10 Best ZoomInfo Alternatives & Competitors for Lead Generation

Are you using ZoomInfo for lead generation but feeling stuck?

It was once the top B2B contact database and sales intelligence software. 

But now I see the same complaints:

❌ Stale or missing data

❌ High cost for small teams

❌ Credit-based limits that slow you down

If you're a sales rep, founder, or RevOps lead looking for better ZoomInfo alternatives, this blog is for you.

I have found 10 tools that offer:

• Verified, real-time data
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• Built-in workflows
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• Fair, flexible pricing

By the end, you’ll know the 10 Best ZoomInfo Alternatives for Lead Generation, and which one fits your stack.

Let’s begin.

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Why Users Look for ZoomInfo Alternatives

Many people start with ZoomInfo because it’s a well-known tool for finding business leads. 

But after using it for a while, they run into some common problems:

• ❌ The data is old or inaccurate
  

• ❌ You run out of credits too quickly
  
  
• ❌ It’s too expensive for small teams
  

• ❌ The setup feels complex or hard to manage

• ❌ You still need other tools to send emails or follow up
  

And that’s why more sales teams, founders, and marketers are looking for simpler, faster, and more affordable alternatives, tools that give you fresh leads, work right away, and don’t cost a fortune.

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10 Best ZoomInfo Alternatives & Competitors for Lead Generation: TL;DR

Here’s a quick list of the top ZoomInfo alternatives, each with its strengths:

• Leadsforge –  Best for real-time lead enrichment

• Apollo.io – Best all-in-one outbound platform
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• Cognism – Best for EU compliance and intent data
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• Lusha – Best Chrome-based contact lookup
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• Clearbit – Best for RevOps and CRM enrichment
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• LinkedIn Sales Navigator – Best for manual targeting on LinkedIn
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• Seamless.AI – Best for AI-powered contact discovery
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• Adapt.io – Best entry-level solution for small teams
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• Hunter.io – Best for finding emails from company domains
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• Persana AI – Best AI-powered outbound system with automation

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ZoomInfo Alternatives - Feature Comparison Table

1. Leadsforge – Best for Unlimited Real-Time Lead Generation

Rating: 4.9/5

Leadsforge is a modern alternative to ZoomInfo built for speed, scale, and real-time data.

Unlike traditional databases that rely on static records, Leadsforge enriches leads in real time using live web data and AI, giving you up-to-date contact info, without relying on pre-stored lists.

It’s perfect for founders, SDRs, and sales teams who are tired of hitting usage caps or paying for stale contacts.

Key Features of Leadsforge

• ✅ Real-time data: Find fresh leads the moment you search
  
  
• ✅ Fast setup: No long onboarding or training needed
  
  
• ✅ Built-in enrichment: Get job titles, emails, phone numbers auto-filled
  
  
• ✅ High email deliverability: Only shows verified emails
  

Leadsforge vs. ZoomInfo

✅ Pros & ❌ Cons of Leadsforge

Leadsforge Pricing

• Starts at $49/month, includes 2,000 export credits
  
  
• No extra cost per lead
  

Leadsforge Ratings

Our Verdict

If you’re tired of running out of credits or wasting time with outdated databases, Leadsforge is a smart, modern choice. 

It provides you with fresh, verified leads in real-time, with no bloat or restrictions, just clean and scalable lead generation.

Great for small teams, agencies, and founders who want power without the ZoomInfo price tag.

If Leadsforge is the best pick for real-time lead generation, Apollo.io is what you’ll want if you need a full outbound system, from contact data to sequencing, all in one tool.

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2. Apollo.io – Best All-in-One Outbound Platform

Rating: 4.7/5

Apollo.io is one of the most popular ZoomInfo alternatives because it doesn’t just give you access to a huge database; it also lets you run your outbound outreach directly inside the platform.

With features like email sequencing, account lists, CRM sync, and even a dialer, Apollo is a favorite for sales teams that want one tool to do everything.

However, it still uses a static database (not real-time), so data freshness depends on regular updates.

