Apollo.io vs ZoomInfo

Apollo vs ZoomInfo: Data

Buyers frequently compare how many email addresses and direct phone numbers ZoomInfo and Apollo.io have. So, let’s look at those numbers.

• The ZoomInfo contact database is said to have 220 million active contacts, over 150 million email addresses and 50 million direct dials in its contact database. 
• In comparison, Apollo.io has over 265 million contacts at over 70 million companies, 165 million email addresses and 120 million phone numbers (according to Apollo.io’s homepage).

Both ZoomInfo and Apollo are based in the US, and according to Klue, a market intelligence platform, this is where their data coverage is the best.

According to Apollo.io T&Cs, its extensive database includes user-submitted data. So, by using Apollo, customers agree to give Apollo an irrevocable license to use their data, even after they stop using Apollo’s software. So even if you’re signing up for their free plan, you’re adding to their database.

On the other hand, ZoomInfo has built its platform by acquiring competitors. In recent years, their focus seems to have shifted from being a prospecting data provider to a sales workflow management solution.

Which is more accurate, ZoomInfo or Apollo.io?

Despite their best efforts, no data provider is 100% correct in all areas. A recent survey of Pavilion members who recently evaluated ZoomInfo vs Apollo’s data quality revealed areas where both providers could improve.

Survey participants mentioned Apollo’s weak email verification and missing cell phone numbers, whereas ZoomInfo needed to improve its global data footprint, especially EU coverage and refresh its contact information.

ZoomInfo vs Apollo cost

The main difference between Apollo.io and ZoomInfo’s pricing?

Apollo pricing offers monthly and yearly subscriptions and a self-service signup flow. In contrast, ZoomInfo offers long-term contracts, and its pricing is available after a consultation. 

For this reason, Apollo.io is generally considered to be cheaper than ZoomInfo and other sales prospecting tools.

Despite these differences, Apollo’s and ZoomInfo’s prices are based on a credit system that limits viewing and exporting data. Monthly caps, resets, and expensive ‘add-ons’ often pose some challenges:

• Scarcity mindset among your team — reps are more focused on optimising credit consumption than developing best practices for prospecting.
• Unpredictable spend — e.g. ZoomInfo charges a credit for every company and contact export which may consume double the credits if the account isn’t already in their CRM. Similarly, Apollo charges one credit for email and another credit for a phone number. Apollo.io reviews on G2 complain about the low credits and high costs.
• Limited opportunities - companies with an international presence or trying to expand to new markets may find the price for ZoomInfo’s Data Passport for prospecting outside the US hard to justify.
• Slow growth — despite relatively cheap plans, Apollo offers very limited access to mobile and export credit (max. 125 and 2000, respectively in its highest plan). It may become problematic for businesses with ambitious growth goals or companies in highly competitive markets.

Apollo.io vs ZoomInfo: Compliance

ZoomInfo is CCPA and GDPR-compliant. The provider also checks do-not-call lists in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK, and the US.

Apollo.io is CCPA compliant and also claims it’s compliant with GDPR. Apollo has recently started offering DNC list cleaning in the UK & US only. The provider charges one credit if a phone revealed is on a DNC list and claims it is then at the users’ discretion to decide if they call or not.

Why is DNC list cleaning important?

If a salesperson reaches out to someone who has opted out of sales and marketing phone calls, they may be accused of not having “a legitimate interest” in contacting that person.

The Information Commissioners’ Office (ICO) has issued fines totalling £180,000 for two companies that made more than 480,000 unlawful marketing calls to businesses signed up with the UK’s “Do not call” register.

Apollo vs ZoomInfo: Integrations

ZoomInfo and Apollo.io are both end-to-end platforms that aim to consolidate tech solutions. Having more features in one tool means less internal work and a smaller tech stack. 

But on the downside, their focus is on developing proprietary technology rather than investing developers’ time into improving integrations with other tools. 

If you already use best-in-class solutions, like Salesforce and Outreach, you may find using all-in-one platforms limiting or buggy.

Intent data: ZoomInfo or Apollo.io?

Another significant difference between Apollo vs ZoomInfo is the source of their intent data.

ZoomInfo leverages proprietary machine-learning technology to recognise leads who are ready to buy. It collects intent data from a variety of sources, and it’s believed ZoomInfo relies on bidstream data. 

Apollo intent, on the other hand, partnered with LeadSift (a Foundry company) that gathers buying intent in several ways, including crawling millions of public web documents, such as social media sites, blogs, forums, research sites, and hiring boards. 

Which is better, Apollo.io or ZoomInfo?

Both providers have extensive databases, but you may find they lack company or contact data in your niche or target market. So the best way to evaluate Apollo.io vs ZoomInfo is to sample their data.

Book a call with our team and get a sample of Cognism data. Our sales rep will run a live search in our database to source leads that match your ICP.

Which is better in the UK and Europe, ZoomInfo or Apollo.io?

Some North American companies use ZoomInfo and Apollo in the US. However, when they have subsidiaries or customers in the UK and Europe, they turn to Cognism to get better European coverage.

Cognism prides itself on being a leader in European data and GDPR compliance. Choosing regional providers across different offices helps international businesses complete and validate data their primary vendors provide.