Bombora ★ 4/5

Updated May 2026

B2B Intent Data

Bombora Review: Is It Still Worth It in 2026?

The 'gold standard' intent data co-op (Forrester 2025) - 13,000+ B2B topics tracked across 5,500+ publisher sites. Pure data layer (no contact info, no outreach) at enterprise pricing. Right for ABM teams with $30K+/yr budget; not a fit for SMB outbound.

✓ Buy if

Running ABM motions and need raw account-level intent signals
Have a data engineering / RevOps team to consume the feed
Already spending $50K+/yr on revenue intelligence

✕ Skip if

Need contact data + outreach (Bombora is data-only)
SMB or sub-50 person team
Want a turnkey product rather than a raw data feed

Derrick verdict 4/5

G2 4.4/5 Capterra 4.3/5

Try Derrick free → Skip to pricing ↓

bombora.com

Bombora dashboard screenshot - Bombora review 2026

Starting price

Custom (~$30K/yr min)

Best for

Mid-market & enterprise ABM

Free plan

No (sales-led demo only)

Setup difficulty 9/10 Steep setup

Account safety 9/10 Safe for your accounts

On this page What is Pricing Pros & Cons vs Derrick Best for Alternatives FAQ Verdict

Overview

What is Bombora?

Bombora is the B2B intent data and account-research signals platform that powers most enterprise ABM motions. Founded in 2014 by Erik Matlick and Mike Burton and headquartered in New York City, Bombora runs the largest B2B intent data co-op - 200+ publishers contribute anonymized behavioral data across 5,500+ media sites.

Bombora's flagship product, Company Surge®, identifies when a company's content consumption on a given topic spikes above historical baseline - a signal that the account is actively researching a buying decision. It's the data feed that 6sense, Demandbase and most account-based platforms call to surface in-market accounts. Forrester named Bombora a Leader in 2025 and 'the gold standard for account-level intent data feeds.'

Sources 🌐 Official site ↗ in LinkedIn page ↗ ★ G2 / Capterra listing ↗

Pricing

Bombora Plans & Pricing

Bombora doesn't publish prices. Figures below from Vendr, marketbetter.ai and customer reports. Annual contracts only. Vendr median: $57K/yr. Real Year-1 TCO with topics + integrations: $30K-$200K depending on scale.

Plan	Price	Best for	Key limits
Free / Demo	Sales call only	Evaluation	No self-serve trial
Mid-Market (10-50 employees)	~$30K/yr	Smaller ABM teams	Limited topics, basic feed integration
Mid-Market+ (50-500 employees)	$50K-$100K/yr	Growing ABM orgs	More topics, CRM/MAP integrations included
Enterprise (500+)	$100K-$300K+/yr	Multi-region enterprise ABM	Unlimited topics, API, dedicated CSM

Hidden costs to know about

Bombora is data only - you still need a CRM, MAP, ABM platform (6sense/Demandbase) and an outbound stack to act on the signals. Real total cost of acting on Bombora data lands at $73K-$200K+/yr. Renewals carry 10-20% increases. Topic add-ons cost $200-$400 each.

Is Bombora fair value?

For 50+ seat enterprise ABM teams with a data engineering capability, Bombora is the canonical intent layer - and arguably under-priced relative to the orchestration platforms that consume it (6sense at $25-120K/yr). For SMBs and mid-market teams that just need contact data + outbound workflows, Bombora is overkill - buy 6sense or Demandbase if you need ABM, or Apollo + Derrick if you need outbound.

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See the full pricing breakdown Side-by-side: Bombora pricing vs Derrick

Compare pricing →

Verdict in detail

Bombora Pros & Cons - Summary That Actually Helps You Decide

Based on 161+ verified G2 reviews (4.4/5) and Bombora's leader status in 12 consecutive G2 Grid Reports for Buyer Intent Data Providers.

✓ Pros

Largest B2B intent data co-op (200+ publishers)

5,500+ B2B media sites contribute anonymized behavioral data. The co-op model gives Bombora a coverage advantage that Demandbase, 6sense and standalone intent providers can't match.