Key Features of Apollo

• ✅ Large contact database (260M+ contacts, 60M+ companies)
  
  
• ✅ Built-in email outreach with automation and follow-ups
  
  
• ✅ Free plan available with limited daily credits
  
  
• ✅ CRM integrations with Salesforce, HubSpot, and others
  
  
• ✅ Call dialer + inbox sync for reps
  
  
• ✅ Filters by job title, tech stack, funding, and more
  
  
• ✅ Sequence tracking + analytics

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Apollo.io vs. ZoomInfo

✅ Pros & ❌ Cons of Apollo

Apollo Pricing

• Free plan available (with limited daily credits)
  
  
• Paid plans start around $49/month per user
  
  
• No long-term contracts required
  
  
• Includes access to email sequencing, enrichment, and CRM sync
  
  

Apollo Ratings 

Our Verdict

Apollo.io is a strong ZoomInfo alternative for teams that want one platform for lead data, outreach, and CRM sync.

It’s especially great for startups, SDRs, and growth teams that want to move fast and avoid juggling multiple tools.

It’s not real-time like Leadsforge, but it’s packed with features and has one of the best free plans in the space.

If Lusha is great for quick contact grabs inside LinkedIn, Cognism is built for teams that need clean, compliant data, especially if you're selling into Europe or regulated industries. 

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3. Lusha – Best Chrome-Based Lookup for Quick Prospecting

Rating: 4.5/5

Lusha is a lightweight, browser-based contact discovery tool that helps salespeople and recruiters find verified B2B emails and phone numbers, mainly through LinkedIn, company websites, or Gmail.

Unlike platforms like ZoomInfo or Apollo, Lusha doesn’t try to be a full sales OS. Instead, it focuses on speed, simplicity, and verified contact access right when you need it. 

It’s ideal for SDRs, small teams, and founders who want fast data directly from LinkedIn without a complex setup.

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Key Features of Lusha

• ✅ Chrome Extension, pull contacts from LinkedIn profiles in one click
  
  
• ✅ Verified emails and direct dials, 96%+ email accuracy claimed
  
  
• ✅ Dashboard for bulk prospecting, search by job title, company, industry
  
  
• ✅ GDPR & CCPA compliant, especially strong on data protection
  
  
• ✅ Works inside LinkedIn, Gmail, Salesforce
  
  

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Lusha vs. ZoomInfo

✅ Pros & ❌ Cons of Lusha

Lusha Pricing

• Free plan: 50 monthly credits
  
  
• Pro plan: Starts at $22/month
  
  
• Team plans: Custom pricing based on seats & usage
  
  
• Pay-per-credit model: Additional contact views cost extra
  
  

Lusha Ratings

Our Verdict

Lusha works best for sales reps or founders who live in LinkedIn and want fast access to contact info without a lot of setup or extra tools.

It’s not for bulk outreach or real-time scraping, but for reps who live inside LinkedIn or Gmail, it’s one of the fastest tools out there.

if you're selling into Europe or care a lot about clean, compliant data, Cognism is the one to check out next.

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4. Cognism – Best for GDPR-First Teams Selling into the EU

Rating: 4.6/5

Cognism is a sales intelligence platform focused on compliant B2B contact data, especially strong in the UK and European markets.

Unlike other tools that pull global data from one big static list, Cognism is known for its GDPR-compliant practices, and it also offers features like intent signals, direct dials, and account targeting.

If your sales team works in regulated regions or you're targeting EMEA-based companies, Cognism is a strong alternative to ZoomInfo.

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Key Features of Cognism

• ✅ Global B2B database with strong coverage in Europe
  
  
• ✅ Verified phone numbers and emails (with a focus on direct dials)
  
  
• ✅ Intent data from Bombora (to identify buyers researching your space)
  
  
• ✅ Named Decision-Maker Targeting (helps you find the right people faster)
  
  
• ✅ Native integrations with Salesforce, HubSpot, Outreach, and Salesloft
  
  
• ✅ Compliance-first approach (GDPR, CCPA, PECR)
  
  
• ✅ Data concierge support (requests for hard-to-find contacts)

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Cognism vs. ZoomInfo

✅ Pros & ❌ Cons of Cognism

Cognism Pricing

• No free plan available
  
  
• Pricing is custom, based on the number of users and regions covered
  
  
• You must book a demo to get a quote
  
  
• Includes access to intent data and CRM integrations

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Cognism Ratings 

Our Verdict

Cognism is ideal if your team needs accurate contact data in Europe and can’t risk legal issues tied to privacy laws. 

While the pricing is not public and U.S. coverage isn’t as deep, it’s one of the most trusted platforms for GDPR-safe prospecting.

