PhantomBuster Pricing: Plans, Costs & Pricing Breakdown [2026]

TL;DR – PhantomBuster Pricing

• Trial: 14-day free trial (5 slots, 2h/day)
• Starter: $69/month (5 slots, 20h/month, 500 email credits)
• Pro: $159/month (15 slots, 80h/month, 2,500 email credits) – Most popular plan
• Team: $439/month (50 slots, 300h/month)
• Model: Usage-based with slots (active Phantoms) + monthly execution time
• Key features: Complex slot + hours system, email credits and AI credits per plan, 20% off annual billing

💡 PhantomBuster too complex or expensive? Derrick offers a simple alternative starting at $10/month with unlimited credit rollover and unified system (no slot + hours management). Discover the 10 best PhantomBuster alternatives →

What is PhantomBuster?

PhantomBuster is a cloud-based automation and LinkedIn data scraping platform that extracts information from LinkedIn, Sales Navigator, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and 150+ other web sources. The tool targets sales teams, recruiters, marketers, and agencies looking to automate lead generation and data enrichment.

Unlike other enrichment tools like Derrick that work natively in Google Sheets, PhantomBuster uses “Phantoms” (cloud automations) that you configure and launch from their web interface. Results can then be exported as CSV or JSON, or connected to CRMs via Zapier.

PhantomBuster Pricing Plans

PhantomBuster offers 3 paid plans based on a usage-based model combining multiple metrics: slots, execution time, and credits.

⭐ The Pro plan is the most popular according to user feedback, as it offers a balance between automation capacity (15 slots) and budget for small to medium teams.

Plan Descriptions

Trial (14 days): Ideal for testing PhantomBuster with no commitment. You get 5 active slots and 2 hours of execution per day, totaling approximately 60h over the trial period. No credit card required.

Starter ($69/month): Entry-level plan for freelancers and small businesses. With 5 slots and 20h of monthly execution, you can run a few basic automations (LinkedIn profile scraping, post extraction). The 500 email credits allow you to find approximately 500 email addresses per month.

Pro ($159/month): Most popular among sales teams. 15 slots enable managing multiple campaigns simultaneously, and 80h of execution suffice for daily workflows. The 2,500 email credits and 30,000 AI credits unlock advanced features like AI personalization and email finding at larger scale.

Team ($439/month): For large teams and agencies. 50 slots and 300h of execution allow managing multiple clients or massive campaigns in parallel. Email and AI credits are adapted to high-volume needs.

PhantomBuster Pricing Model Explained

PhantomBuster’s pricing is based on three distinct metrics you need to understand and manage simultaneously:

1. Slots (Active Phantoms)

A slot corresponds to a Phantom (automation) you can keep active on your Dashboard. For example, if you have 5 slots (Starter plan), you can have a maximum of 5 Phantoms configured and ready to run. If you want to add a 6th one, you must either delete an existing Phantom or upgrade your plan.

Warning: Some complex workflows can consume 2 slots instead of 1, reducing your actual capacity.

2. Monthly Execution Time

This is the total number of hours your Phantoms can run each month. If you exhaust your hours before the end of the month, your automations automatically pause until the next billing cycle.

Critical point: Unlike Derrick which offers unlimited credit rollover, PhantomBuster resets your hour counter each month. Unused hours are lost.

3. Credits (Email and AI)

• Email credits: Used by Phantoms that search for email addresses (e.g., LinkedIn Email Finder). 1 search = 1 credit.
• AI credits: Used for artificial intelligence features (personalized message generation, profile analysis). The number of credits consumed varies based on task complexity.
• URL finder credits: Recharge daily and monthly depending on your plan, used to find profile or company URLs.
• CAPTCHA-solving credits: To automatically solve CAPTCHAs encountered during automations.

Complexity vs simplicity: Derrick uses a unified credit system for all actions, simplifying budget management. With PhantomBuster, you need to monitor 3-4 different metrics simultaneously.

Resource Management per Workspace

At PhantomBuster, each workspace has its own subscription and resources. If you manage multiple clients, you’ll need to create multiple workspaces and pay multiple subscriptions.

