When I first tried Clay, it felt like the answer.
Pull leads, enrich data, build workflows - no code, just results.
But a few weeks in, I hit a wall.
⚠️ It was slow to set up.
⚠️ Hard to learn.
⚠️ And every new workflow burned through credits fast.
It went from “this is awesome” to “why am I paying so much just to get a list?”
So I did what most people don’t:
I tested 5 other tools myself.
Signed up. Pulled real B2B leads. Checked how accurate the data was.
Measured how fast I could go from filters → to list → to outreach.
If you're in sales, marketing, or just trying to get better leads faster, this blog is for you.
Here's what you're getting:
✅ What Clay does well and where it breaks down
✅ 5 real alternatives I tested (not just listed)
✅ What worked better, what didn’t, and how they compare to Clay
✅ Honest pros, cons, pricing, and who each tool is best for
✅ A simple breakdown to help you pick the right one without wasting time
Let’s get into it.
If you're spending too much time or money on Clay, this blog will help you find a better option.
Let’s begin.
Before testing, I made a short checklist of what really matters for B2B data enrichment.
Clay is powerful—but not always easy. So I looked for tools that could do the job faster, simpler, and with less setup.
Here’s what I checked during testing:
✅ Speed to Set Up: I didn’t want a tool that takes hours to figure out. It should work within minutes, not days.
✅ Lead Enrichment Quality: I looked for clean, updated leads with real job titles, LinkedIn profiles, company size, and more.
✅ Built-in Outreach: Some tools also let you send emails or sync to CRMs. That’s a big win—no switching between tools.
✅ Pricing Transparency: I wanted clear pricing with no surprise costs or hidden limits. Tools that charge per “action” get tricky fast.
✅ Ease of Use: I picked tools that anyone can use, without needing a developer or writing code.
✅ Who It’s Best For: Each tool fits a different type of user. I made sure to note who it’s good for—whether you're doing cold outreach, running an agency, or just starting.
If a tool checked most of these boxes, it made my shortlist.
Let’s break them down one by one.
Clay is powerful, no doubt. It can pull data from dozens of sources, enrich it with APIs, and build advanced lead workflows.
But after using it for a while, I started wondering:
Is there a simpler or faster way to get enriched leads without all the setup?
That’s why I spent a few weeks testing real alternatives. I didn’t just look at features - I signed up, ran lead tests, and tried to build actual outbound flows.
Here’s what I found.
Here's a full side-by-side comparison of how each tool performed against Clay during our testing:
When I started testing tools to replace Clay, Leadsforge was the first one.
I wanted to see if it could give me clean, enriched leads without all the setup Clay needs.
With Clay, I had to build a full workflow just to pull leads and enrich them. It worked, but it took time.
So I signed up for Leadsforge to see if it could do the same thing, faster.
Here’s what happened.
No exporting. No switching tools. It was that simple.
But honestly, if your goal is fast lead generation and outreach, you won’t miss those features.
Starts at $49/month: Everything is included. No complicated credit system or usage tracking like Clay.
If you're short on time and just want quality leads you can use now, Leadsforge is much faster and easier than Clay.
It may not be as flexible, but for sales teams and agencies who care about speed, it’s a huge time-saver.
Let’s move to the next tool: Apollo.io.
After trying Leadsforge, I moved on to test Apollo.io.
It is known to have one of the biggest B2B lead databases out there, so I wanted to see how Apollo.io performs compared to Clay.
Clay lets you build smart workflows and pull data from different tools. But the lead data itself depends on which sources you connect.
With Apollo, the leads are already there. You don’t need extra blocks or APIs.
Discounts are available with annual billing.
Apollo is a good Clay alternative if your main goal is to find a lot of leads fast and run outreach from one place.
If you don’t want to deal with enrichment blocks and API setups, Apollo gives you a complete database and ready-to-use tools.
Let’s look at the next one: Instantly.
After testing Leadsforge and Apollo, I wanted to try something even simpler.
That’s when I tested Instantly B2B.
Instantly is built for one thing: getting leads and sending cold emails fast.
It’s not as complex as Clay, but that’s actually the point.
