Zoominfo vs Cognism: Which is Better and Why?

TL;DR: ZoomInfo dominates in the US and Cognism in EMEA, but both leave gaps that cost teams in ROI. Surfe bridges these with 93%+ verified contact data, global coverage, and workflow-native integrations, giving leaders cleaner forecasts and reps more time to sell.

Choosing the right data enrichment provider can be the difference between reps reaching decision makers or never getting further than a voicemail. 

Poor quality or inconsistent data directly impacts forecast accuracy, acquisition costs, and pipeline reliability – not to mention hours of wasted rep time. Two popular solutions are lead enrichment providers ZoomInfo and Cognism, both of which are trusted by thousands of sales teams. ZoomInfo boasts strong US coverage, with deep intent data. Cognism’s coverage is more comprehensive in EMEA, offering compliance and mobile accuracy. But each comes with a compromise: neither delivers consistent global coverage and verified accuracy at scale.

If you don’t want to choose between the two, Surfe could be a strong alternative. With a 93%+ verified enrichment rate across all major regions, embedded directly into LinkedIn and CRM workflows, Surfe helps teams increase outbound leads by 3×, generate 142% more demos, and reclaim hundreds of hours of productivity each month.

This analysis examines how ZoomInfo and Cognism compare, which type of outbound motion and sales team they work best for, and where Surfe might be a better choice.

Methodology

Before weighing ZoomInfo and Cognism against each other, we wanted to set clear criteria for comparison. Our goal was to recreate the conditions sales teams actually face. We assessed each provider on the volume of data they return and on how much of that data can be trusted to drive pipeline.

Sample & Mix

We tested a controlled dataset of 5,000 contacts across both providers. The sample was intentionally broad – spanning different regions, industries, and company sizes – to reflect the realities of prospecting in diverse markets rather than a narrow or optimized scenario.

How We Measured Results

We’ve measured results based on two metrics:

• Find rate: the percentage of contacts where an email address or mobile number was provided.
• Accuracy rate: the percentage of those results that were validated as deliverable emails or active mobile numbers.

Why This Matters

• Coverage vs. confidence: a high find rate alone is not a true measure of value. Some providers lean on pattern recognition, such as generating email formats based on company patterns, which inflates apparent coverage but risks high bounce rates, wasted outreach, and damaged sender reputation.
• The mobile challenge: unlike email addresses, mobile numbers cannot be extrapolated from patterns. They must be verified. This makes mobile data a strong indicator of enrichment quality.

By balancing both find rate and verified accuracy, this approach reveals what matters most to revenue teams: data that translates into real reach, reliable forecasts, and measurable ROI.

Performance and Coverage

Performance and coverage determine whether enrichment data drives revenue or wastes rep efforts. High performance means consistently returning usable contact details; broad coverage makes sure that accuracy holds across regions, industries, and company sizes. Recent research shows that companies with reliable, high-quality data achieve up to 66% higher conversion rates than those relying on poor-quality data. In other words, don’t skimp on it.

The Results

ZoomInfo

Strengths: strongest performer in the US, with a solid email find rate (65%) and consistent email quality (78%). Backed by a proprietary database of 200M+ records. For users, a proprietary database means consistent access to a large, centralized pool of contacts – offering scale and reliability in core markets like the US – but it doesn’t guarantee accuracy or global depth.

Limitations: ZoomInfo’s proprietary database gives breadth, but because much of it is US-weighted, users will face weaker coverage once they move beyond North America. In fact, email find rates fall to just 35% outside North America. Mobile accuracy is weak (<50%), leaving reps with unreliable dials.

Best for: US-centric outbound or ABM teams that need breadth and intent data in North America, but can tolerate gaps in global reach.

Cognism

Strengths: performs better in EMEA, with a stronger mobile find rate (46%) and higher mobile quality (67%). It combines third-party sources and manual verification to improve accuracy. Diamond Data provides curated mobile phone numbers, boosting dial quality for users.

Limitations: weaker outside Europe, with thinner coverage in the US and globally. Email quality is lower (67%) than ZoomInfo’s, which can increase bounce rates.

Best for: SDR-heavy teams in EMEA that depend on mobile accuracy and compliance, and prioritize connect rates in phone outreach.

