Softwr

CRM · head to head

Apollo.io vs Nutshell

Apollo.io logo

Apollo.io

CRM

Revenue intelligence platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Nutshell logo

Nutshell

Proposals

Easy CRM for small businesses

From
$13/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; Nutshell aI usage is metered as outcomes per user per month, from 10 on Foundation to 150 on Enterprise
  • They diverge on capability: Apollo.io covers Contact database, Nutshell 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 Nutshell actually diverge.

Attributes where Apollo.io and Nutshell differ
AttributeApollo.ioNutshell
Starting priceFree$13/month
Free tierYesNo
CategoryCRMProposals
Founded20202009

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), platforms (Web), 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
  • Salesforce
  • HubSpot
  • Outlook

Only in Nutshell

  • Contact management
  • Lead tracking
  • Pipeline management
  • Email integration
  • Task management
  • Zapier
  • Mailchimp

Both cover

  • Reporting
  • Gmail
  • Slack
  • 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 Nutshell
  • Contact database management for sales teamsnot Nutshell
  • Email outreach and workflow automationnot Nutshell

Nutshell

  • Sales CRM for small to enterprise teamsnot Apollo.io
  • Lead management and sales pipeline trackingnot Apollo.io
  • Reporting and team analyticsnot 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

Nutshell

  • AI usage is metered as outcomes per user per month, from 10 on Foundation to 150 on Enterprise
  • Custom pipelines are rationed by plan, at 5 on Pro and 10 on Business, with unlimited only on Enterprise at $79 per user per month
  • Sales automation and advanced reporting require the Pro plan at $42 per user per month
  • Four separate add ons sit on top of the seat price: marketing at $49 a month, engagement at $16 per user, prospecting at $37 and proposals at $79
  • SSO and SQL data access are Enterprise only

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

Nutshell

$13/month
  • Starter$13/month
    • For individuals or small teams starting out
    • Core CRM functionality
    • Live support
  • Tier 2$25/month
    • Enhanced reporting capabilities
    • Live support
    • Saves 4 hours monthly per user
  • Tier 3$42/month
    • Additional pipelines and admin features
    • Live support
    • Saves 8 hours monthly per user
  • Tier 4$59/month
    • Customization and extra AI features
    • Live support
    • Saves 20 hours monthly per user

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 Nutshell if

  • You need contact management.
  • You also want lead tracking.
Nutshell review

Questions people ask

Is Apollo.io or Nutshell better?
Neither clearly leads. Apollo.io starts at Free and Nutshell at $13/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Apollo.io or Nutshell?
Apollo.io has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Apollo.io and $13/month for Nutshell.
Does Apollo.io or Nutshell 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?
Yes. Apollo.io has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Nutshell starts at $13/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 Nutshell is typically brought in for.
What can Apollo.io do that Nutshell cannot?
Apollo.io covers Contact database, Email finder, Lead search, Automation. Nutshell covers Contact management, Lead tracking, Pipeline management, Email integration. Both handle Reporting, Gmail, Slack, GDPR.

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
Nutshell: How much does Nutshell CRM cost?

Nutshell CRM pricing ranges from $13 to $79 per user per month. Starter tier ($13/month) includes core CRM, Tier 2 ($25/month) adds enhanced reporting, and Enterprise ($79/month) includes SSO and SQL access.

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
Nutshell: Is there a free trial for Nutshell?

Yes, Nutshell offers a 14-day free trial with no credit card required. The trial includes access to core CRM functionality and live support.

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
Nutshell: What does Nutshell Enterprise tier include?

Nutshell Enterprise at $79 per user per month includes SSO (Single Sign-On), SQL database access for data export, priority support, and unlimited time saved estimates of 30 hours per month.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Apollo.io

More on Nutshell

Keep looking

Other head to heads