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We used Oden to analyze Clay, Apollo.io, ZoomInfo, Lusha, and Cognism across ratings, pricing, features, and real-world user feedback so you don’t have to stitch this together yourself. If you’re trying to decide whether to keep a legacy data provider, move to a modern AI-first stack, or combine tools, the differences can be confusing—and expensive. Below, we focus on public data from vendor sites, G2 reviews, Reddit discussions, and independent pricing guides so you can see what actually matters for pipeline and ROI.
Which AI Sales Intelligence platform has the best rating?
| Platform/Tool | Rating (G2) | # Reviews (G2) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clay | 4.8 / 5 | 174 | Very high satisfaction but relatively small sample size compared with incumbents, and still emerging as a category leader in AI sales workflows.Source: G2 – Clay.com |
| Apollo.io | 4.7 / 5 | 9,250 | Large sample and consistently high scores; positioned by G2 as a leading all‑in‑one sales intelligence & engagement platform.Source: G2 – Apollo.io |
| ZoomInfo Sales (SalesOS) | 4.5 / 5 | 8,875 | High rating with a very large review base; dominant enterprise player with the broadest market presence.Source: G2 – ZoomInfo Sales |
| Lusha | 4.3 / 5 | 1,566 | Solid but lower rating; reviews frequently mention good LinkedIn workflows but some concerns about data consistency and value.Source: G2 – Lusha |
| Cognism | 4.5 / 5 | 1,200 | Strong rating focused heavily on EMEA data quality and compliance; smaller but meaningful sample size.Source: G2 – Cognism |
Takeaways
- Apollo and ZoomInfo have the most statistically robust ratings, with ~9k and ~8.9k reviews respectively, so their 4.7–4.5 averages are based on far more data than newer tools like Clay or regionally focused tools like Cognism.Source: G2 – Apollo.io, G2 – ZoomInfo Sales
- Clay’s 4.8 / 5 suggests very happy early adopters, but with under 200 reviews you should treat the score as directional rather than definitive compared with incumbents with thousands of reviews.Source: G2 – Clay.com
- Lusha’s 4.3 / 5 and over 1,500 reviews indicate a good but more mixed experience, often tied to credit limits, auto‑renewals, and data gaps in some markets.Source: G2 – Lusha
- Cognism’s 4.5 / 5 with ~1,200 reviews is strong, especially given its narrower EMEA focus; many positive reviews highlight connect rates and compliance but also mention higher perceived cost.Source: G2 – Cognism, G2 – Cognism details
- Overall, all five are “well‑liked” versus the broader software market; you should weigh the rating against your region, channels, and volume, not just the raw score.
How much do AI Sales Intelligence platforms really cost?
| Platform/Tool | Free / Trial Tier | Main Billing Units | Example Entry Point* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clay | Free forever plan (100–1200 annual credits) plus 14‑day Pro trial with 1,000 credits.Source: Clay FAQ – Free & trial | Workspace‑level subscription (unlimited users) + credit‑based enrichment usage. | Starter from ~$149/month, Explorer ~$349/month, Pro ~$800/month; credits scale per plan and you pay more as you enrich more data.Source: Clay pricing page, Clay blog – GMass pricing comparison |
| Apollo.io | Generous free tier with limited mobile/export credits and 2 sequences.Source: G2 – Apollo.io pricing | Per‑user subscription + monthly credits for mobile, exports, dialer, and enrichment. | Basic from ~$49/user/month (annual) with ~1,000 export credits; Professional from ~$79/user/month with more credits and dialer; Organization from ~$119/user/month, min 3 users.Source: SalesHandy – Apollo.io review |
| ZoomInfo SalesOS | No true free tier; sales‑led demos and annual contracts only.Source: CloudTalk – ZoomInfo pricing | Annual platform license + seat fees + credit packs; add‑ons (Engage, Intent, Enrich, etc.) priced separately. | Independent analyses place entry‑level SalesOS packages around $15k/year, with advanced or Elite packages often $25k–$40k+/year before extra credits and add‑ons.Source: Work‑Management ZoomInfo review, IGLeads ZoomInfo pricing guide |
| Lusha | Free plan with ~40–70 credits/month for one user.Source: UpLead – Lusha pricing | Seat‑based subscription + pooled credits; 1 credit per email, 5–10 per phone, with rollover on some plans. | Pro typically starts around low‑$20s–$30/user/month (annual) with ~3,000 credits/year; Premium from ~$52/user/month with ~7,200 credits/year, Scale as custom enterprise.Source: SaaSworthy – Lusha pricing |
| Cognism | No public free tier; demo‑led sales cycle. | Annual contracts with platform fee + user seats; “unrestricted views” but exports and Diamond Data are governed by fair‑usage.Source: Cognism vs ZoomInfo comparison | G2 pricing insights categorize Cognism as “$$$$$” perceived cost with estimated annual deals in the “$$k–$$k per year” range, indicating mid‑five‑figure contracts are common for full deployments.Source: G2 – Cognism details |
*Pricing examples are typical public or reported figures as of late 2025; your quote may differ.
