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 Octopus CRM vs Derrick: Which Is Better in 2026?
- Short answer
- Cognism vs Octopus CRM vs Derrick: Cognism is a gdpr-compliant b2b contact data with mobile coverage, Octopus CRM is a budget chrome-extension linkedin automation tool for solo prospectors. 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 Octopus CRM) 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 Octopus CRM 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 Octopus CRM vs Derrick at a glance
Octopus CRM
- Starting price: $9.99/mo (Starter)
- Free plan: 7-day free trial
- Founded: 2018
- HQ: United States (remote-first team)
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 Octopus CRM
3 core reasons SDRs and ops teams switch to Derrick. Click to expand each.
01 Real-time verification and native Sheets efficiency without manual setup
Cognism delivers real-time verification and accurate data, but its setup often requires additional configuration steps that slow teams down, while Octopus CRM focuses on LinkedIn automation with limited native Sheets integration. Derrick solves this by making real-time verification work directly inside 100% native Google Sheets, without any manual setup or CSV exports. Users save 5-10 hours per month and validate emails in real time, improving deliverability and outreach speed. For quick win, Derrick enacts instant enrichment with over 50 attributes per contact and keeps credits reportable for flexible budgeting.
02 Affordable, scalable data enrichment beyond basic CRM tools
Cognism and Octopus CRM offer basic data or limited enrichment, but neither delivers a native, scalable enrichment layer fully inside Google Sheets like Derrick. Derrick solves this by turning Sheets into a complete, 100% native data enrichment hub with 50+ attributes per contact and monthly credit rollovers, all without CSV exports or complex setup. Teams save up to 5-10 hours per month while adding depth across contacts and accounts, improving targeting accuracy and reach. A practical use case: enrich and verify contacts in real time within Sheets and push updates to your pipeline without leaving the workbook.
03 Universal data quality due to real-time verification and 50+ enrichments per contact
Cognism and Octopus CRM struggle with universal data quality when real-time verification and extensive enrichment are required across all contacts. Derrick delivers 50+ enrichments per contact with real-time verification directly inside 100% native Google Sheets, avoiding manual setup. This results in higher data accuracy and faster prospect profiling, reducing dead-ends and follow-up delays by up to 30% in typical campaigns. A practical use case: instantly validate emails and enrich firmographic details during list building, without exporting data or leaving Sheets.
Honest Comparison 
derrick
What each tool does better
We're upfront - every tool has strengths. Here's where Cognism, Octopus CRM, and Derrick each genuinely win.
What Cognism does better
- Best EU mobile-phone coverage
- GDPR-compliant by design
- Strong intent + technographic data
What Octopus CRM does better
- Cheapest LinkedIn automation tool worth using
- Genuinely intuitive UI
- Built-in safety controls + smart delays
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 | Octopus CRM | Derrick | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting price (monthly) | Custom (~$15K platform + $1.5K/seat) | $9.99/mo (Starter) | €0 (free) · €9/mo paid |
| Annual cost (base) | ~€180/yr | ~€120/yr | €0/yr free · ~€108/yr paid |
| Free plan? | No (demo + custom quote only) | 7-day free trial | ✓ 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 Octopus CRM vs Derrick: full feature comparison
| Cognism | Derrick App | Octopus CRM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 9.99$/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 →
Budget LinkedIn Automation (Chrome Extension)
Cognism vs Octopus CRM vs Derrick pricing breakdown
Sales Intelligence (EU/EMEA) Cognism
Custom (~$15K platform + $1.5K/seat)
Best for: EU/EMEA enterprise sales
Cognism offers premium B2B data with plans that start at a higher entry price and include real-time verification, multi-channel outreach, and enterprise-grade features; a dedicated pricing page provides the full breakdown and options. See full pricing details on the Cognism 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.
