Apollo vs ZoomInfo vs Cognism vs Lusha: B2B Data Provider Comparison 2026
By Puzzle Inbox Team · May 25, 2026 · 11 min read
Detailed comparison of leading B2B data providers for cold email. Pricing, data quality, coverage, and which fits your stack.
B2B Data Providers for Cold Email
Cold email is only as good as the data behind it. Apollo, ZoomInfo, Cognism, and Lusha lead the B2B data market in 2026. The right choice depends on geography, ICP, budget, and integration needs.
Apollo
Pricing
$59/user/month basic, $99/user/month professional, $149/user/month organization. 10,000+ credits/month at higher tiers.
Database Size
275M+ contacts, 73M+ companies. Strong global coverage.
Strengths
- Best price-performance for cold email
- Strong enrichment APIs
- Built-in sequencer (basic)
- Active updates (LinkedIn refresh)
Weaknesses
- Email accuracy 75-85% (lower than premium tiers)
- Not GDPR-suited for EU outbound
- Built-in sequencer weaker than dedicated platforms
Best For
SMB to mid-market cold email teams. Cost-effective at scale. North American outbound.
ZoomInfo
Pricing
$15,000-100,000+/year. Annual contracts only.
Database Size
250M+ contacts, 100M+ companies. Premium contact data.
Strengths
- Highest email accuracy (90-95%)
- Phone numbers (direct dials)
- Strong intent data (Bombora integration)
- Org chart data
- Best for enterprise sales
Weaknesses
- Premium pricing
- Annual commitment
- Overkill for small teams
Best For
Mid-market to enterprise sales teams. Companies with budget. Intent-based outbound.
Cognism
Pricing
$15,000-50,000/year. Annual contracts.
Database Size
200M+ contacts, strong EU coverage.
Strengths
- Best EU/UK data (GDPR-compliant)
- Verified mobile numbers
- Diamond Verified data tier
- Stronger compliance posture for EU
Weaknesses
- Premium pricing
- Smaller database than ZoomInfo
- Less North America depth than ZoomInfo
Best For
EU/UK-focused cold email teams. Compliance-heavy industries. International outbound.
Lusha
Pricing
$39-79/user/month. Per-credit add-ons.
Database Size
100M+ contacts. Focus on direct dial accuracy.
Strengths
- Best phone number accuracy
- Strong LinkedIn extension
- Affordable for small teams
- Quick setup
Weaknesses
- Smaller database
- Email accuracy varies (75-85%)
- Less enterprise integration
Best For
SMB sales teams. Phone-first outbound combined with email.
Direct Comparison Table
| Provider | Price | Email Accuracy | Best Region | Best ICP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apollo | $59-149/mo | 75-85% | NA + Global | SMB-Mid |
| ZoomInfo | $15-100k/yr | 90-95% | NA | Mid-Enterprise |
| Cognism | $15-50k/yr | 85-90% | EU/UK | Mid-Enterprise EU |
| Lusha | $39-79/mo | 75-85% | NA + Global | SMB |
Which Should You Choose?
Solo / Small Team (Under $5k/month outbound budget)
Apollo. Best price-performance. Sufficient accuracy.
Mid-Market ($10-30k/month outbound)
Apollo + Clay enrichment. Or ZoomInfo if budget allows and target enterprise prospects.
Enterprise ($30k+/month)
ZoomInfo for North America, Cognism for EU. Both with intent data.
EU-Focused
Cognism. GDPR compliance built-in.
Phone + Email Outbound
Lusha for phone, supplement with Apollo for email.
Combining Multiple Providers
Many teams use multiple providers:
- Apollo as base list
- Clay or ZoomInfo for enrichment of high-priority prospects
- Lusha for phone numbers when calling
Multi-provider stack increases data quality but adds cost.
Data Quality Best Practices
- Verify emails before sending (Bouncer, ZeroBounce)
- Refresh contact lists every 90 days
- Cross-reference critical prospects across providers
- Track bounce rate by data source