The Ultimate Local Leads Hunter.io Alternative: Why Scrap.io Beats Hunter.io for Geographic Targeting

Hunter.io: Premium Email Finding Software for Large Companies

First of all, the promise of Hunter.io is to find email addresses from a company name. If you want to use Hunter.io, it's pretty simple. You have to create your account, you have to confirm your account, and finally you have access to a quick explanation on how Hunter.io works.

What's New in Hunter.io (2024-2025):

Hunter.io has undergone significant improvements since 2024. The platform now searches across 76 million sources and has expanded its database by 211% throughout 2024, with an additional 90% increase since December 2024. This means Hunter.io now provides access to over 20 million verified B2B profiles, with 60% more profiles now including job titles, location data, and LinkedIn profile URLs.

Key Hunter.io Features:

🎯 Core Capabilities:

• Domain Search - Find all email addresses associated with a company domain
• Email Finder - Locate specific individual email addresses by name + company
• Email Verification - Real-time validation with confidence scores
• Bulk Operations - Process multiple domains or contacts simultaneously
• Chrome Extension - Find emails directly while browsing websites

📊 Data Quality Features:

• 76 million sources for comprehensive email discovery
• Real-time verification with deliverability confidence scores
• Pattern recognition to identify company email formats
• Source transparency - shows where each email was found
• Anti-spam compliance with verified, professional emails only

🔧 Workflow & Integration:

• Built-in CRM dashboard for lead organization and segmentation
• Google Sheets integration for seamless workflow management
• API access with enhanced endpoints for data enrichment
• Campaign management for email outreach tracking
• Advanced filtering by department, role, and contact type

Company Size Makes a Difference

What about if we make another try? Because this company is a pretty big one, we have access to a bit less than a thousand and 500 results. So what about if we choose this company which is a smaller one - still an important one but not as much as the first one - and I only have access to 21 results.

It's an interesting aspect, yet an obvious one: the bigger the company, the more emails we are likely to get, and the smaller the company is, so less efficient Hunter.io will be.

Beyond Email Addresses

If we take a closer look, we can see that we have access to a bit more than just professional email addresses. We can also get information regarding companies. We can get a description, social media links, industry, addresses of headquarters, and technologies used on the website. Here is our description, social media links, and technologies below. Same thing for that one, but we don't have access to any description, the address, and technologies.

Advanced Filtering Options

Another important thing to notice is that you don't have to directly input all the data - all the comprehensive data sets - because you can filter out your results beforehand. You've got three kinds of filters: a type filter, a department filter, and the "show only results with" filter.

To begin with, you can decide whether you want to get personal or generic email addresses. A generic email address is a role-based email address, and on the other end, a personal email address is a professional personal email address, meaning an email address related to an individual. We can perfectly draw a parallel: this is a personal email address, this is a generic email address - generic, personal, generic, personal, personal, and so on.

So I can simply say that I want to get generic email addresses. I apply filters. Same thing with the department filter - it could come in handy if I want to target any specific individuals, any professionals, decision makers in a specific department. I might want to target finance and I.T. I apply filters.

Finally, I can also want to get other means of contact. So if I want to get professionals with an email address and a phone number, I can do something like this. And if we take a look, it sounds like our filter works perfectly.

Finding Emails by Individual Names

Thanks to Hunter.io, we have seen that we can identify email addresses based on a company name as an input, but we can also identify email addresses based on an individual name as an input. So this is something much more specific. In other words, you can guess the email address of someone you know who works for a specific company. All I need to do is to click on "find by name," I type its name, and if I'm not mistaken, I will get a result.

Understanding Confidence Scores

Something you might have wondered is what is the meaning of these numbers, of these percentages? Well, this is what we call a confidence score, and the higher the confidence score, the higher the likelihood your email will be fully delivered. You've got two options: you can get a shield icon meaning your email address has already been verified, or on the other hand, you can also get a colored dot, in which case you can verify your email manually.

Exporting Your Data and CRM Integration

Voilà! Let's assume you've got everything you need - you can export your data. The thing here is that you cannot export a CSV file unless you've got a Premium plan. What I can do instead is to save my lead, so I click on "Save lead" and it will be displayed within the leads tab. Here we go! And if necessary, I can create a new list in order to better identify my leads.

Enhanced CRM Features (2025 Update):

Hunter.io now includes an integrated CRM dashboard where you can sort and filter your email database more effectively. While it's not a complex CRM system, it serves as a centralized place to track all your Hunter activities and organize email addresses by segmenting them into different lists. You can filter contacts based on company, position, or industry, making lead management much more efficient.

