--- title: "Trust checklist before you buy any contact API – Invenitor" description: "Coverage honesty over brochure %." url: https://invenitor.com/blog/trust-checklist-before-you-buy-any-contact-api agents: https://invenitor.com/llms.txt mcp: https://api.invenitor.com/mcp --- [Blog](https://invenitor.com/blog) Oct 15, 2026 · 10 min read · Product # Trust checklist before you buy any contact API Trust checklist before you buy any contact API – found-only credits, written billing. On this page 1. [Checklist – billing semantics](#checklist-billing-semantics) 2. [Checklist – docs and agents](#checklist-docs-and-agents) 3. [Checklist – product boundary](#checklist-product-boundary) 4. [Checklist – commercial and India fit](#checklist-commercial-and-india-fit) 5. [How to test in one afternoon](#how-to-test-in-one-afternoon) 6. [What should you do next?](#what-should-you-do-next) 7. [Red flags that end the evaluation](#red-flags-that-end-the-evaluation) 8. [Scoring vendors in a scorecard](#scoring-vendors-in-a-scorecard) 9. [Procurement share](#procurement-share) 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: A people search and 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?](https://invenitor.com/blog/what-are-api-credits-in-enrichment-products). PAYG: [Pay-As-You-Go Contact APIs](https://invenitor.com/blog/pay-as-you-go-contact-apis-for-teams-that-hate). Pack sizing: [25 to 1,000 Credits](https://invenitor.com/blog/25-to-1-000-credits-choosing-an-inr-pack-size). Free-plan traps: [The Hidden Cost of "Free Plan" Enrichment Tools](https://invenitor.com/blog/the-hidden-cost-of-free-plan-enrichment-tools-for-small). ## Checklist – docs and agents - \[ \] Human docs at (or vendor equivalent). - \[ \] Agent-readable MCP (or equivalent) – . - \[ \] REST and MCP share one find contract. Agent posts: [Agent-Readable Docs: Why MCP.md Matters](https://invenitor.com/blog/agent-readable-docs-why-mcp-md-matters-for-contact-apis), [Claude / Cursor Agents](https://invenitor.com/blog/claude-cursor-agents-calling-a-contact-lookup-mcp-endpoint), ## Checklist – product boundary - \[ \] Lookup is not forced as a full CRM replacement. - \[ \] Sequencer/dialer is optional and separate if needed. - \[ \] CRM embedding patterns exist for builders. Layer pick: [Contact Lookup API vs CRM vs Sequencer](https://invenitor.com/blog/contact-lookup-api-vs-crm-vs-sequencer-pick-the-right). ## 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](https://invenitor.com/blog/inr-credit-packs-for-contact-lookup-how-razorpay-pricing-feels), Global INR: [US Price Arbitrage](https://invenitor.com/blog/us-price-arbitrage-why-some-teams-buy-inr-credit-apis). No-monthly: [No Monthly Plan Contact Enrichment](https://invenitor.com/blog/no-monthly-plan-contact-enrichment-who-it-fits-and-who). ## How to test in one afternoon 1. Paste five real person profile URLs. 2. Confirm ledger matches found-only billing. 3. Skim if agents matter. Hub: [LinkedIn or GitHub Profile URL → Contact Lookup API](https://invenitor.com/blog/linkedin-github-contact-lookup-api). GitHub: [GitHub Profile URL Contact Lookup](https://invenitor.com/blog/github-profile-url-contact-lookup-when-developer-profiles-are-the). ## What should you do next? Print this checklist. Run the afternoon test on Invenitor free credits. If it passes, buy a pack on and wire . Seat math: [Seat Subscriptions vs Pay-Per-Lookup Credits](https://invenitor.com/blog/seat-subscriptions-vs-pay-per-lookup-credits-a-cost-model). ## 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." coverage honesty + found-only billing 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](https://invenitor.com/blog/what-is-a-contact-lookup-api). Hub: [LinkedIn or GitHub Profile URL → Contact Lookup API](https://invenitor.com/blog/linkedin-github-contact-lookup-api). Primer: [What Are API Credits in Enrichment Products?](https://invenitor.com/blog/what-are-api-credits-in-enrichment-products). Packs: [25 to 1,000 Credits](https://invenitor.com/blog/25-to-1-000-credits-choosing-an-inr-pack-size). No-monthly: [No Monthly Plan Contact Enrichment](https://invenitor.com/blog/no-monthly-plan-contact-enrichment-who-it-fits-and-who). Agents: , [Agent-Readable Docs](https://invenitor.com/blog/agent-readable-docs-why-mcp-md-matters-for-contact-apis). · . Found-only billing: 1 credit only when we return an email, a phone, or both. Timeouts and errors do not spend. ## Procurement share ## 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?+ 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/CRM 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. ## Find the person you need Describe who you need in one sentence. Your first search is free, and you pay only for contacts we find [Find people free](https://invenitor.com/login?from=https%3A%2F%2Fpeople.invenitor.com%2Fsearch&x=w7&q=c5&z=g1)[See pricing](https://invenitor.com/pricing?x=w7&q=c5&z=g2) ## Keep reading - [Nov 4, 2026 · ProductNever make one up: Editorial standards for enrichment content teamsNever make one up: editorial standards for enrichment content teams – ban invented demo contacts, hit-rate claims, and marketing that contradicts the API.](https://invenitor.com/blog/never-make-one-up-editorial-standards-for-enrichment-content-teams) - [Oct 26, 2026 · Product"When we have them": Writing honest marketing for contact APIs"When we have them": writing honest marketing for contact APIs – coverage claims, empty means not found, and found-only billing without vanity hit-rate percentages.](https://invenitor.com/blog/when-we-have-them-writing-honest-marketing-for-contact-apis) - [Oct 21, 2026 · ProductWhat is pay-per-lookup pricing?What is pay-per-lookup pricing?](https://invenitor.com/blog/what-is-pay-per-lookup-pricing)