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Sales Enablement · head to head

Cognism vs Lusha

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
Lusha logo

Lusha

CRM

B2B contact and company intelligence

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Lusha has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Cognism united States coverage is behind ZoomInfo, and the gap shows most in mid-market American accounts where record density thins out.; Lusha teams over 5 users must contact sales for configuration; no published per-user limits for standard plans
  • They diverge on capability: Cognism covers Diamond Data, Lusha covers Contact database.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cognism and Lusha actually diverge.

Attributes where Cognism and Lusha differ
AttributeCognismLusha
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotefreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Chrome extension, REST APIWeb
CategorySales EnablementCRM
FoundedUnknown2016

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 Cognism

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

Only in Lusha

  • Contact database
  • Email search
  • Company intelligence
  • Email verification
  • Chrome extension
  • Integrations
  • Salesforce
  • HubSpot

What people use each for

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

Cognism

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

Lusha

  • Lead generationnot Cognism
  • Contact researchnot Cognism
  • Email verificationnot Cognism

Where each one falls short

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

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.

Lusha

  • Teams over 5 users must contact sales for configuration; no published per-user limits for standard plans
  • Unused credits on monthly plans roll over but cap at twice the monthly limit, creating potential waste
  • Annual plans do not roll over unused credits; they reset at cycle end

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Lusha

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 40 credits per month
    • Basic prospecting features
    • Browser extension
  • Starter$49.9/month
    • 400 credits per month
    • All Free plan features
  • Professional$69.9/month
    • 600 credits per month
    • All Starter features
  • Premium$399.9/month
    • 3,400 credits per month
    • All Professional features

Which should you pick?

Choose Cognism if

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

Choose Lusha if

  • You need contact database.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want email search.
Lusha review

Questions people ask

Is Cognism or Lusha better?
Neither clearly leads. Cognism starts at On request and Lusha at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cognism or Lusha?
Lusha has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Cognism and Free for Lusha.
Does Cognism or Lusha run on more platforms?
Cognism runs on Web, Chrome extension, REST API. Lusha runs on Web.
Can I use Lusha for free?
Yes. Lusha has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Cognism starts at On request.
What is Cognism best used for?
Cognism is most often used for a european outbound team that needs a defensible answer when legal asks where the phone numbers came from, calling campaigns where verified mobile numbers rather than switchboard numbers determine connect rate, enriching an existing crm of stale records with current job titles and direct dials, prioritising accounts using intent signals before committing sales development capacity. Of those, a european outbound team that needs a defensible answer when legal asks where the phone numbers came from and calling campaigns where verified mobile numbers rather than switchboard numbers determine connect rate are not what Lusha is typically brought in for.
What can Cognism do that Lusha cannot?
Cognism covers Diamond Data, Contact notification, DNC screening, Intent data. Lusha covers Contact database, Email search, Company intelligence, Email verification.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

Lusha: What does Lusha's Free plan include?

Lusha's Free plan provides 40 credits per month at no cost. It includes basic prospecting features, browser extension access, and CRM integrations. Credits are used for email reveals (1 credit per contact) and phone numbers (10 credits per contact).

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.

Lusha: How do Lusha credits work and what is the credit rollover policy?

Lusha uses a credit system where email reveals cost 1 credit and phone reveals cost 10 credits per contact. On monthly plans, unused credits roll over and accumulate up to twice your monthly credit limit. Annual plans reset unused credits at the cycle's end without rollover.

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.

Lusha: What is the annual pricing for Lusha plans?

Lusha offers annual pricing at a discount: Starter is $449.10/year (4,800 credits annually), Professional is $587.16/year (7,200 credits), and Premium is $3,119.21/year (40,800 credits). Annual plans are cheaper per credit than monthly but do not roll over unused credits.

Source
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