Identifying the right prospects is critical for B2B sales and marketing success. But with so many data providers out there, how do you choose the best one for your needs? Two popular options are Cognism and Lusha. In this comprehensive comparison, we’ll take an in-depth look at their features, pricing, data quality, and more to help you make an informed decision.
Overview of Cognism
Cognism is a leading B2B intelligence platform that provides accurate, GDPR-compliant contact and company data. Some key strengths include:
Key Features
- Extensive database with strong coverage in US, UK, and EMEA
- Diamond Data®: human-verified mobile numbers with 87% average connectivity
- Unlimited access to contact and company data (subject to fair usage)
- Integrates with popular CRMs and sales engagement tools
- Includes intent data from Bombora to identify active buyers
Pricing
Cognism provides custom pricing tailored to your specific data needs and workflow. Their plans aim to deliver clear ROI before you even sign a contract.
Pros and Cons
✔️ High-quality, compliant data with excellent direct dial coverage
✔️ Unlimited data access enables efficient, high-volume prospecting
✔️ Intent data and integrations enhance sales intelligence
✔️ Exceptional customer support and comprehensive onboarding
❌ Higher price point than some Cognism alternatives
❌ Lacks some technographic data compared to providers like ZoomInfo
Overview of Lusha
Lusha is another well-known B2B contact and company data platform. They offer a range of prospecting and enrichment capabilities:
Key Features
- Provides B2B contact and company data for sales prospecting
- Includes emails, direct dials, mobile numbers, and social profiles
- Browser extension for seamless data access on social platforms
- Offers company data enrichment and CRM data hygiene
- Integrates with popular CRMs and sales tools
Pricing
Lusha has a credit-based pricing model with tiers for individuals and teams. Many core features are reserved for the higher-priced plans.
Pros and Cons
✔️ Easy-to-use browser extension for quick data access
✔️ Affordable entry-level plans for small teams and individuals
✔️ Useful enrichment features to clean & update CRM data
❌ Credits can be used up quickly, especially for high-volume teams
❌ Advanced features restricted to more expensive plans
❌ Limited direct dial phone numbers compared to Lusha alternatives like Cognism
Head-to-Head Comparison
Let’s see how Cognism and Lusha stack up in some key areas:
Data Coverage and Quality
- Cognism has more comprehensive data, particularly mobile numbers and contacts in EMEA.
- Lusha’s data is extensive but may require more manual validation.
- Cognism continuously verifies data accuracy, including against global Do Not Call lists.
Integrations and Ease of Use
- Both Cognism and Lusha integrate with major CRMs and sales tools.
- Lusha’s browser extension makes data easy to access as you prospect.
- Cognism’s platform is intuitive with advanced features like org charts.
Customer Support and Training
- Cognism is known for its proactive, hands-on customer support.
- Their Customer Success team provides strategic guidance to help you reach your goals.
- Lusha’s support and training is solid but less comprehensive.
Alternative Solutions to Consider
While Cognism and Lusha are both excellent options, it’s smart to evaluate other leading B2B data providers as well:
ZoomInfo
- Comprehensive data and a full suite of sales and marketing tools
- Powerful company insights and technographics
- Higher price point and potential data accuracy issues
- See how ZoomInfo compares to Lusha and Cognism
Apollo.io
- Offers a free plan to test out core capabilities
- Helpful prospecting features like auto-generated lead lists
- Lower match rates and data quality than some alternatives
- Check out Apollo.io vs Lusha and Cognism
RocketReach
- Affordable plans with pay-as-you-go data credit options
- Useful SNAP integration for quick data enrichment in tools like Salesforce
- Limited advanced features like intent data or technographics
- Learn more about RocketReach vs Lusha and Cognism
How to Choose the Right B2B Data Provider
With so many solid options, how do you pick the best data partner? Here are some key factors to consider:
Assess Your Specific Needs
Clarify your primary use case, must-have data points, and integration requirements. For example, direct dials may be essential for an SDR team.
Prioritize Data Accuracy
Look for providers that continuously verify data with high match rates. Even large databases are useless if the data is outdated or inaccurate.
