4 Best Closely Alternatives for B2B Enrichment in 2026
By Kushal Magar · June 4, 2026 · 12 min read
Key Takeaway
Closely is a solid LinkedIn automation platform — automated connection requests, conditional message sequences, unified inbox, and credit-based email and phone lookup. It is the wrong fit for teams that need verified data from multiple enrichment providers, mobile direct dials at global scale, or outreach that does not depend on LinkedIn account health. SyncGTM is the top pick for revenue teams — waterfall enrichment across 50+ providers, 76+ data points per lead, buying signals, AI agents, and outreach from $99/mo. Apollo.io is the best all-in-one with a 275M+ database plus sequences. Waalaxy is the closest LinkedIn + email multichannel swap with a freemium plan. Expandi is the safest cloud-based LinkedIn automation for agencies.
Closely is a cloud-based LinkedIn automation and outreach platform. It automates connection requests, message sequences with conditional logic, and a unified inbox — with a credit-based email and phone finder built in at the Growth tier and above.
That makes Closely a practical starting point for SDRs running LinkedIn-heavy sequences. It becomes a harder fit when teams need verified contact data from multiple sources, deep firmographic and technographic enrichment, or outreach that does not depend on LinkedIn account health.
Reviewer complaints on G2 and Capterra cluster around three issues — credit limits that make high-volume enrichment expensive, single-source data that misses contacts outside Closely's core database, and LinkedIn-session dependency that carries account-restriction risk.
We evaluated four Closely alternatives across enrichment depth, outreach, CRM-readiness, and fit for different team sizes. For broader context, see our roundup of the best waterfall contact providers and our guide on what waterfall enrichment is and why it outperforms single-source data.
According to Gartner, 30% of B2B contact data goes stale every year — making enrichment source depth the single biggest predictor of contact hit rate for outbound teams.
TL;DR
| Tool | Best For | Starting Price | Free Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| SyncGTM | Revenue teams that want waterfall enrichment + signals + outreach in one tool | $99/mo | Yes (50 credits) |
| Apollo.io | Outbound-led teams that want a large contact database and sequences in one product | $59/user/mo | Yes |
| Waalaxy | Teams that want a like-for-like LinkedIn + email multichannel swap with freemium | €21/mo | Yes (freemium) |
| Expandi | Agencies that want safe cloud-based LinkedIn automation at scale | $99/mo | 7-day trial |
Why Teams Look for Closely Alternatives
Closely earns its place in early-stage outbound stacks. The core LinkedIn automation is reliable, the UX is clean, and the conditional sequence logic is genuinely useful for personalized prospecting at low volume.
Three limits push scaling teams to evaluate alternatives.
Credit-based enrichment gets expensive fast. On the Growth plan ($127/mo), 3,000 monthly credits buy 750 emails or 150 phone numbers. Outbound teams running 50+ leads per day exhaust those allocations in under a week. Moving to the Essential plan ($205/mo) buys more credits but not a different data model — it is still a single integrated database.
Single-source data misses contacts. Closely pulls emails and phone numbers from one provider. When that provider does not have a record — or has a stale one — there is no fallback. Waterfall enrichment, where multiple data sources are queried in sequence, consistently produces 20–40% higher verified contact hit rates for the same lead list.
LinkedIn-session dependency caps volume. Closely runs automation through your LinkedIn session cookie. LinkedIn's detection systems flag accounts showing automation patterns. Most Closely users operate well below the platform limits to protect account health — which caps the outbound throughput you can actually sustain. Teams that need to run multi-channel sequences at scale without risking their LinkedIn account typically move to tools with dedicated residential proxies or email-first enrichment workflows.
See our related comparison of Kanbox alternatives for a similar LinkedIn-automation-to-enrichment transition pattern.
1. SyncGTM
SyncGTM — waterfall enrichment across 50+ providers, 76+ data points per lead
SyncGTM is a waterfall enrichment platform that chains 50+ B2B data providers per lookup and returns 76+ verified data points per lead — work email, mobile direct dial, firmographics, technographics, and buying signals — all under one subscription.
Where Closely queries a single integrated database and charges per credit, SyncGTM queries multiple providers in sequence and only charges when a verified record is returned. That model produces materially higher contact hit rates on the same lead list, especially for records outside any single provider's core coverage.
SyncGTM integrates natively with HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive, Attio, and Zoho. Enriched contacts sync directly into your CRM — no CSV exports, no manual field mapping. Built-in outreach handles email sequences and buying-signal triggers from the same platform. For teams looking to move past LinkedIn-first prospecting entirely, SyncGTM is the cleanest upgrade path.
