So you're trying to decide between Cognism and ZoomInfo. And honestly? It's not an easy choice. Both platforms are solid, but they're built for different types of teams.

I've spent considerable time working with both tools (and plenty of others in this space), so I'll give you my honest breakdown of what each platform does well, where they fall short, and which one might be the better fit for your situation.

I'll also introduce an alternative approach that's been working well for teams who don't want to commit to enterprise-level contracts — because let's be honest, not everyone has $15K+ to drop on a data platform.

🎯 TLDR — The Quick Version

If you just want the bottom line:

My honest take:

• Prioritizing European mobile dial accuracy? → Cognism

• Need a comprehensive enterprise intelligence suite with deep pockets? → ZoomInfo

• Want maximum coverage with flexible pricing? → FullEnrich

Now let's dig into the details.

Why Data Enrichment Matters More Than Ever

Before we dive into the comparison, let's talk about why getting this decision right actually matters.

Here's the reality: B2B data decays at roughly 30% per year. That means nearly one-third of your contact database becomes outdated annually — people change jobs, companies get acquired, phone numbers go stale.

Bad data isn't just annoying — it's expensive. U.S. businesses lose over $3 trillion annually due to wasted marketing spend, lost productivity, and missed sales opportunities from inaccurate data. And 60% of sales reps cite inaccurate contact information as their top barrier to pipeline growth.

As one frustrated SDR put it on Reddit: "We bought a list from a 'top provider' and 40% of the emails bounced. Our SDRs spent more time cleaning data than calling prospects. Never again."

So yeah — choosing the right enrichment platform isn't just a nice-to-have. It directly impacts your team's ability to hit quota.

How I'm Evaluating These Platforms

I focused on four areas that actually matter for RevOps and Sales Ops teams:

1. Data Quality & Coverage — Can you actually find the contacts you need?

2. Features & Capabilities — What can you do beyond basic enrichment?

3. Integrations & Workflow — Does it fit into your existing stack?

4. Pricing & Flexibility — Will it break your budget?

Let's break each one down.

📊 Data Quality & Coverage

Here's the thing — the whole point of a data enrichment tool is finding accurate contact information. If it can't deliver on that, nothing else matters.

The Single-Source Problem

Both Cognism and ZoomInfo rely on their own proprietary databases. They're good databases — but they're still single sources.

What happens when they don't have a contact? You hit a dead end. There's no fallback.

This is the fundamental limitation that led us to build FullEnrich differently. But more on that in a moment.

Cognism's Approach

Cognism has built its reputation on phone-verified mobile data, particularly in European markets. Their Diamond Data® is the premium offering — mobile numbers manually verified by human researchers.

What makes it work:

• 16-step verification process combining AI and manual checks

• Claims an 87% connect rate on Diamond Data® numbers

• Strong EMEA coverage with local compliance expertise

• DNC screening across 13 countries

The verification quality is genuinely impressive. Verified direct dial numbers increase connect rates by 3x on average, so when you need to call European prospects, Cognism's phone data is hard to beat.

The limitation: It's a single-source database. If Cognism doesn't have a contact, that's where the trail ends.

ZoomInfo's Approach

ZoomInfo takes a different path with their FuZIon system, pulling data from diverse sources including web scraping, third-party contributions, and community verification. They boast 260M+ contacts and 100M+ companies in their database.

What makes it work:

• Massive database size with extensive US coverage

• Real-time updates and data enrichment

• Detailed firmographic and technographic insights

• Community-verified data points

The breadth is impressive — you get a lot of information on each contact.

The limitation: Despite its size, it's still a single source. And accessing international data requires their Global Data Passport add-on (~$10,000/year extra). For teams doing global outreach, that cost adds up fast.

FullEnrich's Approach: Waterfall Enrichment

We built FullEnrich around a fundamentally different model: waterfall enrichment.

Instead of relying on one database, FullEnrich queries 20+ B2B data providers sequentially. When the first source doesn't find a valid email or phone number, the system automatically cascades to the next provider, then the next, until it finds what you need.

Why this matters:

• Up to 2x better coverage than any single vendor

• Cross-validation across multiple sources improves accuracy

• You only pay when we actually find valid data

• Global data included by default — no $10K passport required

As one reviewer on Capterra put it: "Waterfall enrichment actually plugged the leaks in our sales funnel—we found contacts we couldn't get from any single vendor."

