Clay Alternatives in 2025: AI Platforms Transforming Outbound Sales

Introduction

Clay is a data enrichment and workflow automation tool for outbound prospecting. It helps teams build highly personalized lead lists at scale instead of slogging through manual research. But as we head into 2025, B2B sales leaders are asking hard questions: Who are Clay’s competitors, and what are the best alternatives to Clay? Is Clay worth the price compared to those competitors, or could another platform better boost our outbound results?

For sales leaders, choosing the right prospecting platform is a strategic decision. Clay offers a flexible “build-your-own” approach to data gathering and email enrichment, but it isn’t the only game in town. In fact, new AI sales platforms are emerging that promise to transform outbound sales workflows – often addressing some of Clay’s limitations (like cost scaling and outreach execution). This comparison guide will break down Clay’s capabilities and top Clay alternatives in 2025, so you can make an informed decision. We’ll cover how Clay stacks up vs competitors like Apollo and ZoomInfo, and explore other AI-driven tools (Martal, Warmly, Persana, etc.) that are redefining outbound prospecting. Let’s dive in with a quick look at Clay itself – what it does well and why many sales teams are seeking alternatives.

Clay Data Enrichment: Uses, Alternatives, and Limitations

In B2B sales and marketing, the quality of your lead data can make or break your outreach. That’s why data enrichment tools have become essential – they fill in missing details about prospects so you can personalize your pitch. One platform getting a lot of buzz in this space is Clay. Clay promises to combine dozens of data sources and AI workflows in one place to supercharge prospecting. It’s been called “one of the most hyped no-code platforms in the GTM space” for its ability to enrich contacts, generate AI-written intros, and push everything straight into your CRM (7). But is Clay right for everyone? In this blog, we’ll break down what Clay is used for, which other tools offer similar capabilities, and where Clay falls short (and how competitors address those gaps). Let’s dive in.

What is Clay used for, and what other tools do the same?

Clay is a data automation and enrichment platform used by sales and marketing teams to find and qualify leads faster. In practice, Clay works like a turbocharged spreadsheet that can automatically pull in information from a huge range of sources. With Clay, you can enrich a list of companies or contacts with details like emails, job titles, company tech stack, recent news, and more – all without manual research (4). Its strength lies in aggregating data from over 150 providers into one interface (1). For example, Clay can take a company name and find its website domain, then fetch employee details and even use AI (via “Claygent”) to draft personalized intro emails (4) (1). In short, Clay is used to automate prospect research and build rich lead profiles that would otherwise require juggling many different tools.

Other tools can accomplish pieces of this as well. Traditional contact databases like ZoomInfo and Apollo offer vast troves of company and person data, which you can query to find prospects. (For instance, Apollo’s B2B database contains over 265 million contacts (5), and ZoomInfo’s holds around 260 million (6).) These platforms similarly let you enrich records with emails, phone numbers, and firmographics. Meanwhile, email finder tools (like Hunter.io or Dropcontact) specialize in discovering and verifying emails for given names or domains – a capability Clay also provides through its integrations. And on the workflow side, sales engagement tools like Outreach or Salesloft can automate email sequences akin to Clay’s outreach features. What sets Clay apart is that it attempts to bundle all of these functions (data enrichment, lead sourcing, AI personalization, and multi-step automation) into one no-code platform (7). Few single tools do the exact same thing end-to-end; instead, teams often combine a data provider (e.g. Clearbit) with separate outreach and AI tools to replicate Clay’s all-in-one approach.

What are Clay’s limitations, and how do competitors address them?

Clay’s power and flexibility come with some trade-offs that have many teams seeking alternatives. One major limitation is complexity. New users often find that Clay has a steep learning curve – in fact, the company offers a whole “Clay University” of lessons just to onboard users (7). You’re dropped into a blank spreadsheet-like interface and expected to configure APIs, write AI prompts, and build multi-step flows from scratch. For teams without a dedicated RevOps specialist, Clay can feel “incredibly complex to set up and use,” as some users have noted (8). Competitors address this by focusing on ease-of-use. For example, Freckle markets itself as “Clay without the learning curve,” providing simpler, template-based AI sales agents out-of-the-box (7). Similarly, Clay’s interface is designed to feel more like a familiar workspace (think Notion or Airtable) so that new workflows can be built in 15 minutes without specialist help (7).

