Softwr

CRM · head to head

Clay vs Nutshell

Clay logo

Clay

CRM

Data platform for sales teams

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Nutshell logo

Nutshell

Proposals

Easy CRM for small businesses

From
$13/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; Nutshell aI usage is metered as outcomes per user per month, from 10 on Foundation to 150 on Enterprise
  • They diverge on capability: Clay covers Data enrichment, Nutshell covers Lead tracking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Clay and Nutshell actually diverge.

Attributes where Clay and Nutshell differ
AttributeClayNutshell
Starting priceFree$13/month
Free tierYesNo
CategoryCRMProposals
Founded20212009

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

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
  • Workflow automation
  • Integration
  • API access
  • Salesforce
  • HubSpot

Only in Nutshell

  • Lead tracking
  • Pipeline management
  • Email integration
  • Task management
  • Reporting
  • Gmail
  • Mailchimp

Both cover

  • Contact management
  • Zapier
  • 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.

Clay

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

Nutshell

  • Sales CRM for small to enterprise teamsnot Clay
  • Lead management and sales pipeline trackingnot Clay
  • Reporting and team analyticsnot 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

Nutshell

  • AI usage is metered as outcomes per user per month, from 10 on Foundation to 150 on Enterprise
  • Custom pipelines are rationed by plan, at 5 on Pro and 10 on Business, with unlimited only on Enterprise at $79 per user per month
  • Sales automation and advanced reporting require the Pro plan at $42 per user per month
  • Four separate add ons sit on top of the seat price: marketing at $49 a month, engagement at $16 per user, prospecting at $37 and proposals at $79
  • SSO and SQL data access are Enterprise only

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

Nutshell

$13/month
  • Starter$13/month
    • For individuals or small teams starting out
    • Core CRM functionality
    • Live support
  • Tier 2$25/month
    • Enhanced reporting capabilities
    • Live support
    • Saves 4 hours monthly per user
  • Tier 3$42/month
    • Additional pipelines and admin features
    • Live support
    • Saves 8 hours monthly per user
  • Tier 4$59/month
    • Customization and extra AI features
    • Live support
    • Saves 20 hours monthly per user

Which should you pick?

Choose Clay if

  • You need data enrichment.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want workflow automation.
Clay review

Choose Nutshell if

  • You need lead tracking.
  • You also want pipeline management.
Nutshell review

Questions people ask

Is Clay or Nutshell better?
Neither clearly leads. Clay starts at Free and Nutshell at $13/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Clay or Nutshell?
Clay has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Clay and $13/month for Nutshell.
Does Clay or Nutshell run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Clay for free?
Yes. Clay has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Nutshell starts at $13/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 Nutshell is typically brought in for.
What can Clay do that Nutshell cannot?
Clay covers Data enrichment, Workflow automation, Integration, API access. Nutshell covers Lead tracking, Pipeline management, Email integration, Task management. Both handle Contact management, Zapier, Slack, GDPR.

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
Nutshell: How much does Nutshell CRM cost?

Nutshell CRM pricing ranges from $13 to $79 per user per month. Starter tier ($13/month) includes core CRM, Tier 2 ($25/month) adds enhanced reporting, and Enterprise ($79/month) includes SSO and SQL access.

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
Nutshell: Is there a free trial for Nutshell?

Yes, Nutshell offers a 14-day free trial with no credit card required. The trial includes access to core CRM functionality and live support.

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
Nutshell: What does Nutshell Enterprise tier include?

Nutshell Enterprise at $79 per user per month includes SSO (Single Sign-On), SQL database access for data export, priority support, and unlimited time saved estimates of 30 hours per month.

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
Share

Related pages

More on Clay

More on Nutshell

Keep looking

Other head to heads