Quarvio vs Apollo.io: honest comparison for cold email list buyers
Apollo charges ~$202 true cost for 5,000 contacts once you factor in the 30% bounce rate and re-verification fees.
TL;DR — 5 things to know
- •Apollo.io charges ~$202 for 5,000 contacts vs Quarvio’s $129 — you save 36%
- •Bounce rate: ~30% on exported lists
- •Refund policy: Only via Apollo sequencer - not on exports
- •Catch-all charges: Full 1 credit charged same as verified
- •Pre-verified before delivery - no re-verification cost
Our take
Apollo.io is the market leader in sales intelligence for a reason: the combination of database depth, Chrome extension, built-in sequencing, and CRM creates a true all-in-one outbound platform. A single SDR can research prospects, build sequences, send campaigns, and track replies without leaving the tool.
The problem for teams exporting to their own sending tools is the true cost. Apollo counts catch-all addresses the same as verified contacts — one credit each — and its bounce guarantee only applies if you send through Apollo's sequencer. If you export to Instantly or Smartlead, the 20-30% bounce rate from unverified catch-alls is your cost to absorb, making the effective price per clean contact significantly higher than the credit price suggests.
Price comparison
Professional $99 + $25 add-on, /0.70 yield
Professional $99 + $180 add-on, /0.70 yield
Professional $99 + $800 add-on, /0.70 yield
Professional $99 + $800 add-on, /0.70 yield
Quarvio: one-time purchase, valid 12 months, pre-verified before delivery. Apollo.io pricing verified against their live pricing page, 2026.
Feature comparison
Where Quarvio wins
- ✓Pre-verified before delivery - no re-verification cost
- ✓36-72% cheaper at equivalent volumes on true cost basis
- ✓One-time purchase valid 12 months vs monthly recurring
- ✓90%+ deliverability guaranteed - credit back if not met
- ✓No seat limits - one order covers your whole team
- ✓Bounce refund only works via Apollo's own sequencer - not on exported lists
Where Apollo.io wins
- ✓Built-in email sequencing and CRM - no separate sending tool needed
- ✓275M+ contact database with 65+ search filters including intent signals
- ✓Chrome extension for real-time LinkedIn prospecting
- ✓Large, active user community and integrations ecosystem
Key facts about Apollo.io
Source: MarketBetter, Amplemarket, Reddit r/coldemail - independent benchmarks
Source: Apollo's own Email Status Overview documentation
Source: Apollo's own Email Status Overview documentation
Source: Apollo pricing page, verified June 2026
“Spent 3 months on Apollo exporting to Instantly. The bounce rate was killing my domain reputation. Finally realized Apollo catch-alls count as 'verified' for billing purposes but don't pass Instantly's deliverability checks. The math just doesn't work for bulk exports.”
— u/outboundoperator · r/coldemail · 312 upvotes
Verdict: cold email list buyers
If you need a full outbound platform with built-in sequencing, CRM, and intent data, Apollo wins. If you need a clean, verified contact list to import into your own sending tool (Instantly, Smartlead, etc.), Quarvio is significantly cheaper and delivers pre-verified contacts.
Frequently asked questions
Is Apollo.io good for bulk contact list exports?
Apollo works well for individual prospecting and CRM enrichment, but the economics shift for bulk exports. Catch-all addresses consume the same credits as verified contacts, and Apollo's bounce guarantee does not apply to exported lists — it only covers bounces if you send through Apollo's own sequencer. At export scale, the effective cost per clean, sendable contact is higher than the listed credit price.
What is Apollo.io's bounce rate on exported lists?
Independent benchmarks and community reports consistently put Apollo's exported list bounce rate at 20-30%. This comes largely from catch-all addresses that show as 'verified' in Apollo but bounce when sent to. The issue is documented in Apollo's own Email Status Overview, which notes catch-alls are charged the same as verified contacts.
How does Apollo.io pricing work for teams?
Apollo's Professional plan starts at $99/month per seat and includes 120 credits/month. Additional credits are purchased as add-ons. For bulk list building, this per-seat model becomes expensive quickly — getting 25,000 verified contacts requires substantial credit purchases on top of the base subscription.
Does Apollo.io work outside the US?
Apollo has 275M+ contacts globally and covers US, UK, Europe, and Asia-Pacific markets reasonably well. Coverage is strongest in North America and English-speaking markets. GCC and South Asian markets have thinner coverage compared to India-specific or GCC-focused databases.
Can I use Apollo.io contact lists in Instantly or Smartlead?
Yes, Apollo lists can be exported as CSV and imported into any cold email sending tool. The key caveat: Apollo's bounce refund policy does not cover exported lists, only emails sent through Apollo's own sequencer. If you export to Instantly or Smartlead and get high bounce rates from catch-all contacts, Apollo will not credit those bounces.
Switch from Apollo.io today
Verified B2B contacts from $129 for 5,000. One-time purchase, 12 months valid, 90%+ deliverability guaranteed. No subscription, no seat limits.