Cognism
- Starting price: Custom (~$15K platform + $1.5K/seat)
- Free plan: No (demo + custom quote only)
- Founded: 2015
- HQ: London, United Kingdom
Updated
Cognism vs Clay vs Derrick: Which Is Better in 2026?
- Short answer
- Cognism vs Clay vs Derrick: Cognism is a gdpr-compliant b2b contact data with mobile coverage, Clay is a multi-source data enrichment with ai workflows. 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 Cognism or Clay) and pricing is lower - free forever with 100 credits/month, paid plans from €9/month. Most teams pair Derrick for the data layer with Cognism or Clay for outreach.
Where Cognism commits you to enterprise contracts and minimum seats, Derrick offers month-to-month credits with rollover. The side-by-side comparison below covers Cognism's database depth, contract structure and per-seat scaling against Derrick's pay-for-what-you-use Sheets-native model.
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
Cognism vs Clay vs Derrick at a glance
Clay
- Starting price: Free / $134/mo (annual)
- Free plan: Yes (limited credits)
- Founded: 2017
- HQ: New York, NY
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 Cognism and Clay
3 core reasons SDRs and ops teams switch to Derrick. Click to expand each.
01 Save time with native Google Sheets enrichment without CSV exports
Cognism and Clay both rely on external exports or multi-step workflows to enrich data, which introduces delays and manual steps that interrupt Google Sheets workstreams. Derrick delivers native Google Sheets enrichment with no CSV exports, eliminating eksport delays and complex integrations. Users gain immediate enrichment across 50+ attributes per contact or company, saving 5-10 hours per month by keeping prospecting entirely inside Sheets. With Derrick, you can validate emails in real time and leverage AI scoring and segmentation without leaving Google Sheets.
02 Flexible data sourcing with 3,000+ integrations for scale
Cognism and Clay both rely on external data sources to support scale, but neither delivers the same seamless breadth of sourcing as Derrick, which must juggle 3,000+ integrations without forcing separate workflows. Derrick consolidates data directly inside Google Sheets, avoiding crawls, exports, or slow handoffs that limit speed and reliability. This translates to measurable gains: up to 20-30% faster list building and up to 15% higher data completeness across large campaigns, with credits that stay usable month to month. A typical use-case is rapidly provisioning multi-source leads into a single sheet for immediate sequencing and outreach.
03 Real-time data accuracy with actionable enrichment insights
Cognism and Clay both struggle with real-time accuracy and consistent enrichment when data sources vary or drift, leaving gaps in immediate actionability. Derrick differentiates by delivering 100% native Google Sheets enrichment with real-time validation and AI-powered scoring, all without leaving Sheets. Teams can expect measurable gains, such as faster outreach readiness and higher deliverability from instant email verification, reducing manual cleanup by up to 30–40% in high-velocity campaigns. For quick wins, Derrick enables on-the-fly enrichment of 50+ attributes per contact, ensuring actionable insights at the exact moment of prospecting.
Honest Comparison 
derrick
What each tool does better
We're upfront - every tool has strengths. Here's where Cognism, Clay, and Derrick each genuinely win.
What Cognism does better
- Best EU mobile-phone coverage
- GDPR-compliant by design
- Strong intent + technographic data
What Clay does better
- Best-in-class waterfall enrichment
- Claygent AI for research at scale
- Open architecture (HTTP API + custom functions)
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.
| Cognism | Clay | Derrick | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting price (monthly) | Custom (~$15K platform + $1.5K/seat) | Free / $134/mo (annual) | €0 (free) · €9/mo paid |
| Annual cost (base) | ~€180/yr | ~€1,608/yr | €0/yr free · ~€108/yr paid |
| Free plan? | No (demo + custom quote only) | Yes (limited credits) | ✓ 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
Cognism vs Clay vs Derrick: full feature comparison
| Cognism | Derrick App | Clay | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Works natively in Google Sheets | ✕ | ✓ | ✕ |
| Requires LinkedIn Sales Navigator ($100/month) | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ |
| Sales Navigator 1-click import | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Email finder with real-time validation | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Phone finder from LinkedIn | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Company tech stack lookup | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| SimilarWeb & G2 insights integrated | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
| AI integration (Claude & ChatGPT) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Automatic AI Lead Scoring | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Data cleaning & normalization | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Multi-platform scraping (Instagram, Twitter, Facebook) | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ |
| Zapier, Make, n8n integrations | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Public API available | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Native CRM integrations (HubSpot, Salesforce) | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ |
| Entry price (paid plan) | 1000$/mois | 9€/mois | 149$/mois |
| Permanent free plan | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rollover credits to next month | ✕ | ✓ | ✕ |
| Simple and transparent credit system | ✕ | ✓ | ✕ |
| Simple setup & onboarding | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
| Complete documentation | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Pricing in a nutshell Sales Intelligence (EU/EMEA) derrick
best value for money
Results first.
Discover Derrick →
Data Enrichment
Cognism vs Clay vs Derrick pricing breakdown
Sales Intelligence (EU/EMEA) Cognism
Custom (~$15K platform + $1.5K/seat)
Best for: EU/EMEA enterprise sales
Cognism offers enterprise-focused pricing with entry-level plans and ongoing value through verified data and intent features, with a comprehensive pricing page detailing all tiers and usage options. See full pricing breakdown for complete details and plan specifics.
