Cleanlist vs Cognism
Compare Cleanlist and Cognism side-by-side. See how Cleanlist's affordable waterfall enrichment compares to Cognism's premium phone-verified data for European markets.
The Quick Verdict
Cognism dominates European phone-verified data with its Diamond Data offering and best-in-class GDPR compliance. Cleanlist offers comparable email enrichment at a fraction of the cost — starting at $0/mo vs Cognism's ~$20K/year minimum, with no per-user licensing.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
How Cleanlist and Cognism stack up across key capabilities.
| Feature | Cognism | Cleanlist |
|---|---|---|
| Email verification accuracy | 80-85% overall | 98% (triple verification + catch-all detection) |
| Phone-verified mobile data | Diamond Data (87% connect rate) | Standard phone enrichment |
| Data providers | Proprietary database | 15+ provider waterfall |
| Waterfall enrichment | ||
| GDPR compliance | Best-in-class (ISO 27001, SOC 2 Type II) | GDPR compliant |
| DNC screening | 15 registries worldwide | Standard compliance |
| Catch-all email detection | ||
| LinkedIn Sales Nav scraping | Native bulk extraction | |
| Per-user pricing | Yes (expensive per-seat model) | No per-user fees |
| Free tier | 30 emails + 3 phones/mo | |
| Starting price | ~$20,000+/yr (enterprise only) | $29/mo (no contract) |
Pricing Comparison
See how plans and pricing compare between the two platforms.
Cognism Pricing
- -Per-user licensing
- -Email + phone data
- -Basic prospecting
- -DNC screening
- -Everything in Grow
- -Advanced intent signals
- -Diamond Data access
- -Premium support
- -Custom per-user pricing
- -Full Diamond Data
- -All compliance features
- -Dedicated success manager
Cleanlist Pricing
- 30 email credits/mo
- 3 phone credits/mo
- Waterfall enrichment
- LinkedIn integration
- 500 email credits/mo
- 50 phone credits/mo
- CSV import + CRM sync
- All enrichment features
- 2,000 email credits/mo
- 200 phone credits/mo
- Smart Agents + ICP Scoring
- Priority support
- 10,000 email credits/mo
- 1,000 phone credits/mo
- Dedicated success manager
- Custom integrations
Honest Strengths
Where Cognism Wins
- Phone-verified Diamond Data with 87% connect rates (3x industry avg)
- Best-in-class GDPR compliance (ISO 27001, SOC 2 Type II)
- DNC screening against 15 worldwide registries
- Exceptional EMEA coverage for phone numbers and emails
- Enterprise-grade security and incident response
- Strong for regulated industries requiring compliance assurance
Where Cleanlist Wins
- 98% email accuracy vs Cognism's 80-85%
- Starts at $0/mo vs Cognism's ~$20K/yr minimum
- No per-user licensing — flat pricing for teams
- 15+ provider waterfall enrichment
- Catch-all email detection (Cognism doesn't offer this)
- Native LinkedIn Sales Navigator bulk extraction
- Simple interface — no steep learning curve
- Month-to-month flexibility (no annual contract required)
Who Should Use Which?
The right tool depends on your workflow and priorities.
Choose Cognism if you...
- Enterprise teams prospecting in European markets
- Phone-first outbound teams needing verified mobiles
- Regulated industries requiring ISO 27001/SOC 2 compliance
- Companies needing DNC screening across 15 registries
Choose Cleanlist if you...
- Teams that can't afford $20K+/year for data
- Companies prioritizing email accuracy over phone verification
- SMBs and startups without enterprise budgets
- Teams wanting month-to-month flexibility
- Anyone needing waterfall enrichment from 15+ sources
- Companies outside EMEA (Cognism weak in Asia-Pacific)
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cognism worth the price compared to Cleanlist?
+
Cognism is worth it if you specifically need phone-verified European mobile numbers and enterprise compliance (ISO 27001, SOC 2). For email enrichment and verification, Cleanlist delivers better accuracy (98% vs 80-85%) at a fraction of the cost.
Does Cleanlist work in European markets like Cognism?
+
Yes. Cleanlist's waterfall enrichment works globally, including European markets. While Cognism has deeper EMEA-specific phone data and DNC screening, Cleanlist provides stronger email accuracy and broader data coverage from 15+ providers.
Is Cleanlist GDPR compliant?
+
Yes. Cleanlist is fully GDPR compliant. Cognism offers additional certifications (ISO 27001, SOC 2 Type II) that may be required for highly regulated enterprise environments.
Can I use Cleanlist instead of Cognism?
+
Yes, especially if email enrichment is your primary need. Cleanlist costs 90%+ less than Cognism with higher email accuracy. If you specifically need Cognism's Diamond Data phone verification for European cold calling, Cognism may be the better choice for that specific use case.
Ready to see the difference?
Try Cleanlist free and see why teams switch from Cognism for better data accuracy.