Cognism vs ZoomInfo (Tried, Compared): Winner Revealed

See how Cognism and ZoomInfo compare to each other (and to ListKit) to help you decide which platform is best for you.

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Quick summary

Pricing

$97

$399+

$99

Rollover credits

Pay for credits not used

50% Off Additional Credits

Money-back guarantee

30 Days

Grandfathered pricing

Lifetime

No charge for risky & invalid emails

No need to verify emails through another service

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Priority Support

Why ListKit Is the better choice 😉

Founded by outreach experts

Our C-Suite are outreach nerds at heart - with a common goal of making ListKit the most user-friendly data platform on the market.

Stupid-simple user interface

Pre-built filters and 1-click orders will have your lists ready in minutes- not hours.

Triple-verified data

Every ListKit lead you export is verified by us - no need for verification tools like NeverBounce or MillionVerifier.

Cognism vs ZoomInfo - Key Differences

When deciding between ZoomInfo and Cognism, it's important to consider which platform aligns best with your specific requirements. Here’s a detailed comparison:

ListKit Cognism ZoomInfo
Pricing Structure Starts at $97/mo/user, offering a credit-based pricing model, ensuring users only pay for verified email contacts. $15,100 to $103,000/year, with tier-based pricing. Discounts of up to 29% can be negotiated at the end of the quarter (Source: Vendr). Starts at $14,995/year (contradictory figures exist), credit-based structure with additional costs for add-ons, making it more expensive for businesses with fluctuating data needs.
Data Accuracy & Coverage 500M+ B2B leads with triple verification for high accuracy, minimizing wasted resources. 200M+ European contacts, offering 2x more European contacts than competitors, phone-verified mobile numbers, GDPR-compliant (Source: Cognism). 321M professional contacts at 104M companies, with regularly updated data to ensure accuracy (Source: ZoomInfo).
User Interface & Experience 9/10 G2 rating for “ease of setup.” User-friendly, intuitive interface for quick, time-saving actions. Seamless, user-friendly platform with easy CRM integration. Some users report issues with the Chrome Extension requiring frequent re-sign-ins. Feature-rich platform with a steep learning curve. New users may find it overwhelming, especially with multiple add-ons.
Advanced Analytics & Reporting Visual analytics on industry distribution, job titles, location, and platform usage, helping refine ICP and optimize targeting. Predictive analytics and intent data via Bombora, helping prioritize outreach. Limited customization for advanced reporting. Real-time updates and predictive analytics, but complex reporting tools that may overwhelm smaller teams.
Data Security & Compliance GDPR compliant, strong data security, no sensitive data processed, clear user rights for access and deletion. GDPR and CCPA compliant, extensive DNC checks in Europe, SOC2 and ISO27001 certifications ensure robust security (Source: Cognism). GDPR and CCPA compliant, fewer DNC list checks compared to Cognism, posing potential challenges in stricter regions.
CRM Integration & Third-party Tools Integrates with HubSpot, Smartlead, Pipedrive, Zoho, Zapier, Slack, Google Sheets, and more. Seamlessly integrates with Salesforce, HubSpot, and Pipedrive. Occasional syncing issues with complex setups. Extensive app marketplace for third-party integrations, but the complexity may overwhelm smaller teams.
Customer Support & Community World-class support with personalized onboarding, weekly coaching calls, and ongoing educational resources. Fast and reliable support, though delays may occur during peak hours. Offers helpful onboarding resources. 24/7 support, but lacks personalized onboarding. Users report long wait times during peak periods.
User Reviews & Ratings 4.9 stars from 300+ reviews, praised for ease of use, high-quality leads, and exceptional support. 4.6/5 stars from 678 reviews, with high praise for data accuracy but issues with the Chrome Extension (Source: G2). 4.4/5 stars from 8,282 reviews, with concerns about data accuracy, especially in smaller markets (Source: G2).

