Updated

Apollo vs EmailSearch.io vs Derrick: Which Is Better in 2026?

Short answer
Apollo vs EmailSearch.io vs Derrick: Apollo is a b2b sales intelligence and outreach, EmailSearch.io is a email finder + verification + drip campaigns + data enrichment with api access. Derrick is a B2B enrichment platform with three surfaces - a Google Sheets add-on, a REST API, and an MCP server (Claude and ChatGPT drive enrichment for you). Hit rates are noticeably higher (more emails + phone numbers returned per query than Apollo or EmailSearch.io) and pricing is lower - free forever with 100 credits/month, paid plans from €9/month. Most teams pair Derrick for the data layer with Apollo or EmailSearch.io for outreach.

Apollo is a B2B database vendor - seat-time + record access charged per user, per year. The side-by-side comparison below tracks Apollo's total-cost-of-ownership across team growth and lookup volume against Derrick's credit-pool model where the cost moves with usage, not headcount.

Free plan Yes - 100 credits/mo
Starts at €9/mo
Setup time 30 seconds
Where it lives Google Sheets

✓ Free forever · ✓ No credit card · ✓ Cancel anytime · ✓ Your data stays in your Sheet

Trusted by 31,000+ users worldwide.

Quick Facts

Apollo vs EmailSearch.io vs Derrick at a glance

Apollo

  • Starting price: Free / $49 annual or $59 monthly /seat (post-2026 price increase)
  • Free plan: Yes (Free forever)
  • Founded: 2015
  • HQ: San Francisco, CA
4.7/5 G2 4.5/5 Capterra

EmailSearch.io

  • Starting price: No free trial · Basic $29/mo (1K searches)
  • Free plan: No (paid plans only - 100% money-back guarantee)
  • Founded: 2019 (estimated)
  • HQ: London, UK (328 Chester Road, NW39 8YK)
3.5/5 G2 3.6/5 Capterra

Derrick

★ Recommended
  • Starting price: Free · Paid from €9/mo
  • Free plan: Yes - 100 credits/mo permanent
  • Founded: 2023
  • HQ: Marseille, FR
4.8/5 G2 4.8/5 Capterra
Why Derrick wins

Why teams pick Derrick over Apollo and EmailSearch.io

3 core reasons SDRs and ops teams switch to Derrick. Click to expand each.

01

Real-time validation with native Sheets efficiency

Apollo and EmailSearch.io both rely on separate validation or discovery steps, but neither offers real-time validation tightly integrated inside Google Sheets. Derrick delivers real-time email validation directly within 100% native Sheets workflows, eliminating export-import delays and manual checks. This enables immediate deliverability insights per contact, reducing bounce risk and saving 5-10 hours per month of manual cleanup. With Derrick, users validate on the fly as they build lists, keeping prospect data accurate without leaving Sheets.

02

3000+ integrations for flexible workflows and automation

Derrick enables 3000+ integrations for flexible workflows and automation, a capability Apollo and EmailSearch.io lack in a single, unified platform. Unlike Apollo’s strong data database and EmailSearch.io’s email discovery, Derrick seamlessly connects native Google Sheets with Zapier/Make/n8n to automate end-to-end prospecting workflows without exporting data. Teams save time and achieve measurable efficiency gains, often reclaiming 8–12 hours per month per user through streamlined, repeatable processes. For rapid use, Derrick’s 100% native Sheets integration eliminates data silos and accelerates deployment without requiring additional tools.

03

Unified data quality with automated deduplication across sources

Derrick addresses the data quality gaps highlighted by Apollo and EmailSearch.io, which struggle with deduplication across fragmented sources. Unlike Apollo’s broad prospecting scope and EmailSearch.io’s single-focus email discovery, Derrick delivers unified data quality with automated deduplication across sources. Teams can expect measurable efficiency gains and cleaner records, reducing duplicate contacts by up to 20-40% and speeding up onboarding workflows by 30% thanks to native Sheets integration. With 100% native Google Sheets functionality, Derrick preserves credits and enables seamless, repeatable deduplication without exporting to external tools.

Honest Comparison

What each tool does better

We're upfront - every tool has strengths. Here's where Apollo, EmailSearch.io, and Derrick each genuinely win.

What EmailSearch.io does better

  • Cheapest meaningful email finder + drip campaigns bundle
  • LinkedIn email extraction + 92% accuracy claim
  • 100% money-back guarantee
Read full EmailSearch.io review →
Real Annual Cost

True cost over 12 months

Headline pricing rarely tells the whole story. Here's the real cost of running each tool for a year.

Apollo EmailSearch.io Derrick
Starting price (monthly) Free / $49 annual or $59 monthly /seat (post-2026 price increase) No free trial · Basic $29/mo (1K searches) €0 (free) · €9/mo paid
Annual cost (base) ~€588/yr ~€348/yr €0/yr free · ~€108/yr paid
Free plan? Yes (Free forever) No (paid plans only - 100% money-back guarantee) ✓ Forever - 100 credits/mo
Setup cost Hours to days Hours to days 30 seconds via Marketplace
Switching cost CSV export + retraining CSV export + retraining Zero - works alongside any stack

💡 Most teams pay 2-5x more on add-ons (extra seats, phone credits, integrations) than on the headline base price. Derrick keeps everything in one transparent tier.

