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Lero vs. Validity: A Lightweight, API-First Alternative

Considering Validity for email validation? See how Lero compares in speed, accuracy, pricing, and developer experience—especially for lean teams.

Lero Team
8 min read
12/19/2024

Why Founders and Growth Teams Are Replacing Validity

Validity is a known name in enterprise email verification—especially via products like BriteVerify and DemandTools. But many early-stage teams and modern growth marketers are realizing:

  • It's slow to integrate
  • It feels bloated for simple validation
  • It comes with opaque pricing
  • It's more suited for Salesforce admins than lean startups

Lero is different: it's built API-first, validates any email in <50 ms, and starts at $0.0003/email—with no sales calls or contracts.

Quick Comparison Table

FeatureLeroValidity (BriteVerify)
⚡ Speed<50 ms per checkUp to seconds (esp. bulk)
🧠 Accuracy97.3% (audited)Not disclosed
🛠️ API-first designYes, with docs + SDKsLegacy API, gated by account manager
💸 PricingFrom $0.0003/email, transparentNot public, tiered quotes
📦 Bulk supportCSV upload or API batchYes, but slower
👤 Free credits500 on signupNone—demo requires sales call
🌍 HostingEU-based, GDPR-readyMostly US-based
🧑‍💻 Built for devsYes – API-first, async-readyNot dev-focused

Accuracy & Deliverability Protection

Lero uses:

  • • SMTP ping
  • • MX record check
  • • RFC syntax validation
  • • Disposable domain detection
  • • Catch-all and role-based filtering

All in a single hit, audited at 97.3% accuracy.

Validity offers similar checks, but doesn't publish independent audit results or latency benchmarks.

Developer Experience

Lero:

  • ✅ Public docs
  • ✅ Simple API key auth
  • ✅ Bulk + realtime endpoints
  • ✅ SDKs + examples
  • ✅ Slack-level support from the team

Validity:

  • ❌ API requires sales onboarding
  • ❌ Docs gated
  • ❌ Often built for Salesforce-style workflows

Pricing Transparency

With Lero:

  • No hidden tiers
  • • No monthly lock-ins
  • • Auto-volume discounts
  • • Pay only for what you use

You can check 10K emails for $3, with realtime feedback on usage.

With Validity:

  • • Pricing is not public
  • • You need a sales call for a quote
  • • Tiered pricing tied to volume + usage limits

Use Cases Where Lero Wins

ScenarioWhy Lero Wins
Fast email signup flowsSub-50 ms validation won't slow UX
Cold email or outbound automationPrevents fake emails before outreach
Newsletter / pre-launch listsClean CSVs before import
Lean dev teams shipping fastNo account manager needed
GDPR-conscious EU companiesEU hosting + encrypted data

Real Founder Feedback

"We used Validity at a previous company and it worked—but it felt like using Salesforce for a simple spreadsheet. Lero does the one thing we need: clean emails fast. No fluff."
M

Marcus Chen

Growth Lead, TechCorp

"We plugged Lero into our signup form and doubled lead quality overnight. No more mailinator spam."
S

Sarah Johnson

Founder, EmailFlow

Final Verdict: Lero Is the Agile Alternative to Validity

If you're:

  • A founder shipping fast
  • A growth team tired of overkill tools
  • A dev team building a product-led engine

…then Lero is the alternative to Validity you were hoping existed.

FAQs: Validity vs. Lero

Q1: Is Lero as accurate as Validity?

Yes. Lero is independently audited at 97.3% accuracy—and publishes benchmarks.

Q2: Can I use Lero for bulk uploads?

Yes. Upload CSVs or use the batch endpoint via API.

Q3: Does Lero integrate with Salesforce?

Not natively (yet). But you can plug it in via webhook, Zapier, or directly into your form layer.

Q4: Is Lero GDPR-compliant?

Yes—Lero is EU-hosted, encrypts data at rest and in transit, and is SOC 2 underway.

Q5: Can I try Lero for free?

Yes—500 free validations on sign-up, no credit card needed.

Try Lero Free Today

No forms. No demo calls. Just clean emails in 50 ms.

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