Best Proxycurl Alternatives

Proxycurl shut down on July 4, 2025 after LinkedIn's lawsuit. Here are 7 Proxycurl alternatives built on verified, licensed, multi-provider data, from $79/mo. The best replacement →

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Last updated By Victor Paraschiv

The short answer

Proxycurl permanently shut down on July 4, 2025 after LinkedIn sued its parent company over scraping profiles with fake accounts. Cleanlist is our pick to replace it: rather than a single LinkedIn scraper, it enriches through a multi-provider waterfall of licensed and aggregated data with built-in verification (98% emails, 85% phones), available as an app from $79/mo, a REST API on Pro at $229/mo, and an MCP server.

7 Best Proxycurl Alternatives After the Shutdown (2026)

Cleanlist is the Proxycurl replacement we recommend in 2026: a multi-provider waterfall of licensed and aggregated data with verification built in, available as an app from $79/mo, a REST API on Pro at $229/mo, and an MCP server. If you are here because your Proxycurl integration stopped returning data, the reason is that Proxycurl permanently shut down on July 4, 2025 and its APIs are offline.

**What happened to Proxycurl.** In January 2025, LinkedIn (Microsoft) sued Proxycurl's parent company, Nubela, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California (LinkedIn Corporation v. Nubela Pte. Ltd., No. 3:25-cv-00828). The complaint alleged that Nubela created hundreds of thousands of fake LinkedIn accounts to scrape millions of profiles, including non-public data, and resold that data through the Proxycurl API. Rather than fight prolonged litigation as a bootstrapped company, Proxycurl settled and wound the product down on July 4, 2025. LinkedIn's complaint sought destruction of the scraped data; the settlement terms themselves are confidential.

**Why this matters for your data pipeline.** Proxycurl's differentiator was live LinkedIn profile scraping, which is exactly the mechanism that ended it. Any replacement built on the same approach, scraping LinkedIn through automated or fake accounts, inherits the same single-method legal exposure. Proxycurl's own founder concluded afterward that LinkedIn data is still not safe to build on. The safer path is a provider that does not depend on a single scraping method: licensed and aggregated data from multiple sources, so no single legal or technical shock can take your pipeline offline overnight.

**What a safe Proxycurl replacement looks like.** If you are migrating off Proxycurl, prioritize three things: continuity (a live, funded product that will still be here next quarter), sourcing that does not hinge on scraping LinkedIn through fake accounts, and built-in verification so the contact data you get is actually deliverable. We compared the seven alternatives below against those criteria.

How We Picked These Proxycurl Alternatives

We selected these seven Proxycurl alternatives by focusing on what stranded Proxycurl users actually need after the shutdown: continuity, compliant sourcing, and verification. We prioritized live, funded products that will still be operating next quarter, that source data through licensing and multi-provider aggregation rather than a single LinkedIn scraper, and that verify email and phone before returning them. Tools that replicate Proxycurl's scraping approach were ranked lower because they inherit the same legal exposure that ended it. Where possible we favored options with a clean REST API and an agent or MCP interface, since much of Proxycurl's usage was programmatic.

How Much Do Proxycurl Alternatives Cost?

Entry-level pricing for every tool on this list, taken from each vendor’s own published rate. Cleanlist is $79 a month to start, with no per-seat fee and one shared credit wallet for the whole team.

Starting priceVerified Jul 24, 2026 · re-verified monthly
ToolStarting priceFree tierContractNotes
Cleanlist$79/mo (Pro: $229/mo)30 credits/moMonthlyLicensed + aggregated waterfall; REST API + MCP
ProxycurlShut down (July 2025)NoDiscontinuedAPIs offline since July 4, 2025 after LinkedIn lawsuit
Apollo.io$49/user/mo (annual)YesMonthly or annual-
Clay$185/mo (Launch)100 credits trialMonthly or annualPlus per-provider data credits
ZoomInfo~$14,995/yr (3 seats)NoAnnual contract-
Hunter.io$49/mo25 searches/moMonthly or annualEmail-focused
RocketReach$33/user/mo (annual)5 lookups/moAnnual-

Which Features Does Each Proxycurl Alternative Include?

Read across a row to see what a tool covers, and down a column to see how many of them cover it. Every Yes and every No was checked against the vendor’s own published pricing or product page on September 1, 2026. Where a vendor does not publish the answer the cell reads “Not published” rather than “No”.

