If you're part of a B2B go-to-market team and drowning in lead gen tools, you're not alone. Everyone promises “AI-driven everything” and “pipeline magic.” Spoiler: most of it is overhyped. This review cuts through the fluff and breaks down what ExportApollo.com actually does, how well it works, and who should bother with it. If you’re tired of trialing half-baked software and just want to know if ExportApollo is worth your team's time (and budget), read on.
What Is ExportApollo.com?
Let’s keep it simple. ExportApollo.com is a B2B lead generation platform. You plug in your target criteria, and it spits out company and contact data you can use for outreach. It’s aiming to replace or supplement old-school list vendors, clunky LinkedIn scraping, and all those spreadsheets you’ve patched together.
The big sell: ExportApollo claims to save you hours each week by automating the “hunt” for new prospects, delivering cleaner, more targeted lists, and integrating with your existing tools.
But does it really save time, or just move the grunt work around? Let’s dig in.
Core Features (What You Actually Get)
Here’s what ExportApollo promises—no buzzwords, just straight features:
- Company & Contact Search: Filter by industry, company size, location, job title, and more.
- Data Export: Download lists in CSV or push directly to your CRM (Salesforce, HubSpot, etc.).
- Email Verification: Built-in validation to weed out dead emails before you start blasting.
- Chrome Extension: Scrape leads as you browse LinkedIn or company websites.
- Enrichment: Append extra data fields like tech stack, funding raised, or social links.
- API Access: Pull data into your own workflows if you’re technical.
Pro tip: Most teams only use 2-3 of these features regularly. Don’t get distracted by the kitchen sink—focus on what fits your workflow.
How Does ExportApollo Work? (The Step-by-Step)
If you’re wondering, “Is this going to be another tool that takes a week to learn?”—good news. ExportApollo is pretty straightforward.
1. Define Your Ideal Customer Profile
- Start with clear filters: industry, employee count, geography, technologies used, etc.
- You can layer in things like recent funding or hiring trends if you’re after “hot” companies.
- The filters are pretty granular, but don’t expect magic—bad inputs still give bad outputs.
2. Build and Refine Your Lead List
- ExportApollo shows you matching companies and contacts. You can preview sample data before exporting.
- Use the Chrome extension if you want to grab data while browsing LinkedIn or company websites. It’s not perfect, but works well for small batch prospecting.
3. Verify and Export Data
- Before you hit “export,” ExportApollo runs an email verification check. This isn’t bulletproof (no tool is), but it does catch obvious bounces.
- Download your data as CSV, or push it straight to your CRM if you’ve got the integration set up.
- If you’re technical, you can use the API for more custom workflows.
4. Outreach (On Your Own)
- Note: ExportApollo doesn’t do the actual outreach. You’ll still need your own email tool (think Outreach, Salesloft, or just plain Gmail).
- The idea is you start with better data, so your campaigns waste less time.
What Works Well (And What Doesn’t)
The Good
- Data Quality: Better than most of the “cheap” providers. The email verification catches a lot of bad addresses, so you’re less likely to get flagged as spam.
- Simplicity: The UI is clean. You don’t need an onboarding call. Most reps can get started in under an hour.
- Speed: Lists export quickly, and the Chrome extension doesn’t slow your browser to a crawl.
- Enrichment: Getting things like tech stack or recent funding in your exports is genuinely useful for personalized outreach.
The Not-So-Good
- Coverage: If you’re targeting obscure industries or non-English-speaking markets, the database gets patchy. For mainstream SaaS or US-based B2B, it’s solid.
- Contact Depth: C-level and VP contacts are plentiful. Non-manager roles or technical folks are hit or miss. If you need deep org charts, look elsewhere.
- Integrations: The big-name CRMs are covered, but if you’re using a niche system or want deep workflow automation, you’ll need to get your hands dirty with the API.
- Chrome Extension Bugs: Occasionally, the extension misses data on more complex LinkedIn profiles or company pages. Not a dealbreaker, but frustrating if you rely on it.
Honest Questions to Ask Before Buying
- How accurate is the data for my market?
Try the free trial (if available) and export a small, targeted list. Spot-check emails and company info before going all-in. - Will my team actually use all these features?
Bells and whistles are nice, but most inside sales teams just need clean contacts, basic enrichment, and fast exports. - Does this fit our workflow, or are we adding more tools to the stack?
If you’re already happy with your stack, think twice before adding another login and monthly bill. - How does the cost stack up?
ExportApollo isn’t the cheapest, but you get what you pay for. If budget is tight, you might get by with less-polished, lower-cost tools—but expect to spend more time cleaning lists.
How ExportApollo Compares to the Competition
- Vs. ZoomInfo: ZoomInfo has more data, but it’s way pricier and can be overkill for SMBs or startups. ExportApollo is more lightweight and less bloated.
- Vs. Apollo.io: (Yes, the naming is confusing.) Apollo.io offers an all-in-one platform including outreach. ExportApollo is strictly a data tool. If you want “just the leads,” ExportApollo’s interface is less cluttered.
- Vs. LinkedIn Sales Navigator: Sales Nav is great for research, but exporting data is a pain and violates their TOS. ExportApollo is a lot faster for bulk prospecting.
- Vs. Scraping Tools: Manual scrapers are risky, break often, and can get your LinkedIn account banned. ExportApollo is more reliable and doesn’t require technical know-how.
Bottom line: ExportApollo is for teams who want good data, fast, and don’t need a full-blown sales engagement platform.
Pro Tips for Getting the Most from ExportApollo
- Don’t Buy Huge Lists Upfront: Start with small, hyper-targeted lists. Quality > quantity, always.
- Keep Your CRM Clean: Push data into a test environment or a “prospects” list first. Don’t flood your main CRM with unqualified leads.
- Update Regularly: Don’t buy leads once and forget it. Data decays fast—refresh lists every few months.
- Pair With Good Outreach: Even the best data won’t save you from bad messaging. Use ExportApollo to fuel well-written, relevant campaigns.
Stuff to Ignore
- “AI-Powered” Claims: Every tool says this now. ExportApollo’s AI is mostly matching and deduplication. Don’t expect it to write perfect emails or find leads you’d never think of.
- Unlimited Data Promises: There’s always a cap, even if it’s not obvious. If someone promises unlimited, read the fine print.
- One-Click Campaigns: ExportApollo doesn’t send emails or make calls for you. It’s a data tool, not an all-in-one sales robot.
The Verdict: Is ExportApollo Worth It?
ExportApollo.com is a solid pick for B2B teams that want to build better lists, waste less time cleaning data, and don’t need a full sales automation suite. It won’t magically fix bad targeting or lazy outreach, but it’ll give you a cleaner starting point.
If you’re a one-person shop or your budget is tiny, the price might sting. But for most sales and marketing teams, it’s a justifiable cost—especially if you’re spending hours each week on manual list-building.
Keep it simple: Don’t overthink your stack. Start with what you actually need, test ExportApollo with real targets, and iterate from there. The best tool is the one your team actually uses.