Hunter.io vs RocketReach
Two focused contact-data tools with very different billing philosophies. Hunter pools credits across unlimited team members on a monthly cycle. RocketReach caps lookups on monthly plans but makes them unlimited on annual ones. Which is cheaper depends almost entirely on how you pay.
Hunter.io
Email finding and verification with a genuinely usable free tier.
RocketReach
Contact lookups across 700M professionals, with unlimited lookups on annual plans.
| Feature | Hunter.io | RocketReach |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.4 | 4.2 |
| Starting price | $49/momonthly billing; $34/mo billed yearly | $49/momonthly billing; $27/mo billed annually ($329/yr) |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Free tier | 50 credits/month | — |
| Credits | 2,000 (Starter) → 25,000 (Scale) | — |
| Team members | Unlimited, all plans | — |
| Email verification | Included | — |
| Email accounts | 1 connected (free tier) | — |
| Free account | — | 5 lookups, no card |
| Lookups | — | Unlimited on annual; 100/mo on monthly (Essentials) |
| Exports | — | 1,200/yr (Essentials) → 20,000/yr (Ultimate) |
| Phone numbers | — | Pro plan and above |
| Email sending limit | — | 500/day, all plans |
Hands-on field test
In progressFor lead-data tools we plan to run a fixed list of 200 known-good contacts through each product and measure match rate, bounce rate on verified addresses, and cost per valid contact. Until measured, we publish no accuracy figures.
The verdict
Hunter is the simpler and more flexible purchase: unlimited seats on every plan, credits shared across the account, verification included, and a free tier with no time limit. RocketReach wins on raw volume if you commit annually, since unlimited lookups beat any credit allowance — and it includes mobile numbers from Pro upward, which Hunter does not offer at all. Phone data is the clearest reason to choose RocketReach.
Choose Hunter.io if you need email finding and verification for a team, and want unlimited seats sharing one pool. Choose RocketReach if you need mobile and direct-dial numbers, or you do enough lookups that unlimited matters.
Hunter.io vs RocketReach: FAQs
- Which gives more lookups for the money?
- RocketReach on an annual plan, where lookups are unlimited from $27/mo. Hunter meters credits — 2,000 on Starter up to 25,000 on Scale — and both finding and verifying consume them.
- Does Hunter provide phone numbers?
- No. Hunter is email finding and verification. RocketReach includes unlimited mobile and direct-dial numbers from the Pro plan at $69/mo upward, which is the main capability difference.
- How do team costs compare?
- Hunter allows unlimited team members on every plan sharing one credit pool. RocketReach prices by seat with a 5% saving per additional seat, so Hunter is materially cheaper for larger teams.
- What are the free options?
- Hunter gives 50 credits a month with no time limit. RocketReach gives a free account with 5 lookups and no credit card. Hunter's is the more useful for ongoing low-volume work.
Comparing more than two?
Put Hunter.io, RocketReach and up to two others side by side on price, mailboxes, warmup and trials.
Open the comparison table →