MarketBetter vs Apollo.io: The Complete 2026 Alternative Comparison

Looking for an Apollo.io alternative? You've found the right comparison.

Apollo.io is one of the most popular sales intelligence platforms on the market—275M+ contacts, strong Chrome extension, and pricing that doesn't require selling a kidney. With a 4.7/5 rating on G2 and 9,000+ reviews, they've clearly built something people like.

But here's the catch: Apollo gives you a database. Not a game plan.

Apollo tells you WHO to contact. It doesn't tell you WHAT to do next. It doesn't see who's already on your website. It doesn't have a chatbot to capture leads at 2 AM. And those 275M contacts? Users report 10-35% bounce rates, especially outside the US.

MarketBetter delivers what Apollo can't: a complete SDR command center with visitor identification, AI chatbot, daily task playbook, AND outreach automation—all with data you can actually trust.

This guide breaks down everything you need to know.

Quick Comparison: MarketBetter vs Apollo.io

Feature	MarketBetter	Apollo.io
Website Visitor Identification	✅ Company + person level	❌ Not included
AI Chatbot	✅ Qualified-style with live handoff	❌ Not included
Daily SDR Playbook	✅ AI-prioritized task lists	❌ Not included
Pre-Meeting Intelligence	✅ Auto-generated briefs	❌ Not included
Contact Database	✅ Integrated enrichment	✅ 275M+ contacts
Email Sequences	✅ AI-personalized drafts	✅ Built-in sequencing
LinkedIn Outreach	✅ Connection + messaging	⚠️ Chrome extension only
Phone/Dialer	✅ Smart dialer (all plans)	⚠️ Professional+ only ($79/mo)
Intent Data	✅ First-party + enrichment	✅ Third-party signals
CRM Integration	✅ HubSpot + Salesforce bidirectional	✅ Major CRMs
Data Accuracy	✅ Verified enrichment	⚠️ 10-35% bounce rates reported
Inbound Lead Capture	✅ Full workflow	❌ Outbound only
Meeting Booking	✅ Chatbot + sequences	⚠️ Manual setup required

The bottom line: Apollo is a solid contact database with sequencing. MarketBetter is your complete SDR command center—the platform that shows you who's visiting, captures inbound, prioritizes outreach, and prepares your team to close.

What Is Apollo.io?

Apollo.io launched as a sales intelligence platform combining a massive B2B database with built-in engagement tools. Unlike pure data providers like ZoomInfo, Apollo bundles prospecting, sequencing, calling, and basic CRM features into one platform.

Database Size: 275M+ contacts, 65M+ companies

G2 Rating: 4.7/5 (9,000+ reviews)

Target Market: SMB and mid-market sales teams looking for an affordable all-in-one solution

Apollo Pricing (2026)

Plan	Annual (per user/mo)	Monthly	Key Features
Free	$0	$0	10 contacts/mo, basic filtering, Chrome extension
Basic	$49	$59	Intent data, job changes, advanced filtering
Professional	$79	$99	Uncapped sending, AI email writing, dialer
Organization	$119	$149	3+ users required, call transcripts, custom reports

The credit system: Apollo uses credits for mobile numbers, exports, and certain enrichment features. Credits are limited per tier and don't fully roll over—a common complaint.

What users say about pricing:

"One year ago Basic was $19/mo, then $29, then $39, then $49, then $59." — Trustpilot review

Apollo's pricing has increased significantly over time, and users report surprise renewal increases.

What Apollo Does Well

Let's give credit where it's due:

Massive B2B Database
275M+ contacts with 65+ search filters including company size, industry, technology stack, job postings, and buyer intent signals. For pure prospecting volume, it's impressive.

Affordable Entry Point
Compared to ZoomInfo ($15K+/year), Apollo's $49/user/month starting price is accessible to SMBs. The free tier lets teams test before committing.

All-in-One Approach
Unlike point solutions, Apollo bundles prospecting, sequencing, calling, and basic CRM features. You can run outbound campaigns without juggling multiple tools.

Strong Chrome Extension
Apollo's LinkedIn integration lets you research prospects and add them to sequences without leaving the browser. It's one of their most-loved features.