Another limitation is Clay’s pricing model and resource limits. Clay runs on a credit system, which many teams find restrictive. The Free plan includes only 100 credits per month – enough for perhaps a couple of small enrichment tasks (7). The entry paid tier (~$139–$149/month) historically provided a few thousand credits (e.g. 5,000 credits) (7), which power users often burn through quickly if they’re enriching large lead lists or leveraging AI heavily. Mistakenly configuring a workflow can chew up credits and budget unexpectedly (7). In response, some competitors have adopted more generous or predictable pricing. For instance, Omnimind’s trial gives 1,000 credits free and its paid plans offer roughly double the credits for the same price as Clay’s plans (7). Freckle takes a simpler approach by charging one credit per action (no complicated quotas) and even its free tier offers 500 credits with unlimited users (7). This way, teams have a clearer sense of cost and can experiment without as much fear of overruns.

Clay can also be overkill for smaller teams or simpler use cases. It’s built as a comprehensive growth automation system – great if you need multi-step enrichment plus AI writing plus CRM syncing, all at once. But if your main goal is just to find emails or update CRM data, Clay might be more complex (and costly) than you need (7). Many competitors address this by specializing in one area. For example, instead of a heavy platform, a team might use a lean tool like LeadIQ just to grab contact info from LinkedIn, or rely on Clearbit (now part of HubSpot) purely for real-time data enrichment via API (7). These focused solutions “just work” for their specific purpose, with less setup overhead than Clay’s do-it-all system (7). In short, Clay’s all-in-one nature is a double-edged sword: it’s incredibly powerful, but introduces complexity, potential bugs, and integration hiccups that nimble competitors are trying to smooth out (7). Each of Clay’s pain points – learning curve, credits, over-complexity – is something alternative tools target by being more user-friendly, cost-transparent, or purpose-built.

Which software tools are most similar to Clay?

When it comes to full-service alternatives that emulate Clay’s breadth of features, there are really a couple of standout options. In fact, industry observers note that as of 2025, “only two platforms actually come close to offering the full Clay experience.” (7) Those two are Omnimind and Freckle.

• Martal AI SDR Platform – While not always grouped with pure software tools, Martal’s AI SDR Platform is a compelling alternative that blends the automation and data capabilities of Clay with hands-on execution. Built by a B2B sales outsourcing firm, Martal’s platform comes pre-loaded with a rich contact database and intent signals, then layers AI-driven personalization, omnichannel outreach, and live SDR support on top. In effect, it replaces the need to stitch together multiple tools (enrichment + sequencing + calling) by packaging them into one managed system. Unlike Clay, Martal delivers both the technology and execution, reducing the burden on internal teams to configure, optimize, and run campaigns. This hybrid model is especially attractive for organizations that appreciate Clay’s vision but want quicker ramp time and less maintenance overhead.
  
• Omnimind – Omnimind (with its “Omnitable” interface) is often considered the closest competitor to Clay (7). Like Clay, it’s a no-code platform for data enrichment, AI-driven research, and outreach automation. Teams can pull in lead intelligence from many sources, then use built-in AI to generate summaries or personalized intro lines, and finally push results to sales tools – very much Clay’s core use case (7). Omnimind’s key selling points are a more user-friendly workflow (pre-built AI actions so you don’t have to prompt engineer everything) and transparent pricing (more credits for the price, no surprise overages) (7). Essentially, it aims to deliver Clay-like power with less “friction and steep learning curve” (7).
  
• Freckle (Freckle.io) – Freckle is another tool explicitly positioned as a Clay alternative focused on simplicity and speed. It provides a set of straightforward AI agents and templates for common tasks – for example, you can just tell it to “find LinkedIn URLs” or “fill missing emails,” and it will execute that without dozens of settings to configure (7). Freckle handles data enrichment, cleanup, and basic research in one platform, much like Clay, but tries to remove the complexity tax. Notably, Freckle advertises itself as “Clay without the learning curve” for go-to-market teams. It also bundles in many integrations and data sources natively, so users don’t need separate subscriptions for enrichment APIs – a criticism some have of Clay (7). For small teams that felt Clay was “flying a plane when all you needed was a scooter,” Freckle offers a more no-nonsense approach (7).

