10 ZoomInfo Alternatives That Cost 80% Less (2026 Guide)

ZoomInfo is the market leader in B2B data. It's also expensive - most companies pay $15,000-40,000+ per year. For startups and SMBs, that's often more than the entire sales tech budget.

The good news: you don't need to pay ZoomInfo prices to get quality B2B data. These 10 alternatives deliver 80-90% of the functionality at a fraction of the cost.

Why Companies Leave ZoomInfo

Before the alternatives, here's why teams switch:

Cost: Annual contracts starting at $15K, scaling to $50K+ with add-ons. Per-seat fees multiply the expense.

Lock-in: Multi-year contracts with auto-renewal. Exiting is expensive and time-consuming.

Data gaps: Despite the massive database, ZoomInfo still has gaps - especially for smaller companies and emerging markets.

Complexity: The full platform includes features most teams don't use. You pay for everything, use 20%.

Accuracy concerns: Some teams report 15-20% bounce rates, suggesting database decay issues.

The Alternatives

1. Cleanlist

Best for: Teams prioritizing data accuracy over database size

Cleanlist takes a fundamentally different approach: instead of maintaining one database, it queries 15+ premium data sources for every lookup.

Key features:

• Waterfall enrichment from 15+ providers
• 98% email accuracy (verified)
• 85% phone find rate
• Smart Columns for data transformation
• ICP scoring built-in

Pricing: Credit-based. ~$0.15-0.30 per enrichment depending on volume. No annual commitment required.

ZoomInfo savings: 70-85%

Tradeoff: No intent data, no built-in outreach.

2. Apollo.io

Best for: SMBs wanting data + outreach in one platform

Apollo combined a large contact database with email sequences and a dialer. It's the most popular ZoomInfo alternative for startups.

Key features:

• 275M+ contact database
• Built-in email sequences
• Chrome extension for LinkedIn
• Dialer included
• Free tier available

Pricing: $59-149/user/month. Free plan with 100 credits.

ZoomInfo savings: 75-90%

Tradeoff: Lower email accuracy (~80%), limited phone data.

3. Cognism

Best for: European data and GDPR compliance

Cognism focuses on data quality and compliance, particularly for EMEA markets where ZoomInfo coverage is weaker.

Key features:

• Strong European data coverage
• GDPR-compliant by design
• Phone-verified mobile numbers
• Intent data (Bombora partnership)

Pricing: Custom, but typically 40-60% less than ZoomInfo.

ZoomInfo savings: 40-60%

Tradeoff: Smaller US database than ZoomInfo.

4. Lusha

Best for: Quick lookups and Chrome extension users

Lusha specializes in finding direct dial phone numbers and emails via a browser extension.

Key features:

• Fast Chrome extension
• Strong direct dial coverage
• Simple, easy to use
• Pay-per-credit model

Pricing: Free tier (5 credits/month), then $39-79/user/month.

ZoomInfo savings: 80-90%

Tradeoff: Limited firmographic data, basic features.

5. RocketReach

Best for: Individual contributors and small teams

RocketReach offers email and phone lookups without the enterprise complexity.

Key features:

• 700M+ profiles claimed
• Email and phone finder
• API access
• Bulk lookup available

Pricing: $53-179/user/month.

ZoomInfo savings: 75-85%

Tradeoff: Accuracy varies, no engagement features.

6. LeadIQ

Best for: Sales teams focused on prospecting workflow

LeadIQ integrates tightly with Salesforce and sales engagement tools.

Key features:

• LinkedIn prospecting focus
• Direct Salesforce integration
• Meeting scheduler
• Personalization AI

Pricing: Free tier, then $75-130/user/month.

ZoomInfo savings: 70-85%

Tradeoff: Smaller database, limited enrichment depth.

7. UpLead

Best for: Data accuracy without enterprise complexity

UpLead emphasizes accuracy with real-time email verification.

Key features:

• 155M+ contacts
• Real-time email verification
• Technographics included
• 95% accuracy guarantee

Pricing: $99-399/month (not per user for base tier).

ZoomInfo savings: 80-90%

Tradeoff: Smaller database, basic features.

