Cognism vs. Lead411: Features, Pricing and Data

Both Cognism and Lead411 have grown in popularity in recent years. These global B2B prospecting tools offer unique features and benefits, but which one truly outshines the other? In this Cognism vs Lead411 guide, we’ll show you features, pricing, and which platform is better.

What is Cognism?

Cognism is a large B2B prospecting platform that offers a number of tools and features, including a prospector tool and valuable intent data. The platform is relatively simple to navigate and has a solid global database of business contacts.

The tool was designed to accelerate sales, enhance marketing with targeted prospects, and manage and maintain CRMs. With a strong platform and a robust lineup of products, Cognism was designed with ease of use in mind.

Cognism Pros & Cons

Let’s take a quick look at some of the pros and cons of Cognism.

Pros:

• Good lineup of use cases and products
• High telephone data accuracy
• Customer intent data available

Cons:

• Difficult to pinpoint overall data accuracy – Cognism doesn’t directly state overall data accuracy but does claim that 87% of your list is contactable, meaning an average overall accuracy rate for the industry
• No transparency on pricing – you have to reach out to the sales team to get a custom price quote

What is Lead411?

Similar to Cognism, Lead411 is a popular B2B prospecting platform that offers a solid range of products. It focuses on providing solutions for account-based marketing teams, recruiters, sales teams, and SaaS and technology functions. 

Lead411 offers a unique “unlimited” plan, which we’ll discuss later in the pricing breakdown. Some of the tools include a prospecting database, intent data, and lead scoring, which gives you a better sense of the lead’s quality.

Lead411 Pros & Cons

Let’s dive into some of the pros and cons of Lead411.

Pros:

• Transparent pricing with three simple options
• A wide range of tools
• Large database of contacts

Cons:

• Difficult to pinpoint overall accuracy – Lead411 claims to have a 5% bounce rate on emails, but does not specify overall data accuracy. Customer reviews on accuracy are inconsistent.
• Website and platform look and feel a bit outdated

Cognism vs. Lead411 Comparison

Now that we’ve got the 10,000-foot view, let’s dive deep into the details of these two tools. We’ll examine key features, data reliability, pricing, and so much more.

Key Features

When making a purchasing decision (whether it’s a B2B prospecting platform or a new car), customers want lots of features. Let’s explore some of the top features of both Cognism and Lead411.

Cognism

Cognism’s top feature is its product lineup. Compared to Lead411, Cognism doesn’t have quite as many products, but the ones it does offer are generally well-made.

• Enrich Tool – the data enrichment tool is essentially a data refresh tool. Cognism offers three types of data enrichment (Instant, Scheduled, and On-Demand). The titles are relatively self-explanatory, offering flexibility on when your data is enriched.
• Platform Speed—Cognism has focused on the overall platform speed. Nobody wants to wait for data to load or have lagging webpages. Cognism emphasizes platform speed, letting you spend less time waiting for the data you need.
• Intent Data – intent data allows you to identify customers that are further down the sales funnel. Rather than targeting customers who may not be ready to purchase, intent data narrows contacts to focus on those ready to buy.
• Data Compliance – Cognism complies with both CCPA and GDPR regulations.

Lead411

As we mentioned, Lead411 has an impressive lineup of tools to leverage. Let’s take a look at some of Lead411’s top features and see how they stack up against Cognism.

• Intent Data – like Cognism, Lead411 also offers intent data that allows you to target customers that are ready to buy. 
• CRM Enhancer – the CRM Enhancer is equivalent to Cognism’s Enrich Tool. The Enhancer tool consistently updates and refreshes your CRM data. The tool does a direct comparison of Lead411’s data versus your CRM data and flags any discrepancies for you to review and approve. The tool works slightly differently than Cognism’s and requires a bit more manual intervention.
• Lead Scoring – unlike Cognism, Lead411 assigns a lead score to identify fast-growing companies. The platform assesses multiple data points to identify growth so you can target companies that may be more inclined to purchase from you.
• Sales Engagement Tool—Lead411’s Reach tool improves sales engagement by allowing you to add prospects to your outreach campaigns, streamlining your outreach process.

Database & Contact Reliability

One of the most important factors of any B2B prospecting tool is data reliability. A platform can have all the contacts in the world, but if the data isn’t accurate, there’s no point in leveraging that data for your outreach.

Database accuracy can vary drastically from platform to platform. Let’s compare Cognism and Lead411’s databases.

Cognism

Cognism isn’t as straightforward about publishing the size and accuracy of its database. According to the Cognism website, the database has ‘hundreds of millions of company and contact profiles’ and that they ‘don’t usually make general coverage claims.’ 

This is a bit unusual in the industry, but as we mentioned before, the numbers they have published state an 87% data accuracy for your list, which is fairly average for the industry. 