The waterfall approach directly addresses the single-source limitation. If Provider A doesn't have a contact, we check Provider B, then C, then D... until we find it or exhaust all options.

Coverage Comparison

⚙️ Features & Capabilities

Cognism Features

Cognism focuses on doing a few things really well rather than being an everything platform:

• Prospector — Build targeted lead lists with advanced filters

• Enhance — Enrich your existing CRM data

• Intent Data — Bombora-powered buyer intent signals

• Chrome Extension — Prospect directly from LinkedIn

What I like: The compliance features are solid — GDPR and CCPA adherence with proper DNC screening. If you're doing outbound in Europe, this matters. Zero reported data breaches and ISO certifications for enterprise security.

What I don't love: Limited customization options. The interface is clean but feels restrictive if you want to build complex workflows.

ZoomInfo Features

ZoomInfo operates as a full-blown intelligence platform with multiple product modules:

• SalesOS — Contact/company search, org charts, buyer intent

• MarketingOS — Account targeting, visitor identification, form enrichment

• OperationsOS — Data cleansing, deduplication, workflows

• TalentOS — Recruiting intelligence

• Engage — Built-in sales engagement and sequencing

The breadth is impressive. If you want everything under one roof, ZoomInfo delivers.

What I like: The depth of firmographic and technographic data. You can get really granular with targeting.

What I don't love: It takes time to master. The dashboard offers extensive features, but the learning curve is real. Many features require higher-tier plans or add-ons. And as Henry Schuck (ZoomInfo's own CEO) puts it: "If your sales team is spending hours hunting for contact info, you're losing deals to competitors who automate and enrich their data pipeline." The irony is that ZoomInfo's complexity sometimes creates exactly this problem.

FullEnrich Features

FullEnrich is purpose-built for one thing: maximizing enrichment coverage with minimal friction.

• Waterfall Enrichment Engine — Query 20+ providers automatically

• Bulk & Manual Enrichment — CSV upload (up to 10,000 rows) or individual lookups

• Native Integrations — Zapier, Make, Clay, plus robust API

• Real-time Lead Enrichment — Automatically enrich new inbound leads

• Credit Usage Dashboard — Full visibility into enrichment metrics

We're not trying to replace your entire sales stack — we're designed to make it better. FullEnrich plugs into your existing tools and fills the gaps that single-source platforms leave behind.

What works well: Teams using workflow automation and enrichment integrations report up to 34% reduction in manual data entry and list management time. As one user on Product Hunt noted: "Integrations are critical. If a tool doesn't push enriched contacts straight to our CRM, it's not worth it. Manual uploads kill productivity."

Features Comparison

🔌 Integrations & Workflow

Modern RevOps runs on integrations. If your enrichment tool can't plug into your existing stack, you're stuck with manual data entry — and that kills productivity.

The fine print: While Cognism and ZoomInfo offer direct CRM integrations, these often require higher-tier plans. ZoomInfo's API access is locked behind enterprise contracts. Cognism gates some integration features to higher tiers as well.

FullEnrich takes an automation-first approach — native connectors with Zapier, Make, and Clay mean you can build custom enrichment workflows without engineering resources. API access is available on all plans.

As one user on r/marketingops put it: "We automate lead enrichment with Zapier, and it's hands-off. Our reps get real data, not stale spreadsheets."

💰 Pricing: Let's Talk Numbers

This is where things get interesting. Neither Cognism nor ZoomInfo publishes transparent pricing — you have to talk to sales. FullEnrich takes a different approach.

Cognism Pricing

• Model: Per-user licensing

• Starting point: ~$588/month minimum

• Contract: Annual commitment required

• Free trial: Limited (you need to talk to sales)

The per-user model is simple to understand, but costs add up quickly as your team grows. A 5-person SDR team could easily run $35,000+/year.

ZoomInfo Pricing

• Model: Credit-based + seat licenses

• Starting point: $15,000+/year

• Contract: 12-24 month commitments typical

• Free trial: No

• Add-ons: Global Data Passport (~$10,000/year), various feature unlocks

ZoomInfo's pricing can stack up fast. I've seen teams paying $30,000-$50,000+ annually once they add the features they actually need.

FullEnrich Pricing

• Model: Credit-based, pay-for-what-you-find

• Free plan: 50 credits to test the platform

• Starting point: $29/month (Starter plan)

• Contract: Month-to-month (no annual lock-in required)

• Free trial: Yes, no credit card required

Here's how the credit system works:

The key difference: you only pay for successful enrichment. If we can't find the contact, you don't burn credits. This "pay-for-what-you-find" model eliminates the risk of paying for empty results.

