Technographic Data Providers: Why Paying Less Costs More Later

In this guide, we’ll explain the cost of cheap data, compare the leading technographic data providers, and explain why investing in a premium, compliant solution like Cognism delivers better results.

If you’re evaluating technographic data solutions, this is the strategic checklist you need before making your next move.

Why does quality technographic data matter?

Technographic data helps B2B sales and marketing teams segment accounts more effectively, personalise outreach, and prioritise leads based on buying signals. It can also be used to target companies that use complementary tools or may be ready to upgrade.

However, many businesses opt to sign up with low-cost platforms that promise enormous volumes of data. They don’t realise that betting on a larger database doesn’t guarantee quality. Leading to you not getting the data coverage you need through inaccurate records. This poor-quality data leads to irrelevant targeting, bloated pipelines, and missed revenue opportunities. 

Reps waste time chasing leads that don’t fit their ICP or are already locked into long-term tech contracts. That’s why accuracy, freshness, and compliance matter, especially when selling into competitive or complex markets like EMEA.

Choosing the right technographic data providers can make or break your go-to-market strategy. 

Think of it like nutrition. You can spend less living on spaghetti, but without nutrients like protein, healthy fats, vitamins and fibre, you’ll end up with all sorts of health problems and nutritional deficiencies. When you purchase poor-quality data, you deprive your team of what they need to succeed.

While it’s tempting to opt for low-cost platforms that promise high database volumes, poor-quality data will cost more in the long run. Instead, opt for a compliant, quality provider from the start to avoid future problems. 

Take it from SUB1 👇

“I wanted to keep costs down at SUB1, so I was happy to get good deals with TAMI and Apollo. However, they both lacked accurate contact data." “It took me 6 months to realise that I should have implemented Cognism straight away.”

Read the full case study

Helped generate

7-figure opportunities

Stevie Howlett
Director of Business Development @SUB1

Technographic data providers compared

When evaluating B2B technographic data solutions, catching up with flashy surface-level features is easy. 

But, if you’re a revenue team selling into markets with complex data and compliance requirements, depth, accuracy and trust matter more. 

Let’s compare the leading providers on factors that actually move the needle 👇

1. Cognism 

Cognism is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a technographic data provider with unrestricted access to high-quality data in the EMEA, US, and APAC markets.

Cognism offers GDPR and CCPA-compliant B2B data with strategic segmentation for target account lists, verified mobile numbers, and a fast and friendly support team. 

It screens phone data against 13 Do Not Call lists and embeds Bombora intent data for more intelligent targeting. With real-time CRM enrichment and transparent pricing, Cognism is built for precision and trust.

Need to know:

• Compliance: PECR, GDPR and CCPA compliant with DNC list checking in the USA, Canada, Australia, and European countries, including Germany, France, Spain, Ireland, Belgium, Croatia, Portugal, and Sweden. ISO 27701 certified. Certified SOC 2 Type II compliant.
• Enrichment: Instant and scheduled CRM enrichment and on-demand CSV enrichment.
• Integrations: Salesforce, Hubspot, MS Dynamics, Pipedrive, Salesloft, Outreach, and Zapier are included in all packages.
• Data verification service: Diamond Verified® mobiles and emails to help you connect with 87% of your list.
• Intent pairing: Bombora consent-based intent and signal data with Sales Companion.
• Pricing: Transparent, no auto-renew traps, unrestricted access to person and company-level data subject to a fair usage policy.

Want a quote? Click the button below, or check out Cognism’s pricing page. 

2. Apollo.io

Apollo.io is a technographic data solution that helps teams uncover leads quickly and efficiently. 

It uses a dual credit system that charges users once per mobile and once per email, which may make it costly for dial-heavy users. Plus, according to Apollo’s T&Cs, the company can use customer-submitted data to supplement its database.

Furthermore, if compliance is key for you, be aware that Apollo.io had two data breaches in 2018 and 2021.

