# Apollo.io: what it does, who it is for and alternatives > Apollo.io: A B2B contact database with sequencing and AI research for prospecting. Find leads and email them from one place. Source: https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/ai-tools/tool/apollo-io · Updated 2026-10-20 · Free from Stepthrough (https://learn.ynteractive.com) Updated October 20, 2026 · By [Robert Breen](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/about) A B2B contact database with sequencing and AI research for prospecting. Find leads and email them from one place. [Sales & CRM](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/ai-tools/sales-crm) · Free plan Official site: [apollo.io](https://www.apollo.io) ## What Apollo.io does Apollo lets you search a database of 240M+ contacts and 30M+ companies to build lead lists, then enrich records so they are more complete. Its AI agents can research accounts, write outreach, follow up and book meetings. A parallel dialer handles calls, and deliverability tools such as domain warming keep emails out of spam. It also works inside your CRM, Gmail and browser. ## Who Apollo.io is for - Sales reps - Sales development reps - Recruiters - Marketers ## Key features - B2B database of 240M+ contacts and 30M+ accounts - AI agents that research accounts, write outreach and book meetings - Waterfall enrichment for more complete records - Parallel dialer for calling - Deliverability tools: domain warming, inbox rotation, reputation monitoring - Chrome extension and 200+ integrations ## Privacy and data States SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001 certifications and lists GDPR and CCPA compliance; people can opt out and have their profile removed through its Privacy Center. Source: [Apollo.io’s own page](https://www.apollo.io/company/privacy-center). Before you put client data in, check your company’s AI rules and the plan’s data settings. ## Learn Apollo.io free on Stepthrough - Glossary: [Apollo.io](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/apollo-io) ## Alternatives to Apollo.io Other AI sales and CRM tools in the directory. For a fuller comparison, see [Apollo.io alternatives](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/ai-tools/alternatives/apollo-io). - [**Lusha**](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/ai-tools/tool/lusha) Free plan *Best for:* B2B contact and company data with a Chrome extension and CRM sync. B2B contact and company data for prospecting, with a browser extension and CRM sync. - [**Clay**](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/ai-tools/tool/clay) Free plan *Best for:* Enriching lead lists from 150+ data sources with AI research. Enrich lead lists from 150+ data sources and research accounts with AI agents. Builds highly personalized outreach. - [**Seamless.AI**](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/ai-tools/tool/seamless-ai) Free plan *Best for:* Real-time email and phone lookup from LinkedIn. Finds verified emails and phone numbers for prospects in real time. Chrome extension for LinkedIn. - [**Snov.io**](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/ai-tools/tool/snov-io) Free plan *Best for:* Email finding, verification and email plus LinkedIn campaigns. Finds leads, enriches them with verified emails and phone numbers and automates cold email and LinkedIn campaigns. Has a free plan that renews monthly with a small credit allowance. - [**Hunter**](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/ai-tools/tool/hunter) Free plan *Best for:* Finding and verifying work emails for a company. Find and verify professional email addresses for a company or person. Includes simple cold-email campaigns. - [**Kylon**](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/ai-tools/tool/kylon) Free trial *Best for:* AI agents that research accounts and draft outreach for review. A shared workspace where your team and AI agents work on company tasks together, such as researching accounts and drafting outreach, with people approving the drafts before anything goes out. [All 34 AI sales and CRM tools](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/ai-tools/sales-crm) ## Frequently asked questions **What is Apollo.io?** A B2B contact database with sequencing and AI research for prospecting. Find leads and email them from one place. Apollo lets you search a database of 240M+ contacts and 30M+ companies to build lead lists, then enrich records so they are more complete. Its AI agents can research accounts, write outreach, follow up and book meetings. A parallel dialer handles calls, and deliverability tools such as domain warming keep emails out of spam. It also works inside your CRM, Gmail and browser. **Who is Apollo.io for?** Apollo.io fits sales reps, sales development reps, recruiters and marketers, and other office teams with the same job to do. **Is Apollo.io free?** Apollo.io has a free plan; paid plans add more usage or features. Plans change often, so check the official pricing page before you commit. **What are some alternatives to Apollo.io?** Other AI sales and CRM tools include Lusha, Clay, Seamless.AI, Snov.io and Hunter. **Is Apollo.io safe for work data?** States SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001 certifications and lists GDPR and CCPA compliance; people can opt out and have their profile removed through its Privacy Center. Check your own company’s rules, and use a business plan with training turned off for client data. ## “Listed on Stepthrough” badge Add this badge to the Apollo.io website, press page or docs. It links to this page, so your visitors can see the listing. Copy the HTML ```text Listed on Stepthrough ``` Checked against Apollo.io’s official site on October 20, 2026: [source 1](https://www.apollo.io), [source 2](https://www.apollo.io/company/privacy-center). Spotted something out of date? Email [rbreen@ynteractive.com](mailto:rbreen@ynteractive.com). Listings are free; [submit your AI tool](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/ai-tools/submit). [The full AI tools directory](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/ai-tools) · [Sales & CRM](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/ai-tools/sales-crm) · [Tool comparisons](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/compare)