Apollo.io vs Lusha

Both tools are listed under Lead Enrichment & Waterfall Orchestration, and both have been fact-checked by a named editor. This page lines up their structured data and quotes each review’s limitations and pricing notes; it does not pick a winner.

Apollo.io

B2B sales intelligence and engagement platform combining a 275M+ contact database with built-in multi-channel sequencing and enrichment workflows.

Pricing: Free plan · $49–$119/seat/mo · Enterprise plan · Autonomy: L3 · Conditional automation · Moat: 4.6/5.0 (Proprietary moat (category leader))

Target fit: B2B SaaS (Web SaaS)

Read the Apollo.io review

Lusha

B2B intelligence platform delivering verified direct dials, work emails, and firmographic enrichment via browser extensions, APIs, and AI integrations.

Pricing: Free plan · $0/mo · Enterprise plan · Autonomy: L2 · Workflow copilot · Moat: 4.4/5.0 (Proprietary moat (category leader))

Target fit: B2B SaaS, DTC / eCommerce, Enterprise Brands (Browser Extension)

Read the Lusha review

How Apollo.io and Lusha differ

  • AI autonomy: Apollo.io is rated L3 · Conditional automation, Lusha L2 · Workflow copilot on the MarTechRadar scale.
  • Delivery: Apollo.io is a Web SaaS product; Lusha is a Browser Extension product.
  • Apollo.io was founded earlier (2015) than Lusha (2016).
  • Headquarters: Apollo.io in San Francisco, United States, Lusha in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Computed from the fields below. Only editor-verified ratings and vendor-sourced prices are compared.

Side-by-side facts

FieldApollo.ioLusha
SubtrackLead Enrichment & Waterfall OrchestrationLead Enrichment & Waterfall Orchestration
PricingFree plan · $49–$119/seat/mo · Enterprise planFree plan · $0/mo · Enterprise plan
Pricing modelFreemiumFreemium
Free accessFree planFree plan
Enterprise planYesYes
AI autonomy levelL3 · Conditional automationL2 · Workflow copilot
Moat tierProprietary moat (category leader)Proprietary moat (category leader)
DeliveryWeb SaaSBrowser Extension
AudienceB2B SaaSB2B SaaS, DTC / eCommerce, Enterprise Brands
HeadquartersSan Francisco, United StatesTel Aviv, Israel
Fact-checkedJiacky Lee, Oct 6, 2026Jiacky Lee, Oct 4, 2026
AI Head-to-Head Procurement Simulator · Evidence-Locked Dossier

Apollo.io vs Lusha: TCO & constraint stress test

Test how both tools behave under your team size, monthly budget ceiling, CRM ecosystem, and governance guardrails.

1. Team / Seat Scale
2. Monthly Budget Ceiling
3. Primary Stack
4. Guardrail
Under a 5-seat / $800/mo profile, Apollo.io carries lower procurement friction (Low Procurement Risk · Strong Fit) than Lusha (Conditional Fit · Contract & Stack Caveats). Apollo.io publishes a self-serve floor (Free plan · $49–$119/seat/mo · Enterprise plan), whereas Lusha requires a custom quote (Free plan · $0/mo · Enterprise plan).

Apollo.io

Low Procurement Risk · Strong Fit
Estimated Floor (5 Seats · Basic)$245 / mo ($2,940 / yr floor)Exact seat math: 5 seats × $49/seat/mo on Basic (Free plan · $49–$119/seat/mo · Enterprise plan). Upgrading to Professional ($79/seat/mo) equals $395/mo ($4,740/yr).Fits within $800/mo cap (31% of ceiling at base floor)
  • Published Self-Serve Entry Floor: Apollo.io publishes a transparent entry point (Free plan · $49–$119/seat/mo · Enterprise plan) with a free tier for initial validation before committing.
  • Linear Per-Seat Scaling (5 Seats × $49/seat/mo): Base license scales linearly with operator headcount ($245/mo for 5 seats on Basic).
  • Primary Operational Bottleneck: Direct-Dial Data Freshness: Mobile direct-dial accuracy degrades in specialized technical verticals, requiring third-party verification to avoid high bounce rates.

Walk-Away Rule: Walk away if your workflow requires uncapped enterprise volume on the Free plan · $49–$119/seat/mo · Enterprise plan entry plan without upgrading tiers.

