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Apollo.io vs Hunter for Agencies (2026): Which Is Better?
By Red Kite Search Agency Created Updated 7 min read
Summary
Choose Apollo for a full prospecting platform with sequences. Choose Hunter for a simple, low-cost email finder. Prices and ratings were checked in October 2026.
Apollo.io vs Hunter: which is better for agencies in 2026?
Apollo and Hunter both help you find prospect emails, but they differ in scope. Apollo is a full prospecting platform with a large database and sequences. Hunter is a simple email finder and verifier.
We compared price, data, and outreach.
| Tool | Editorial score | Review-site ratings | Pricing | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apollo.io | 4.4 / 5 | G2 4.7 | Free plan. Basic $49, Professional $79 and Organization $119 per user per month, billed annually; Organization has a three-seat minimum. | Small teams to mid-size |
| Hunter | 4.1 / 5 | G2 4.4 | Free plan with 50 credits a month. Starter $34, Growth $104 and Scale $209 a month on annual billing ($49, $149 and $299 monthly). | Individuals to mid-size teams |
How do Apollo.io and Hunter compare on price?
Apollo has a free plan, then $49, $79, or $119 per user per month billed annually. Hunter has a free plan, then $34, $104, or $209 a month on annual billing.
| Tool | Plan | Price | What stands out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apollo.io | Free | $0 | 900 credits per seat per year; 2 sequences per team; basic email support |
| Apollo.io | Basic | $49 per user per month (annual billing) | 30,000 credits per seat per year; unlimited sequences; email warm-up and deliverability suite; US dialer; chat support |
| Apollo.io | Professional | $79 per user per month (annual billing) | 48,000 credits per seat per year; A/Z testing; unlimited lead scoring; call recordings and AI insights |
| Apollo.io | Organization | $119 per user per month (annual billing) | Minimum 3 seats; 72,000 credits per seat per year; SSO; 12 intent topics; unlimited meeting events and inbound routers |
| Hunter | Free | $0 per month (monthly billing) | 50 credits a month, 1 connected email account, 500 recipients per sequence |
| Hunter | Starter | $34 per month (annual billing); $49 monthly | 2,000 credits a month, 3 connected email accounts, 2,500 recipients per sequence |
| Hunter | Growth | $104 per month (annual billing); $149 monthly | 10,000 credits a month, 10 connected email accounts, 5,000 recipients per sequence |
| Hunter | Scale | $209 per month (annual billing); $299 monthly | 25,000 credits a month, 20 connected email accounts, 15,000 recipients per sequence, account manager |
| Hunter | Enterprise | Custom | Custom credits and limits |
Which costs less?
Hunter, for a single user doing light prospecting, since Starter costs less than Apollo Basic. Apollo prices per user, while Hunter prices by credits for the whole account.
For several users, Hunter can be far cheaper.
If you only need to find a few hundred addresses a month for link building or PR, the Hunter free or Starter plan is probably enough and Apollo would be more tool than you need.
Credits matter more than the headline price. Apollo Basic includes far more credits per year than Hunter Starter, so compare the cost per contact you will actually reveal.
Which has more data and outreach?
Apollo, with about 240 million contacts, 30 million companies, unlimited sequences from Basic, warm-up, and a deliverability suite. Hunter offers Domain Search, Email Finder, Verifier, a browser extension, an API, and lighter Sequences.
Hunter does not state a database size.
Which has stronger security and support evidence?
Apollo states GDPR compliance, multi-factor authentication on paid plans, and SSO on Organization. Hunter security detail was not stated because its security page returned an error.
Both list priority support on paid plans, with hours not stated.
Ask each vendor how it sources contact data and how it handles removal requests, since both matter for clients that sell into Europe and for your own reputation as an agency.
How do Apollo.io and Hunter compare on integrations, security, and support?
Beyond price, agencies ask about connections to their other tools, what to tell clients about security, and how quickly they can get help. This is what each vendor states publicly, as checked in October 2026.
| Area | Apollo.io | Hunter |
|---|---|---|
| Integrations | Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive, Outreach, SalesLoft, SendGrid, Mailgun and Slack are named; a count was not stated | A browser extension and an API; an integration count was not stated |
| Security | GDPR compliant; multi-factor authentication on Basic, Professional and Organization; SSO on Organization; SOC 2 was not stated (the security page returned an error) | Security and compliance were not stated (the security page returned an error) |
| Support | Free: basic email; paid plans: onboarding, chat and priority email; Organization adds GTM expertise; hours were not stated | Free: regular support; Starter and Growth: priority support; Scale and Enterprise: priority support plus an account manager |
| Apps | Mobile apps were not stated | Mobile apps were not stated |
What are the pros and cons of Apollo.io and Hunter?