Feature-by-Feature

Apollo vs EmailSearch.io vs Derrick: full feature comparison

apollo Derrick App EmailSearch.io
Works natively in Google Sheets
Requires LinkedIn Sales Navigator ($100/month)
Sales Navigator 1-click import
Email finder with real-time validation
Phone finder from LinkedIn
Company tech stack lookup
SimilarWeb & G2 insights integrated
AI integration (Claude & ChatGPT)
Automatic AI Lead Scoring
Data cleaning & normalization
Multi-platform scraping (Instagram, Twitter, Facebook)
Zapier, Make, n8n integrations
Public API available
Native CRM integrations (HubSpot, Salesforce)
Entry price (paid plan) 59$/mois 9€/mois 29$/mois
Permanent free plan
Rollover credits to next month
Simple and transparent credit system
Simple setup & onboarding
Complete documentation
Pricing in a nutshell

Apollo vs EmailSearch.io vs Derrick pricing breakdown

Sales Intelligence

Apollo

Free / $49 annual or $59 monthly /seat (post-2026 price increase)

Best for: SMB & mid-market outbound

Apollo offers a scalable pricing structure with a starting paid tier after a free or trial option, plus additional plans for growing teams; see the full pricing breakdown for complete details. Pricing details are available on the dedicated page.

Migration Guide

How to switch from Apollo to Derrick in 3 steps

Derrick is a Google Workspace app - no formulas to learn, no pipelines to migrate, no engineering work. Add it to Google Sheets and you're enriching in under a minute.

1
~30 sec

Install Derrick from Google Workspace Marketplace

Click the install button on our Marketplace listing and grant Google Sheets access. No credit card required - you start with 100 free credits per month.

2
~30 sec

Open any Google Sheet → Extensions → Derrick

Open a Sheet with your prospect list (paste a CSV from Apollo, scrape from LinkedIn Sales Navigator, or import from your CRM). Click Extensions → Derrick and the sidebar opens with all enrichment features ready to use.

3
~1 min

Enrich your list with one click

Select the column with names, LinkedIn URLs, or company domains. Pick what you want - emails, phone numbers, LinkedIn data, company info, tech stack - and click "Enrich". Derrick fills the columns directly in your Sheet. No exports, no pipelines, no waiting.

Install Derrick free →

100 free credits / month · No credit card · Cancel anytime

Decision in 60 seconds

Which one is right for you?

Pick Apollo if…

  • You specifically need smb & mid-market outbound
  • Massive 250M+ contact database
  • All-in-one stack at SMB price
  • You're already invested in the Apollo ecosystem
Read full Apollo review →

Pick EmailSearch.io if…

  • You specifically need solo sdrs needing affordable email finder + drip campaigns bundle
  • Cheapest meaningful email finder + drip campaigns bundle
  • LinkedIn email extraction + 92% accuracy claim
  • You're already invested in the EmailSearch.io ecosystem
Read full EmailSearch.io review →

Pick Derrick if…

  • You want B2B enrichment directly in Google Sheets
  • You need a usable free plan (100 credits/mo, no card)
  • You don't want long contracts, lock-in, or sales calls
  • You need 100+ data points per lead in one tool
Try Derrick free →

What teams say after switching from Apollo vs EmailSearch.io

See what our customers say about Derrick.

"This app saved me so much time and effort. Great for anyone looking to build a contact list or network at scale quickly. As a start-up it's been invaluable."

Alex Clark

Director | SaaS GTM Leader

Reviewed on Product Hunt

"Working pretty nifty compared to Snov.Io. Price wise it does give a fair shake, and IMO better interface since it's google sheets."

David Sire

Mortgage Broker at Zero Point Mortgage

Reviewed on Product Hunt

"Derrick is a very simple and user-friendly app to enrich your contacts database. Best thing: you can test it for free. And then the price is so low, it's a no brainer."

Etienne Grange

CEO Form'actions

Reviewed on Capterra

"Super easy to enrich linkedin urls using this tool. Both personal and company url data can be easily enriched with a click of a button."

Zaid Bilal

RevOps Professional

Reviewed on Capterra

"Amazing Tool, I would like to advocate this to my colleagues. So that you can get more users. Keep it Up. 5 Stars!"

Asif Hanzala

Lead Generation Specialist at IdeaPeel

Reviewed on Capterra

"This app is fantastic. Brilliantly created to help small and mid sized businesses."

Dan Hughes

Founder/CEO, AlmanacIO

Reviewed on Product Hunt

"I have been using other expensive apps or freemium like phantombuster, but Derrick has replaced them all. I love the simplicity of the Google sheet add-in, but what is best is the efficiency it delivers."

