Clay vs Clearbit (Breeze)
Side-by-side comparison for 2026. Which one is right for your team?
Clay vs Clearbit (Breeze)
Clay wins for complex multi-source enrichment workflows. Clearbit/Breeze wins for HubSpot-native teams who need simple, real-time enrichment.
Clay and Clearbit solve related but different problems. Clay is a data enrichment and workflow orchestration platform that queries 75+ data providers through a spreadsheet-like interface. Clearbit (now rebranded as Breeze Intelligence under HubSpot) is a data enrichment API that provides company and contact data for real-time website personalization, form enrichment, and CRM data quality.
The fundamental difference is in how they are used. Clay is a tool for RevOps teams and growth engineers who build custom enrichment workflows. Clearbit is a plug-and-play enrichment layer that marketing and ops teams embed into existing systems. Clay requires more skill to use but can do far more. Clearbit is simpler but more limited.
Since HubSpot acquired Clearbit in late 2023, the product has been absorbed into HubSpot's ecosystem as Breeze Intelligence. This changes the competitive dynamics. If you are a HubSpot customer, Clearbit/Breeze is the natural enrichment layer. If you use any other CRM, Clay's vendor-agnostic approach is more practical.
Pricing follows the complexity gap. Clay starts at $149/month for the Starter plan with limited credits, and power users easily spend $500-2,000+/month. Clearbit's standalone pricing started at $99/month for basic enrichment, but the HubSpot integration model has shifted pricing to per-record charges within HubSpot.
Where Clay Wins
Clay outscores Clearbit (Breeze) in 2 of the dimensions we tested. Its biggest edges are in Enrichment Depth and Workflow Automation.
- Waterfall enrichment across 75+ data providers
- AI-powered research and personalization
- Incredibly flexible workflow builder
Meanwhile, Clearbit (Breeze) struggles with: future tied to hubspot ecosystem Teams also report that c
Where Clearbit (Breeze) Wins
Clearbit (Breeze) outscores Clay in 4 of the dimensions we tested. Its biggest edges are in Ease of Use, Pricing and CRM Integration.
- smooth HubSpot integration
- Strong company-level data
- Real-time form enrichment
Meanwhile, Clay struggles with: steep learning curve Teams also report that g
Clay
- Enrichment Depth★★★★★
- Ease of Use★★★☆☆
- Workflow Automation★★★★★
- Pricing★★★☆☆
- CRM Integration★★★★☆
- Company Data★★★★☆
Clearbit (Breeze)
- Enrichment Depth★★★☆☆
- Ease of Use★★★★★
- Workflow Automation★★☆☆☆
- Pricing★★★★☆
- CRM Integration★★★★★
- Company Data★★★★★
Detailed Breakdown
Enrichment Depth
Clay queries 75+ data providers through a waterfall enrichment model. If the first provider does not have the data, it tries the second, third, and so on. This approach produces higher fill rates than any single provider. Clearbit is a single data source with strong company data but narrower coverage for contact-level enrichment. For complex enrichment needs (finding decision-maker emails, verifying company details, appending technographics), Clay's multi-source approach wins.
Ease of Use
Clearbit is easier to implement and use. The API is well-documented, the HubSpot integration is native, and basic enrichment flows work out of the box. Clay has a steep learning curve. The spreadsheet interface is powerful but requires understanding of data flows, formula logic, and provider-specific quirks. Plan for 2-4 weeks before a Clay user is fully productive.
Workflow Automation
Clay is a workflow platform, not just an enrichment tool. You can build multi-step data pipelines that enrich, score, filter, and route leads automatically. Clearbit enriches records but does not orchestrate workflows. If you need to build a pipeline that finds contacts, enriches them, scores them by ICP fit, and pushes qualified leads to your CRM, Clay handles the entire chain. Clearbit handles one step.
Pricing
Both tools use credit-based pricing that gets expensive at scale. Clay Starter is $149/month with limited credits; power users spend $500-2,000+/month. Clearbit standalone starts around $99/month. Within HubSpot, Breeze Intelligence charges per record enriched. For high-volume enrichment (10,000+ records/month), Clay's credit costs add up fast. Clearbit's per-record pricing is more predictable.
