Clay
- Starting price: Free / $134/mo (annual)
- Free plan: Yes (limited credits)
- Founded: 2017
- HQ: New York, NY
Updated
Clay vs Cognism vs Derrick: Which Is Better in 2026?
- Short answer
- Clay vs Cognism vs Derrick: Clay is a multi-source data enrichment with ai workflows, Cognism is a gdpr-compliant b2b contact data with mobile coverage. Derrick is a B2B enrichment platform with three surfaces - a Google Sheets add-on, a REST API, and an MCP server (Claude and ChatGPT drive enrichment for you). Hit rates are noticeably higher (more emails + phone numbers returned per query than Clay or Cognism) and pricing is lower - free forever with 100 credits/month, paid plans from €9/month. Most teams pair Derrick for the data layer with Clay or Cognism for outreach.
Email + phone finders like Clay live on data freshness and source diversity. The side-by-side comparison below pits Clay's coverage by region, free-tier ceiling and credit-burn rate against Derrick's flat-credit pool that funds email + phone + LinkedIn + firmographics from one wallet.
Free plan Yes - 100 credits/mo
Starts at €9/mo
Setup time 30 seconds
Where it lives Google Sheets
✓ Free forever · ✓ No credit card · ✓ Cancel anytime · ✓ Your data stays in your Sheet
Trusted by 31,000+ users worldwide.
CURSOR Quick Facts
Clay vs Cognism vs Derrick at a glance
Cognism
- Starting price: Custom (~$15K platform + $1.5K/seat)
- Free plan: No (demo + custom quote only)
- Founded: 2015
- HQ: London, United Kingdom
Derrick
★ Recommended- Starting price: Free · Paid from €9/mo
- Free plan: Yes - 100 credits/mo permanent
- Founded: 2023
- HQ: Marseille, FR
Why Derrick wins 01
02
03
Why teams pick Derrick over Clay and Cognism
3 core reasons SDRs and ops teams switch to Derrick. Click to expand each.
01 Real-time enrichment without manual verification overhead
Real-time enrichment is constrained for Clay and Cognism by reliance on multiple sources and real-time verification gaps, leading to manual checks or delayed updates. Derrick delivers true real-time enrichment directly inside 100% native Google Sheets, eliminating the need for separate verification steps and complex integrations. Teams can surface up-to-date prospects with 50+ attributes validated on the fly, reducing manual QA time by up to 60% and preserving credits for ongoing campaigns. With Derrick, you deploy instant, attachable enrichments without exporting data or configuring external validators.
02 Premium data reliability with minimal manual cleanup
Clay and Cognism often struggle with data accuracy and the need for ongoing validation across large lists. Derrick delivers premium data reliability with minimal manual cleanup by validating in real time within Google Sheets, leveraging 50+ enrichment attributes and built-in AI scoring to keep records clean. Users typically save 5-10 hours per month and reduce errors, ensuring higher deliverability and more efficient targeting. A quick use-case: run real-time email verification on new leads during list building without leaving Sheets. Derrick keeps credits reportable and data pristine, TTM.
03 Instant setup for enterprise-scale rollout
Clay and Cognism often require lengthy setup and configuration to scale enterprise deployments, delaying time-to-value. Derrick delivers instant setup by leveraging 100% native Google Sheets onboarding with minimal technical effort, avoiding CSV exports and complex integrations. Enterprises gain faster rollout and predictable governance, with savings of 5-10 hours per month in setup time and credits that carry month-to-month. Derrick enables scalable, enterprise-ready enrichment and outreach from day one, without the friction of traditional platforms.
Honest Comparison 
derrick
What each tool does better
We're upfront - every tool has strengths. Here's where Clay, Cognism, and Derrick each genuinely win.