"Bombora's coverage is the deepest in the category. We see signals from accounts our other intent providers miss entirely." - Verified G2 user, ABM Lead, G2 review (Q1 2026)

13,000+ B2B topic categories

Most granular topic taxonomy in the intent-data category. You can target 'Salesforce Marketing Cloud migration' or 'data lake architecture' instead of broad categories like 'CRM' or 'cloud infrastructure.'

"We segment intent by 200+ specific topics our competitors don't even track. The granularity unlocks niche ABM plays nothing else can." - Verified G2 user, RevOps Director, G2 review (Q4 2025)

Forrester Leader (2025) + Gold Standard

Forrester named Bombora a Leader in their 2025 B2B Intent Data Wave and called Company Surge 'the gold standard for account-level intent data feeds.' The market validation is real, not vendor hype.

Powers other ABM platforms

6sense, Demandbase and most account-based platforms call Bombora's API as one of their intent sources. If you're using 6sense, you're already paying for Bombora data - buying direct can be cheaper depending on use case.

✕ Cons

Data only - not a turnkey product

Bombora delivers a feed. You still need a CRM, ABM orchestrator, outreach engine and an analyst to make the signals actionable. Most teams underestimate the operational cost of consuming raw intent data.

"We bought Bombora and then spent 6 months figuring out how to action the data. Without 6sense or a dedicated analyst, intent feeds gather dust." - Verified G2 user, Marketing Ops, G2 review (Q1 2026)

Enterprise-only pricing

$30K/yr floor + custom annual contracts. No SMB tier, no monthly billing. Even smaller mid-market teams find it hard to justify against alternatives like 6sense Team or Demandbase Pro that bundle data + orchestration.

"I think it is costly for a small firm to implement. We had to upgrade our entire ABM stack just to use the data." - Verified G2 user, G2 review (Q4 2025)

Aggressive renewal motion

10-20% renewal price increases are standard. Auto-renewal clauses with 60-90 day cancellation windows. Vendr negotiation typically yields 20-30% discounts on first contract - much harder to negotiate at renewal.

Account-level only (no person-level intent)

Bombora signals tell you the account is researching, not which buyer at the account. Combine with contact data tools (ZoomInfo, Apollo, Cognism) to identify decision-makers within surge accounts.

The honest comparison

Bombora vs Derrick - Side by Side

We're biased - Derrick is our product. So this table is the version we'd want our prospects to see before they sign elsewhere.

	BomboraB2B Intent Data	DerrickGoogle Sheets add-on
Pricing entry	~$30K/yr min	Free forever
Tool category	Pure data feed (no UI for end users)	In-Sheet enrichment
Where it lives	API feed → CRM / ABM platform	Inside Google Sheets directly
Setup time	6-12 weeks (data eng + workflow)	30 seconds
Contact data included	No (intent only)	Email + LinkedIn + company data included
Contract length	12 months annual minimum	Cancel anytime
Operational overhead	Need analyst + ABM platform	No setup, no analyst needed

Bombora and Derrick solve different problems. Bombora is the raw intent data layer that powers account-level signals for enterprise ABM motions - it requires a $30K-$200K/yr budget, a data team, and an ABM platform to consume the feed. Derrick is the contact data + enrichment layer for in-Sheet workflows - free, no setup, immediately usable. Most teams that don't already run ABM at scale should start with Derrick + Apollo, not Bombora.

Install Derrick (free) → 100 free credits · No credit card · 30-second setup

Decision tree

Should You Use Bombora?

A short, opinionated guide. We'll tell you when Bombora is the right pick - and when it isn't.

✓ Use Bombora if you are…

Running ABM at scale with 50+ seats and a dedicated RevOps team → Bombora + 6sense or Demandbase is the canonical stack

Have data engineering capability to consume the API feed → The flexibility unlocks custom intent workflows

Already spending $50K+/yr on revenue intelligence + ABM tooling

✕ Skip Bombora if you are…

SMB or solo founder Use Derrick (free) + Apollo for outbound - intent data is overkill at this stage

Need contact data + outreach (not just signals) Bombora has no contact data. Combine ZoomInfo + Lemlist + Derrick instead

Already running 6sense or Demandbase You're already paying for Bombora data via your ABM platform - buying direct is duplicative

Need a turnkey product, not a raw data feed 6sense or Demandbase wrap Bombora data in a usable UI; standalone Bombora needs an analyst

Alternatives

Top Bombora Alternatives

Tools we'd recommend instead, depending on your stack and budget. Derrick first because it's the only one that lives where you actually prospect.

