Cold email outreach platform with unlimited sending accounts, warmup and B2B lead database.
Apollo.io vs lemlist
Features, pricing, strengths and trade-offs — and which one fits your situation.
The verdict
Summary
Apollo.io is best for sales teams that want a B2B contact database and outreach sequences in one platform, while lemlist is best for multichannel outreach combining email, LinkedIn, calls and WhatsApp in one sequence. Only lemlist offers email warm-up. Apollo.io has a free plan, while lemlist offers a free trial.
Which should you choose?
Choose Apollo.io if…
- You need sales teams that want a B2B contact database and outreach sequences in one platform
- You're one of: sdr and bdr teams, startup founders doing outbound, small sales teams without a data vendor
- You want a free plan (lemlist only has a trial)
- Database, sequencing and dialer in one tool
Choose lemlist if…
- You need multichannel outreach combining email, LinkedIn, calls and WhatsApp in one sequence
- Email warm-up matters to you
- You're one of: sdr teams running multichannel cadences, founders doing outbound, agencies combining linkedin and email
- Strong LinkedIn automation within sequences
At a glance
| Apollo.io | lemlist | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Sales teams that want a B2B contact database and outreach sequences in one platform | Multichannel outreach combining email, LinkedIn, calls and WhatsApp in one sequence |
| Free plan | Yes | Trial only |
| Starting price | From $49/user/mo | From $55/mo |
| Learning curve | Medium | Medium |
| Platforms | Web, Chrome extension, iOS, Android, API | Web, Chrome extension, API |
| Ideal for | SDR and BDR teams, Startup founders doing outbound, Small sales teams without a data vendor | SDR teams running multichannel cadences, Founders doing outbound, Agencies combining LinkedIn and email |
Feature comparison
| Apollo.io | lemlist | |
|---|---|---|
| B2B contact database | 200M+ contacts | 650M+ leads |
| Email sequences | Yes | Yes |
| Email warm-up | No | Yes |
| Unlimited sending accounts | No | Email plan (unlimited senders) |
| LinkedIn steps | Manual task steps | Multichannel plan |
| Built-in CRM | Yes | — |
| AI personalization | Yes | Yes |
| Dialer / calling | Professional plan and above | Multichannel plan |
| Email verification | Yes | Yes |
IncludedLimited / higher plansNot available— Not confirmed
Security & enterprise
| Apollo.io | lemlist | |
|---|---|---|
| Business / enterprise plan | Yes | Yes |
| SSO (SAML / OIDC) | Organization plan | Select plans (SAML) |
| SCIM user provisioning | — | — |
| SOC 2 | Type II | Type II |
| ISO 27001 | Yes | — |
| HIPAA (BAA available) | — | — |
| GDPR DPA | Yes | Yes |
| Data residency options | — | EU (France, default) |
| No training on your data | — | — |
| Audit logs | — | — |
| Admin controls | Yes | — |
| Deployment | Cloud | Cloud |
From each vendor's security documentation. "—" = not confirmed. What to ask vendors · Compare all tools
What each tool does
Apollo.io
Apollo.io combines a large B2B contact and company database with multichannel sequences, a dialer, deal tracking and AI research tools. Reps search and filter prospects, enrich records, and run email, call and LinkedIn task steps from the same account. It is widely used by startups, SDR teams and small sales organizations as an all-in-one prospecting tool.
Key features- B2B database of 200M+ contacts with 65+ search filters
- Multichannel sequences with email, call and LinkedIn task steps
- Built-in dialer with recording and local presence (Professional and up)
- AI research, AI email writing and lead scoring
- Deals, pipeline and CRM enrichment
- Chrome extension for LinkedIn and Gmail
lemlist
lemlist is a cold outreach platform for building personalized sequences across email, LinkedIn, calls, SMS and WhatsApp. It includes a large lead database with email and phone finding, lemwarm warm-up, and lemAgent AI agents for signals, enrichment and messaging. It is used by SDR teams, founders and agencies that want multichannel cadences without stitching tools together.
Key features- Multichannel sequences with email, LinkedIn, calls, SMS and WhatsApp
- 650M+ lead database with email and phone finder
- lemwarm email warm-up and deliverability hub
- lemAgent AI agents for signals, enrichment and messaging
- Built-in dialer on the Multichannel plan
- Image and video personalization in emails
Pricing
Apollo.io
Free forever plan; paid from $49/user/mo annual ($59 monthly) Basic
lemlist
14-day free trial; paid from $55/mo billed annually ($69 monthly) Email plan
Prices last checked September 2026. Plans change often — confirm on each vendor's site.
Pros and cons
Apollo.io
Strengths- Database, sequencing and dialer in one tool
- Useful free plan for light prospecting
- Syncs with Salesforce and HubSpot
- AI research speeds up personalization
- No true email warm-up; its ramp-up only paces sending volume
- Credit limits restrict exports and mobile numbers
- Data accuracy varies by region and industry
- Dialer is limited to Professional plan and above
Not ideal for: Agencies sending high-volume cold email across many domains will get better deliverability tooling from Instantly or Smartlead.
lemlist
Strengths- Strong LinkedIn automation within sequences
- Lead database and warm-up included
- Unlimited senders on the Email plan
- Personalization options beyond plain text
- LinkedIn, WhatsApp and calling require the pricier per-user Multichannel plan
- Enrichment and intent signals are paid add-ons
- More options mean a longer setup than simple senders
- No free plan, only a trial
Not ideal for: Teams that only send cold email at very high volume may find Instantly or Smartlead simpler and cheaper per email.
Integrations
Apollo.io
lemlist
FAQ
What is the main difference between Apollo.io and lemlist?
Apollo.io is built for sales teams that want a B2B contact database and outreach sequences in one platform; lemlist is built for multichannel outreach combining email, LinkedIn, calls and WhatsApp in one sequence. Key differences: lemlist offers email warm-up.
Is Apollo.io or lemlist cheaper?
Apollo.io starts from $49/user/mo and lemlist starts from $55/mo (as of September 2026). On entry price, Apollo.io is cheaper — but compare what each plan includes, since limits differ. Always confirm current pricing on each vendor's site.
Do Apollo.io and lemlist have free plans?
Apollo.io has a free plan, while lemlist offers a free trial.
Which is easier to use, Apollo.io or lemlist?
Both have a medium learning curve.
What are good alternatives to Apollo.io and lemlist?
Other sales & outreach tools worth comparing include Instantly.ai, HubSpot and Smartlead.
