Is Cognism better than Lusha for European B2B outreach?

Yes. Cognism has significantly stronger GDPR compliance and human-verified mobile data for European markets. For teams cold-calling or emailing into the UK, Germany, France, or DACH, Cognism is the safer and higher-quality choice.

Is Lusha better than Cognism for US B2B prospecting?

For individual SDRs doing US-focused outreach, Lusha's lower price point and LinkedIn browser extension make it competitive. For enterprise teams needing high-volume US contact data, Apollo and ZoomInfo typically outperform both Lusha and Cognism for US depth.

How much does Cognism cost compared to Lusha?

Cognism enterprise plans typically start at $25,000-$60,000+ per year. Lusha starter plans begin around $300-400 per user per month (approximately $3,600-$4,800 per year per seat). For small teams doing individual prospecting, Lusha is significantly more accessible.

Does Cognism have better mobile data than Lusha?

Yes. Cognism's Diamond Data program provides human-verified mobile numbers with claimed 98%+ accuracy. Lusha's mobile accuracy is competitive for US contacts but weaker for European mobile numbers. For mobile-first outreach in European markets, Cognism is the stronger choice.

What is the alternative to both Cognism and Lusha for B2B data in 2026?

Apollo.io is the most common alternative for US-focused teams, with a larger database and lower price point than Cognism. ZoomInfo remains the enterprise data standard but at higher cost. Clay is often used alongside both to enrich and layer signals beyond raw contact data.

Cognism vs Lusha for B2B Data: Europe vs US, Which Wins in 2026?

Cognism vs Lusha: The One-Line Summary

Cognism is the strongest B2B data provider for European markets, with GDPR-compliant mobile phone data, Diamond Verified contact accuracy, and intent data from Bombora integration.

Lusha is a popular individual-level contact finder with a strong browser extension, good US mobile coverage, and a lower price point that appeals to smaller teams and individual SDRs.

If your ICP is primarily in Europe: Cognism. If your ICP is primarily in the US and you need a simple individual-lookup tool: Lusha. If you need enterprise-grade data quality at scale in either market: consider supplementing either with Clay enrichment or Apollo.

Cognism: Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths:

Best GDPR-compliant mobile data in Europe. Cognism's Diamond Data offering provides human-verified mobile numbers with documented GDPR lawful basis for processing. For teams cold-calling into the UK, Germany, France, or DACH, this is not a nice-to-have -- it is a compliance requirement.
Bombora intent data integration. Cognism bundles Bombora intent signals for enterprise plans, giving sales teams a combined data + intent layer in one platform.
High mobile coverage for mid-market and enterprise contacts. Mobile number accuracy is Cognism's primary differentiation. In markets where email open rates are declining, mobile becomes more important.

Weaknesses:

Price. Cognism's enterprise plans are significantly more expensive than Lusha, typically starting at $25,000-$60,000+ per year.
US database depth. Cognism has a strong US database but is not as deep as ZoomInfo or Apollo for US-specific contacts, particularly in SMB.
Setup and onboarding investment. Cognism works best when integrated with your CRM and configured with proper workflow rules. Self-serve use is not its strength.

Lusha: Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths:

Individual SDR usability. Lusha's browser extension allows individual sales reps to find contact details while browsing LinkedIn profiles. This self-serve, single-user workflow is Lusha's strongest use case.
Lower price point. Lusha's starter plans begin around $300-400/month per user, making it accessible for small teams and individual use.
Good US mobile coverage. For US-focused outreach, Lusha's mobile number accuracy is competitive with Cognism at a lower cost.

Weaknesses:

GDPR compliance gaps. Lusha's compliance posture for European data is weaker than Cognism's. For teams making compliance a primary requirement for European calling, Lusha creates legal risk.
Limited intent data. Lusha does not offer intent data integration in most plans. It is a contact finder, not a revenue intelligence platform.
Credit-based model friction. Lusha uses a credit system that can become a source of friction for high-volume prospecting teams.

Data Accuracy Comparison

Both providers have improved accuracy in 2026, but the key differentiator remains:

Cognism Diamond Data: Human-verified mobile numbers. Accuracy claimed at 98%+ for Diamond-verified contacts. Best for mobile-first outreach where accuracy matters per dial.
Lusha: Machine-verified contacts. Accuracy is competitive for email (85-90%) but below Cognism for mobile, especially in Europe.

Which Is Better for Cybersecurity and Fintech Outbound?

For cybersecurity and fintech outbound in the US: Both Cognism and Lusha provide adequate data quality. Apollo is often preferred by cybersecurity and fintech teams for its depth in these specific verticals.

For cybersecurity and fintech outbound in Europe: Cognism is the clear choice due to GDPR compliance and mobile coverage in financial services and enterprise security.

The Role of Events in Reducing Data Dependency

Both Cognism and Lusha solve the cold outreach data problem. But the underlying issue -- that cold outbound reply rates are at record lows in 2026 -- is not a data quality problem. It is a signal problem.

Event-led outbound generates first-party intent signals where a prospect has already shown interest in a relevant topic. That signal quality means your outreach is warm before the first touchpoint. The data layer (Cognism or Lusha) still matters for building invite lists, but it is the event that generates the intent.