Capability check7 tools · 6 capabilities
ToolEmail dataPhone dataCRM integrationChrome extensionAPI accessFree tier
Cleanlist
ClayNot published
Apollo.io
ZoomInfoNot publishedNot published
Hunter.io
RocketReachNot publishedNot publishedNot published
UpLead

What Cleanlist puts behind one lookup.

One waterfall across every provider we hold a contract with, one shared credit wallet for the whole team, and a miss that costs nothing.

25+data providers in the enrichment waterfall, cascaded cheapest first
98%verified work email on a 500-lead stratified benchmark
85%direct dial on the same 500-lead benchmark
0credits to search, unlimited on every plan including Free

A verified work email costs 1 credit however many providers it took to find. A direct dial costs 10, both together 11, validation 0.5 and AI qualification 5. Cleanlist does not send email: it fills the list and hands it to your CRM or your sequencer.

7 Best Proxycurl Alternatives in 2026

Compared by data accuracy, pricing value, and overall feature set.

1. Cleanlist: Best for former Proxycurl users who need continuity and a sourcing model

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Cleanlist: Former Proxycurl users who need continuity and a sourcing model that does not depend on scraping LinkedIn through fake accounts, with verified email and phone returned via API or MCP.

Cleanlist replaces Proxycurl's single-scraper model with a multi-provider waterfall of licensed and aggregated data, with verification built in. Because it does not depend on one scraping method, it routes around the kind of single-source shock that took Proxycurl offline. Enriched, verified data is available in a dashboard, through the REST API, or via the MCP server.

Pricing
Free plan available. Paid from $79/mo
multi-provider waterfall enrichmentTriple email verification built-inLinkedIn URL and Sales Navigator CSV enrichmentICP scoring & smart agentsPlaybook builder for automated workflows

Strengths

  • Highest data coverage via waterfall approach (98% verified emails)
  • No per-seat pricing, flat monthly plans with generous credit limits
  • Built-in triple email verification eliminates bounces
  • All-in-one platform: enrichment, verification, and scoring

Limitations

  • Newer platform, smaller brand recognition than enterprise incumbents
  • No built-in sequencing or outreach features (focuses purely on data)

2. Clay: Best for technical RevOps teams and growth hackers

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Clay: Technical RevOps teams and growth hackers who want maximum flexibility to build custom data workflows.

A data enrichment and workflow automation platform that lets you build custom prospecting workflows by combining 75+ data providers. Think of it as a spreadsheet-meets-automation tool for GTM teams.

Pricing
Free plan available. Paid from $149/mo
75+ data provider integrationsAI-powered data cleaningCustom workflow builderWaterfall enrichment (DIY)Claygent AI research agent

Strengths

  • Unmatched flexibility, build any enrichment workflow you can imagine
  • Access to 75+ data providers in one interface
  • AI agent (Claygent) can research prospects automatically

Limitations

  • Steep learning curve, requires technical setup for complex workflows
  • Gets expensive quickly, credits consumed per provider per lookup
  • Not turnkey, you must build and maintain your own workflows
See detailed Cleanlist vs Clay comparison

3. Apollo.io: Best for startups and mid-market teams

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Apollo.io: Startups and mid-market teams that want prospecting + outreach in a single tool on a moderate budget.

An all-in-one sales intelligence and engagement platform with a 275M+ contact database, built-in email sequencing, and a free tier. Popular with startups and mid-market teams for combining prospecting and outreach in one tool.

Pricing
Free plan available. Paid from $59/mo per user
275M+ contact databaseBuilt-in email sequencingChrome extensionAI-powered lead scoringCRM integrations

Strengths

  • Large database with decent email coverage for North America
  • All-in-one platform: prospecting, sequencing, and analytics
  • Generous free tier for individual reps

Limitations

  • Data accuracy issues, single-source database leads to stale contacts
  • Per-user pricing gets expensive as teams grow
  • UI has become bloated as features accumulate
See detailed Cleanlist vs Apollo.io comparison

4. ZoomInfo: Best for enterprise sales orgs with $15K+ budgets that need intent data and deep firmographics

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ZoomInfo: Enterprise sales orgs with $15K+ budgets that need intent data and deep firmographics.

The enterprise leader in B2B contact and company data. ZoomInfo offers the largest proprietary database with intent data, org charts, and advanced filtering. Best suited for large sales orgs with enterprise budgets.