It's a top ZoomInfo alternative for compliance, direct dials, and intent targeting, especially if your team works across the UK, Germany, France, or the Nordics.

Want smoother lead enrichment inside your CRM instead of contact list downloads? 

Let’s take a look at Breeze (formerly Clearbit).

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5. Breeze by HubSpot (Formerly Clearbit) – Best for RevOps Enrichment & Smart Segmentation

Rating: 4.4/5

Breeze by HubSpot is the new version of Clearbit, fully rebuilt after HubSpot acquired it in 2023. 

Instead of being a contact list tool like ZoomInfo, Breeze is built to enrich lead and company data inside your CRM, in real time.

This makes it perfect for RevOps, demand gen, and SaaS teams who want better lead scoring, smarter routing, and personalization, all without exporting contact lists or using credits.

Key Features of Breeze by HubSpot

• ✅ Real-time enrichment of company and lead data inside your CRM
  
  
• ✅ Reveal anonymous website visitors (via IP + firmographic lookup)
  
  
• ✅ Lead scoring and routing based on enriched attributes
  
  
• ✅ Strong integrations with HubSpot, Salesforce, Segment, Marketo, and more
  
  
• ✅ “Shorten forms” – Breeze fills in fields to improve conversion rates
  
  
• ✅ APIs and webhooks for custom automation
  
  
• ✅ Works well with inbound, PLG, and ABM strategies
  
  

Breeze (Clearbit) vs. ZoomInfo

✅ Pros & ❌ Cons of Breeze (Clearbit)

Breeze by HubSpot Pricing 

Breeze by HubSpot operates on a credit-based system integrated within HubSpot's platform. Here's a breakdown of the available plans:

• 100 Credits: $30/month; Suitable for small-scale enrichment needs.
  
  
• 1,000 Credits: $150/month; Ideal for growing businesses requiring more extensive data enrichment.
  
  
• 10,000 Credits: $700/month; Designed for high-volume data enrichment requirements.
  
  
• Backfill Enrichment: $5,000 (one-time payment); Allows for bulk data updates, enriching up to 1 million records.

📌 Must contact HubSpot sales for exact quotes

Breeze by HubSpot Ratings 

Our Verdict

Breeze by HubSpot isn’t meant to replace ZoomInfo for list exports, but if your goal is to enrich lead data, track anonymous traffic, or personalize outreach inside your CRM, it’s one of the smartest ZoomInfo alternatives.

It’s best for RevOps, SaaS, and marketing teams who already use HubSpot and want everything to run smoothly without extra tools or manual work.

If you're someone who prefers building lists manually and targeting leads straight from LinkedIn, LinkedIn Sales Navigator might be the perfect fit. 

Let’s explore what it offers.

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6. LinkedIn Sales Navigator – Best for Manual Targeting with Context

Rating: 4.3/5

LinkedIn Sales Navigator is a premium sales tool built on top of LinkedIn’s massive professional network.

It helps sales teams manually find and research high-quality leads with advanced filters like job title, company size, industry, and more. 

Unlike databases that give you pre-made lists, Sales Navigator lets you build custom lead lists based on real-time LinkedIn profiles, which are often more up to date than third-party platforms.

If your sales process is relationship-driven and you value warm, personalized outreach, this is one of the most trusted tools available.

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Key Features of LinkedIn Sales Navigator

• ✅ Advanced lead search filters: Narrow down by seniority, department, location, etc.
  
  
• ✅ Real-time profile insights: Track job changes, company growth, and shared connections
  
  
• ✅ Lead recommendations: AI-based suggestions based on your saved leads
  
  
• ✅ InMail credits: Message people even if you’re not connected
  
  
• ✅ CRM integrations: Works with Salesforce and Microsoft Dynamics
  
  
• ✅ TeamLink: See which teammates can introduce you to a prospect
  
  
• ✅ Notes & tags: Add reminders and organize your pipeline
  

LinkedIn Sales Navigator vs. ZoomInfo

✅ Pros & ❌ Cons of LinkedIn Sales Navigator

LinkedIn Sales Navigator Pricing

LinkedIn Sales Navigator offers multiple plans:

• Core Plan: $119.99/month per user (billed monthly)
  
  
• Advanced Plan: ~$179.99/month (includes CRM sync, TeamLink, more insights)
  
  
• Advanced Plus: Custom pricing for large sales teams with full CRM integration
  
  
• Free trial: Yes, 1 month for new users
  
  

LinkedIn Sales Navigator Ratings

Our Verdict

LinkedIn Sales Navigator is best when you need accuracy and context over bulk volume.