Negotiation Lever: Validate exact quota thresholds (seats, credits, or API calls) included in Apollo.io's Free plan · $49–$119/seat/mo · Enterprise plan tier before converting from monthly to annual billing.

Lusha

Conditional Fit · Contract & Stack Caveats
Estimated Floor (5 Seats · Enterprise / Custom)Custom Quote (Free plan · $0/mo · Enterprise plan)Vendor does not publish a self-serve USD floor on its pricing page; requires sales qualification.Sales-gated pricing vs. $800/mo cap (High quote risk)
  • Opaque Enterprise Quoting vs. SMB/Mid-Market Budget: Lusha does not disclose a public self-serve floor (Free plan · $0/mo · Enterprise plan). Buyers with a $800/mo cap face high sales-qualification friction.
  • Published Self-Serve Entry Floor: Lusha publishes a transparent entry point (Free plan · $0/mo · Enterprise plan) with a free tier for initial validation before committing.
  • Tier Fit for 5-Seat Scale: Entry / Starter ($37/mo): Verified $37/mo published rate on vendor pricing schedule.
  • Primary Operational Bottleneck: Direct-Dial Decay: Mobile number accuracy degrades rapidly in volatile turnover sectors, requiring manual validation when contact records drift past thirty-day refresh cycles.

Walk-Away Rule: Walk away if your workflow requires uncapped enterprise volume on the Free plan · $0/mo · Enterprise plan entry plan without upgrading tiers.

Negotiation Lever: Validate exact quota thresholds (seats, credits, or API calls) included in Lusha's Free plan · $0/mo · Enterprise plan tier before converting from monthly to annual billing.

Interactive Head-to-Head Scenario Red-Teamer · Fact-Gate Verified

Limitations

Apollo.io

Operational considerations and platform boundaries include: Direct-Dial Data Freshness: Mobile direct-dial accuracy degrades in specialized technical verticals, requiring third-party verification to avoid high bounce rates.
Full limitations in the Apollo.io review

Lusha

Operational considerations and platform boundaries include: Direct-Dial Decay: Mobile number accuracy degrades rapidly in volatile turnover sectors, requiring manual validation when contact records drift past thirty-day refresh cycles.
Full limitations in the Lusha review

Pricing notes

Apollo.io: Free plan · $49–$119/seat/mo · Enterprise plan

Apollo.io structures its commercial tiers through a per-seat subscription model paired with export credit allocations. Entry-level paid access begins at $49 per user monthly, providing sequence automation and baseline contact credits.
Pricing details in the Apollo.io review

Apollo.io pricing page

Lusha: Free plan · $0/mo · Enterprise plan

The commercial framework employs credit-metered licensing based on contact reveals and export quotas. Lusha provides a permanent entry tier starting at $0 per month for basic individual evaluation with restricted monthly credits.
Pricing details in the Lusha review

Lusha pricing page

Frequently asked questions: Apollo.io vs Lusha

How does Apollo.io pricing compare to Lusha in 2026?

Apollo.io is listed at Free plan · $49–$119/seat/mo · Enterprise plan (freemium, free plan), whereas Lusha is listed at Free plan · $0/mo · Enterprise plan (freemium, free plan).

How do Apollo.io and Lusha compare on AI autonomy and moat depth?

On the MarTechRadar L1–L5 scale, Apollo.io is rated L3 · Conditional automation with a Proprietary moat (category leader) moat (4.6/5.0), while Lusha is rated L2 · Workflow copilot with a Proprietary moat (category leader) moat (4.4/5.0).

Which teams are Apollo.io and Lusha built for?

Apollo.io is a Web SaaS product in Lead Enrichment & Waterfall Orchestration designed for B2B SaaS. Lusha is a Browser Extension product in Lead Enrichment & Waterfall Orchestration designed for B2B SaaS, DTC / eCommerce, Enterprise Brands.

What are the main limitations of Apollo.io vs Lusha?

For Apollo.io: Operational considerations and platform boundaries include: Direct-Dial Data Freshness: Mobile direct-dial accuracy degrades in specialized technical verticals, requiring third-party verification to avoid high bounce rates. For Lusha: Operational considerations and platform boundaries include: Direct-Dial Decay: Mobile number accuracy degrades rapidly in volatile turnover sectors, requiring manual validation when contact records drift past thirty-day refresh cycles.

Excerpts are quoted verbatim from each fact-checked review. Last updated Oct 6, 2026.