Compare Cognism Alternatives: Features, Pricing, Integration
If Cognism doesn’t suit you and your team, don’t worry. There are plenty of alternatives with similar capabilities.Â
But knowing which one to pick is tricky. Differences aren’t always obvious. And some features—along with pricing—vary significantly between platforms.Â
That’s why this guide gives a full, practical breakdown of six top Cognism alternatives and covers their strengths, key comparisons, pricing, and essential features.Â
Why Look for Cognism Alternatives?
Cognism is a B2B data enrichment tool. And it’s not without its positives. Cognism’s data is regularly hygiene-checked to ensure it complies with GDPR and CCPA regulations. It also has a large number of search filters and an intuitive interface.Â
However, there are three common issues brands encounter when using Cognism:
High and unclear pricing
A lack of automation features
Credit limitations
In addition, while Cognism does offer AI insights, verification, and summaries, it doesn’t support teams with outreach and broader sales activities. Today’s most advanced AI tools automate repetitive tasks, predict outcomes, recommend next steps, and track leads.Â
We’ve included a range of tools in this guide. Some, like Artisan, sit at the forefront of innovation, offering virtual employees who create lead lists, build custom workflows, and reach out to leads when they show strong buying intent. Others, like LeadIQ, have flexible pricing that benefits smaller teams and primarily focuses on data enrichment.
1. Artisan (Best Overall Cognism Alternative)
Artisan is an AI-first tool that automates 80% of the early and mid sales cycle. Its database contains over 300 million contacts, which AI BDR Ava filters to find leads who fit your ICP.
Overview and Strengths
Artisan is a powerful tool with regularly hygiene-checked B2B data enriched from multiple sources, including social media, B2B directories, and company websites.Â
Its most impressive feature is AI BDR Ava, a virtual employee who takes on lead discovery, identifying leads who fit your ICP and populating profiles with current data.
Artisan combines multiple tools into a single, consolidated platform. Ava analyzes lead data to pinpoint those most likely to buy and reaches out to them with personalized messages. Ava also takes care of email domain warm-up and deliverability optimization.Â
Users explain their requirements through a conversation, and Ava tailors sales workflows based on this input. Users can even opt for the full automation option for a hands-off experience.
Key Features
AI virtual employee Ava handles prospecting and outreach
Database of over 300 million verified B2B, local, and ecommerce contacts
Multi-channel automation across LinkedIn and email
Intent-based workflows, web visitor tracking, and lead scoringÂ
CRM integrations, including HubSpot and Salesforce
Ongoing A/B testing to improve outbound lead generation strategies
Pricing & Plans
Artisan offers custom pricing tailored to your team's specific needs. As a consolidated platform, it eliminates costs that would otherwise be spread across multiple tools.Â
How Artisan Compares to Cognism
Cognism doesn't have anywhere near the same level of automation features as Artisan. With Cognism, your team will have to drudge through manual tasks or pay for an additional outreach tool.
Artisan offers unlimited lead discovery and messaging. It's a full-stack solution that upgrades your entire sales workflow and saves your team hours every week. For example, Ava finds leads who perfectly match your ICP and contacts them the moment they show buying intent, ensuring you’re the first person to reach their inbox.Â
Ideal Use Case
Artisans’ all-in-one approach caters to most sales teams, especially SaaS startups and B2B companies looking to scale. In addition, lean GTM companies will benefit from the assistance of a virtual employee.Â
Want to benefit from Artisan’s advanced automation features? Virtual SDR Ava handles the majority of the early-to-mid sales cycle, freeing your team to focus on relationship building and closing deals. Contact the sales team for more information.Â
2. Apollo.io
Apollo.io is an end-to-end prospecting tool, covering the entire sales process from lead generation to outreach. Like Cognism, it helps sales teams identify decision-makers, offering a database of over 210 million entries and 35 million companies.
Overview and Strengths
Apollo has a database with over 65 search filters, from industry to location to company size. This allows sales reps to build lead lists that fit their ICP precisely.Â
It also offers several AI features, including automated email sequences, scheduled call alerts, and personalized outreach. Another advantage is its advanced reporting capabilities that provide analytics and recommendations for improving lead engagement.Â
Key Features
A/B testing and advanced reporting
Tracking of buyer intent signals with alerts
Automation features, including tailored workflows and personalized messaging
Database of 210 million entries and 35 million companies
CRM integrations, such as Salesforce and HubSpot
Pricing & Plans (Monthly)Â
Basic: $49/user/month
Professional: $79/user/month
Organization: $119/user/month
Free tier: 1,200 credits/user/year
How Apollo Compares to Cognism
Like Cognism, Apollo.io uses a credit-based system. However, most tiers offer unlimited email credits, and the pricing is more accessible. Apollo.io’s data coverage also focuses on the US market rather than the European market, so an Apollo alternative will likely be preferable if you’re outside the US.Â
Apollo surpasses Cognism when it comes to automation, offering more advanced features. The larger feature set means it can take some time to get to grips with the platform, but webinars and tutorials are available for support.Â
Ideal Use Case
Apollo.io suits teams of all sizes seeking an end-to-end solution.