Resources (slots, hours, credits) are shared among all members of the same workspace. External contributors added via a LinkedIn link don’t consume resources.

Cost per Action Comparison

To truly understand PhantomBuster’s real cost, you need to calculate the effective cost per action, not just the monthly price. Here’s a comparative analysis with market alternatives.

Cost per Action Comparison Table

*Hourly cost depends on how many actions you perform during that hour. A fast Phantom can enrich 200-300 profiles/hour, approximately $0.23-0.34 for 100 profiles with the Starter plan.

Real Calculation: 1,000 leads/month Workflow

Objective: Scrape 1,000 LinkedIn profiles + find their emails

PhantomBuster Pro:

• Estimated execution time: ~5-8 hours (depending on Phantom speed)
• Email finding: 1,000 credits out of 2,500 available
• Monthly cost: $159 (Pro plan required for volume)
• Cost per complete lead: $0.159/lead

Derrick SMALL+:

• LinkedIn scraping: 1,000 × 1 credit = 1,000 credits
• Email finding: 1,000 × 5 credits = 5,000 credits
• Total: 6,000 credits (SMALL+ plan = 10K credits at $21/month is sufficient)
• Monthly cost: €20 (~$21)
• Cost per complete lead: $0.021/lead

→ Derrick is 7.5x cheaper for this workflow, with the bonus of rollover for the remaining 4,000 credits for the next month.

Major Differentiating Points

PhantomBuster requires juggling between slots, hours, and credits. If you run out of hours but still have email credits, you can’t use them. Conversely, if you have hours but no more email credits, you must wait for the next cycle.

Derrick works with a single, flexible credit pool, directly in Google Sheets for data enrichment without needing to configure cloud automations. Unused credits are preserved indefinitely (unlimited rollover on paid plans).

What’s Included in Each PhantomBuster Plan

Features Common to All Paid Plans

• ✅ Access to 150+ Phantoms (automations)
• ✅ Unlimited CSV and JSON exports
• ✅ Zapier, Make, n8n integrations
• ✅ API connections
• ✅ Priority support
• ✅ Cloud storage for results (varies by plan)

Differences by Plan

Trial:

• Limited to 14 days
• 5 slots, 2h/day
• All features available for testing
• No credit card required

Starter:

• 5 active slots
• 20h execution/month
• 500 email credits
• URL finder credits: daily + monthly
• Basic CAPTCHA-solving credits
• Storage: Limited

Pro (most popular):

• 15 active slots
• 80h execution/month
• 2,500 email credits
• 30,000 AI credits (AI personalization)
• URL finder credits: increased
• High CAPTCHA-solving credits
• Storage: Extended
• Enhanced priority support

Team:

• 50 active slots
• 300h execution/month
• Email credits: High volume (variable)
• AI credits: High volume (variable)
• URL finder credits: Maximum
• CAPTCHA-solving credits: Maximum
• Storage: Large
• Dedicated support
• Ideal for multi-client agencies

Known Limitations

No plan offers:

• ❌ Rollover of unused hours (Derrick: unlimited rollover)
• ❌ Native integration in Google Sheets (Derrick: 100% native)
• ❌ Phone finding (Derrick: available)
• ❌ Permanent free plan (only 14-day trial)

Rate limits: PhantomBuster applies delays between actions to avoid bans (e.g., 1 LinkedIn connection every 30 seconds). These delays are automatic but can extend your execution times.

PhantomBuster Pricing Pros and Cons

✅ Advantages

Wide range of automations: 150+ Phantoms covering LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Google Maps, Sales Navigator, and many other platforms. This versatility is difficult to match for teams doing B2B lead generation across multiple channels.

Quick setup: According to user feedback, a Phantom can be configured in less than 5 minutes. The no-code interface is accessible to non-developers.

Unlimited exports: All paid plans include unlimited CSV/JSON exports, convenient for feeding CRMs or databases.

Cloud-based: Your automations run in the cloud, no need to keep your computer on (unlike some desktop tools).

