Apollo and Outreach are different shapes of sales tool, despite being often compared. Apollo is a database-first platform at ~$49/user/month with growing AI features. Outreach is an enterprise sales engagement platform at ~$130-$200/user/month for teams. For individual reps wanting autonomous AI agent capabilities, Artra at $59/month delivers what neither does.
Side-by-side comparison
| Dimension | Apollo | Outreach |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free / $49/user/mo | ~$130-$200/user/mo |
| Pricing model | Per user | Per seat + features |
| Contact database | 250M+ records (strong) | Limited |
| Sequencer depth | Standard | Industry-leading |
| AI features | Drafting + lead scoring | Kaia + AI helpers |
| Autonomous agent | No (AI assist) | No (AI assist) |
| Channels | Email, LinkedIn | Email, LinkedIn, SMS, calls |
| Buyer model | Self-serve or team | Enterprise team |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Annual contract | No (monthly available) | Yes (required) |
| CRM integration depth | Standard | Deep (Salesforce, HubSpot) |
| Reporting / analytics | Standard | Enterprise-grade |
When Apollo wins
- You need a large B2B contact database
- Cost matters — you want sub-$50/user/month
- Individual rep or small team flexibility
- Want a free tier to start
- Self-serve setup preferred
When Outreach wins
- Large enterprise sales team (10+ reps)
- Deep CRM integrations and reporting needed
- Budget for $20K+/year tooling
- Industry-standard enterprise platform preferred
- Multi-channel including dialer in one platform
When Artra wins over both
- Want autonomous AI agent (not AI-assisted sequencer)
- Multi-channel email + SMS + LinkedIn + dialer at $99/month
- Individual rep or small team, sub-$100/month
- Free tier preferred
- No annual contract
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between Apollo and Outreach?
Apollo and Outreach are different shapes of sales tool. Apollo is a database-first platform (~$49/user/month entry) combining a large B2B contact database with a sequencer and growing AI features. Outreach is an enterprise sales engagement platform (~$130-$200/user/month) focused on multi-channel sequencing for sales teams. Apollo wins on cost and database; Outreach wins on enterprise features and integrations.
Which is cheaper, Apollo or Outreach?
Apollo is significantly cheaper. Apollo's Basic plan starts at ~$49 per user per month with a free tier. Outreach pricing isn't public but industry reports place per-seat pricing in the $130-$200 per user per month range on annual contracts with seat minimums. For a 10-rep team: Apollo ~$5,880/year, Outreach $20,000-$30,000+/year.
Which has better AI, Apollo or Outreach?
Both Apollo and Outreach have added AI features but neither is a fully autonomous AI SDR. Apollo's AI helps with drafting and lead scoring. Outreach has Kaia (call coaching) and AI helpers in sequences. The rep still drives the workflow in both cases. For autonomous AI agent capabilities, Artra at $59/month delivers what neither Apollo nor Outreach does — full pipeline automation.
Can a solo rep use Apollo or Outreach?
Apollo: yes — individual self-serve, free tier available, $49/user/month basic plan. Outreach: no — sold to sales organizations with seat minimums, annual contracts required, no individual-rep tier. For solo reps wanting Outreach-style features at individual pricing, Apollo, Reply.io ($60/month), or Artra ($59/month, autonomous AI agent) are the alternatives.
Should I pick Apollo or Outreach for my team?
Pick Apollo if: you want database depth, cost-effective pricing, individual + small team flexibility, and AI features that assist. Pick Outreach if: you have a large enterprise sales team, need deep CRM integrations and analytics, have budget for $20K+/year tooling, and prefer industry-standard enterprise platform. Pick neither (use Artra) if: you want full autonomous AI agent at sub-$100/month.