Updated

Lemlist vs Apollo vs Derrick: Which Is Better in 2026?

Short answer
Lemlist vs Apollo vs Derrick: Lemlist is a multichannel cold outreach (email + linkedin + calls), Apollo is a b2b sales intelligence and outreach. 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 Lemlist or Apollo) and pricing is lower - free forever with 100 credits/month, paid plans from €9/month. Most teams pair Derrick for the data layer with Lemlist or Apollo for outreach.

Lemlist is built for sequenced outreach across email + LinkedIn + (sometimes) calls. The hidden cost is enrichment: Lemlist bills you per contact AND per channel. The side-by-side comparison below isolates Lemlist's real cost-per-touched-prospect against Derrick's flat credit-pool model that decouples enrichment from sending.

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

Lemlist vs Apollo vs Derrick at a glance

Lemlist

  • Starting price: $63/seat/mo (annual)
  • Free plan: No (14-day free trial)
  • Founded: 2017
  • HQ: Paris, France
4.6/5 G2 4.5/5 Capterra

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

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 Lemlist and Apollo

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

01

Verified data with real-time validation, without manual checks

Derrick tackles the data quality gap Lemlist and Apollo struggle with by delivering verified data with real-time validation directly inside 100% native Google Sheets, eliminating manual checks. While Lemlist relies on campaign-level data and Apollo emphasizes breadth, neither guarantees on-the-fly verification within your workflow, risking outdated or unverified records. Derrick validates each record in real time as you build and enrich, reducing manual cleanup and boosting deliverability confidence. With 50+ enrichment attributes per contact and instant email verification, teams save time and improve accuracy in one integrated sheet.

02

Scale-ready 3000+ integrations for standout flexibility

Lemist and Apollo offer broad outreach capabilities, but their integration ecosystems can create delays or gaps when scaling to 3000+ connections, limiting flexible data workflows. Derrick delivers scale-ready flexibility by providing 3000+ integrations through Zapier/Make/n8n, enabling seamless, real-time data enrichment inside native Google Sheets. Customers can expect measurable time saved and smoother multi-tool orchestration as Derrick unifies prospecting steps without exporting data or complex setup. For fast, adaptable campaigns, Derrick keeps workflows frictionless with scalable integration coverage and movable credits.

03

Streamlined data quality with real-time cleanup across platforms

Lemlist and Apollo often struggle with real-time data quality across multi-channel workflows, leaving gaps in consistent cleanup when campaigns span platforms. Derrick cleans and standardizes data in real time, unifying across Google Sheets-native workflows and external sources without extra exports. Users gain measurable efficiency: up to 20-35% faster data readiness and improved deliverability due to immediate deduplication, normalization, and validation. A practical use-case: a single Derrick workflow reconciles Google Sheets records with Apollo and Lemlist data on the fly, ensuring clean, actionable prospects without manual cleanup.

Honest Comparison

What each tool does better

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

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.

Lemlist Apollo Derrick
Starting price (monthly) $63/seat/mo (annual) Free / $49 annual or $59 monthly /seat (post-2026 price increase) €0 (free) · €9/mo paid
Annual cost (base) ~€756/yr ~€588/yr €0/yr free · ~€108/yr paid
Free plan? No (14-day free trial) Yes (Free forever) ✓ 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

Lemlist vs Apollo vs Derrick: full feature comparison

Lemlist Derrick App apollo
Works natively in Google Sheets
Requires LinkedIn Sales Navigator ($100/month)
Sales Navigator 1-click import
Email finder with real-time validation
Phone finder from LinkedIn
Company tech stack lookup
SimilarWeb & G2 insights integrated
AI integration (Claude & ChatGPT)
Automatic AI Lead Scoring
Data cleaning & normalization
Multi-platform scraping (Instagram, Twitter, Facebook)
Zapier, Make, n8n integrations
Public API available
Native CRM integrations (HubSpot, Salesforce)
Entry price (paid plan) 39$/mois 9€/mois 59$/mois
Permanent free plan
Rollover credits to next month
Simple and transparent credit system
Simple setup & onboarding
Complete documentation
Pricing in a nutshell

Lemlist vs Apollo vs Derrick pricing breakdown

Migration Guide

How to switch from Lemlist 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 Lemlist, 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 Lemlist if…

  • You specifically need multichannel outbound teams
  • Best multichannel outreach UX
  • Lemwarm = built-in deliverability
  • You're already invested in the Lemlist ecosystem
Read full Lemlist review →

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 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 Lemlist vs Apollo

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 Lemlist difference for outreach teams?