Cognism: A Quick Overview

Cognism homepage

Cognism is a sales intelligence platform designed to enable businesses to reach their ideal clients through phone-verified mobile numbers, direct dials, and business emails. This powerful tool provides access to high-quality B2B data that adheres to stringent privacy protocols and is GDPR-compliant.  data points

With Cognism, sales and marketing teams can focus more on engaging with prospects and less on data accuracy issues, thanks to its powerful email and phone verification processes. This results in 3x more live conversations, helping businesses connect with 87% of their contact lists and significantly increasing productivity.

Key features

  • Unrestricted data access: Cognism offers unlimited views and exports at both individual and page levels within a generous fair-use policy, enabling users to access the necessary data without worrying about limitations or extra costs.
  • CRM integration: Cognism integrates seamlessly with popular CRM systems like Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive, and Dynamics, as well as sales engagement tools such as Outreach and SalesLoft, allowing for smooth data flow and streamlined workflows.
  • Intent data: Utilizing Bombora's intent signals and data, Cognism helps identify accounts that are ready to buy, enabling the international company's global sales teams to prioritize their outreach efforts and engage with prospects at the optimal time.
  • Global database: Cognism's database is checked against TPS/CTPS in the UK, and European, Australian, and US Do-Not-Call lists, ensuring compliance with various international regulations and reducing the risk of legal issues.
  • Fast and friendly support: Cognism offers a dedicated support team that provides quick and helpful assistance, ensuring that users can resolve any issues promptly and maintain productivity.
  • International coverage: Cognism provides extensive data coverage across EMEA, NAM, and APAC regions, allowing businesses to expand their reach and tap into new markets with accurate contact data.
  • Easy platform setup: The platform is designed for quick and easy integration with existing CRM and sales engagement tools, enabling businesses to start using Cognism's features without significant downtime or technical challenges.
  • Prospector: Cognism's Prospector tool helps your sales team build targeted lists of ideal-fit accounts by identifying and verifying B2B decision makers' contact data, ensuring that outreach efforts are focused and effective.
  • Enrich: The Enrich feature cleanses and enriches existing contact lists by updating and verifying the accuracy of the data, removing duplicates, and filling in missing information, thus enhancing the quality of leads.
  • Chrome extension: Cognism's Chrome Extension allows for individual prospecting by integrating with LinkedIn Sales Navigator and other social platforms, providing verified contact details directly within the browser, making it easy to reach out to potential leads.

ZoomInfo: A Quick Overview

ZoomInfo homepage

ZoomInfo is a comprehensive business-to-business (B2B) database and market intelligence platform that provides organizations with access to detailed company data and contact data. The platform is designed to help businesses drive growth by providing accurate data on companies, decision-makers, and market trends.

Furthermore, it’s recognized as a top-purchased sales analytics tool on the Vendr Buying Platform and was the sixth most-renewed SaaS product in 2023. So, ZoomInfo remains a popular choice for businesses seeking reliable data to enhance their sales and marketing efforts.

Key features

  • Real-time data updates: The platform continuously updates its detailed database in real-time, ensuring that users have access to the latest information, including changes in company ownership, personnel updates, and other relevant details.
  • Automated workflows: ZoomInfo streamlines repetitive tasks such as lead enrichment, data cleansing, notifications, and email outreach, freeing up valuable time for sales and marketing professionals to focus on high-value activities.
  • SalesOS (sales Intelligence): A comprehensive sales intelligence platform designed to streamline sales workflows, improve prospecting efficiency, enable B2B sales, and drive revenue growth for businesses.
  • MarketingOS (Marketing Intelligence): A robust marketing intelligence and lead generation platform that empowers marketers with data-driven insights, advanced targeting capabilities, and integrated campaign management tools to optimize their marketing strategies and drive lead generation.
  • OperationsOS (Operations Intelligence): A cutting-edge operations intelligence platform designed to streamline processes, enhance data quality, and optimize performance across sales, marketing, and other business functions through its powerful sales automation and integration capabilities.
  • TalentOS (Talent Intelligence): An innovative talent intelligence platform that provides recruiters and HR professionals with comprehensive tools for sourcing, evaluating, and engaging with top talent, ultimately driving more efficient and effective hiring processes.
  • Dynamic audience targeting: ZoomInfo’s data and tools enable marketers to create precision-targeted lists of accounts and contacts that match their ideal customer profile, ensuring that marketing efforts are focused and effective.
  • Comprehensive contact database: With over 103 million contacts and 105 million companies, ZoomInfo provides a vast and detailed contact database that is essential for efficient lead generation and sales prospecting.
  • Real-time notifications and updates: Users receive real-time notifications and updates about changes in their targeted companies or contacts, helping them stay informed and responsive to new opportunities.
  • Predictive analytics and trend analysis: ZoomInfo’s predictive analytics and trend analysis tools help users anticipate market movements, prioritize leads, and make data-driven decisions to enhance their sales and marketing efforts.

