Tool Comparisons

    Apollo.io vs Insightly: Sales Engagement Platform vs CRM Platform Comparison

    Compare Apollo.io (sales engagement platform) and Insightly (CRM platform) side by side. See pricing, features, and integrations to decide which one, or both, your stack needs.

    Editorial illustration for Apollo.io vs Insightly
    August 31, 2026Updated September 2, 20266 min read
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    The short answer

    Apollo.io is a sales engagement platform built for multi-channel outreach across email, phone, and LinkedIn, backed by a 275M+ contact database, while Insightly is a CRM platform for organizing contacts, tracking deals, and managing pipelines. Apollo.io starts free, Insightly starts at $29/mo. Many teams use both together rather than choosing one.

    Key takeaways

    • Apollo.io offers a free plan, while its paid tiers run Basic at $49/mo, Professional at $79/mo, and Organization at $119/mo.
    • Insightly's pricing tiers are Plus at $29/mo, Professional at $49/mo, and Enterprise at $99/mo.
    • Apollo.io's contact database includes more than 275 million B2B contacts and companies.
    • Apollo.io lists features such as a built-in dialer with call recording and AI-powered email writing, while Insightly lists lead assignment and routing plus an AI Copilot.
    • Apollo.io integrates with tools like Salesforce, HubSpot, and LinkedIn, while Insightly integrates with tools like QuickBooks Online, Xero, and Shopify.

    Reviewed and updated September 2, 2026

    Apollo.io vs Insightly: Sales Engagement Platform vs CRM Platform Comparison

    Sales teams building an outbound stack often weigh Apollo.io, a sales engagement platform for multi-channel sales outreach and engagement tracking, against Insightly, a CRM platform for customer relationship management and sales pipeline tracking. They cover different parts of the workflow, so this comparison covers what each one does, what each one costs, and where they overlap.

    The Quick Answer

    Apollo.io is a sales engagement platform for multi-channel sales outreach and engagement tracking; Insightly is a CRM platform for customer relationship management and sales pipeline tracking. By each vendor's own wording, Apollo.io lists b2b contact and company database (275m+ contacts) and multi-channel sequences (email, phone, linkedin), and Insightly lists lead and contact management and lead assignment and routing.

    Apollo.io offers a lower entry point at $0/mo compared to Insightly at $29/mo.

    If your priority is coordinating outreach across email, phone, and social channels, Apollo.io is the one built for it; for organizing contacts, tracking deals, and forecasting revenue, that is Insightly. Many teams run one of each.

    Understanding the Core Difference

    Apollo.io is All-in-one sales intelligence and engagement platform combining a 275M+ contact database with automated sequences, email outreach, dialer, and AI-powered workflows for prospecting at scale.

    Insightly is Insightly is a CRM for fast-growing companies that tracks all pipeline data in one place, auto-scores leads and sends follow-ups. It is sold alongside Insightly marketing automation, support and ticketing, and the AppConnect workflow builder.

    The two platforms take different approaches to solving the same core challenge.

    Pricing Comparison

    Pricing table: Pricing Comparison (Apollo.io, Insightly, Free, Plus)

    FreeApollo.io entry plan

    Free

    $29/moInsightly entry plan

    Plus

    Entry pricing for Apollo.io and Insightly, as published on each vendor's own pricing page.

    Apollo.io Pricing (as of September 2026)

    PlanPriceContacts
    FreeFree900 credits per seat per year, granted monthly
    Basic$49/mo30,000 credits per seat per year, granted upfront
    Professional$79/mo48,000 credits per seat per year, granted upfront
    Organization$119/mo72,000 credits per seat per year, granted upfront

    Source: Apollo.io Pricing

    Insightly Pricing (as of September 2026)

    PlanPrice
    Plus$29/mo
    Professional$49/mo
    Enterprise$99/mo

    Source: Insightly Pricing

    Pricing Analysis

    Apollo.io is more affordable at the entry level ($0/mo vs $29/mo). For teams with tight budgets or those just getting started with multi-channel sales outreach and engagement tracking and customer relationship management and sales pipeline tracking, this price difference matters.

    Apollo.io offers 4 pricing tiers compared to Insightly's 3, giving you more granularity as you scale.

    Apollo.io includes a free tier, letting you test the platform before committing financially.

    Features Breakdown

    Apollo.io lists
    • B2B contact and company database (275M+ contacts)
    • Multi-channel sequences (email, phone, LinkedIn)
    • AI-powered email writing and optimization
    • Built-in dialer with call recording
    • Automated workflows and engagement rules
    • A/B testing for email sequences
    • and 4 more listed below
    Insightly lists
    • Lead and contact management
    • Lead assignment and routing
    • Opportunity management
    • Customizable sales processes
    • Workflow automation
    • Project management
    • and 2 more listed below
    What Apollo.io and Insightly each list on their own pages. The split is by exact wording, so a capability both offer can appear on both sides under different names.

    Apollo.io Key Features

    • B2B contact and company database (275M+ contacts)
    • Multi-channel sequences (email, phone, LinkedIn)
    • AI-powered email writing and optimization
    • Built-in dialer with call recording
    • Automated workflows and engagement rules
    • A/B testing for email sequences
    • Buying intent signals and job change alerts
    • Advanced lead scoring and filtering
    • Email deliverability tools and mailbox rotation
    • Conversation intelligence (Professional+)

    Insightly Key Features

    • Lead and contact management
    • Lead assignment and routing
    • Opportunity management
    • Customizable sales processes
    • Workflow automation
    • Project management
    • Advanced reports and pre-built business dashboards
    • AI Copilot

    The two lists below are a diff of each vendor's own feature list by exact wording, so a capability both tools offer can appear on either side under a different name.

