6 Best Lusha Alternatives for Startup Contact Data in 2025
Lusha's credit system charges 1 credit per email and 5 credits per phone number—meaning a single complete contact can cost 6+ credits. Here are alternatives that don't nickel-and-dime you for every data point.
Quick Comparison
| Platform | Price | Credits/Contact | Funding Data |
|---|---|---|---|
| VCBacked | $79/mo | Unlimited | Core feature |
| Lusha | $36+/mo | 1-6 per contact | None |
| Apollo.io | $49+/mo | 1 per contact | Basic |
| Hunter.io | $34+/mo | 1 per email | None |
The Lusha Credit Trap
Credits Disappear Fast
Lusha's Pro plan gives you 3,000 credits per year. Sounds like a lot until you realize getting both email and phone for one contact costs 6 credits. That's only 500 complete contacts per year.
Bad Data Still Costs Credits
Get an outdated email or wrong phone number? Too bad—you still spent the credits. There's no refund for bad data.
No Funding Data
Lusha focuses on contact enrichment but doesn't track funding rounds. You can't filter for companies that just raised—you'd need another tool for that.
Credits Don't Transfer
Cancel or downgrade? Unused credits are forfeited. No refunds, no transfers.
1. VCBacked: No Credits, No Limits
Pricing: $79/month | Export Limits: Unlimited
VCBacked doesn't use credits. Export 100 contacts or 10,000—same flat price. Every funded company includes verified founder emails at no extra cost.
VCBacked vs Lusha
- No credit system: Flat $79/month for unlimited exports.
- Funding data included: Every company has raised venture capital.
- Verified founder emails: Decision-maker contacts, not generic info@.
- Export everything: Download the entire database if you want.
Done with Credit Systems?
VCBacked offers unlimited exports of funded startup contacts. No credits, no limits, no surprises.
Start Free 7-Day TrialExplore Our Startup Directory
Find recently funded companies and verified founder contacts in our comprehensive database.
Ready to Find Your Next Best Customer?
VCBacked gives you fresh funding data, verified decision-maker emails, and unlimited exports—all for $79/month.
Start Free 3-Day Trial