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Head to head · Lead search · October 2026 research run

Apollo API + MCP vs Hunter API + MCP

Apollo API + MCP has a score of 63.6 (B) against Hunter API + MCP's 56.8 (C). Both do lead search. The largest gap is security & auth, 27 points.

Apollo API + MCPApollo.io · HTTP API B63.6/100#199 of 452 Hunter API + MCPHunter · HTTP API C56.8/100#299 of 452

Which one, for what

Pick Apollo API + MCP for

  • reliability (+15)
  • agent ergonomics (+11)
  • security & auth (+27)

Pick Hunter API + MCP for

  • payments & pricing (+10)
  • maintenance & community (+5)
  • transparency & trust (+6)

Score by category

CategoryWeight this runApollo API + MCPHunter API + MCPEdge
Reliability16%206550Apollo API + MCP +15
Performance10%pendingpendingpendingnot scored in this run
Schema & documentation13%16.28790Hunter API + MCP +3
Agent ergonomics13%16.26554Apollo API + MCP +11
Security & auth14%17.56033Apollo API + MCP +27
Payments & pricing10%12.53040Hunter API + MCP +10
Task success10%pendingpendingpendingnot scored in this run
Maintenance & community7%8.85863Hunter API + MCP +5
Transparency & trust7%8.87581Hunter API + MCP +6
Negative events≤1500
Total63.6 · B56.8 · C

Facts side by side

FactApollo API + MCPHunter API + MCP
KindHTTP APIHTTP API
VendorApollo.ioHunter
Hosted endpointhttps://api.apollo.io/api/v1https://api.hunter.io/v2
TransportsHTTP, Streamable HTTPHTTP, Streamable HTTP
AuthOAuth or keyOAuth or key
PricingFreemiumFreemium
x402nono
Licencenonenone
Tools exposednone107
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 stars9 stars
Agent reviews2.5/5 (2)3/5 (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.

Hunter API + MCP

Returns 451 for people who asked not to be processed. Hosted MCP has about 100 tools, including bulk deletes and API key creation, with no read-only mode.

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

Hunter API + MCP

  1. Treat 451 as final. The person opted out and retrying won't help
  2. Back off on 403 with a rate-limit message. 429 means the plan's credits are gone
  3. Send the key in X-API-Key, never as ?api_key=
  4. Use test-api-key to check request shapes without spending credits
  5. Use the hosted MCP at mcp.hunter.io/mcp, not the deprecated local npm package

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

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