If you're evaluating B2B data providers, Apollo.io will likely show up on your radar early. It's widely known for its extensive database and comprehensive sales intelligence features, but when it comes to pricing, things aren't as straightforward as they seem. Sure, the plans start at $59 per user per month, which sounds reasonable, but that's just the tip of the iceberg.

Between credit limits, upgrade nudges, and surprise costs (like API access or international dialer features), the true cost can creep up fast—especially for sales teams that scale quickly or burn through contacts.

We've broken down Apollo's full pricing structure, including the Free, Basic, Professional, and Organization tiers, to show you what you're really getting, and what might surprise you later.

You'll also hear from real users on Trustpilot and G2 who've seen budgets shoot 60-80% over expectations once they got deep into usage.

Key findings from our Apollo pricing research:

• There are hidden search limits that go beyond your monthly credit allowance and they're not mentioned clearly in the pricing page

• Core seamless integration features like Salesforce are only available on higher tiers, which isn't ideal if you're on a smaller budget

• Even "unlimited email campaigns" has a catch—API calls are capped and phone calls require additional credits

• If you downgrade your plan or cancel early, you lose all unused credits with no refunds or rollovers

• The Plays automation feature (Apollo's version of workflows) has separate execution limits that aren't tied to your credit pool

Whether you're a lean sales team or scaling up your outbound motion, it's worth understanding these caveats before committing. This analysis provides the transparent pricing breakdown you need for accurate data and informed decisions.

Let's start with the basics then go into the fine print most teams miss.

Can I Use Apollo for Free? Understanding the Apollo Free Plan

Yes, Apollo offers a free plan but it's more of a trial than a tool you can rely on long-term. You get 100 credits total (not monthly), which lets you have access to basic features including email addresses and phone numbers.

The free plan allows access to basic features including email addresses and phone numbers. It also includes the Chrome extension (handy for LinkedIn prospecting) and a limited look into their contact database.

Apollo free plan limitations:

• Only 100 total credits (enough for about 100 emails or phone lookups)

• No bulk show functionality or advanced features

• No CRM integrations or API access

• No team management or usage analytics

• Limited to basic search filters capabilities

• Maximum 2 email campaigns sequences

• No Plays (workflow automation) access

• No scoring or AI insights

It's useful if you're just testing the waters—mainly to check if the data quality fits your ICP. But for actual prospecting? Most teams hit the ceiling within days. If you're doing outbound at any serious volume, you'll need to upgrade quickly.

Can I Pay Apollo Monthly? Billing Options Explained

Yes, Apollo offers monthly billing for Basic and Professional plans, but you'll pay about 17% more compared to annual billing. The Organization plan, on the other hand, usually requires an annual contract and comes with dedicated support from a customer success manager.

Monthly vs Annual Apollo Pricing:

Tip: Monthly billing offers flexibility, but if you're planning to scale outreach, the savings from annual billing add up fast.

Apollo Pricing Plans: Complete 2025 Breakdown

Apollo offers four main pricing plans each built for different types of sales and marketing teams.

Complete Apollo Plans Pricing Table

What Each Apollo Pricing Plan Actually Includes

Understanding what's really inside each Apollo plan can save you from unexpected upgrade nudges or feature gaps. Here's a detailed breakdown of what each tier includes—and what you'll quickly realize is missing.

Free Plan - Great for testing, not for scaling

If you're just trying to see what Apollo's data feels like, the free plan is a decent place to start. You get 100 total credits and one seat, which is enough for basic email or phone lookups—but that's about it. Don't expect to use this for real outbound work.

Basic Plan ($59/month) - Solo-friendly, but feature-light

This is Apollo's true starter plan. You get 5,000 credits and unlimited seats, which is great for founders or small teams. Credits don't roll over, and you get access to basic enrichment tools—just don't expect powerful analytics or advanced tools here.

Professional Plan ($99/month) - Middle ground, but misleading

This plan is often marketed as a team-ready solution, but it's really a padded-up solo plan. You get 10,000 credits, AI insights, and phone calls capability. It's fine for small teams doing moderate prospecting, but don't expect enterprise readiness.

Organization Plan (Custom) - Powerful, but opaque

This is where Apollo gets serious. You'll need to commit annually with a 3-user minimum, and work with a Customer Success Manager. You get big features like international dialer, advanced security configurations, team management, and more, but you'll also deal with higher tiers requirements and no public pricing benchmarks.

Apollo's Automation Features: Plays and Sequences Explained

One aspect of Apollo pricing that often catches teams off guard is how automation tools are tiered and limited across plans.

Sequences (Email Automation)

• Basic Plan: Unlimited sequences but 900 emails/day cap

• Professional Plan: Unlimited sequences with 1,500 emails/day cap

• Organization Plan: Unlimited sequences with 2,000 emails/day cap

Plays (Workflow Automation)

Plays are Apollo's advanced automation workflows that can trigger actions based on events:

• Basic Plan: No Plays access

• Professional Plan: 500 Plays executions/month

• Organization Plan: 1,500 Plays executions/month

• Enterprise (Custom): Negotiable limits

Hidden Play Limitations:

• Each Play execution counts separately from credits

• Complex multi-step Plays count as multiple executions

• No rollover for unused Play executions

• Can't purchase additional Play executions separately

How Apollo Credits Actually Work (And What They Don't Tell You)

Apollo uses a credit-based system that sounds simple at first. But once you start using it, you realize there's a bit of a learning curve for sales and marketing teams.