Decent CRM Integrations
Connects with Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive, Outreach, Salesloft, and others. Two-way sync keeps your CRM updated.

Where Apollo Falls Short

Here's what Apollo doesn't do—and why it matters:

1. No Website Visitor Identification

Apollo helps you reach out to cold prospects. But what about the warm leads already on your website?

Every day, potential customers visit your site, read your pricing page, check out case studies—and leave without a trace. Apollo has zero visibility into this traffic.

MarketBetter identifies these visitors at the company and person level, then routes them to your SDRs as high-priority tasks.

Why it matters: Website visitors are 5-10x more likely to convert than cold outbound prospects. Missing them is leaving money on the table—and Apollo can't help you catch them.

2. No AI Chatbot

When a high-intent visitor lands on your pricing page at 2 AM, Apollo can't help. There's no chatbot to engage them, qualify them, or book a meeting.

MarketBetter includes a Qualified-style AI chatbot that:

• Engages visitors in real-time
• Qualifies based on your ICP criteria
• Books meetings directly on your team's calendar
• Hands off to live reps when needed

Why it matters: 50% of leads go to the vendor that responds first. Without a chatbot, you're losing deals to competitors who capture leads 24/7.

3. No Daily SDR Playbook

Apollo gives you a database. A big one. But then what?

Your SDRs still need to figure out who to contact first, what to say, and how to prioritize their day. Apollo doesn't help with that.

MarketBetter generates a daily task list for each SDR:

• Prioritized by fit score + intent signals
• Organized by territory/ownership
• Clear guidance on what to do and say

Your SDRs don't waste time figuring out who to contact. They open their dashboard and start executing.

Why it matters: Data without direction is just noise. A playbook turns data into action.

4. Data Accuracy Problems

This is Apollo's Achilles heel. Users consistently report data quality issues:

Email bounce rates: 10-35% depending on market (worse outside the US)

Phone number issues: Many numbers are outdated or route to headquarters instead of direct lines

International data: UK and EU coverage significantly weaker than US

User quotes from reviews:

"60% of UK contacts were wrong" — Reddit user

"Phone numbers are often outdated or just company headquarters" — G2 review

MarketBetter uses verified enrichment sources and focuses on quality over raw database size.

Why it matters: Bad data wastes time, burns your sender reputation, and makes your team look unprofessional. A smaller, accurate database beats a massive unreliable one.

5. Security Concerns

Apollo has experienced two documented data breaches:

• 2018 breach: Compromised contact information
• 2021 breach: 130M+ records exposed (per Cognism research)

When you upload your customer data to Apollo for enrichment, you're trusting it to a platform with a breach history.

Why it matters: Your prospect data is valuable. Security incidents put both your data and your reputation at risk.

6. Dialer Paywalled to Higher Tiers

Apollo's phone dialer—a key SDR tool—requires the Professional plan ($79/user/month) or above. Basic plan users can't make calls through the platform.

MarketBetter includes smart dialer on all plans. No feature paywalls for essential SDR capabilities.

7. No Pre-Meeting Intelligence

After your SDR books a meeting, what happens? With Apollo, your AE is on their own. They still need to research the company, understand the context, and prepare their pitch.

MarketBetter auto-generates pre-meeting briefs including:

• Company background and ICP fit
• Pricing guidance based on company size
• Browsing history (what pages they viewed)
• Talking points and likely objections

Why it matters: Prepared AEs close at higher rates. Automated briefs save 20-30 minutes per meeting.

The Real Difference: Data Provider vs SDR Command Center

Here's the clearest way to understand the difference:

Apollo's approach: "Here's a big database. Go find prospects and email them."

MarketBetter's approach: "Here's who visited your site today, here's who you should contact first, here's what to say, here's your AI chatbot catching leads while you sleep, and here's your meeting prep for tomorrow's calls."

SDR Function	MarketBetter	Apollo.io
Know who's on your website	✅	❌
Capture inbound leads 24/7	✅	❌
Prioritize daily tasks	✅	❌
Access B2B contacts	✅	✅
Send email sequences	✅	✅
Make phone calls	✅ (all plans)	⚠️ ($79+ plans)
Prepare reps for meetings	✅	❌
Verify data accuracy	✅	⚠️

Apollo tells you WHO. MarketBetter tells you WHO + WHAT TO DO + WHY THEY MATTER.