Pricing - Cognism vs Zoominfo

Let’s analyze the pricing models of Zoominfo and Cognism.

Cognism pricing

Cognism pricing packages are customizable to meet individual needs and unique workflows, providing a personalized solution.

Plan Features Annual Price Range
Essentials 2,040 credits per year, Mobile direct dials, Chrome extension $74/month (billed annually)
Plus 4,800 credits per year, Enrichment API, Email pattern intelligence $149/month (billed annually)
Professional 12,000 credits per year, Prospector Pro API, Advanced search $299/month (billed annually)
Platinum Lead Builder, Insights, Data Segmentation, Chrome Extension, Popular integrations (Salesforce, HubSpot, etc.) $1,500 to $10,000 per year
Diamond Up to 50 million contacts, Verified phone numbers, Intent data, Advanced AI-driven segmentation, Comprehensive insights and analytics, All integrations $2,550 to $25,000 per year

ZoomInfo pricing

ZoomInfo offers various distinct models, each with its own pricing structure, to cater to different business needs:

Plan Monthly User Cr Annual Bulk Credits Monthly User Credits Additional User Cost
Professional $14,995 5,000 Data N/A $1,500 per user
Advanced $24,995 10,000 1000 $2,500 per user
Elite $39,995 10,000 1,000 $2,500 per user

ListKit pricing

Plan Cost per User per Month Email Credits Included Phone Credits Included Email Verifier Credits Additional Email Credits
Professional $97 2,000 (resets monthly) 100 (resets monthly) Unlimited $59 per additional 1,000
Scale $297 (up to 3 users) 10,000 (resets monthly) 500 (resets monthly) Unlimited $39 per additional 1,000
Enterprise $1,000+ Custom Custom Unlimited Custom pricing available

Free

Basic ($49/mo or $432/year)

Start ($99/mo or $888/year)

Grow ($199/mo or $1,788/year)

Expand ($499/mo or $4,488/year)

1 course

Everything in Free plus

Everything in Basic plus

Everything in Start plus

Everything in Grow plus

Quizzes & serveys

Unlimited courses

2 course admin/authors

2 site admin accounts

5 site admin accounts

Content hosting
(video, audio, PDF)

Live chat support

Custom code (HTML/CSS) editor

5 course admins/authors

15 course admins/authors

Basic ($59/month or $468/year)

Pro ($159/month or $1,428/year)

Business ($665/month or $5,988/year)

Custom domains

No transaction fees

No transaction fees Advanced developer customizations

Coupon codes

Live chat support on weekends

Custom user roles

Basic email marketing
(no automations)

Graded quizzes

20 admin level users

ListKit offers credit-based pricing 😮️

Pay for verified contacts only

Online Reviews - Cognism vs ZoomInfo

Cognism boasts a strong rating with 678 reviews and an impressive average score of 4.6 out of 5

On the other hand, ZoomInfo enjoys a vast number of reviews, totaling 8,282, with an average rating of 4.4 out of 5. 

