In the fast-paced world of B2B sales, having the right information is key. For a long time, ZoomInfo has been the go-to platform for many, offering a huge database of company and contact details to help sales and marketing teams connect with potential customers. But the market changes, and what worked before might not be the best fit now. Many businesses are looking for tools like ZoomInfo that offer different features, better pricing, or data that’s more accurate for their specific needs. As we head into 2025, there are many powerful alternatives available that cater to a wide range of requirements.
Key Takeaways
- When looking for tools like ZoomInfo, consider your main goals: are you after raw contact data, verified details, integrated engagement, or advanced account targeting?
- Evaluate data needs carefully; some platforms offer more precise, verified data, while others focus on sheer volume.
- Unique features like predictive analytics, real-time search capabilities, or specific automation tools can be deciding factors.
- Pricing models vary significantly, so compare costs against the features and data quality offered to find the best value.
- User reviews and integration capabilities with your existing tech stack are important for a smooth workflow and successful adoption.
1. Apollo.io
Apollo.io is a real powerhouse when it comes to sales intelligence, and it’s definitely a top contender if you’re looking to boost your team’s productivity. It really brings together a lot of the tools sales folks need, like finding leads, reaching out, and closing deals, all in one spot. Think of it as your all-in-one sales command center.
Lead Generation Capabilities
What’s cool about Apollo.io is its massive database – we’re talking over 265 million contacts and 35 million companies. This isn’t just a big number; it means you can get super specific with your searches. They have more than 65 filters, so you can narrow down prospects by things like industry, company size, where they’re located, what tech they use, and even how much funding they’ve gotten. This kind of precision helps sales teams find exactly who they should be talking to, making the whole process way more efficient. It’s like having a super-powered search engine just for your ideal customers.
Data Enrichment Features
Apollo.io also has this neat AI Research Agent that’s been helping teams book way more meetings – like, 46% more in some cases! It automates a lot of the grunt work, like moving data around, so your team can spend more time actually talking to people and building relationships, which is what sales is all about, right? Plus, it scores leads based on your ideal customer profile, so you know which prospects are most likely to buy. This helps you focus your energy where it counts.
Pricing and Scalability
One of the best things is that Apollo.io is pretty flexible with its pricing. They have plans that work for everyone, from small startups to big companies. You can even start with a free plan to test things out. They have a Basic plan and a Professional plan, which gives you unlimited email credits. This makes it a really accessible option for teams of any size that want to get serious about sales intelligence.
Apollo.io really shines by combining prospecting, outreach, and closing tools into a single, streamlined solution. It’s a great way to manage your workflow effectively, regardless of your team’s size.
2. Cognism
When you’re looking to really connect with potential clients, Cognism is a solid choice. It feels like they’ve put a lot of thought into making sure you can actually reach the people you want to talk to, which is a big deal, right? They pull data from all over the place to give you a good picture of who might be a good fit for your business. Plus, they’re known for having accurate mobile numbers, which makes those initial outreach calls so much easier. It’s all about getting you the right info to make those connections happen.
Key Features
- Prospecting Powerhouse: Combines firmographic, technographic, and buyer intent data to give you a full view of prospects.
- Smooth Integrations: Plays nicely with tools you probably already use, like Salesforce and HubSpot.
- Direct Dial Numbers: Get those highly accurate mobile numbers that actually work.
Don’t let bad data hold your sales team back. Giving your reps the right tools means they can prospect with confidence and hit those revenue targets. It’s about equipping them for success.
Cognism is definitely one of the top sales intelligence tools out there if you’re focused on quality contact information and making outreach simpler. It’s a great option for teams that want to improve their pipeline and close more deals.
3. Lusha
Lusha is a pretty neat tool that a lot of sales folks are using these days. It’s known for being a bit more budget-friendly than some of the bigger names out there, which is always a plus, right? They’ve got a massive database with millions of profiles, so you’re likely to find who you’re looking for. What’s cool is how they use AI to help you find leads. It’s like having a smart assistant that knows who your ideal customers might be.
Lead Generation Capabilities
Lusha’s AI can really help you narrow down your search. Tools like their AI Recommended Lists and AI Prospect Playlists are designed to pinpoint those perfect customers. They use things like buyer intent signals and funding information to build lists that actually update themselves. So, you’re not stuck with old, stale leads. Plus, you can grab contact info like phone numbers and emails right from LinkedIn or company websites using their Chrome extension. It’s super handy when you’re on the go.
Lusha’s AI-powered tools help sales teams zero in on ideal customers. These tools use advanced filters such as buyer intent signals and funding data to create dynamic lead lists that update automatically based on user-defined criteria. This ensures sales teams always have fresh prospects to work with.
