Trust Checklist Before You Buy Any Contact API
Trust checklist before you buy any contact API – found-only credits, written billing.
Buying a contact API is a trust decision before it is a price decision. Use this checklist before you sign. Invenitor is built to pass it: Connecting people; a lookup API, not a sales cloud.
Checklist – billing semantics
- [ ] Credits spend only on found outcomes (email, phone, or both).
- [ ] Timeouts and errors do not spend.
- [ ] Pack expiry and currency are explicit.
Credit primer: What Are API Credits in Enrichment Products?. PAYG: Pay-As-You-Go Contact APIs. Pack sizing: 25 to 1,000 Credits. Free-plan traps: The Hidden Cost of "Free Plan" Enrichment Tools.
Checklist – docs and agents
- [ ] Human docs at /docs (or vendor equivalent).
- [ ] Agent-readable MCP (or equivalent) – /mcp.md.
- [ ] REST and MCP share one find contract.
Agent posts: Agent-Readable Docs: Why MCP.md Matters, What Is an MCP Server?, Claude / Cursor Agents, MCP for Recruiting Agents.
Checklist – product boundary
- [ ] Lookup is not forced as a full CRM replacement.
- [ ] Sequencer/dialer is optional and separate if needed.
- [ ] ATS embedding patterns exist for builders.
Layer pick: Contact Lookup API vs CRM vs Sequencer. Builders: Adding Contact Lookup to an ATS, REST Enrichment Inside a Hiring Product, Webhook-Free Enrichment.
Checklist – commercial and India fit
- [ ] Checkout you can pay (Razorpay/UPI for India desks).
- [ ] Prepaid packs without mandatory annual seats for thin needs.
- [ ] Clear path from WhatsApp confirm to API key if that is your motion.
India: INR Credit Packs, UPI to API Key, India Boutique IT Staffing, WhatsApp-First Recruiters. Global INR: US Price Arbitrage. No-monthly: No Monthly Plan Contact Enrichment.
How to test in one afternoon
- Paste five real person profile URLs.
- Confirm ledger matches Credit B.
- Skim /mcp.md if agents matter.
Hub: LinkedIn or GitHub Profile URL → Contact Lookup API. GitHub: GitHub Profile URL Contact Lookup. Desk SOPs: Freelance Recruiter Workflow, Agency Desk Playbook, Contract Recruiters in India, Screening Calls Faster.
What should you do next?
Print this checklist. Run the afternoon test on Invenitor free credits. If it passes, buy a pack on /pricing and wire /docs. Recruiter language for stakeholders: Contact Enrichment Explained for Recruiters. Seat math: Seat Subscriptions vs Pay-Per-Lookup Credits.
Red flags that end the evaluation
Refusal to write credit rules. Seat-only quotes for a URL→fields need. Scraping recommended as the "agent path." Soft mesh honesty + Credit B are non-negotiable: 1 credit only when we return an email, a phone, or both. Timeouts and errors do not spend.
Scoring vendors in a scorecard
Category: What a Contact Lookup API Actually Does. Hub: LinkedIn or GitHub Profile URL → Contact Lookup API. Primer: What Are API Credits in Enrichment Products?. Packs: 25 to 1,000 Credits. No-monthly: No Monthly Plan Contact Enrichment. Agents: /mcp.md, Agent-Readable Docs. Builders: Webhook-Free Enrichment. Desks: WhatsApp-First Recruiters. /docs · /pricing. Credit B: 1 credit only when we return an email, a phone, or both. Timeouts and errors do not spend.
Procurement share
Attach Credit B verbatim. See Contact Enrichment Explained for Recruiters.
Questions
When should a credit spend?
1 credit only when we return an email, a phone, or both. Timeouts and errors do not spend.
Why avoid brochure hit-rate percentages?
Soft mesh coverage varies by shortlist; sample your URLs instead of believing a marketing %.
What docs should exist?
Human REST docs and, for agents, MCP.md (or equivalent) with the same find contract.
Is a CRM required to buy lookup?
No – lookup is a layer. Keep your CRM/ATS if you need it; add find as a module.
How do India desks verify commercial fit?
Confirm Razorpay/UPI packs on /pricing and a clear key path after payment.
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What Are API Credits in Enrichment Products?
What are API credits in enrichment products? Units of prepaid find capacity – and why found-only Credit B beats per-request or seat-tax models.
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