3. Seamless.AI
Seamless.AI is a data enrichment tool that uses AI to find leads who match your ICP and create lists of high-intent prospects. It also offers automation features for cold email outreach.Â
Overview and Strengths
Seamless has strong AI capabilities. It automatically builds lead lists that match your requirements, scouring its vast database of 1.3 billion contacts and 121 million profiles. The auto-validation feature ensures accurate data, and there’s an AI content generator for personalized messages on the go.
Key Features
Automated lead list building, verification, and enrichment
AI Autopilot drafts personalized email messages from prompts
A database with contact information for over 1.3 billion B2B professionals
Advanced filters, including keywords, financials, and industry
Intent data tracking and buyer intent alerts
Pricing & Plans
Contact the sales team for pricing.Â
How Seamless Compares to Cognism
Seamless is a good alternative to Cognism for teams requiring more automation features than Cognism, especially for startups eager to scale quickly.Â
Ideal Use Case
Seamless suits mid-market and enterprise companies that require an extensive contact database. Smaller businesses have better options than both Cognism and Seamless.Â
4. RocketReach
RocketReach is a data enrichment platform with a large B2B database, automated list-building tools, over 100 search filters, and a reputation for data accuracy.Â
Overview and Strengths
RocketReach isn’t shy of making promises. It prides itself on maintaining clean data. It states that it achieves deliverability rates of 90–98% thanks to real-time email verification. It also says that its overall data accuracy average is 85%. Not a bad achievement for a sales tool with a database containing over 700 million profiles and 60 million company profiles.
However, the tool is limited in other ways. While it does offer automated list building, its Autopilot feature is still in the beta stage of development. And when these features are launched, sales reps will only have access to simple automated email follow-ups, workflows, and scheduling tools.Â
Key Features
Database with contact data for 700 million professionals and 60 million companies
Beta Autopilot feature to automate workflows
AI writer for quick email text generation
API for bulk fills to user CRMs
Integrates with Salesloft, Zapier, HubSpot, and many other B2B sales and marketing tools
Pricing & Plans (Monthly)
Essentials: $99.00/month
Pro: $165.00/month
Ultimate: $300/month
How RocketReach Compares to Cognism
RocketReach offers more automation features than Cognism. Both have strong data accuracy, but RocketReach lacks the same level of compliance. European teams are more likely not to run into regulatory issues with a tool like Cognism.
Ideal Use Case
RocketReach suits teams who use email and phone outreach. The tool offers unlimited emails and promises high deliverability, even on its lowest-tier pricing plan. This is a good option for SMBs looking to contact leads via email.
5. Lusha
Lusha is a global B2B sales intelligence platform with additional AI features. It’s known for its ease of use and popularity among smaller businesses.Â
Overview and Strengths
Lusha’s AI features aren't extensive, but they are helpful. For example, you can search the lead database keywords, and the AI will find entries that match your ICP. This tool produces live lists that resemble Instagram reels, providing a seemingly endless stream of new leads as users scroll. There are also several new automation features on the way, including AI data enrichment and insights.Â
Lusha’s Engage feature automatically generates email text, while the Conversations feature analyzes lead communications in real-time, offering recommendations.Â
Lusha offers all the usual features of a data intelligence tool, including a Chrome extension for lead discovery on LinkedIn and company websites, as well as alerts for buyer signals, sent via in-app alerts or email.
Key Features
Database of over 135 million B2B contacts
GDPR and CCPA compliance for the US and European markets
Extensive security, including ISO27701 protection
AI-generated email features for automated outreach and follow-up
AI-driven data enrichment with additional insights
Chrome extension for lead discovery on the go
Pricing & Plans (Monthly)Â
Pro: $36.00/month/user
Premium: $59.00/month/user
Scale: Contact the sales team
The free plan includes 50 credits each month.
How Lusha Compares to Cognism
Compared with Cognism, Lusha is a more affordable tool. It also has greater flexibility for teams operating outside the European market. Unlike Cognism, Lusha’s AI features enable you to automate key areas of the lead discovery process and some of the outbound sales process.Â
Ideal Use Case
Lusha suits smaller teams looking for flexible pricing.