It’s a great fit for B2B account-based selling, recruiting, or warm outbound, especially when trust and personalization matter. 

You won’t get verified email addresses or phone numbers, but if your playbook involves engaging directly on LinkedIn, it’s the most powerful tool available.

Sales Navigator is great for manual targeting, but when teams want to speed up lead generation with automation, Seamless.AI enters the conversation. 

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7. Seamless.AI – Best for AI-Powered Contact Discovery

Rating: 4.1/5

Seamless.AI is a lead generation platform that acts like a search engine for B2B contacts. 

It uses artificial intelligence to help you search, find, and verify emails and phone numbers across millions of businesses and professionals.

Instead of static lists, you enter your criteria, like job title or company and Seamless finds contacts on demand, making it a smart choice for teams doing cold outreach at scale.

Key Features of Seamless.AI

• ✅ Live search engine for B2B contacts
  
  
• ✅ AI-powered email and phone discovery
  
  
• ✅ LinkedIn Chrome extension for easy prospecting
  
  
• ✅ Daily credit-based lead unlocking
  
  
• ✅ Enrichment data like company size, revenue, and tech stack
  
  
• ✅ CRM integrations with Salesforce, HubSpot, Outreach, and more
  
  
• ✅ Pitch Intelligence to personalize your messaging

Seamless.AI vs. ZoomInfo

✅ Pros & ❌ Cons of Seamless.AI

Seamless.AI Pricing

Seamless.AI does not list pricing publicly, but here’s what most users report:

• Starts around $125–$150/month per user
  
  
• Pricing is based on daily contact unlocks
  
  
• Enterprise plans are available on request
  
  
• Requires a demo to get exact pricing
  
  

Seamless.AI Ratings 

Our Verdict

Seamless.AI is best for outbound teams that need to build large lists quickly and don’t mind verifying a few emails manually. 

It offers a solid middle ground between manual research and full automation.

Sales teams with high outreach volume will appreciate the ease of use, but if your workflow depends on deeply enriched or 100% accurate data, you may want to pair it with a cleanup tool.

Not every team needs complex workflows or AI automation. 

For small startups, new SDRs, or solo founders just starting, a simple and affordable tool can go a long way, and that’s where Adapt.io shines.

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8. Adapt.io – Best Entry-Level Prospecting Tool

Rating: 4.0/5

Adapt.io is a basic B2B contact database designed for easy lead generation. 

It offers access to millions of business contacts, filtered by company, job title, industry, and location.

While it doesn’t include automation or deep enrichment, it’s ideal for small teams that just need emails and phone numbers fast, without paying ZoomInfo prices.

Key Features of Adapt.io

• ✅ Database of over 100M+ business contacts
  
  
• ✅ Company search with firmographics (industry, size, location)
  
  
• ✅ Direct dials and verified email addresses
  
  
• ✅ Chrome extension for LinkedIn lead capture
  
  
• ✅ Basic integrations with CRMs like Salesforce and HubSpot
  
  
• ✅ Export to CSV for easy outreach setup
  
  

Adapt.io vs. ZoomInfo

✅ Pros & ❌ Cons of Adapt.io

Adapt.io Pricing 

Adapt.io offers transparent pricing based on credits:

• Free trial available (limited credits)
  
  
• Paid plans start at around $49/month
  
  
• Credits used per contact unlock
  
  
• Bulk plans are available for teams
  

Adapt.io Ratings 

Our Verdict

Adapt.io is a budget-friendly ZoomInfo alternative perfect for new SDRs, small agencies, or founders doing DIY outreach. 

It won’t give you automation or deep insights, but for building basic prospect lists, it works well and is far more affordable.

Best for teams just starting out with prospecting who want verified emails without complex tools.

If you already know the companies you want to reach and just need to find the right email addresses, Hunter.io can help with that in a faster, more targeted way.

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9. Hunter.io – Best for Domain-Based Email Discovery

Rating: 4.2/5

Hunter.io is best known for finding professional email addresses based on a company’s domain.

