Softwr

CRM & Sales · head to head

Apollo.io vs SharpSpring

Apollo.io logo

Apollo.io

CRM & Sales

Revenue intelligence platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SharpSpring logo

SharpSpring

CRM & Sales

Marketing automation for agencies

From
$50/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; SharpSpring still operates under the SharpSpring brand name (footer copyright SharpSpring 2026) as a Constant Contact product, serving over 2000 agencies and 10000 businesses per the vendor site
  • They diverge on capability: Apollo.io covers Contact database, SharpSpring covers Contact management.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Apollo.io and SharpSpring differ
AttributeApollo.ioSharpSpring
Starting priceFree$50/month
Free tierYesNo
Founded20202014

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (CRM & Sales).

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
  • HubSpot
  • Outlook
  • Gmail

Only in SharpSpring

  • Contact management
  • Email marketing
  • Landing pages
  • Marketing automation
  • CRM
  • White labeling
  • Zapier

Both cover

  • Reporting
  • Salesforce
  • 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

  • Lead generation
  • Prospect researchnot SharpSpring
  • Sales automationnot SharpSpring

SharpSpring

  • Marketing automationnot Apollo.io
  • Lead generation
  • Client managementnot Apollo.io

Both are used for lead generation, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.

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

SharpSpring

  • Still operates under the SharpSpring brand name (footer copyright SharpSpring 2026) as a Constant Contact product, serving over 2000 agencies and 10000 businesses per the vendor site

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

SharpSpring

$50/month
  • Professional$50/month
    • Contact management
    • Email marketing
    • Landing pages
  • Agency$100/month
    • Everything in Professional
    • Client management
    • White labeling
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Everything in Agency
    • Custom integration
    • Dedicated 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 SharpSpring if

  • You need contact management.
  • You also want email marketing.
SharpSpring review

Questions people ask

Is Apollo.io or SharpSpring better?
Neither clearly leads. Apollo.io starts at Free and SharpSpring at $50/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Apollo.io or SharpSpring?
Apollo.io has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Apollo.io and $50/month for SharpSpring.
Does Apollo.io or SharpSpring 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. SharpSpring starts at $50/month.
What is Apollo.io best used for?
Apollo.io is most often used for lead generation, prospect research, sales automation. Of those, prospect research and sales automation are not what SharpSpring is typically brought in for.
What can Apollo.io do that SharpSpring cannot?
Apollo.io covers Contact database, Email finder, Lead search, Automation. SharpSpring covers Contact management, Email marketing, Landing pages, Marketing automation. Both handle Reporting, Salesforce, Slack, GDPR.
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on Apollo.io

More on SharpSpring

Keep looking

Other head to heads