What this means in practice
- Clay and Apollo are the most accessible for startups and small teams: Clay because it doesn’t charge per seat and lets you tune credits at the workspace level, Apollo because its Basic/Professional tiers give a lot of database + engagement for $49–$79/user/month.Source: Clay University – Plans & billing, SalesHandy – Apollo.io review
- ZoomInfo and Cognism both assume higher ACVs and annual commitments. ZoomInfo is typically the most expensive once you factor in add‑ons and credits; Cognism is similar territory but tends to create more value for EMEA‑heavy teams that actually use its Diamond Data.Source: CloudTalk – ZoomInfo pricing, Cognism EMEA data overview
- Lusha usually sits in the middle: noticeably cheaper than ZoomInfo, sometimes cheaper than Apollo on a per‑credit basis, but limited by credit caps and “fair use” policies that frustrate heavy users.Source: UpLead – Lusha pricing, Reddit – Lusha ‘unlimited’ credits discussion
- Credit overages are a real line item for Apollo, Lusha, ZoomInfo and even Clay; teams that underestimate dial/email volume routinely double their expected spend once they scale outreach.Source: FullEnrich – Apollo pricing analysis, Smarte – ZoomInfo pricing breakdown, Clay credits FAQ
Always double-check current prices with each vendor's calculator or sales team.
What are the key features of each platform?
Clay
Core positioning: AI-powered GTM data engine that centralizes enrichment, research, and personalization in a spreadsheet-like workspace.
Key Features:
- Unified enrichment marketplace: Clay combines 75–100+ data providers (emails, phones, firmographics, technographics, hiring, funding, etc.) into one interface, so you can chain multiple sources in “waterfall” sequences instead of relying on a single vendor.Source: Clay FAQ – What is Clay?, Dock – Best AI tools for sales
- Claygent AI research agent: Built‑in AI agents (“Claygent”) that can scrape websites, read PDFs, summarize news, and answer arbitrary questions about accounts or people, then write first lines or full emails based on that research.Source: Clay web scraping blog, Clay – Enrich with AI
- Credit‑based enrichment with unlimited users: All paid plans allow unlimited seats in a workspace, with pricing driven mostly by annual credit volume rather than per‑user fees.Source: Clay pricing page, Clay University – Plans & billing
- Deep CRM, API, and bulk enrichment: Pro and Enterprise plans add HTTP API access, webhooks, CRM integrations (Salesforce, HubSpot, etc.), and new “Bulk Enrichment” that lets you enrich millions of CRM records and write back to systems like Salesforce and Snowflake.Source: Clay pricing page, Clay blog – Bulk Enrichment
- Compliance and security: Clay emphasizes SOC 2 Type II, GDPR, and CCPA compliance, and allows you to bring your own API keys or external data providers via HTTP to keep enrichment contracts where you want them.Source: Futureen – Clay overview
Best For:
- Teams that want to orchestrate multiple data sources and AI research in one place instead of committing to a single database.
- GTM orgs that care more about automation and personalization workflows than about doing outreach directly inside the data tool.
- Companies with mixed tech stacks (various CRMs, sequencers, custom APIs) that want a flexible “enrichment layer” between systems.