Beyond those, no single tool replicates every capability of Clay at scale . Many solutions specialize in data (e.g. ZoomInfo, Lusha), others specialize in outreach (e.g. Outreach, Salesloft), and few merge both with depth. Omnimind and Freckle are among the rare ones trying to be comprehensive, while Martal offers a practical twist: everything-as-a-service, meaning less internal friction.

Top Clay Alternatives (2025 Edition)

In 2025, several platforms have emerged as strong alternatives to Clay, offering a range of AI-driven and sales engagement capabilities. These tools help B2B teams automate prospecting, manage outreach, and access large contact databases.

Here’s a quick look at different platforms, allowing you to compare features and explore the top Clay alternatives:

1. Martal Group – AI SDR Platform for Autonomous Outbound Sales

Overview: Martal Group’s AI SDR Platform is a standout Clay alternative that aims to replace the 10–12 different tools an SDR uses daily with one unified system. Martal is an established B2B sales outsourcing firm that built its own all-in-one AI platform to turbocharge outbound lead generation. The result is a database-driven, omnichannel lead generation automation platform that can offload up to 80% of your SDRs’ manual work (2). 

Unlike Clay – which you operate yourself – Martal’s solution comes as a service: when you sign on, you get the AI platform and Martal’s team of fractional SDRs who run it for you (2). In other words, Martal delivers a combination of software and human expertise, functioning as an “autonomous SDR department” that generates leads and qualified appointments on your behalf.

Key Features:

• Massive Contact Database with Intent Signals: Martal’s platform comes pre-loaded with over 220 million B2B contacts and 10+ million intent signals (e.g. technographic and buying intent data) (2). You don’t need to plug in external data providers – it continuously updates and verifies contacts (email, phone, etc.) automatically. The system monitors triggers like funding events, job changes, new technologies in use, and web visits to find prospects who match your ICP and show buying signals (2). This data engine ensures campaigns focus on high-fit, “in-market” prospects rather than static lists.
  
• AI-Driven Multichannel Outreach: Martal deploys AI sales agents that engage prospects across email, LinkedIn, and phone in coordinated cadences (3). For example, the platform might send a personalized email, then follow up with a LinkedIn message if there’s no reply, and later cue a phone call task for a human SDR (2). Everything is synchronized to maximize touches without overloading any one channel. (Notably, Clay by itself doesn’t execute sequences – Martal covers that by integrating automation with live calling). Martal’s inclusion of phone outreach is a differentiator – by comparison, Warmly’s software focuses on email/LinkedIn and has no call capability or human callers on staff (2).
  
• Generative AI Personalization: The platform uses AI to research each prospect and craft tailored messages. It might pull a prospect’s recent blog quote or a news mention of their company and insert it into an email opener (2). It also adjusts tone and pain points based on persona (e.g. a CFO vs a Marketing Director). Martal’s team oversees these AI-generated drafts to ensure quality and brand voice (2). This hyper-personalization at scale dramatically boosts reply rates – Martal reports AI-driven personalization can lift engagement by up to 40% in outreach (2).
  
• Automated Workflows & CRM Integration: All the busy-work SDRs normally do is handled behind the scenes. Martal’s platform automates email follow-ups, meeting reminders, and CRM updates. Every touchpoint is logged automatically in your CRM, so your internal salespeople see a complete activity trail without doing data entry (2). The system also manages technical steps like email domain warming and inbox rotation to protect deliverability. Essentially, Martal runs the entire outbound sequence for you – your sales team just shows up to the meetings booked with interested prospects.
  
• Deliverability and Compliance: Because Martal operates the campaigns, they include advanced deliverability management (automated email warming, sender rotation, etc.) and ensure compliance with GDPR, CAN-SPAM, etc. Martal is SOC II compliant and bakes in privacy safeguards, so you can confidently scale outreach without legal risk (2). Many self-serve tools leave this up to the user; Martal provides it as a done-for-you feature.
  
