eSalesClub vs Cognism: Which is the Smarter B2B Data Choice?
- Adam Rey
In today’s hyper-competitive B2B landscape, sales teams and marketers know that the success of any campaign hinges on the quality of data behind it. Two names often dominate conversations when discussing reliable B2B data provider: eSalesClub and Cognism.
While both providers offer powerful solutions for accessing decision-maker data, lead enrichment, and compliance support, their approaches differ significantly. eSalesClub focuses on precision-targeted, industry-specific databases with cost-effective pricing, while Cognism is recognized for its global sales intelligence platform with intent-driven insights.
So which is better for your business? Let’s explore their offerings, compare them across critical metrics, and highlight why many marketers consider eSalesClub the smarter, ROI-driven choice.
Overview of eSalesClub
eSalesClub has positioned itself as a go-to partner for marketers seeking accurate, segmented, and compliance-driven B2B contact databases. With a portfolio that spans 180M+ decision-makers across 200+ industries, the platform empowers businesses with geo-targeted and role-specific lists.
What sets eSalesClub apart is its dual-layer verification system—a combination of advanced AI validation and manual checks—which ensures 95% accuracy and 85% deliverability rates. Marketers appreciate the ability to filter contacts by 40+ attributes, including geography, revenue size, job title, and company type, which enables precise targeting and higher conversion rates.
Another strength is affordability. eSalesClub provides premium-quality databases at transparent, competitive pricing, making it accessible to startups, SMEs, and enterprises alike. Clients also benefit from 45-day refresh cycles, ensuring data hygiene, and a customer-first approach with responsive support teams.
Overview of Cognism
Cognism is best known for being a sales intelligence powerhouse with a focus on global reach and intent data. Its signature offering, Diamond Data, provides phone-verified mobile numbers and direct dials of executives across industries, making it invaluable for SDRs and outbound sales teams.
Beyond contact accuracy, Cognism integrates intent signals (via Bombora) and firmographic data, helping businesses reach buyers who are already in-market for specific products or services. With robust CRM integrations, API connections, and workflow automation, it is built to support scalable outreach programs for enterprises.
However, its pricing model is not transparent and is often positioned for larger budgets. Reviews on G2 praise Cognism’s user experience (9.1/10) and customer support (9.4/10), but many SMBs find it less cost-effective compared to more flexible providers like eSalesClub.
Deep Dive eSalesClub vs Cognism: Strengths & Weaknesses
Where eSalesClub Excels
1. Industry-Specific Precision
Unlike Cognism’s global-first approach, eSalesClub excels at industry-specific segmentation. Whether you’re targeting healthcare professionals, manufacturing executives, or IT decision-makers, you’ll find curated, verified lists that allow for laser-focused outreach.
2. Cost-Effective & Transparent Pricing
For marketers working with limited budgets, eSalesClub’s competitive pricing is a game-changer. By contrast, Cognism’s enterprise pricing often creates entry barriers for SMEs. eSalesClub’s free samples also let businesses test quality before committing.
3. Superior Deliverability
With 7-tier verification and frequent refresh cycles, eSalesClub ensures fewer bounces and better inbox placement. This directly translates into higher ROI, particularly for email-driven campaigns.
4. Scalability Without Complexity
As companies grow, their data needs evolve. eSalesClub’s scalable lists and flexible packages ensure that businesses never outgrow their provider. This contrasts with Cognism’s enterprise-heavy ecosystem, which may overwhelm smaller teams.
5. Customer-First Support
While Cognism scores high on support, eSalesClub’s hands-on assistance and tailored guidance resonate strongly with clients. It’s not just about resolving tickets—it’s about being a strategic partner in campaign success.
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- Less Emphasis on Intent / Behavior: eSalesClub seems more focused on static data: who the contact is, roles, technology stacks, industries etc., rather than signals like “this company is actively looking for solution X” or “buyer intent.”
- Tooling & Integrations: The public info suggests fewer built-in tools for prospecting (e.g., outreach, AI search, CRM enrichment) than Cognism. If you want a more “platform” approach, rather than just list provider, Cognism may offer more.
Cognism
Where Cognism Excels
- Phone-Verified Mobile Numbers
Cognism’s Diamond Data is unmatched in providing direct dials and mobile numbers, especially useful for SDRs running cold-call heavy campaigns.
- Intent Data for Timely Outreach
By integrating Bombora intent signals, Cognism helps sales teams identify and engage buyers who are actively researching solutions.
- Enterprise-Friendly Ecosystem
For large organizations running multi-regional campaigns, Cognism’s automation, CRM sync, and global coverage provide unmatched scalability.
Things to Consider Cautiously
- Cost: Because of the quality, features, and compliance, it tends to be on the more expensive side. The plans are custom / quote-based.