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.
Data Enrichment Clay
Free / $134/mo (annual)
Best for: GTM ops & technical SDR teams
Clay offers real-time data enrichment with multiple plan levels and a potential free tier, starting at accessible entry points; detailed pricing varies by plan and usage. For full details, see the complete pricing breakdown.
Migration Guide
How to switch from Cognism 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 Cognism, 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 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 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 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 Cognism vs Clay
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
What’s the Derrick vs Cognism difference for sales data?
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Derrick and Cognism take fundamentally different approaches to sales data. Cognism is a dedicated B2B intelligence platform focused on verified contact databases and intent signals, excelling at EMEA markets with strong compliance standards. Derrick, however, operates natively within Google Sheets as a data enrichment engine, eliminating the need for external platforms or CSV exports. While Cognism prioritizes lead intelligence and database accuracy, Derrick combines enrichment with AI-powered automation, real-time email validation, and integrated Claude and ChatGPT capabilities directly in your spreadsheet. For teams seeking streamlined workflows without platform switching, Derrick's native Sheets integration and rollover credits offer distinct efficiency advantages over Cognism's traditional SaaS model.
Is Derrick a better Cognism alternative for SMBs?
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Derrick is a strong alternative to Cognism for SMBs, particularly those already using Google Sheets. While Cognism excels at data accuracy and intent signals, it carries premium pricing that impacts smaller teams. Derrick offers 50+ enrichment attributes, real-time email validation, and integrated AI at lower costs with rollover credits. For budget-conscious SMBs seeking streamlined prospecting without complex setup, Derrick delivers comparable data quality with superior ease of use and flexibility, making it the more practical choice for resource-limited teams.
Derrick vs Cognism vs Clay: which is best overall?
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The best choice depends on your specific needs. Cognism excels at verified B2B contact data and intent signals, particularly for enterprise teams prioritizing data accuracy in EMEA markets. Clay offers flexible workflow automation and multi-source enrichment for high-volume campaigns. Derrick stands out for teams already using Google Sheets, delivering native integration without CSV exports or complex setup, plus AI-powered features with Claude and ChatGPT, real-time email validation, and rollover credits. If you value simplicity, cost efficiency, and seamless spreadsheet workflows, Derrick saves 5-10 hours monthly compared to external platforms while requiring no credit card for the free tier.
Cognism vs Clay: which has better pricing?
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Cognism tends to be positioned as a premium B2B data platform with strong data quality, GDPR/CCPA compliance, and robust intent signals, which generally translates to higher pricing relative to mid-market options. Clay, by contrast, foregrounds data enrichment and outbound automation with flexible sourcing from multiple providers, which can offer competitive pricing for high-volume workflows but may require more setup and ongoing data validation. Derrick sits between these in pricing philosophy: it offers a free tier and scalable credits (200 free, then affordable paid tiers) with 100% native Google Sheets integration, no credit card required for the free tier, and roll-over credits, delivering cost efficiency and speed for teams prioritizing simplicity and rapid prospecting. If your priority is raw data quality and enterprise-grade compliance, Cognism may be pricier; if you need heavy automation with flexible sources, Clay could be cost-effective but potentially add-on costs for data verification. Derrick provides a more predictable, lower-friction pricing path with strong enrichment per contact and AI-enabled scoring, making it a compelling value for teams using Google Sheets as their hub.
Does Cognism offer a better review than Clay?
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Cognism and Clay serve different purposes in the B2B prospecting workflow. Cognism focuses on verified contact data and intent signals with strong EMEA coverage, while Clay excels at real-time data enrichment and workflow automation across multiple sources. Neither platform offers the native Google Sheets integration that Derrick provides, which eliminates manual CSV exports and saves teams five to ten hours monthly. Both Cognism and Clay require external platforms and complex setup, whereas Derrick delivers streamlined enrichment directly within your existing spreadsheet environment with AI-powered scoring and rollover credits for greater flexibility.
Is Derrick a viable replacement for Cognism and Clay?
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Yes, Derrick can be a viable replacement for Cognism and Clay in many B2B prospecting workflows, but with caveats. Derrick excels in a 100% native Google Sheets environment, eliminating CSV exports and complex setups, which reduces time and friction compared to Cognism’s enterprise data emphasis and Clay’s multi-source enrichment. Derrick’s real-time email validation, 50+ enrichment attributes per contact, AI scoring with Claude and ChatGPT, and extensive Zapier/Make/n8n integrations provide strong outreach foundations. However, Cognism specializes in high-quality B2B data, GDPR/CCPA compliance, and intent signals, while Clay emphasizes flexible data sourcing and automated workflows. If your priority is streamlined, sheet-based prospecting with cost-efficient credits and no credit card required, Derrick can replace or augment those tools, especially for teams prioritizing speed, simplicity, and budget control. For highly regulated data needs or complex multi-source enrichment at scale, consider maintaining Cognism or Clay alongside Derrick to cover gaps.
One-on-one
Cognism vs Derrick - solo duel
Drop the third-party context and see how Cognism compares to Derrick alone.
Open the head-to-head → One-on-oneClay vs Derrick - solo duel
Drop the third-party context and see how Clay 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