New Google Sheets Integration:

The platform now offers an improved Google Sheets extension with three main features that allow you to perform actions on leads stored in Google Sheets without having to export and import data between tools. This streamlines your workflow significantly.

The last thing you can do - it's not really convenient but still you can do it - is to copy and paste email addresses.

Extensions and Integrations

One last thing you might be interested in is that there is a Chrome extension related to Hunter.io, and to be honest, it's way more useful than I initially thought. This Chrome extension simplifies your requests - it prevents you from directly copy and paste a website URL. It might sound silly, but in the long run, it's a total waste of time. What you can do now is simply to turn on your Chrome extension every time you visit a new website.

For Scrap.io users, there's also a free Chrome extension called Maps Connect that displays emails and social media profiles directly on Google Maps for unlimited use. This can be particularly useful for quick prospecting without needing to export full datasets.

Scrap.io: Revolutionary Local Lead Generation Software

There is another way for you to scrape email addresses from companies, and this is perfect for local lead generation - scrape leads from Google Maps. If you know Google Maps well, you are going to tell me that you cannot scrape email addresses from Google Maps - you only have access to phone numbers - and to some extent you are right. But thanks to the platform I'm going to talk about, we can get both: we can get information from Google Maps plus information from websites shown on detailed pages from Google Maps.

And this is the promise of Scrap.io - the ultimate Hunter.io alternative for local leads. With Scrap.io, we promise you can turn Google Maps into a leads machine by simply specifying an activity and the location. You have access to a quick demo below, but I think it will be a more suitable example to directly show you what your future Excel file should look like.

Scrap.io's Unique Advantages:

🗺️ Google Maps Integration:

• 200 million establishments indexed globally across Google Maps
• Real-time data extraction directly from Google Maps listings
• Geographic targeting from city level to entire countries
• 4,000+ business categories available for precise targeting
• No website required - works with businesses that have no web presence

⚡ Performance & Scale:

• 5,000 queries per minute processing capacity
• Two-click extraction for entire countries without coding
• 195 countries coverage for global lead generation
• Advanced filtering before extraction to pay only for useful contacts
• Zero duplicates - automatic exclusion of previously exported contacts

📈 Data Enrichment Features:

• Dual data sources - Google Maps + associated website information
• Social media profiles extraction (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc.)
• Website technologies detection (advertising pixels, CMS, tools)
• Contact forms identification on business websites
• SEO data extraction (meta descriptions, keywords, contact pages)
• Business verification status on Google Maps

🎯 Advanced Targeting Options:

• Zone de chalandise - extract ALL businesses in an area regardless of category
• Multi-level geographic filtering (city → department → region → country)
• Business status filters (open/closed, claimed/unclaimed on Google Maps)
• Price range targeting for businesses ($, $$, $$$, $$$$)
• Rating and review filters for quality-based targeting
• Website presence filters (with/without website, email, phone)

Setting Up Scrap.io for Local Targeting

If you want to use Scrap.io, you can simply type "scrap.io" in your search bar or you can click the link in the description. We first need to create our account. Once it is done, you have access to your dashboard. I invite you to click on it, and it's the most important tab of the software because it is a tab in which you will be able to retrieve your leads based on two pieces of information.

The first one is the activity, meaning you can pick up an activity among the 4,000 different categories listed on Google Maps. Let's say you want to choose a bakery, for example. You can choose another country, and if I click on search, I will be able to select all bakeries from this country.

Geographic Targeting Options

You can even filter your data out a bit more precisely. For example, I can choose a specific state. This is what we call a level one division - it's simply because a level one division depends on which country you picked up. Same thing with a level 2 division, which is a county in our case.

I can also simply type a city. If I want to get bakeries in New York, I type "New York," I've got New York, I click on search, and it will update my results.

Advanced Filtering System

The good thing about Scrap.io is that you can filter your data out even more beforehand. If you click on "filter," you can see that you've got two different kinds of filters: essential and advanced ones.

I might want to target bakeries as a main activity and not as secondary activities. Do I want to get closed companies? Maybe not. Companies with a website? With phone numbers? With an email? With social media links? I also might want to know whether the company has claimed its business on Google Maps.

What about the price range? Because obviously a McDonald's restaurant is not the same as a luxury one. I can do a similar thing with the rating, the number of reviews, and the number of features. If I want to get, I don't know, bakeries with a pretty good rating, I can do something like this.

