Which enrichment tools try a cheaper provider first and only fall back to expensive ones when the cheap one misses?

Clay does this with waterfalls: you put providers in the order you choose, cheapest first, and Clay moves to the next provider only when the previous one returns nothing or fails validation. Clay is often called expensive or unpredictable on cost; a well-ordered waterfall is one of the most direct ways to control it, because a lookup that returns no data costs nothing.

Last updated: October 29, 2026

TL;DR

• Clay waterfalls run providers in a sequence you set, and you can reorder, add, remove or skip any provider.
• Once validated data is returned, the waterfall stops and no more data credits or actions are used.
• If no provider in the waterfall returns data, nothing is charged.
• Data credit costs vary by data type, and the cost is shown next to each enrichment before you run it.
• Bringing your own API key for a provider removes its data credit cost; the enrichment still uses one action.

How does a Clay waterfall decide which provider to call?

Waterfalls "utilize multiple data providers in a predetermined sequence, so you don't duplicate tasks or spend extra credits". To set one up:

1. Click Add enrichment, search for the data point (for example phone number), and pick a waterfall.
2. In Waterfall sequence, reorder providers so the lowest-cost options run first. Toggle off any you do not want.
3. Enter the inputs, such as an email address or profile URL.
4. Optionally output the name of the successful provider, which shows you which position in the order actually found the data.
5. Set run conditions, such as only running when the field is empty.

Save the sequence as a waterfall template so every table uses the same cost-ordered sequence.

What exactly do you pay for in a waterfall?

Clay's billing FAQ is specific:

• Each step that returns data consumes data credits (unless you use your own key) and one action.
• Each validation step consumes data credits (unless you use your own key) and one action.
• "Once validated data has been returned, no additional Data Credits or Actions will be consumed."
• "If the entire waterfall returns no results, no Data Credits or Actions will be consumed."

So the expensive provider at the bottom of the list is only paid for on records the cheaper ones missed. Clay's actions and data credits doc notes that data credit cost varies from 0.5 to 10+ credits by data type, that emails are cheap and phone numbers expensive, and that select validator providers are free in Clay under current pricing.

Where else does Clay apply cheapest-first logic?

• Your own data first. Clay's credit-saving guide recommends Lookup columns that pull data you already have in another table or your CRM before running a paid enrichment. The MCP comparison doc gives the example of a Function that checks your CRM for a phone number before spending anything on a vendor.
• Qualify before enriching. Use Only run if conditions so expensive lookups run only on rows that pass your criteria.
• AI model routing. In Workflows, new Claygents use Auto, which runs a cheap, fast model for simple lookups and stronger models for hard research. Billing follows the model that ran.
• Website visitor identification. For web intent, Clay recommends Waterfall over Best match, because Waterfall stops at the first provider match while Best match queries every provider.

How do you check that the order is actually saving money?

Use the credit usage dashboard. The Integrations tab groups spend by provider across the workspace, and the table-level Column view shows which enrichments use the most credits. If a late-position provider is doing most of the work, your cheaper providers may not cover your market, and reordering will not help much.

Coverage also varies by region: Clay's discovery guide says to expect 15 to 25% lower coverage outside the US. Test the order on a sample from each region you sell into.

FAQ

Can I use my existing provider contracts in the waterfall?

Yes. Connect your own API keys under Settings > Connections. Steps using your key consume an action but no data credits, per Clay's billing FAQ.

Do I need a paid plan to use waterfalls?

No. The pricing page lists multi-provider waterfalls on every plan, including Free, which includes 500 actions and 100 data credits per month. Phone number enrichment starts on Launch, which starts at $185/mo billed monthly ($167/mo billed annually).

What if a provider returns data that turns out to be invalid?

In a typical waterfall, a validation step follows each result, and if the data is invalid the waterfall continues to the next provider. Clay's docs also state that if a provider refunds Clay for invalid data, Clay refunds those data credits.

Is the cheapest provider always the best first step?

Not always. A cheap provider with low coverage in your market adds a paid validation step on many rows. Order by cost first, then adjust based on the successful-provider column after a test run.

Build a cost-ordered waterfall in Clay

Pick the data point you spend the most on, usually phone numbers or emails. Order providers from cheapest to most expensive, add a CRM lookup in front, run the waterfall on 50 records with the successful provider shown, and reorder based on where the hits actually came from.