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Alternatives

Top 5 Cognism Alternatives in 2026

Compare the best alternatives to Cognism for B2B contact data, GDPR-compliant prospecting, and sales intelligence.

G24.8 rating on G2
At a glance

How Cognism Alternatives Compare

Side-by-side comparison of the key capabilities that matter most.

FeatureSalesmotionZoomInfoLushaApollo.ioClay
Contact Data AccuracyVerified contacts with full account contextLarge database with community-verified dataHigh-accuracy emails & direct dials275M+ contacts, variable accuracyWaterfall across 150+ providers for best match
EMEA Data CoverageGlobal coverage via 1,000+ sourcesStrong globally, good EMEA coverageGood EMEA coverage, GDPR compliantGrowing EMEA coverageDepends on underlying data providers used
Account IntelligenceAI-generated research briefs from 1,000+ sourcesFirmographics, technographics & org chartsBasic company firmographicsBasic firmographics & technographicsCustom enrichment workflows
Buying Signals24/7 signal monitoring across 1,000+ sourcesProprietary intent signalsJob change alertsJob changes & funding alertsReal-time enrichment triggers
Intent DataSignal-based with source transparencyProprietary intent dataLimited intent capabilitiesBasic intent dataVia third-party integrations
GDPR ComplianceGDPR compliantGDPR compliantGDPR & CCPA compliant, ISO 27701GDPR compliantDepends on data provider usage
PricingFrom $85/mo (account-based, unlimited users on team plans)From ~$15,000/year per userFree tier + from $36/user/monthFree tier + from $49/user/monthFree tier + from $149/month

Why teams switch from Cognism

Cognism has earned a strong reputation as the go-to B2B data provider for European markets, with its phone-verified Diamond Data offering accuracy rates that competitors struggle to match. For sales teams that depend on cold calling into EMEA, Cognism is often the first choice. However, as selling becomes more research-driven and signal-based, many teams are finding that great contact data alone is not enough.

The most common reasons teams look for Cognism alternatives include wanting deeper account intelligence beyond firmographics, needing better North American data coverage, looking for more affordable options (Cognism typically requires annual contracts starting at $15,000+), and wanting buying signals that go beyond basic trigger events. Many reps find that even with accurate phone numbers, they lack the account context needed to have meaningful conversations.

The best Cognism alternatives in 2026 range from platforms that combine contact data with deep AI research to affordable all-in-one prospecting tools to flexible enrichment platforms. The right choice depends on whether your priority is data accuracy, account intelligence, or value for money.

Detailed Breakdown

Best Cognism Alternatives

An in-depth look at each platform, including features, pricing, and limitations.

1

Salesmotion

Our Pick
G2: 4.8/5 (25 reviews)

Salesmotion approaches B2B sales intelligence from a fundamentally different angle than Cognism. While Cognism excels at providing verified phone numbers and emails, Salesmotion excels at giving reps the account context they need to make those calls and emails actually work. The platform aggregates data from over 1,000 sources to generate AI-powered research briefs, real-time buying signals, and personalized talking points.

For teams switching from Cognism, the biggest difference is going from having great contact data to having great conversations. Salesmotion helps reps understand what a company is investing in, what their leadership is prioritizing, and what business challenges create an opening for your solution.

Salesmotion also provides verified contact data, but its core strength is account intelligence. Many teams use Salesmotion alongside a contact data provider to get the best of both worlds.