How to Decide

Even small drops in data accuracy compound into wasted outreach, distorted forecasts, and inflated acquisition costs. For leaders, that translates directly into revenue risk; for BDRs, it’s hours lost chasing unreachable prospects instead of advancing deals.

• ZoomInfo is the stronger choice for outbound and ABM motions targeting North American enterprises, where its coverage is deepest.
• Cognism is better suited for EMEA-heavy teams that rely on mobile accuracy and compliance. Its Diamond Data gives SDRs higher connect rates when phone outreach is central to the workflow.

In other words, both deliver regional strengths but neither gives global accuracy at scale.

Workflows and Integrations

The real test of integration is whether reps stay in flow. A provider that syncs seamlessly into CRM and engagement tools reduces admin drag, while gaps in workflow support leave reps switching tabs and duplicating effort.

ZoomInfo

Strengths: broad CRM integrations (Salesforce, HubSpot, Dynamics, SugarCRM, and Marketo) and add-ons like conversation intelligence and automated engagement. Strong ABM filters support account-based teams.

Limitations: no LinkedIn message sync. This means workflows skew toward traditional CRM rather than social selling.

Best for: US-centric ABM teams that prioritize account targeting over LinkedIn-first outreach.

Cognism

Strengths: Chrome extension for LinkedIn enrichment and company website integration for native lead enrichment (the latter is a USP and huge advantage for sales teams), integrations with Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive, Dynamics, and Zoho, native integrations with Outreach and Salesloft, job-change alerts for timely outreach.

Limitations: Cognism is strong for SDR workflows, but its integration options are narrower than ZoomInfo’s, with less depth for ABM and marketing automation use cases.

Best for: SDR-heavy teams in EMEA that rely on phone outreach and engagement tools for daily prospecting.

How to Decide

When evaluating workflows and integrations, the key question is whether enrichment data flows directly into the systems your team already lives in. Smooth integration reduces admin and protects CRM hygiene, while gaps force manual work and slow down prospecting.

• ZoomInfo suits leadership teams investing heavily in ABM, where broad CRM connections and firmographic filters matter more than LinkedIn-first prospecting. Its workflows are strongest in traditional outbound setups, but less so for BDRs relying on social selling.
• Cognism is a better fit for SDR-heavy teams running daily cadences in Outreach or Salesloft. Its Chrome extension and job-change alerts make it more tactical for reps, though its global integration depth is thinner than ZoomInfo’s.

ZoomInfo leans toward enterprise and ABM, Cognism leans toward SDR workflow. Neither fully pulls enrichment, CRM, and LinkedIn prospecting in one workflow, which means teams will be left to bridge gaps manually.

Signals and Automation

Signals and automation determine how well data enrichment tools help reps prioritize accounts and act at the right moment. Strong buyer intelligence can sharpen account selection, while timely alerts keep reps from missing key triggers. Weak signals, on the other hand, leave teams wasting time on cold, low-fit outreach.

ZoomInfo

Strengths: provides robust intent data, including ‘Scoops’ (news and trigger-based alerts) and buying stage indicators. Advanced firmographic and technographic filters help ABM teams segment with precision.

Limitations: intent signals are strongest in the US and less reliable internationally. Alerts are account-level rather than contact-level, which limits relevance for SDRs.

Best for: ABM-focused teams running US-heavy campaigns that need intelligence to prioritize which accounts to pursue.

Cognism

Strengths: Offers job-change alerts, funding and hiring signals, and ‘Diamond Data’ to boost direct dial accuracy. List building is simpler, designed for SDR usability.

Limitations: Lacks the depth of firmographic and technographic filters that ZoomInfo provides. Signals are more tactical than strategic, limiting their use for leadership-level planning.

Best for: SDR-led teams in EMEA that need direct contact triggers and simple list building to keep daily cadences productive.

How to Decide

When it comes to signals and automation, the decision depends on whether your team needs strategic account intelligence or tactical triggers.

• ZoomInfo is better suited to leadership and ABM teams that prioritize account selection and campaign planning. Its intent data helps identify buying-stage opportunities, but it is less reliable outside the US.
• Cognism aligns more with SDR-heavy teams that rely on job-change alerts, funding rounds, and verified dials to keep outreach timely and relevant.

