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Software · head to head

Apollo.io vs PlanetScale

Apollo.io logo

Apollo.io

Software

Revenue intelligence platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
PlanetScale logo

PlanetScale

Software

The MySQL-compatible serverless database

From
$15/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; PlanetScale eBS High Availability requires 3-node configuration with replication overhead
  • They diverge on capability: Apollo.io covers Contact database, PlanetScale covers Database Branching.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Apollo.io and PlanetScale differ
AttributeApollo.ioPlanetScale
Starting priceFree$15/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebCloud-hosted (AWS, GCP, Azure)
Founded20202018

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 PlanetScale

  • Database Branching
  • Non-blocking Schema Changes
  • Insights
  • Horizontal Scaling
  • Connection Pooling
  • Query Caching
  • Automatic Backups
  • Global Replication

Both cover

  • SOC2
  • GDPR
  • Cloud deployment
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Apollo.io

  • Lead generationnot PlanetScale
  • Prospect researchnot PlanetScale
  • Sales automationnot PlanetScale

PlanetScale

  • MySQL database hosting with automatic failover and replicationnot Apollo.io
  • Vitess-based sharding for horizontal scaling across large datasetsnot Apollo.io
  • Cloud provider flexibility across AWS, GCP, Azure with 60+ regionsnot Apollo.io
  • Cost-effective database clusters using ARM64 architecture optionsnot 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

PlanetScale

  • EBS High Availability requires 3-node configuration with replication overhead
  • EBS Non-HA single-node option lacks redundancy and automatic failover
  • Pricing varies by cloud provider and region, requiring queries for specific rates
  • ARM64 architecture only available on EBS tier, not Metal deployments

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

PlanetScale

$15/month

No published plan breakdown. See the PlanetScale review.

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 PlanetScale if

  • You need database branching.
  • You work on Cloud-hosted (AWS, GCP, Azure).
  • You also want non-blocking schema changes.
PlanetScale review

Questions people ask

Is Apollo.io or PlanetScale better?
Neither clearly leads. Apollo.io starts at Free and PlanetScale at $15/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Apollo.io or PlanetScale?
Apollo.io has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Apollo.io and $15/month for PlanetScale.
Does Apollo.io or PlanetScale run on more platforms?
Apollo.io runs on Web. PlanetScale runs on Cloud-hosted (AWS, GCP, Azure).
Can I use Apollo.io for free?
Yes. Apollo.io has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. PlanetScale starts at $15/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 PlanetScale is typically brought in for.
What can Apollo.io do that PlanetScale cannot?
Apollo.io covers Contact database, Email finder, Lead search, Automation. PlanetScale covers Database Branching, Non-blocking Schema Changes, Insights, Horizontal Scaling. Both handle SOC2, GDPR, Cloud deployment, Web support.
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Related pages

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