Tool	Best for	Starting price	Why we recommend it
D Derrick Recommended	In-Sheet contact data + enrichment	Free	Different category - contact data, not intent. Pair with intent providers if you need both	→
6sense	Bombora wrapped in ABM workflows	Custom (~$25K/yr)	Includes Bombora intent feed + orchestration UI. Easier to action than raw Bombora	→
Demandbase	ABM orchestration + intent	Custom	Closest direct competitor to 6sense - also consumes Bombora data + adds workflows	→
Clearbit	Premium enrichment data	Custom	Different category (firmographic + contact enrichment) but often paired with intent feeds	→

See the full breakdown of Bombora alternatives →

Head-to-head: Bombora vs 1 competitor

Bombora vs 6sense

Compare side-by-side →

Bombora vs Demandbase

Compare side-by-side →

Three-way: Bombora vs 2 competitors

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers to the questions buyers ask us most often about Bombora.

Is Bombora free?

No - Bombora has no free tier and no self-serve trial. All access is sales-led with annual contracts starting around $30,000/year. Custom quote required.

How much does Bombora cost in 2026?

Custom pricing only. Vendr's median across reported deals is $57,832/year. Real ranges: $30K/yr (small mid-market) → $50-100K/yr (50-500 employees) → $100-300K+/yr (500+ employees). Total stack cost of acting on Bombora data typically lands at $73K-$200K+/yr including the ABM platform you'll need to consume it.

Bombora vs 6sense - what's the difference?

Bombora is the raw intent data feed. 6sense is the ABM orchestration platform that consumes Bombora data + adds workflows, scoring, account-prioritization and CRM integrations. If you have a data team, Bombora direct is cheaper. If you need a turnkey ABM motion, 6sense wraps Bombora in a usable UI.

What is Company Surge?

Bombora's flagship product. It tracks B2B content consumption signals across 5,500+ publisher sites and identifies when an account's research activity on a given topic spikes above historical baseline - a signal they're actively researching a buying decision. Tracks 13,000+ topic categories.

Does Bombora include contact data?

No - Bombora is account-level intent only. You see which companies are researching topics, not which individuals at those companies are interested. Pair with contact-data tools (ZoomInfo, Cognism, Apollo) to identify decision-makers within surge accounts.

Can I cancel Bombora anytime?

No - annual contracts only. Auto-renewal clauses with 60-90 day cancellation windows. Vendr-style negotiation typically yields 20-30% discounts on first contracts but renewals carry 10-20% price increases by default.

Is Bombora GDPR compliant?

Yes - Bombora's data co-op model is anonymized at the publisher level, which makes GDPR compliance cleaner than person-level intent providers. EU teams generally find Bombora compatible with their DPO requirements.

Bombora vs Derrick - what should I pick?

Different tools entirely. Bombora is enterprise intent data ($30K+/yr); Derrick is free contact + enrichment data inside Google Sheets. Most teams should NOT choose between them - start with Derrick for the contact layer, add Bombora later if you scale into ABM and have $50K+/yr of intel budget.

The verdict

The Verdict on Bombora

Bombora has earned its 'gold standard' label from Forrester. The 200+ publisher co-op model + 13,000+ topic categories give it the deepest intent-signal coverage in the B2B category, and its 12-consecutive G2 Leader badges are well-deserved. For enterprise ABM teams with the budget + the data engineering capability to consume the feed, there's nothing comparable.

For everyone else - and that's most readers - Bombora is the wrong starting point. The $30K-$200K+/yr total stack cost, the annual contracts, the need for a separate ABM platform to make the signals actionable... it's not a tool, it's a strategic commitment. Derrick delivers the contact + enrichment layer for free - pair it with Apollo for outbound now, evaluate Bombora later when ABM is the next bottleneck.

4/5

Overall verdict