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CRM · head to head

Apollo.io vs UpLead

Apollo.io logo

Apollo.io

CRM

Revenue intelligence platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
UpLead logo

UpLead

CRM

B2B contact database and lead intelligence platform for sales prospecting

From
$74/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; UpLead credit-based pricing can get expensive for high-volume prospecting compared to flat-rate tools.
  • They diverge on capability: Apollo.io covers Contact database, UpLead covers Real-time email verification.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Apollo.io and UpLead differ
AttributeApollo.ioUpLead
Starting priceFree$74/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebweb, api
Founded20202017

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

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 UpLead

  • Real-time email verification
  • Mobile direct dials
  • Technographics
  • Data enrichment
  • CRM integrations
  • Chrome extension

What people use each for

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

Apollo.io

  • Sales prospecting and lead generationnot UpLead
  • Contact database management for sales teamsnot UpLead
  • Email outreach and workflow automationnot UpLead

UpLead

  • Building targeted B2B prospect listsnot Apollo.io
  • Verifying email addresses before outreachnot Apollo.io
  • Enriching CRM records with firmographic datanot Apollo.io
  • Finding companies using specific technologiesnot 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

UpLead

  • Credit-based pricing can get expensive for high-volume prospecting compared to flat-rate tools.
  • Lacks built-in outreach or email sending features found in dedicated sales engagement platforms.
  • Mobile phone coverage is not as extensive as some competitors focused solely on direct dials.
  • Free trial is limited to 5 credits, making it hard to evaluate data quality at scale.

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

UpLead

$74/month
  • Essentials$74/month
    • 2,040 credits per year (billed annually)
    • Verified emails and mobile phones
    • CRM integrations
  • Plus$149/month
    • 4,800 credits per year (billed annually)
    • Data enrichment
    • Technographics
  • Professional$undefined/mo
    • Custom credits and seats
    • Buyer intent data
    • Full API access

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 UpLead if

  • You need real-time email verification.
  • You work on web, api.
  • You also want mobile direct dials.
UpLead review

Questions people ask

Is Apollo.io or UpLead better?
Neither clearly leads. Apollo.io starts at Free and UpLead at $74/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Apollo.io or UpLead?
Apollo.io has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Apollo.io and $74/month for UpLead.
Does Apollo.io or UpLead run on more platforms?
Apollo.io runs on Web. UpLead 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. UpLead starts at $74/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 UpLead is typically brought in for.
What can Apollo.io do that UpLead cannot?
Apollo.io covers Contact database, Email finder, Lead search, Automation. UpLead covers Real-time email verification, Mobile direct dials, Technographics, Data enrichment.

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
UpLead: What does UpLead cost?

UpLead's Essentials plan starts at $74/month billed annually (or $99/month billed monthly) with 2,040 credits/year, Plus is $149/month annually with 4,800 credits/year, and Professional is custom-priced for larger teams.

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
UpLead: Is there a free plan?

UpLead offers a 7-day free trial with 5 credits so users can test verified email and mobile phone data before subscribing to a paid plan.

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
UpLead: What does UpLead integrate with?

UpLead integrates directly with CRMs like Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive and Zoho, and connects to over 1,500 apps via Zapier.

Source
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