CRM Integration
Clearbit's HubSpot integration is native and smooth since HubSpot owns it. Clearbit also maintains Salesforce integration but the depth has shifted toward HubSpot. Clay integrates with both Salesforce and HubSpot, plus dozens of other tools through its push/pull actions. For non-HubSpot users, Clay's integration flexibility is a major advantage.
Company Data
Clearbit built its reputation on company-level data: firmographics, technographics, employee count, funding data, and industry classification. This data is strong and well-structured. Clay accesses company data through multiple providers, producing comparable breadth but less consistency in format. For marketing use cases that depend on clean company profiles (website personalization, form shortening, lead scoring), Clearbit's structured data is easier to work with.
Pricing Comparison
| Tool | Starting Price | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Clay | $149/mo | 9.0/10 |
| Clearbit (Breeze) | Included with HubSpot / $30/mo standalone | 7.8/10 |
Which Is Right for Your Stage?
Startups & SMBs
Clearbit/Breeze if you are on HubSpot. The native integration and simple setup get you enriching records in an afternoon. Clay is overkill for startups unless you have a technical co-founder who wants to build custom data workflows. The learning curve does not justify the investment when your enrichment needs are simple.
Growth Stage
This is where Clay starts to shine. Growth-stage teams with a RevOps person can build enrichment pipelines that outperform any single data provider. The waterfall enrichment model fills gaps that Clearbit misses. If you are not on HubSpot, Clay is the clear choice. If you are on HubSpot, evaluate whether Breeze Intelligence covers your needs before adding Clay's complexity.
Enterprise
Many enterprise teams use both. Clearbit/Breeze for real-time website visitor enrichment and form shortening. Clay for complex, batch enrichment workflows that require multiple data sources. The tools serve different use cases at enterprise scale and complement rather than compete.
Questions to Ask Before Choosing
- Is your primary enrichment need real-time (website, forms) or batch (list enrichment)?
- Are you on HubSpot, and do you plan to stay on HubSpot?
- Do you have a RevOps person who can build and maintain Clay workflows?
- How many records per month do you need to enrich?
- Do you need multi-source waterfall enrichment, or is a single provider sufficient?
- What is your monthly budget for data enrichment?
How We Evaluated
We scored Clay and Clearbit (Breeze) across 6 dimensions: Enrichment Depth, Ease of Use, Workflow Automation, Pricing, CRM Integration, and Company Data. Each dimension is rated 1-5 based on hands-on testing, published documentation, user reviews from G2 and TrustRadius, and pricing data collected directly from vendor websites.
Scores reflect value for a typical mid-market sales team (20-100 reps). Enterprise and startup teams may weight these dimensions differently. We update scores quarterly as products ship new features and adjust pricing.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Clearbit still independent after the HubSpot acquisition?
Clearbit has been rebranded as Breeze Intelligence within HubSpot. The standalone API still exists but development focus has shifted to HubSpot-native features. Non-HubSpot customers can still use the API but should expect the product to become increasingly HubSpot-centric over time.
Is Clay hard to learn?
Yes, relative to most sales tools. Clay's spreadsheet-like interface requires understanding data flows, waterfall logic, and provider-specific syntax. Most users need 2-4 weeks to become productive. The payoff is significant: once you learn Clay, you can build enrichment workflows that would otherwise require custom code or multiple separate tools.
Can Clay replace Clearbit entirely?
For batch enrichment, yes. Clay can access the same (and more) data through its provider network. For real-time enrichment (website visitor identification, form shortening, instant CRM enrichment on record creation), Clearbit's API is faster and simpler to implement. The use cases are different enough that replacing one with the other always involves tradeoffs.
Which is better for lead scoring?
Clay is better for building custom lead scoring models because you can enrich with multiple data points and apply scoring logic within the platform. Clearbit provides the data that feeds into lead scoring but does not score leads itself. If you use HubSpot's built-in lead scoring, Clearbit/Breeze data feeds into it natively.
Reviewed by the B2B Sales Tools Editorial Team. Last verified 2026-04-12.
Pricing, features, and ratings are based on vendor documentation, public filings, product demos, and feedback from sales teams using these tools in production. We update reviews when vendors ship major releases or change pricing.