ContactOut vs Mattermark: Different Tools, Different Jobs
Comparing ContactOut and Mattermark is like comparing a screwdriver to a tape measure. One finds contact data - emails, phone numbers, direct dials. The other tracks company and deal intelligence: funding signals, growth scores, private company financials. They don't compete. They don't even sit in the same software category. G2 categorizes Mattermark under Lead Scoring Software, which tells you everything you need to know about how little overlap there is.
So why do people keep searching this comparison? Mostly because both names show up in the same B2B tool roundups, and the distinction isn't obvious until you've actually tried to use one for the other's job. Let's sort it out.
30-Second Verdict
Need company intelligence - funding signals, growth scores, private company data? Evaluate Mattermark alongside Crunchbase ($49-99/mo) or PitchBook ($12K-70K/yr).
Already using ContactOut? It works for light lookups, but the credit caps and stale data complaints are real.
What Is Mattermark?
Mattermark has one of the stranger backstories in B2B SaaS. Founded as a company intelligence platform for growth signals and private company tracking, it built a solid reputation before things fell apart. In December 2017, TechCrunch reported that Mattermark was shutting down after selling to FullContact for under $1M total - less than $500,000 in cash plus a stock transaction valued a little above $500,000 at the time. Deal documents referenced "liquidation." Common stockholders received nothing. On Hacker News, users were blunt about the shareholder letter's tone, calling the shutdown "great news" while common shareholders got zilch.
Then in 2026, Mattermark relaunched as an independent company with founders Danielle Morrill and Kevin Morrill back at the helm. The renewed focus: private deal intelligence with Growth Scores, Mindshare Scores, 80+ data fields, and automatic updates when new data events happen - including funding milestones. It's company-level data, not contact-level data. Historical pricing sat at $49/user/mo; current pricing isn't public, but comparable tools run $50-500+/seat/mo depending on depth and seat count.
What Is ContactOut?
Use this if: You need a Chrome extension to pull emails and phone numbers during prospecting, and your volume stays within credit limits.
Skip this if: You're running high-volume outbound or need consistently fresh data.
ContactOut is a prospecting tool with a Chrome extension that finds verified emails and phone numbers from professional profiles and company websites. It carries a 4.4/5 on G2 from 109 reviews.
On pricing: ContactOut offers a Free plan and a Team/API option that requires a sales conversation. Third-party breakdowns typically put it around Free, Email (~$99/mo), and Email+Phone (~$199/mo). In our testing, the extension worked reliably for one-off lookups but slowed noticeably during batch sessions. The recurring G2 complaints - restrictive credit caps, outdated contacts, Chrome extension lag - match what we've seen firsthand.
ContactOut's credit caps and stale data slow your outbound. Prospeo delivers 300M+ profiles with 98% email accuracy, refreshed every 7 days - not every 6 weeks. Layer buyer intent, technographics, and headcount growth filters directly into your contact search. No separate company intelligence tool required.
Skip the credit caps. Get verified contacts at scale for $0.01 each.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| ContactOut | Mattermark | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Contact data | Company intelligence |
| Primary use | Find emails & phones | Track private companies + deal signals |
| Data type | People-level | Company-level |
| Pricing | Free + paid (~$79-$199/mo); Team/API is sales-led | ~$50-500+/seat/mo (not public) |
| Best for | Recruiters, SDRs | VCs, BD, analysts |
| G2 rating | 4.4/5 (109 reviews) | Not rated (relaunch) |
| Chrome extension | Yes | Not a core workflow |
| Key limitation | Credit caps, stale data | Unproven post-relaunch |
Which One Do You Actually Need?
If you need verified emails and direct dials for outreach sequences, you need a contact data tool. Mattermark doesn't solve that problem. Don't force it into a workflow it wasn't built for.
If you're building a broader outbound stack, it helps to map this to your sales prospecting techniques and the SDR tools you already use.
For teams trying to identify high-growth private companies or track funding signals, that's Mattermark's lane. Crunchbase Pro ($49-99/mo) covers similar ground with broader adoption. PitchBook ($12K-70K/yr) is the enterprise option.
Here's the thing: most people landing on this comparison don't actually need either tool. They need a sales prospecting database that doesn't cap them at ~2,000 emails a month, and they need company intelligence they can often get from Crunchbase's free tier. If your average deal size is under $15K, you probably don't need to pay for both layers separately.
When you do need both - company intelligence and contact data - pair them. Use Mattermark or Crunchbase to build your target account list, then feed those companies into a dedicated contact platform to find the actual people you want to reach. (If you're formalizing this motion, start with an ideal customer profile and a lightweight lead scoring model.)
A Better Contact Data Option
Once you realize Mattermark isn't a contact tool and ContactOut has real volume limitations, the question becomes which contact data platform actually delivers.
Beyond email accuracy, Prospeo's database covers 300M+ professional profiles with 30+ search filters - including buyer intent powered by Bombora, technographics, job changes, and headcount growth. That means you can layer company-level signals (the kind Mattermark provides) directly into your contact search without needing a separate tool for account targeting.
If you're comparing vendors in this category, it's also worth scanning the landscape of B2B company data providers and data enrichment services.
The free tier gives you 75 emails per month. Enough to test accuracy on your real prospect lists before you spend anything.
Pairing Mattermark with ContactOut means paying for two tools and still hitting volume limits. Prospeo combines 30+ company-level filters - including Bombora intent data, funding signals, and job changes - with 143M+ verified emails and 125M+ direct dials. One platform, no credit walls.
Replace two tools with one. 75 free emails to prove it.
FAQ
Is Mattermark still active in 2026?
Yes. Mattermark relaunched in 2026 as an independent company with original founders Danielle and Kevin Morrill back at the helm. The focus is private deal intelligence - Growth Scores, Mindshare Scores, and company-level data across millions of private companies.
Can I use ContactOut and Mattermark together?
They solve different problems, so pairing them makes sense on paper. Mattermark identifies target companies via growth signals; ContactOut finds people at those companies. A stronger pairing for outbound teams: use Mattermark for account targeting and a high-accuracy contact platform like Prospeo for the actual emails and phone numbers - 98% email accuracy and 125M+ verified mobiles handle outbound at scale better than ContactOut's credit-capped model.
What's the best email finder to pair with company intelligence tools?
Look for 98%+ email accuracy and a weekly data refresh cycle. Prospeo checks both boxes with 143M+ verified emails refreshed every 7 days. The free tier (75 emails/month) lets you validate data quality against your actual prospect lists before committing budget.
Why do people compare ContactOut vs Mattermark?
Mostly confusion. Both names appear in B2B tool roundups, but they serve entirely different functions - contact data vs company intelligence. If you need emails and phone numbers, evaluate contact data platforms. If you need funding signals and growth metrics, look at company intelligence tools like Mattermark or Crunchbase.