Pricing
From ~$15,000/year (annual contract required)
250M+ contact databaseBuyer intent signalsOrg chart visualizationAdvanced company filteringBuilt-in engagement tools

Strengths

  • Largest B2B database with deep firmographic data
  • Intent data helps prioritize accounts showing buying signals
  • Org charts make it easy to map decision-maker hierarchies

Limitations

  • Extremely expensive, minimum ~$15K/year with annual lock-in
  • Data accuracy can be inconsistent for SMBs and international contacts
  • Per-seat pricing makes it cost-prohibitive for growing teams
See detailed Cleanlist vs ZoomInfo comparison

5. Hunter.io: Best for marketers and developers who need reliable domain-based email finding with a great API

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Hunter.io: Marketers and developers who need reliable domain-based email finding with a great API.

A domain-based email finder and verification tool. Hunter specializes in finding email addresses associated with a company domain and verifying their deliverability.

Pricing
Free plan (25 searches/mo). Paid from $49/mo
Domain email searchEmail verificationEmail finder APICold email campaignsChrome extension

Strengths

  • Best-in-class domain-based email finding
  • Clean, simple interface with great developer API
  • Built-in cold email campaign tool

Limitations

  • No phone numbers or direct dials
  • Limited to email finding, not a full enrichment platform
  • Database is smaller than full sales intelligence tools

6. RocketReach: Best for individuals and recruiters who need affordable email lookups with decent coverage

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RocketReach: Individuals and recruiters who need affordable email lookups with decent coverage.

A contact lookup tool with 700M+ profiles that focuses on email finding and verification. Popular with recruiters and sales teams for individual contact lookups.

Pricing
From $53/mo (annual). Free lookups available
700M+ professional profilesEmail and phone finderChrome extensionBulk lookup via CSVAPI access

Strengths

  • Large database with good email coverage
  • Affordable entry-level pricing for individuals
  • API available for custom integrations

Limitations

  • Phone number accuracy is significantly lower than email
  • No enrichment waterfall, single-source data
  • Limited company-level data and firmographics
See the best RocketReach alternatives

7. UpLead: Best for mid-market teams that prioritize data accuracy and want technographic targeting

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UpLead: Mid-market teams that prioritize data accuracy and want technographic targeting without enterprise pricing.

A B2B prospecting platform focused on data accuracy with 95%+ email verification guarantee. UpLead offers technographic data and real-time email verification at search time.

Pricing
Free trial (5 credits). Paid from $99/mo
95%+ data accuracy guaranteeReal-time email verificationTechnographic data (16K+ technologies)Intent dataCRM integrations

Strengths

  • Strong accuracy guarantee, credits refunded for bounces
  • Good technographic data for targeting by tech stack
  • Transparent, no-contract pricing

Limitations

  • Smaller database than ZoomInfo or Apollo
  • Phone number coverage is limited
  • Credits can run out quickly on lower plans
See the best UpLead alternatives

What does Cleanlist cost compared with a raw profile-scraping API?

Cleanlist charges per returned record across a 25+ provider waterfall. Starter is $79 a month for 1,500 credits and 2 seats, Pro is $229 for 5,000 credits, 5 seats and REST API v2 with about 30 endpoints, and Scale is $599 for 15,000 credits and 10 seats. One credit buys a verified work email, 10 buys a direct dial, 11 buys both, and nothing is charged when a lookup comes back empty. People Search and Company Search run at 0 credits with no export meter. Cleanlist measured 98% verified email and 85% direct dial across 500 stratified B2B leads in its 500-Lead Enrichment Benchmark, 2026. Annual billing takes 25% off every plan.

Which Proxycurl Alternative Should You Pick?

Honest recommendations by use case. Cleanlist does not win every category, and we say so where it does not.

Best for continuity and compliant enrichment via API

Cleanlist

A licensed and aggregated multi-provider waterfall with verification, available as an app from $79/mo, a REST API on Pro at $229/mo, and an MCP server. Not dependent on a single LinkedIn scraper, so it will not vanish overnight.

Best for all-in-one prospecting with a database

Apollo.io

Apollo bundles a large contact database with sequencing at a low entry price. A practical landing spot for teams that also want outreach.

Best for spreadsheet-style enrichment with many providers

Clay

Clay lets you wire multiple providers into a table. More control, but you bring provider keys and the bill scales with usage.