Credit-based pricing models can reduce data acquisition costs by 15–40% for SMBs and mid-market teams versus legacy subscription approaches.

As one Reddit user discussing SMB budget constraints put it: "Honestly, credit pricing makes sense. We only need a few thousand emails a month, so paying per hit is way cheaper than a giant subscription."

Pricing Comparison

👥 User Experience & Support

Cognism

The interface is clean and straightforward — most people get up to speed quickly. But the lack of customization can feel limiting.

Support: 24/7 support during implementation, plus email support and knowledge base. Email response times can be slow.

Onboarding: Structured tutorials and documentation. Gets you started, but could use more personalized training.

ZoomInfo

The dashboard is feature-rich but complex. It takes time to feel comfortable navigating everything. Once you're past the learning curve, the depth is useful.

Support: 24/7 via phone and email — generally more responsive than Cognism.

Onboarding: Comprehensive sessions including webinars and documentation. Better than Cognism here.

FullEnrich

Built for simplicity. Upload a CSV, map your columns, let the waterfall engine work, download enriched results. Most teams are up and running in minutes.

Support: Responsive support team across all plans.

Onboarding: Self-serve with documentation. The platform is intuitive enough that most users don't need hand-holding.

✅ Pros and Cons Summary

Cognism

Pros:

• Excellent phone verification (Diamond Data®)

• Strong EMEA coverage and compliance

• Cleaner, simpler interface than ZoomInfo

• Solid intent data integration

• Zero reported data breaches

Cons:

• Single-source limitation (no fallback if data missing)

• Annual contracts starting at ~$588/month

• No meaningful free trial

• Limited flexibility for smaller teams

• Slow email support

ZoomInfo

Pros:

• Massive database (260M+ contacts)

• Comprehensive platform with multiple products

• Strong US coverage

• Detailed firmographic/technographic data

• Better onboarding and support than Cognism

Cons:

• Expensive ($15,000+/year to start)

• Long contracts (12-24 months)

• Complex implementation and learning curve

• International data requires $10K add-on

• Single source (no fallback)

FullEnrich

Pros:

• Waterfall enrichment across 20+ sources

• Up to 2x better coverage than single-source vendors

• Flexible pricing starting at $29/month

• No contracts required

• Pay only for successful enrichment

• Global data included by default

• Native integrations with Zapier, Make, Clay

• API access on all plans

Cons:

• No built-in intent data (available via integrations)

• No sales engagement features (enrichment-focused)

• Chrome extension coming soon (not yet available)

• Smaller brand recognition than enterprise players

🤔 So Which One Should You Choose?

Choose Cognism if:

• Your team prioritizes phone outreach, especially in Europe

• You need verified mobile numbers with high connect rates

• GDPR compliance is a top concern

• You have budget for enterprise pricing (~$7K+/year)

• You're okay with a single-source approach

Choose ZoomInfo if:

• You want an all-in-one intelligence platform

• Your focus is primarily US markets

• You need deep firmographic and intent data

• You have significant budget ($15K+/year) and can commit long-term

• You want built-in sales engagement tools

Choose FullEnrich if:

• Maximum contact coverage is your priority

• You're frustrated by gaps in single-source databases

• You want flexible, transparent pricing without annual lock-in

• You need global data without paying extra

• You want to integrate enrichment into existing workflows

• You're a startup, SMB, or mid-market team watching budget

🧾 Final Thoughts

Both Cognism and ZoomInfo are solid platforms for the right use case:

• Cognism wins on European phone data quality and compliance

• ZoomInfo wins on platform breadth and US market depth

But both share the same fundamental limitation: single-source coverage and enterprise-level pricing that locks you in.

The reality is that organizations using data enrichment experience up to 27% higher conversion rates from outbound campaigns compared to those relying on raw or single-source data. The question isn't whether to invest in enrichment — it's which approach gives you the best coverage and ROI.

If you want the comprehensive platform experience and have budget to match, ZoomInfo is hard to beat. If verified European mobile numbers are your priority, Cognism delivers.

And if you want maximum coverage without the enterprise commitment — with pricing that starts at $29/month and a waterfall approach that finds contacts single-source vendors miss — give FullEnrich a try.

Start free with 50 credits — no credit card required →

Happy prospecting! 🎯