shared inbox
  • Team chat
  • Email
  • Tasks
  • Calendar
  • WhatsApp
  • SMS
  • Asana

Both cover

  • HubSpot
  • 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 Missive
  • Contact database management for sales teamsnot Missive
  • Email outreach and workflow automationnot Missive

Missive

  • Shared team inbox across email, SMS and social messagesnot Apollo.io
  • Collaborating on customer conversations with internal comments and tasksnot 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

Missive

  • Each plan caps users rather than only pricing them, at 5 on Starter and 50 on Productive
  • Integrations, automation rules and API access all require the Productive plan at $24 per user per month
  • Rules are capped at 1,000 per workspace even on the paid tiers
  • SAML SSO and IP restriction are Business only at $36 per user per month
  • AI features need either Missive AI credits or a bring your own key arrangement rather than being included

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

Missive

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 3 users
    • Basic features
    • Email & chat
  • Starter$14/month
    • Unlimited users
    • Shared inboxes
    • Rules & automation
  • Productive$18/month
    • Starter + Calendars
    • WhatsApp
    • SMS
  • Business$26/month
    • Productive + API
    • SAML SSO
    • Priority support

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 Missive if

  • You need shared inbox.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Mac, Windows.
  • You also want team chat.
Missive review

Questions people ask

Is Apollo.io or Missive better?
Neither clearly leads. Apollo.io starts at Free and Missive at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Apollo.io or Missive?
Apollo.io starts at Free and Missive at Free.
Does Apollo.io or Missive run on more platforms?
Apollo.io runs on Web. Missive runs on Web, Ios, Android, Mac, Windows.
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 Missive is typically brought in for.
What can Apollo.io do that Missive cannot?
Apollo.io covers Contact database, Email finder, Lead search, Automation. Missive covers Shared inbox, Team chat, Email, Tasks. Both handle HubSpot, GDPR, Web support.

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
Missive: How much does Missive cost per month?

Missive charges $14/user/month for Starter (up to 5 users), $24/user/month for Productive (up to 50 users), and $36/user/month for Business (unlimited users).

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
Missive: Is there a free trial available?

Yes, Missive offers a 30-day free trial with no credit card required to start.

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
Missive: Does Missive offer yearly billing discounts?

Yes, Missive provides a 20% discount for yearly billing compared to monthly pricing on all plans.

Source
Missive: Which plan includes SSO authentication?

The Business Plan at $36/user/month includes SAML SSO, IP restriction, and advanced analytics features.

Source
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