Data Enrichment Features
Got incomplete contact info? Lusha can help fill in those gaps. You can upload your lists, and Lusha’s system will pull in missing details from a bunch of places, like public records and social media. They say their email and phone number accuracy is around 95%, though some users report it’s more like 80-90%. Still, having good data is a big deal because bad data can really cost a business. It’s especially helpful for teams working in Europe, as Lusha seems to have really strong coverage there. One user even said they can’t imagine prospecting without it for European leads.
Multichannel Outreach Tools
While Lusha isn’t a full-blown platform for managing all your sales outreach, it’s fantastic for getting accurate contact data. You can easily export your prospect lists to use with your CRM or other tools you might already have. It’s a solid choice for finding leads and contact information, even if it doesn’t handle the whole campaign from start to finish. It’s a great way to start your online marketing strategies.
Pricing and Scalability
Lusha has a credit-based system, which can be pretty flexible. They have different plans to fit various needs, starting with a free option that gives you a few credits each month. Then there are paid plans like Pro, which offer more credits and features, usually priced per user. It’s a good way to scale up as your team grows or your needs change. They also have custom plans if you need something specific. It’s definitely worth checking out if you’re looking for a cost-effective way to boost your sales intelligence.
4. 6sense
6sense really shines when you’re trying to figure out who’s actually in the market for what you’re selling, even if they haven’t reached out yet. It’s like having a crystal ball for buyer intent. They use AI to look at a bunch of signals – what people are doing online, what they’re researching, and more – to tell you which accounts are showing interest. This helps your sales and marketing teams focus their efforts on the right people at the right time. It’s pretty neat for getting a handle on those complex B2B sales cycles.
Key Features
- AI-driven intent data analysis: This is the core of it, looking at website activity and third-party research to spot buying signals.
- Predictive scoring (RevenueAI): Helps rank leads and accounts based on their likelihood to buy.
- Anonymous visitor identification (6signal Graph): Uncovers who is visiting your site even if they don’t fill out a form.
- AI-guided ‘Next Best Actions’: Suggests what steps to take next with specific accounts.
Pricing
6sense offers different packages, including a free plan, with pricing tailored to your specific needs. You’ll want to connect with their sales team to get the exact details for your situation.
The platform is particularly strong for teams focused on Account-Based Marketing (ABM), helping to orchestrate outreach and campaigns based on real-time buyer behavior.
Ideal User
This tool is a great fit for mid-market to enterprise B2B sales and marketing teams. If your strategy heavily relies on data and you’re targeting accounts with longer, more involved sales processes, 6sense is definitely worth a look. It’s a powerful way to understand the customer journey and act on it.
5. Demandbase
Demandbase really shines when you’re looking to go all-in on an Account-Based Experience (ABX) strategy. It’s not just about finding contacts; it’s about understanding entire accounts and orchestrating personalized outreach across different channels. Think of it as a unified platform that brings together account identification, tracking what those accounts are interested in, and then engaging them in a way that feels relevant.
They combine data from various sources, both what you have internally and what’s out there publicly, to give you a really clear picture. This helps you segment your audiences precisely and use AI to figure out which accounts are the best fit and showing buying signals. You can even personalize your website, ads, and emails based on this intel, and it’s pretty neat that it can identify visitors to your site even if they haven’t filled out a form yet. It’s built for companies that want a single system to manage their entire ABM or ABX efforts, from start to finish.
Demandbase aims to be the central hub for your account-based initiatives, connecting the dots between data, insights, and action to drive meaningful engagement.
- Focus: An end-to-end Account-Based Experience (ABX) platform.
- Key Features: Combines first-party and third-party intent data, granular audience segmentation, AI-driven account intelligence, website/ad/email personalization, anonymous visitor identification, integrated ABM/ABX workflow.
- Ideal User: Mid-market and enterprise B2B organizations looking for a unified ABM/ABX solution.
- Pricing Insight: Custom pricing, reflecting its comprehensive nature and enterprise target market. Expect custom quotes when you contact them directly.
The big win here is its holistic approach, making it a strong contender if you’re moving beyond basic prospecting and want to manage the entire customer journey for key accounts.
6. Clearbit
If you’re looking to really flesh out your customer and lead profiles, Clearbit is a solid choice. It pulls in data from all sorts of places – think social media, website activity, and more – to build these super detailed pictures of your prospects. This means your sales team can figure out the best way to connect with each person, every single time.
Clearbit has some neat features that help with this:
- Clearbit Connect: This is a Chrome extension that works right inside your Gmail, making things super convenient.
- Real-time Lead Identification: It spots leads as they interact with your site, giving you immediate insights.
- Open API: If you like to build your own custom solutions, Clearbit’s open API lets you connect with nine different business APIs.
It’s great for enriching your existing data with firmographics and technographics. Plus, you can customize your plan as you go, so you’re not paying for stuff you don’t use. The flexibility from the API and Gmail integration is a big plus.