Just type in a domain like company.com, and Hunter pulls up verified email formats, public contacts, and confidence scores.

It’s a favorite among marketers, freelancers, and founders who want to find emails fast, especially for PR, link-building, partnerships, or cold outreach.

Key Features of Hunter.io

• ✅ Domain Search, find all emails associated with a company
  
  
• ✅ Email Finder, enter a name + company to get a verified email
  
  
• ✅ Email Verifier, check if an email address is deliverable
  
  
• ✅ Chrome extension, capture emails while browsing websites
  
  
• ✅ Public Sources, see where each email was found online
  
  
• ✅ Simple API, developers can use it in custom workflows
  
  

Hunter.io vs. ZoomInfo

✅ Pros & ❌ Cons of Hunter.io

Hunter.io Pricing 

• Free plan with 25 searches/month
  
  
• Paid plans start at $34/month
  
  
• Higher tiers scale to $209/month
  
  
• Includes domain search, verification, and API access

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Hunter.io Ratings

Our Verdict

Hunter.io is not a full ZoomInfo replacement, but it’s a sharp tool for finding and verifying emails fast, especially when you already know your target company.

Perfect for marketers, freelancers, and lean teams doing outreach without needing complex platforms.

Are you looking for a tool that uses AI to find leads and send outreach automatically? Persana AI is built just for that.

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10. Persana AI – Best AI-Powered Outbound System

Rating: 4.3/5

Persana AI helps you find leads, write emails, and send campaigns, all in one place. 

You don’t need to buy data from one tool and run emails from another. It’s built for teams who want to save time and use AI to do most of the sales work.

Key Features of Persana AI

• ✅ Real-time B2B contact data (no scraping needed)
  
  
• ✅ AI picks the right leads for your offer
  
  
• ✅ Automatically writes and sends personalized emails
  
  
• ✅ Reply handling and shared inbox for your team
  
  
• ✅ LinkedIn Chrome extension to add leads fast
  
  
• ✅ Integrates with CRMs like HubSpot and Salesforce
  
  
• ✅ Job change alerts and campaign tracking

Persana AI vs. ZoomInfo

✅ Pros & ❌ Cons of Persana AI

Persana AI Pricing

• Free Plan – $0: 50 credits/month to try it out
  
  
• Starter Plan – $68/month: Great for small teams
  
  
• Growth Plan – $151/month: More credits + integrations
  
  
• Pro Plan – $400/month: Includes CRM sync, job alerts
  
  
• Unlimited Plan – $600/month: For big teams with lots of outreach

Persana AI Ratings

Our Verdict

If you want to stop jumping between tools and let AI run your outbound, Persana AI is a strong option. 

It gives you fresh leads, writes the emails for you, and handles replies, all without needing extra software.

It’s best for founders, sales teams, or marketers who want to move fast without hiring a big SDR team.

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How Did We Evaluate the Best ZoomInfo Alternatives?

To make sure these tools actually help you generate leads, and not just look good on paper, I used these simple but critical checks:

• Can it run full outbound workflows (not just export lists)?
  
  
• Does it give (near) accurate, up-to-date B2B data?
  
  
• Is the data real-time or static?
  
  
• How strong is the email and phone verification?
  
  
• Does it land in the inbox or go to spam?
  
  
• Does it integrate well with CRMs like HubSpot or Salesforce?
  
  
• Is the pricing clear, fair, and scalable for small teams?
  
  
• Can it handle multichannel outreach (email + LinkedIn)?
  
  
• Can it personalize messages at scale?
  
  
• Is support responsive when you need help?
  

These are the things that matter when choosing a tool that your sales team can trust.

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Which ZoomInfo Alternative Is Right for You?

Not sure which tool fits your use case? 

Here’s a quick guide based on what you actually need:

Is ZoomInfo Still Worth It?

ZoomInfo still works for some teams. But for many, it feels outdated.

It’s too expensive, the data isn’t always fresh, and you often have to pay extra just to get basic features. 

If you're still buying lists and hoping for results, it’s probably time to move on.

Today, there are better tools that give you live data, built-in outreach, and fair pricing.

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👥 Which Tool Fits You Best?

Quick ROI Tip: If you’re done paying for outdated contacts and inflated pricing...

👉 Try Leadsforge, get unlimited, live-verified leads with no data caps.
Start faster. Scale smarter.