The data is sourced from first-party sources and then fills in missing data from third-party sources. They also have a research team that manually validates and adds contact data. 

The data coverage is global and focuses particularly on North America, Europe, and Asia.

Lead411

Similar to Cognism, Lead411 doesn’t truly publish its accuracy data outright. We did mention that emails have a 5% bounce rate, but that’s only one part of data accuracy. Lead411 claims to have over 450 million global business contacts, but without data accuracy, it may not be as valuable as a smaller database.

The data is sourced automatically from proprietary algorithms, internal research teams, and real-time validations. While the database is large in terms of volume, it only has data from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, and Sweden. 

The global reach of Cognism’s database offers a more diverse potential customer base, but the drawback is the uncertainty of how large the database actually is. Both platforms provide standard data including email addresses, phone numbers, and general identifying details such as name, company, and title.

Integrations & API

Almost as important as database reliability is the ability to integrate new platforms with your existing tech stack. Nobody wants to deal with a platform that can’t seamlessly integrate with platforms your team is already leveraging.

Let’s explore how both Cognism and Lead411 approach integration.

Cognism

Integration is where Cognism truly stands out against Lead411. Cognism’s integration is about as simple as it gets and is built right into the platform. To get started with integration, simply log in to the Cognism platform, navigate to the Integrations tab, and select the tool you want to connect – it’s that simple.

You’ll need to log in once you select the tool to integrate, but once you do you can start exporting data directly from Cognism into your primary CRM or sales engagement tool. 

It’s important to note that since Cognism doesn’t publish its pricing, it’s unclear if integration is available across all plans.

Lead411

Lead411 only allows integration on its Enterprise plan, meaning you need to pay quite a bit more to access integration capabilities. The integrations are also somewhat limited, only allowing the ability to integrate across 25 CRM platforms.

With limited integration opportunities, it’s clear that Cognism is the preferred provider in this category. However, it seems that Lead411 may be pushing companies to leverage the platform as its primary CRM or sales outreach tool as it allows for you to engage in outreach directly from the Lead411 platform.

Ease of Use

User experience can often mean the difference between a customer purchasing software and choosing a competitor. A modern, streamlined platform that’s easy to use just eliminates one of the many barriers that customers face. Here’s how Cognism and Lead411 compare.

Cognism

Cognsim takes the lead again in the ease of use category. The platform is modern and simple, and the team at Cognism emphasizes its platform speed. Rather than waiting for data to load or dealing with a poorly designed platform, customers can spend more time reaching out to prospective customers.

The platform is set up with easy-to-navigate menus and minimal lag between pages. Cognism is also web based, meaning you just need to log into the platform to get started. Integration with other platforms that your team uses takes just a few clicks – it’s clear that Cognism spent a lot of time focusing on the end user experience.

Lead411

While the Lead411 platform isn’t necessarily difficult to navigate, it may leave a bit to be desired in terms of modern appeal and simple navigation. The website and platform seem slightly outdated and the pages can feel cluttered.

With integration locked down unless you pay more and limited CRM integration options, it also isn’t as easy to integrate into your existing sales tools.

Chrome Extension

Over 3 billion people worldwide use Chrome as their primary internet browser. Chrome extensions are great ways to improve a platform’s value and are a great bonus for customers. Both platforms have free Chrome Extensions that are simple to download and use.

Cognism

The Cognism Chrome Extension works like most B2B lead extensions. The extension allows you to see verified contact data on LinkedIn, including their organization information and title within the business. The extension works directly with LinkedIn and Sales Navigator.

Lead411

Similar to Cognism, the Lead411 Chrome Extension allows you to parse email and phone number data from LinkedIn and company websites. It also allows you to see intent scores for specific contacts, which not all B2B prospecting extensions allow you to do through the extension. The extension also allows you to extract contact data.

Plans & Pricing

Customers appreciate transparent pricing, and potential customers may not reach out if there isn’t clear pricing on the website. While custom pricing certainly plays a role in the industry, Cognism’s approach of not disclosing any pricing may be hindering its reach. Here’s how pricing compares between Cognism and Lead411.

Cognism

As we mentioned, Cognism doesn’t publish any of its pricing online. When you head to the pricing page, you’re hit with a contact form. Unfortunately, you need to contact the sales team to get a custom price quote, meaning you need to give your contact information and discuss it directly with the sales team. 

Lead411

Lead411 has a few primary plans and a free trial. You can pay monthly or annually (which gives you a slight discount). However, paying annually not only gives you a discount but also gives you more options in terms of plans. Here’s how they break down:

Monthly Plans:

• Basic Plus Unlimited: $99 per month per user, provides unlimited email views, phone number views, and cadence automation. 200 exports per month, unused exports rollover while subscribed.
• Enterprise Limited: Unknown pricing structure, provides everything in Basic Plus as well as discounted additional export credits, CRM integration, Enhancer Tool access, website tracking data, and more.

