# PhantomBuster vs Apify

Source: https://nachonacho.com/compare/phantombuster-vs-apify

Use PhantomBuster if your main job is finding, enriching, and contacting leads through ready-made workflows; use Apify if you need a wider range of web-data tools or want to build your own scrapers. PhantomBuster emphasizes prospecting across major networks, while Apify offers ready-to-run Actors alongside tools for developing custom ones.

## At a glance

| | PhantomBuster | Apify |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Primary focus | Lead prospecting and outreach | Web-data tools and custom automation |
| Automation model | Prebuilt Phantoms and Workflows | Store Actors and custom Actors |
| Data sources | 15+ platforms, including LinkedIn | Websites and Actor-specific sources |
| Custom development | No-code workflows | Custom Actors with Docker support |
| Paid starting price | $56/month, billed annually | $19/month plus pay-as-you-go usage |
| Free entry | Free trial; 2 execution hours | Free plan; $5 monthly usage credit |
| Starting paid-plan limits | 20 execution hours/month; 5 slots | $19 usage credit; 32 concurrent runs |
| Integrations | CRMs, Zapier, Make, and n8n | Zapier, Make, n8n, and webhooks |
| API access | Phantom API on paid plans | REST API for platform operations |
| Deployment | Cloud-run Phantoms and Workflows | Cloud-run Actors in Docker containers |
| Exports | 10-row trial limit; unlimited on paid plans | Dataset exports in CSV, JSON, and more |
| Support | Community access listed on all plans | Community on Free; chat on Starter |

## Which to choose

### Choose PhantomBuster if

- Sales teams automating LinkedIn prospecting and outreach
- Teams that want ready-made lead-enrichment workflows
- Buyers planning around monthly execution hours and automation slots
- Teams syncing prospect data with HubSpot, Salesforce, or Pipedrive

### Choose Apify if

- Developers building custom scraping or automation tools
- Teams crawling websites or collecting data across varied sources
- Buyers who want to choose from ready-to-run Actors
- Teams planning around usage credits and pay-as-you-go costs

## Verdict

Pick PhantomBuster when LinkedIn outreach and CRM-ready lead workflows are the deciding factor. Pick Apify when custom scraping, website crawling, or control over the code running your automation matters more. Their prices measure different resources: PhantomBuster plans allot execution time and automation slots, while Apify plans include usage credit and charge for additional use.

## Questions

### Which should I choose for LinkedIn lead generation?

PhantomBuster is the more direct fit if you want ready-made LinkedIn prospecting, enrichment, and outreach workflows. Apify is an option when LinkedIn data collection is part of a broader web-data workflow.

### Can I build my own scraper with either product?

Apify publishes tools for building custom Actors, including Docker support and a local development workflow. PhantomBuster presents its product around prebuilt Phantoms and no-code Workflows.

### How do their starting prices compare?

PhantomBuster lists Start at $56 per month when billed annually. Apify lists Starter at $19 per month plus pay-as-you-go usage, with $19 in included usage credit. These prices cover different kinds of capacity.

### Can I try PhantomBuster and Apify for free?

PhantomBuster lists a free trial with two execution hours and exports limited to 10 rows. Apify lists an ongoing Free plan with $5 in monthly usage credit.

### What happens when I use up the included capacity?

PhantomBuster says automations pause when monthly execution time runs out, without automatic overage charges. Apify's paid plans allow pay-as-you-go usage beyond their included credit, subject to platform limits.

### Do both products connect to other tools?

Yes. PhantomBuster lists CRM integrations including HubSpot, Salesforce, and Pipedrive, plus Zapier, Make, and n8n. Apify lists Zapier, Make, n8n, webhooks, and an API.

### Can I run automations through an API?

PhantomBuster provides a Phantom API on paid plans, but says Workflows cannot be launched through it. Apify provides a REST API for controlling platform operations, including Actor runs.

### What support is included?

PhantomBuster's pricing page lists community access across its trial and paid plans. Apify lists community support on Free, chat on Starter, priority chat on Scale, and an account manager on Business.

## Product pages

- PhantomBuster: https://nachonacho.com/product/phantombuster
- Apify: https://nachonacho.com/product/Apify