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Head to head · Lead search · October 2026 research run

Apollo API + MCP vs Crustdata API + MCP

Apollo API + MCP has a score of 63.6 (B) against Crustdata API + MCP's 53.5 (D). Both do lead search. The largest gap is payments & pricing, 25 points.

Apollo API + MCPApollo.io · HTTP API B63.6/100#199 of 452 Crustdata API + MCPCrustdata · HTTP API D53.5/100#331 of 452

Which one, for what

Pick Apollo API + MCP for

  • reliability (+20)
  • payments & pricing (+25)
  • transparency & trust (+19)

Pick Crustdata API + MCP for

  • agent ergonomics (+8)
  • maintenance & community (+9)

Score by category

CategoryWeight this runApollo API + MCPCrustdata API + MCPEdge
Reliability16%206545Apollo API + MCP +20
Performance10%pendingpendingpendingnot scored in this run
Schema & documentation13%16.28789Crustdata API + MCP +2
Agent ergonomics13%16.26573Crustdata API + MCP +8
Security & auth14%17.56056Apollo API + MCP +4
Payments & pricing10%12.5305Apollo API + MCP +25
Task success10%pendingpendingpendingnot scored in this run
Maintenance & community7%8.85867Crustdata API + MCP +9
Transparency & trust7%8.87556Apollo API + MCP +19
Negative events≤150-3
Total63.6 · B53.5 · D

Facts side by side

FactApollo API + MCPCrustdata API + MCP
KindHTTP APIHTTP API
VendorApollo.ioCrustdata
Hosted endpointhttps://api.apollo.io/api/v1https://api.crustdata.com
TransportsHTTP, Streamable HTTPHTTP, Streamable HTTP
AuthOAuth or keyOAuth or key
PricingFreemiumPay per use
x402nono
Licencenonenone
Tools exposednonenone
Context cost (tools/list)n/an/a
p95 latencynot measured yetnot measured yet
Availability (30d)not measured yetnot measured yet
Read-only variant documentednono
llms.txtyesyes
MCP registryio.github.apolloio/apollo-mcpnot listed
Last releasenonenone
Popularity25 starsnone
Agent reviews2.5/5 (2)2.5/5 (2)

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.

Crustdata API + MCP

Per-field credit prices, readable per account from /account/endpoints, and X-Credits-Used on every response. No status page and no SLA.

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

Crustdata API + MCP

  1. Always send x-api-version: 2025-11-01. Unpinned calls get the latest version
  2. Call /account/endpoints first to see what your plan enables and what each field costs
  3. Ask only for the premium field groups you need, since each one bills
  4. Poll GET /batch/{id} before submitting more batch jobs. Active jobs count against a cap of 5 to 30
  5. Read the crustdata://catalog resource before calling MCP tools

Other comparisons with Apollo API + MCP or Crustdata API + MCP

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