• “Sales Team as a Service”: Perhaps Martal’s biggest difference from other Clay alternatives is the human layer. When you partner with Martal, you get a dedicated SDR team on-demand who are experienced in your industry (2). They configure the AI to your targeting specs, write messaging tailored to your value proposition, and even hop on calls when a human touch is needed (e.g. a warm lead needs a qualification call) (2). This hybrid approach – AI doing heavy lifting and humans handling nuanced conversations – leads to impressive results. Martal’s clients see 4–7× higher campaign conversions (responses and meetings) compared to traditional outbound efforts (2). For companies without in-house SDR capacity, Martal essentially becomes your outsourced SDR and sales development arm, powered by cutting-edge AI.
  

Ideal For: Martal’s solution is ideal for B2B companies that want outbound prospecting on autopilot, especially if you lack a large SDR team or need to ramp pipeline quickly. Busy sales leaders who don’t have the bandwidth to train staff on complex tools like Clay will appreciate Martal’s “handled for you” model. It’s a strong fit for tech startups and SMBs looking to book more sales meetings without hiring internally, as well as larger firms that want to augment their team with an AI-driven outbound engine. Because Martal provides both the platform and the service, it works well for those who want results (qualified leads and appointments) rather than just software.

Shortcomings vs. Martal’s Approach: What limitations does Martal address that pure software tools have? One is the integration of phone calls and human touch – alternatives like Clay, Apollo, or Warmly are software-only and stop short of actually picking up the phone to call a prospect. Martal covers that gap by blending automation with real SDR outreach (voice conversations) (2).

Another is the learning curve and effort: Martal’s team handles the strategy and execution, whereas with DIY platforms you might need dedicated ops resources to fully leverage them. The trade-off is Martal is a comprehensive service (pricing is customized, typically a managed-service fee), so it’s not a simple plug-and-play app you control directly. Organizations that prefer full control over every step might still opt for a tool like Clay – but many find Martal’s hands-off model a welcome relief. In essence, Martal addresses Clay’s pain points by offering end-to-end outbound campaign execution. The cost is justified by outcomes (pipeline generated) rather than software usage. If you’re evaluating Clay alternatives because you want a more predictable pipeline with less hassle, Martal Group’s AI SDR platform is a compelling first option.

2. Apollo.io – All-in-One Sales Intelligence & Engagement

Overview: Apollo.io combines a large B2B contact database with built-in outreach features like sequencing and dialing. It centralizes prospecting into one tool, which can simplify workflows compared to Clay. However, it remains self-service software — teams still handle filtering, writing, and managing campaigns.

Key Features:

• Database: Broad coverage of contacts and companies, though accuracy sometimes requires double-checking.
• Engagement Suite: Email and call sequencing tools, but less advanced than specialized outreach platforms.
• Chrome Extension & CRM Sync: Capture and push contacts into LinkedIn or CRMs.
• Pricing: Freemium with predictable per-user plans, though credits can limit heavy users.
  

Ideal For: Small to mid-sized teams that want contact data and basic outreach tools in one place, provided they can manage personalization and follow-ups internally.

3. Warmly – Intent-Driven Outbound Prospecting

Overview: Warmly emphasizes engaging prospects already showing buying intent, such as visiting a site or interacting on social platforms. This makes it strong at capitalizing on interest in real time. Its limitation is outbound breadth — it is less effective in markets where inbound traffic is low, since it does not generate demand on its own.

Key Features:

• Intent Tracking: Monitors over 50 digital signals to identify active buyers.
• Automated Outreach: AI-triggered sequences across email, LinkedIn, and chat.
• Chatbot: Always-on lead engagement for qualifying and booking.
• Database Access: Built-in database for outbound, though intent remains the core strength.
  

Ideal For: Teams with steady inbound activity or ABM programs that want to act quickly on warm signals, but still need sales staff to close the loop.

