Get an audit

Head to head · Lead search · October 2026 research run

Apollo API + MCP vs Lusha API + MCP

Apollo API + MCP has a score of 63.6 (B) against Lusha API + MCP's 62.6 (B). Both do lead search. The largest gap is maintenance & community, 24 points.

Apollo API + MCPApollo.io · HTTP API B63.6/100#199 of 452 Lusha API + MCPLusha · HTTP API B62.6/100#215 of 452

Which one, for what

Pick Apollo API + MCP for

  • agent ergonomics (+14)

Pick Lusha API + MCP for

  • reliability (+10)
  • payments & pricing (+10)
  • maintenance & community (+24)
  • transparency & trust (+9)

Score by category

CategoryWeight this runApollo API + MCPLusha API + MCPEdge
Reliability16%206575Lusha API + MCP +10
Performance10%pendingpendingpendingnot scored in this run
Schema & documentation13%16.28783Apollo API + MCP +4
Agent ergonomics13%16.26551Apollo API + MCP +14
Security & auth14%17.56059Apollo API + MCP +1
Payments & pricing10%12.53040Lusha API + MCP +10
Task success10%pendingpendingpendingnot scored in this run
Maintenance & community7%8.85882Lusha API + MCP +24
Transparency & trust7%8.87584Lusha API + MCP +9
Negative events≤150-4
Total63.6 · B62.6 · B

Facts side by side

FactApollo API + MCPLusha API + MCP
KindHTTP APIHTTP API
VendorApollo.ioLusha
Hosted endpointhttps://api.apollo.io/api/v1https://api.lusha.com
TransportsHTTP, Streamable HTTPHTTP, Streamable HTTP
AuthOAuth or keyOAuth or key
PricingFreemiumFreemium
x402nono
Licencenonenone
Tools exposednone50
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-mcpcom.lusha.mcp/mcp
Last releasenone2026-09-23
Popularity25 starsnone
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.

Lusha API + MCP

API key on every plan, including Free with 40 credits a month. At least 1 credit per request even when nothing matches.

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

Lusha API + MCP

  1. Batch up to 25 contacts a request. A single bulk request costs 1 credit, not 1 per contact
  2. Ask for phones only when needed. A phone is 5 credits against 1 for an email
  3. Use the Buying Group endpoint. Decision Makers was retired on 2026-09-04
  4. Use /v3/lookalike/contacts for contact lookalikes
  5. Back off exponentially on 429. Free keys stop at 100 requests a day

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

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