One thing to keep in mind is that Clearbit’s GDPR compliance is a bit different. They offer a setting to exclude contacts with EU location data, which is a way to handle it, but it’s not a blanket compliance statement.
While it’s a powerful tool, it might not be the most budget-friendly option out there, even with a free demo. Also, they don’t have mobile direct dials, so you’ll need to manually input and dial numbers. Compared to some other tools, their lead database might also feel a bit smaller.
Clearbit uses a custom pricing model, so you’ll need to reach out to them for a quote. They do have a free plan for basic enrichment, though.
7. LeadIQ
LeadIQ is a pretty neat tool for sales folks who want to build targeted lists of potential customers without too much fuss. It’s got some solid integrations, which is always a plus, but remember, you’ll need to keep an eye on GDPR compliance yourself when you grab any data.
It plays nice with all the big CRM platforms out there, like Salesforce. Just a heads-up though, if you’re a heavy dialer, LeadIQ might not be the best fit because every plan has a limit on the number of mobile numbers you can get. It’s definitely something to consider depending on how you work.
Top Features
- Sales trigger tracking to catch those opportune moments.
- An AI writer tool to help craft your messages.
- Outreach sequence sync to keep your follow-ups on track.
- CRM enrichment to keep your data tidy.
Pricing
LeadIQ offers a few different packages: Free, Essential, Pro, and Enterprise. You can also grab some features as add-ons, especially if you go for an annual plan or have multiple users. It’s good to see options that can grow with your needs.
LeadIQ aims to streamline B2B prospecting, focusing on finding contact data, especially through browser extensions. It’s a tool designed to make finding the right people a bit easier.
When comparing it to other options, LeadIQ really shines with its combination of data and engagement tools. This can cut down on the number of different software subscriptions you need. Plus, its filtering options are great for building specific lists, and the AI features can really speed things up. On the flip side, the credit limits on the lower plans might feel a bit tight if you’re doing a ton of outreach, and some users have mentioned that customer support can be a bit hit-or-miss sometimes. Still, for many, it’s a strong contender in the sales intelligence space, especially if you’re looking for a tool that integrates data finding with outreach sequences at a potentially more accessible price point than some of the bigger names. It’s a good way to find sales intelligence that fits your workflow.
8. Seamless.AI
Seamless.AI is a sales intelligence tool that really leans into the power of AI to help you find and connect with potential customers. Think of it as a super-smart search engine for business contacts. It’s designed to give you accurate contact information, like emails and phone numbers, so you can reach out directly. They claim a pretty high accuracy rate, which is great because nobody wants to waste time with bad data.
What’s cool is how it helps you build lists of people to contact. You can search by things like job title, industry, or even company size. This makes it way easier to find the right people for what you’re selling. Plus, they have this Autopilot feature that can help with follow-ups, which is a nice touch for keeping things moving.
Lead Generation Capabilities
Seamless.AI makes finding new leads much simpler. You can use a bunch of filters to narrow down your search, like industry, job title, and location, to create really specific lists of prospects. The tool is pretty easy to get the hang of, and they even offer guided tours to get you started. The Autopilot feature can also automate some of your follow-up tasks and help schedule meetings, which is a big time-saver.
Data Enrichment Features
This tool doesn’t just find data; it works to keep it up-to-date. It has a real-time verification process to combat data that gets old fast. Its AI engine can update contact and company details as needed. You can use it to improve data you already have, whether it’s from LinkedIn or your own customer list, turning basic info into more complete profiles with details about the company.
Multichannel Outreach Tools
Seamless.AI can connect with other sales tools you might be using, like Outreach and SalesLoft. This helps you manage your outreach across different places more easily. It even has a feature that uses AI to help write your outreach messages, making them more personal. The Autopilot feature can also help with scheduling meetings, taking some of the manual work off your plate. It also has a Chrome extension that works with LinkedIn, letting you grab contact details right from profiles, which really speeds up the whole process of finding people to talk to. Learning about basic SEO knowledge can also help improve your online marketing efforts.
"Our use case to use Seamless.AI is of enriching contacts for our outbound campaigns. Combined with LinkedIn Sales Nav, it is an extremely powerful tool to enrich contacts. And at least 95% of them are accurate which is great for us."
A potential downside is that it might not have as much data for certain regions, like Europe, compared to some other options out there. Also, some users have noted that it can have a higher bounce rate on data, even when marked as reliable, and sometimes company data might be missing. It’s definitely worth trying out the free credits they offer to see if it fits your needs before committing to a plan.
9. Empler AI
Empler AI is a really interesting player in the sales intelligence space, especially if you’re looking for something that feels a bit more modern and AI-driven. They’re not just about scraping data; they’re trying to make that data work smarter for you. Think of it as having a helpful assistant who’s always on the lookout for good leads and insights.
