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Cognism vs 6sense

Surfacing accounts is easy. But if you can’t reach qualified decision-makers, the value stops at the dashboard. Cognism removes the guesswork with Diamond-verified data and governed, ready-to-use AI.

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How does Cognism match up?
6sense
No credit ceilings
Strong EMEA coverage
Verified data
Sales-first focus

Why thousands of brands have switched to Cognism

01

30% better data quality

Cognism is known for its mobile data, which is why many customers have made the switch.

They report higher first‑connect rates and fewer wasted dials.

"Cognism’s data quality was about 30% better than everything else we were looking at.” Dave, Mollie

02

30-40% tech overhead costs cut

Credit ceilings force throttle outreach and force extra spending.

Cognism has no credit ceilings! 

“20% of our revenue now comes from Cognism, and we see a significant ROI on the tool with the results it generates.” Antoine, Toucan

03

95-99% email deliverability 

Customers switching to Cognism see better email deliverability, driving more connects and stronger ABM results.

“If you want to keep your data fresh and get new contacts, Cognism can help match specific companies to a hot list, compile lists, assess intent and enrich your existing prospects.” Dom, CEC Marketing

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What’s the difference between 6sense and Cognism?

6sense is known for its Intent technology. The tool uses AI to match intent data to specific companies using internal Customer Data Platforms with Bombora intent data.

The software offers 10 intent topics. For additional intent topics, users must also be Bombora customers. 

Cognism is a proud partner of Bombora and includes 12 topics plus 100 additional topics. 

In 2021, 6sense acquired Slintel to expand its offering to include B2B data. Cognism has been a trusted contact data provider for eight+ years, resulting in a comprehensive sales intelligence experience and a strong partnership with Bombora that prioritises quality data over quantity.

This ensures customers connect with the right customers instead of wasting precious time attempting to connect with a large database of incorrect numbers and emails. 

Here’s a side-by-side comparison of Cognism vs 6sense:

Cognism
6sense
Best for
Cognism
Larger sales, marketing, RevOps and GTMOps teams looking to drive customer revenue growth in Europe.
6sense
Teams looking to prioritise leads with technographic data and competitive insights for ABM in the US.
Pricing
Cognism
Two tiers to choose from to suit your needs best. Unrestricted views/ individual and page-level exporting on all packages.*
6sense
Credit-based & dependent on team size & features.
Integrations
Cognism
Included in all packages: Salesforce, HubSpot, MS Dynamics, Pipedrive, Salesloft, Bullhorn, Outreach & Zapier.
6sense
Integrations include Outreach, Salesloft, HubSpot, MS Dynamics and Salesforce. No Pipedrive or Zapier integrations.
Compliance status
Cognism
GDPR & CCPA compliant, SOC 2 accreditations, TPS & DNC screening across 13 countries & notified database.
6sense
GDPR & CCPA compliant & maintains DNC lists.
Browser extension
Cognism
Compatible with LinkedIn, Sales Navigator, Recruiter, Salesforce, HubSpot, Outreach, and company domains.
6sense
Chrome extension works across company domains and LinkedIn profiles (including Sales Nav). CRMs not supported.
Intent data
Cognism
Bombora intent data with 12 topics included in the Elevate package. Add more topics as an add-on.
6sense
Proprietary in-house intent offering.
Enrichment
Cognism
API enrichment and on-demand CSV enrichment.
6sense
Scheduled CRM enrichment workflows.
Phone-verification/ research on-demand service
Cognism
Exclusive phone-verified Diamond Data® mobiles & on-demand-verification service.
6sense
Not available.

Alternatively, see other Cognism comparisons👇

Key features of Cognism vs 6sense

With Cognism, you can run ABM campaigns without the cost or complexity of a standalone platform. You’ll get access to Europe’s leading GDPR-compliant B2B database of senior-level contacts, enriched with Diamond Data® verified mobiles.

Tools like Research by Cortex AI make identifying and personalising outreach to high-value accounts effortless, while Bombora intent signals ensure you engage prospects at the right moment. In short, Cognism makes ABM achievable with the tools you already use.

