Switching from Clay to LeadModule: What to Expect

LeadModule is a waterfall enrichment platform — it takes a name and company, queries providers in sequence, and returns a verified email or phone number. That's it. It doesn't do AI columns, CRM sync, web scraping, or LinkedIn data enrichment.

If you're using Clay for enrichment only and paying $134–500/mo for features you never touch, switching to LeadModule cuts that cost significantly. If you're using Clay's full stack, a full switch isn't the right move — but running LeadModule as Clay's enrichment layer via API often is.

This guide covers what the switch actually looks like, what you'll gain, what you'll give up, and when it makes sense.

TL;DR

• Switch fully if you use Clay primarily for email/phone enrichment and not for AI columns, CRM sync, or web scraping.
• Run both if you rely on Clay's workflow features — use LeadModule's API as Clay's enrichment layer to cut credit costs.
• Main gains: BYOK at $0, configurable provider order, REST API on all plans, no spreadsheet UI overhead.
• Main tradeoff: No AI columns, no CRM push, no web scraping, fewer total data sources (8 vs 100+).

What You're Actually Paying for in Clay

Clay's pricing starts at $134/mo (Explorer) for BYOK access. Below that, you pay Clay's credit markup on enrichment — Clay routes requests through its managed provider stack and charges credits accordingly. Custom API access sits at $500/mo as of March 2026.

That pricing makes sense if you use Clay end-to-end: AI research → enrichment → web scraping → CRM push → sequencing. Clay is a GTM workflow platform, and the cost reflects that scope.

If your Clay usage looks like: upload list → run enrichment columns → export CSV → import to sending tool — you're using a $134/mo platform for a $49/mo job.

What Switches and What Doesn't

What LeadModule replicates from Clay

Waterfall enrichment across multiple providers. LeadModule queries providers in sequence and stops on the first verified result. It supports 8 configurable providers: Prospeo, Findymail, LeadMagic, Hunter (sync), and Dropcontact, BetterContact, FullEnrich, and Wiza (async via webhook).

BYOK. Bring your own provider API keys and pay provider rates directly. LeadModule's free tier includes BYOK — no paid plan required. If you're already paying for Prospeo or Findymail subscriptions, those keys plug straight in.

Configurable provider order. Unlike Clay's per-table setup, LeadModule lets you save waterfall configurations as reusable templates. Set your provider sequence once — Prospeo first, Findymail fallback, Hunter second fallback — and apply it to every enrichment job and API call.

REST API access. Available on all LeadModule plans, including free. Clay's custom API access starts at $500/mo. If you're currently scripting around Clay's API limitations, LeadModule's /api/v1/enrich endpoint is a direct improvement.

Email verification. Built into the waterfall via ZeroBounce. Every result is verified before it's returned.

What LeadModule doesn't replicate

AI columns. Clay's AI-powered data transforms — generating personalized copy, researching company context, scoring leads — have no equivalent in LeadModule. LeadModule is strictly enrichment: name + company in, verified contact out.

Web scraping. Clay scrapes websites as a data source for enrichment and research. LeadModule doesn't.

CRM sync. Clay pushes enriched contacts directly to HubSpot, Salesforce, and other CRMs. LeadModule exports via CSV or REST API — you handle the push to your CRM.

LinkedIn data. Clay integrates LinkedIn data sources. LeadModule does not include LinkedIn enrichment.

100+ providers. Clay has 100+ data source integrations. LeadModule has 8 focused enrichment providers.

If you're using any of the features in the second list regularly, a full Clay switch doesn't work. A hybrid setup — Clay for orchestration, LeadModule for enrichment — often does.

The Hybrid Approach: Clay + LeadModule via API

The most common pattern for teams that want both:

1. Clay handles sourcing and workflow. Research columns, LinkedIn data, web scraping, AI personalization — all in Clay.
2. LeadModule handles enrichment. When Clay needs an email or phone number, it calls LeadModule's REST API via an HTTP column.
3. Clay gets verified results back. LeadModule returns the enriched contact; Clay pushes it to CRM or sequence.

