The Best Tools for Recruiters to Find Candidate Emails and Phone Numbers (2026)
Most recruiters find candidates on LinkedIn and then need a reliable email or phone number. Pair LinkedIn (Sales Navigator or Recruiter) with a contact database that has a verified-email filter - Sendburg or Apollo for volume, Lusha for quick mobile lookups, Hunter for emails at known companies.
Recruiting outreach lives or dies on reaching people outside LinkedIn InMail - a direct email or mobile gets far more replies. We compared the tools recruiters and staffing agencies use to find candidates' work emails and phone numbers, and how to stay compliant.
Disclosure: Sendburg is our product. We have tried to be fair - where another tool is the better fit, we say so. Prices are from each vendor's public pricing page or widely reported figures as of November 3, 2026; they change often, so check before you buy.
How we compared
- Finding contact details for a specific person (from a LinkedIn profile)
- Building candidate lists by title, skills, seniority and location
- Email accuracy and bounce refunds
- Mobile numbers and their cost
- Price for a small agency
- Compliance for candidate data (GDPR and local laws)
At a glance
| Tool | Best for | Free plan | Paid from | Phone numbers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sendburg | Recruiters and agencies that need volume on a budget | Yes - 10,000 credits/month | $35/month (Growth) | Yes (extra credits) |
| LinkedIn Sales Navigator | Finding the right people and job-change alerts | Free trial | Monthly subscription | No |
| Lusha | Quick direct dials from a browser extension | Yes - 40 credits/month | About $49.90/month (Starter, monthly) | Yes (10 credits each) |
| Hunter | Finding emails by company domain | Yes - limited monthly searches | Monthly plans | No |
| Apollo.io | An all-in-one database plus sequencing | Yes - limited credits | $49/user/month (annual) | Yes (extra credits) |
1. Sendburg - best for recruiters and agencies that need volume on a budget
Sendburg lets you search by job title, seniority, department, company and city, then unlock verified work emails (1 credit) or phone numbers. The Chrome extension works on LinkedIn profiles, and job-change alerts flag when candidates move. 10,000 free credits a month; Growth $35/month includes 3 seats.
Strengths
- Free plan large enough for real prospecting, not just a trial
- City, industry, title and seniority filters with a verified-email filter
- Credit refunded automatically if an unlocked email bounces
- Month-to-month plans, no annual contract
- Chrome extension on LinkedIn profiles
- Job-change alerts on saved contacts
Watch out for
- Newer brand with fewer third-party reviews than Apollo or ZoomInfo
- Phone numbers cost more credits than emails
- No built-in email sequencer - lists go to Instantly, Smartlead or your CRM in one click
2. LinkedIn Sales Navigator - best for finding the right people and job-change alerts
Sales Navigator (or LinkedIn Recruiter) is where most candidate searches start. It doesn't give emails or phones - pair it with a database.
Strengths
- The most complete view of who works where
- Lead and account alerts, including job changes
- Strong in every market where LinkedIn is used
Watch out for
- No email addresses or phone numbers - pair it with a contact database
- Exports are restricted
- Per-seat pricing adds up
3. Lusha - best for quick direct dials from a browser extension
Lusha is popular with recruiters for quick mobile numbers from a LinkedIn profile; small allowances make it expensive at volume.
Strengths
- Simple Chrome extension for LinkedIn and company websites
- Known for direct-dial phone numbers
- Easy to start, no sales call needed
Watch out for
- Small credit allowances - phone reveals use 10 credits
- Fewer list-building filters than full databases
- Costs climb fast at volume
4. Hunter - best for finding emails by company domain
Hunter finds a candidate's work email when you know their employer's domain. Email only.
Strengths
- Domain search shows a company's email pattern and known addresses
- Clean email finder and verifier
- Good free tier for occasional lookups
Watch out for
- Email only - no phone numbers
- Not built for filtering by title, industry and location at scale
- Coverage of small local companies varies
5. Apollo.io - best for an all-in-one database plus sequencing
Apollo works for candidate list building and sequences, especially in tech hiring; check per-seat credit limits for agencies.
Strengths
- Very large global database
- Sequences, dialer and CRM sync in one tool
- Well-known, lots of tutorials and integrations
Watch out for
- Credits are per seat and run out quickly on larger teams
- Mobile numbers use many more credits than emails
- Data quality outside North America and Western Europe varies by market - test a sample first
Recruiting tips
- Email candidates at their work address only when it's appropriate - many prefer a personal email or mobile for job conversations.
- Verify before you send: candidates change jobs often, and old work addresses bounce.
- Use job-change alerts to reconnect with past candidates when they move.
- Keep candidate data only as long as you need it and tell candidates how to opt out.
Data protection
Candidate contact data is personal data under GDPR, UK GDPR and similar laws. Recruiters usually rely on legitimate interest - inform candidates where you got their details (within a month under GDPR), keep data only as long as needed and honour opt-outs and deletion requests.
Which one should you choose?
Solo recruiter: Sendburg's free plan plus LinkedIn.
Agency with several recruiters: Sendburg Growth (3 seats) or Apollo.
Phone-first recruiting: Lusha for mobiles alongside a database.
Frequently asked questions
How do recruiters find candidates' email addresses?
Usually by finding the person on LinkedIn, then using a contact database or Chrome extension to reveal a verified work or personal email.
What is the best free tool for recruiters to find emails?
Sendburg's free plan includes 10,000 credits a month; Hunter and Lusha have smaller free tiers.
Is it legal to email candidates?
Generally yes under legitimate interest, if you tell them where you got their data, keep it relevant and honour opt-outs. Check local rules.