6sense is a dedicated account-based marketing platform built to track web visitors, surface intent signals, and prioritise leads for follow-up. It’s powerful but requires a larger investment and adds another layer of complexity to your tech stack.

Here’s a list of both tools’ features, side by side:

Cognism

Sales Companion

For personalised access to in-depth account data to ensure fresh and fast outreach.

Phone-verified cell phone numbers

To help you connect with 87% of your list.

Diamond Data®

Exclusive on-demand verified cell phone and email data set.

Unrestricted access to person and company-level data*

Subject to a generous fair usage policy.

Enrich

API enrichment and on-demand CSV enrichment.

Intent & Signal data

Intent data by Bombora. Real time signal data for hiring trends, funding rounds, and technographic insights.

International coverage

EMEA, NAM, APAC.

Integrations at no extra cost

Salesforce, HubSpot, MS Dynamics, Pipedrive, Salesloft, Outreach & Zapier.

GDPR and CCPA-compliant

SOC 2 accreditations, TPS & DNC screening across 13 countries & notified database.

AI Search

Find prospects using ChatGPT-style textual or voice prompts.

6sense

Sales Copilot

Surfaces account and buyer insights directly inside sales tools to guide outreach.

Intelligent Workflows for Sales

Automates next-best actions and sequences based on account behaviour and intent.

Buyer Discovery

Identifies in-market accounts and uncovers hidden buyers showing intent signals.

Web Visitor Identification

Reveals anonymous website visitors and maps them to target accounts.

CRM filters & MAP activity

Syncs with CRM and marketing automation to segment accounts and track engagement.

Chrome Extension

Provides quick access to account and contact insights while browsing LinkedIn or websites.

Why Cognism?

“I would 100% recommend Cognism. If you’re a company wanting to keep your data fresh and get new contacts, Cognism can help match specific companies to a hot list. They can compile lists, assess intent and enrich your existing prospects. It’s rare for data providers to offer this, which sets Cognism apart.”
Read the full case study
95-99%
email deliverability rate
dom-verall-cec-marketing
Dom Verrall
Global Director of Data @CEC Marketing
“I would 100% recommend Cognism. Compliance is a big factor, along with data quality. We truly believe Cognism’s data quality is incomparable. When you have this and a positive sales experience, it’s very easy to recommend it to others.”
Read the full case study
23%
increase in call connect rate
Dan Orbach_Case Study
Dan Orbach
Head of Sales & Partnerships @UpCloud
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6sense versus Cognism: Compliance

The 6sense privacy policy states that the tool is GDPR and CCPA-compliant and maintains telephone “do-not-call” and “do-not-mail” lists as mandated by law. There is no mention of what countries these lists cover.  

Cognism is a globally compliant B2B data provider. Customers praise Cognism as a company that goes above and beyond to ensure customers aren’t violating privacy laws.

While being GDPR and CCPA compliant, Cognism also scrubs all mobile numbers against:

  • TPS/CTPS lists in the UK.
  • Do-Not-Call lists in the USA, Canada, Australia and European countries, including Germany, France, Spain, Ireland, Belgium, Croatia, Portugal, Sweden and more. 

If a number is marked as TPS or DNC, it means that the user has opted out of receiving unsolicited phone calls by applying to the national do-not-call registry. 

Cognism allows admins to choose whether to hide or show contacts that are on DNC lists from reps. Meaning that its customers have complete confidence in the legality of its outreach.

The Cognism platform follows these compliance-based actions: 

  • A stringent B2B data verification process. 
  • Ensures all data is legally sourced and of the utmost quality.
  • Is regulated by the ICO and provides users with a notified database.
“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.”
Read the full case study
1612964195108-1
Richard Caldicott
IT Director @Henderson Scott

6sense vs Cognism: Usability & Integrations

6sense Revenue AI reviews mention great customer support and helpful buyer personas. Users find the platform to have a steep learning curve, and there is a disconnect with integrations. 

6sense integrates with several tools, including Outreach, Salesloft, HubSpot, MS Dynamics and Salesforce.

Cognism customers speak highly of the interface, usability and support, and are pleased with the integrations.

