AI SDR that converts inbound website visitors into qualified pipeline 24/7.
Tool useMemoryRAG
Clay vs People.aiwhich AI sales agent should you pick in 2026?
Composable agents for enrichment, scoring and outbound orchestration.
Tool useBrowserRAG
Clay vs People.ai — specs
| Spec | Clay | People.ai |
|---|---|---|
| Agent Rank | 70 / 100 (B) | 72 / 100 (A) |
| Autonomy | Semi-autonomous | Assistant |
| Pricing | Subscription · from $149 | Subscription · Free tier |
| Open source | No | No |
| Capabilities | Tool use, Browser, RAG | Tool use, RAG, Memory |
| Integrations | 4 apps | 5 apps |
| Verified | Verified | Verified |
| Released | Mar 2025 | Jun 2024 |
Agent Rank breakdown
Clay
Agent Rank
70/ 100
- Autonomy
- 8
- Capabilities
- 6
- Integrations
- 6
- Pricing
- 5
- Polish
- 7
- Verifiability
- 10
Auto-computed from autonomy, capabilities, integrations, pricing, maturity and editorial verification. Updated every deploy. How is this computed?
People.ai
Agent Rank
72/ 100
- Autonomy
- 7
- Capabilities
- 6
- Integrations
- 8
- Pricing
- 9
- Polish
- 6
- Verifiability
- 7
Auto-computed from autonomy, capabilities, integrations, pricing, maturity and editorial verification. Updated every deploy. How is this computed?
Pros & cons
Clay
Pros
- +Composable building blocks beat point tools — enrich + score + route in one
- +Strongest data-source coverage among GTM agents (50+ providers)
- +Highly programmable; sales ops loves the flexibility
Cons
- −Steep learning curve — not a one-day onboarding
- −Credit math gets opaque at scale
- −Less effective without a sales ops owner driving it
People.ai
Pricing
Clay
Starter
$149/mo
Sales ops solo
- +Enrichment templates
- +5k credits/mo
- +CRM exports
Recommended
Pro
$349/mo
Sales teams
- +25k credits/mo
- +Multi-source enrichment
- +Webhooks
Enterprise
Custom
GTM teams
- +Unlimited credits
- +Dedicated CS
- +SAML SSO
People.ai
Which one should you pick?
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Frequently asked
Should I pick Clay or People.ai in 2026?+
Pick Clay if you want the highest autonomy and the verification loop is in place. Pick People.ai if cost is the main constraint. Most working teams running both can use Clay for primary work and People.ai for the workflows where its specific strengths matter.
What's the price difference between Clay and People.ai?+
Clay starts at Subscription · from $149; People.ai starts at Subscription · Free tier. People.ai is the cheaper entry option. For team deployments the TCO can differ — use the AI Agent Rank TCO calculator for your specific volume.
Which is more autonomous, Clay or People.ai?+
Clay is the more autonomous of the two (Semi-autonomous vs Assistant). Higher autonomy ships throughput faster but requires verification loops in place — see our autonomous-vs-copilot framing for when each tier wins.
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Adjacent agents in the same category with overlapping capabilities — worth a side-by-side glance before you commit.
AI digital workers for sales — Alice (SDR), Mike (SDR), and Jordan (CSM) handle full-cycle outbound.
BrowserTool useMemoryRAGDemo · hover to playAI sales agent for outbound — generates personalized sequences, manages cadences, and books meetings.
Tool useMemoryRAGDemo · hover to play
See more alternatives: alternatives to Clay · alternatives to People.ai
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