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 LinkFinder vs Derrick: Which Is Better in 2026?
- Short answer
- Cognism vs LinkFinder vs Derrick: Cognism is a gdpr-compliant b2b contact data with mobile coverage, LinkFinder is a ai-powered linkedin email finder with multi-source data aggregation and zero linkedin account dependency. 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 LinkFinder) 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 LinkFinder 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 27 000+ users worldwide.
CURSOR Quick Facts
Cognism vs LinkFinder vs Derrick at a glance
LinkFinder
- Starting price: $49/month (Starter) · 25-credit free trial
- Free plan: No (paid plans only - credit-based pricing)
- Founded: 2024 (estimated)
- HQ: Not publicly disclosed
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 LinkFinder
3 core reasons SDRs and ops teams switch to Derrick. Click to expand each.
01 Real-time validation without data gaps or delays
Cognism provides real-time verification within its lead data, but it often requires separate workflows to ensure no gaps or delays in validation. Derrick delivers real-time validation directly inside 100% native Google Sheets, eliminating batch delays and data gaps by validating emails as records are enriched. This saves time and improves deliverability metrics, with immediate feedback on each contact as you work. For quick wins, you can validate on-the-fly during prospect research without leaving your sheet, keeping momentum intact.
02 No-code, native Google Sheets automation for enrichment mastery
Cognism and LinkFinder require external workflows or separate CSV processes to enrich data, creating friction for real-time spreadsheet-driven work. Derrick differs by delivering 100% native Google Sheets automation, eliminating exports and manual handoffs. This enables Enrichment mastery with up-to-the-minute updates, saving 5-10 hours per month for teams, and providing 50+ enrichment attributes directly within Sheets. For rapid, no-code workflows, Derrick keeps all data in-situ, streamlining scoring and segmentation without leaving Sheets.
03 Unified data quality with contextual enrichment insight
Cognism and LinkFinder deliver targeted enrichment, but they fall short on delivering unified, context-aware data quality within a single workspace. Derrick differs by natively enriching and validating over 50 attributes per contact directly inside Google Sheets, ensuring contextual insights travel with the record. This approach reduces data gaps and improves deliverability, saving 5–10 hours per month for teams relying on up-to-date, multi-faceted profiles. With Derrick, contextual enrichment is continuous and traceable, so every prospect record stays coherent across discovery and outreach workflows.
Honest Comparison 
derrick
What each tool does better
We're upfront - every tool has strengths. Here's where Cognism, LinkFinder, and Derrick each genuinely win.
What Cognism does better
- Best EU mobile-phone coverage
- GDPR-compliant by design
- Strong intent + technographic data
What LinkFinder does better
- Zero LinkedIn account ban risk (private network architecture)
- No Sales Navigator dependency
- Feature-flat pricing across all tiers
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 | LinkFinder | Derrick | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting price (monthly) | Custom (~$15K platform + $1.5K/seat) | $49/month (Starter) · 25-credit free trial | €0 (free) · €9/mo paid |
| Annual cost (base) | ~€180/yr | ~€588/yr | €0/yr free · ~€108/yr paid |
| Free plan? | No (demo + custom quote only) | No (paid plans only - credit-based pricing) | ✓ 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 LinkFinder vs Derrick: full feature comparison
| Cognism | Derrick App | LinkFinder | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | lifetime deal |
| 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 →
AI LinkedIn Email Finder + Multi-Source Enrichment
Cognism vs LinkFinder vs Derrick pricing breakdown
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 and explicit enterprise-focused options; details vary by plan and usage, with a comprehensive pricing page available to explore all tiers and features. See full pricing breakdown for complete pricing details.
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.
AI LinkedIn Email Finder + Multi-Source Enrichment LinkFinder
$49/month (Starter) · 25-credit free trial
Best for: Solo SDRs wanting LinkedIn email finder without Sales Nav dependency
LinkFinder offers a straightforward pricing structure with an accessible entry point and paid tiers, all including API access across plans; see full pricing breakdown for complete details. View complete pricing details on the dedicated page.
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 LinkFinder if…
- You specifically need solo sdrs wanting linkedin email finder without sales nav dependency
- Zero LinkedIn account ban risk (private network architecture)
- No Sales Navigator dependency
- You're already invested in the LinkFinder 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 LinkFinder
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 main difference Derrick vs Cognism in data enrichment?
