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Apollo.io vs lemlist for Agencies (2026): Which Is Better?
By Red Kite Search Agency Created Updated 7 min read
Summary
Choose Apollo for a large database, a free plan, and lower prices. Choose lemlist for polished multichannel sequences and SOC 2 Type 2 evidence. Prices and ratings were checked in October 2026.
Apollo.io vs lemlist: which is better for agencies in 2026?
Apollo and lemlist both combine lead data with outreach. Apollo is stronger on data and price. lemlist is stronger on multichannel sequences and stated security evidence.
We compared price, data, channels, and reviews.
| 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 |
| lemlist | 4.3 / 5 | G2 4.6 | Free trial. Email $55 and Multichannel $87 per user per month on annual billing ($69 and $109 monthly); Enterprise is custom. | Small teams to mid-size |
How do Apollo.io and lemlist compare on price?
Apollo has a free plan, then $49, $79, or $119 per user per month billed annually. lemlist costs $55 or $87 per user per month on annual billing, with a free trial.
| 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 |
| lemlist | $55 per user per month (annual billing); $69 monthly | Unlimited users and email senders, email and phone finder, 650M+ lead database, warm-up and deliverability hub | |
| lemlist | Multichannel | $87 per user per month (annual billing); $109 monthly | Email plan plus 5 senders per user, LinkedIn and SMS automation, call dialer |
| lemlist | Enterprise | Custom | Custom roles and permissions, SSO and SAML, dedicated account manager, priority support |
Which costs less?
Apollo, with a free plan and lower per-user prices at each tier. lemlist offers unlimited senders on the Email plan, which can offset the gap for sending-heavy teams.
Credits limit Apollo data use, so check your monthly reveals.
A solo agency owner can start free on Apollo, while lemlist requires a paid plan after the trial.
The free Apollo plan is limited to two sequences per team and a small credit pool, so treat it as a way to learn the product rather than a long-term home for client work.
Which has better multichannel outreach?
lemlist, with LinkedIn and SMS automation, a call dialer, and a WhatsApp add-on. Apollo offers sequences, a dialer with paid advanced add-ons, and A/Z testing from Professional.
lemlist reviewers praise its analytics and reporting.
Which has stronger security evidence?
lemlist, with a SOC 2 Type 2 report and two-factor authentication on every plan. Apollo states GDPR compliance and multi-factor authentication on paid plans, but SOC 2 was not stated.
Both reserve SSO for the top plan.
If a client sends you a security questionnaire, lemlist is easier to answer today because it publishes a Trust Center, whereas Apollo security documents had to be requested because its security page was not available.
Run the same small campaign in both and compare replies, bounces, and setup time before you commit to either for client work.
How do Apollo.io and lemlist 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 | lemlist |
|---|---|---|
| Integrations | Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive, Outreach, SalesLoft, SendGrid, Mailgun and Slack are named; a count was not stated | Gmail, LinkedIn, Zapier, Make, n8n, Clay, HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive, Aircall and Ringover; a 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) | SOC 2 Type 2 report and 81 controls in the Trust Center; two-factor authentication on every plan; SSO and SAML on Enterprise; GDPR, ISO 27001 and hosting were not stated |
| Support | Free: basic email; paid plans: onboarding, chat and priority email; Organization adds GTM expertise; hours were not stated | In-app live support and 1:1 onboarding on every plan; priority support and a dedicated account manager on Enterprise |
| Apps | Mobile apps were not stated | Mobile apps were not stated |
What are the pros and cons of Apollo.io and lemlist?
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).
lemlist pros
- Email plan includes unlimited users and email senders from $55 per user per month on annual billing.
- Email warm-up and a deliverability hub on every plan.
- Multichannel adds LinkedIn, SMS, WhatsApp add-on and a call dialer.
- SOC 2 Type 2 report in the Trust Center, and two-factor authentication on every plan.
lemlist cons
- Pricing is per user, so cost grows with team size.
- Multiple client workspaces and white-labeling were not stated.
- SSO and SAML are Enterprise only.
- GDPR, ISO 27001, data hosting and mobile apps were not stated.
What do reviewers say about Apollo.io and lemlist?
G2 shows Apollo at 4.7 from 9,848 reviews and lemlist at 4.6 from 2,424 reviews. Apollo has the higher score and a far larger base.
| Tool | Source | Rating | Number of reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apollo.io | G2 | 4.7 / 5 | 9,848 |
| lemlist | G2 | 4.6 / 5 | 2,424 |
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 lemlist
- G2 shows lemlist at 4.6 from 2,424 reviews.
- Reviewers praise the detailed analytics and statistics that feed monthly growth reports.
- Reviewers value ease of building multichannel campaigns.
How does setup differ between Apollo.io and lemlist?
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.
lemlist: Start the free trial, connect one sending domain, and begin warm-up before you send.
What should agencies check before choosing between Apollo.io and lemlist?
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 lemlist
- Count users and channels.
- Plan sending domains per client.
- Check client separation.
- Use the free trial.
How should you test Apollo.io and lemlist 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 lemlist.
- 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 lemlist?
Choose Apollo for a large database, a free plan, and lower prices. Choose lemlist for polished multichannel sequences and SOC 2 Type 2 evidence.
Data-led agencies often prefer Apollo.
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 lemlist if
- You run multichannel sequences with email, LinkedIn, and calls.
- You want warm-up and deliverability on every plan.
- You want SOC 2 Type 2 evidence.
Skip lemlist if
- You want pricing that does not scale per user.
- You need client workspaces confirmed.
- You need a mobile app.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Apollo or lemlist better?
- Apollo for data and price, lemlist for multichannel and security evidence.
- Which is cheaper?
- Apollo, which has a free plan.
- Which has LinkedIn automation?
- lemlist.
- Which states SOC 2?
- lemlist.
- Which has a bigger database?
- Apollo.
Sources
Prices, plan limits, and ratings were gathered in October 2026 from:
- Apollo pricing page
- lemlist pricing page
- G2