The 7 Best ZoomInfo Alternatives for Accurate B2B Data in 2025

 

ZoomInfo is a well-known name in sales intelligence, but its complex setup and unclear pricing often make it difficult for many teams to use effectively. As a result, more businesses are now looking for best ZoomInfo alternatives that are simpler, more affordable, and deliver faster results.

This guide highlights the top ZoomInfo competitors, based on real-world testing and customer feedback. Each platform offers transparent pricing, accurate B2B data, and features designed to help sales and marketing teams work more efficiently. Whether you are a small business or a growing enterprise, these solutions provide practical and cost-effective options beyond ZoomInfo.

Bottom Line Up Front

• Best Overall Alternative: Swordfish.ai – Real-time validated mobile numbers and direct dials with unlimited access starting at $99/month
• Budget-Friendly Options: Apollo.io ($49/month) and Lusha ($39/month) for SMBs
• Enterprise Focus: Cognism and SalesIntel for compliance and human-verified accuracy

Why Teams Are Moving Away from ZoomInfo

In our experience working with over 1,000 recruitment agencies and sales teams, we consistently hear these frustrations about ZoomInfo:

High Costs with Hidden Fees

ZoomInfo’s enterprise contracts often start at $15,000+ annually with multi-year commitments. Many teams pay for features they never use while getting locked into inflexible pricing structures.

Data Accuracy Issues

Large databases don’t guarantee reliable contacts. Teams report bounce rates of 15-25% and spend hours cleaning lists instead of selling.

Steep Learning Curve

ZoomInfo requires extensive training and onboarding. Sales reps often struggle with the complex interface, leading to underutilization.

Limited Mobile Contact Data

ZoomInfo primarily provides company switchboard numbers, making it difficult to reach decision-makers directly.

The 7 Best ZoomInfo Alternatives in 2025

1. Swordfish.ai – Most Accurate Direct Dials

Best for: Teams prioritizing connect rates and direct access to decision-makers

Swordfish.ai stands out as the only platform built specifically for real-time contact validation. Unlike static databases that go stale quickly, Swordfish verifies every phone number and email at the moment of search.

Key Advantages:

• Real-time validation ensures 95%+ accuracy for mobile numbers
• Direct dial specialization – finds personal mobile numbers, not just company lines
• Multi-source verification pulls from premium databases and cross-validates
• Unlimited access starting at $99/month (no per-contact fees)

What Our Customers Say:

“Swordfish helped us increase connect rates by 70% compared to ZoomInfo. The mobile numbers actually work.” – Sales Director, Tech Startup

Pricing:

Unlimited access plans start at $99/month with transparent, fair-use policies.

2. Cognism – GDPR-Compliant European Data

Best for: Teams focused on EMEA markets and compliance requirements

Cognism‘s Diamond Data® uses phone verification to ensure higher accuracy than scraped records. Their GDPR-first approach makes them ideal for European outreach.

Key Features:

• Phone-verified mobile numbers
• Built-in GDPR and CCPA compliance
• Strong coverage in European markets
• Transparent pricing structure

Limitations:

• Smaller US database compared to ZoomInfo
• Higher cost than budget alternatives
• Interface can feel complex for simple tasks

Pricing:

Pricing starts at around $1,000/month, tailored for enterprise-level sales intelligence.

3. Apollo.io – All-in-One Platform for SMBs

Best for: Small teams wanting prospecting and outreach in one platform.

Apollo.io combines a contact database with email sequencing, making it popular among growing sales teams who want to consolidate their tech stack.

Key Features:

• 265+ million contacts with regular updates
• Built-in email sequences and dialer
• Strong LinkedIn integration
• Free plan available

Limitations:

• Data accuracy varies by region
• Limited advanced search capabilities
• Can feel overwhelming for email-only use cases

Pricing:

Unlimited access plans start at $49/month with flexible scaling options.

4. SalesIntel – Human-Verified Accuracy

Best for: Teams where every call must count (high-value enterprise sales)

SalesIntel combines AI with human researchers to achieve 95% data accuracy. Every contact is manually verified before entering their database.

Key Features:

• Human verification for 95% accuracy
• Strong mobile contact coverage
• Excellent customer support
• Flexible contract terms

Limitations:

• Higher cost than automated alternatives
• Smaller database size
• Learning curve for advanced features

Pricing:

Custom pricing available, designed to fit specific business needs and usage.

