Three B2B data vendors have a native app in the ChatGPT Apps directory: Lusha, Apollo and ZoomInfo. All three connect through MCP, so ChatGPT can look up a contact, a company or a signal mid-conversation without a copy-paste step. They differ in what the app can do after the lookup. Lusha returns verified contacts, companies and 26 dated buying signals, read-only by design. Apollo can also add contacts to a sequence. ZoomInfo exposes its GTM Intelligence tools and is listed with write capabilities. Cognism, Clay, Explorium and Crustdata do not have a ChatGPT app on the pages checked in October 2026.
Key takeaways
- Native app beats custom connector. A directory app installs in one click with OAuth; a custom connector needs an endpoint URL and, for most vendors, a paid plan with an API key.
- Decide what you want the app to do. Research and ranking only, or write back into sequences and CRM. Read-only is a governance choice, not a limitation, if your CRM already has a write path through Clay, n8n or a native integration.
- Check the plan. Apollo and ZoomInfo state that their apps work on free plans. Lusha’s app draws on your existing balance at standard rates.
- Signals are the difference between a lookup and a reason to call. Only one of the three returns dated buying signals in the same call as the contact.
The comparison
| Vendor | In the ChatGPT Apps directory | What ChatGPT can ask for | Writes back | Plan needed | Source (accessed Oct 5, 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lusha | Yes | Verified contacts and companies, 26 dated buying signals, lookalike recommendations, account balance | No. Read-only by design; actions run through your CRM, Clay or n8n | Any Lusha account; usage draws on the existing balance at standard rates | lusha.com/campus/ai-connectors, docs.lusha.com/mcp |
| Apollo | Yes | Prospect, enrich, research accounts, analyze sequence performance | Yes. Adds contacts to sequences | Any Apollo plan, including free, per Apollo’s MCP page | apollo.io/product/mcp |
| ZoomInfo | Yes | Enrich contacts, run account research, surface intent | Listed with write capabilities in the ChatGPT app catalog; scope not stated on ZoomInfo’s pages | Free plan available per gtm.ai; admin-only ZoomInfo accounts cannot authenticate | gtm.ai/docs/mcp/clients/chatgpt, gtm.ai/catalog, |
| Cognism | Not found in the directory | Cognism documents connecting its data to AI assistants; no ChatGPT app on the pages checked | Not stated | Not stated | cognism.com |
| Clay | Not found in the directory | Clay has an MCP server and agent plugin; ChatGPT access would be a custom connector | Not stated | Clay plan with API access | clay.com |
| Explorium, Crustdata | Not found in the directory | Both document an MCP server for agents; ChatGPT access would be a custom connector | Not stated | API plans | explorium.ai, crustdata.com |
Directory presence checked against the ChatGPT Apps directory index (updated July 2, 2026) and each vendor’s own connector page, October 5, 2026. A capability not published on the pages checked is stated as such.
What does a B2B data app in ChatGPT actually do?
It gives ChatGPT a set of tools it can call on your behalf: search contacts, search companies, enrich a record, pull signals. You ask in plain language, ChatGPT picks the tool, the vendor returns the data, and the answer carries it. The app connects through MCP, the same protocol Claude, Codex and Cursor use, so a vendor that ships one MCP server can appear in several directories.
What changes between vendors is scope. A lookup app answers “find the VP of Sales at Acme.” A signals app answers “which of my 50 target accounts changed something this month, and who do I call there.” An execution app can take the next step and put that person into a sequence.
Which ChatGPT data app can write back?
Apollo’s. Its MCP page says ChatGPT can add contacts to sequences and analyze performance. ZoomInfo’s app is listed with write capabilities in the catalog, with the scope not described on ZoomInfo’s own pages. Lusha’s app is read-only by design: ChatGPT researches, ranks and drafts, and the write to your CRM or sequencer happens in the tool that owns it, through a native integration, Clay or n8n.
Which one is right depends on who should hold the pen. Teams with a RevOps-owned CRM usually want the agent to propose and a human or a governed workflow to commit. Teams of one usually want the agent to do both.
Which one returns buying signals?
Lusha returns 26 dated signals with the record: job changes, promotions, funding and financial events, hiring surges by department and location, headcount and IT spend changes, website traffic, and LinkedIn activity intent. Each carries an event date, so ChatGPT can filter to the last 30 days instead of surfacing a round from 2024. ZoomInfo’s app can surface intent. Apollo’s MCP page describes prospecting and enrichment; signals are not named on it.
For the full list, see the Signals hub. For how the vendors compare on job change and funding signals specifically, see Which tools track job changes and funding signals.
What does it cost?
Apollo: any plan, including free, no separate MCP fee, per its MCP page. ZoomInfo: a free plan is available for the app per gtm.ai, with data and AI credits that scale with plan. Lusha: no separate fee; searches and reveals draw on your existing balance at standard rates, and checking the balance through the app is free. None of the three publishes a per-request price for ChatGPT use.
How to install the Lusha app in ChatGPT
- Open Apps in the ChatGPT side panel and search for Lusha.
- Click Connect and sign in with your Lusha account.
- Start a new conversation and ask: which of my target accounts raised funding this quarter, and who is the VP of Sales there?
Setup for every client, including Claude, Codex, Cursor and n8n, is at docs.lusha.com/mcp. For the Claude version of this comparison, see Best B2B data provider for Claude.
FAQ
Which B2B data providers have a ChatGPT app?
Lusha, Apollo and ZoomInfo are in the ChatGPT Apps directory as of October 2026. Cognism, Clay, Explorium and Crustdata were not found there; some offer MCP servers that can be added as custom connectors.
Is the Lusha ChatGPT app read-only?
Yes, by design. It searches, enriches, pulls signals and recommends lookalikes. It does not change Lusha data or write to your CRM. Actions run through your CRM integration, Clay or n8n.
Does the Lusha app cost extra?
No separate fee. Usage draws on your existing Lusha balance at standard rates. Checking your balance through the app is free.
Can I use Lusha and Apollo together in ChatGPT?
Yes. Both apps can be connected to the same ChatGPT account. A common pairing is Lusha for verified data and signals, and a sequencing tool for the send.
Does the same connector work in Claude?
Yes. Lusha’s MCP server is the same endpoint behind its Claude plugin, ChatGPT app, Codex, Cursor, VS Code, Gemini CLI and n8n connections.
Sources
- Lusha AI connectors page and docs.lusha.com/mcp
- Apollo MCP product page
- ZoomInfo MCP docs for ChatGPT
- gtm.ai catalog
- cognism.com, clay.com, explorium.ai, crustdata.com