While both platforms are highly regarded, Cognism's slightly higher rating of 4.6 gives it an edge in perceived user satisfaction. This comparison not only highlights the differences in user satisfaction but also underscores the competitive edge each tool offers in the realm of sales intelligence and engagement platforms.

What Users Are Saying

Cognism customer reviews on G2

  • Positive review: Users like Katharine D. praise ZoomInfo for its seamless integrations with CRM systems, ease of use, and effective list-building capabilities for prospects. She also highlights the platform's strong and accurate contact numbers and emails, along with the excellent customer support available, making it a valuable tool for users. [Link]
  • Critical review:  On the other hand, some users, including Christina B., express significant frustration with Cognism's process and support. She finds the process of using the Cognism App via Salesforce App Launcher cumbersome and nuanced, leading to a lack of motivation among sellers. Additionally, Christina notes that the Cognism Chrome Extension is often rendered defunct, requiring frequent re-sign-ins and causing accessibility issues. [Link]

ZoomInfo customer reviews on G2

  • Positive review: Users like Natalie D. appreciate ZoomInfo Sales for its helpful extension, praising its ability to quickly gather data on most company websites. Natalie highlights the accuracy of the contact information and the platform's responsiveness in updating emails or phone numbers, giving it a perfect 10/10 rating. [Link]
  • Critical review:  However, some users, including Miguel P., point out concerns about incorrect and outdated data, noting that such issues tend to happen frequently and suggesting areas for potential improvement. [Link]

ListKit customer reviews on G2

  • One ListKit user in the marketing and advertising industry said: “I've been using other lead list softwares from Apollo, Lusha, Seamless, Sales Navigator, and more including GMB scrapers. Listkit has made both the interface and finalized pulled list simple, easy to understand, non-data heavy, and ready to sell to. The customer service is quick and helpful. And the CSV files pulled from the lists are quick to upload and implement into my cold email campaigns.”
  • "This is my favorite source of leads” - said Michael, a small business owner. “Their search interface is very easy to use. I can drill down to exactly the sorts of leads myself and my clients want to prospect for. In addition there are some smart features to help you choose quantities of leads per company so as not to overwhelm them during outreach. Customer service is great and the no-cost onboarding / training call was incredibly helpful. I'm using ListKit regularly to prospect and generate lead lists for my outbound sales.”
  • Nick, a small business owner, said in a G2 review: You won't find higher quality leads anywhere else, the platform is so easy to use and all the leads are triple verified so you don't have to do anything else after dowloading them. Plug them into your software and you're good to go. Highly recommend it.

Cognism vs ZoomInfo: Choosing the Right Tool for Your Business

When comparing Cognism and ZoomInfo, it's clear that both platforms have their own unique strengths and cater to different business needs. Choosing the better platform largely depends on the specific requirements of your organization, whether you prioritize data accuracy, integration capabilities, or global reach. 

Who is Cognism best for?

  • Scaling Startups and SMEs: With a pricing model designed for growing businesses, Cognism offers essential tools and services at a cost-effective rate, ideal for small to medium-sized enterprises ready to expand their outreach without the hefty investment required by some larger platforms.
  • Sales and Marketing Teams: Perfect for departments that require robust lead generation and enriched data insights to drive their sales and marketing strategies effectively.
  • Recruitment Agencies: Cognism serves recruitment professionals with advanced features tailored for sourcing and connecting with top talent across various industries.
  • B2B Tech Startups: Tech startups looking to accelerate their growth will find Cognism's predictive analytics and actionable insights particularly valuable for refining their sales and marketing efforts.

Who is ZoomInfo Best For:

  • Medium to Large Enterprises: ZoomInfo’s higher price point is justified by its extensive features and tailored solutions, making it a fit for larger organizations willing to invest around $12-$15,000 per year.
  • Data-Intensive Teams: Ideal for teams that need extensive data for lead generation, sales prospecting, and marketing outreach.
  • HR Departments: ZoomInfo is also well-suited for HR teams looking for detailed talent intelligence.
  • Tech Companies: Companies seeking predictive analytics and insights to refine their sales processes will find ZoomInfo highly beneficial.

