MCP vs API: choose the right route for your data stack

MCP connector

Best for teams that want Cognism data inside Claude, ChatGPT and AI workflows. Ask for accounts, contacts or compliance checks in plain language, and get verified B2B data back in the same assistant.

Natural-language access for sellers, leaders, and RevOps
Verified contact, company, and intent data
DNC and opt-out checks available on demand
Read-only access governed by existing Cognism settings

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API

Best for teams that want Cognism data to power their systems, workflows and data pipelines. Search, enrich, and retrieve verified contact and company data programmatically, with the fields and signals your workflow needs.

Programmatic access for GTM systems and workflows
Verified contact and company data
Intent signals available where relevant
Data shaped to your use case

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The same trusted B2B data, wherever you connect.

Verified business contacts, with deep European coverage

Accuracy on phone-verified European mobile numbers

Global Do Not Call lists screened before data is shown

Ways to connect the same verified, EU-compliant B2B data

Access follows the request

Territories, exclusions, permissions, and credit controls come from your Cognism account.

Screening before data is shown

DNC and opt-out checks apply before restricted phone data is shown or exported.

You shape the response

Request the fields your workflow needs, with responses configured in line with your Cognism entitlements.

Compliance controls built in

Cognism’s existing compliance settings carry through to connected workflows, helping teams access verified B2B data in line with their account configuration.

One credit model

MCP and Connect API usage is managed through your Cognism credit setup, giving teams one model for accessing contact and company data.

Usage stays visible

Admins can monitor and manage access, usage, and credit consumption across connected workflows.

Which route should we start with?

If your team already works inside an AI assistant like Claude or ChatGPT, start with Cognism's MCP connector – it's a URL-based connection, so there's no engineering time needed. If the data needs to land in a CRM, warehouse, or internal tool, use the Cognism API. Most teams end up running both.

Do the two routes share credits?

Yes. The MCP connector, the API, the platform, and the browser extension all draw on the same credit pool – a credit is a credit. There's no separate MCP subscription and no extra charge for using more than one route to reach the same data.

How long does setup take?

Cognism's MCP connector is a URL you add to your AI assistant's settings, so it takes minutes. The Cognism API is a standard REST integration and needs entitlements to be configured first.

Is the data the same on both routes?

Yes. Both surface the same contacts, the same phone-verified mobiles, and the same firmographic data your reps see in the platform. Intent data is included on both where it's part of your package.

What happens to records that fail compliance screening?

Cognism screens contact data against a wide range of national and regional Do Not Call lists. Where a number is restricted, it's hidden from search and export results for every user on the account – the rest of the contact record can still be visible.

Can we limit what an agent is able to pull?

Yes. Territories, exclusions, per-rep credit limits, and user permissions all carry over automatically from your Cognism account settings. An agent can't reach data the user couldn't already see in the platform.

4.5/5 on G2

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Connect your AI to trusted B2B data.

Choose how you connect B2B data.