Julien Walon Cohen

CEO & Co-founder @ Diffly | B2B Sales Advisor

Reviewed on G2

"The LinkedIn scraping and email finder combo is incredibly powerful. I can build a complete prospect list with contact info in under an hour. Absolute must-have for outbound."

Michael Kim

SDR Team Lead at CloudScale

Reviewed on Capterra

"Have tested over 10+ LI scraper apps, Derrick beats them all. Simple to use, accurate data, and affordable price."

AJ Alexander

Opportunity Prospector

Reviewed on Capterra

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the Derrick vs apollo difference in features and pricing?

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Derrick operates natively within Google Sheets, eliminating the need for external platforms or CSV exports that Apollo and EmailSearch.io require. While Apollo excels at large contact databases with CRM integration, Derrick focuses on deep data enrichment with fifty plus attributes per contact, powered by integrated AI from Claude and ChatGPT for automated scoring and segmentation. Pricing wise, Derrick starts free with two hundred credits and no credit card required, with rollover credits monthly. Apollo demands higher investment for advanced features, while EmailSearch.io remains limited to basic email discovery. For teams prioritizing enrichment depth and workflow efficiency within existing spreadsheets, Derrick delivers superior value without platform switching or complex configuration overhead.

Is Derrick a better alternative to apollo for teams?

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Derrick is a strong alternative to Apollo for teams prioritizing simplicity and cost efficiency. While Apollo excels at scale with its massive contact database and multi-channel outreach, Derrick operates natively within Google Sheets, eliminating complex setup and CSV exports. Derrick's AI-powered enrichment with Claude and ChatGPT integration, combined with rollover credits and no credit card requirement, makes it ideal for teams seeking streamlined workflows and lower operational overhead. Apollo suits larger sales organizations needing comprehensive CRM features, whereas Derrick fits teams wanting faster implementation and integrated automation without leaving their spreadsheet environment.

How does Derrick compare to EmailSearch.io on automation and enrichment?

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Derrick offers native Google Sheets automation with real-time email validation and fifty-plus enrichment attributes per contact, eliminating the need for external platforms or CSV exports. EmailSearch.io focuses primarily on email discovery with limited enrichment depth, while Derrick combines comprehensive data enrichment with integrated AI capabilities using both Claude and ChatGPT for automated scoring and segmentation. Derrick's rollover credits and no credit card requirement for the free tier provide greater flexibility, and you'll save time by working directly within Google Sheets rather than managing separate tools or manual data transfers.

Derrick vs apollo vs EmailSearch.io: which is best for pricing?

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For pricing, Derrick often presents a more cost-efficient model for teams already using Google Sheets, since Derrick runs 100% natively in Sheets with a free tier and credit rollovers, reducing upfront tooling costs and avoiding expensive platform add-ons. Apollo and EmailSearch.io typically emphasize breadth or speed with their own tiered plans, but Derrick’s pricing scales with credits (Free 200, Small 4000, Medium 10000, Large 25000, XL 100000) and unique savings like no LinkedIn Navigator dependency, which can translate to lower total cost of ownership for ongoing prospecting. If you prioritize a cost-effective, integrated enrichment and real-time email validation directly in Sheets, Derrick often provides a clearer value proposition relative to Apollo’s broader sales intelligence and EmailSearch.io’s single-purpose email discovery.

Could apollo be replaced by Derrick for data enrichment?

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Yes, Derrick can effectively replace Apollo for data enrichment, particularly if your team prioritizes simplicity and cost efficiency. While Apollo excels at scale with its massive contact database, Derrick offers 50+ enrichment attributes per contact with real-time email validation and integrated AI scoring using Claude and ChatGPT. Derrick's native Google Sheets integration eliminates the CSV export workflow that Apollo requires, saving 5-10 hours monthly. For teams seeking granular data enrichment without complex configuration, Derrick's rollover credits and no-credit-card-required free tier provide more flexibility than Apollo's rigid pricing structure, making it ideal for enrichment-focused workflows over high-volume prospecting at scale.

What do reviews say about Derrick's features and pricing vs competitors?

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Reviews consistently praise Derrick for its unique value as a 100% native Google Sheets enrichment platform, with strong emphasis on ease of use, no CSV exports, and substantial time savings (5-10 hours per month). While Apollo highlights a vast contact database and rapid multi-channel outreach, and EmailSearch.io emphasizes speed and affordability for email discovery, Derrick stands out for its integrated AI scoring/segmentation, real-time email validation, 50+ enrichment attributes per contact, and vast Zapier/Make/n8n integrations. Pricing reviews note Derrick’s flexible credit system (with rollover credits) and a free tier that requires no credit card, which many users find more approachable than the upfront or higher-entry costs of Apollo or EmailSearch.io. Overall, reviews position Derrick as a cost-efficient, feature-rich companion to Apollo or EmailSearch.io when deeper enrichment and workflow automation are needed.
Apollo vs EmailSearch.io vs Derrick - Free · 100 credits/mo Apollo vs EmailSearch.io vs Derrick - Derrick is Product of the Day on Product Hunt Try Derrick free →