Apollo vs MarketBetter: Use Case Breakdown

When Apollo Makes Sense

• Pure cold outbound at scale — you need maximum contacts, accuracy is secondary
• Tight budget — $49/user/month is genuinely affordable
• You already have visitor ID and chatbot — Apollo fills the database gap
• US-focused prospecting — their US data is strongest
• You don't need a dialer — email-only outreach on Basic plan

When MarketBetter Makes Sense

• Website traffic is valuable — you want to know (and act on) who's browsing
• Inbound matters — you need a chatbot capturing leads 24/7
• Quality over quantity — fewer accurate contacts beats millions of bad emails
• Your team needs direction — a daily playbook makes SDRs more effective
• Complete SDR stack — you want one platform, not five tools stitched together
• Data security matters — you need a platform without breach history

Common Questions About Switching from Apollo

Can MarketBetter replace Apollo entirely?

Yes. MarketBetter includes contact enrichment, email sequencing, smart dialer, and CRM integration—everything Apollo offers—plus visitor identification, AI chatbot, daily playbook, and pre-meeting intelligence.

What about Apollo's database size?

Apollo's 275M contacts sounds impressive, but size doesn't matter if the data bounces. MarketBetter prioritizes accuracy—fewer contacts that actually work, plus the website visitors Apollo can't see.

Will I lose my Apollo sequences?

You can recreate sequences in MarketBetter. Our AI helps you personalize at scale, and we offer migration support for teams switching over.

Does MarketBetter integrate with my CRM?

Yes. Bidirectional sync with HubSpot and Salesforce, plus integrations with major tools in your stack.

What about Apollo's free tier?

Apollo's free tier (10 contacts/month) is useful for testing but too limited for real work. MarketBetter offers demos and trials so you can evaluate the full platform before committing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Apollo really 10-35% bounce rates?

Multiple user reviews and third-party analyses report bounce rates in this range, particularly for international data. US data tends to be more accurate, but results vary.

Why doesn't Apollo have visitor identification?

Apollo is fundamentally a database company that added engagement features. Visitor identification requires different technology (IP intelligence, identity resolution) that isn't their core competency.

Can I use both Apollo and MarketBetter?

You can, but there's significant overlap. Most teams find MarketBetter replaces Apollo entirely while adding capabilities Apollo lacks.

How does pricing compare for a 5-person team?

Apollo Professional (with dialer): $79 × 5 = $395/month Apollo Organization: $119 × 5 = $595/month (minimum 3 users)

MarketBetter pricing scales based on your team size, traffic, and usage. Contact us for a custom quote—many teams find comparable or better value with significantly more capabilities.

What about Apollo's Chrome extension?

MarketBetter also offers browser-based tools for LinkedIn prospecting. You won't lose this workflow.

The Complete SDR Stack vs. The Contact Database

Let's summarize with a simple question:

What does your SDR team actually need?

Need	Best Choice
Massive contact database, accuracy secondary	Apollo.io
Know who's on your website + act on it	MarketBetter
Capture inbound leads 24/7 with AI chatbot	MarketBetter
Daily prioritized task lists for SDRs	MarketBetter
Pre-meeting prep for your AEs	MarketBetter
Cheapest possible entry point	Apollo.io (Free tier)
Data accuracy you can trust	MarketBetter
Complete SDR command center	MarketBetter

Apollo built a big database with some engagement features bolted on. That was innovative five years ago.

MarketBetter is what comes next—the platform that shows you who's visiting, captures inbound leads, tells your SDRs exactly what to do, and prepares your team to close.

Ready to See the Difference?

Book a demo and we'll show you:

1. Who's visiting your site right now—prospects Apollo can't see
2. How our AI chatbot captures leads—even when your team is asleep
3. What your daily SDR playbook looks like—prioritized tasks, ready to execute
4. AI-personalized outreach—quality over quantity

Stop settling for a database when you need a command center.

Book a Demo →

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Questions? Email us at [email protected]