Apollo vs Instantly, compared by ManyPIApollo vs Instantly
One is a contact database that sends. The other is a sender that sells leads. Here's how they compare, and when one tool covers both.
The short answer
Apollo is a contact database that also sends. Instantly is a sender that also sells leads. If you'd pay for one of each, ManyPI does both jobs in one seat from $25 a month.
Pick Apollo only if you
- need a dialer and direct phone numbers
- need SOC 2 or ISO 27001 for a security review
Pick Instantly only if you
- want an AI agent to answer your replies (Scale plan and up)
- need advanced deliverability features (Scale plan and up)
Pick ManyPI if you want
- leads and sending in one seat, not two bills
- a 600M+ database plus live web research
- $25 a seat, month to month
Key differences
The points that usually decide it, not a complete feature list. Competitor facts come from their own public pages, checked 30 September 2026, and are linked at the bottom of this page.
| Feature | Apollo.io | Instantly | ManyPI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Built for | Apollo.ioFinding contacts in its own database | InstantlySending cold email from many inboxes | ManyPIFinding the leads and emailing them, in one seat |
| Entry paid plan | Apollo.io$49 per user a month, billed annually (Basic) | Instantly$47 a month, monthly billing (Growth, sending only) | ManyPI$25 a seat a month, or $21 billed annually (Starter) |
| Lead data | Apollo.ioYes. Its contact database, used with credits | InstantlyAdd-on. 450M+ database, bought as credits or bundled from $94 a month | ManyPIYes. Included: a 600M+ database plus live web research |
| Sequences | Apollo.ioYes. On every plan. The free plan connects Gmail only | InstantlyYes. Unlimited inboxes and warmup on every plan | ManyPIYes. Unlimited inboxes and warmup on every paid plan |
Paying for both
List prices only, like for like. Each scenario says what it's based on and what the totals leave out.
Apollo for data, Instantly for sending
USD per month, before tax. Each line on the billing its vendor publishes for that plan.
Apollo + Instantly
ManyPI
The pair adds Apollo's phone numbers and dialer, which ManyPI doesn't include. ManyPI Starter includes 10,000 emails, 1,000 email checks and 1,000 crawls a month, with the lead database included.
Is Apollo or Instantly better for cold email?
Instantly is built around sending: unlimited inboxes and warmup on every plan, with advanced deliverability features from its Scale plan. Apollo sends sequences too, but its centre is the database. If sending volume is the main job, Instantly is the more specialised tool.
Can you use Apollo and Instantly together?
Yes. You'd find contacts in Apollo, export them, and send from Instantly. It works, and it means two bills and moving lists between tools.
What's the alternative to paying for both?
One tool that does both jobs. ManyPI finds the companies for your brief in a 600M+ lead database and on the live web, verifies the emails and sends the sequence from your own inboxes, in one seat. If you also call prospects, keep a dialer alongside.
How ManyPI finds leadsQuestions
About this comparison
Written by ManyPI, which sells a competing product. We compared Apollo.io and Instantly using their own public pricing and documentation on 30 September 2026, and we recheck every month. ManyPI's figures come from our pricing page.
Plans change and we can get things wrong. If anything here is out of date or incorrect, write to ask@support.manypi.com and we'll fix it within two business days.
Sources, checked 30 September 2026
Apollo.io and Instantly are trademarks of their owners. ManyPI is not affiliated with or endorsed by them; the names are used only to identify their products.
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