Side by side.
| Feature | Apollo | Instantly |
|---|---|---|
| Entry price | Free plan; paid plans not verified | $47/mo |
| Unlimited mailboxes | Not verified | Yes “Unlimited Email Accounts” on Growth and Hypergrowth instantly.ai, checked |
| Warm-up included | Yes “Domain warming, inbox rotation, and reputation monitoring” apollo.io, checked | Yes “Unlimited Email Warmup” on Growth and Hypergrowth instantly.ai, checked |
| LinkedIn steps | Not verified | Not verified |
| Lead database | Yes “240M+ contacts and 30M+ accounts” apollo.io, checked | Paid add-on “Database of 450M+ B2B Leads”, sold as a separate credits plan instantly.ai, checked |
| API | Some plans “API access is available on Custom plans” apollo.io, checked | Yes Public developer documentation developer.instantly.ai, checked |
| Agency / client workspaces | Not verified | Not verified |
| Free trial | Yes Trial includes credits and most features of the chosen plan apollo.io, checked | Some plans “Start for free”, “No credit card required”; trial length not stated instantly.ai, checked |
| Free plan | Yes “Stays free with no time limit”; Gmail accounts only apollo.io, checked | Not verified |
Where they differ.
- Lead database
ApolloYes “240M+ contacts and 30M+ accounts”
InstantlyPaid add-on “Database of 450M+ B2B Leads”, sold as a separate credits plan
- API
ApolloSome plans “API access is available on Custom plans”
InstantlyYes Public developer documentation
- Free trial
ApolloYes Trial includes credits and most features of the chosen plan
InstantlySome plans “Start for free”, “No credit card required”; trial length not stated
Not verified for at least one of the two: unlimited mailboxes, linkedin steps, agency / client workspaces, free plan. “Not verified” isn’t a no; check the vendor before you decide.
Apollo pricing.
| Plan | Billed monthly | Billed annually, a month | What the plan lists |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freeper user | $0 | $0 | “Stays free with no time limit” · Gmail accounts only |
| Basicper user | Not verified | Not verified | Email sequencing |
| Professionalper user | Not verified | Not verified | AI features, call recording, advanced CRM integrations |
| Customper user | Custom | Custom | API access · SSO |
Instantly pricing.
| Plan | Billed monthly | Billed annually, a month | What the plan lists |
|---|---|---|---|
| Growth | $47 | $37.60 | 1,000 uploaded contacts · 5,000 emails a month · Unlimited email accounts · Unlimited warm-up |
| Hypergrowth | $97 | $77.60 | 25,000 uploaded contacts · 125,000 emails a month · Unlimited email accounts · Unlimited warm-up |
| Light Speed | $358 | $286.30 | 100,000 uploaded contacts · 500,000 emails a month |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom | 100,000+ uploaded contacts · 500,000+ emails a month |
Who each one fits.
Apollo
- Founders who need a contact database before anything else
- Teams that want calling and email in one place
- Anyone starting at zero cost on the free plan
Instantly
- Founders and small teams running several secondary domains with 2–3 mailboxes each
- Anyone who already has a verified list and only needs sending, warm-up and replies
- Teams that expect to add mailboxes often and don’t want per-mailbox pricing
Common questions.
Is Apollo or Instantly cheaper?
We could verify an entry price for Instantly only, so check Apollo’s pricing page before comparing cost. Apollo prices per user; Instantly prices by contacts and email volume rather than per user. Which is cheaper for you depends on your seats, contacts and volume; the software cost calculator prices both with your numbers.
What’s the main difference between Apollo and Instantly?
Lead database: Apollo yes, Instantly paid add-on. API: Apollo some plans, Instantly yes.
Have you tested Apollo and Instantly hands-on?
Not yet. This comparison is built from each vendor’s own documentation, checked on the dates shown. Hands-on results will be labelled when they exist.
Compare the pricing model before the features: per mailbox, per seat or per contact decides the bill as you grow.