Chapter 3/10 • 15 min read

Clay Data Sources: Complete List of 75+ Integrations

Import leads and enrich data from LinkedIn, Apollo, ZoomInfo, Crunchbase, and dozens more providers.

⏱️ TL;DR: Clay integrates with 75+ data providers. Use waterfall enrichment to try multiple sources automatically. Start with Apollo or LinkedIn for people data, Clearbit for company data, and Hunter or Dropcontact for emails.

Understanding Clay's Data Sources

Clay's power comes from its ability to connect to dozens of data providers through a single interface. Instead of managing separate subscriptions to Apollo, ZoomInfo, Clearbit, and Hunter, Clay gives you access to all of them with one platform.

Data sources in Clay fall into three categories: import sources (where you get initial lead lists), enrichment sources (where you add data to existing leads), and verification sources (where you validate data quality).

Import Sources: Where to Get Leads

Import sources let you build lead lists directly in Clay. These are your starting points for any prospecting workflow.

LinkedIn Sources

LinkedIn Sales Navigator: The most popular source for B2B leads. Import people from saved searches, lists, or account lists. Requires your own Sales Navigator subscription. Costs 1 credit per profile.

LinkedIn Company Search: Find companies matching specific criteria (industry, size, location). Great for building target account lists. Costs 1 credit per company.

LinkedIn Job Postings: Import companies that are actively hiring for specific roles. Excellent for identifying companies in growth mode or with specific needs.

💡 Pro Tip

LinkedIn sources work best when you've already built a saved search in Sales Navigator. Export your search URL directly into Clay for seamless import.

Company Databases

Apollo.io: 270M+ contacts and 60M+ companies. Best for US-focused prospecting. Strong email accuracy. Costs 1-2 credits per lookup.

ZoomInfo: Premium B2B database with direct dials and verified emails. Higher accuracy but higher cost. Costs 5-10 credits per lookup.

Crunchbase: Best for startups, funding data, and tech companies. Includes investment history and key people. Costs 2 credits per company.

PitchBook: Comprehensive private company data. Excellent for investors and M&A research. Premium pricing.

Other Import Sources

Google Maps: Find local businesses by location and category. Great for local B2B prospecting.

G2/Capterra: Import companies from software review sites. Useful for finding companies using specific tools.

CSV Upload: Import your own lists from any source. Clay will automatically match and enrich the data.

Enrichment Sources: Adding Data

Enrichment sources add information to your existing leads. This is where Clay's waterfall feature shines—try multiple sources automatically until you find the data you need.

Email Finding

Hunter.io: Domain-based email patterns. Good for common email formats. Costs 1 credit.

Dropcontact: GDPR-compliant email finding. Best for European prospects. Costs 1-2 credits.

Apollo: Large email database with verification. Costs 1 credit.

Findymail: High accuracy email finder. Costs 2 credits.

Snov.io: Budget-friendly option with decent accuracy. Costs 1 credit.

Phone Numbers

Lusha: Direct dials and mobile numbers. Best coverage for US. Costs 3-5 credits.

Cognism: GDPR-compliant phone data. Strong in Europe. Costs 3-5 credits.

Apollo: Includes phone numbers with contact lookups. Costs 1-2 credits.

Company Data

Clearbit: Firmographics, technographics, and company news. Industry standard for company enrichment. Costs 2-3 credits.

BuiltWith: Technology stack detection. See what tools a company uses. Costs 2 credits.

SimilarWeb: Website traffic and analytics. Useful for qualifying prospects. Costs 3-5 credits.

Social Profiles

LinkedIn Profile Enrichment: Get full profile data from a LinkedIn URL. Costs 1 credit.

Twitter/X Lookup: Find social presence and recent activity. Costs 1 credit.

Waterfall Enrichment: The Power Feature

Waterfall enrichment is Clay's killer feature. Instead of running one lookup and hoping for results, you can stack multiple sources in priority order.

How it works:

Clay tries the first source. If it finds data, it stops and charges you for that source. If it doesn't find data, it moves to the next source automatically. You only pay for successful lookups.

📊 Example: Email Waterfall

1. Try Apollo (1 credit) → Found? Stop. Not found? Continue.
2. Try Hunter (1 credit) → Found? Stop. Not found? Continue.
3. Try Dropcontact (2 credits) → Found? Stop. Not found? Continue.
4. Try Findymail (2 credits) → Found? Stop. Not found? Mark as "No email found."

This approach typically achieves 70-85% email find rates, compared to 50-60% with a single source.

Credit Costs by Provider

Understanding credit costs helps you budget effectively. Here's a rough guide:

Low cost (1-2 credits): Hunter, Snov.io, Apollo basic lookup, LinkedIn profile import

Medium cost (2-4 credits): Clearbit, BuiltWith, Crunchbase, Dropcontact

High cost (5-10 credits): ZoomInfo, Lusha, Cognism, premium intent data

Variable cost: Some providers charge based on data found (more fields = more credits)

Best Practices for Data Sources

Start with Quality Input Data

Enrichment is only as good as your input. A LinkedIn URL will yield better results than just a name and company. The more you give Clay to work with, the better your enrichment rates.

Build Smart Waterfalls

Order your waterfall by cost (cheapest first) or accuracy (best first) depending on your priorities. For email finding, I recommend: Apollo → Hunter → Dropcontact → Findymail.

Test Before Scaling

Run a test batch of 50-100 records before processing thousands. Check enrichment rates and data quality. Adjust your waterfall based on results.

💡 Cost Optimization

Use filters to skip enrichment when data already exists. If a contact already has an email, don't run the email waterfall. This simple check can save 30-40% on credits.

Common Issues and Solutions

Low find rates: Usually means your input data is poor. Add more context (LinkedIn URLs, company domains) before enriching.

High bounce rates: Your email sources may have outdated data. Add verification (Neverbounce, Zerobounce) as a final step.

Credits burning fast: Check for duplicate lookups. Clay may be enriching the same contact multiple times if your table has duplicates.

Recommended Source Combinations

For startups targeting tech companies: LinkedIn Sales Navigator + Crunchbase + Clearbit + Apollo email waterfall

For agencies targeting SMBs: Google Maps + BuiltWith + Hunter email waterfall

For enterprise sales: ZoomInfo + 6sense intent data + Cognism for phones

For European prospecting: LinkedIn + Dropcontact + Cognism (GDPR-compliant stack)