Pros
- ✓Waterfall enrichment across 50+ providers — highest contact hit rate of any tool here
- ✓76+ data points per lead — verified work email, mobile dial, firmographics, technographics, buying signals
- ✓Pay-per-verified-record model — no credits burned on blank or unverified results
- ✓Native CRM sync to HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive, Attio, Zoho — no CSV gymnastics
- ✓Built-in outreach with buying-signal triggers — no extra tool required
- ✓Free tier with 50 credits — test enrichment quality before committing
Cons
- ✗No LinkedIn automation — SyncGTM enriches and sequences, but does not automate LinkedIn connection requests
- ✗Requires more setup than Closely for teams starting from zero — more data points means more configuration
Best for: Revenue teams that need verified contact data from multiple providers, mobile direct dials, buying signals, and CRM-native enrichment — not LinkedIn automation.
Pricing: Free tier (50 credits) · From $99/mo · Pay per verified record
2. Apollo.io
Apollo.io — 275M+ contacts, built-in sequences, and a dialer in one platform
Apollo.io is a sales intelligence and engagement platform with a 275M+ contact database, built-in email sequencing, a power dialer, LinkedIn touchpoints, and CRM integrations. It is rated 4.7/5 from 7,000+ reviews on G2.
Apollo is the most direct all-in-one swap for teams leaving Closely. The contact database is larger, the sequences cover email and phone (not just LinkedIn), and the free tier gives meaningful access before any paid commitment. Outbound-led teams at the SMB and mid-market level consistently find Apollo the fastest path to replacing a LinkedIn-first motion with a multi-channel one.
The tradeoff versus SyncGTM is enrichment architecture. Apollo pulls from a single proprietary database — hit rates are strong for North America and common job titles, weaker for APAC, EMEA SMBs, and niche roles. Teams with lead lists that span multiple geographies or industries often see better email verification rates when layering a waterfall provider on top.
Pros
- ✓275M+ contact database — largest single-source database of the four tools here
- ✓Built-in email sequences, power dialer, and LinkedIn touchpoints — true multi-channel from one platform
- ✓Free tier with 50 exports per month — meaningful before paying
- ✓Intent data and job-change signals on higher tiers
Cons
- ✗Single-source database — hit rates drop for APAC, EMEA SMBs, and niche roles
- ✗Per-seat pricing — cost scales with headcount, not output
- ✗Email verification accuracy reported as inconsistent on G2 for older records
Best for: Outbound-led teams at SMB and mid-market that want a large contact database plus multi-channel sequences in a single affordable platform.
Pricing: Free tier (50 exports/mo) · From $59/user/mo
3. Waalaxy
Waalaxy — LinkedIn + email multichannel sequences with a genuine freemium plan
Waalaxy is a French LinkedIn + email automation platform with a genuine freemium plan — 80 LinkedIn invitations per month at no cost. Paid plans include email finder, AI personalization, and multi-channel sequences. It is rated 4.6/5 on G2.
Waalaxy is the closest direct swap for teams that specifically want to keep LinkedIn automation while adding email sequences. It matches Closely's LinkedIn-first workflow — profile imports, connection requests, conditional message sequences, smart inbox — and layors native email on top. The UX is simpler than Closely's, and the freemium plan lowers switching cost to near zero.
The enrichment depth is still single-source, so Waalaxy shares Closely's data coverage limitation. Teams that need waterfall enrichment or verified mobile dials from multiple providers will still need a separate data layer — but for teams whose primary pain is Closely's credit model rather than its enrichment depth, Waalaxy is the most friction-free migration.
Pros
- ✓Genuine freemium plan — 80 LinkedIn invitations per month free, no credit card required
- ✓Native LinkedIn + email multichannel sequences — closest feature-for-feature Closely swap
- ✓Simpler UX than Closely — faster onboarding for small teams
- ✓AI messaging and Waami AI writer on paid plans
Cons
- ✗Still single-source enrichment — same data-depth limitation as Closely
- ✗LinkedIn-session based — carries the same account-restriction risk as Closely
- ✗Limited CRM integrations compared to Apollo or SyncGTM
Best for: Teams that want a like-for-like LinkedIn + email multichannel swap with a freemium plan and lower per-message cost than Closely's credit model.
Pricing: Free tier · From €21/mo
4. Expandi
Expandi — cloud-based LinkedIn automation with dedicated residential IPs per account
Expandi is a cloud-based LinkedIn automation platform that assigns a dedicated residential IP to each LinkedIn account — the core safety feature that differentiates it from session-based tools like Closely. It is rated 4.5/5 on G2.
