Common Room vs Clay
Short version: Common Room is the better fit for product-led and modern GTM teams acting on real-time buying signals, while Clay is built for revOps and growth teams building bespoke, signal-based outbound at scale.
Common Room
Capture buying signals across the web
Free plan
Free starter plan; paid Essential from ~$2,500/mo annually
Clay
Waterfall enrichment + AI research in a spreadsheet
$167/mo
Free plan; paid from ~$167/mo billed annually, credit-based
At a glance
| Spec | Common | Clay |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free plan | $167/mo |
| Budget tier | Mid-range | Mid-range |
| Complexity | Intermediate | Advanced |
| Primary category | Sales Intelligence & Signals | Sales Intelligence & Signals |
| Integrations | 50+ | 120+ |
| Founded | 2020 | 2017 |
Feature comparison
Common offers 9 of 11 tracked sales intelligence & signals features; Clay offers 10.
| Feature | Common | Clay |
|---|---|---|
| Buyer intent data | ||
| Account & company research | ||
| Waterfall data enrichment | ||
| Job-change & hiring signals | ||
| ICP / lead scoring | ||
| Workflow automation | ||
| AI research agents | ||
| CRM enrichment | ||
| Free plan | ||
| API & webhooks | ||
| Priority / 24-7 support |
Common Room
Pros
- Aggregates many signal sources into one view
- Identifies warm people and accounts
- Automations to route signals to reps
Cons
- Setup and signal tuning take effort
- Custom pricing at scale
- Best for signal-led motions
Clay
Pros
- Waterfall enrichment across 100+ providers
- AI research agents automate account research
- Endlessly composable GTM data tool
Cons
- Steep learning curve
- Credit consumption is hard to predict
- You assemble the workflow yourself
Which should you choose?
Choose Common if…
- you want aggregates many signal sources into one view
- you want identifies warm people and accounts
- you want automations to route signals to reps
Choose Clay if…
- you want waterfall enrichment across 100+ providers
- you want AI research agents automate account research
- you want endlessly composable GTM data tool
The verdict
Both are solid sales intelligence & signals tools. The best choice comes down to fit: Common for product-led and modern GTM teams acting on real-time buying signals, and Clay for revOps and growth teams building bespoke, signal-based outbound at scale.
Browse all tools →Frequently asked questions
Is Common Room or Clay cheaper?
Common Room is the more affordable option (Free plan versus $167/mo). The lower sticker price isn't always the better value, though, weigh the tier your team will actually land on and any add-ons.
Which is better, Common Room or Clay?
Neither is strictly better, they're built for different priorities. Common Room is the stronger pick for product-led and modern GTM teams acting on real-time buying signals, while Clay suits revOps and growth teams building bespoke, signal-based outbound at scale.
What's the main difference between Common Room and Clay?
Common Room is intermediate and mid-range, while Clay is advanced and mid-range. On tracked sales intelligence & signals features, Common covers 9 and Clay covers 10.