Cognism integrates with Salesforce, Hubspot, MS Dynamics, Pipedrive, Salesloft, Outreach, Bullhorn and Zapier.

The Cognism web app makes it simple for teams to build targeted lists, while the Sales Companion browser extension lets reps prospect seamlessly across LinkedIn, corporate websites, and CRMs. Instead of hunting through multiple tools, salespeople get compliant, high-quality data wherever they work online.

Cognism’s AI Search allows users to filter companies and contacts with natural language prompts. Just type (or speak) what you’re looking for, and AI Search returns a tailored list of accounts and contacts using automated filtering logic. For example: “Show me CMOs at FinTech companies in Germany.”

Sales Companion is built to optimise seller time — shortening the path from research to revenue. With AI-powered contact and company recommendations, reps get a personalised dashboard pre-filtered to their territory, surfacing in-market decision-makers automatically. Cortex enriches this further with intent surges, funding alerts, hiring signals, and company events, helping reps multi-thread and generate pipeline faster.

With Smart Personas, users can set up persona-driven contact recommendations in seconds by simply describing their business and what they sell. Cortex translates that into job title, country, industry, and segment filters, and can also recommend relevant intent topics and technographics based on the business model.

Sounds great, but...

6sense does it all. 

6sense is strong in marketing orchestration, but doesn’t give users the verified mobiles and compliant emails they need to reach the right buyers.

Cognism is the critical data layer that powers execution. Without clean, compliant contact data, even the best ABM platform stops at the dashboard.

0%

increase in meetings booked (Lockton)

0%

Email deliverability (cec marketing)

0%

Improvement in connect rates (mollie)

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Cognism vs 6sense: Databases & Data Coverage

In August 2023, 6sense Revenue AI announced data enhancements across North America, EMEA, and APAC. However, 6sense reviews mention that the data is outdated and confusing with duplicates, and users are unsure of the accuracy. 

Cognism has long been a global data provider, with coverage enhancements occurring regularly.

At the heart of it all is Cortex AI, the engine that fuels every product. Cortex sources, validates, and cleans millions of company and contact records, stitching together 60–200+ data points per company before running them through multiple verification and compliance layers.

The result?

The most complete dataset in EMEA, supported by EU and US research teams, making Cognism a go-to option for anyone targeting global leads across NAM and APAC.

Cortex AI doesn’t just power the backend; it drives customer-facing tools like natural language search, automated persona creation, contact and company recommendations, and research insights.

With Cortex AI, quality is built in. From verified numbers and emails to unmatched mobile coverage in the United States, Cognism delivers governed AI, verified data, and ultimately, more live conversations.

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Where do Cognism and 6sense get their data?

6sense gets its data from the following sources:

  • Personal information given directly via site contact forms, surveys, registering for or participating in events, or by emailing or calling to request products, services, or information. 
  • User-generated content and online activity on the site.
  • Recorded calls, training sessions, webinars, or similar events that you participate in with 6sense.
  • Subscriber-provided information.
  • From third-party providers, partners and integrators who gather data from a variety of sources including data co-ops or publicly-available sources that 6sense uses to develop professional profiles that is compiled into its business database. 

Cognism gathers data via its proprietary data capture methods and machine learning models. Gaps are filled by third-party data providers, publicly available sources, manual research, and strategic partnerships. 

Machine learning processes check millions of data points daily, and researchers verify the data. This ensures accuracy and compliance, and the stringent verification process applies to Cognism’s entire database.

However, Cognism takes data verification to the next level through its exclusive data asset, Diamond Data®.

Diamond Data® comprises phone-verified mobile numbers that make it 3x more likely you’ll connect with your ideal customer. The team phone verifies mobile numbers and includes contacts specifically requested by customers leveraging the Diamonds-on-Demand® service.

Diamond Data® allows sales teams to connect with 87% of prospecting lists. Companies are seeing a 54% increase in mobile coverage, and ROI is increasing due to 70% of outbound meetings booked from Cognism mobiles. 

Here’s how Cognism mobile phone numbers differ from standard mobile numbers. 👇

How standard mobile numbers compare to Cognism's phone-verified numbers.

