Clay vs
MarketingSoda Refine
An honest comparison for HubSpot-focused teams
Key Differences
Pricing Model
Data Quality
HubSpot Integration
Detailed Comparison
| Dimension | Clay | MarketingSoda Refine |
|---|---|---|
| Data enrichment | 150+ providers, waterfall enrichment, AI research agent (Claygent) Source: clay.com, accessed March 2026 | Focused enrichment with BYOK model — bring your own API keys and pay provider rates directly |
| Data quality scoring | No built-in quality scoring — requires manual workflow setup to assess data quality Source: clay.com feature documentation, accessed March 2026 | Automated 7-dimension scoring (completeness, accuracy, freshness, consistency, uniqueness, validity, enrichment coverage) with A-F grades |
| HubSpot integration | Bidirectional sync with CRM, push/pull data between Clay tables and HubSpot Source: clay.com/integrations, accessed March 2026 | Purpose-built native integration with CRM sidebar card, custom workflow actions, and HubSpot Marketplace app |
| Pricing model | Credit-based: Starter $149/mo (2,400 credits), Explorer $349/mo (12,000 credits), Pro $800/mo (60,000 credits), Enterprise custom Source: clay.com/pricing, accessed March 2026. Verify current pricing at clay.com/pricing. | Predictable contact-based subscription with BYOK — no credit expiry, no per-seat pricing |
| Ongoing maintenance | Manual workflow triggers — you decide when to re-enrich and must set up monitoring yourself Source: clay.com feature documentation, accessed March 2026 | Automated continuous monitoring with exponential decay modeling, proactive staleness alerts, and automatic re-enrichment triggers |
| Ease of use | Powerful spreadsheet-like interface with steep learning curve — teams typically need 4-6 weeks to build effective workflows Source: G2.com Clay reviews, 2024-2025 | Connect HubSpot and get your first data quality report in minutes — purpose-built for HubSpot teams |
| AI capabilities | Claygent AI research agent that browses the web, reads pages, and fills in unstructured data points Source: clay.com/claygent, accessed March 2026 | AI-powered quality workflows for automated remediation, data validation, and enrichment decisioning |
Data enrichment
Clay
150+ providers, waterfall enrichment, AI research agent (Claygent)
MarketingSoda Refine
Focused enrichment with BYOK model — bring your own API keys and pay provider rates directly
Source: clay.com, accessed March 2026
Data quality scoring
Clay
No built-in quality scoring — requires manual workflow setup to assess data quality
MarketingSoda Refine
Automated 7-dimension scoring (completeness, accuracy, freshness, consistency, uniqueness, validity, enrichment coverage) with A-F grades
Source: clay.com feature documentation, accessed March 2026
HubSpot integration
Clay
Bidirectional sync with CRM, push/pull data between Clay tables and HubSpot
MarketingSoda Refine
Purpose-built native integration with CRM sidebar card, custom workflow actions, and HubSpot Marketplace app
Source: clay.com/integrations, accessed March 2026
Pricing model
Clay
Credit-based: Starter $149/mo (2,400 credits), Explorer $349/mo (12,000 credits), Pro $800/mo (60,000 credits), Enterprise custom
MarketingSoda Refine
Predictable contact-based subscription with BYOK — no credit expiry, no per-seat pricing
Source: clay.com/pricing, accessed March 2026. Verify current pricing at clay.com/pricing.
Ongoing maintenance
Clay
Manual workflow triggers — you decide when to re-enrich and must set up monitoring yourself
MarketingSoda Refine
Automated continuous monitoring with exponential decay modeling, proactive staleness alerts, and automatic re-enrichment triggers
Source: clay.com feature documentation, accessed March 2026
Ease of use
Clay
Powerful spreadsheet-like interface with steep learning curve — teams typically need 4-6 weeks to build effective workflows
MarketingSoda Refine
Connect HubSpot and get your first data quality report in minutes — purpose-built for HubSpot teams
Source: G2.com Clay reviews, 2024-2025
AI capabilities
Clay
Claygent AI research agent that browses the web, reads pages, and fills in unstructured data points
MarketingSoda Refine
AI-powered quality workflows for automated remediation, data validation, and enrichment decisioning
Source: clay.com/claygent, accessed March 2026
What You Actually Pay
Clay
Credit-based pricing
- Credits expire monthly — use them or lose them
- Average 25% credit waste across customers
- Opaque per-enrichment costs hidden behind credits
- No way to bring your own API keys
- Price increases with every tier, not just usage
- No data quality features included at any tier
MarketingSoda Refine
Direct API pricing
- No credits, no waste — pay for actual API calls
- BYOK gives you full control over your enrichment providers
- Transparent pricing — see exact per-call costs
- Full data quality suite included (scoring, validation, decay)
- Free database health audit — no commitment
- HubSpot-native integration at every tier
Different approaches to CRM data management
Import or build a list
Start with a CSV upload, CRM sync, or build a list from Clay's database using filters.
Configure enrichment columns
Add columns for each data point you need. Set up waterfall providers in priority order.
Run enrichment
Execute the enrichment workflow. Credits are consumed per lookup across each provider.
Push to CRM
Export enriched data back to HubSpot or your CRM. Set up field mapping manually.
Repeat manually
Data decays over time. You decide when to re-enrich and manually trigger new runs.
Frequently asked questions
See your data quality score
Connect your HubSpot and get an A-F grade across seven dimensions in minutes. Free. No credit card.