Need to know:

• Compliance: GDPR & CCPA compliant with DNC list checking in the UK & US. ISO 27001 and SOC II certified.
• Enrichment: Manual CRM enrichment, real-time enrichment and scheduled CRM enrichment.
• Integrations: Salesforce, Hubspot, Pipedrive, Salesloft, Outreach & Zapier.
• Data verification service: Not available.
• Intent pairing: LeadSift intent data.
• Pricing: Credit-based subscription plans with limited mobile and export credits. Add-on credits are available.

“Cognism is our comfort blanket when it comes to compliance. Whenever a prospect asks where we get their data from, we can confidently say that we’ve sourced their information from a reputable ISO 27001 and SOC Type II certification data company." “With Cognism, you aren’t snowing yourself under with ICO complaints. I couldn’t recommend it enough.”

Read the full case study

Richard Caldicott
IT Director @Henderson Scott

3. Datanyze

Datanyze is a market intelligence platform that uncovers contact information alongside valuable tech stack insights. It’s best known for its technographic data. This intel, alongside contact details, allows for more tailored outreach strategies. 

Unfortunately, the platform structures its pricing based on credit limits, which can be inconvenient for many sales teams with high lead volume.

Need to know:

• Compliance: GDPR & CCPA compliant with a notified database. 
• Enrichment: Not available. 
• Integrations: MS Dynamics, HubSpot, Outreach, Salesloft and Salesforce.
• Data verification service: Not available. 
• Intent pairing: Not available. 
• Pricing: Credit-based packages are billed monthly or yearly. 

4. Clearbit (Breeze Intelligence)

Formerly Clearbit, Breeze Intelligence is a lead enrichment tool for marketing and operations teams that want to enhance existing data and automate workflows. 

The tool created by HubSpot leverages AI along with your CRM data to conduct company research, prepare for sales calls, develop your pipeline, and summarise CRM records, all aimed at enhancing marketing and sales processes.

Need to know:

• Compliance: Provides customers with a notified database and is registered as a data broker in California, as required under the CCPA.
• Enrichment: CRM enrichment workflows are dependent on the package you choose.
• Integrations: HubSpot, Salesforce, MS Dynamics, Pipedrive, Outreach, Zapier and more on its App Marketplace.
• Data verification service: Not available.
• Intent pairing: Proprietary in-house intent offering.
• Pricing: An add-on for HubSpot. Uses enrichment credits.

5. ZoomInfo

ZoomInfo is an AI-driven, all-in-one platform with a company profile database and contact data. ZoomInfo segments its database for specific functions and is said to charge differently for data in different regions. 

Need to know:

• Compliance: GDPR and CCPA compliant, with DNC list checking in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK, and the US. ISO 27701 certified.

• Enrichment: Enrichment on-demand, on-schedule or in real-time.
• Integrations: Supports a range of integrations through its App Marketplace.
• Data verification service: No. Data labelled with a confidence score.
• Intent pairing: Gathers intent data from various sources and uses proprietary machine-learning technology to determine buying signals. Believed to rely on bidstream data.

• Pricing: Individual pricing tiers for sales, marketing, and recruitment. Credit-based with expensive add-ons like advanced integrations and global data.

“Cognism’s data quality was about 30% better than everything else we were looking at.” “With ZoomInfo, the data quality in Europe isn’t what we would need. With Lusha, we get something, but when we dial, it’s not at all where we would expect it to be.”

Read the full case study

80%

improved connect rates

Dave Smallwood
Managing Director @Mollie

Many Capterra, G2 and Trustpilot reviewers mention that ZoomInfo’s data is stronger in the US. However, coverage may fall short for teams selling into EMEA. Users report missing local job titles, regional firmographics, and verified contact details.

Cognism is the better fit for modern European sales teams, offering transparency, precision, and support tailored to the EMEA landscape.

6. Demandbase

Demandbase provides detailed insights into prospects’ business activities, including technologies, website visits, etc.

Businesses choose this B2B technographic data provider to use AI technology to identify and target high-value accounts. It helps teams identify and qualify leads to leverage account-based marketing and drive revenue growth.

