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.

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?. 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, Claude / Cursor Agents,

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.

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, 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 found-only billing.
Skim /mcp.md if agents matter.

Hub: LinkedIn or GitHub Profile URL → Contact Lookup API. GitHub: GitHub Profile URL Contact Lookup.

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. 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." 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. 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. /docs · /pricing. Found-only billing: 1 credit only when we return an email, a phone, or both. Timeouts and errors do not spend.

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.