Both bring value, but in different ways: ZoomInfo shapes where to spend resources, while Cognism sharpens when and how reps reach out. Neither, however, bridges strategic and tactical signals in a single, globally reliable workflow.

Pricing and Credits

We’ll cut to the chase here: neither ZoomInfo or Cognism make it easy to understand what you’ll pay. Both keep pricing behind closed doors.

This is a problem for revenue leaders because unpredictable spend makes CAC and ROI harder to measure.

ZoomInfo Pricing

• Reported contracts suggest $15,000–$18,000 annually for small teams of 1–3 users.
• Costs rise steeply as headcount increases, with larger teams paying significantly more.
• Credit consumption is rigid. Charges apply even when enrichment data proves invalid.

Cognism Pricing

• Reports indicate ~€20,000 annually for 10 users (~€167 per user per month).
• Certain plans offer unlimited usage, which reduces the risk of running out of credits mid-quarter.
• Pricing is still not transparent; numbers are based on reported deals, not published rates.

ROI Considerations

• ZoomInfo offers breadth of data and intent signals, but higher costs and credit inefficiency can erode ROI.
• Cognism’s unlimited usage model improves predictability for high-volume SDR teams, but its regional limits mean ROI is concentrated in EMEA rather than global.

This uncertainty is problematic for leaders who need to model predictable costs against revenue impact. We wish we had an easy answer, but we can point you in the direction of a solution with transparent pricing.

Surfe: The Alternative to ZoomInfo and Cognism

For sales teams, the choice between ZoomInfo and Cognism often feels like a trade-off: strong US coverage vs. EMEA compliance and mobile accuracy. But what if you could get both, without compromise?

Surfe at a Glance:

• Verified accuracy at scale: Surfe sustains a 93%+ verified email find rate, with dependable mobile coverage across the US, EMEA, APAC, and LATAM.
• Smarter enrichment: Its waterfall enrichment approach pulls from 15+ data providers, ensuring that credits are only used when verified results are returned.
• Native to LinkedIn workflows: prospecting, enrichment, CRM sync, and outreach templates happen directly in LinkedIn, removing admin drag and keeping reps in their flow.
• Deep CRM & engagement integrations: two-way sync with Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive, Copper, and Zoho, plus native tie-ins with Salesloft and Outreach.
• Real-time sales signals: daily job-change alerts, funding rounds, and AI-driven lookalike account recommendations give reps the context they need to act fast.

Why Surfe?

ZoomInfo and Cognism have split strengths, but Surfe offers both sides of the coin. It delivers the data accuracy of bulk enrichment tools and the real-time signals of prospecting platforms, while embedding both directly into daily sales workflows. For leadership, that means predictable spend tied to verified matches – and cleaner forecasts without juggling multiple tools.. For BDRs, it means less time chasing bad data and more time engaging prospects.

Who Should Choose What

Neither ZoomInfo nor Cognism is a one-size-fits-all solution. Each plays to specific strengths, which makes it important to match the tool to your team’s sales model.

• ZoomInfo is best for US-centric sales teams, particularly those running ABM programs that benefit from intent data and advanced firmographics. It suits enterprises that can absorb higher costs in exchange for breadth of intelligence.
• Cognism is better suited to EMEA-heavy, SDR-driven teams that rely on mobile accuracy and compliance. Its unlimited usage model makes sense for high-volume outbound motions in regulated markets.

For teams that want verified accuracy and global reach without compromise, Surfe is a strong alternative, delivering 93%+ enrichment rates worldwide and embedding enrichment directly into LinkedIn and CRM workflows.

ZoomInfo vs Cognism: Final Thoughts

Choosing a data provider shouldn’t feel like picking the lesser of two blind spots. ZoomInfo gives you depth in the US, Cognism gives you compliance and mobile strength in EMEA, but neither covers the full picture. Surfe offers an alternative: verified enrichment at 93%+ accuracy with global reach, built directly into LinkedIn and CRM workflows.

Here’s how to decide: if your revenue strategy is region-specific, ZoomInfo or Cognism may work. But if you need predictable, verified data that scales across markets, Surfe is the option that protects both forecasts and pipeline.