With Clay, you can do deep enrichment if you connect different tools. But it takes time.
With Instantly, you get verified B2B leads + email sending in the same place—no setup pain.
Pricing is based on the number of leads per month. No free plan available.
If you’re running cold outreach and want speed + simplicity, Instantly is a solid Clay alternative.
It’s not for custom workflows, but if you just need leads + email in one tool, it does the job really well.
Next up, I’ll cover Smartlead.
At one point during testing, I stopped worrying about fancy workflows or multi-source enrichment.
I just wanted my emails to get replies. That’s when I tested Smartlead.
Unlike Clay, which wants you to build things with data, Smartlead felt like it had one clear goal:
Send emails. Don’t land in spam. Do it at scale.
I connected a few inboxes, warmed them up using Smartlead’s AI engine, and launched a small outbound sequence.
And the best part? It worked without me needing to check every 5 minutes.
Pricing is based on the number of leads per month. No free plan available.
If you’re running cold outreach and want better email deliverability, Smartlead is a solid Clay alternative.
It’s not for custom workflows, but if you just need emails to land in the inbox, it does the job really well.
Next up, I’ll cover Clearbit.
By the time I got to Clearbit, I’d already tested tools that focused on finding leads, sending emails, and warming up inboxes.
But Clearbit felt different — it doesn’t try to do everything. It just focuses on one job: enriching your existing leads with solid company data.
I wanted to see if that focus was worth the price, and whether it could replace the enrichment blocks I’d been using inside Clay.
So I connected it to my CRM and let it run. No complicated flows, no browser extensions - it just started filling in the blanks automatically.
Clearbit doesn’t share its pricing publicly.
Based on what I found during research and testing:
Most teams pay somewhere between $12,000 to $24,000 per year, depending on how much data they enrich and which features they use.
If you're using HubSpot, pricing may be bundled or adjusted based on your CRM usage.
The best way to get exact numbers is to request a custom quote or demo directly from their team.
There’s no free plan anymore, and costs can rise quickly if you're enriching large volumes.
If you're part of a RevOps or CRM-heavy sales team, Clearbit is great for keeping lead data clean and current.
But if you want to build workflows, run outreach, or customize how data flows, Clay still gives you more control.
That wraps up the tool testing.
Now, I’ll share how to choose the right one for your team, depending on your goals. Ready?
After testing all five tools, one thing became clear:
No single Clay alternative does everything.
Each one solves a different problem - some are faster, some are cleaner, and some just keep things simple.
So if you’re still stuck on which one to pick, here’s how I’d break it down based on what you need right now.
I’ve laid out the real-world scenarios I faced while testing, and which tool actually worked best in each case.
If you’re just getting started, go for speed and simplicity. If you're scaling, pick based on data control or deliverability priorities.
After trying all five, one thing was clear:
Clay gives you power - but you’ll need time, setup, and a few extra tools to make it all work.
The tools I tested made things simpler:
✅ If you want full control and have the time, Clay still holds up.
🚀 But if you want to move fast and start sending today?
👉 Go with Leadsforge.
It’s the one I’d actually use again - no fluff, no setup headaches, just clean leads and real campaigns that work.
Q1. Is Clay still worth it in 2025?
Yes, but only if you need advanced workflows, multi-source enrichment, or full control over data logic.
If you're just trying to find leads and start outreach fast, there are easier tools.
Q2. Which tool is best for sales teams?
If you're in sales and want to move quickly, Leadsforge and Apollo.io are great.
They both give you ready-to-use leads and outreach tools in one place.
Q3. Can I replace Clay with Leadsforge?
Yes. If you don't need complex workflows, Leadsforge can fully replace Clay — it gives you enriched leads, intent filters, and built-in outreach, all without extra setup.
Q4. What’s the easiest Clay alternative to get started with?
Instantly is the easiest. You can sign up, get leads, warm up your inbox, and launch your first campaign in 15 minutes or less.
Q5. Do these tools support LinkedIn enrichment?
iMost of them do. Leadsforge, Apollo.io, and Instantly all provide LinkedIn profile links with lead data.
Clay also supports LinkedIn enrichment through integrations.