And the last two filters are something regarding websites, meaning whether there is a contact form on the website or ad pixels. Let's say yes, and I don't matter about that one. I click on filter, and I will get an updated data set. I've got 97 results, which is great because thanks to the free plan of Scrap.io, you can get up to 100 leads free of charge.

Exporting and Data Analysis

I can click on export. If I click on "Advanced options," I will have an overview of all the columns I will retrieve. I can also say that I want to get the first 30 rows or something like that - it's up to you. Then I give my export a name, I click on export, and as you can see now, I'm automatically in the "my exports" tab. You can download all your results in a CSV or Excel file. You can also update your results - all I need to do is to wait for a bit of time, and I will see you back once I've got my Excel file.

What's Inside Your Local Leads Export

What do we have here? We've got 97 results, which is correct. We start with basic columns: the name of the company, whether it's closed or not, the main type and all types. As we have mentioned earlier, the websites - and it's a good thing because it clearly shows us that our filters worked well - the phone number, the full address which is divided into different subtypes, so streets, cities, the postal codes, the state, the level one, level two division, the country, the longitude and the latitude, the link of the Google Maps page.

We've got the email address because the company has got a website, and if the company has got a website, we'll take a look at additional pieces of information. The email address is followed by social media links. We've got the price range, review scores, review rating, review press score, the number of pictures, the URLs of some of these features, the occupancy which is related to the graph you might see on your screen, whether the business has been claimed on Google Maps or not, the working hours, the characteristics.

The color changes one more time, meaning now we have access to SEO fields, meaning website title, the meta keywords, description, image, generator, additional email addresses. Same thing with contact pages - contact pages number one up to five contact pages. Same thing with social media links: YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook. And we end up with website technologies and website ad pixels. For example, we know that this company uses Facebook ads, on that one LinkedIn ads.

The Ultimate Comparison: Local vs Enterprise Lead Generation

To sum up, both Hunter.io and Scrap.io serve different purposes in the lead generation ecosystem. Hunter.io excels at enterprise targeting, while Scrap.io dominates local lead generation. However, we can identify key differences that will help you choose the right tool for your specific local market needs.

📊 Detailed Comparison Table

🎯 Target Audience Comparison

When to Use Hunter.io (Updated for 2025)

To begin with, Hunter.io is much more convenient if you want to target large companies. It's not that it's forbidden for you to use Hunter.io with small companies - it's just it's not that useful. And the reason is simple: with Hunter.io, you want to identify decision makers, you want to identify specific professionals. The problem is with small companies, you don't have many decision makers, and if there are some, it might be very hard to identify them.

🚀 Hunter.io's 2025 Advantages:

• Massive database: Access to 20+ million verified profiles across 76 million sources
• Enhanced data quality: 60% more profiles include comprehensive details (job titles, locations, LinkedIn)
• Improved CRM integration: Built-in lead management and segmentation tools
• Better workflow: Google Sheets integration eliminates data export/import hassles
• Advanced API: More powerful enrichment capabilities for large-scale operations

✅ Best for:

• Enterprise targeting (Fortune 500, large corporations)
• Decision-maker identification (C-level, VPs, Directors)
• Tech industry prospecting (SaaS, software companies)
• Detailed professional profiles needed
• High-volume B2B campaigns with verification requirements

When to Use Scrap.io

On the other hand, if you want to target small and medium-sized companies - companies you can find on a daily basis by just going out and walking down the streets - in that case, Scrap.io is a perfect platform for you.

🎯 Scrap.io's Unique Value Proposition:

• Local market domination: Target businesses in specific cities, regions, or countries
• No website barrier: Reach businesses with zero web presence
• Geographic precision: From neighborhood to entire country coverage
• Category expertise: Access to 4,000+ Google Maps categories
• Speed advantage: 5,000 queries per minute processing power

✅ Best for:

• Local service businesses (restaurants, salons, contractors)
• SME targeting (10-500 employee companies)
• Geographic campaigns (city, region, country-specific)
• Businesses without websites (40% of small businesses)
• Quick market research and competitive analysis

The Key Advantage of Scrap.io

Here, the main advantage of Scrap.io is that you can get your leads even if your leads don't have any websites, which is not possible with Hunter.io because the website is your input.

