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CRM · head to head

Apollo.io vs Cognism

Apollo.io logo

Apollo.io

CRM

Revenue intelligence platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Cognism logo

Cognism

Sales Enablement

B2B contact data that notifies European contacts and screens do-not-call lists as a product feature

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Apollo.io has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Apollo.io everything is metered in credits, and the free Starter plan runs on them too, so prospecting volume is capped rather than the feature set; Cognism united States coverage is behind ZoomInfo, and the gap shows most in mid-market American accounts where record density thins out.
  • They diverge on capability: Apollo.io covers Contact database, Cognism covers Diamond Data.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Apollo.io and Cognism actually diverge.

Attributes where Apollo.io and Cognism differ
AttributeApollo.ioCognism
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, Chrome extension, REST API
CategoryCRMSales Enablement
Founded2020Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Apollo.io

  • Contact database
  • Email finder
  • Lead search
  • Automation
  • Engagement tracking
  • Reporting
  • Salesforce
  • HubSpot

Only in Cognism

  • Diamond Data
  • Contact notification
  • DNC screening
  • Intent data
  • Browser extension
  • CRM enrichment

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Apollo.io

  • Sales prospecting and lead generationnot Cognism
  • Contact database management for sales teamsnot Cognism
  • Email outreach and workflow automationnot Cognism

Cognism

  • A European outbound team that needs a defensible answer when legal asks where the phone numbers came fromnot Apollo.io
  • Calling campaigns where verified mobile numbers rather than switchboard numbers determine connect ratenot Apollo.io
  • Enriching an existing CRM of stale records with current job titles and direct dialsnot Apollo.io
  • Prioritising accounts using intent signals before committing sales development capacitynot Apollo.io

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Apollo.io

  • Everything is metered in credits, and the free Starter plan runs on them too, so prospecting volume is capped rather than the feature set
  • Plans described as unlimited are capped in the fair use policy at 10,000 credits a month for non-paying accounts
  • Connecting a mailbox that is not Gmail or Microsoft requires a paid plan
  • How many records can be selected at once varies by tier
  • Running out of credits means buying more rather than waiting for a reset

Cognism

  • United States coverage is behind ZoomInfo, and the gap shows most in mid-market American accounts where record density thins out.
  • The commercial model combines an annual platform fee, per-seat licences and credit allowances, so a quoted seat price consistently understates the total.
  • Diamond Data verified mobiles are a subset of the wider database rather than the whole of it, and the subset available for your target market should be tested before signing.
  • There is no free tier and no monthly rolling contract, so evaluating properly means committing to a year or relying on a short trial with limited data.
  • Coverage density varies sharply by country, with the United Kingdom strong and DACH and the Nordics noticeably thinner, which matters if your expansion market is the weak one.

Pricing, plan by plan

Apollo.io

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Basic contact search
    • Limited searches
  • Starter$49/month
    • Everything in Free
    • Advanced search
    • Email finder
  • Professional$149/month
    • Everything in Starter
    • Automation
    • Advanced analytics

Cognism

On request
  • Cognism Platform$undefined/year
    • Annual platform fee plus per-seat licences
    • Credit allowances for exports and enrichment negotiated separately
    • No free tier and no monthly rolling term

Which should you pick?

Choose Apollo.io if

  • You need contact database.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want email finder.
Apollo.io review

Choose Cognism if

  • You need diamond data.
  • You work on Web, Chrome extension, REST API.
  • You also want contact notification.
Cognism review

Questions people ask

Is Apollo.io or Cognism better?
Neither clearly leads. Apollo.io starts at Free and Cognism at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Apollo.io or Cognism?
Apollo.io has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Apollo.io and On request for Cognism.
Does Apollo.io or Cognism run on more platforms?
Apollo.io runs on Web. Cognism runs on Web, Chrome extension, REST API.
Can I use Apollo.io for free?
Yes. Apollo.io has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Cognism starts at On request.
What is Apollo.io best used for?
Apollo.io is most often used for sales prospecting and lead generation, contact database management for sales teams, email outreach and workflow automation. Of those, sales prospecting and lead generation and contact database management for sales teams are not what Cognism is typically brought in for.
What can Apollo.io do that Cognism cannot?
Apollo.io covers Contact database, Email finder, Lead search, Automation. Cognism covers Diamond Data, Contact notification, DNC screening, Intent data.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Apollo.io: Does Apollo offer a free plan?

Yes, Apollo offers a Starter plan that is free forever and includes unlimited email addresses for contacts. Gmail and Microsoft email account linking are available on the free plan with limited third-party email account linking.

Source
Cognism: Can a European company use it lawfully?

It notifies contacts held in its EU and UK database and screens do-not-call registers, which supports a legitimate interest basis. The balancing test, record keeping and handling of objections remain your obligation, not the obligation of the vendor.

Apollo.io: How does Apollo's credit system work?

Apollo uses a credit-based system for exporting contact data outside the platform. Free and non-paying accounts have a monthly credit limit of 10,000 credits. Paid accounts receive limits based on their plan pricing, calculated as the lesser of annual commit divided by $0.025 or 1 million credits annually.

Source
Cognism: How does it compare with ZoomInfo on coverage?

ZoomInfo is stronger in the United States, Cognism is generally stronger on European mobile numbers. That, rather than feature lists, is what most head-to-head evaluations come down to.

Apollo.io: How much do trial plans cost on Apollo?

Apollo trial plans include 50 credits and 5 mobile credits to test paid features at no charge. Trial versions do not support non-Gmail/Microsoft email account linking. Upgrades take effect immediately while downgrades take effect at the end of the billing cycle.

Source
Cognism: Can we buy a single seat monthly?

No. Contracts are annual with a platform fee, which makes a genuine pilot harder than with credit-based self-serve vendors.

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Related pages

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