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CRM · head to head

Apollo.io vs SupportBee

Apollo.io logo

Apollo.io

CRM

Revenue intelligence platform

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
SupportBee logo

SupportBee

Customer Support

Simple email ticketing for small teams

From
$13/month
Free plan
No

The short version

  • Apollo.io is a comprehensive revenue intelligence platform; SupportBee is a straightforward email ticketing system.
  • Apollo.io has a free plan, then $49/mo; SupportBee starts at $13/mo.
  • Only Apollo.io lists contact database; only SupportBee lists shared inbox.
  • Where Apollo.io falls short: everything is metered in credits, and the free Starter plan runs on them too, so prospecting volume is capped rather than the feature set.
  • Where SupportBee falls short: email-only ticketing, no live chat, phone support, chatbots, or AI features.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 13 November 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Apollo.io and SupportBee differ
AttributeApollo.ioSupportBee
Starting priceFree$13/month
Free tierYesNo
CategoryCRMCustomer Support
Founded20202010

Identical on both: platforms (Web).

Not yet recorded: pricing model for SupportBee.

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 SupportBee

  • Shared inbox
  • Email ticketing
  • Snippets
  • Customer portal
  • Knowledge base
  • Reports
  • Trello
  • Asana

Both cover

  • Slack
  • 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 SupportBee
  • Contact database management for sales teamsnot SupportBee
  • Email outreach and workflow automationnot SupportBee

SupportBee

  • Email supportnot Apollo.io
  • Ticket managementnot Apollo.io
  • Team collaborationnot 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

SupportBee

  • Email-only ticketing, no live chat, phone support, chatbots, or AI features
  • Basic reporting and analytics, lacking advanced dashboards and customizable metrics
  • No SLA management capabilities
  • Limited workflow customization compared to enterprise platforms
  • No dedicated mobile app (web interface only)
  • Confusing navigation and UI issues reported by some users
  • Cannot select and snooze multiple emails at once
  • Occasional performance delays

Pricing, plan by plan

Apollo.io

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Basic contact search
    • Limited searches
  • Starter$49/mo
    • Everything in Free
    • Advanced search
    • Email finder
  • Professional$149/mo
    • Everything in Starter
    • Automation
    • Advanced analytics

SupportBee

$13/month
  • Startup$13/mo
    • Unlimited tickets and inboxes
    • Team inbox with ticket assignment
    • Knowledge base integration (KBee)
  • Enterprise$17/mo
    • All Startup features
    • Advanced integrations
    • Custom roles and permissions

Which should you pick?

Choose Apollo.io if

  • You need contact database.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want email finder.

Choose SupportBee if

  • You need shared inbox.
  • You also want email ticketing.

Questions people ask

Is Apollo.io or SupportBee better?
Neither clearly leads. Apollo.io starts at Free and SupportBee at $13/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Apollo.io or SupportBee?
Apollo.io has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Apollo.io and $13/month for SupportBee.
Does Apollo.io or SupportBee 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. SupportBee 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 SupportBee is typically brought in for.
What can Apollo.io do that SupportBee cannot?
Apollo.io covers Contact database, Email finder, Lead search, Automation. SupportBee covers Shared inbox, Email ticketing, Snippets, Customer portal. Both handle Slack, 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
SupportBee: How much does SupportBee cost?

SupportBee offers Startup plan at $13/user/month and Enterprise at $17/user/month, both with unlimited tickets and inboxes. No per-ticket charges. A 14-day free trial is available with no credit card required.

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
SupportBee: Does SupportBee offer live chat or phone support?

No. SupportBee focuses on email ticketing and does not include native live chat, phone support, chatbots, or AI features. It is designed for email-based customer 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
SupportBee: What platforms can SupportBee run on?

SupportBee is a web-based platform accessible on desktop and mobile browsers. It does not offer a dedicated desktop or mobile app, but the web interface is responsive and works on phones. Integration with email clients is available.

Source
SupportBee: Does SupportBee integrate with Slack?

Yes. SupportBee integrates with Slack to send real-time notifications for new tickets, replies, assignments, and internal comments. Teams can configure which events trigger alerts and organize notifications into dedicated channels.

Source
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