Sounds great, but...

We like 6sense’s custom workflows.

Workflows are only as strong as the data behind them. 6sense may help marketers design workflows, but without clean, compliant contact data, those workflows stall before reaching decision-makers. Cognism ensures verified data underpins every step, so the plays you build actually convert into live conversations.

0%

success rates in European data (Toucan)

0%

more targeted personas added (Aveva)

0%

improvement in mobile data quality (SUB1)

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Cognism vs 6sense pricing

**Cognism and 6sense pricing information is dependent on your company’s needs. For accurate pricing, please contact your preferred data provider.

Cognism Pricing

What really makes Cognism stand out from 6sense is unrestricted data views. 

Cognism’s main packages allow reps unrestricted data views and exports of 25 records at a time.

Cognism’s pricing model is split into two tiers: 

  • Grow gives you the essential quality data you need for your prospecting. With contact and company data, including Cognism’s phone verified Diamond Data®.
  • Elevate gives you all the benefits of Grow with the added benefit of combining Cognism’s high-quality data with advanced intelligence and actionable signals.

In addition to this, users can add more intent data topics (12 are included in the Elevate package) and Diamonds-on-Demand® to their package.

6sense Pricing

6sense pricing consists of four packages:

  • Free.
  • Sales Intelligence + Data Credits + Predictive AI.
  • Sales Intelligence + Data Credits.
  • Sales Intelligence + Predictive AI.

Packages are credit-based, starting at 50 data credits with the Free subscription and based on team size for the other plans.

Once credits are used, more will need to be purchased, which creates a scarcity mindset and keeps teams from prospecting efficiently. 

Base packages include access to the following: 

  • Buyer search Engine.
  • List building and enrichment.
  • B2B contact data.
  • Chrome extension.
  • Alerts.

FAQs about 6sense vs Cognism

For businesses that need accurate, compliant data to power sales and marketing, Cognism is the stronger choice.

Unlike 6sense, which focuses on marketing orchestration, Cognism delivers the verified mobiles and B2B emails your team needs to actually reach decision-makers.

Backed by Cortex AI and a responsive customer success team, Cognism combines extensive features with an easy-to-use interface, making it the best tool for targeting high-value accounts and turning intent into live conversations.

The cost of 6sense is based on four packages:

  • Free.
  • Sales Intelligence + Data Credits + Predictive AI.
  • Sales Intelligence + Data Credits.
  • Sales Intelligence + Predictive AI.

Packages are credit-based, starting at 50 credits with the Free subscription and based on team size for the other plans.

While 6sense might appear more affordable than other data providers, you must consider the features, compliance, accuracy and coverage of the data you need for your business. 

For instance, not all plans are restricted by credits, meaning that once credits are used up, more will need to be purchased, which creates a scarcity mindset and keeps teams from prospecting efficiently. There is also no verification on-demand service like its competitor, Cognism. 

Cognism pricing offers unlimited contact data credits subject to a generous, fair usage policy. It takes data verification to the next level through its exclusive data asset, Diamond Data®that provides phone-verified mobile number accuracy to help you connect with 87% of your list.

Put Cognism to the test! Speak to a data expert for 25 sample leads based on your ICP!

Cognism is a sales intelligence platform that is one of the best 6sense alternatives.

Cognism has been a trusted contact data provider for eight+ years, resulting in a comprehensive sales intelligence experience and a strong partnership with Bombora that prioritises quality data over quantity.

This ensures customers connect with the right customers instead of wasting precious time attempting to connect with a large database of incorrect numbers and emails. 

Yes, Cognism is a powerful alternative for teams that want to turn intent into live conversations. With high-quality, regularly verified contact data, sales and marketing teams can cut down wasted dials, connect with the right decision-makers, and accelerate pipeline generation.

Users consistently highlight Cognism’s ease of use, data accuracy, and responsive support making it a trusted choice for companies seeking a sales-focused alternative to 6sense.

Yes, you can!

Several companies use Cognism to supplement the data provided by 6sense and ensure that their CRMs have the most up-to-date databases for their teams.

Try Cognism, a 6sense alternative

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