Salesloft vs Apollo (2026) Compared
Salesloft is a dedicated sales engagement platform built for enterprise sales teams. Apollo bundles a contact database with engagement features at a fraction of the price. The question is whether Apollo's good-enough engagement tools beat Salesloft's depth.
The Short Version
Salesloft is the better choice for enterprise sales teams with 50+ reps that need advanced cadence management, coaching workflows, and deep CRM integration. Apollo is the smarter pick for growth-stage companies that want prospecting data and sales engagement in one tool without enterprise pricing. The overlap is real but the focus is different: Salesloft optimizes how reps sell; Apollo gives reps the data and tools to start selling.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Salesloft | Apollo.io |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $75-125/user/mo (estimated) | Free – $119/user/mo |
| Contract | Annual required | Monthly available |
| Contact Database | None included | 275M+ contacts |
| Email Sequences | Advanced cadence engine | Multi-step sequences |
| Dialer | Built-in with coaching features | Built-in basic dialer |
| Conversation Intelligence | Built-in (post-Drift acquisition) | Not available |
| CRM Integration Depth | Deep (Salesforce bi-directional sync) | Standard integration |
| Analytics & Coaching | Advanced rep performance dashboards | Basic engagement analytics |
| Job Demand | 43 postings | 37 postings |
| Best For | Enterprise sales teams | Growth-stage all-in-one |
| The Big Risk | Paying for engagement without data | Engagement features lack depth |
Deep Dive: Salesloft
What They're Selling
Salesloft is a purpose-built sales engagement platform. Cadences, calls, emails, social touches, analytics, and now conversation intelligence (after acquiring Drift). It's designed for sales leaders who want to standardize how their team sells, measure rep performance, and optimize outbound at scale.
What It Actually Costs
Salesloft doesn't publish pricing, but market reports put it at $75-150/user/month depending on tier and team size. Annual contracts are standard. Enterprise deals with 100+ seats can negotiate better per-seat rates. You still need a separate data provider (ZoomInfo, Apollo, etc.) because Salesloft doesn't include a contact database. Total cost with data: $150-300/user/month.
What Users Say
Sales managers love the analytics and coaching capabilities. Reps appreciate the cadence engine once they're trained on it. Frustrations include the learning curve, occasional sync issues with Salesforce, and the fact that you need a separate data source. The Drift acquisition added conversation intelligence but also added complexity.
Pros
- Best-in-class cadence management and workflow engine
- Advanced analytics for rep coaching and pipeline management
- Deep Salesforce integration with bi-directional sync
- Conversation intelligence (post-Drift acquisition)
Cons
- No contact database included (requires a separate data provider)
- Pricing is opaque and enterprise-level
- Annual contracts with limited flexibility
- Learning curve is steeper than simpler tools
Deep Dive: Apollo.io
What They're Selling
Apollo bundles what Salesloft does (sequences, dialer, analytics) with what ZoomInfo does (contact database) at a price that undercuts both. The pitch: why pay for two tools when one does both? For growth-stage companies, that's compelling. The trade-off is depth. Apollo's engagement features are functional but not as sophisticated as Salesloft's.
What It Actually Costs
Free tier with 250 emails/day. Basic at $49/user/mo. Professional at $79/user/mo. Organization at $119/user/mo. Monthly billing available. The data and engagement tools are included in every tier, not sold as separate add-ons. A 20-person team on Professional costs about $19,000/year. The same team on Salesloft (without data) would spend $18,000-36,000/year, plus $15,000-50,000+ for ZoomInfo.
What Users Say
Users love the value proposition and the fact that data + engagement lives in one platform. The sequences are good enough for most outbound motions. Complaints: email deliverability can be inconsistent, the dialer is basic compared to Salesloft's, and analytics lack the coaching depth that sales managers want.
Pros
- Contact database included (275M+ contacts)
- All-in-one: no separate data provider needed
- Transparent pricing with a free tier
- Monthly billing option reduces commitment risk
Cons
- Engagement features less sophisticated than Salesloft
- No conversation intelligence or coaching dashboards
- Dialer is functional but basic
- CRM integration is standard, not deep
Which Should You Pick?
The Honest Take
Salesloft is the better sales engagement platform. Apollo is the better value proposition. For companies choosing between them, the decision usually comes down to maturity: teams that have outgrown DIY outbound and need process standardization should lean Salesloft. Teams still building their outbound motion and watching costs should lean Apollo. Don't buy Salesloft until you have the sales ops infrastructure to actually use its advanced features.
Questions to Ask Before Buying
- Do you already have a contact data provider, or do you need data included?
- How many sales reps will use the platform daily?
- Do your sales managers need coaching and analytics dashboards?
- What's your annual budget per rep for sales tools?
- How important is cadence standardization across your team?
- Do you need conversation intelligence (call recording, analysis)?
- What CRM do you use, and how deep does the integration need to be?
- Are you willing to commit to an annual contract, or do you need monthly flexibility?
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Apollo have the same features as Salesloft?
Apollo covers the basics: email sequences, a dialer, task management, and engagement tracking. It doesn't match Salesloft's depth in cadence management, rep coaching, analytics, or conversation intelligence. Think of Apollo as 70% of Salesloft's engagement features plus a contact database.
Can I use Apollo and Salesloft together?
Some teams do. They use Apollo for prospecting and data, then push qualified contacts into Salesloft for structured cadences. This adds cost but combines Apollo's data with Salesloft's engagement depth.
How do Salesloft and Apollo compare on deliverability?
Salesloft has more mature email deliverability infrastructure, including dedicated IP warming and domain health monitoring. Apollo's deliverability is adequate but less configurable. For high-volume outbound (1,000+ emails/day per rep), Salesloft provides more control.
Which tool has more job market demand?
They're close. Our data shows 43 job postings mentioning Salesloft and 37 mentioning Apollo. Salesloft has been in the market longer, but Apollo's presence is growing fast.