Leadian vs Clay
Last updated · Clay prices from its official pricing page
Clay is the better choice if you want to build your own enrichment workflows across many data sources; Leadian is the better choice if you simply want a verified lead list from one plain sentence.
Clay's paid plans are subscriptions from $167 per month billed annually, with a free plan to start; Leadian has no subscription and starts at $10 once.
Both use AI and neither charges when an enrichment finds nothing. Here is how they compare, using only each company's official pricing page.
Choose Clay if you want a flexible workspace to design enrichment and outreach workflows, and you will use it every month. Choose Leadian if you want AI to do the research for you and hand back a verified list, without a subscription.
Leadian vs Clay at a glance
| Topic | Leadian | Clay |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $10 one time (150 credits) | Free plan; Launch from $167 per month billed annually (FAQ: starting at $185/mo) |
| Billing model | One-time credit packs. Nothing renews. | Free plan, then monthly or annual subscription |
| Unused credits | Never expire | Data Credits roll over up to 2x on Launch and Growth; Actions reset each cycle |
| Charged when nothing is found | No, emails and phones are charged only when found | No, per Clay's pricing page |
| Phone numbers | 5 credits (about $0.23 to $0.33), only when a verified number is found | Phone enrichment on paid plans, not on Free |
| AI | Yes. Describe who you want in one sentence and Leadian plans, finds and verifies the list | Claygent, an AI agent with web research for custom data points |
| API | API and MCP server coming soon | Clay API access on Enterprise |
"Calculated" means simple arithmetic from two numbers on Clay's pricing page, for example price divided by credits.
Pricing compared
Leadian credit packs
One-time purchase. No subscription, no seats, credits never expire.
- Starter$10 · 150 credits · $0.067/credit
- Plus$25 · 425 credits · $0.059/credit
- Pro$59 · 1,150 credits · $0.051/credit
- Scale$129 · 2,850 credits · $0.045/credit
- Lead: 1 credit per Quick or Smart lead, 3 per Deep lead
- Extra column: 1 credit per lead
- Work email: 3 credits (about $0.14 to $0.20), only when a verified email is found
- Phone number: 5 credits (about $0.23 to $0.33), only when a verified number is found
- Shows the most a search can cost first; unused credits return automatically
Clay Launch
From Clay's pricing page, checked October 4, 2026.
- Free plan: 100 Data Credits and 500 Actions per month, up to 200 rows per table, no phone enrichment.
- Launch: $167 per month on annual billing (the plan card), described in the FAQ as starting at $185 per month, with 2,500 Data Credits and 15,000 Actions per month.
- Data Credits buy data such as emails and phone numbers; Actions measure the work Clay runs. Data Credits start at $0.05 each.
- Data Credits roll over up to 2x the monthly amount on Launch and Growth; Actions reset each billing cycle.
- If an enrichment returns no result, you are not charged Data Credits or Actions.
Feature checklist
| Feature | Leadian | Clay |
|---|---|---|
| No subscription required | Yes: No subscription, one-time packs | Partly: Free plan; paid plans are subscriptions |
| Unused credits carry over | Yes: Credits never expire | Partly: Data Credits up to 2x; Actions reset |
| Not charged when nothing is found | Yes: Not charged when nothing verified is found | Yes: Not charged when no result |
| AI research | Yes: One sentence in, a verified list out | Yes: Claygent AI agent with web research |
| Finished list from one sentence | Yes: Plan, search and verify in one step | Not stated: Not stated on the pricing page |
| Build your own enrichment workflows | No: Leadian runs the research for you | Yes: Tables, waterfalls and workflows |
| API | Coming soon: API and MCP coming soon | Partly: Enterprise plan only |
Pros and cons
Leadian
Pros
- No subscription; one-time packs that never expire
- One sentence in, a verified list out, with sources
- Simple credit costs per lead, email and phone
Cons
- Not a workflow builder; you cannot design your own enrichment pipelines
- Private beta, invite only
- API and MCP are still coming soon
Clay
Pros
- Free plan to start
- Flexible workspace with multi-provider waterfalls and Claygent
- Data Credits roll over up to 2x on Launch and Growth
- Bring your own API keys to skip Data Credit costs
Cons
- Two meters to plan for: Data Credits and Actions
- Paid plans are subscriptions
- API access only on Enterprise
Who should choose which
When to choose Clay
- You want to design custom enrichment and outreach workflows yourself.
- You will use the platform every month and want a free plan to learn first.
- You already have API keys for data providers and want to bring them.
When to choose Leadian
- You want a verified list without building a workflow.
- You buy lists occasionally and prefer one-time packs to a subscription.
- You want simple, per-item credit costs instead of two meters.
Frequently asked questions
Is Leadian a Clay alternative?
For list building, yes. Clay is a workspace for building enrichment workflows; Leadian does the research for you from one sentence and returns a verified list. If you want to design your own workflows, Clay fits better.
How much does Clay cost?
Clay has a free plan. Its Launch plan shows $167 per month on annual billing, and the FAQ describes it as starting at $185 per month, with 2,500 Data Credits and 15,000 Actions per month.
Do Clay credits roll over?
Data Credits roll over up to twice the monthly amount on Launch and Growth. Actions reset each billing cycle. Leadian credits never expire.
Does Clay use AI?
Yes. Clay's pricing page describes Claygent as an AI agent with web research that can generate custom data points.
Does Leadian charge when a contact is not found?
No. Emails and phone numbers are charged only when a verified detail is found, and leads not delivered are never charged.
When were these prices checked?
On October 4, 2026, from Clay's official pricing page. Check clay.com/pricing for current plans.
Prices verified on October 4, 2026. Check the official page before you buy: Clay pricing. Plans and prices change. Clay is a trademark of its owner, named here only to compare; Leadian is not affiliated with Clay.