🌟 Scrap.io's Unique Features:

📊 Scale & Performance:

• 200 million establishments indexed globally
• 5,000 queries per minute processing capacity
• Only solution that allows extracting all Google Maps listings from an entire country in two clicks, without code
• Coverage of 195 countries and 4,000+ categories available on Google Maps
• Real-time data extraction directly from Google Maps and associated websites

🎯 Advanced Targeting Capabilities:

• Zone de chalandise - extract ALL businesses in an area regardless of category
• Multi-level filtering - from city to country-wide targeting
• Business verification status - target claimed vs unclaimed Google Maps listings
• Price range targeting - filter by $ to $$$$ business tiers
• Rating-based filtering - target businesses by review scores and volume

🔧 Professional Workflow Features:

• Advanced filtering BEFORE extraction - pay only for contacts that meet your criteria
• Exclusion of previously exported contacts - zero duplicates in your files
• Color-coded exports - yellow for Google Maps data, orange for website data
• API with 300 requests/minute for automation and integrations
• Make.com integration for complete workflow automation

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best tool when it comes to lead generation?

Both Hunter.io and Scrap.io excel in different areas. Hunter.io is ideal for finding individual email addresses from large companies, while Scrap.io is perfect for generating leads from Google Maps data, especially for local businesses and SMEs.

🎯 Quick Decision Guide:

• Target Fortune 500? → Hunter.io
• Need local businesses? → Scrap.io
• Want personal emails? → Hunter.io
• No website required? → Scrap.io

Which platform is better for B2B lead generation?

For B2B lead generation targeting large enterprises, Hunter.io is more suitable as it allows you to identify specific decision makers. For small and medium-sized businesses or local market targeting, Scrap.io offers superior capabilities.

📊 Enterprise vs SME Targeting:

• Enterprise (500+ employees): Hunter.io with 76M sources
• SME (10-500 employees): Scrap.io with 200M establishments
• Local businesses: Scrap.io with geographic precision
• Tech companies: Hunter.io with LinkedIn integration

Can I get email addresses from both tools?

Yes, both tools provide email addresses, but in different ways. Hunter.io finds personal email addresses of employees by crawling company websites. Scrap.io extracts generic email addresses (like [email protected]) from business websites linked to Google Maps listings.

What's the difference between personal and generic email addresses?

📧 Email Types Explained:

• Personal emails are tied to specific individuals (e.g., [email protected])
• Generic emails are role-based (e.g., [email protected], [email protected])
• Hunter.io specializes in personal emails for direct decision-maker contact
• Scrap.io provides generic business emails for general inquiries

Do these tools work for companies without websites?

Hunter.io requires a company website to function, as it crawls web pages to find email addresses. Scrap.io's major advantage is that it can find leads even for businesses with no web presence, as it extracts data directly from Google Maps listings.

🌐 Website Dependency:

• Hunter.io: Website required (crawls company pages)
• Scrap.io: No website needed (40% of small businesses have no website)

How accurate are the confidence scores in Hunter.io?

Hunter.io's confidence scores indicate the likelihood that an email will be successfully delivered. Higher scores mean greater accuracy. You can also verify emails manually if they haven't been automatically verified (indicated by a colored dot instead of a shield icon). With the 2024-2025 database expansions, Hunter.io now provides more accurate confidence scores thanks to its expanded 76 million source database.

What's new in Hunter.io since 2024?

Hunter.io has undergone massive improvements since the original comparison was made:

🚀 2024-2025 Major Updates:

• Database expansion: 211% increase in profiles throughout 2024, plus 90% more since December 2024
• Enhanced data quality: 60% more profiles now include job titles, locations, and LinkedIn URLs
• Improved CRM features: Built-in dashboard for better lead organization and segmentation
• Google Sheets integration: Seamless workflow without data export/import requirements
• API enhancements: New endpoints for better data enrichment capabilities
• Advanced segmentation: More powerful filtering and organization tools for leads

Can I export data from both platforms?

Yes, both platforms offer data export capabilities. Hunter.io allows CSV exports with premium plans and lets you save leads to lists with free accounts. Scrap.io offers both CSV and Excel exports with color-coded columns to distinguish between Google Maps data (yellow) and website data (orange).

Which tool is more cost-effective for small businesses?

Scrap.io often provides better value for small businesses due to its free tier offering up to 100 leads and its ability to target local markets effectively. Hunter.io is more cost-effective when targeting large companies with many employees.

💰 Cost Comparison:

• Scrap.io: €49/month for 10,000 exports + 100 free leads
• Hunter.io: ~$49/month for 500 searches + 25 free searches
• ROI for SMEs: Scrap.io wins with higher volume at same price point