And here’s who ListKit is best for:

  • Individuals and Small Teams: ListKit’s professional plan at $79 per user per month is budget-friendly, catering to freelancers, independent contractors, solo founders, small teams, and startups.
  • Sales Teams: Perfect for sales teams looking to enhance cold email and cold call outreach with reliable contact details.
  • Consultants: Beneficial for consultants needing comprehensive, verified contact lists to expand their client base without the burden of manual verification.
  • Cold Email / Lead Generation Agencies: Ideal for agencies specializing in cold email and lead generation, offering precise lead data to streamline their outreach efforts and improve client results.

Why ListKit is a Better Choice

Highly Rated: 4.9/5 (224+ reviews)

ListKit took the market by storm in 2024 when it surpassed $1M in annual recurring revenue within just 90 days because of its popularity with users.

Originally a B2B list-building service, it evolved into a powerful database platform of over 500M contacts, led by serial tech entrepreneur Oliver Schmalholz and 7-figure outreach experts Andre Haykal Jr, Christian Bonnier (me), Dan Crowley, and Daniel Fazio (Cold Email Wizard).

At the risk of a humblebrag, what sets ListKit apart is its foundation, built by entrepreneurs who’ve mastered cold outreach for years. This experience shines through in features like triple-verified contacts, affordable credit-based pricing, and a Slack community of 1000+ members that holds weekly coaching calls and live Q&A sessions, helping our customers ACTUALLY flourish.

With a mantra of "If it's not accelerating, it's not worth doing," the team behind ListKit.io ensures that your emails not only send but also land, creating a 40% response rate to cold audiences.

Oliver Schmalholz (far left), Andre Haykal Jr, Christian Bonnier (me), Dan Crowley, and Daniel Fazio (far right)

Key features

  • Intent Data: This advanced feature analyzes online behavior to identify prospects who are actively researching products or services similar to what you offer. By tracking specific keywords and online activity, ListKit can generate a targeted list of potential leads who are already showing interest, making your outreach efforts more effective and timely. Whether you're in tech, finance, healthcare, or any other industry, ListKit's intent data helps you connect with prospects at the right moment in their buying journey.
    • For example, if you do B2B sales for insurance companies, ListKit can provide a list of leads searching for terms like “Auto Insurance,” “Homeowners Insurance,” or “Health Insurance.”
ListKit Intent Data Filters

Then, you will be able to see the total number of matches to those terms, select whether you want their business emails, phone numbers, or other personal details, and specify how many contacts you want to actually export for your campaigns.

ListKit Intent Data Export Selection Menu

But wait. How do you know the emails and numbers are any good? That brings us to our next feature.