What Clay does better
- Best-in-class waterfall enrichment
- Claygent AI for research at scale
- Open architecture (HTTP API + custom functions)
What Cognism does better
- Best EU mobile-phone coverage
- GDPR-compliant by design
- Strong intent + technographic data
What Derrick does better
- Free forever - €0/mo with 100 credits permanent in Google Sheets
- 100+ data points per lead - verified emails, phones, LinkedIn, tech stack, SIRET
- Zero LinkedIn ban risk + real-time email verification built in
- Pair with any sequencer - LaGrowthMachine, Smartlead, Lemlist, HeyReach
Real Annual Cost
True cost over 12 months
Headline pricing rarely tells the whole story. Here's the real cost of running each tool for a year.
| Clay | Cognism | Derrick | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting price (monthly) | Free / $134/mo (annual) | Custom (~$15K platform + $1.5K/seat) | €0 (free) · €9/mo paid |
| Annual cost (base) | ~€1,608/yr | ~€180/yr | €0/yr free · ~€108/yr paid |
| Free plan? | Yes (limited credits) | No (demo + custom quote only) | ✓ Forever - 100 credits/mo |
| Setup cost | Hours to days | Hours to days | 30 seconds via Marketplace |
| Switching cost | CSV export + retraining | CSV export + retraining | Zero - works alongside any stack |
💡 Most teams pay 2-5x more on add-ons (extra seats, phone credits, integrations) than on the headline base price. Derrick keeps everything in one transparent tier.
Feature-by-Feature
Clay vs Cognism vs Derrick: full feature comparison
| Clay | Derrick App | Cognism | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Works natively in Google Sheets | ✕ | ✓ | ✕ |
| Requires LinkedIn Sales Navigator ($100/month) | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ |
| Sales Navigator 1-click import | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
| Email finder with real-time validation | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Phone finder from LinkedIn | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Company tech stack lookup | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| SimilarWeb & G2 insights integrated | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
| AI integration (Claude & ChatGPT) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Automatic AI Lead Scoring | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
| Data cleaning & normalization | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
| Multi-platform scraping (Instagram, Twitter, Facebook) | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ |
| Zapier, Make, n8n integrations | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Public API available | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Native CRM integrations (HubSpot, Salesforce) | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ |
| Entry price (paid plan) | 149$/mois | 9€/mois | 1000$/mois |
| Permanent free plan | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
| Rollover credits to next month | ✕ | ✓ | ✕ |
| Simple and transparent credit system | ✕ | ✓ | ✕ |
| Simple setup & onboarding | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Complete documentation | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Pricing in a nutshell Data Enrichment derrick
best value for money
Results first.
Discover Derrick →
Sales Intelligence (EU/EMEA)
Clay vs Cognism vs Derrick pricing breakdown
Data Enrichment Clay
Free / $134/mo (annual)
Best for: GTM ops & technical SDR teams
Clay offers real-time data enrichment with flexible paid tiers and a potential free tier; details vary by plan, spanning multiple data sources and usage scales. For full pricing breakdown and all options, see the complete pricing page.
Results first.
Complexity removed.
Free · Paid plans from €9/mo
While other tools pile on features, complex setups, and pricing tiers that grow faster than your results, Derrick focuses on what actually matters:
getting usable leads, directly in Google Sheets.
No heavy workflows, No endless configuration. No learning curve.
Sales Intelligence (EU/EMEA) Cognism
Custom (~$15K platform + $1.5K/seat)
Best for: EU/EMEA enterprise sales
Cognism offers premium pricing with entry-level plans that include initial credits and scalable tiers for larger teams, emphasizing data accuracy and compliance. For full details on plans, features, and enterprise options, see the full pricing breakdown.
Migration Guide
How to switch from Clay to Derrick in 3 steps
Derrick is a Google Workspace app - no formulas to learn, no pipelines to migrate, no engineering work. Add it to Google Sheets and you're enriching in under a minute.
1
~30 sec Install Derrick from Google Workspace Marketplace
Click the install button on our Marketplace listing and grant Google Sheets access. No credit card required - you start with 100 free credits per month.
