The right sales platform can turn an average sales team into an unstoppable profit-making machine. It can supply qualified leads, streamline actions, and uncover insights crucial for closing sales. With all these functionalities under one roof, you can enjoy a more efficient and effective sales process.
Still, picking the platform is not a simple task. There are multiple options available and it’s easy to become overwhelmed or make the wrong choice, which is a waste of your dollars and hours.
While I can’t make the decision for you, I can help you reach it faster by condensing all key information and sharing my uncensored opinions. In this article, I’ll tackle two celebrated platforms—Apollo.io and ZoomInfo, and explore their features, data, user experience, pricing, and reviews.
As a bonus tip, I’ll also introduce a simple and free tool that can take your prospecting to the next level and be used with both platforms.
Now, let’s get this Apollo.io vs. ZoomInfo duel underway.
Apollo.io is an end-to-end platform that supports your B2B sales efforts. It provides various tools and data, from contact search to campaign analysis, to help you work more efficiently and close more deals.
ZoomInfo is also an all-in-one B2B sales platform, but it can boast even more capabilities than Apollo.io. It offers five operating systems, all aimed at securing business growth:
ZoomInfo Sales is the most popular of the bunch and the equivalent to Apollo.io, so I’ll be focusing on it in my comparison. Like Apollo.io, it can assist you throughout your sales process, including outreach and performance management.
Bonus read: Check out my list of best ZoomInfo alternatives.
Both platforms are highly versatile and include a wide range of genuinely useful features.
My favorite aspects of Apollo.io include:
Apollo.io also has a Chrome extension, which allows you to prospect leads via LinkedIn. The platform offers around 15 pre-built integrations and an API in case you want to build your own.
ZoomInfo’s best features include:
ZoomInfo has a Chrome extension, as well as a mobile app in case you need to get work done while on the go. Integration-wise, ZoomInfo has over 50 pre-built connections and an API.
Apollo.io and ZoomInfo are industry leaders when it comes to data coverage. They have huge global B2B contact databases:
Besides contact information, the platforms can provide you with the following data:
ZoomInfo and Apollo.io claim to be compliant and have complex data verification systems of the highest standard. Apollo.io validates data in real time, and ZoomInfo monitors and updates it as soon as it detects a change.
From my experience, the majority of their data is on-point, but I did come across a decent amount of inaccurate and outdated contacts on both platforms. After checking user reviews, I can say that this is a shared experience among many customers.
Keep in mind that some errors are bound to happen with any platform. It’s impossible to be 100% correct—people go through changes all the time. Still, I believe platforms of this caliber should have stricter and more frequent checks.
Bonus read: Find out how ZoomInfo stacks up against UpLead.
Due to their extensive features, both platforms were a bit difficult to navigate the first time. Thankfully, they provide excellent learning resources, so I was able to figure them out relatively quickly. Once I did, I realized how well-thought-out and user-friendly they are—the interfaces are actually quite similar.
With Apollo.io, I particularly liked how organized the reports and search results are. ZoomInfo impressed me the most with its seamless integrations.
I also LOVE that they both provide many opportunities for automation, allowing me to skip all the boring busywork and save time.
For example, Apollo.io can automate tasks such as list-building and intent-triggered sequencing. It offers pre-made automations, i.e., “plays,” but it also lets you create your own. ZoomInfo can also trigger sequences, allowing you to build multi-step, multi-channel campaigns and run A/B tests.
I didn’t personally encounter the customer support of either platform, but reviewers generally praise it.
Apollo.io offers four pricing plans, catering to companies of all sizes:
*All prices pertain to the annual billing model
I was pleasantly surprised to learn how generous the offering on the free plan is. While it does have limitations, it comes with all of the platform’s basic functionalities and even API integrations and conversation intelligence. These are usually locked behind steep paywalls.
Apollo.io also has a free 14-day trial for the Basic and Professional plans.
ZoomInfo isn’t transparent about its pricing and offers custom plans. To get an estimate and start planning your budget, you’ll have to reach out to the sales team first.
The cost depends on various factors, such as the number of features, credits, and licenses you need. Some features, such as real-time intent data, are considered add-ons and charged separately.
If you want to take full advantage of ZoomInfo, you may need to set aside anywhere from a couple of thousand to tens of thousands of dollars. While it’s not the cheapest option on the market, Apollo.io is way more accessible than ZoomInfo, making it more suitable for small businesses.
It’s also worth noting that both Apollo.io and ZoomInfo have mandatory one- to two-year contracts for most of their customers.
Bonus read: We also have an in-depth ZoomInfo vs. RocketReach comparison.
Check out how users have rated Apollo.io and ZoomInfo on popular review sites:
Users liked their breadth of data and features, ease of use, and powerful automation capabilities of both platforms. As for the negatives, the most commonly reported ones were data quality issues, difficulty of initial setup, and the high costs.
Here’s a table summing up my opinions and user reviews:
Platform
Apollo.io and ZoomInfo are well-established platforms with powerful capabilities and excellent reviews. They share many similarities, especially in terms of features and user experience.
Where they differ is the pricing. With its custom plans and add-ons, ZoomInfo can turn out to be quite an investment. Both platforms are enterprise-friendly, but Apollo.io is the clear choice for small businesses that are still figuring things out.
Don’t worry—I haven’t forgotten about the tip I promised!
Regardless of the platform you choose, you should not miss out on using RB2B to level-up your prospecting. RB2B is the only tool that provides Person-Level Website Visitor Identification—and does so for FREE!
The tool turns your website visitors into qualified leads, and the data is sent straight to your Slack with minimal effort—and in as little as minutes. Here’s how.
RB2B detects individuals who visit your website and forwards their information directly to your Slack.
Everything is condensed in message form, including the lead’s name, company, job title, email address, and LinkedIn profile. That means you don’t need to deal with any spreadsheets or org charts—you can immediately reach out to the person knowing they’re interested.
As the tool will also inform you which pages the lead visited, you’ll know exactly what interests them. That way, you can personalize your messaging to make it more effective.
You must be thinking—this sounds too good to be true, how is it legal?
I’m happy to report that RB2B is FULLY COMPLIANT with regulations such as the CCPA and CPRA.
*GDPR doesn’t apply as the tool detects only traffic within the U.S.
To start using RB2B, you only need to:
RB2B has two pricing plans—free and Pro. The free version lets you push LinkedIn profiles to Slack and offers 200 monthly credits. If you want additional options, such as other integrations and CSV downloads, you can upgrade to Pro. Not sure if you want to commit? There’s a free 30-day trial at your disposal!
While you’re carefully evaluating whether to invest in Apollo.io or ZoomInfo, get RB2B and start connecting with high-intent leads for free.
Keep reading: Want to learn more? Here’s a list of my other reviews and comparisons:
Featured image source: Artem Podrez
Alert your reps, start automated outreach, and add to lead score in under five minutes.