Look for Comprehensive Features
The more capabilities included in one platform, the better. Seek providers that offer data enrichment, intent signals, analytics, and more.
Consider Pricing and Contract Terms
Make sure you understand exactly what’s included for the price. Watch out for surprise usage restrictions or being locked into a long-term contract.
Evaluate Customer Support
The best data partners act as an extension of your team. Probe into their strategic support, training resources, and customer success model.
FAQ
- How accurate is Cognism’s data compared to Lusha? Based on customer reviews and our own analysis, Cognism’s data tends to be more accurate and up-to-date than Lusha’s, particularly for direct dial phone numbers and mobile numbers. Cognism uses continuous verification methods to maintain high data quality.
- What CRM platforms do Cognism and Lusha integrate with? Both Cognism and Lusha integrate with popular CRMs like Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive, and Microsoft Dynamics. They also offer integrations with various sales engagement tools such as Outreach and SalesLoft. Refer to their websites for a full list of native integrations.
- Do Cognism and Lusha offer direct dials and mobile numbers? Yes, both Cognism and Lusha provide direct dial phone numbers and mobile numbers for contacts. However, Cognism is known for having more comprehensive and accurate phone data, especially mobile numbers, thanks to their Diamond Data® system.
- How do Cognism and Lusha ensure GDPR compliance? Cognism and Lusha both take GDPR compliance seriously. They only collect and process data in accordance with GDPR regulations. Both companies have strict data governance policies, offer opt-out options for individuals, and promptly remove any non-compliant data. However, it’s important to verify their specific compliance measures.
- What happens if I run out of credits on Lusha? If you use up all your credits on Lusha, you’ll need to purchase additional credits to continue accessing data. Depending on your plan, you may be able to buy more credits à la carte. However, this pay-as-you-go model can become expensive for high-volume data needs. Cognism’s unlimited credits approach may provide better value in these cases.
- Does Cognism or Lusha provide better customer support? Cognism is widely recognized for its exceptional customer support. Their dedicated Customer Success Managers work closely with clients to provide strategic guidance, training, and best practices. While Lusha’s support is generally rated as good, Cognism’s proactive, hands-on approach sets them apart.
- Can I export data from Cognism and Lusha to my CRM? Yes, both Cognism and Lusha allow you to export data to your CRM either manually or through native integrations. This enables you to enrich your existing CRM data and streamline your prospecting and outreach workflows.
- Which provider has better international data coverage? Cognism is known for its extensive international data coverage, particularly in Europe and the UK. They have strong data for key markets like Germany, France, and the Nordic countries. Lusha also offers international data but may have less coverage in certain regions compared to Cognism.
- How do the costs compare between Cognism, Lusha and other options? Cognism and Lusha are both premium data providers and tend to be pricier than some alternatives. However, Cognism’s pricing is customized based on your specific data needs and use cases to ensure you get strong ROI. Lusha’s credit-based pricing can be cost-effective for low-volume needs but gets expensive as you scale. Other providers like ZoomInfo and RocketReach offer varying price points, so it’s best to get custom quotes.
- Are there any free trials or plans to test the data quality? Most B2B data providers, including Cognism and Lusha, offer some form of free trial or demo so you can assess the platform and data quality firsthand. Typically, these trials are limited in scope or duration. It’s best to contact the sales team to discuss your specific needs and arrange a pilot program. Some providers like Apollo.io do offer a limited free plan.
Conclusion
Choosing the right B2B data provider is a critical decision that impacts your entire sales and marketing operation. Cognism and Lusha are both powerful tools with strong capabilities. However, Cognism stands out for its high-quality data, unlimited credits model, comprehensive features, and exceptional customer support. Of course, the best fit depends on your specific needs.
We recommend thoroughly evaluating your requirements and testing the data quality firsthand before committing to any provider. Hopefully this in-depth comparison of Cognism, Lusha and other top options has given you a helpful framework to make your decision.
No matter which tool you choose, having accurate, actionable B2B data is essential to engaging your ideal buyers and driving growth. Invest the time upfront to find a data partner that will bolster your pipeline generation now and scale with you long-term.