This lets you keep Clay's workflow capabilities while using BYOK enrichment on LeadModule at provider rates — no Clay credit markup on enrichment.

Setup: add an HTTP request column in Clay pointed at https://leadmodule.ai/api/v1/enrich, pass the name + company as query params, and map the response fields. LeadModule's API is synchronous for sync providers; async providers return via webhook.

How to Migrate Your Enrichment Stack

If you're switching fully, here's the migration sequence:

Step 1: Export your provider API keys from Clay. Clay stores your BYOK keys in settings. Grab the keys for providers you're currently using (Prospeo, Findymail, Hunter, etc.). These keys work directly in LeadModule.

Step 2: Set up your LeadModule waterfall. Sign up at leadmodule.ai. Add your provider API keys under Settings → Providers. Create a waterfall configuration with your preferred provider order. Save it as a named template.

Step 3: Run a test batch. Export 50–100 contacts from a recent Clay enrichment run (contacts with known emails). Run them through your LeadModule waterfall. Compare find rate and result quality. Adjust provider order if needed — moving a high-performing provider earlier in the sequence raises find rates.

Step 4: Connect to your sending tool. LeadModule exports results as CSV. For higher volume or automation, use the REST API (/api/v1/enrich) to call enrichment directly from n8n, Make, or your sending tool's webhook. No code beyond an HTTP request.

Step 5: Cancel or downgrade Clay. If the hybrid approach is enough, drop to Clay's free tier (100 credits/mo for occasional workflow testing) and run enrichment through LeadModule. If you're switching fully and don't use Clay's workflow features, cancel after your billing cycle ends.

Cost Comparison

Running the numbers for a cold email agency enriching 5,000 contacts/month:

The gap widens at volume. Provider rates (e.g., Prospeo ~$0.005–0.01/contact) stay constant whether you run them through Clay or LeadModule. LeadModule's $49/mo orchestration cost replaces Clay's $134/mo minimum.

Teams already paying for multiple provider subscriptions see the biggest savings — BYOK on LeadModule means those subscriptions cover enrichment directly, without a platform markup on top.

Who Should Switch vs. Stay on Clay

Switch to LeadModule if:

• You use Clay primarily for enrichment and rarely touch AI columns, web scraping, or CRM sync.
• You're paying $134/mo for BYOK access in Clay and using maybe 20% of Clay's feature set.
• You want a REST API for enrichment without paying $500/mo for Clay's custom API tier.
• You're building an enrichment-focused workflow in n8n, Make, or custom scripts.

Keep Clay (or run both) if:

• You actively use Clay's AI columns, web scraping, or CRM push in your daily workflow.
• Your team is non-technical and relies on Clay's spreadsheet UI as the primary interface.
• You need LinkedIn data as part of your enrichment stack.
• You're in an enterprise context where you need 100+ data source options.

Run both if:

• Clay handles orchestration and research, but you want cheaper enrichment.
• You want to avoid Clay's credit markup without giving up Clay's workflow capabilities.

What the Switch Doesn't Change

Find rates depend on providers, not the platform. Switching from Clay to LeadModule doesn't automatically improve or hurt your enrichment coverage — it depends on which providers you configure and in what sequence. The advantage of configurability is that you can optimize this over time, rather than accepting a black-box routing decision.

Deliverability depends on your sending setup, list hygiene, and email verification — none of which change by switching enrichment platforms. LeadModule runs ZeroBounce verification on every result, same as Clay's enrichment verification step.

The main thing that changes is cost and control: lower monthly spend, more visibility into which providers ran on a given contact, and reusable waterfall configs across all your lists.

LeadModule is available at leadmodule.ai. The free tier includes BYOK enrichment — no credit card required. Waterfall configs are available on all plans.