Backstory (formerly People.ai) vs Topo

Comprehensive side-by-side comparison — features, pricing, performance, and more.

Data last refreshed October 2026

Backstory (formerly People.ai)

People.ai, Inc. d/b/a Backstory

AI Revenue Platform for Sales Teams

Enterprise

75% verification coverage

Topo

Topo SAS

AI Sales Platform to Automate Outbound

Paid

81% verification coverage

Trust & Reliability

Backstory (formerly People.ai)

Uptime:100%Status page

Users:100K-1M

Customers (per vendor):Red Hat, AMD, OpenAI +7

GDPR

SOC 2

Topo

Uptime:100% (90-day)Status page

Users:100K-1M

Customers (per vendor):Certif-ia, DianaHR, GTM Engine +5

GDPR

SOC 2

Overall Winner: Topo

6.0/10 vs Backstory (formerly People.ai) at 5.1/10

Leads in:

Support

Customization

Planning Quality

Scores are AI-estimated from publicly available data — not an independent test or a verified user rating. How we rank →

AI Comparison Summary

Backstory (formerly People.ai)

5.1

avg score

Topo

6.0

avg score

Topo leads overall — particularly in Ease of Use and Support.

Based on 7 dimensions

Scores are AI-estimated from publicly available data — not an independent test or a verified user rating. How we rank →

Overall Winner

Topo

6.0 / 10

Backstory (formerly People.ai)

Best For

CROs and VPs of Sales who own the revenue number and drive strategy

Revenue Operations teams needing accurate, traceable engagement data

Sales Leaders focused on coaching and predictable revenue outcomes

Enterprise sales teams managing complex selling motions

Topo

Best For

Founders and solopreneurs running outbound sales

Small sales teams scaling outbound operations

Large sales teams seeking to automate prospecting and lead qualification

B2B sales teams aiming to increase qualified pipeline without adding headcount

* Verdict is based on our algorithmic scoring of publicly available data. Learn about our methodology

Backstory (formerly People.ai) is best for

📊Data & Analytics7.4💻Coding & Dev7.0💬Chat & Conversation7.0

Topo is best for

🤖Automation & Agents6.8📊Data & Analytics4.2💬Chat & Conversation4.0

Filter by your use case:

Limitations

Backstory (formerly People.ai)

Cons

Pricing is not publicly available and requires a custom quote
Requires integration with existing sales tools and LLMs for full functionality
Focuses on B2B enterprise sales, not individual reps or small businesses

Topo

Cons

Free trial is not offered for subscriptions (Terms of Service)
Subscription term automatically renews indefinitely unless 30-day written notice is given (Terms of Service)
No refunds issued for early termination of subscriptions (Terms of Service)
Client is solely responsible for acquiring and maintaining all necessary technical resources and skills (Terms and Conditions)
Solution may deliver inaccurate information or data due to incipient AI/ML technologies (Terms and Conditions)
No additional development services or new functionality integration are provided within the scope of the agreement (Terms and Conditions)

Weighted Score — Adjust What Matters to You

Pick a profile or drag sliders — scores and radar update instantly on the right.

Quick profiles:

Ease of Use5

Customization5

Support5

Integration5

Compliance & Data Protection5

Performance5

Planning Quality5

Dimension Comparison

Backstory (formerly People.ai)

5.1

/ 10

Topo

6.0

/ 10

Your pick

Dimension Breakdown

Ease of Use

How intuitive is onboarding, UI navigation, and day-to-day usage for the target audience?

Backstory (formerly People.ai)

2.0

Topo

5.0▲ +3.0

Customization

Calculated

How much can users tailor workflows, settings, prompts, or outputs to their needs?

Backstory (formerly People.ai)

6.0

Topo

7.0▲ +1.0

Support

How strong is the documentation, customer support, community, and learning resources?

Backstory (formerly People.ai)

6.0

Topo

8.0▲ +2.0

Integration

Calculated

How well does it connect with other tools, APIs, and workflows?

Backstory (formerly People.ai)

6.0

Topo

6.0

Compliance & Data Protection

Calculated

Compliance certifications and data-protection posture, counted from ten verified signals: SOC 2 Type II, GDPR compliance, HIPAA, WCAG AA/AAA, PII redaction, licensed-only training, a published sub-processor list, a downloadable DPA, not training on user data, and a documented deletion path

Backstory (formerly People.ai)

6.0▲ +1.0

Topo

5.0

Performance

Calculated

Latency + throughput speed

Backstory (formerly People.ai)

5.0

Topo

5.0

Planning Quality

Calculated

Multi-step planning depth + replanning capability

Backstory (formerly People.ai)

5.0

Topo

6.0▲ +1.0

Calculated = derived from structured signals (integration count, API/open-source config, compliance certs, response-time). AI = LLM-assessed from public website content. Methodology

Task Performance

Backstory (formerly People.ai)

Task

Topo

7.0

Lead Scoring

7.0

Pipeline Management

3.0

2.0

Outreach Automation

9.0

5.0

Email Tracking

6.0

1.0

Meeting Scheduling

4.0

9.0

Deal Forecasting

2.0

7.0

Contact Enrichment

9.0

7.0

Conversation Intelligence

4.0

5.0

Territory Management

5.0

8.0

Reporting Analytics

5.0

* Task scores (1–10) are algorithmically generated from publicly available data.

Data is sourced from public information and vendor websites. It may not always be up-to-date — verify pricing and features directly with the vendor before purchasing.Report inaccuracy

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the main differences between Backstory (formerly People.ai) and Topo?

Backstory (formerly People.ai) — "AI Revenue Platform for Sales Teams". Topo — "AI Sales Platform to Automate Outbound". The Features section on this page compares them side by side.

Who is Backstory (formerly People.ai) best for compared with Topo?

Backstory (formerly People.ai) is best for CROs and VPs of Sales who own the revenue number and drive strategy; and for Revenue Operations teams needing accurate, traceable engagement data. Topo is best for Founders and solopreneurs running outbound sales; and for Small sales teams scaling outbound operations.

How does the pricing of Backstory (formerly People.ai) compare with Topo?

Backstory (formerly People.ai) is enterprise-priced (custom quote). Topo is paid, includes a free plan, paid plans start at $89/month, offers a free trial. Always verify current pricing with the vendor.

Does Backstory (formerly People.ai) or Topo have a free plan?

Backstory (formerly People.ai) does not list a free plan in our data. Topo has a free plan and offers a free trial. Always verify current pricing with the vendor.

Do Backstory (formerly People.ai) and Topo offer an API?

Backstory (formerly People.ai) offers API access on its enterprise plans. Topo offers a public API.

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