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Derrick focuses on real-time data enrichment directly within Google Sheets with fifty plus enrichment attributes per contact and company, eliminating CSV export friction entirely. Cognism excels at intent signals and account-based marketing intelligence with stronger EMEA coverage, but operates as an external platform requiring manual data integration. Derrick's native spreadsheet integration, AI-powered scoring with Claude and ChatGPT, and rollover credits offer teams seamless workflow automation without switching between tools. For organizations prioritizing enrichment speed and workspace efficiency, Derrick delivers faster deployment, while Cognism suits teams prioritizing premium lead intelligence and behavioral signals at enterprise scale.
Is Derrick a better Cognism alternative for SMBs?
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Derrick is an excellent alternative to Cognism for SMBs, particularly if you prioritize cost efficiency and ease of use. While Cognism excels at enterprise-grade contact verification and EMEA coverage, it carries premium pricing that strains smaller budgets. Derrick operates natively within Google Sheets, eliminating costly external platforms and eliminating the need for LinkedIn Sales Navigator, saving SMBs approximately twelve hundred dollars annually. Derrick's rollover credits, integrated AI capabilities with Claude and ChatGPT, and fifty-plus enrichment attributes per contact deliver comprehensive functionality at a fraction of Cognism's cost, making it the smarter choice for resource-conscious SMBs seeking native workspace integration without enterprise pricing.
How does Derrick compare to Cognism for enterprise use?
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Derrick excels for enterprise teams prioritizing seamless workflow integration and cost efficiency. Unlike Cognism, which operates as an external platform requiring CSV exports and manual data uploads, Derrick is 100% native to Google Sheets, eliminating friction and saving 5-10 hours monthly on data management. While Cognism delivers stronger intent signals and EMEA coverage, Derrick offers native AI-powered enrichment with Claude and ChatGPT, rollover credits, and 50+ attributes per contact at significantly lower price points. For enterprises needing integrated prospecting without LinkedIn Sales Navigator costs, Derrick provides superior operational efficiency.
Which has better pricing: Derrick vs LinkFinder?
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Based on pricing structure and value, Derrick generally offers better pricing clarity and flexibility for most B2B teams compared to LinkFinder. Derrick provides a tiered credit system (Free 100 credits, Small 4000, Medium 10000, Large 25000, XL 100000) with roll-over credits and no credit card required for the free tier, plus 100% native Google Sheets integration and extensive enrichment across 50+ attributes, which translates to tangible savings in time and operational costs. LinkFinder, by contrast, is a lightweight enrichment tool with bulk CSV workflows and API access across plans, but its pricing emphasizes rapid processing rather than long-term cost efficiency. For teams already in Google Sheets and needing scalable, reusable outreach data enrichment without exporting to CSV, Derrick delivers more cost-effective value, especially as volume grows.
Can Cognism vs LinkFinder cover similar prospecting features?
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Yes, both Cognism and LinkFinder offer prospecting capabilities, but they serve different use cases. Cognism excels at verified B2B contact data and intent signals for enterprise targeting, while LinkFinder focuses on rapid bulk enrichment through CSV uploads without LinkedIn dependencies. However, neither platform integrates natively into your existing workflow like Derrick does with Google Sheets. Derrick eliminates manual export-import cycles, provides 50+ enrichment attributes per contact, includes real-time email validation, and offers integrated AI scoring with Claude and ChatGPT-all without requiring external tools or complex setup. For teams seeking seamless, context-aware prospecting directly within their spreadsheet environment, Derrick combines the verification strengths of Cognism with LinkFinder's speed while removing operational friction entirely.
Is Derrick a good replacement for Cognism and LinkFinder?
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Yes, Derrick can be a good replacement for Cognism and LinkFinder, but it depends on your needs. For teams prioritizing end-to-end enrichment directly inside Google Sheets with no CSV exports, Derrick offers a native, cost-efficient alternative to Cognism’s extensive contact and firmographic data and to LinkFinder’s bulk enrichment workflow. Derrick provides 50+ enrichment attributes per contact, real-time email validation, AI-driven scoring and segmentation, and broad integrations, all within a Google Sheets environment and without LinkedIn Sales Navigator. Cognism excels in enterprise-scale data accuracy, GDPR/CCPA compliance, and intent signals, while LinkFinder shines in fast CSV-based enrichment and simple bulk workflows. If your priority is seamless in-sheets prospect research, lower total cost, and native automation, Derrick serves as a strong replacement; if you need enterprise-grade data governance and advanced intent analytics or specialized enrichment depth, you might still complement Derrick with other tools.
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-oneLinkFinder vs Derrick - solo duel
Drop the third-party context and see how LinkFinder 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
