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Software · head to head

Apollo.io vs Salesforce Commerce Cloud

Apollo.io logo

Apollo.io

Software

Revenue intelligence platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Salesforce Commerce Cloud logo

Salesforce Commerce Cloud

Software

Enterprise ecommerce platform by Salesforce

From
$1/percent of GMV
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; Salesforce Commerce Cloud gMV-based pricing model makes costs unpredictable and expensive for growing businesses
  • They diverge on capability: Apollo.io covers Contact database, Salesforce Commerce Cloud covers Multi-channel selling.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Apollo.io and Salesforce Commerce Cloud actually diverge.

Attributes where Apollo.io and Salesforce Commerce Cloud differ
AttributeApollo.ioSalesforce Commerce Cloud
Starting priceFree$1/percent of GMV
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, API
Founded20201999

Identical on both: 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 Salesforce Commerce Cloud

  • Multi-channel selling
  • Product catalog
  • Order management
  • Customer personalization
  • AI-powered recommendations
  • Analytics
  • Marketing automation
  • B2B/B2C capabilities

What people use each for

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

Apollo.io

  • Lead generationnot Salesforce Commerce Cloud
  • Prospect researchnot Salesforce Commerce Cloud
  • Sales automationnot Salesforce Commerce Cloud

Salesforce Commerce Cloud

No use cases recorded yet. See the Salesforce Commerce Cloud review.

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

Salesforce Commerce Cloud

  • GMV-based pricing model makes costs unpredictable and expensive for growing businesses
  • Monolithic architecture with tightly coupled frontend, business logic, and data management limits flexibility
  • Specialized cartridge-based framework requires developers with Salesforce expertise, limiting talent pool
  • Product catalog has enforced limits on variants, images, and category levels that differ from modern platforms
  • Implementation complexity requires significant planning, partner support, and custom development

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

Salesforce Commerce Cloud

$1/percent of GMV

No published plan breakdown. See the Salesforce Commerce Cloud 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 Salesforce Commerce Cloud if

  • You need multi-channel selling.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want product catalog.
Salesforce Commerce Cloud review

Questions people ask

Is Apollo.io or Salesforce Commerce Cloud better?
Neither clearly leads. Apollo.io starts at Free and Salesforce Commerce Cloud at $1/percent of GMV, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Apollo.io or Salesforce Commerce Cloud?
Apollo.io has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Apollo.io and $1/percent of GMV for Salesforce Commerce Cloud.
Does Apollo.io or Salesforce Commerce Cloud run on more platforms?
Apollo.io runs on Web. Salesforce Commerce Cloud runs on Web, API.
Can I use Apollo.io for free?
Yes. Apollo.io has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Salesforce Commerce Cloud starts at $1/percent of GMV.
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 Salesforce Commerce Cloud is typically brought in for.
What can Apollo.io do that Salesforce Commerce Cloud cannot?
Apollo.io covers Contact database, Email finder, Lead search, Automation. Salesforce Commerce Cloud covers Multi-channel selling, Product catalog, Order management, Customer personalization.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Salesforce Commerce Cloud: How is Salesforce Commerce Cloud priced?

SFCC pricing is based on your gross merchandise value (GMV) rather than a flat fee, ranging from 1-3% of GMV for B2C and 1-2% for B2B. Pricing is custom per quote and negotiated directly with Salesforce sales, varying by storefront count, contract length, and add-ons.

Source
Salesforce Commerce Cloud: What are the product catalog limits in Salesforce Commerce Cloud?

SFCC enforces specific limits: 200 variants per parent product, 9 images per product, one product catalog per store, and 5 category hierarchy levels. While some limits are adjustable through support, they represent structural constraints that differ from modern headless alternatives.

Source
Salesforce Commerce Cloud: Does Salesforce Commerce Cloud require custom development?

Yes, SFCC's template-driven and cartridge-based architecture requires specialized developers experienced with Salesforce's proprietary framework. Deep customization for unique requirements demands significant development resources and custom coding, increasing time and cost.

Source
Salesforce Commerce Cloud: How does SFCC handle subscriptions and B2B features?

Subscription commerce and advanced B2B capabilities are not natively included and may require additional Salesforce products, packaged solutions, or custom implementation depending on specific use cases.

Source
Salesforce Commerce Cloud: What integrations are available for Salesforce Commerce Cloud?

SFCC integrates with leading ERP systems including NetSuite, SAP, Oracle, and Shopify through APIs, Platform Events, and middleware solutions like MuleSoft. NetSuite launched an official connector in 2024 for automated data synchronization.

Source
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Related pages

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