Apollo.io
Core positioning: All‑in‑one AI-powered sales platform that combines a large B2B database with multichannel engagement and workflow automation.
Key Features:
- Large B2B database: Apollo advertises 210M+ contacts and 35M+ companies with 65+ filters for granular targeting (firmographics, technographics, job, intent, etc.).Source: Apollo – Prospect & enrich product page
- Native sales engagement: Built‑in sequences across email, phone, and tasks, with deliverability tooling and analytics, so you can prospect and run outreach directly from one platform.Source: Apollo – Sales engagement product page
- AI Research & AI assistant: Apollo AI surfaces the “right” personas, generates research snippets, and writes personalized outreach; the AI Research Agent has been credited with 46% more meetings and 35% more bookings in Apollo’s own case studies.Source: Apollo AI overview, Apollo AI growth announcement
- CRM and enrichment: Automatic CRM enrichment, CSV/API enrichment, scoring models, and an API that can search, enrich, and sync leads into your systems programmatically.Source: Apollo – Prospect & enrich product page
- Tiered credits: Each plan includes a specific bundle of export, mobile, and enrichment credits; higher tiers unlock dialer, call recording, advanced intent, and more generous limits.Source: G2 – Apollo.io pricing, SalesHandy – Apollo.io review
Best For:
- Teams that want one tool for database + sequencing without assembling a best‑of‑breed stack.
- Cost‑conscious orgs that don’t need enterprise‑grade compliance or contract flexibility but do need volume at a predictable per‑seat price.
- SDR teams that live inside sequences and value tight CRM sync more than highly customized enrichment logic.
ZoomInfo SalesOS
Core positioning: Enterprise‑grade go‑to‑market intelligence platform with one of the largest B2B datasets, deep intent signals, and AI‑driven workflows.
Key Features:
- Massive global database: Independent analyses cite over 321M contacts and 104M companies with rich firmographics, technographics, org charts, and direct dials, updated continuously.Source: Best AI Sales Software – ZoomInfo overview
- SalesOS with advanced search & workflows: SalesOS provides advanced account/contact search, automated workflows, and native engagement tools (calls, emails, sequences) plus conversation intelligence add‑ons like Chorus.Source: Best AI Sales Software – ZoomInfo overview
- Buyer intent & signals: ZoomInfo processes over a billion buying signals monthly, powering intent scores and alerts that show which accounts are researching specific topics, competitors, or keywords.Source: G2 – ZoomInfo Sales product description
- AI Copilot & GTM Workspace: Newer releases bundle Copilot and an AI GTM workspace that summarizes accounts, surfaces next‑best actions, and automates many tasks across SalesOS and the broader ZoomInfo suite.Source: ZoomInfo + G2 intent article
- Ecosystem of add‑ons: Modules like Engage (sequencing), Enrich (CRM data hygiene), WebSights (visitor ID), and Worldwide Data allow teams to tailor bundles at the cost of extra contracts and complexity.Source: Smarte – ZoomInfo pricing breakdown
Best For:
- Large or fast‑growing companies that can leverage a very broad database and make use of SalesOS plus multiple add‑ons.
- Revenue teams with mature RevOps who can tune credit usage, workflows, and integrations to avoid waste.
- Organizations prioritizing US coverage and advanced intent/ABM scenarios.
Lusha
Core positioning: AI sales intelligence and “sales streaming” platform centered on LinkedIn/website prospecting, verified contact data, and lightweight orchestration.
Key Features:
- LinkedIn-centric Chrome extension: Lusha’s extension reveals verified emails and phone numbers on LinkedIn, Sales Navigator, CRMs, and any B2B website, with bulk reveal from Sales Navigator lists.Source: Lusha Chrome Extension page
- Sales streaming & AI playlists: The platform positions itself as an AI sales intelligence layer that produces a continuous “stream” of recommended leads based on your ICP, intent signals, and lookalike logic.Source: Lusha homepage
- Prospecting + light engagement: Users can build lists, segment by signals like job changes and funding, and push contacts into simple email sequences (Lusha Engage) or out to CRMs and sales tools.Source: Lusha homepage
- Credit-based pricing with flexible tiers: Free, Pro, Premium, and Scale plans allocate a pool of credits where 1 credit typically buys an email and 5–10 a phone number; unused credits can roll over on some plans.Source: UpLead – Lusha pricing
- Compliance-heavy positioning: Lusha emphasizes GDPR, CCPA, SOC 2, and ISO‑based privacy certifications, along with strong claims about email/phone accuracy (e.g., 98% deliverability, 85% phone accuracy).Source: Lusha homepage
Best For:
- SDRs and recruiters who prospect heavily on LinkedIn and want quick “click‑to‑reveal” contact info.
