Comparison · Independent · Updated June 2026
Cognism vs Lusha
In short
Cognism edges it overall at 8.1/10 to Lusha's 7.3/10. Cognism leads on compliance, while Lusha leads on pricing & transparency. Lusha publishes its pricing; Cognism is demo-gated.
Scorecard, side by side
| Our rubric | Cognism | Lusha |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 8.1 | 7.3 |
| Data accuracy | 8.5 | 7.0 |
| Coverage | 7.5 | 7.0 |
| Ease of use | 9.4 | 9.2 |
| Pricing & transparency | 5.5 | 7.0 |
| Compliance | 9.0 | 6.0 |
Scores come from the same rubric applied to every provider. Higher value in each row is highlighted.
Third-party ratings
| Public rating | Cognism | Lusha |
|---|---|---|
| G2 | 4.5/5 (1,333) | 4.3/5 (1,667) |
| Capterra | 4.7/5 (257) | 4.0/5 (398) |
Pricing & data, side by side
| Attribute | Cognism | Lusha |
|---|---|---|
| Entry price | ~£12,000/yr | from $449/yr |
| Pricing transparency | Demo-gated | Published |
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Verified email | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mobile / direct dials | ✓ | ✓ |
| Intent data | ✓ | ✓ |
| Website visitor ID | – | – |
| CRM enrichment | – | ✓ |
Feature by feature
A union of both vendors' documented features. A dash means the vendor doesn't list that attribute, not necessarily that it's missing.
| Feature | Cognism | Lusha |
|---|---|---|
| Verified work email | yes | yes |
| Mobile numbers | Phone-verified (Diamond) | Yes (10 credits each) |
| Intent data | Add-on (Bombora) | Yes (job changes, funding, hiring) |
| Website visitor ID | no | no |
| CRM enrichment | yes | yes |
| Chrome extension | yes | yes |
| CRM & sales integrations | Salesforce, HubSpot, Outreach, SalesLoft | Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive, Outreach |
| Free plan | no | Yes (40 credits/mo) |
| Free trial | Limited sample (~25 leads) | no |
| Contract | Annual only | Monthly or annual |
| GDPR / compliance | Compliance-first; notified-jurisdiction checks | ISO 27701/27001, SOC 2; Garante probe open |
| UK & EMEA coverage | Excellent | Strong |
| US coverage | Moderate | Strong |
| Continental EU coverage | no | Weaker than EU specialists |
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Cognism
Pros
- Phone-verified "Diamond" mobiles deliver markedly higher connect rates than most rivals.
- Compliance-first, with GDPR treated as an engineering concern and notified-jurisdiction screening across 15+ countries.
- Strongest UK & EMEA coverage in the category; reps can build usable lists on day one.
- Ease of use is the most-praised aspect across G2 (4.5/5) and Capterra (4.7/5) reviews.
Cons
- Pricing is sales-led and opaque, with annual-only contracts, prohibitive for small teams.
- US, Canada and APAC coverage is weaker than its UK/EMEA core.
- Diamond verification covers only a subset of records; "accuracy" claims apply to that subset, not the whole database.
- A US right-of-publicity class action (Kis v. Cognism) settled in 2025 over contact data shown to free-trial users; Cognism denied wrongdoing.
Lusha
Pros
- One-click Chrome extension and near-zero learning curve, the most-praised feature on G2 (4.3/5) and Capterra (Ease of Use 4.6/5).
- Reliable verified email and direct-dial data for the US, UK and Canada.
- Genuine free plan (40 credits/month) plus transparent published pricing; test before you talk to sales.
- Independently audited under ISO 27701, ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Type II, with TrustArc and ePrivacyseal validation.
Cons
- The credit model bites; revealing a phone number costs 10× an email, so phone-heavy teams burn credits fast.
- Per-seat pricing and reported 8–15% renewal increases push real team cost above the headline.
- Coverage and accuracy thin out across continental Europe and APAC versus EU specialists like Cognism.
- Italy's data-protection regulator opened an investigation in 2025 into how Lusha sources data; a 2020 exposé questioned its early sourcing.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Cognism or Lusha better?
- Cognism edges it overall at 8.1/10 to Lusha's 7.3/10. Cognism leads on compliance, while Lusha leads on pricing & transparency. Lusha publishes its pricing; Cognism is demo-gated.
- Which is cheaper, Cognism or Lusha?
- On entry pricing, Lusha is the cheaper way in (from $449/yr vs ~£12,000/yr). Credit models differ, so compare what you actually pay per 1,000 contacts, not just the headline.
- Can I use Cognism and Lusha together?
- Yes, teams often pair a broad database with a specialist tool. Just avoid paying twice for the same coverage; check where Cognism and Lusha overlap before buying both.