Annual Plans:

• Basic Plus Unlimited: $75 per user per month billed annually, same as Basic Plus Unlimited above.
• Pro with Bombora Intent: Everything in Basic Plus as well as 10,000 yearly exports, chat support, CRM integration, intent data, and Enhancer Tool access.
• Unlimited: Unknown pricing structure, everything Basic Plus as well as unlimited exporting, dedicated support, CRM integration, and more.

What’s the Difference Between Cognism vs. Lead411?

There’s a lot to consider when choosing a B2B prospecting tool, and we’ve covered a ton so far in this article. Here’s a recap of the main differences between Cognism and Lead411.

Data Quality

Both platforms are elusive when it comes to verifying data accuracy and quality. Cognism advertises an 87% contact rate but does not verify its overall data accuracy. The platforms also have multiple methods of data validation and offer standard data points such as email address, phone number, and business information, including title.

List Building

While we didn’t focus on list building earlier in the article, one of the main functions of any B2B database is to allow for list building and export. Cognism and Lead411 allow easy list building and export so you can use the data in your primary CRM and sales outreach tools.

Lead Management

Lead411 has a specific Sales Engagement tool called Reach, which allows you to add prospects directly to outreach campaigns. Cognism doesn’t offer this feature within the platform, making Lead411 the better platform for lead management.

Integrations

As we mentioned, Lead411 has limited integration options when compared to Cognism and isn’t included with all plans. Cognism has a straightforward integration platform, allowing you to integrate with your existing tools in just a few clicks.

Target Audience

Cognism offers virtually global data, making it a great option for international companies looking to expand. Lead411’s database is limited to a handful of countries across North America and Europe, and while the database is large, it’s unclear how accurate the data is. However, with transparent and relatively affordable pricing, Lead411 may be a good option for small sales teams.

Free Plan

Lead411 offers a free 7-day trial with limited features and tools. It’s unclear if Cognism offers a free trial, but it may be worth asking when discussing with the sales team.

Compliance & Security

Both platforms comply with major international data protection regulations, including CCPA and GDPR.

Support

Cognism offers one support option for all customers: a 24/7 live chat function. Lead411 offers several different support options depending on the plan, ranging from live chat support to dedicated account support.

Comparison Table: Cognism vs Lead411

	Cognism	Lead411
Database Size	Unknown	450 Million
Data Types	Phone, email, org details	Phone, email, org details
Unique Features	Focus on platform speedStreamlined, modern platform	Lead ScoringSales Engagement tool
Free Trial	Unknown	Yes
Pricing	Unknown	Free Trial$99 / month for Basic Plus UnlimitedCustom Pricing for Enterprise Plans
Chrome Extension	Yes	Yes
Integrations	Yes	Only on Enterprise Plan
Compliance	CCPA and GDPR	CCPA and GDPR
Target User	Sales, marketing, business ops	Sales, marketing, recruiting
Best For	Large businesses and sales teams	Individuals / small teams

Cognism or Lead411: What Tool Should You Choose?

While both platforms offer a solid lineup of tools and features, Cognism takes the win in today’s comparison. While Lead411’s database is larger and the platform offers a few more tools, Cognism’s data accuracy, speed to load prospects, and ease of use are three crucial factors for any B2B sales team.

Both tools have a role to play in the B2B prospecting landscape, and Lead411 is certainly a top contender for anyone looking to join a platform.

Choose Cognism for Enhanced Platform Speed and Ease of Use

Cognism is a very straightforward, relatively powerful platform that’s focused on speed, ease of use, and data accuracy. If you’re a large sales team looking for a global B2B contact database, Cognism is probably the better choice between Cognism and Lead411.

Choose Lead411 for Tons of Tools and a Vast Database

If you’re new to B2B tools or have a small sales team, Lead411 can give you access to several powerful tools and a relatively large database. The prices are generally affordable and you don’t need to sign a long-term contract – you can even start with a free 7-day trial.

Use UpLead as an Alternative to Cognism and Lead411

Cognism and Lead411 have pros and cons, but if you’re looking for an industry leader with an impressive 95% data accuracy and a simple, streamlined platform, look no further than UpLead. UpLead focuses on accurate, verified contact data and invests in powerful tools that your business needs – it’s clear that UpLead is a great alternative to Cognism and Lead411!

FAQs About Cognism vs. Lead411

Summary: Cognism vs Lead411

It’s clear that both Cognism and Lead411 offer some solid tools and features on their platforms. While the platforms generally offer the same functionality, they also cater to very different customers. UpLead is a tool that outshines both, offering enhanced data accuracy, industry-leading tools, and seamless integration options.