- SMBs and agencies that need a lower‑cost, credit‑based data source without ZoomInfo‑style contracts.
- Teams that already have sequencing elsewhere but need a data “booster” that drops into existing workflows.
Cognism
Core positioning: EMEA‑first B2B data provider focused on compliant, phone‑verified mobile data and AI‑guided targeting.
Key Features:
- EMEA‑optimized dataset: Cognism markets itself as “Europe’s leading provider of B2B data,” with particularly strong coverage and depth across the UK and wider EMEA compared to US‑centric vendors.Source: Cognism homepage
- Diamond Data® phone verification: Diamond Data is a pre‑verified mobile dataset and on‑demand research service designed to deliver connect rates up to 3x higher than unverified lists, with claims of connecting with 87% of your list in some studies.Source: Cognism EMEA data page
- Sales Companion: A new AI‑driven suite that surfaces high‑value prospects, intent and signal data (funding, tech changes, hiring), and helps reps prioritize outreach within their flow.Source: Cognism Sales Companion announcement
- Compliance-by-design: Cognism highlights GDPR/CCPA compliance, Article 14 notifications, screening against 13+ DNC lists, and ISO 27701 certification as a core differentiator, especially for EU outbound.Source: Cognism alternatives hub
- Integrations & browser extension: Native integrations with Salesforce, HubSpot, Outreach, Salesloft, and a Sales Companion browser extension for LinkedIn/company sites to pull contacts into the platform and connected CRMs.Source: G2 – Cognism reviews
Best For:
- Teams selling heavily into Europe or operating under strict compliance scrutiny.
- Outbound motions that rely on high‑quality mobile numbers and phone‑first outreach.
- Mid‑market and enterprise orgs with budget to trade higher license costs for connect‑rate gains.
What are the strengths and weaknesses of each platform?
Clay
Strengths:
- Extremely flexible enrichment workflows: Users and partners repeatedly highlight Clay’s waterfall enrichment (chaining multiple providers) as the main reason they can beat single‑source tools on coverage and cost per valid contact.Source: Reddit – “What is the deal with Clay?”
- Unlimited users with credit-based pricing: Reviews and docs emphasize that pricing scales by credits, not seats, which is attractive for teams that want many stakeholders experimenting with workflows without paying per user.Source: Clay University – Plans & billing
- Powerful AI research & automation: Community write‑ups and vendor content show Claygent handling tasks like scraping sites for pain points, summarizing news, and generating dynamic email snippets at scale, reducing SDR research time significantly.Source: Clay web scraping blog, Dock – Best AI tools for sales
Weaknesses:
- Steep learning curve for non‑technical sellers: Independent reviews and Reddit threads describe Clay as “powerful but not instant,” with many teams hiring consultants or spending weeks to build reliable workflows.Source: Futureen – Clay overview, Reddit – “Is anyone using Clay?”
- Credit and pricing complexity: Multiple community posts complain that understanding which actions burn credits (and how fast) is hard, and that enabling advanced features like custom HTTP/API calls often requires higher‑priced plans ($300+/month and up).Source: Clay credits FAQ, Reddit – “Clay is great… but $300+/month just to hit an HTTP API?”
