People Data Labs Pricing: Is it worth it?

Price is a big factor when you're looking for a data provider, whether you're a business looking to save some budget, or an independent researcher working with whatever funds you have. Of course, when you do spend your budget, you would want every penny of that budget spent to be worth it.

And so today, let's look into how much People Data Labs costs and what you'll get in return. But of course you can find that information on their pricing page effortlessly. So here’s my proposition, along with their pricing, we will look what they offer for it, and if the investment is truly worth it.

For starters, here's a table showing People Data Labs pricing plans.

Note: The *FREE access is to their raw company database, which includes general company information like name, location, website info, etc. It DOES NOT contain any contact information. The data is quarterly updated and while it can be a good reference point, to get the actual fields that you need, you have to subscribe to one of their paid plans.

What does People Data Labs do?

People Data Labs (PDL) is a data provider that helps companies build innovative and compliant data solutions at scale. They scrape publicly available data and work with third-party partners to get private data, then package it into datasets that customers can call using APIs.

Their data points offering are one of the largest in the market. They provide everything from name, location, contact information, social media details, and much more. Though they are guilty of breaking down one data point into many granular forms, which inflate the absolute quantity. For instance, let’s look at the job location address; which is split into 10 different fields! Examples include, job_company_location_name, job_company_location_locality, job_company_location_metro, job_company_location_region, etc.

Customers who opted for PDL’s service seem satisfied with what they get. Despite a few grievances, which I will discuss later, People Data Labs Reviews are largely positive. Their commitment to quality and compliance is commendable. No doubt, they are setting some high industry standards.

People Data Labs Pricing Plans

The pricing model has three main subscription tiers available across each data plan type. For personal, company, or IP data plans, you can choose between Free, Pro, or Enterprise options.

Each tier provides access to different data fields, some of which are behind paywalls. The Free plan comes with limited field access, the Pro plan includes moderate access, and the Enterprise plan offers the most extensive field access. If your current plan doesn't cover specific fields you need, you can add them manually when upgrading from Free to Pro or even mid-cycle on the Pro plan. Keep in mind, though, that each additional field bundle you add is priced per credit.

See the field bundles pricing table below:

People Data Labs API Pricing (Usage Based Model)

Apart from their subscription plan, there is a usage-based 'pay-as-you-go' model as well. The pricing plan allows you to choose only those APIs you need, based on three volume-based tiers. You have the option to choose the amount of credits you purchase for each API and the silver lining is you're charged credits only when you get a successful match from the API.

Below, you'll find the pricing details for all the APIs provided by People Data Labs with a brief description. Be advised, it can get a bit complex as the pricing structure is super broken down (like their data points).

Person Enrichment and Person Search APIs Pricing

Person Enrichment API: Enrich individual data by allowing access to all fields in person datasets. (Cost: 1 credit)

Person Search APIs: Search datasets for individuals that match your query. (Cost: 1 credit)

Person Identify API Pricing

Person Identify API: Search through the dataset to find profiles that best match your query.(Cost: 1 credit)

Company Enrichment & Company Search APIs Pricing

Company Enrichment API: Enrich company data by allowing access to all fields in the company Schema. (Cost: 1 credit)
Company Search API: Search datasets for companies that match your query.(Cost: 1 credit)

IP Enrichment API Pricing

IP Enrichment API: Search IP address and return location, company, and other data associated with it. (Cost: 1 credit)

Is People Data Labs worth it?

The short answer is no. For what you’re paying, there is a lot that could be better. And honestly, I’m still not fully on board with the price, either.

Why? Let me explain.

1. Premium Pricing

People Data Labs has a proven track record of providing quality, accurate data. Their premium price is based on their high number of data points they provide and their brand exposure. But it is not all sunny in San Francisco. The high price is a recurring pain pont, particularly for startups and small businesses who value the data but can’t justify the high costs.

The cost per profile on the basic paid plan (Pro Plan) comes to $0.28; ten times the cost of other data providers like ReachStream and Proxycurl, which charge closer to $0.02 per profile. This stark contrast in pricing makes alternatives worth considering.

2. Data Recency

People Data Labs’ datasets are updated monthly by default. That is all in good faith for fresh data, but there are a lot of reviews stating some data fields are not as recent. Now, I’m not here to judge, and I’d like to think their customer service steps up when issues arise. Still, wouldn’t it be reassuring to have a clear, written guarantee to data freshness? That would be great in an ideal world. Hmm. Think about it while you check out Proxycurl’s Data Freshness Guarantee and decide what level of assurance works best for you.

3. Steep Learning Curve

Most companies turn to data providers because they want them to handle the heavy lifting of data processing. You pay a price to make things convenient, so you can focus on things that actually need your attention. But if you’re having to dedicate a good chunk of your time just trying to know the platform, it defeats the purpose. A lot of customer were quick to point out the steep learning curve the platfrom has in their reviews. And when you’re paying the ‘People Data Labs’ price, you’re doubling down.

The intent here isn’t to question People Data Labs’ quality. By all means, they’re a reputable provider. But I beg to ask if their service is worth the price. For me, the answer is no. But don’t just take my word for it; check out People Data Labs Reviews. Real people sharing their real problems.

Now, ask yourself this,

If you are paying a premium price, do you deserve these inconveniences? Moreover, is it necessary to pay a premium price, when other providers offer similar (or better) data quality at an economical price?

The answer should be a resounding no.

Is there a better option?

I am here to tell you People Data Labs isn’t the only major player in the market. Before anything, assess your data needs. After you are confident in what you’re looking for, the only thing left to do is browse your options. Check out People Data Labs alternatives to streamline your search. Here is a simmered down list:

1. Proxycurl (Best Overall): Proxycurl is a developer-focused company that provides a huge portfolio of API endpoints which scrape and enrich profiles. You can use Proxycurl's APIs flexibly and integrate them into any existing applications and workflows.

2. ReachStream (Cheapest): ReachStream is a B2B sales and marketing data platform offering a simple, user-friendly platform where you can view unlimited contact and company profiles, firmographics, along with unlimited contact data updates for free.

3. Bright Data (Most Flexible): Bright Data provides proxies for you to build your own scrapers. They also sell templates of scrapers that you can build on.

4. UpLead (Highest Rated in G2): UpLead is the highest rated B2B data provider in G2. They provide a clean prospecting list, which you can then plug into your CRM.

The best, complete alternative to People Data Labs, is Proxycurl. You can get everything you would from People Data Labs, at terms you can be satisfied with.

People Data Labs Vs Proxycurl Pricing

Here’s a direct comparison of People Data Labs and Proxycurl’s pricing:

Final Thoughts

You do not have to break your bank to meet your data needs. While People Data Labs are renowned for their data accuracy and quality, their pricing sticks out like a sore thumb. And with enough alternatives to choose from, it’s good sense to do your due diligence before you commit. Save your budget, or rather spend it on other areas that need strengthening, without compromising on data quality or freshness.

Give Proxycurl a chance. Fulfill your data needs at a price you can be happy with. Whether you’re a developer seeking quick integration or a business in need of detailed professional data, Proxycurl delivers the same data points with far less hassle and cost.

Ready to stop overpaying and start gathering data efficiently? Try Proxycurl today!

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