Apollo vs. Instantly (2026): All-in-One vs. Best-in-Class Email
Two of the most popular outreach tools with fundamentally different philosophies. We'll compare both honestly—then show you a third option if your leads are local businesses.
The Bottom Line
A quick summary before we dive deep.
All-in-one sales platform
A comprehensive sales engagement platform with 275M+ contacts, built-in email sequences, a dialer, and CRM integrations. Apollo bundles lead data and outreach into one tool. Plans range from free to $119/user/mo (annual), with a credit system for contact exports.
Best-in-class cold email
Purpose-built for cold email at scale. Unlimited email accounts, built-in warmup, deliverability tools, and inbox rotation. Instantly is best-of-breed at getting emails delivered. Outreach plans start at $37/mo, with a separate lead database add-on from $47/mo.
See Apollo's Platform
Apollo vs. Instantly: Feature Breakdown
Two different philosophies: Apollo bundles everything, Instantly specializes in email delivery. Here's how they compare.
Apollo does everything in one place. Instantly does cold email better than anyone.
Apollo's database is core to the product. Instantly's B2B leads require a separate subscription.
Instantly lets you connect unlimited inboxes and auto-rotates between them. Apollo limits sending volume.
Instantly's warmup network is purpose-built. It's their core differentiator and significantly more robust.
Instantly automatically rotates sending across all connected accounts to protect domain reputation.
Apollo supports email, calls, LinkedIn, and tasks in one sequence. Instantly focuses on email only.
Apollo includes a functional CRM and power dialer. Instantly's CRM is newer and an extra cost.
Neither tool is built for finding local businesses. Both databases are LinkedIn/enterprise-centric.
Pricing Comparison
Apollo charges per seat with credits included. Instantly charges per product—outreach and leads are separate subscriptions.
100 credits/mo
5,000 credits/mo
10,000 credits/mo
15,000 credits/mo
Per-seat pricing. Annual billing required for listed prices. Monthly billing is 20% more ($59-$149/user). A 5-person team on Professional = $395/mo.
5,000 emails/mo, 1,000 contacts
100K emails/mo, 25K contacts
B2B lead database access
Expanded lead database
Separate products. Outreach and Leads are billed independently. Most users need both: $37 + $47 = $84/mo minimum. CRM is yet another add-on ($47/mo).
The Problem with Both
If you're selling to local businesses, neither platform was built for you.
Apollo's Gap
Apollo's 275M contacts come from LinkedIn. That's powerful for reaching VPs at SaaS companies—but your local plumber, dentist, or restaurant owner? They're not in the database.
- ✕LinkedIn-centric data misses most local business owners.
- ✕Per-seat pricing punishes growing teams.
- ✕No way to discover leads from Google Maps or local directories.
Instantly's Gap
Instantly is the best cold email tool on the market. But its lead database is an afterthought—it's a bolt-on, not the core product. And local businesses are barely represented.
- ✕Lead database is a paid add-on with limited local coverage.
- ✕Great at sending email, but you still need to find the leads yourself.
- ✕No Google Maps integration or local business discovery.
What if your leads aren't on LinkedIn?
Apollo and Instantly are built for enterprise B2B. But if your prospects are local businesses—the ones on Google Maps, not LinkedIn—you need a different source. LocalStitch finds the leads, then you can use either tool to send.
- Pull leads directly from Google Maps searches
- AI agents research each business automatically
- Waterfall enrichment for verified contacts
- Export to Apollo, Instantly, or any outreach tool
Pick the Right Tool
Each platform excels in a different area. Choose based on your target market and outreach style.
Choose Apollo if you...
- Want data + outreach in one tool
- Sell to enterprise / tech companies
- Need a dialer + LinkedIn sequences
- Prefer one platform to manage everything
Choose Instantly if you...
- Send high-volume cold email
- Need unlimited email accounts + warmup
- Care most about deliverability
- Already have your lead list ready
Choose LocalStitch if you...
- Sell to local SMBs, not enterprises
- Need to discover leads from Google Maps
- Want AI to research each business
- Then export to Apollo or Instantly to send
The Bottom Line
Apollo and Instantly are both excellent tools for what they do. Apollo gives you the Swiss Army knife: data, sequences, dialer, and CRM in one platform. Instantly gives you the sharpest blade: cold email delivery that actually lands in the inbox. Your choice depends on whether you value breadth (Apollo) or email expertise (Instantly).
But both tools share the same blind spot: local businesses. Their databases are built from LinkedIn and enterprise data sources. If your ideal customer is a roofing company in Tampa or a dental practice in Denver, you won't find them in either tool's database.
That's where LocalStitch fits in. LocalStitch discovers local business leads from Google Maps, enriches them with AI research, and gives you verified contacts—ready to export into Apollo, Instantly, or whatever outreach tool you prefer. It's not a replacement for either. It's the lead source they're both missing.
Ready to Try a Better Approach?
If you're selling to local businesses, LocalStitch was built for you. Plans starting at $49/month.