- Data coverage depends on connected providers: Clay itself isn’t a dataset—if you don’t plug in strong external data sources or pay for richer providers, you can see gaps compared to bundled databases like Apollo or ZoomInfo.Source: Reddit – “Clay data seems limited compared to LinkedIn”
Apollo.io
Strengths:
- Best “value for volume” in many tests: Pricing breakdowns consistently note that Apollo’s entry tiers offer far more credits and features per dollar than most competitors, especially versus ZoomInfo.Source: FullEnrich – Apollo pricing analysis
- All-in-one workflow (database + engagement): Buyers like that they can replace a separate data provider and sequencing tool with Apollo’s combined platform, cutting both cost and integration overhead.Source: Apollo – Sales engagement product page
- High G2 rating at large scale: A 4.7 / 5 rating across more than 9,000 reviews suggests strong satisfaction across SMB and mid‑market users who rely on it daily for prospecting and outreach.Source: G2 – Apollo.io
Weaknesses:
- Data quality not always on par with ZoomInfo/Cognism: Comparisons and Reddit threads often report that Apollo’s phone data in particular can be weaker, with 20–30% “bad” dials in some tests.Source: Reddit – “No wonder ZoomInfo stock crashed”
- Credit overages and upsell pressure: Detailed pricing guides show that once teams start relying on mobile numbers and heavy exports, they quickly hit credit limits and must buy expensive extra credit packs, sometimes doubling effective per‑user cost.Source: Smarte – Apollo.io pricing guide
- UI and workflow complexity: Some users describe Apollo as powerful but cluttered, with important features buried in menus and sequence workflows that feel less polished than best‑in‑class engagement tools.Source: Reddit – “No wonder ZoomInfo stock crashed”
ZoomInfo SalesOS
Strengths:
- Deep, broad dataset and enterprise credibility: Analysts and vendor materials position ZoomInfo as the market leader with the largest, most frequently refreshed B2B database and a strong track record in G2’s grids (top rankings across many sales intelligence categories).Source: Best AI Sales Software – ZoomInfo overview, Nasdaq – ZoomInfo G2 rankings press release
- Integrated suite (SalesOS, MarketingOS, OperationsOS): ZoomInfo can power prospecting, ABM, enrichment, and operations from one vendor, which matters for enterprises trying to rationalize dozens of tools.Source: Best AI Sales Software – ZoomInfo overview
- Sophisticated intent and AI features: Copilot and Buyer Intent tools help reps prioritize accounts, see spikes in content consumption, and automate next steps across sales and marketing plays.Source: ZoomInfo + G2 intent article
Weaknesses:
- High and opaque pricing: Multiple independent pricing breakdowns show typical contracts starting around $15k/year and rising to $40k+ with add‑ons; Reddit users frequently call out the lack of transparent pricing and “predatory” contracts.Source: CloudTalk – ZoomInfo pricing, Reddit – “ZoomInfo Pricing”, Reddit – “My costly mistake with ZoomInfo’s predatory contracts”
- Data quality issues in some segments: While many reviews praise overall coverage, others complain about outdated or incorrect contacts, especially in niche industries or outside North America, and note the absence of easy ways to flag bad data.Source: G2 – ZoomInfo Sales reviews, SalesIntel blog – ZoomInfo reviews comparison
- Credit friction and add‑on sprawl: The credit system (contact vs export credits) and paid add‑ons for essentials like Engage and Enrich can make budgeting difficult and cause teams to underuse the platform for fear of burning credits.Source: Smarte – ZoomInfo pricing breakdown
Lusha
Strengths:
- Fast, simple LinkedIn workflows: Users consistently highlight the Chrome extension as easy and effective for grabbing direct dials and emails without breaking prospecting flow.Source: Lusha Chrome Extension page, G2 – Lusha
- Attractive entry pricing vs big incumbents: Third‑party pricing comparisons show that Lusha’s Pro/Premium plans deliver meaningful volumes of credits at a lower absolute price than tools like ZoomInfo or Cognism, making it appealing to smaller teams.Source: UpLead – Lusha pricing
- Strong compliance and accuracy positioning: Lusha markets 98% email deliverability and 85% phone accuracy, plus GDPR and CCPA certifications, which is comforting for teams worried about spam and legal risk.Source: Lusha homepage
Weaknesses:
- Credit caps and “unlimited” confusion: Users have reported that supposedly “unlimited” plans still cap usage (e.g., around 2,000 credits/month) under fair‑use policies, leading to frustration about marketing claims vs actual limits.Source: Reddit – Lusha ‘unlimited’ credits discussion
- Mixed data quality: G2 reviews mention that while many contacts are accurate, others are outdated or incomplete, especially for mobile numbers, and that value drops quickly if you rely heavily on phones.Source: G2 – Lusha reviews
- Feature depth behind higher tiers: Some capabilities—like richer analytics, bulk CSV export, and wider integrations—require Premium or Scale plans, limiting how far lower‑cost tiers can go as a “system of record.”Source: SaaSworthy – Lusha pricing
Cognism
Strengths:
- Outstanding EMEA contact and mobile data: Case studies and comparison pages repeatedly show Cognism outperforming ZoomInfo and Lusha for European coverage and mobile accuracy, with reported 7x connect rate gains when using Diamond Data.Source: Cognism EMEA data page, Cognism alternatives hub
- Compliance peace of mind: Cognism’s focus on GDPR, Article 14 notifications, and multi‑country DNC screening is a major selling point for legal and procurement teams in Europe.Source: Cognism EMEA data page
- Sales Companion and signals: Users appreciate AI‑guided prioritization and signal data (funding, hiring, tech changes), which help reps focus on buyers who are more likely to be in market.Source: Cognism Sales Companion announcement, G2 – Cognism reviews
Weaknesses:
- Higher perceived cost and contract rigidity: G2 pricing insights and third‑party analyses categorize Cognism as a “$$$$$” tool with annual contracts and auto‑renewal clauses, and some reviewers complain about being locked into expensive renewals.Source: G2 – Cognism details, LeadsForge – Cognism pricing pros & cons
- Weaker US brand recognition and coverage vs ZoomInfo: Even Cognism’s own marketing acknowledges that ZoomInfo has stronger US coverage, with Cognism differentiating primarily on EMEA accuracy and compliance.Source: Cognism vs ZoomInfo comparison
- No native sequencing: Unlike Apollo, Lusha, or ZoomInfo Engage, Cognism leans on integrations with tools like Outreach and Salesloft, which is fine for mature stacks but less convenient if you prefer an all‑in‑one system.Source: Cognism vs ZoomInfo comparison
How do these platforms position themselves?
Clay markets itself as an AI‑powered GTM automation and enrichment layer, not “just another database.” The FAQ emphasizes combining 75+ data tools into one place, then using AI to research and write targeted outreach that syncs back to your CRM.Source: Clay FAQ – What is Clay?
Apollo.io describes itself as a $1.6B AI-powered sales platform that helps revenue teams “find and engage leads, automate outreach, manage deals, and enrich data — all in one place,” explicitly aiming to be an end‑to‑end GTM platform for small businesses and startups as well as larger teams.Source: Apollo AI growth announcement
ZoomInfo positions SalesOS as the core of a broader GTM Intelligence Platform, “the biggest, most accurate, and most frequently refreshed database of contact and company insights, intelligence, and purchasing intent data” with AI‑ready signals that power sales, marketing, and operations.Source: G2 – ZoomInfo Sales product description, ZoomInfo + G2 intent article
Lusha brands itself as an AI Sales Intelligence platform that delivers a continuous “sales stream” of verified leads, buying signals, and automated outreach so “you can just sell,” with strong emphasis on ease‑of‑use, verified data, and fast time‑to‑value for sales, RevOps, marketing, and recruiting teams.Source: Lusha homepage
Cognism calls itself “the premium sales intelligence platform” for companies selling into EMEA, promising up‑to‑date, quality data for the companies and decision‑makers that matter most, with Diamond Data to “boost connect rates by up to 3x” and compliance as a headline benefit.Source: Cognism homepage
Which platform should you choose?
Choose Clay If:
- You already use (or plan to use) multiple data providers and want one place to orchestrate waterfall enrichment, AI research, and routing into CRMs and sequencers.
- You value unlimited users over per-seat simplicity, e.g., RevOps, marketing, founders, and SDRs all need to build or consume data workflows without buying more licenses.Source: Clay pricing page
- You’re comfortable investing in workflow design (or a consultant) to get outsized returns from automation, and you’re okay with a steeper learning curve than a pure point‑and‑click database.Source: Futureen – Clay overview, Reddit – “Is anyone using Clay?”