Best for:Sales teams that want deep account intelligence and buying signals to complement their contact data

Key Features

  • AI-generated account briefs from 1,000+ sources
  • Real-time buying signal monitoring (leadership changes, earnings calls, tech adoption, funding)
  • Personalized talking points and outreach drafts based on real company events
  • Salesforce and HubSpot integration (Enterprise plan)
  • Account-based pricing with no per-seat limits
  • 3-day average implementation time

Limitations

  • Contact database is not as large as Cognism's 400M+ profiles
  • No phone-verified mobile number service comparable to Diamond Data
  • Newer platform with smaller market presence
Pricing: From $85/mo — flexible account-based pricing, unlimited users on team plans
G24.8 rating on G2
2

ZoomInfo

G2: 4.5/5Visit site

ZoomInfo is the largest B2B contact data platform globally and the most common enterprise alternative to Cognism. With 321M+ contacts, org charts, technographic data, and its own intent signals, ZoomInfo provides the most comprehensive single-source database available. For teams whose primary frustration with Cognism is coverage gaps outside Europe, ZoomInfo's North American data is significantly stronger.

ZoomInfo also offers engagement tools (Engage), conversation intelligence (Chorus), and website visitor identification, making it more of an all-in-one platform than Cognism. However, it comes at a higher price point and with lengthier contracts.

Best for:Enterprise teams that need the largest B2B contact database with the strongest North American coverage

Key Features

  • 321M+ contacts with direct dials, emails, and org charts
  • Technographic data showing installed technologies
  • Proprietary intent data and company news alerts
  • ZoomInfo Engage for sequencing and calling
  • Website visitor identification (add-on)
  • Advanced search with hundreds of filter criteria

Limitations

  • EMEA data quality does not match Cognism's phone-verified numbers
  • Expensive per-seat pricing with rigid annual contracts
  • Limited deep account intelligence — strong on data, weaker on context
Pricing: Custom pricing starting around $14,995/year per user. Enterprise plans range from $25,000-$60,000+/year
3

Lusha

G2: 4.3/5Visit site

Lusha is the most direct lightweight alternative to Cognism, offering a similar focus on contact data accuracy with a simpler, more affordable approach. Its browser extension provides instant access to verified emails and direct dials while browsing LinkedIn. Lusha is ISO 27701 certified and GDPR compliant, making it a viable option for European-regulated teams.

For smaller teams that find Cognism's pricing prohibitive, Lusha's free tier and affordable per-seat plans provide a strong entry point. While Lusha's database (150M+ profiles) is smaller than Cognism's, its data accuracy for direct dials is competitive in many markets.

Best for:Smaller teams that need GDPR-compliant contact data at a fraction of Cognism's price

Key Features

  • Browser extension for instant LinkedIn contact lookup
  • 150M+ business profiles with direct dials and emails
  • GDPR and CCPA compliant with ISO 27701 certification
  • Prospecting platform with company search and filtering
  • Bulk enrichment and CRM data hygiene
  • Free tier with 50 monthly credits

Limitations

  • Smaller database than Cognism, especially for DACH and Nordic regions
  • No phone-verified mobile numbers comparable to Diamond Data
  • Limited buying signals and account intelligence
Pricing: Free plan available. Pro from $36/user/month. Premium from $59/user/month. Scale pricing is custom
4

Apollo.io

G2: 4.8/5Visit site

Apollo.io is the most popular affordable alternative to Cognism, combining a large contact database with built-in sales engagement. With 275M+ contacts, email sequences, a dialer, and meeting scheduling all in one platform, Apollo offers more functionality per dollar than almost any competitor. Its free tier with 10,000 emails per month makes it accessible for teams testing the waters.

While Apollo's European data accuracy does not match Cognism's phone-verified numbers, its all-in-one approach eliminates the need for separate engagement tools, which can offset the data quality gap for many teams.

Best for:Budget-conscious teams that want contact data and sales engagement combined in one affordable platform

Key Features

  • 275M+ contact database with global coverage
  • Built-in email sequences, dialer, and meeting scheduler
  • AI writing assistant for email personalization
  • Intent data and job change alerts
  • Free tier with generous credits
  • Chrome extension for LinkedIn prospecting

Limitations

  • European data accuracy significantly weaker than Cognism's Diamond Data
  • Phone number accuracy is inconsistent, especially internationally
  • Account intelligence limited to basic firmographics
Pricing: Free plan available. Basic from $49/user/month. Professional from $79/user/month. Organization from $119/user/month
5

Clay

G2: 4.9/5Visit site

Clay takes a unique approach to the data quality problem that drives teams to Cognism. Rather than relying on a single database, Clay lets you waterfall across 150+ data enrichment providers through a spreadsheet-like interface. This means you can try Cognism's data first, then fall back to other providers for contacts that Cognism misses, maximizing coverage and accuracy.