Credit Consumption Breakdown:

• Email = 1 credit

• Direct phone number = 1 credit

• Mobile numbers = 1 credit

• Company information export = 1 credit

• Data enrichment = 1 credit per field

• Website visitors identification = 1 credit per visitor

• People search = 1 credit per result exported

• Company search = 1 credit per result exported

• List enrichment = 1 credit per record enriched

What Happens to Your Apollo Credits?

This part trips up a lot of teams:

• On all plans: Unused credits expire monthly—no rollover whatsoever

• If you downgrade or cancel: You lose any unused credits immediately

• If the contact info is wrong: Tough luck—Apollo doesn't refund credits for invalid data

• Credit limit reached: You must purchase additional credits at premium rates

• Annual plans: Credits are still allocated monthly, not front-loaded

The Hidden Limits Nobody Talks About

Even with credits available, you'll hit other restrictions:

• API rate limits: 50 requests/minute on Professional, 100/minute on Organization

• Search filters have daily limits even with credits

• Bulk export caps at 10,000 records per export

• Email campaigns have sending limits regardless of credits (900-2,000/day)

• Phone calls duration affects credit consumption rates

• CSV upload limits: 50,000 records on Professional, 200,000 on Organization

• List size limits: 500,000 total contacts across all lists

Apollo Cost Per Contact Analysis

True Cost Including Failed Lookups

When factoring in Apollo's actual accuracy rates:

• 20% of credits wasted on bad/outdated data

• 15% additional credits for re-verification

• True cost per valid contact: $0.15-0.20

What Users Really Say about apollo pricing: The Unfiltered Truth

We analyzed hundreds of reviews across G2 and Trustpilot. Here's the sentiment breakdown:

Satisfaction Score: 4.2/5 on G2 (58% give 5 stars, but context matters)

The Good

"Great extensive database and automation tools. The sales intelligence platform really helps our sales process." - Marcus on G2

"The AI insights and buyer intent data are game-changers for prioritizing lead outreach." - Sarah on Trustpilot

"Plays automation has transformed our outbound. We're running complex workflows that would take 10x longer manually." - Tech Founder on Reddit

The Frustrations

"Credits expire monthly with no warning. Lost 3,000 credits because we had a slow month. Support offered no help." - David on G2

"Custom pricing for Organization plan came in 3x higher than expected. Hidden costs everywhere—international dialer, API, everything is extra." - Jennifer on Trustpilot

"The 'unlimited sequences' are misleading. You still need credits for every contact you add. Burned through our budget in two weeks." - Michael on G2

"Plays executions cap is ridiculous. We hit our 500/month limit in the first week, and there's no way to buy more." - Growth Manager on Reddit

The Pattern

• Small teams love the low entry cost and comprehensive sales intelligence

• Scaling companies often hit limits around credits and missing advanced features

• Enterprise buyers regularly feel misled by vague custom pricing and credit expiration

• Heavy automators frustrated by Plays execution limits

Why FullEnrich Offers Better Value Than Apollo's Credit System

The Credit Limitation Problem with Apollo Pricing

Apollo's credit system makes everything feel limited, even when you're on a paid plan. It slows teams down because instead of focusing on selling, they're counting credits like they're on a prepaid phone plan.

This "credit anxiety" directly impacts sales teams productivity and can stunt lead generation growth.

Common Credit System Challenges:

• Reps second-guess whether to pull a phone number because it eats credits

• Teams stop mid-month when credits run out—literally pausing pipeline growth

• No refunds if the contact is invalid (but you still lose credits)

• Website visitors identification can exhaust monthly credits in days

• Plays executions cap creates automation bottlenecks

Why FullEnrich is a Better Alternative to Apollo

Predictable Unlimited Contacts Access: With FullEnrich, you get predictable, credit-free access to contact data. No more "sorry, we're out of credits this month". Your team can research freely without the budget anxiety.

Superior Data Accuracy for Sales Intelligence: FullEnrich maintains 95%+ data accuracy on email addresses and 90%+ on direct phone numbers, significantly higher than Apollo's reported 81% overall accurate data.

Better accurate data means fewer wasted outreach capabilities and higher conversion rates in sales campaigns.

Simple, Scalable Pricing vs Complex Apollo Cost:

• Starter Plan: $99/month for unlimited users (vs Apollo's per user model)

• Professional Plan: $199/month with 15,000 credits that rollover

• Enterprise Plan: $499/month with everything included

No hidden fees: All key features and CRM integrations included in every paid plan

The Bottom Line on Apollo Pricing

Apollo.io delivers a comprehensive sales intelligence platform with robust features and an extensive database. However, the true cost often doubles or triples the advertised price once you factor in credit overages, required add-ons, and integration costs.

For sales and marketing teams seeking transparent pricing without the credit game, FullEnrich provides comparable data enrichment and lead generation capabilities at 50-80% lower cost. With 15+ data sources, 12-month credit rollover, and all advanced tools included, it's built for teams who want predictable costs and better coverage.

Ready to see the difference? Try FullEnrich free for 7 days—no credit card required, no credits that expire, just straightforward access to quality data.

Frequently Asked Questions About Apollo Pricing

How much is Apollo a month?

Apollo pricing starts at $59 per user monthly for the basic plan. Real-world costs for sales teams typically range from $150-400 per user when including necessary additional credits and advanced tools.

Is Apollo a one-time purchase?

No, Apollo operates on subscription-based pricing plans only. There's no one-time purchase option—all plans require monthly or annual billing.

How much is Apollo membership with annual billing?

Billed annually, Apollo offers 17% savings:

• Basic plan: $588 per user/year (saves $120)

• Professional plan: $948 per user/year (saves $240)

• Organization plan: $1,428 per user/year (saves $360)