6. LeadIQ
LeadIQ is a global B2B prospecting platform well-suited for companies operating in the European market and targeting leads via phone.Â
Overview and Strengths
LeadIQ offers several powerful AI features. AI agents identify signals to help you prioritize the leads most likely to buy. The AI can also generate personalized emails as part of one-click workflows, which significantly speeds up prospecting and outreach.
The tool is easy to set up and integrates with several other tools, such as HubSpot and Salesloft. It also supports direct data enrichment within your CRM.Â
LeadIQ offers advanced technographic, firmographic, and location filters. It also measures performance across all the countries you operate in, tracking leads captured, deliverability, connection rates, and integrations.
Key Features
B2B lead database containing over 49 million mobile numbers
GDPR compliance, suiting the European market
Advanced security, including SOC2 protection
Personalized AI email generation with the Scribe feature
Many integrations for sales tools and CRM platforms, including Groove, Salesloft, and Gong
One-click workflows for organized outreach
An attentive customer support team
Pricing & Plans (Monthly)
Essential: $45/month
Pro: $89/monthly
The Enterprise plan is only available on an annual plan. Contact the sales team for further information.Â
How LeadIQ Compares to Cognism
The most significant difference between Cognism and LeadIQ is that LeadIQ is a global solution. While Cognism does offer GDPR compliance, it doesn’t have the same wealth of data for the European market.Â
Ideal Use Case
Small teams that require bulk imports into the CRM will appreciate how easy LeadIQ is to set up and integrate.
7. ZoomInfo
ZoomInfo is a data enrichment platform with an AI copilot to help you find B2B leads in a fast, scalable way. It has a higher price tag compared to other entries on this list.Â
Overview and Strengths
ZoomInfo is a popular prospecting tool that offers a large number of phone numbers. It ensures data quality thanks to regular enrichments and hygiene checks.
ZoomInfo also has an AI copilot that summarizes account information, provides briefings before meetings, and recommends targeting strategies. It also offers AI message generation with personalization. You can create custom workflows, manage your progression, and track website visitors.
Key Features
B2B database of 70 million direct dial phone numbers and 174 million email addresses
Regularly updated and hygiene-checked data
AI copilot for summaries, pre-meeting guidance, and targeting recommendations
AI-generated emails personalized based on lead dataÂ
CRM integrations, including SalesloftÂ
Pricing & Plans
Contact the sales team for pricing.Â
How ZoomInfo Compares to Cognism
ZoomInfo offers more AI features than Cognism, such as the AI copilot, which summarizes and manages conversations. These capabilities shorten the lead discovery process.
Ideal Use Case
ZoomInfo suits enterprise and mid-market teams that rely on cold calling for prospecting and lead generation. The pricing model tends to be more expensive due to its reliable dataset.Â
How to Choose the Best Cognism Alternative
A well-chosen Cognism alternative can transform your sales process. But take the time to consider your options before taking out a subscription.Â
Considering the long-term needs of yourself and your team, and how a tool can benefit you, will save time, revenue, and a lot of onboarding headaches.Â
Match Features to Use Case
Every tool offers something slightly different. While some automate almost the entire prospecting process, others only provide high-quality data, leaving you to integrate the tool with a sales platform to automate outreach.Â
How do you determine which tool works best for you? Dive into your sales team's process and identify the weakest points. For example, are you lacking reliable data? Or do you need to automate your workflow and outreach?Â
Also, keep your most valuable channels in mind. Some tools focus on LinkedIn and email, while others provide the data to run smooth, multi-channel campaigns.Â
And don't forget to prioritize tools that fit your tech stack. If you rely heavily on your CRM and the tool you choose can't export data and integrate easily, you'll waste more time than you save.Â
Key Buying Factors
Once you’ve considered your basic requirements, the next step is to prioritize based on nice-to-have extras. There’s no one-size-fits-all here; it’s all about what your team needs.Â
Here are the most common considerations:
Market (e.g., teams in the European market will need GDPR compliance)
Team sizeÂ
Budget flexibility
Tech stack
Time to get started
With an organized shortlist of requirements, you can be sure the tool you choose will be a good fit.Â
Don’t Just Buy Data: Deploy an AI SDR Instead
Cognism doesn’t suit every team. Many sales reps are instead choosing newer tools with AI features that automate the early and mid-sales cycle, from prospecting to follow-up.
A tool like Artisan allows you to create custom workflows, which are then handled fully by AI SDR Ava. She creates lead lists that match your ICP, tracks intent data, and reaches out at the right moment. Your team only needs to step in at the later stages to build relationships and close deals.Â
