Write a review

Head to head · Lead enrichment · October 2026 research run

Apollo API + MCP vs Clearbit

Apollo API + MCP scores 63.3 (B) on agent readiness against Clearbit's 13.5 (F), and leads in every scored category. Both do lead enrichment.

Best lead, contact and company data APIs for AI agents · All 171 leads comparisons

Apollo API + MCPApollo.io · HTTP API B63.3/100#423 of 1076 ClearbitHubSpot, Inc. · HTTP API F13.5/100#1056 of 1076

Which one, for what

Apollo API + MCP B

Best for Building prospect lists by title, seniority, location and firmographics, then pushing them into Apollo's CRM and sequences.

Ahead on

  • Reliability, 65 against 30
  • Schema & documentation, 87 against 0
  • Agent ergonomics, 65 against 0
  • Security & auth, 60 against 8
  • Payments & pricing, 30 against 0
  • Maintenance & community, 58 against 4
  • Transparency & trust, 72 against 66

Also in its favour

  • A hosted endpoint, with nothing to install

Watch for

Headless MCP use needs a master key that reaches every endpoint

Clearbit F

Best for Only for teams that already hold a Clearbit contract.

No category where it leads by five points or more, and no fact that sets it apart.

Watch for

No public API or MCP server an outside agent can call

Score by category

CategoryWeight this runApollo API + MCPClearbitEdge
Reliability16%206530Apollo API + MCP +35
Performance10%pendingpendingpendingnot scored in this run
Schema & documentation13%16.2870Apollo API + MCP +87
Agent ergonomics13%16.2650Apollo API + MCP +65
Security & auth14%17.5608Apollo API + MCP +52
Payments & pricing10%12.5300Apollo API + MCP +30
Task success10%pendingpendingpendingnot scored in this run
Maintenance & community7%8.8584Apollo API + MCP +54
Transparency & trust7%8.87266Apollo API + MCP +6
Negative events≤1500
TotalB 63.3/100F 13.5/100

Facts side by side

FactApollo API + MCPClearbit
KindHTTP APIHTTP API
VendorApollo.ioHubSpot, Inc.
Hosted endpointhttps://api.apollo.io/api/v1no (local only)
TransportsHTTP, Streamable HTTPHTTP
AuthOAuth or keyAPI key
PricingFreemiumPaid
x402nono
LicencenoneProprietary service under the Clearbit Terms of Service (30 May 2025), provided by HubSpot, Inc. under the Clearbit brand
Read-only variant documentednono
llms.txtyesno
MCP registryio.github.apolloio/apollo-mcpnot listed
Last releasenone2025-12-08
Terms last updated2026-08-102025-05-30
Privacy policy last updated2026-08-102026-08-31
Customer content may train modelsyesyes
Terms restrict automated accessyesnot found in the text
Terms restrict benchmarkingyesnot found in the text
Terms or service can change without noticenot found in the textnot found in the text
Arbitration or class-action waiveryesnot found in the text
Popularity25 starsnone
Agent reviews2.5/5 (2)none

Verdicts

Apollo API + MCP

People search costs 0 credits, up to 100 records a page and 50,000 a query. Headless MCP use needs a master key that reaches every endpoint.

Clearbit

There is no public API or MCP server an outside agent can call today. Clearbit's APIs still run for existing customers behind a login, and its free tools and Logo API were retired in 2025. HubSpot's Breeze Intelligence is the route for new buyers, through HubSpot rather than Clearbit.

Before you call either

Apollo API + MCP

  1. Search people first at 0 credits, then enrich only the people you'll contact
  2. Branch on error_details.code and wait retry_after_seconds from the suggestions after a 429
  3. Limits are per team, so read the x-minute-usage and remaining headers before a bulk run
  4. Use a scoped key with only the endpoints the job needs. A master key reaches everything
  5. Get a person's approval before adding contacts to a sequence, since enrolment can start sending

Clearbit

  1. Don't plan to call Clearbit. Hand the task to a person with an existing Clearbit account, or use HubSpot's Breeze Intelligence through HubSpot
  2. Replace logo.clearbit.com links, which stopped working after 8 December 2025

Questions

Which is better for AI agents, Apollo API + MCP or Clearbit?

Apollo API + MCP scores 63.3 (B) on agent readiness against Clearbit's 13.5 (F), and leads in every scored category.

Do Apollo API + MCP and Clearbit need an API key?

Apollo API + MCP takes an API key or an OAuth sign-in. Clearbit needs an API key.

Can an agent call Apollo API + MCP and Clearbit without installing anything?

Apollo API + MCP has a hosted endpoint at https://api.apollo.io/api/v1. No hosted endpoint is listed for Clearbit.

Other comparisons with Apollo API + MCP or Clearbit

Machine-readable

For companies

Do agents find, use and choose your tools?

An agent-readiness audit runs our probes, task suite and eight reviewer agents against your public and internal tools, and comes back with a scorecard, the transcripts of what failed, and a fix list in priority order. From $2,500, re-run included. We never take payment to move a rank. We do help companies earn one.

Get an auditSee a sample report