# Lusha vs Cognism Source: https://piperocket.digital/compare/lusha-vs-cognism/ Author: Immanual D M, PPC Specialist, PipeRocket Digital Reviewed by: Praveen Ravi, Co-Founder, PipeRocket Digital Published: 2026-07-16 Last updated: 2026-07-16 A neutral head-to-head comparison of Lusha and Cognism across pricing, data accuracy, EMEA coverage, and integrations for B2B sales teams. ## The short answer Lusha and Cognism both sell B2B contact and company data with prospecting workflows layered on top, but they target different buyers. Lusha is a self-serve, credit-based tool with a free tier and published prices up to $399.90/mo, built for individual reps and small teams that want quick, low-cost access to contact data. Cognism is a quote-only, seat-based platform aimed at mid-market and enterprise revenue teams that need human-verified mobile numbers (its “Diamond Data”) and deep EMEA/GDPR coverage, sold through a sales-led annual contract typically starting around $15,000/year. ### Choose Lusha: Low-cost, self-serve contact data for individuals and small teams If you want to start free or pay a **published, low monthly price**, work primarily a US/major-market ICP, and need self-serve automation (Zapier, Make, n8n) without a sales call, Lusha’s credit-based model is the more accessible entry point. ### Choose Cognism: Verified mobile data and EMEA depth for larger revenue teams If your team prospects heavily into **Europe and needs GDPR-grade compliance**, wants human-verified mobile numbers with reportedly higher connect rates, and has budget for a **$15,000+/year** seat-based contract, Cognism’s enterprise platform is the stronger fit (pricing is quote-only). ## At a glance | | Lusha | Cognism | |----------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------| | **Founded / Vendor** | Lusha, founded 2016 | Cognism, founded 2015 | | **HQ** | Dual claims: Tel Aviv origin / Boston commercial HQ (unverified, confirm live) | London, United Kingdom | | **Pricing model** | Credit-based, self-serve, published tiers | Seat-based, quote-only, sales-led | | **Starting price** | $0 (Free, 40 credits/mo); Starter $49.90/mo | No public price; reported from ~$15,000/yr | | **Public rating** | 4.3/5 G2, ~1,611 reviews (reported, verify live) | 4.6/5 G2 (reported); 4.7/5 Capterra (self-reported, verify live) | | **Best for** | Individual reps / small teams, low-cost entry | Mid-market to enterprise, EMEA/GDPR-heavy prospecting | ## Vendor profile ### Lusha *Contact database + browser extension · self-serve, credit-based pricing · founded 2016* Lusha is a B2B contact and company database with a browser extension for revealing contact details directly from LinkedIn and company pages, plus buying-intent signals and CRM enrichment. Its site cites “280,000+ GTM teams” and “2.6 million users worldwide,” and homepage logos reference Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Salesforce, and Spotify (though large-brand logos on data-tool marketing pages typically represent individual seats, not enterprise-wide contracts, so treat that as directional). Team size is reported around 300 employees, with third-party estimates ranging 276 to 359. HQ is unclear: the company is commonly described as Israeli-founded (Tel Aviv) with a US commercial presence in Boston; confirm the current claim on lusha.com/about before publishing anything definitive. Pricing is published and self-serve, running from a free tier to $399.90/mo, with credit costs of 1 credit per email reveal and 10 per phone reveal. - **Vendor:** Lusha (lusha.com) - **Founded:** 2016 - **HQ:** Unverified: dual Tel Aviv origin / Boston commercial HQ claims - **Team size:** ~300 employees (range: 276-359, source-dependent) - **Pricing model:** Credit-based, self-serve, published tiers - **Starting price:** $0 (Free, 40 credits/mo); Starter $49.90/mo - **Public rating:** 4.3/5 G2, ~1,611 reviews (reported via search snippet, verify live) ### Cognism *GTM data platform with verified mobiles + intent data · seat-based, quote-only · founded 2015* Cognism is a go-to-market data platform built around human-verified mobile numbers, branded “Diamond Data,” plus Bombora-powered buying-intent data and a GDPR/CCPA-compliant global database with a strong EMEA/UK depth. It cites being “trusted by 4,000+ customers worldwide,” with published case studies naming Mollie, Druva, Asana, Hootsuite, Seismic, Notion, Deel, Monday.com, and Xero. Team size is estimated between 455 and 559-plus employees depending on the source and date. Cognism does not publish any prices: its Standard and Pro plans (both minimum 5 seats) are quote-only, with add-ons like CRM Enrichment and Data-as-a-Service sold separately and also unpriced publicly. Third-party estimates (not Cognism-confirmed) put a typical 5-seat deployment at roughly $15,000 to $50,000-plus per year. - **Vendor:** Cognism (cognism.com) - **Founded:** 2015 - **HQ:** London, United Kingdom - **Team size:** ~455 to 559+ employees (source-dependent) - **Pricing model:** Seat-based, quote-only, sales-led (5-seat minimum) - **Starting price:** No public