Best for enterprise database and intent

ZoomInfo

If you need the largest licensed database plus org charts and intent, ZoomInfo is the enterprise-grade option, at enterprise pricing and annual contracts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did Proxycurl shut down?
Yes. Proxycurl permanently shut down on July 4, 2025, and all of its APIs are offline. The shutdown followed a lawsuit LinkedIn (Microsoft) filed against Proxycurl's parent company, Nubela, in January 2025. Any integration built on Proxycurl is now broken and needs to migrate to another provider.
Why did Proxycurl shut down?
LinkedIn sued Proxycurl's parent company, Nubela, in the Northern District of California (LinkedIn Corporation v. Nubela Pte. Ltd., No. 3:25-cv-00828) in January 2025. The complaint alleged that the company created hundreds of thousands of fake LinkedIn accounts to scrape millions of profiles, including non-public data, and resold it through the API. As a bootstrapped company, Proxycurl settled and wound down rather than fight prolonged litigation with Microsoft. The settlement terms are confidential.
Is the Proxycurl API still working?
No. The Proxycurl API has been fully offline since July 4, 2025. Existing integrations return errors and must be migrated. If you are relying on Proxycurl for LinkedIn profile or contact data, you need a replacement provider now.
What is the best Proxycurl alternative in 2026?
Cleanlist is our pick as the best Proxycurl alternative. Instead of scraping LinkedIn through a single method, it enriches contacts through a multi-provider waterfall of licensed and aggregated data with built-in verification (98% verified emails, 85% direct dials), and it is available as an app from $79/mo, a REST API on Pro at $229/mo, and an MCP server. Because it does not depend on one scraping approach, it is not exposed to the single legal shock that took Proxycurl offline.
Is scraping LinkedIn legal now?
It is contested and risky. Following the hiQ v. LinkedIn litigation, scraping data from public web pages is not automatically a Computer Fraud and Abuse Act violation, but that does not make LinkedIn data safe to build a business on. Proxycurl's own founder concluded afterward that LinkedIn data is still not safe to build on, and using fake accounts to reach non-public data is what draws lawsuits. A provider built on licensed and aggregated data avoids that single-method exposure.
What should former Proxycurl users switch to?
Migration options split into two camps. Scraping successors replicate Proxycurl's approach and inherit the same legal exposure. Licensed and aggregated providers source data differently and are the safer path for continuity and compliance. Cleanlist is in the second camp: a multi-provider waterfall with verification, available via app, REST API, and MCP, so both your developers and your non-technical teammates have a usable path off Proxycurl.

Why Proxycurl Shut Down, and What It Means for Your Pipeline

Proxycurl's product was a LinkedIn profile data API: send a profile URL or a name and company, and it returned structured JSON scraped from LinkedIn. That live-scrape capability was its differentiator, and it was also its single point of failure. In January 2025, LinkedIn sued Proxycurl's parent company, Nubela, alleging it used hundreds of thousands of fake LinkedIn accounts to scrape millions of profiles, including non-public data. Rather than fight a multi-year case against Microsoft as a bootstrapped company, Proxycurl settled and shut down the API on July 4, 2025. LinkedIn's complaint sought destruction of the scraped data; the settlement terms are confidential.

The lesson for anyone building a data pipeline is about architecture, not just one vendor. A provider whose entire product depends on a single scraping method can be taken offline by a single lawsuit or a single change to a website's defenses. When that happens, every integration built on it breaks at once, with no fallback. Proxycurl's own founder wrote afterward that LinkedIn data is still not safe to build on, and that legal does not mean safe.

A multi-provider waterfall is a fundamentally different architecture. Cleanlist enriches through 15+ licensed and aggregated data providers, so no single source, and no single sourcing method, is a point of failure. If one provider changes terms or goes away, the waterfall routes around it. That is the structural reason a licensed, aggregated model is the safer replacement for a single scraper. See the waterfall enrichment page for how the cascade works, and the API and MCP server for how to wire it into what you had built on Proxycurl.

Migrating Off Proxycurl: A Practical Path

Most Proxycurl usage was programmatic, so the migration is mostly an API swap. Where Proxycurl took a LinkedIn URL and returned a scraped profile, Cleanlist's REST API v2 takes an email, a LinkedIn URL, or a name plus company and returns an enriched, verified record through the waterfall. People and company search is available via POST /search/people and POST /search/companies, and enrichment via POST /enrichment/person and POST /enrichment/company. For teams that had automated Proxycurl through scripts or agents, the Cleanlist MCP server exposes the same endpoints as tools that connect to Claude in one click.

The other half of the migration is verification. Proxycurl returned whatever it scraped; Cleanlist verifies every email for deliverability before returning it, so you are not paying to send to addresses that bounce. If you were post-processing Proxycurl output through a separate verification tool, you can retire that step. For a broader comparison of replacement providers, see our best B2B data enrichment APIs guide.

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