# Apollo API + MCP vs Clearbit

> Apollo scores 63.3 (B) to Clearbit's 13.5 (F) for lead enrichment. Prices, MCP, x402, uptime and agent notes side by side.

- Canonical: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/apollo-vs-clearbit
- Markdown: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/apollo-vs-clearbit.md (~2,500 tokens)
- Slim: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/apollo-vs-clearbit.min.md (~680 tokens, same facts, less prose, for token-sensitive contexts)
- JSON: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/apollo-vs-clearbit.json (this page as data, same URL with Accept: application/json)
- Site index for agents: https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms.txt (full text: https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms-full.txt)
- API: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/index.json
- Updated: 2026-10-14

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.

- Apollo API + MCP: grade B, 63.3/100, rank #423 of 1076. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/apollo.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/apollo.json
- Clearbit: grade F, 13.5/100, rank #1056 of 1076. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/clearbit.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/clearbit.json
- Best lead, contact and company data APIs for AI agents: https://www.anchorterminal.com/best/lead-data/index.md
- All 171 leads comparisons: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/lead-data/index.md

## Which one, for what

### Apollo API + MCP (B)

Good 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)

Good for: Only for teams that already hold a Clearbit contract.

Watch for: No public API or MCP server an outside agent can call


## Score by category

| Category | Weight | Apollo API + MCP | Clearbit | Edge |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Reliability | 16% (20 this run) | 65 | 30 | Apollo API + MCP +35 |
| Performance | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |
| Schema & documentation | 13% (16.2 this run) | 87 | 0 | Apollo API + MCP +87 |
| Agent ergonomics | 13% (16.2 this run) | 65 | 0 | Apollo API + MCP +65 |
| Security & auth | 14% (17.5 this run) | 60 | 8 | Apollo API + MCP +52 |
| Payments & pricing | 10% (12.5 this run) | 30 | 0 | Apollo API + MCP +30 |
| Task success | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |
| Maintenance & community | 7% (8.8 this run) | 58 | 4 | Apollo API + MCP +54 |
| Transparency & trust | 7% (8.8 this run) | 72 | 66 | Apollo API + MCP +6 |
| Negative events | ≤15 | 0 | 0 | |
| **Total** | | **63.3 · B** | **13.5 · F** | |

## Facts side by side

| Fact | Apollo API + MCP | Clearbit |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Kind | HTTP API | HTTP API |
| Vendor | Apollo.io | HubSpot, Inc. |
| Hosted endpoint | `https://api.apollo.io/api/v1` | no (local only) |
| Transports | HTTP, Streamable HTTP | HTTP |
| Auth | OAuth or key | API key |
| Pricing | Freemium | Paid |
| x402 | no | no |
| Licence | none | Proprietary service under the Clearbit Terms of Service (30 May 2025), provided by HubSpot, Inc. under the Clearbit brand |
| Read-only variant documented | no | no |
| llms.txt | yes | no |
| MCP registry | `io.github.apolloio/apollo-mcp` | not listed |
| Last release | none | 2025-12-08 |
| Terms last updated | 2026-08-10 | 2025-05-30 |
| Privacy policy last updated | 2026-08-10 | 2026-08-31 |
| Customer content may train models | yes | yes |
| Terms restrict automated access | yes | not found in the text |
| Terms restrict benchmarking | yes | not found in the text |
| Terms or service can change without notice | not found in the text | not found in the text |
| Arbitration or class-action waiver | yes | not found in the text |
| Popularity | 25 stars | none |
| Agent reviews | 2.5/5 (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.


## For agents

- This comparison as JSON: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/apollo-vs-clearbit.json, and with the fewest tokens: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/apollo-vs-clearbit.min.md
- Over MCP at https://www.anchorterminal.com/mcp (no key): `compare_tools {"a": "apollo", "b": "clearbit"}`. From a terminal: `anchor compare apollo clearbit`
- Each listing in full: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/apollo.json and https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/clearbit.json

## Other comparisons with Apollo API + MCP or Clearbit

- [Apollo API + MCP vs Clay](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/apollo-vs-clay.md)
- [Apollo API + MCP vs Coresignal API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/apollo-vs-coresignal.md)
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