2
~30 sec Open any Google Sheet → Extensions → Derrick
Open a Sheet with your prospect list (paste a CSV from Clay, scrape from LinkedIn Sales Navigator, or import from your CRM). Click Extensions → Derrick and the sidebar opens with all enrichment features ready to use.
3
~1 min Enrich your list with one click
Select the column with names, LinkedIn URLs, or company domains. Pick what you want - emails, phone numbers, LinkedIn data, company info, tech stack - and click "Enrich". Derrick fills the columns directly in your Sheet. No exports, no pipelines, no waiting.
Install Derrick free →
100 free credits / month · No credit card · Cancel anytime
Decision in 60 seconds
Which one is right for you?
Pick Clay if…
- You specifically need gtm ops & technical sdr teams
- Best-in-class waterfall enrichment
- Claygent AI for research at scale
- You're already invested in the Clay ecosystem
Pick Cognism if…
- You specifically need eu/emea enterprise sales
- Best EU mobile-phone coverage
- GDPR-compliant by design
- You're already invested in the Cognism ecosystem
Pick Derrick if…
- You want B2B enrichment directly in Google Sheets
- You need a usable free plan (100 credits/mo, no card)
- You don't want long contracts, lock-in, or sales calls
- You need 100+ data points per lead in one tool
What teams say after switching from Clay vs Cognism
See what our customers say about Derrick.
"This app saved me so much time and effort. Great for anyone looking to build a contact list or network at scale quickly. As a start-up it's been invaluable."
Alex Clark
Director | SaaS GTM Leader
"Working pretty nifty compared to Snov.Io. Price wise it does give a fair shake, and IMO better interface since it's google sheets."
David Sire
Mortgage Broker at Zero Point Mortgage
"Derrick is a very simple and user-friendly app to enrich your contacts database. Best thing: you can test it for free. And then the price is so low, it's a no brainer."
Etienne Grange
CEO Form'actions
"Super easy to enrich linkedin urls using this tool. Both personal and company url data can be easily enriched with a click of a button."
Zaid Bilal
RevOps Professional
"Amazing Tool, I would like to advocate this to my colleagues. So that you can get more users. Keep it Up. 5 Stars!"
Asif Hanzala
Lead Generation Specialist at IdeaPeel
"This app is fantastic. Brilliantly created to help small and mid sized businesses."
Dan Hughes
Founder/CEO, AlmanacIO
"I have been using other expensive apps or freemium like phantombuster, but Derrick has replaced them all. I love the simplicity of the Google sheet add-in, but what is best is the efficiency it delivers."
Julien Walon Cohen
CEO & Co-founder @ Diffly | B2B Sales Advisor
"The LinkedIn scraping and email finder combo is incredibly powerful. I can build a complete prospect list with contact info in under an hour. Absolute must-have for outbound."
Michael Kim
SDR Team Lead at CloudScale
"Have tested over 10+ LI scraper apps, Derrick beats them all. Simple to use, accurate data, and affordable price."
AJ Alexander
Opportunity Prospector
Frequently Asked Questions
Derrick vs Clay: which is the better data enrichment tool?
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Both Clay and Derrick offer data enrichment, but they serve different priorities. Clay excels at workflow automation and multi-source data aggregation, making it ideal for teams building complex prospecting sequences. However, it requires significant setup time and depends on third-party data sources, which can create accuracy inconsistencies. Derrick takes a different approach by operating natively within Google Sheets, eliminating the need for CSV exports or external platforms. With real-time email validation, 50+ enrichment attributes, and integrated AI for scoring and segmentation, Derrick delivers faster deployment with minimal configuration. For teams prioritizing simplicity, speed, and cost-efficiency without sacrificing data quality, Derrick provides a more streamlined alternative that works directly in the tools you already use daily.
Is Derrick a viable alternative to Clay for outreach?