price; reported from ~$15,000/yr (third-party estimate) - **Public rating:** 4.6/5 G2 (reported); 4.7/5 Capterra (self-reported on cognism.com, verify live) ## Pricing: what you'll actually pay Pricing is the clearest structural difference between these two tools. Lusha publishes self-serve rates with a free tier; Cognism publishes no prices at all and requires a sales conversation for any number. Lusha figures are from lusha.com/pricing (fetched July 2026); Cognism figures are third-party estimates, not confirmed by Cognism, and should be treated as directional. | | Lusha | Cognism | |----------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | **Free tier** | ✓ (40 credits/mo) | ✕ | | **Entry paid tier** | Starter $49.90/mo (monthly); $32.45/mo (annual) | Standard, price not listed (5-seat minimum) | | **Mid tier** | Professional $69.90/mo (monthly); $45.45/mo (annual) | Pro (adds Diamond Data + Bombora intent), price not listed | | **Top published tier** | Premium $399.90/mo (monthly); $259.95/mo (annual) | No published top tier; custom Scale/enterprise deals only | | **Typical reported spend** | Roughly $50 to $400/mo for a solo user, scales with credits | Reportedly ~$15,000 to $50,000+/yr for a 5-seat deployment (third-party estimate) | | **Billing model** | Monthly or annual (annual discount, credits roll over up to 2x) | Annual contract; reportedly strict auto-renewal terms | ## Capability comparison Both tools cover the same basic job: find a contact, verify a way to reach them, and push that into a CRM. The real gaps show up in phone data quality, geographic depth, and how much of the workflow is self-serve versus sales-gated. Lusha leads on self-serve access and low-cost entry; Cognism leads on verified mobile data and EMEA coverage. | Service | Lusha | Cognism | |-----------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | **Contact database + browser extension** | ✓ | ✓ | | **Human-verified mobile numbers** | Partial (improved, but generally regarded as less accurate per third-party comparisons) | ✓ (Diamond Data, human-verified; core strength) | | **Buying-intent data** | ✓ (native) | ✓ (Bombora-powered; positioned as more advanced) | | **EMEA / GDPR-compliance depth** | Partial (weaker non-US/EMEA depth per comparisons) | ✓ (built and marketed around EU compliance rigor) | | **Free tier** | ✓ (40 credits/mo) | ✕ (no free tier or published low-end plan) | | **Self-serve automation (Zapier, Make, n8n, etc.)** | ✓ (Zapier, Make, n8n, Pipedream, Workato, Albato) | Partial (Zapier only among the listed automation tools; more enterprise-sales-gated) | | **CRM sync direction** | Mostly one-way (push to CRM) on most plans | Deeper, more granular bi-directional enrichment (per comparisons) | | **Published self-serve pricing** | ✓ | ✕ (quote-only) | ## Decision matrix - who fits which side | Criterion | Lusha | Cognism | |------------------------------------------|-------|---------| | Solo rep / small-team budget | ✓ | ✕ | | Free tier to start | ✓ | ✕ | | Self-serve, no sales call required | ✓ | ✕ | | Heavy EMEA / GDPR-sensitive prospecting | \- | ✓ | | Verified mobile / phone-first outreach | \- | ✓ | | Native buying-intent data | \- | ✓ | | Broad self-serve automation ecosystem | ✓ | \- | | Bi-directional CRM enrichment | \- | ✓ | | Enterprise / mid-market budget available | \- | ✓ | *Check = clear edge. Dash = capable but not the stronger pick. Cross = outside the model.* ## Strengths & tradeoffs Both tools do the core job (surface B2B contact details and route them into a sales workflow), and each side wins rows the other does not. The honest differences are price transparency, phone data quality, and geographic depth. | Axis | Lusha | Cognism | |--------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | **Pricing model** | Published, self-serve, credit-based; free tier to $399.90/mo | Quote-only, seat-based; reportedly $15,000 to $50,000+/yr for 5 seats | | **Best-fit buyer** | Individual reps, startups, small SDR teams | Mid-market to enterprise revenue orgs | | **Phone data accuracy** | Improved but generally regarded as weaker than Cognism’s (per third-party comparisons) | Human-verified “Diamond Data” mobiles; widely cited as more reliable | | **Geographic depth** | Strongest in major markets (US); thinner elsewhere | Strong EMEA/UK/GDPR-compliance depth (core reputation) | | **Intent data** | Included natively | Bombora-powered; positioned as more advanced signal layer | | **CRM sync** | Largely one-way push on most plans | Deeper, more granular bi-directional enrichment (per comparisons) | | **Adoption scale** | Larger claimed user base (280,000+ teams / 2.6M users) | Smaller but higher-profile customer roster (4,000+ customers; Asana, Notion, Deel) | | **Automation ecosystem** | Broader self-serve list (Zapier, Make, n8n, Pipedream, Workato, Albato) | Narrower, more enterprise-gated integration story | ## Ratings & track record | Metric | Lusha | Cognism | |-----------------|------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------| | G2 rating | 4.3/5 (reported, verify live) | 4.6/5 (reported, verify live) | | G2 reviews | ~1,611 (reported) | 500+ to 1,200+ (range varies by source snapshot) | | Capterra rating | Not separately confirmed in this research pass | 4.7/5 (self-reported on cognism.com, verify independently) | | Category | Self-serve contact database + browser extension | Enterprise GTM data platform with verified mobiles | | Notable signal | Larger review volume gives a bigger statistical base | Higher reported star rating on both G2 and Capterra snapshots found | Direct fetches of both vendors’ G2 pages returned 403 responses during this research pass, so both rating figures above come from search-snippet aggregation rather than a confirmed live pull; re-check both on g2.com before citing either number as current. Cognism’s Capterra figure is self-reported on its own customer-reviews page, not an independent Capterra pull, so confirm it directly on capterra.com as well. With review counts in the hundreds to low thousands on both sides, treat star-rating differences as directional sentiment rather than statistically decisive. The stronger driver of choice here is fit: budget and team size on one side, phone-data accuracy and EMEA coverage needs on the other. * * * *Both tools’ data is sourced from publicly available information and third-party cross-checks as of July 2026. Several figures, including Lusha’s HQ, both G2 ratings, and all Cognism pricing figures, could not be fully confirmed via direct automated fetch; verify these directly with each vendor before buying. This comparison is independent; we take no affiliate or referral fees from either vendor.* ## Frequently asked questions ### What is the difference between Lusha and Cognism? Lusha is a self-serve, credit-based contact database and browser extension with a free tier and published prices up to $399.90/mo, aimed at individual reps and small teams. Cognism is a quote-only, seat-based go-to-market platform built around human-verified mobile numbers and strong EMEA/GDPR compliance depth, aimed at mid-market and enterprise revenue teams. Lusha is cheaper and more accessible; Cognism is positioned as more accurate on phone data and stronger for European prospecting. ### Is Lusha better than Cognism? Neither is better in the abstract. Lusha is the better fit for individual reps, startups, and small teams that want a low-cost, self-serve tool and a US/major-market ICP. Cognism is the better fit for larger revenue teams that need verified mobile numbers, deep EMEA/GDPR coverage, and native intent data, and that have budget for a seat-based annual contract. The right choice depends on team size, ICP geography, and budget, not raw quality. ### Which is cheaper, Lusha or Cognism? Lusha is far cheaper for small deployments. It starts free (40 credits/mo), its Starter tier is $49.90/mo, and its top published tier is $399.90/mo. Cognism publishes no prices; third-party estimates (not confirmed by Cognism) put a typical 5-seat deployment at roughly $15,000 to $50,000-plus per year, with a 5-seat minimum on its Standard and Pro plans. This pricing-transparency gap is the single largest difference between the two. ### Which has more accurate phone data, Lusha or Cognism? Cognism’s human-verified “Diamond Data” mobile numbers are widely cited in third-party reviews as more reliable than Lusha’s phone data, with some reviewers reporting materially higher connect rates. This is a directional claim from comparison sources rather than a controlled, independent benchmark, so treat it as reported sentiment rather than a confirmed statistic, and weigh it against your own trial results. ### Does Lusha or Cognism have better European (EMEA) coverage? Cognism is UK-headquartered and built much of its reputation on EU data-compliance rigor and GDPR-grade coverage, which comparison sources describe as a genuine edge over Lusha for teams prospecting into Europe. Lusha’s database coverage is generally described as thinner outside major markets like the US. ### Does Cognism offer a free tier like Lusha? No. Cognism has no free tier and no published low-end plan; its Standard and Pro plans both require a minimum of 5 seats and a quote from sales. Lusha offers a free tier with 40 credits per month and published paid tiers starting at $49.90/mo, making it the more accessible starting point for solo users or very small teams. ## Sources and references 1. [Lusha homepage / about](https://www.lusha.com/about/) (accessed July 2026) 2. [Lusha pricing](https://www.lusha.com/pricing/) (accessed July 2026) 3. [G2: Lusha reviews](https://www.g2.com/products/lusha/reviews) (accessed July 2026) 4. [Crunchbase: Lusha](https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/lusha) (accessed July 2026) 5. [Cognism homepage / pricing](https://www.cognism.com/pricing) (accessed July 2026) 6. [Cognism customer reviews](https://www.cognism.com/customer-reviews) (accessed July 2026) 7. [G2: Cognism reviews](https://www.g2.com/products/cognism/reviews) (accessed July 2026) 8. [Cognism vs Lusha pricing guide (Artisan)](https://www.artisan.co/blog/cognism-vs-lusha) (accessed July 2026)