  • Triple-verified data: ListKit offers a 500M+ b2b lead database (one of the biggest in the market). But unlike Apollo or Zoominfo who draw criticism for data accuracy, ListKit has a special multi-step verification process that allow users to only pay for triple-verified emails and phone numbers. This grants instant access to decision-makers and avoids wasting time, money, and campaign resources on invalid leads.
    • Rik, an Account Director, said in one review: “Easy to use, fast searching to build verified emails (x3 verified) means I can streamline my workflows. I don’t need to export from Apollo go into three other verifier softwares, run , upload etc. This is a one stop search and export.”
ListKit multi-step verification process
  • Phone Number Data: Lets you increase touch points with decision-makers by combining cold calls with emails. If you're serious about getting your calls answered, ListKit's triple-verified phone numbers are a game-changer as you can always count on it to not bounce.
  • Visual analytics: The platform provides visual analytics to help you gain strategic insights into your ideal customer profile. Gain insights with visual tools like pie charts, bar charts, and heat maps that display industry distribution, top job titles, geographic location, and platform usage. These tools help your team quickly assess and adjust targeting strategies.
ListKit Visual Analytics Dashboard
  • World-Class Customer Support: ListKit stands out for its exceptional customer support, offering personalized onboarding sessions, regular coaching calls, and ongoing educational resources. This ensures that your team can quickly get up to speed with the platform and continually optimize its use, making sure all your needs are met and questions answered.
    • Review by Nick, Business Owner, says: Customer support is also INCREDIBLE, haven't seen anything like it with any other platform. You can hop on calls for support whenever you need to help you with building your list which is amazing
  • User-friendly interface that saves time: Its user-friendly interface is easy to navigate and use, making it ideal for beginners. The platform's visualization graph helps users target their ideal clients effectively while also providing quick actions for adjustments.
    • Dale, a Divisional Manager said in one review: It has taken our outreach from being a 2 hour process of trying to find the right contacts, right companies and then email formats into a 2 minute job. Building the list is as easy as clicking a few buttons and putting in the types of people you are looking for. Before you know it there is a list in your inbox filled with prospects that you know are your ideal client. We now use Listkit on a daily basis with the view of implementing it throughout the company which is a breeze with simple integration.
  • Competitive Credit-based Pricing: ListKit’s credit-based pricing is both flexible and cost-effective. Users pay only for verified email contacts, with phone-verified contacts starting at 15 cents per credit, allowing businesses to manage budgets efficiently.
  • Rapid integration: ListKit integrates quickly with Smartlead, Slack, Google Sheets, and any CRM using Zapier, allowing you to supercharge your outreach instantly. The Smartlead integration feature enables seamless contact transfer directly from ListKit to your sending tool, streamlining your outbound prospecting efforts for greater efficiency.

Need help building your first list?

For ListKit users: Get a complimentary 30-minute one-on-one session with a list-building expert for laser-focused guidance and support in building your first B2B lead list (something Uplead nor Zoominfo offer). If you are not yet a ListKit user but are interested in trying it out, then make sure to sign up for our free trial to take advantage of this offer.

Selecting the right sales intelligence platform is crucial for optimizing your sales and marketing strategies. Cognism and ZoomInfo both offer powerful features tailored to different needs and business sizes. The key is to evaluate their offerings and align them with your specific requirements.

Key takeaways:

  • Cognism stands out with its phone-verified contacts, global data coverage, and compliance with international regulations, making it ideal for businesses with a global reach and a focus on high-quality data.
  • ZoomInfo provides an extensive database and advanced features, making it well-suited for larger enterprises that need comprehensive data solutions and predictive analytics to drive their sales and marketing efforts.

But while Cognism offers robust global data and verification processes, and ZoomInfo provides a comprehensive all-in-one platform, ListKit strikes the perfect balance. Offering triple-verified data at a budget-friendly price, it ensures you work with only the most accurate leads, no matter the size of your business. Plus, it’s incredibly easy to set up. Don’t just take our word for it—watch this video of Daniel Fazio scraping 10,000 leads on ListKit in 30 seconds:

If you’re impressed, it might be worth booking a ListKit demo today before making your final decision on ZoomInfo or UpLead, which have their own limitations, whether it’s high costs, complex interfaces, or gaps in data accuracy.

Business Owners ❤️ ListKit

listKit is actually an incredible tool

Oct 24, 2023

What do you like best about listKit?

Hard to answer this one. I like a ton of features on listkit. The scrubby email verficiation intergation built into the system, the smartlead integration is a game changer. The data that gets pulled is all accurate and full of details I don't typically get from other b2b list building databases.

What do you dislike about listKit?

Wish there was a revenue filter. And I wish it would allow me to see saved vs unsaved contacts. I never know how many leads I'll actually be able to scrape which is anoying.

What problems is ListKit solving and how is that benefiting you?

Speeds up my list building time by at least 10 hours a month for my lead gen agency. It's helping me pass the step where I need to verify emails on MilllonVerifier. I also get to save about an hour each list I build by not having to download/export to a CSV file, then clean/format the leads, then map them to my email sending software. It's all done seamlessly and automatically.

NK

NIicholas K.

small business(50 or fewer emp.)

ListKit is the better choice ❤️

Try it today free