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6sense ABM Platform: Features, Costs & Best Alternative

Written by Ilse Van Rensburg | Sep 22, 2025 3:58:47 PM

One of the most well-known players in account-based marketing (ABM) is 6sense, a platform that positions itself as “Revenue AI” with predictive analytics, intent signals, and account orchestration. 

But how well does it actually deliver on these promises?

In this article, we’ll explore the 6sense ABM platform and its key features, strengths, and limitations. We’ll also look into other alternatives and how they compare for building an effective ABM motion. 

TL;DR

6sense ABM is an AI-driven revenue orchestration platform designed to surface in-market accounts and predict buyer intent. It offers strong orchestration and analytics, but may come with high costs and complex adoption.

Cognism bridges these gaps with GDPR-compliant, phone-verified data, predictable pricing, and fast adoption. With real-time signals and international reach, Cognism ensures your ABM strategy doesn’t just identify opportunities, it converts them into revenue.

What is 6sense ABM?

6sense is a US-based ABM company that positions itself as an AI-driven revenue platform. At its core, the 6sense ABM platform uses predictive analytics and intent data to help companies identify in-market accounts and prioritise them for outreach.

Some of its core capabilities include:

  • Signalverse™ & ABM intent data to detect buyer behaviour early.
  • Predictive modelling and AI tools like 6AI help with account prioritisation and workflow automation.
  • Marketing and sales alignment tools: reports, dashboards, analytics, alerting and CRM / MAP / SEP integrations.

6sense ABM platform overview & features

The 6sense ABM platform combines several capabilities designed to help marketing and sales teams run account-based programmes more effectively:

  • Account identification: surfacing accounts that show anonymous buying signals.

  • Predictive analytics: forecasting which accounts are most likely to convert.

  • Orchestration: aligning ABM campaigns across advertising, email, and SDR outreach channels.

  • Integrations: connecting to Salesforce, HubSpot, Marketo, and other GTM tools.

So what are the pros and cons of using 6sense for ABM? 

Pros Cons
✔️ Recognised leader in ABM orchestration, backed by analyst firms like Forrester. ❌ Complex to implement. Often requiring training or certification.
✔️ Strong predictive insights for account prioritisation. ❌ Pricing is enterprise-level and not publicly transparent.
✔️Integrations with major CRMs and marketing automation platforms. ❌ Credit-based enrichment model can drive costs up quickly.
✔️Valuable for mid-market to enterprise organisations with mature marketing operations. ❌Heavy on analytics, but lighter on verified contact data for direct execution.

If these cons concern you, you might want to consider a 6sense alternative like Cognism. 

Cognism is a leader in EMEA, providing compliant, quality, fresh and reliable data. The tool includes real-time signal data and intent data from Bombora, so you can rest assured that you’re always getting the most actionable data for your campaigns. 

Cognism vs 6sense ABM: Key differences

Cognism gives revenue teams the data foundation that ABM strategies need to succeed.

While 6sense focuses on predicting which accounts to target, Cognism ensures your teams can actually reach and engage the right people inside those accounts.

With Diamond Data® mobile numbers and emails, global EMEA coverage, and GDPR-compliant enrichment, Cognism bridges the gap between ABM insights and sales execution.

Add in predictable pricing, fast adoption, and real-time signals like job changes and intent data, and Cognism delivers ABM campaigns that not only look good on a dashboard but also convert.

Still unconvinced? Learn more about Cognism vs 6sense

Cost-benefit analysis: Where ROI differs

Choosing an ABM platform isn’t just about features; it’s about whether the investment translates into pipeline and revenue.

Let’s look at how Cognism and 6sense differ in pricing and ROI. 

6sense ABM costs

  • High upfront licence fees: often six figures, scaled by seats, modules, and data volume.
  • Credit-based enrichment: pulling direct dials, emails, or workflows consumes credits. Heavy use may result in costly surprises.
  • Extra upsells: audits, model tune-ups, and consulting packages are promoted as add-ons.
  • Training overhead: adoption often requires 6sense ABM certification and admin resources.

Cognism ROI

  • Predictable pricing: no credit-burn surprises, unlimited access for reps.
  • Immediate impact: reps can call verified mobile numbers today, not wait for predictive dashboards to align.
  • Faster adoption: no certifications required. Teams onboard in days.
  • International reach: leader in EMEA data.
  • Tangible pipeline results: from a 200% increase in contactable leads (Sparta Global) to a 22% growth in quarterly pipeline (Druva).

Bottom line:

6sense is strong at surfacing signals. Cognism ensures those signals turn into real conversations, meetings, and revenue.

Why choose Cognism for ABM? 

Platforms like 6sense are great at surfacing intent signals. But what happens next?

To turn signals into revenue, you must reach the right people inside those accounts quickly, compliantly, and at scale. 

Cognism helps with that, and we’ve got the playbooks to prove it. 

We’ve built practical ABM cheat codes that show teams how to operationalise ABM using our verified data, intent insights, and CRM-native enrichment.

Scale your pipeline

Check out this step-by-step guide on building account lists, prioritising buyers with real-time signals, and enabling sales and marketing to run coordinated campaigns. 👇

ABM at scale

Learn how to identify, engage, and convert top-tier accounts using Cognism’s global data coverage, Diamond-verified mobiles, and Bombora intent signals. Perfect for revenue teams looking to scale ABM across multiple regions.

By combining these data-first ABM workflows with your  GTM orchestration platform of choice (whether 6sense or others), Cognism ensures your teams don’t just spot opportunities, they connect with decision-makers and close them.

FAQ

Final thoughts

Choosing an ABM platform isn’t just about identifying accounts; it’s about connecting with the right people inside them.

While 6sense excels at surfacing intent, Cognism delivers the verified data, compliance, and signals that turn those insights into real conversations and a measurable pipeline.

For marketing and sales teams who want to prove ABM ROI faster, Cognism provides a more straightforward, cost-effective path to execution.

Book a demo with Cognism today and see how our Diamond Data® and intent signals can help you power ABM campaigns that convert.