8. Seamless.AI

Best for: AI-powered prospecting automation

Seamless uses AI to find and verify contact data in real-time.

Key features:

• AI-powered search
• Real-time data verification
• Chrome extension
• Salesforce integration

Pricing: Free tier, paid plans ~$147/month.

ZoomInfo savings: 75-85%

Tradeoff: Mixed accuracy reviews, aggressive sales approach.

9. Hunter.io

Best for: Email-only use cases

Hunter specializes specifically in email finding and verification.

Key features:

• Email pattern detection
• Domain search
• Email verification
• Simple API

Pricing: Free (25 searches/month), then $49-399/month.

ZoomInfo savings: 90%+

Tradeoff: Email only - no phones, limited firmographics.

10. Kaspr

Best for: European teams, LinkedIn-centric workflows

Kaspr focuses on LinkedIn data extraction with GDPR compliance.

Key features:

• LinkedIn Chrome extension
• B2B phone numbers
• GDPR compliant
• European focus

Pricing: Free tier, then €49-99/user/month.

ZoomInfo savings: 80-90%

Tradeoff: LinkedIn-dependent, smaller overall database.

Feature Comparison Matrix

Which Alternative is Right for You?

Choose Cleanlist if:

• Data accuracy is your top priority
• You're tired of bounced emails
• You need to clean/enrich CRM data
• You want waterfall enrichment (multi-source)
• You prefer credit-based pricing

Try waterfall enrichment

Choose Apollo if:

• You want data + outreach in one tool
• Budget is extremely limited
• You're okay with 80% accuracy
• You need a free option

Choose Cognism if:

• European data is critical
• GDPR compliance is mandatory
• You need intent data but not at ZoomInfo prices

Choose Lusha if:

• You mainly need quick lookups
• Direct dial phones are priority
• You prefer browser extension workflow

Choose Hunter if:

• You only need emails (no phones)
• Email verification is the main use case
• Simplicity matters more than features

The Hybrid Approach

Many successful teams combine tools:

Intent + Accuracy combo: Use a cheaper intent data source (Bombora, G2) to identify in-market accounts, then enrich those specific accounts with Cleanlist for accurate contact data.

Prospecting + Verification combo: Use Apollo or Lusha for initial prospecting, then verify emails through Cleanlist before sending.

Volume + Quality combo: Use Apollo for high-volume, low-stakes outreach. Use Cleanlist for strategic accounts where accuracy matters.

Migration Checklist

Switching from ZoomInfo? Here's what to plan:

1. Export your data: Download contacts and accounts before contract ends
2. Map field equivalents: Ensure new tool has matching data points
3. Test accuracy: Run 100 lookups through new tool, verify results
4. Train team: New interface, different workflow
5. Update integrations: CRM, outreach tools, enrichment flows
6. Monitor metrics: Track bounce rates, connect rates post-switch

ROI Calculation

Example: 5-person sales team, 10,000 enrichments/year

Cleanlist delivers 7.5x better cost-per-valid-contact than ZoomInfo in this example.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do any alternatives match ZoomInfo's intent data?

Only Cognism (through Bombora partnership) offers comparable intent data. For pure intent signals, ZoomInfo remains unique. However, you can purchase intent data separately from Bombora, G2, or TrustRadius and use a cheaper tool for contact data.

Will my data accuracy suffer with cheaper tools?

Not necessarily. Cleanlist's waterfall approach actually achieves higher accuracy than ZoomInfo because it queries multiple sources and verifies every email.

How hard is it to switch from ZoomInfo?

Moderate difficulty. Main challenges: exporting historical data, updating integrations, training team on new workflow. Plan 2-4 weeks for transition.

Can I negotiate ZoomInfo pricing?

Sometimes. End-of-quarter deals, multi-year commitments, and competitive pressure can reduce pricing 20-30%. But you're still looking at $10K+ minimum.

Which alternative has the best customer support?

Varies by company size. ZoomInfo offers dedicated support at enterprise tier. Among alternatives, Cognism and Cleanlist are known for responsive support. Apollo support can be slow due to volume.

You don't need ZoomInfo's budget to get quality B2B data. Start with a free trial of Cleanlist and see the difference waterfall enrichment makes.