Apollo Export, Apollo API, or Independent B2B Search?

Choose between Apollo export, the Apollo API and an independent B2B Actor according to the list you need. For contacts already saved in your Apollo workspace, export those records. For an application using Apollo data, use its official search and enrichment endpoints. For a new prospect list from company domains and job titles, run the B2B Leads Finder on Apify.

These routes preserve different source information. An Apollo contact ID connects to your saved Apollo record; an independent search produces its own results and identifiers. Decide what must survive in the final file before choosing the tool.

For known URLs, see the LinkedIn email and phone guides. They start with specific people rather than a company-and-role discovery query.

Use Apollo’s CSV export workflow when the saved records are the required source.

1. Open People search and narrow to your saved contacts or chosen list.
2. Select the records and choose Export.
3. Review the email selection and included CSV fields.
4. Include the Apollo contact ID when you need later reconciliation.
5. Confirm Export records, then download the completed export.

Exporting existing contacts does not automatically enrich missing contact fields. Check the selected columns and enrich first when needed. Apollo distinguishes saved-contact exports from net-new people selected for saving and export; their credit treatment differs. Review the current rules in its export documentation.

Suppose a sales team needs to move a saved 50-contact campaign to another system. Its main check is whether all intended records, identifiers and selected fields survived the transfer. A separate search for similar people would not establish that the original campaign was exported correctly.

For Apollo users, API requests use an API key in the x-api-key header. Confirm the key’s endpoint access using the authentication documentation. Keep credentials in your application’s secure configuration.

The People API Search endpoint discovers people using filters. It does not return emails or phone numbers. Save the returned person IDs and use a supported enrichment endpoint when your application needs available contact data.

1. Test a narrow People Search query for the intended companies and roles.
2. Save candidate IDs and the search settings.
3. Select the people who meet the brief.
4. Enrich those people for the contact fields you need.
5. Retain match outcomes and merge results by the returned identifiers.

People API Search documents a 50,000-record display limit: up to 100 results per page and 500 pages. Use narrower segments for broader discovery work. Keep each segment’s pagination tied to its own query.

Bulk People Enrichment accepts up to ten people per request. Phone and waterfall enrichment can complete asynchronously. Use the documented webhook delivery or polling configuration and preserve the request ID until results are available.

An initial response without a phone does not by itself mean completed asynchronous enrichment found none. Your integration needs a pending state, a final outcome and a way to attach the later result to the intended person.

Check API pricing and credits for each endpoint. Current People API Search consumes zero credits, while enrichment can use credits depending on the data returned and configuration. Review usage after a small complete workflow before projecting the cost of a larger one.

Also follow Apollo’s rate-limit documentation. Limits depend on the endpoint and plan, and workspace activity shares those limits. Use the returned retry guidance when requests are rate limited.

The B2B Leads Finder searches an independent professional data source. You supply target-company domains and role filters, then export the available results from Apify. The input does not require an Apollo account or Apollo search URL.

1. Open the Actor, click Try for free and use its Input form in Apify Console.
2. Enter bare company domains and specific job-title variants.
3. Start with 25 results.
4. Choose email and phone requirements deliberately.
5. Set a run spending limit and start the Actor.
6. Review the Dataset, then download CSV.

This template requests an operations-leadership segment. Replace the company domain with a real target before running.

{
  "company_websites": [
    "YOUR_TARGET_COMPANY.com"
  ],
  "job_titles": [
    "Head of Operations",
    "Operations Director"
  ],
  "max_results": 25,
  "email_status": "all",
  "include_emails": true,
  "include_phones": false
}

The read-only input reference shows the company and contact controls. include_phones: true requires a phone match and can narrow the result set. Email status labels describe database filtering; they do not perform a fresh SMTP verification.

The Actor can request up to 100,000 records per run, subject to matches, account allowances and budget. For continuation, save PAGINATION.next_start_after_id and use it as start_after_id with the same filters. The company-domain and title guide covers the full setup and review process.

For a saved-list export, use the selected original contacts as your denominator. Count records exported, missing required fields and identifier preservation. For discovery, start with the segment brief and measure distinct accepted people and companies represented.

For example, a segment brief may require operations directors at ten named companies. Review employer and title before counting a result as accepted. Then count how many accepted people have each required contact field. A source with more raw rows can still have fewer usable matches for that brief.

When combining sources, preserve their original IDs and provenance in separate columns. Use verified profile links to review cross-source identity. Different providers’ IDs should not be assumed interchangeable, and differing employers or contact values belong in a conflict review.

For the independent Actor workflow, connect your MCP-compatible agent to https://mcp.apify.com and authorize Apify using its MCP setup guide. Here is a task for the small B2B segment test.

Build a new independent B2B segment with
x_guru/b2b-leads-finder.
Companies: [MY_BARE_DOMAINS]
Roles: [MY_TITLE_VARIANTS]
Approved event-charge cap USD: [AMOUNT]

Inspect the current schema. Start with
25 results. Set email_status="all",
include_emails=true and
include_phones=false.
Apply the approved cap through
callOptions.maxTotalChargeUsd.

Wait for the run and read all output
pages. Keep source IDs, profile links,
employer and role fields, contacts and
the exact search input. Save raw output
and a review CSV. Report accepted people,
companies represented, contact counts,
run ID, Dataset ID and continuation state.
Wait before expanding the search.

The agent can start the run with call-actor, wait with get-actor-run and read results through get-dataset-items. Save the input and cursor with that run so a later continuation uses the same segment.

Apollo also provides its own MCP integration for authorized Apollo workflows. That connection uses your Apollo account and its permissions. Choose the connection that has access to the records required by your task.

If preserving an existing Apollo campaign is the requirement, test a small saved-list export. If your application needs Apollo discovery and contact enrichment, test both stages together. If you are starting from company domains and roles, run the small independent segment above and review the matches.

Continue with the B2B search walkthrough for filters and pagination, the Dievio and Apollo comparison for the product workflow, or the Apify run and export guide for a repeatable integration.