For technically-savvy teams, Clay offers unmatched flexibility in building custom enrichment and outreach workflows. The platform also includes an AI research agent that can personalize outreach based on enriched data. However, it requires significant setup and maintenance compared to Cognism's straightforward search-and-export workflow.

Best for:RevOps and growth teams that want to combine multiple data sources through custom enrichment workflows

Key Features

  • 150+ data enrichment providers in one platform
  • Waterfall enrichment to maximize data coverage and accuracy
  • Spreadsheet-like interface for custom workflow building
  • AI-powered research agent for personalized outreach
  • Integrations with CRMs and 100+ sales tools
  • Automated prospecting campaigns with custom logic

Limitations

  • Steep learning curve — requires technical workflow building skills
  • Credit-based pricing can exceed Cognism's cost at high volumes
  • No native contact database — quality depends on which providers you use
Pricing: Free plan with limited credits. Starter at $149/month. Explorer at $349/month. Pro at $800/month

Customer Story

How Incredible Health doubled meetings booked with a 3-day go-live

2x

more meetings booked

3 days

to go live

50%

more quarterly meetings

“There's been a big focus on hyper personalization and relevance in our outbounding efforts. Salesmotion has been a key partner in hitting our significantly increased meeting targets. What stands out is how simple it is. Reps can log in and get valuable account insights within 30 seconds to a minute.”

Joe DeFrance

Joe DeFrance

VP of Sales, Incredible Health

Read the full case study

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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Cognism alternative has the best European data?

Cognism generally remains the strongest option for European B2B data due to its phone-verified Diamond Data. If you are looking for alternatives specifically for EMEA coverage, Lusha offers GDPR-compliant data at a lower price, and ZoomInfo has improved its European coverage significantly. For account intelligence in European markets (rather than just contact data), Salesmotion provides deep research from global sources.

Is Lusha a good replacement for Cognism?

Lusha is a solid replacement for teams that primarily use Cognism for contact lookups and cannot justify the higher price. Lusha is GDPR compliant, ISO 27701 certified, and offers good data accuracy through its browser extension. However, Lusha does not match Cognism's Diamond Data phone verification or DACH region depth. For small teams on a budget, the trade-off is usually worthwhile.

Can I get phone-verified mobile numbers without Cognism?

Cognism's Diamond Data phone verification service is unique in the market. No competitor offers the same level of human-verified mobile number accuracy. ZoomInfo's community-verified data and Lusha's proprietary verification come closest. Some teams use Clay to waterfall across multiple providers to find the best available number, which can approximate Cognism-level accuracy for some contacts.

Which Cognism alternative is best for North American data?

ZoomInfo has the strongest North American B2B data coverage with 321M+ contacts and deep org chart data. Apollo.io offers a more affordable option with 275M+ contacts and decent North American accuracy. For account intelligence in North American markets, Salesmotion provides the deepest research context from over 1,000 sources, though its primary value is account understanding rather than contact volume.

How much can I save by switching from Cognism?

Savings vary significantly depending on team size and which alternative you choose. Apollo offers a free tier and paid plans from $49/user/month. Lusha starts at $36/user/month with a free tier. Salesmotion starts at $85/month with account-based pricing and unlimited users on team plans. Compared to Cognism's typical $15,000-$30,000/year starting price for small teams, most alternatives offer meaningful savings, especially for growing organizations.

Related Comparisons

Explore more head-to-head comparisons and alternatives guides.

Cognism vs LushaZoomInfo vs CognismApollo vs CognismCognism Pricing Breakdown

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