5. Seamless.AI – Real-Time AI Search

Best for: Teams wanting fresh data without maintaining lists

Seamless.AI uses AI to find and verify contacts in real-time, ensuring data freshness but requiring more manual work per prospect.

Key Features:

• AI-powered real-time search
• No stale database issues
• Good global coverage
• Easy onboarding

Limitations:

• Requires more time per search
• Less suitable for bulk list building
• Higher learning curve for complex searches

Pricing:

Pricing starts at $147/month, offering scalable plans for growing teams.

6. Lusha – Budget-Friendly for Individual Contributors

Best for: Solo sales reps and small teams on tight budgets

Lusha offers transparent pricing and a user-friendly Chrome extension, making it popular among individual contributors who need quick prospecting.

Key Features:

• Free plan with 5 monthly credits
• Simple Chrome extension
• LinkedIn integration
• Clear pricing tiers

Limitations:

• Community-sourced data has variable accuracy
• Limited advanced search options
• Better for individual than team use

Pricing:

Entry plans start at $39/month with affordable access to verified contact data.

7. Hunter.io – Email-Focused Verification

Best for: Marketing teams focused on email campaigns

Hunter.io specializes in email finding and verification, making it ideal for teams whose outreach is primarily email-based.

Key Features:

• Strong email verification scores
• Domain-based email pattern detection
• Bulk email verification
• Affordable pricing

Limitations:

• Limited phone number coverage
• Basic company data
• Not suitable for multi-channel outreach

Pricing:

Flexible plans start at $49/month with options for teams and enterprises.

Quick Comparison Table

Tool	Starting Price	Mobile Numbers	Real-Time Validation	Best Use Case
Swordfish.ai	$99/month	Excellent	Yes	Direct dial accuracy
Cognism	~$1,000/month	Good	Yes	EMEA compliance
Apollo.io	$49/month	Fair	No	All-in-one SMB
SalesIntel	Custom	Good	Partial	Enterprise accuracy
Lusha	$39/month	Fair	No	Budget individual
Seamless.AI	$147/month	Good	Yes	Real-time search
Hunter.io	$49/month	Poor	No	Email verification

Why Swordfish.ai Is the Superior Choice

While each alternative has strengths, Swordfish.ai uniquely solves the core problem most teams face with ZoomInfo: actually reaching decision-makers.

Real-Time Validation vs. Static Databases

Unlike competitors who rely on databases that decay over time, Swordfish validates every contact at the moment of search. This means the mobile number you get today is verified to work today.

Mobile-First Philosophy

A common challenge our customers face is that ZoomInfo provides company switchboard numbers, not direct lines. Swordfish specializes in finding personal mobile numbers and direct dials that bypass gatekeepers.

Transparent Pricing

Swordfish offers unlimited access starting at $99/month with clear fair-use policies. No hidden fees, no per-contact charges, no multi-year commitments.

Proven Results

In our experience supporting hundreds of sales teams, Swordfish consistently delivers 70%+ higher connect rates compared to traditional databases.

Making Your Decision

Your choice depends on your primary use case:

• Choose Swordfish.ai if: You need the highest connect rates and direct access to decision-makers
• Choose Cognism if: You focus on European markets and need GDPR compliance
• Choose Apollo.io if: You want an all-in-one platform and have a limited budget
• Choose SalesIntel if: You do high-value enterprise sales where accuracy is non-negotiable

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is ZoomInfo worth the high cost?

For enterprise teams with complex data needs and dedicated administrators, ZoomInfo can deliver value. However, most SMB teams find better ROI with specialized alternatives.

2. Which alternative has the most accurate phone numbers?

Swordfish.ai leads in mobile number accuracy due to real-time validation, followed by SalesIntel’s human verification process.

3. Can I get ZoomInfo-quality data at a lower price?

Yes – tools like Swordfish.ai and Cognism often provide higher accuracy at 60-80% lower costs than ZoomInfo enterprise plans.

4. Where does ZoomInfo get data?

ZoomInfo sources its data from a variety of channels. This includes publicly available information, contributions from its community, web scraping technologies, and third-party providers.

5. How does ZoomInfo get its data in a quality form?

ZoomInfo ensures data quality through a multi-layered verification process. This involves using Natural Language Processing (NLP), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and a team of skilled data scientists to process and verify the information collected.

Start with Accurate Data Today

The right sales intelligence tool should help you connect with prospects, not waste time cleaning bad data. If your goal is reaching decision-makers directly with the highest connect rates, start your free trial with Swordfish.ai today.

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