Costs and pricing
Part of How to model a lead generation software budget
Hunter prospecting software: displayed GBP prices and credit terms
Compare Hunter Starter, Growth and Scale displayed GBP prices and credit terms, with a buying checklist for billing, usage estimates and UK VAT.
Hunter's displayed GBP subscription prices
Separate Hunter's displayed GBP subscription figures from its credit allowances. Record the billing label exactly, then confirm the payment schedule before signing. Compare Starter, Growth and Scale against the same planned workload rather than treating a larger allowance as a reason to buy.
| Hunter plan | Displayed GBP figure, billed monthly | Displayed GBP figure, billed yearly | Credits per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | £492 | £336 | 2,000 |
| Growth | £1,500 | £1,044 | 10,000 |
| Scale | £3,012 | £2,100 | 25,000 |
Before comparing the billing columns, ask for a written quote that identifies the amount due, payment frequency and contract length. Keep that quote beside the displayed figure. Do not relabel a number as a monthly equivalent or an annual total without confirming the calculation.
Use the same comparison fields for every quote: plan name, currency, billing label, payment schedule, credit allowance and tax treatment. Review software business models when deciding how to organise those fields. Keep the subscription payment separate from the volume of work you expect it to support.
Budget credits for finding and verifying emails
Hunter uses 1 credit for an email found and 0.5 credit for an email verified. Build the usage estimate around these separate actions. Decide whether each contact needs finding, verification or both, and keep that choice consistent when testing a plan's allowance.
Illustrative example: finding 2,000 emails at 1 credit each uses 2,000 credits. Verifying those emails at 0.5 credit each adds 1,000 credits. The combined requirement is 3,000 credits, which is 1,000 above Starter's 2,000-credit monthly allowance. This assumes both actions are performed for every email.
Define the input list before choosing an allowance. Record which addresses you already hold, which need finding and which need verification. Review prospecting data sources alongside that exercise. Avoid counting every contact as the same task when your intended workflow calls for different actions.
Match the allowance to its credit period
Hunter's monthly credits reset each month and do not roll over. Yearly-plan credits are available upfront for the whole year. Choose a forecast that matches the intended credit period, and test uneven workloads rather than assuming the same level of activity in every month.
The annual credit allowances are 24,000 for Starter, 120,000 for Growth and 300,000 for Scale. Keep these annual allowances separate from monthly limits in your forecast. For a yearly plan, map the expected timing of work against the upfront allowance before selecting a subscription.
Purchased Hunter credits can be used for up to 12 months from purchase. Record the purchase date and intended usage period when considering additional credits. Include reset, availability and expiry terms in a commercial contract review, alongside the payment schedule and the work those credits are intended to support.
Check UK VAT before approving a budget
The GOV.UK VAT rates page gives the standard VAT rate as 20 per cent. For a software purchase, ask whether the quoted amount includes VAT, then record the answer beside the currency and billing cycle. Treat any tax calculation as conditional until the purchase details are confirmed.
HMRC's VAT Notice 741A sets out that the reverse charge applies when a business belongs in the UK and receives B2B general-rule services from a supplier outside the UK, unless specific use-and-enjoyment provisions apply. Check the supplier and transaction details before deciding whether that rule applies to a purchase.
Illustrative example only: assume £336 is an amount excluding VAT and standard-rate VAT applies. VAT would be £336 × 20 per cent = £67.20, giving £336 + £67.20 = £403.20. These assumptions define the example, not Hunter's VAT treatment. Confirm the actual tax treatment before using a payable total.
Keep the subscription amount, VAT calculation and payment schedule as separate budget fields. Use a software budget guide to organise the assumptions, then have the relevant finance owner check them. Do not carry an illustrative tax calculation into an approved purchasing budget as though it were a quote.
Buying checklist for a Hunter subscription
Turn the price comparison into a purchasing decision by documenting the assumptions that matter to your planned workload. Attach the written quote to the approval record. Give each unresolved question an owner, and use the checklist to distinguish a displayed figure from a confirmed purchasing commitment.
- Confirm the selected Hunter plan and its quoted GBP amount.
- Record the billing label, payment frequency and contract length.
- Separate email-finding work from email-verification work in the credit estimate.
- Match the workload forecast to monthly resets or upfront yearly credits.
- Record expiry dates for any purchased additional credits.
- Confirm whether the quote includes VAT and check the relevant tax treatment.
Carry the approved usage assumptions into your software implementation plan. Assign responsibility for tracking credit consumption and reviewing unused allowances before the next purchasing decision. Keep the original estimate available so that changes in workload can be distinguished from changes in the selected subscription or payment arrangement.
For a later return on investment review, compare the confirmed cash commitment with the work actually completed and the outcomes you have chosen to measure. Keep finding and verification activity separate. Revisit the allowance when your workflow changes, rather than renewing solely because the existing plan is familiar.