- Learning Curve / Overhead: More features means more to manage. Teams may need onboarding; for smaller operations the “bells and whistles” may not get used.
- Data in Some Regions / Markets May Be Less Reliable: As is true with many providers, contact accuracy in some geographies (e.g. Asia-Pacific, some developing markets) may be lower. Users mention occasional outdated info.
- Dependence on Add-Ons for Full Feature Set: Some of the advanced stuff (intent data, manual re-verification, extra filters) may come on top of base plan. So your usage needs will determine your final cost.
eSalesClub vs Cognism: Quick Comparison
| Metrics | eSalesClub | Cognism |
|---|---|---|
|
Data Accuracy |
95% accuracy with dual-layer (AI + manual) verification, 85% deliverability |
Diamond Data with phone-verified contacts (~87% accuracy) |
|
Industry Coverage |
180M+ contacts across 200+ industries, deep segmentation |
Strong global reach, heavy on EMEA, NAM, APAC, broad but less industry-specialized |
|
Compliance |
100% GDPR, CCPA, CAN-SPAM, CASL compliant with opt-in and tele-verification |
GDPR & CCPA compliant, DNC filtering, privacy-first |
|
Pricing |
Transparent, affordable, with free sample access |
Premium, enterprise-level pricing, limited transparency |
|
Support & UX |
Dedicated, client-first support, tailored assistance |
Highly rated UX (9.1) and support (9.4) on G2 |
|
Best Suited For |
SMBs, startups, and enterprises seeking precision and ROI-driven outreach |
Enterprises needing global reach, direct dials, and intent-driven insights |
What Should You Choose Based on Use Case?
Here are some scenarios & which provider tends to win:
- You are a small or mid-sized company in the US or targeting the US, mainly doing email outreach, and cost is a concern → eSalesClub might give you good “bang for buck” with large contact lists and sufficient accuracy.
- You need highly accurate phone numbers (especially mobile), want intent data, or you serve clients in highly regulated regions (e.g. EU) → Cognism is more likely to deliver what you need.
- You run outreach campaigns that mix email + phone + segmentation by technology or industry, and your team uses CRMs heavily → Cognism’s integrations and verification features may save you effort and improve ROI.
- You want a quick list, or benchmark/test in a region, without a big budget → eSalesClub’s sample lists or smaller purchase could let you test without big commitment.
Price vs ROI: What You Actually Get
Often, the best provider isn’t the cheapest one—but the one that gives you reliable data so you waste fewer hours, fewer bounced emails / unreachable phones, and make more conversions. Some things to factor into your ROI:
- Cost of incorrect or stale data: bounced emails, wrong titles, duplicate contacts, bad phone numbers.
- Legal / compliance risk: especially if you operate in EU / UK etc. Fines or reputation damage can cost more than paying for good data up front.
- Time & resource savings: e.g. how much time your SDR / sales team loses cleaning / verifying data vs how much Cognism might automate or help you clean data.
- Conversion lift: higher quality + intent data tends to improve response rates.
So even if Cognism costs more, if the quality is significantly higher, you may get better ROI in many cases. On the other hand, if your outreach is low volume or experimental, eSalesClub may win on cost effectiveness.
Note: Pricing score is calculated based on most affordable database.
Final Thought
Both eSalesClub and Cognism have earned their place as leading best B2B data providers, but the choice depends on your priorities.
- If you’re a startup, SME, or marketer focused on precision, affordability, and high ROI, eSalesClub is the better fit.
- If you’re an enterprise sales team needing global coverage, direct dials, and intent insights, Cognism might be your match.
At the end of the day, eSalesClub empowers marketers with verified, segmented, and cost-effective databases, making it the go-to provider for businesses aiming to maximize campaign success without overspending.
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Frequently Asked Questions
eSalesClub primarily offers large, segmented B2B contact lists with flexible filtering by industry, job title, geography, and technology. Cognism, on the other hand, functions as a full sales intelligence platform with verified mobile numbers, intent data, CRM integrations, and stronger compliance tools.
eSalesClub is often more cost-effective and suitable for small or mid-sized businesses looking for bulk data lists to start campaigns. Cognism is better suited for larger teams that can leverage intent data, CRM integrations, and strict compliance standards.
Pricing for both is custom-quoted. Generally, eSalesClub is more affordable and list-based, while Cognism’s subscription model is pricier but includes advanced features like intent data, compliance, and live phone verification.
Choose eSalesClub if you want high-volume contact lists, flexibility in segmentation, and a lower cost option to scale outreach without requiring advanced intent or compliance features.
Cognism integrates directly with CRMs and sales engagement tools like Salesforce, HubSpot, Outreach, and SalesLoft. eSalesClub delivers lists in CRM-friendly formats (Excel, CSV), which you can easily import but does not natively integrate with platforms.