Expandi is the right pick when account safety is the primary reason a team is leaving Closely. Each LinkedIn account runs from a fixed dedicated IP that matches the account owner's geography, which dramatically reduces the risk of LinkedIn flagging automation patterns. Agencies managing multiple client accounts — where any restriction has reputational consequences — consistently choose Expandi over session-based tools.
The trade-off is that Expandi is purely LinkedIn-first with email add-on capability. Enrichment is not built in — teams that need email and phone data still need a separate data source. For agencies that need reliable LinkedIn automation at scale without the account-risk anxiety that comes with Closely, Expandi is the cleaner choice. For teams that need enrichment depth, pair Expandi with SyncGTM or Apollo.
Pros
- ✓Dedicated residential IP per LinkedIn account — strongest account safety of any tool here
- ✓Smart LinkedIn limits with human-behavior simulation — consistently below detection thresholds
- ✓Agency-friendly multi-account dashboard — manage client accounts from one workspace
- ✓Dynamic image and GIF personalization for connection requests and messages
Cons
- ✗No built-in enrichment database — email and phone data must come from a separate tool
- ✗$99/mo per LinkedIn account — cost scales quickly for large teams or agencies with many client seats
- ✗Email sequences require integration with a separate cold-email tool
Best for: Agencies managing multiple client LinkedIn accounts that need dedicated IPs per account and reliable automation without session-based restriction risk.
Pricing: 7-day free trial · From $99/mo per LinkedIn account
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Tool | Enrichment Model | LinkedIn Automation | Email Sequences | CRM Sync | Starting Price | G2 Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SyncGTM | Waterfall (50+ providers) | No | Yes (native) | HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive, Attio, Zoho | $99/mo | 4.8 |
| Apollo.io | Single source (275M+ DB) | Via Chrome extension | Yes (native) | HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive | $59/user/mo | 4.7 |
| Waalaxy | Single source (integrated DB) | Yes (session-based) | Yes (native) | HubSpot, Pipedrive (limited) | €21/mo | 4.6 |
| Expandi | None (separate tool needed) | Yes (dedicated IP) | Via integration | HubSpot, Salesforce (via Zapier) | $99/mo per account | 4.5 |
How to Choose the Right Closely Alternative
The right tool depends on why your team is leaving Closely, not on which tool has the most features.
- →Enrichment hit rate is the core problem. Choose SyncGTM. Waterfall enrichment across 50+ providers produces 20–40% higher verified contact rates than any single-source database. Pair with the sign-up enrichment workflow to enrich inbound leads the moment they hit your CRM.
- →You need a large contact database plus outreach in one tool. Choose Apollo.io. The 275M+ database, built-in sequences, and free tier make it the fastest all-in-one Closely replacement at the lowest initial cost.
- →You want to keep LinkedIn automation and add email. Choose Waalaxy. Freemium plan, native email sequences, and a simpler UX than Closely — lowest switching cost if LinkedIn is still central to your motion.
- →Account safety is the primary concern. Choose Expandi. Dedicated residential IPs per account eliminate the session-based restriction risk that plagues Closely and Waalaxy at scale. Agencies with multiple client LinkedIn accounts standardize on Expandi for this reason.
- →You want to understand waterfall enrichment before committing. Read our guide on what waterfall enrichment is and how it works, then compare the best waterfall contact providers for 2026.
Final Verdict
Closely is a competent LinkedIn automation tool. It is not a B2B enrichment platform — the credit-based email and phone finder is a feature layered on a LinkedIn automation product, not a data-first architecture.
Teams that need to scale outbound beyond LinkedIn's daily limits, verify contacts from multiple data sources, or enrich leads without burning per-record credits need a different tool.
SyncGTM is the top pick for revenue teams focused on enrichment quality — waterfall across 50+ providers, 76+ data points per lead, native CRM sync, and outreach from $99/mo.
Apollo.io is the fastest all-in-one switch — 275M+ contacts, built-in sequences, free tier, $59/user/mo.
Waalaxy is the lowest-friction move for teams keeping LinkedIn automation — freemium plan, native email, simpler UX.
Expandi is the right call for agencies that need reliable LinkedIn automation without account-restriction anxiety — dedicated IPs, smart limits, multi-account management.
Start with the free tiers. SyncGTM and Apollo both offer meaningful free access. Waalaxy's freemium plan requires no credit card. Expandi offers a 7-day trial.