Need to know:

• Compliance:  CCPA compliant. ISO 27001 and SOC II certified.
• Enrichment: Automatic enrichment in Salesforce or Microsoft Dynamics 365.
• Integrations: HubSpot, Salesforce, MS Dynamics, Salesloft and Outreach. Only one CRM can be integrated at a time. 
• Data verification service: Not available.
• Intent pairing: Bidstream intent data. 
• Pricing:  Platform fee that covers all the essential software and services. Flat fee per user. Add-on features are available at an extra cost. 

7. SalesIntel

SalesIntel is a B2B technographic data platform that helps sales and marketing teams find the contact information of key B2B decision-makers. 

However, if you want to supplement your existing data provider with global data, SalesIntel might not be for you. Its Privacy Policy states that the “SalesIntel Leads database profiles decision-makers and key influencers that are based in the United States.”

Need to know:

• Compliance: CCPA compliant and adheres to CAN-SPAM. 
• Enrichment: Contact, account and inbound lead enrichment.
• Integrations: Salesforce, HubSpot, Marketo, Salesloft, Outreach, Microsoft Dynamics & Zoho.
• Data verification service: Research on demand service.
• Intent pairing: Bombora intent data.
• Pricing: Unlimited data and enrichment.

The true cost of cheap technographic data providers

At first glance, budget-friendly technographic data providers may seem like a smart choice. But hidden costs often emerge beneath the surface. Costs that directly impact your team’s performance, your brand’s credibility, and your pipeline.

Here’s what to watch out for:

1. Poor accuracy leads to wasted outreach

Low-cost platforms often use outdated or scraped data. That means targeting companies no longer using the tools you’re tracking, or worse, reaching the wrong contacts entirely. Poor targeting drives down engagement and bloats your CRM with irrelevant leads.

👉 Learn more about the risks of data scraping in our guide on whether buying email lists is worth it. 

2. Non-compliant data puts you at risk

Many providers overlook compliance requirements, like subject notifications or DNC screening. If you’re targeting EMEA, using non-compliant data isn’t just risky, it can lead to fines, deliverability issues, and damaged brand trust.

3. Shallow data limits your reach

Cheaper providers may promise “global coverage” but often focus on the US market. That leaves gaps in key EMEA territories like the UK, Germany, and the Nordics, where reliable technographic data is more complex to source.

4. No enrichment slows down your pipeline

Cheap data typically means static lists, not actionable insights. Without scheduled or real-time data enrichment, your CRM becomes outdated fast, and your reps waste time working with cold or inaccurate records.

5. Lack of integration creates manual work

Entry-level technographic data tools rarely integrate well with your existing tech stack. That means more manual exports, poor data sync, and slower go-to-market motion. Over time, operational inefficiencies eat into any cost savings.

6. Minimal support means longer ramp-up

Support is often self-serve only. If your team hits a roadblock with data quality, coverage, or integration, you’re left to troubleshoot alone. This slows onboarding, usage, and ultimately ROI.

A better investment: Why Cognism outperforms cheap alternatives

It’s easy to be tempted by lower price tags, but in B2B sales data, you truly get what you pay for.

Many technographic data providers focus on surface-level affordability, but the hidden costs quickly add up: poor targeting, inaccurate records, manual work, and compliance risk.

Cognism offers a higher-quality, lower-effort alternative that delivers measurable ROI. Try it out for yourself 👇

Built-in GDPR compliance

Cognism is the only provider that screens phone data against 13 national DNC and TPS lists. The tool’s GDPR and CCPA compliance was built in from the start, and we notify business contacts of their inclusion in our database.

Our B2B technographic data is fully compliant, so your revenue teams can go to market with confidence.

Less data waste, more pipeline

Why burn through 1,000 low-quality records when 100 hight-intent and accurate ones will convert?

Cognism helps fill your pipeline by ensuring every contact is usable, relevant, and compliant, cutting waste and increasing revenue efficiency. It also offers key buying signals so you know when your target accounts are more likely to be in market to buy.