    Listed only by Apollo.io

    • B2B contact and company database (275M+ contacts)
    • Multi-channel sequences (email, phone, LinkedIn)
    • AI-powered email writing and optimization
    • Built-in dialer with call recording
    • Automated workflows and engagement rules
    • A/B testing for email sequences
    • Buying intent signals and job change alerts
    • Advanced lead scoring and filtering
    • Email deliverability tools and mailbox rotation
    • Conversation intelligence (Professional+)

    Listed only by Insightly

    • Lead and contact management
    • Lead assignment and routing
    • Opportunity management
    • Customizable sales processes
    • Workflow automation
    • Project management
    • Advanced reports and pre-built business dashboards
    • AI Copilot

    Integration Ecosystem

    Integration schematic: Integration Ecosystem (Apollo.io, Insightly, Gmail, Slack)

    Apollo.io Integrations

    Apollo.io connects with: Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive, Gmail, Microsoft Outlook, LinkedIn, Zapier, Slack, Sendgrid, Outreach, Salesloft, Webhooks API.

    Insightly Integrations

    Insightly connects with: Slack, Gmail, QuickBooks Online, Xero, Shopify, Jira, Asana, Calendly, DocuSign, ZoomInfo.

    Shared Integrations

    Both tools integrate with: Gmail, Slack.

    Integrations listed only by Apollo.io: Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive, Microsoft Outlook, LinkedIn, Zapier, Sendgrid, Outreach, Salesloft, Webhooks API.

    Integrations listed only by Insightly: QuickBooks Online, Xero, Shopify, Jira, Asana, Calendly, DocuSign, ZoomInfo.

    Use Case Recommendations

    Best Fit for Apollo.io

    • Budget-conscious teams looking for an affordable sales engagement platform
    • Teams that need a wide feature set (10 capabilities listed)
    • Organizations with complex tech stacks needing broad integration support (12 integrations)
    • Teams that want to start free and scale up as needs grow

    Best Fit for Insightly

    • Budget-conscious teams looking for an affordable CRM platform
    • Sales teams tracking deals from first touch to close
    • Managers who need pipeline visibility and forecasting
    • Growing teams that need scalable contact management

    Feature Comparison Summary

    FeatureApollo.ioInsightly
    Starting PriceFree$29/mo
    Top Tier Price$119/mo$99/mo
    Total Features Listed108
    Integrations1210
    Founded2015N/A

    Getting Started Checklist

    Before-and-after steps: Getting Started Checklist (Define multi-channel sales, Estimate expected sequences, List integrations, Sign up)

    1. Define your multi-channel sales outreach and engagement tracking and customer relationship management and sales pipeline tracking requirements and monthly budget
    2. Estimate your expected sequences and engagement actions and contacts and deals to find the right tier
    3. List the integrations your team currently relies on
    4. Sign up for free trials or demos of both platforms
    5. Run a small test with each tool before making a commitment
    6. Evaluate the onboarding experience and support quality

    Final Thoughts

    Apollo.io serves the multi-channel sales outreach and engagement tracking side of an outbound stack and Insightly the customer relationship management and sales pipeline tracking side. Apollo.io offers a more accessible entry point, while Insightly starts at $29/mo. Your decision should weigh pricing against the specific features that matter most for your workflow.

    Start with a trial of each to see which platform fits your team's daily process. The best tool is the one your team actually uses consistently.

    Pricing and features verified as of September 2026. Visit Apollo.io and Insightly for current information.

    Questions

    Frequently asked questions.

    Frequently asked questions
    What is the main difference between Apollo.io and Insightly?
    Apollo.io is a sales engagement platform focused on multi-channel outreach and engagement tracking across email, phone, and LinkedIn, while Insightly is a CRM platform focused on customer relationship management and sales pipeline tracking. They cover different parts of the sales workflow rather than competing directly.
    Which is cheaper, Apollo.io or Insightly?
    Apollo.io has a lower entry point since it offers a free plan at $0/mo, while Insightly's cheapest plan, Plus, starts at $29/mo. Apollo.io also offers four pricing tiers compared to Insightly's three, giving more granularity as a team scales.
    Can Apollo.io and Insightly be used together?
    Yes, many sales teams run both platforms together since Apollo.io handles multi-channel outreach while Insightly handles pipeline tracking and customer relationship management. The article notes that because the two tools serve different parts of the workflow, teams commonly pair one of each.
    What integrations does Apollo.io support?
    Apollo.io connects with Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive, Gmail, Microsoft Outlook, LinkedIn, Zapier, Slack, Sendgrid, Outreach, Salesloft, and a Webhooks API. This gives it broad connectivity with both CRM systems and other sales engagement tools.
    Does Insightly include marketing and support tools?
    Insightly is sold alongside additional products including marketing automation, support and ticketing, and the AppConnect workflow builder. Its core CRM features include lead and contact management, opportunity management, workflow automation, and an AI Copilot.
    Apollo.ioInsightlySales Engagement PlatformCRM PlatformComparisonsales-engagementcrm
    Byline

    About the author.

    Tim Carden

    Tim Carden is CMO / CTO at RevenueFlow, which builds and operates outbound revenue engines for B2B companies. Studied at McGill University.

    Tim Carden · CMO / CTO

    Connect on LinkedIn →
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