- You want AI‑driven research and personalization at scale (e.g., Claygent scraping sites, summarizing news, and generating first lines) more than you want a built‑in dialer or sequencer.Source: Clay web scraping blog
- You’re wary of being locked into a single data vendor and prefer a flexible enrichment layer where you can swap sources or bring your own API keys over time.Source: Clay credits calculator
Choose Apollo.io If:
- You want one tool for database + outreach and don’t want to maintain separate contracts for data, sequences, and dialer.
- Your team is seat-heavy but not extremely high-volume, so the bundled credits in Basic/Professional are enough without constant overages.Source: SalesHandy – Apollo.io review
- You care about AI assist but don’t need deep custom workflows, and are happy with Apollo’s AI Research and AI email writer guiding reps inside standard sequences.Source: Apollo AI overview
- You’re budget-conscious vs. ZoomInfo and can accept somewhat weaker phone data in exchange for a much lower list price and faster self‑serve onboarding.Source: FullEnrich – Apollo pricing analysis, Reddit – “No wonder ZoomInfo stock crashed”
- Your GTM motion is outbound-heavy but not hyper‑regulated, so you don’t need Cognism‑level compliance guarantees in Europe.
Choose ZoomInfo SalesOS If:
- You’re an enterprise or upper‑mid‑market org with the budget and RevOps muscle to fully exploit a large, complex GTM platform.
- You need the broadest possible B2B coverage, especially in North America, and are willing to pay a premium for depth, org charts, and a wide array of data attributes.Source: Best AI Sales Software – ZoomInfo overview
- You plan to standardize on ZoomInfo across sales, marketing, and operations, using SalesOS + MarketingOS + OperationsOS and possibly add‑ons like Engage, Enrich, and WebSights.
- You have a mature intent and ABM strategy, and can operationalize ZoomInfo’s buyer intent and Copilot recommendations into targeted plays across channels.Source: ZoomInfo + G2 intent article
- You’re comfortable with annual, credit-based contracts in the $15k–$40k+ range and will actively manage seat counts and credit usage to avoid bill shock.Source: CloudTalk – ZoomInfo pricing, IGLeads ZoomInfo pricing guide
Choose Lusha If:
- Your reps live in LinkedIn and the browser, and you mostly need fast, accurate contact discovery there rather than a huge standalone database UI.
- You’re a small team or agency that wants a lower‑commitment, credit‑based tool with clear monthly pricing rather than five‑figure annual contracts.Source: UpLead – Lusha pricing
- Your use case is “top-up” data, complementing sequencing tools like Outreach/Salesloft and CRMs, rather than replacing them.
- You’re okay managing credit pools and fair‑use caps, watching for when heavy phone usage might demand a larger plan or a second data source.Source: Reddit – Lusha ‘unlimited’ credits discussion
- Compliance and verified data matter, but you don’t need elite EMEA coverage, making Lusha a pragmatic middle ground between cheap tools and premium providers.
Choose Cognism If:
- You sell heavily into Europe (UK, DACH, Nordics, etc.) and care more about connect rates and legal defensibility than squeezing every dollar of tool cost.
- Your motion is phone-first, and you want Diamond Data’s phone‑verified mobiles to raise connect rates and reduce wasted dials.Source: Cognism EMEA data page
- Your legal and security teams are nervous about data provenance, and you want Article 14 notifications, broad DNC coverage, and ISO certifications out of the box.Source: Cognism alternatives hub
- You already have a strong engagement stack (e.g., Outreach, Salesloft, or HubSpot) and just need a premium data and signals layer.
- You can justify mid‑five‑figure annual spend by tying Cognism to improved connect rates, shorter cycles, and better EMEA penetration, not just lead volume.Source: G2 – Cognism details
Sources & links
Company Websites
Pricing Pages
Documentation
G2 Review Pages
Reddit Discussions
- Reddit – Clay pricing discussion
- Reddit – Apollo vs other data providers
- Reddit – ZoomInfo cost confusion
- Reddit – Lusha vs others for lead gen
- Reddit – Cognism vs ZoomInfo & others