We don’t just tell you what tech a company uses; we help you speak to the right person. Our phone-verified mobile numbers enable you to connect with up to 87% of your list, turning technographic insights into real conversations.

Save time across every team

With real-time CRM enrichment and seamless integrations, Cognism ensures your CRM is always up to date. Paired with our native integrations (Salesforce, Outreach, HubSpot and more), your team never has to work outdated or incomplete records again. 

Cognism reduces time spent cleaning lists, chasing dead leads, or managing exports. That’s more time selling, and less time fixing bad data.

Technographic + intent = smarter targeting

Cognism combines technographic data with consent-based Bombora intent signals. Your reps can target the right accounts and know when they’re ready to buy, resulting in shorter sales cycles and higher win rates.

EMEA-first support and onboarding

Cognism offers onboarding and customer success based in the US, UK and Europe. That means real-time support in your time zone and expertise in understanding your regional needs.

Built for long-term growth

Cognism isn’t just a data provider; we’re a long-term partner. From onboarding and enablement to ongoing support and compliance updates, we help your team scale smartly into new regions and verticals, especially in EMEA.

Our customers regularly see ROI in just weeks, not months. With verified mobiles, accurate technographics, and embedded intent signals, your team connects faster and closes sooner.

“Cognism identifies the leads, allows us to target them based on the prospect’s intent and then follow-up with the sales action. Using intent data has massively reduced our Time to Engagement (TTE). Our sales cycle is typically 6-8 months long. At Cognism, we saw ROI in 8 weeks from intent data and direct dials. One deal pays for a year’s Cognism subscription.”

Read the full case study

8 weeks

taken to achieve ROI

George McKenna
Head of Cloud Sales @Ultima

Frequently asked questions about technographic data providers

Who are the best technographic data providers?

Top technographic data providers include Cognism, ZoomInfo, Apollo.io, Clearbit, Demandbase, SalesIntel, and Datanyze.

However, Cognism stands out for GDPR compliance, verified mobile reach, and EMEA-specific enrichment, which are critical for teams operating in regulated or international markets.

Is Cognism a technographic data provider?

Yes. Cognism offers accurate, GDPR-compliant technographic data as part of its wider go-to-market intelligence platform. Data is enriched in real time and includes mobile numbers, firmographics, and intent signals, enabling highly targeted sales and marketing campaigns.

How much does B2B data cost?

The cost of B2B data varies widely. Freemium tools like Apollo.io offer basic access, while premium providers like Cognism deliver enriched, verified, and compliant data at a higher, but more valuable, price point. One high-converting lead may offset the full cost.

Is free B2B data worth it?

Free B2B data tools often lack accuracy, depth, and compliance, especially for EMEA regions. They may also require significant manual cleaning. Over time, low-quality data can cost more through missed opportunities, wasted outreach, and legal risk.

Is technographic data GDPR-compliant?

Technographic data can be compliant but depends on how it’s collected, stored, and used. Cognism is a GDPR-compliant provider, issuing Article 14 notifications and screening phone data against 13 European DNC lists, ensuring safe and legal outreach in EMEA.

Can I use technographic data in Europe?

Yes, but only if it’s sourced and processed in accordance with GDPR. You should work with providers that notify data subjects, allow opt-outs, and demonstrate lawful processing. Cognism is explicitly built for safe, compliant prospecting in Europe.

Choose value over volume. Choose Cognism

While some technographic data providers promise endless contact lists at a low price, the reality is often underwhelming: outdated information, limited reach, poor integrations, and a real risk of non-compliance.

Cognism takes a different approach. We prioritise accuracy, compliance, and sales impact over inflated data counts. With Diamond Verified® mobile numbers, GDPR-aligned workflows, and real-time technographic enrichment, our platform helps revenue teams go to market with confidence, particularly in complex regions like EMEA.

Whether expanding into new territories or looking to improve sales efficiency, investing in better data pays off in faster conversions, a stronger pipeline, and lower operational overhead.

Stop settling for low-cost lists that slow your growth. Book a demo and start building pipeline with trusted data.