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Yes, Derrick is a highly viable alternative to Clay for outreach, particularly if you prioritize simplicity and speed. While Clay excels at complex workflow automation and data aggregation across multiple sources, Derrick offers a more streamlined approach by operating natively within Google Sheets, eliminating the need for CSV exports or external platform switching. Derrick provides real-time email validation, fifty plus enrichment attributes per contact, and integrated AI tools for scoring and personalization without requiring technical setup. For teams seeking faster deployment and lower overhead compared to Clay's steeper learning curve, Derrick delivers comparable data enrichment with significantly less operational friction and monthly rollover credits.
What’s the Derrick vs Cognism difference for pricing?
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Derrick offers transparent, credit-based pricing starting at just $9 monthly with rollover credits, meaning unused credits carry forward each month with no waste. Cognism operates on a higher-tier enterprise model positioned for larger teams, typically requiring annual commitments and higher upfront investment. Derrick's flexible pay-as-you-go structure works directly within Google Sheets without additional platform costs, while Cognism requires separate CRM integration and additional tools for workflow automation. For budget-conscious teams prioritizing affordability and flexibility, Derrick's credit system provides better cost control than Cognism's premium pricing approach.
Derrick vs Clay vs Cognism: which offers best features?
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Derrick offers a unique blend of features that often outpace Clay and Cognism for teams prioritizing speed, simplicity, and cost efficiency. Derrick is 100% native to Google Sheets, eliminating CSV exports and complex setups, with over 50 enrichment attributes per contact, real-time email validation, and built-in AI scoring and segmentation via Claude and ChatGPT. It also provides 3000+ integrations through Zapier/Make/n8n and monthly credit rollovers, with a free tier and no credit card required. Clay excels in real-time data enrichment and multi-source sourcing, while Cognism shines in verified B2B data and intent signals, but Derrick’s ease of use and flexible pricing often deliver stronger day-to-day value for fast-moving teams.
How does Clay compare to Cognism in pricing and reviews?
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Clay positions itself as a comprehensive data enrichment and automation platform, while Cognism focuses primarily on verified B2B contact intelligence and intent signals. Clay typically offers more flexible pricing with usage-based models, making it cost-effective for high-volume prospecting, whereas Cognism commands premium pricing as an enterprise-focused solution prioritizing data accuracy over volume. Both receive solid reviews for their core strengths, but Clay users note data consistency challenges and complex setup requirements, while Cognism users report coverage gaps for SMBs and API rate limitations. Derrick offers a simpler alternative by operating natively within Google Sheets with reportable credits and transparent pricing starting at just nine dollars monthly, eliminating the need for external platforms or complex integrations while delivering comparable enrichment capabilities with integrated AI scoring.
Can Derrick replace both Clay and Cognism for SMB teams?
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No. Derrick cannot be considered a complete replacement for both Clay and Cognism for SMB teams, as each platform targets slightly different facets of the prospecting workflow. Derrick excels as a native Google Sheets enrichment engine with AI scoring and broad integration potential, offering fast setup, 50+ enrichment attributes, real-time email validation, and a cost-friendly, no-CB-free tier. Clay focuses on real-time data enrichment, multi-source sourcing, and automation workflows, while Cognism emphasizes high-quality, verified contact data, intent signals, and GDPR/CCPA-compliant lead intelligence. For SMBs aiming for fully automated outbound campaigns and complex multi-source enrichment, Derrick can complement those tools, but may not deliver the same depth of intent-based targeting or enterprise-grade verification that Cognism or Clay provide. If your priority is simplicity, speed, and Google Sheets-centric workflows with AI-driven scoring, Derrick is a strong fit; if you need intensive data enrichment breadth or robust intent-based ABM at scale, you might still rely on Clay or Cognism in conjunction with Derrick.
One-on-one
Clay vs Derrick - solo duel
Drop the third-party context and see how Clay compares to Derrick alone.
Open the head-to-head → One-on-oneCognism vs Derrick - solo duel
Drop the third-party context and see how Cognism compares to Derrick alone.
Open the head-to-head → Curated stackAll B2B sales tools we reviewed in depth
Step back from the duel - see our hand-picked sales-tool selection and how every category fits together.
See the full curation → Keep Exploring