What sets Empler AI apart is its focus on automation and making the sales process smoother. They’ve built tools that can help with prospecting, outreach, and even understanding your ideal customer profile better. It’s pretty cool to see how AI is being used to cut down on some of the more tedious parts of sales.
Here’s a quick look at what makes Empler AI stand out:
- AI-Powered Prospecting: They use AI to find and qualify leads that actually fit your target audience, saving you a ton of time.
- Automated Outreach: Features designed to help you connect with prospects more efficiently, without sounding robotic.
- Data Enrichment: They help fill in the gaps on your existing leads, giving you a more complete picture.
It’s definitely a tool worth checking out if you’re feeling overwhelmed by manual prospecting or want to inject more intelligence into your sales efforts. They seem to be really focused on making sales teams more effective, which is always a good thing. You can find more insights on their approach to automation on their blog.
10. D&B Hoovers
Dun & Bradstreet’s D&B Hoovers is a pretty solid choice if you’re looking for a tool that’s got a bit of history and a lot of data behind it. It’s a good option for teams that want to streamline their sales process and spend less time on busywork and more time actually selling. Think of it as a reliable workhorse for your sales intelligence needs.
Top Features
- Customizable Lead Lists: You can build lists of leads that really fit what you’re looking for, which is super helpful.
- Risk Management Analytics: This gives you a heads-up on potential issues with companies, so you can be prepared.
- Intent Data: Knowing when a company is actively looking for solutions like yours is a game-changer.
Pricing
To get the scoop on pricing, you’ll need to head over to the D&B Hoovers website and fill out their form. They offer custom pricing plans based on what you need.
Advantages
- Intent Data Powerhouse: It taps into Bombora’s intent platform, giving you access to really useful intent data.
- Easy to Get Started: The setup is straightforward, and you won’t spend ages trying to figure it out.
- Direct Connections: It helps you connect directly with the people who make decisions, speeding up your sales cycle.
Disadvantages
- No Chrome Extension: This is a bit of a bummer. You might have to adjust how you work if you’re used to having that handy browser tool.
- Simpler Interface: While easy to use, it means you might not get access to some of the super advanced features found elsewhere.
D&B Hoovers is a great tool for companies that want a reliable source of company and contact information. It’s backed by a well-known name in business data, which gives it a lot of credibility. While it might not have all the bells and whistles of some newer platforms, its focus on core sales intelligence makes it a strong contender, especially for businesses that value straightforward functionality and deep company insights. You can find contact information to aid outreach to leads you’ve already identified.
Wrapping Up Your Search for the Best Sales Intelligence
So, we’ve looked at a bunch of different tools that can help your sales and marketing teams get the info they need. ZoomInfo is a big name, sure, but it’s really cool to see how many other options are out there now. Whether you need super specific data, a simpler tool, or something that fits your budget better, there’s definitely something for you. Think about what your team really needs – like, are you focused on finding tons of contacts, or is verified data more important? Do you need fancy automation or just a straightforward way to find people? By figuring out your main goals and what kind of data matters most, you can pick the right tool to help you hit your sales targets in 2025 and beyond. It’s all about finding the best fit for your unique business, and the good news is, you have plenty of great choices.
Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly are sales intelligence tools?
Think of sales intelligence tools like super-smart assistants for your sales team. They help find people who might want to buy your product or service. They give you contact info like phone numbers and email addresses, and sometimes even tell you if those people are already looking for something your company offers.
Why would someone look for alternatives to ZoomInfo?
ZoomInfo is a popular tool that does this, but sometimes it’s too expensive, or doesn’t have exactly what a company needs. People look for other options because they want different features, better prices, more accurate information for certain areas, or tools that work better with their other software.
How do I choose the best alternative for my business?
It depends on what your company needs most! Some tools are great for finding lots of contacts, others are better at providing very accurate, verified information. Some help you send emails and manage your outreach, while others focus on finding companies that are actively looking to buy something like what you sell.
What should I consider when choosing a new sales tool?
When picking a tool, think about what’s most important. Do you need tons of contact details, or is super-accurate data more important? Do you need help with sending emails, or understanding what customers are thinking about? Also, consider how much you can spend and if the tool works well with other programs you already use.
Do these alternatives offer the same features as ZoomInfo?
Yes, many alternatives offer similar features to ZoomInfo, like contact databases and lead information. Some even specialize in areas where ZoomInfo might be weaker, like specific types of data accuracy or advanced features for targeting certain customers.
Can I try these tools before buying?
It’s smart to try them out! Most of these tools offer free trials. This lets you test them to see if they fit your needs and budget before you commit to buying. It’s like test-driving a car before you purchase it.
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