4. Persana AI – Signal-Powered AI SDR

Overview: Persana AI automates prospecting through an AI agent that identifies, enriches, and contacts leads. It combines a large aggregated database with multi-signal intent data. While it reduces manual work compared to Clay, the system requires upfront tuning and ongoing guidance to deliver consistent results.

Key Features:

• Database: Pulls from 100+ sources to increase accuracy and match rates.
• AI Matching: Goes beyond filters by semantically matching to ICPs.
• Autonomous Outreach: Runs cadences across multiple channels, adapting based on responses.
• Pricing: Credit-based usage with no per-seat fees, but effective use depends on training the AI.

Ideal For: Teams with limited SDR capacity that want automation to run prospecting at scale, as long as they can invest time in refining and managing the AI.

5. ZoomInfo SalesOS – Enterprise Data Intelligence

Overview: ZoomInfo offers one of the largest B2B contact and company databases, with built-in enrichment and intent data. Its scale and convenience make it a frequent choice for large teams. The trade-off is cost and rigidity — annual contracts, seat-based pricing, and less flexibility for smaller or agile teams.

Key Features:

• Database: Extensive, verified contacts with org charts and firmographics.
• Intent Signals & Insights: Buying intent data and company news to guide outreach.
• Add-Ons: Engagement, dialer, and analytics modules available separately.

Ideal For: Mid-market and enterprise sales teams that prioritize breadth and reliability of data and have resources to operationalize it.

Conclusion: Transforming Outbound Sales with the Right Platform

Choosing an outbound sales platform in 2025 comes down to aligning the tool (or service) with your team’s strategy and resources. Clay opened the door for many by showing how data enrichment and AI can personalize outreach at scale. Its alternatives have built on those ideas in different ways – whether it’s Apollo streamlining the whole process in one app, Warmly leveraging real-time intent, Persana pushing the envelope with autonomous AI agents, or ZoomInfo doubling down on data quality.

For sales leaders, the goal isn’t just to adopt flashy technology – it’s to consistently fill the sales pipeline with qualified prospects and meetings. That’s where Martal Group’s approach stands out. By combining a powerful AI-driven platform with a seasoned outbound SDR team, Martal addresses both the technology and execution needed for outbound success. It’s a solution tailored for VP Sales or CEOs who want results without worrying about managing another software tool or training new reps. With Martal, you gain capabilities like AI-powered email, LinkedIn, and call outreach across thousands of accounts, fueled by a rich contact database and intent signals – all operated by experts who know how to engage your ideal buyers (2).

In an environment where pipeline targets are aggressive and sales cycles are cautious, leveraging AI platforms for outbound sales can be the edge you need. Whether you opt for a do-it-yourself tool like Clay or Apollo, or a done-with-you service like Martal, the key is to ensure you’re not leaving potential deals on the table due to slow, manual prospecting. Automation, data, and AI are transforming how we do outbound – those who embrace it are seeing more meetings, more touches, and ultimately more revenue.

Ready to elevate your outbound results? Consider tapping into Martal’s AI SDR platform and B2B sales expertise. Martal offers services ranging from B2B appointment setting (so your calendar stays full of sales meetings) to omnichannel cold outreach (targeted email, LinkedIn, and calling campaigns) – all powered by their proprietary AI engine and 15+ years of sales know-how. Instead of juggling tools or worrying about deliverability and data, you can have a dedicated team doing it for you, using a platform that’s optimized to connect with the right prospects at the right time. The end game is simple: more qualified leads and appointments with your ideal customers, without the usual grunt work on your side.

🚀 If that vision appeals to you, let’s chat. Book a free consultation with Martal Group to see how an AI-backed SDR team can plug into your organization and start driving growth (2). There’s no obligation – just an opportunity to explore a modern, efficient way of doing outbound sales. The landscape of prospecting is changing rapidly; with the right partner and platform, you can stay ahead of the curve and turn outbound into a predictable revenue engine for 2025 and beyond. Contact Martal today and turn your outbound into a high-performance machine. Good luck, and good selling!

References

1. Clay
2. Martal AI SDR Platform
3. Martal AI Sales Agent
4. Drop Contact
5. Apollo
6. Warmly
7. OmniMind
8. Reddit