Here is where each tool helps agencies and where it can get in the way, based on plan details and public feedback.
Apollo.io pros
- A free plan, with Basic from $49 per user per month on annual billing.
- A database of about 240M contacts and 30M companies.
- Unlimited sequences from Basic, with email warm-up and a deliverability suite.
- GDPR compliance stated, MFA on paid plans and SSO on Organization.
Apollo.io cons
- Monthly-billing prices were not shown; prices are billed annually.
- Organization requires at least 3 seats at $119 per user per month.
- Free allows 900 credits a year and only 2 sequences per team.
- SOC 2 and a security page were not available (the security page returned an error).
Hunter pros
- A free plan with 50 credits a month.
- Starter from $34 a month on annual billing with 2,000 credits.
- Auto-verified lead data on all plans, a browser extension and an API.
- Priority support from Starter and an account manager on Scale.
Hunter cons
- Free allows only 1 connected email account and 500 recipients per sequence.
- Credits are limited, so heavy prospecting needs the higher plans.
- Security and compliance were not stated (the security page returned an error).
- A database size, integration count and mobile apps were not stated.
What do reviewers say about Apollo.io and Hunter?
G2 shows Apollo at 4.7 from 9,848 reviews and Hunter at 4.4 from 656 reviews. Apollo has the higher score and far more reviews.
| Tool | Source | Rating | Number of reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apollo.io | G2 | 4.7 / 5 | 9,848 |
| Hunter | G2 | 4.4 / 5 | 656 |
Reviewer themes for Apollo.io
- G2 shows Apollo.io at 4.7 from 9,848 reviews.
- G2 data shows 86% of reviewers give five stars.
- Reviewers value the combined contact data and sequencing in one platform.
Reviewer themes for Hunter
- G2 shows Hunter at 4.4 from 656 reviews.
- Reviewers praise ease of use and accuracy in finding and verifying professional emails.
- The product page cites more than 7 million users.
How does setup differ between Apollo.io and Hunter?
Getting value from either tool depends on how you set it up, and the first steps differ. Here is the practical starting point for each.
Apollo.io: Start on the free plan, build one saved search, and reveal a small batch of contacts.
Hunter: Install the browser extension and test Domain Search on a few client target companies.
What should agencies check before choosing between Apollo.io and Hunter?
Small details in plans and limits decide whether a tool works in practice. Check these points for each tool during a trial on a real client account.
Before you buy Apollo.io
- Estimate monthly credit use.
- Check the three-seat minimum on Organization.
- Price dialer add-ons.
- Start on the free plan.
Before you buy Hunter
- Estimate monthly lookups.
- Test accuracy on a sample list.
- Decide where you will send from.
- Start on the free plan.
How should you test Apollo.io and Hunter before deciding?
The fairest test is to run both tools on the same real client account for two weeks, with the same people, and compare the results rather than first impressions.
What to measure
- How long it takes a new team member to be productive in Apollo.io versus Hunter.
- How often people open each tool without being reminded.
- Whether the plan you need includes the features you tested, not just the entry price.
- How a client reacts if you invite them to either tool.
- How much time the team spends on notifications, setup, and cleanup each week.
Which should you choose: Apollo.io or Hunter?
Choose Apollo for a full prospecting platform with sequences. Choose Hunter for a simple, low-cost email finder.
Many agencies use Hunter for verification alongside a sending tool.
Choose Apollo.io if
- You want a database and sequences in one tool.
- You want a free plan to start.
- You want a large review base.
Skip Apollo.io if
- You need monthly pricing shown up front.
- You need SOC 2 confirmed.
- You only need email addresses.
Choose Hunter if
- You need to find and verify emails cheaply.
- You want a browser extension and API.
- You want a free plan to start.
Skip Hunter if
- You want a full outreach platform.
- You need security detail confirmed.
- You need a very large credit pool.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Apollo or Hunter better?
- Apollo for a full platform, Hunter for a simple finder.
- Which is cheaper?
- Hunter for light prospecting.
- Which has a bigger database?
- Apollo, with about 240 million contacts.
- Which has a free plan?
- Both.
- Which has a higher G2 score?
- Apollo.
Sources
Prices, plan limits, and ratings were gathered in October 2026 from:
- Apollo pricing page
- Hunter pricing page
- G2