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Derrick differs from Lemlist and Apollo by operating entirely within Google Sheets, eliminating the need for CSV exports or separate platforms. While Lemlist excels at multi-channel email sequencing and Apollo focuses on contact database scale, Derrick prioritizes data enrichment efficiency with fifty-plus attributes per contact and integrated AI scoring using Claude and ChatGPT. For outreach teams already using Sheets, Derrick saves five to ten hours monthly on manual data work, offers rollover credits for flexible monthly spending, and requires no credit card for the free tier, making it ideal for teams seeking enrichment depth without platform switching or complex integrations.

Is Derrick a better alternative to Lemlist for automation?

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Derrick offers a more streamlined automation experience directly within Google Sheets, eliminating the need for CSV exports and complex setup that Lemlist requires. While Lemlist excels at multi-channel sequencing and email campaigns, Derrick focuses on data enrichment and AI-powered lead qualification with integrated Claude and ChatGPT capabilities. For teams prioritizing automation efficiency and native spreadsheet workflows, Derrick reduces manual preprocessing and delivers faster prospecting cycles. The choice depends on whether you need Lemlist's outreach sequencing or Derrick's enrichment-first approach combined with your existing tools.

How does Derrick compare to Apollo for multi-channel outreach?

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Derrick operates natively within Google Sheets, eliminating the need for external platforms or CSV exports that Apollo requires, saving teams five to ten hours monthly. While Apollo excels at contact database scale with 250 million verified profiles, Derrick combines enrichment with integrated AI scoring using both Claude and ChatGPT for deeper prospect qualification. Apollo focuses on volume prospecting, whereas Derrick prioritizes data intelligence and automation directly in your spreadsheet. For teams seeking multi-channel outreach without platform switching, Derrick's native integration with 3000+ tools via Zapier and Make provides more flexibility than Apollo's rigid API structure, particularly for custom workflows and real-time email validation.

What’s the overall pricing difference Derrick vs Lemlist?

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Derrick’s pricing is straightforward and credits-based, with a free tier and scalable options: Free 100 credits, Small 4000 credits for 9€, Medium 10000 credits for 20€, Large 25000 credits for 47.50€, and XL 100000 credits for 175€. Lemlist Pricing typically targets larger outbound teams with multi-channel campaigns and add-ons, often resulting in higher total costs as you scale. Overall, Derrick tends to be more cost-controllable for Google Sheets–native workflows, while Lemlist can cost more at scale due to its multi-channel feature set; consider your volume and required channels to compare accurately.

Which is the better review: Derrick or Apollo for data enrichment?

+
Both Derrick and Apollo excel at data enrichment but serve different prospecting needs. Apollo's strength lies in its massive 250+ million contact database and real-time verification for high-volume outreach, making it ideal for teams prioritizing speed and scale. Derrick, however, operates natively within Google Sheets without requiring CSV exports or complex integrations, delivering 50+ enrichment attributes while saving 5-10 hours monthly. Derrick's rollover credits, integrated AI scoring with Claude and ChatGPT, and no credit card requirement for the free tier provide greater flexibility for teams with variable enrichment needs. Choose Apollo for database breadth or Derrick for seamless workflow efficiency and cost-effective enrichment directly in your existing spreadsheets.

Can Derrick replace both Lemlist and Apollo in a workflow?

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Derrick cannot fully replace both Lemlist and Apollo in every workflow, but it can cover core data enrichment and AI-powered scoring needs while complementing those tools. Lemlist excels at multi-channel outreach and personalization across email, LinkedIn, and more, while Apollo provides a vast, verified contact database and outreach capabilities. Derrick shines with native Google Sheets integration, real-time email validation, AI-driven segmentation, and broad automation via 3,000+ integrations, plus cost-efficient credits and no credit card required for the free tier. In practice, most teams use Derrick alongside Lemlist or Apollo to fill gaps in data quality, enrichment depth, or multi-channel sequencing, rather than relying on Derrick alone for end-to-end outreach or contact discovery.
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