❌ Disadvantages

Complex pricing system: Managing slots, hours, and credits simultaneously can be confusing. You might get blocked by one of these metrics while the others aren’t exhausted.

No rollover: Unused hours in the month are lost. If you have a slow month, you waste your subscription (Derrick preserves credits from month to month).

High price for volumes: The Starter plan at $69/month (~€65) is already more expensive than Derrick’s MEDIUM plan at €47.50/month offering 25,000 credits. The Pro plan at $159/month (~€150) remains accessible but can quickly become costly for small organizations.

Manual exports required: Unlike Derrick which works natively in Google Sheets, PhantomBuster requires exporting data then importing it into your work tools, creating workflow friction.

Phantoms break down: According to user feedback on Capterra, automations can sometimes break down and require manual reconfiguration, which is time-consuming.

No phone finding: PhantomBuster doesn’t offer a native phone number search feature, unlike specialized competitors.

FAQ – Common Questions About PhantomBuster Pricing

How much does PhantomBuster cost for a small team?

For a small team (2-5 people), the Starter plan at $69/month may suffice to start, but you’ll quickly be limited by the 5 slots and 20h of execution. The Pro plan at $159/month (~€150) is better suited for regular use with 15 slots and 80h/month. In comparison, Derrick’s SMALL+ plan at €20/month offers 10,000 shared credits for the entire team with unlimited rollover.

Does PhantomBuster have a free plan?

No, PhantomBuster doesn’t offer a permanent free plan. You get access to a 14-day free trial with 5 slots and 2h of execution per day, with no credit card required. After 14 days, you must subscribe to a paid plan or lose access.

Do PhantomBuster credits and hours expire?

Yes, execution hours reset each month. Unused hours are lost and don’t carry over to the next month. Email credits and AI credits follow the same monthly principle. In contrast, Derrick offers unlimited credit rollover on all paid plans, allowing you to accumulate credits from month to month.

Can you pay PhantomBuster in euros or only dollars?

PhantomBuster bills in euros (€) for European users and dollars ($) for other regions. Your billing currency is set during your first payment and cannot be changed afterward. If you signed up with USD from Europe, you’ll remain in USD.

What happens if I exceed my limits (slots or hours)?

If you exceed your slots, you must delete an existing Phantom to add a new one, or upgrade your plan. If you exhaust your execution hours, your automations automatically pause until the next monthly billing cycle. There’s no option to purchase additional hours on a one-time basis.

Is PhantomBuster worth it compared to other enrichment tools?

PhantomBuster excels in versatility (150+ platforms) and action automation (auto-follow, auto-message), but its pricing can become high for pure data enrichment. If your primary need is LinkedIn scraping and email finding, alternatives like Derrick offer better value with a simpler credit system and unlimited rollover. PhantomBuster remains relevant if you need to automate actions across multiple social platforms simultaneously.

Conclusion: Is PhantomBuster Worth the Price?

PhantomBuster is a powerful and versatile platform for multi-platform automation (LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, etc.) with 150+ ready-to-use Phantoms. Its no-code interface and cloud operation are major assets for teams wanting to automate quickly without technical skills.

Strengths: Wide range of automations, quick setup, unlimited exports, cloud-based.

Weaknesses: Complex pricing system (slots + hours + credits), no rollover, high price for volumes, manual exports required, no phone finding.

For whom? PhantomBuster suits teams that need to automate actions across multiple social platforms and are willing to pay a premium for this versatility.

Alternatives to consider: If your need focuses on LinkedIn data enrichment and email finding with a limited budget, check out PhantomBuster alternatives like Derrick (starting at $10/month with unlimited rollover), or specialized tools like Evaboot, Captain Data, or TexAu depending on your use cases.

💡 Need a simpler and more affordable solution? Derrick offers native data enrichment in Google Sheets starting at $10/month, without slot or execution hour management, with unlimited credit rollover. Test free with the FREE plan (200 credits/month).

Last updated: December 2026. PhantomBuster pricing and features may evolve. Check their official website for the most current information.