# Apollo.io vs Salesloft (2026) - Verdict

**Verdict:** both live and price-verified as of Jul 21, 2026. Choose Apollo.io if you want a permanent free tier, not just a trial. Choose Salesloft if a longer track record matters to you; it has run since 2011.

Category: AI Cold Outreach & Sales · Verified: Jul 21, 2026

## Choose Apollo.io if

- you want a permanent free tier, not just a trial.
- you lean toward the more recent build, from 2015.

Link: https://verdict.tools/go/apollo-io (rel="sponsored nofollow")

## Choose Salesloft if

- a longer track record matters to you; it has run since 2011.
- it is built for SMB & enterprise teams.

Link: https://verdict.tools/go/salesloft (rel="sponsored nofollow")

## What each one is

**Apollo.io.** The platform pairs a B2B contact database (Apollo cites 230M+ contacts and 30M+ companies) with the outreach tooling to act on it: prospecting filters, multi-step email and call sequences, a built-in dialer, and enrichment that syncs to Salesforce and HubSpot. What sets it apart from standalone data vendors or standalone sequencers is that both sit in one workspace, letting a rep move from finding a contact to messaging them without exporting elsewhere. Access to that data is metered by credits (email, mobile, export, and data pools) that reset each billing cycle, so export volume tends to drive cost more than seat count. It fits SDRs, account executives, and revenue teams from individual users to larger organizations, with a free plan and paid tiers starting at $49 per user per month billed annually.
Sources: Apollo.io homepage (https://www.apollo.io/) · Apollo.io pricing page (https://www.apollo.io/pricing) · Salesmotion - Apollo.io Pricing Breakdown 2026 (https://salesmotion.io/blog/apollo-pricing)

**Salesloft.** Built around multi-step "cadences," Salesloft sequences prospect touchpoints across email, phone, and social from one workspace, then adds conversation intelligence, deal management, and forecasting so a full revenue team can work from a single system rather than a standalone outreach tool. It syncs bidirectionally with Salesforce and lists more than 180 integrations. Pricing is quote-based through the sales team, packaged into Advanced and Premier plans with no free tier, which orients it toward established SMB-to-enterprise sales organizations rather than solo prospectors. The company completed a merger with Clari on December 3, 2025, combining its engagement stack with Clari's revenue forecasting under new CEO Steve Cox.
Sources: Salesloft Platform Overview (vendor) (https://www.salesloft.com/platform-overview) · Salesloft Pricing page (vendor) (https://www.salesloft.com/pricing) · CloudTalk - Salesloft Plans & Pricing guide (https://www.cloudtalk.io/blog/salesloft-pricing/) · Yahoo Finance / Salesloft newsroom - Clari & Salesloft complete merger (https://finance.yahoo.com/news/clari-salesloft-complete-merger-appoint-130000149.html)

## Side by side

| Metric | Apollo.io | Salesloft |
|---|---|---|
| From $/mo | $49 | Custom |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Founded | 2015 | 2011 |
| Best for | solo & SMB & enterprise | SMB & enterprise |
| Status | Live | Live |

All figures = lowest paid monthly plan · verified Jul 21, 2026.

## Where they differ

**Price.** At least one is quote-based rather than a public monthly price - check current plans via the links.

**Free access.** Apollo.io offers a permanent free tier; Salesloft is trial-only.

**Track record.** Salesloft has been operating since 2011; Apollo.io since 2015. A longer survival record matters.

## FAQ

### Apollo.io or Salesloft - which is better in 2026?
Both are live and price-verified as of Jul 21, 2026. Choose Apollo.io if you want a permanent free tier, not just a trial. Choose Salesloft if a longer track record matters to you; it has run since 2011.

### Is Apollo.io cheaper than Salesloft?
Pricing is quote-based for at least one of them; check current plans via the links (verified Jul 21, 2026).

### Does Apollo.io or Salesloft have a free tier?
Apollo.io offers a permanent free tier; Salesloft is trial-only.

### Are Apollo.io and Salesloft still maintained?
Yes - both are live as of Jul 21, 2026, with no official sunset announced for either.

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Canonical: https://verdict.tools/vs/apollo-io-vs-salesloft