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CRM · head to head

Clay vs lemlist

Clay logo

Clay

CRM

Data platform for sales teams

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
lemlist logo

lemlist

CRM

Multichannel cold outreach platform for email, LinkedIn, SMS and calling

From
$55/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Clay has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Clay two separate meters run at once, actions and data credits, and a plan can exhaust either independently; lemlist no standalone free plan, only a 14-day trial after which new campaigns cannot be launched without upgrading.
  • They diverge on capability: Clay covers Data enrichment, lemlist covers Multichannel sequences.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Clay and lemlist actually diverge.

Attributes where Clay and lemlist differ
AttributeClaylemlist
Starting priceFree$55/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebweb, api
Founded20212018

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 Clay

  • Data enrichment
  • Contact management
  • Workflow automation
  • Integration
  • API access
  • Salesforce
  • HubSpot
  • Zapier

Only in lemlist

  • Multichannel sequences
  • Lead database
  • Deliverability hub
  • AI agents
  • CRM integrations
  • API, CLI and MCP access

What people use each for

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

Clay

  • Data enrichment and intelligencenot lemlist
  • Growth campaign automationnot lemlist
  • CRM workflow integrationnot lemlist

lemlist

  • Running multichannel outbound campaigns across email and LinkedInnot Clay
  • Finding verified emails and phone numbers for prospectsnot Clay
  • Protecting sender reputation with automated inbox warm-upnot Clay
  • Combining calling and messaging into a single outreach sequencenot Clay

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Clay

  • Two separate meters run at once, actions and data credits, and a plan can exhaust either independently
  • Data credit overage is sold at a 30% premium over the plan rate, so exceeding the allowance costs more per unit than planning for it
  • The free plan allows 500 actions, 100 data credits and 200 rows per table
  • The entry paid plan starts at $167 a month, and both paid prices are starting figures rather than fixed
  • The free plan cannot buy overage at all, so hitting the limit stops work rather than billing for it

lemlist

  • No standalone free plan, only a 14-day trial after which new campaigns cannot be launched without upgrading.
  • Multichannel plan pricing scales per sender/user, which can get costly for larger teams.
  • Enterprise features like SSO/SAML require a custom-priced plan and a 5-user minimum.
  • Advanced AI agent capabilities are newer and less proven than long-established outreach features.

Pricing, plan by plan

Clay

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 500 actions per month
    • 100 data credits per month
    • Unlimited seats
  • Launch$167/month
    • 15000 actions per month
    • 3000 data credits per month
    • Phone enrichment
  • Growth$446/month
    • 40000 actions per month
    • 6000 data credits per month
    • CRM sync
  • Enterprise$null/custom
    • Unlimited capabilities across most features
    • SSO
    • Role-based access control

lemlist

$55/month
  • Email$55/month
    • 50,000 emails/month
    • Unlimited users
    • Email and phone finder
  • Multichannel$87/month
    • Unlimited emails and messages
    • 5 senders per user
    • LinkedIn, SMS and WhatsApp automation
  • Enterprise$undefined/mo
    • 5+ users minimum
    • Dedicated account manager
    • SSO/SAML security

Which should you pick?

Choose Clay if

  • You need data enrichment.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want contact management.
Clay review

Choose lemlist if

  • You need multichannel sequences.
  • You work on web, api.
  • You also want lead database.
lemlist review

Questions people ask

Is Clay or lemlist better?
Neither clearly leads. Clay starts at Free and lemlist at $55/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Clay or lemlist?
Clay has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Clay and $55/month for lemlist.
Does Clay or lemlist run on more platforms?
Clay runs on Web. lemlist runs on web, api.
Can I use Clay for free?
Yes. Clay has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. lemlist starts at $55/month.
What is Clay best used for?
Clay is most often used for data enrichment and intelligence, growth campaign automation, crm workflow integration. Of those, data enrichment and intelligence and growth campaign automation are not what lemlist is typically brought in for.
What can Clay do that lemlist cannot?
Clay covers Data enrichment, Contact management, Workflow automation, Integration. lemlist covers Multichannel sequences, Lead database, Deliverability hub, AI agents.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Clay: Can I use Clay for free?

Yes, Clay's free plan includes 500 actions and 100 data credits per month with unlimited seats and tables (200 rows max per table).

Source
lemlist: What does lemlist cost?

lemlist's Email plan starts at $55/month (billed annually) for 50,000 emails, the Multichannel plan starts at $87/month for unlimited emails and messages plus LinkedIn/SMS/WhatsApp, and Enterprise is custom-priced.

Source
Clay: How much can I save with Clay's annual billing?

Clay offers significant annual discounts: Launch tier drops from $167/month to $54/month, and Growth tier drops from $446/month to $185/month when billed yearly.

Source
lemlist: Is there a free plan, and what are its limits?

lemlist offers a 14-day free trial with full Multichannel plan access and no credit card required; after the trial, the account remains accessible but new campaigns cannot be launched without a paid subscription.

Source
Clay: What happens when I exceed my monthly actions or data credits on Clay?

Actions and data credits cost less than $0.01 each when purchased at scale, with unused data credits rolling over up to 2x monthly allocation on paid plans. Customers can bring their own API keys to avoid data credit costs.

Source
lemlist: What does lemlist integrate with?

lemlist integrates with CRMs like HubSpot, Salesforce and Pipedrive, automation tools like Zapier, Make and n8n, VoIP platforms such as Aircall and Ringover, and offers API, CLI and MCP access.

Source
Clay: Does the Growth plan limit the number of users or team members?

No, Clay's Growth plan supports unlimited seats with 40000 monthly actions, 6000 data credits, and CRM sync, designed for teams with CRM-based workflows and growth campaigns.

Source
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