Budget LinkedIn Automation (Chrome Extension) Octopus CRM
$9.99/mo (Starter)
Best for: Budget-conscious solo SDRs running basic LinkedIn outreach
Octopus CRM offers affordable entry-level pricing with a free tier for basic LinkedIn outreach, followed by paid plans that scale with usage-see full pricing breakdown for all details. For complete pricing details, view the pricing 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 Octopus CRM if…
- You specifically need budget-conscious solo sdrs running basic linkedin outreach
- Cheapest LinkedIn automation tool worth using
- Genuinely intuitive UI
- You're already invested in the Octopus CRM 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 Octopus CRM
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 main difference for teams?
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Derrick operates natively within Google Sheets, eliminating the need for external platforms or CSV exports that Cognism and Octopus CRM require. While Cognism excels at B2B contact intelligence and Octopus CRM focuses on LinkedIn automation, Derrick combines data enrichment with integrated AI tools like Claude and ChatGPT for scoring and segmentation directly in your spreadsheet. Teams using Derrick save five to ten hours monthly on manual data work and avoid LinkedIn Sales Navigator costs, making it ideal for organizations prioritizing efficiency and cost-effectiveness without sacrificing data depth or automation capabilities.
Is Derrick a better Cognism alternative for data quality?
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Derrick offers superior data quality automation compared to Cognism by operating natively within Google Sheets, eliminating manual CSV exports and reducing enrichment time by five to ten hours monthly. While Cognism excels at verified contact databases, Derrick complements this strength through real-time email validation, fifty-plus enrichment attributes per contact, and integrated AI scoring using both Claude and ChatGPT. For teams prioritizing data quality combined with operational efficiency, Derrick's rollover credits and zero-configuration setup deliver faster, more cost-effective enrichment workflows than Cognism's premium pricing model.
Derrick vs Cognism vs Octopus CRM: which is best overall?
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The best choice depends on your specific needs. Cognism excels at verified contact data and intent signals, making it ideal for enterprise teams prioritizing data accuracy. Octopus CRM offers simplicity and affordability for basic pipeline management but lacks advanced enrichment. Derrick stands out for teams already using Google Sheets, delivering 50+ enrichment attributes natively without CSV exports or complex setup, saving five to ten hours monthly. Derrick's rollover credits, integrated AI scoring with Claude and ChatGPT, and real-time email validation provide flexibility competitors lack. For cost-conscious teams seeking comprehensive enrichment directly in Sheets, Derrick offers superior value and ease of implementation compared to both alternatives.
Which is the better Cognism vs Octopus CRM pricing option?
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Between Cognism and Octopus CRM, Cognism is the stronger option for pricing if your priority is data quality, accuracy, and enterprise-grade compliance, albeit at a higher price. Octopus CRM offers a more affordable, LinkedIn-focused solution with simpler CRM features but thinner data enrichment and fewer advanced capabilities. Derrick complements both by providing 100% native Google Sheets enrichment, real-time email validation, and AI-powered scoring, often at a cost-effective tier with credits that roll over and no credit card required for the free tier. If you’re weighing Cognism vs Octopus CRM on pricing alone, Octopus is typically cheaper upfront, but Cognism delivers deeper data fidelity; Derrick can fill gaps in both pipelines without exporting data or leaving Sheets.
How does Cognism compare to Octopus CRM features and reviews?
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Cognism and Octopus CRM serve different prospecting needs. Cognism excels as a premium B2B intelligence platform with verified contact data and strong EMEA coverage, ideal for enterprise teams prioritizing data accuracy. Octopus CRM focuses on LinkedIn automation with a simpler, more affordable approach but lacks advanced data enrichment depth. Both require supplementary tools for comprehensive enrichment. Derrick App bridges this gap by offering native Google Sheets enrichment with 50+ attributes, real-time email validation, and integrated AI scoring-eliminating manual exports while delivering comparable intelligence at a fraction of the cost, with rollover credits and no card required for the free tier.
Can Derrick replace both Cognism and Octopus CRM effectively?
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Derrick cannot fully replace both Cognism and Octopus CRM in all scenarios, but it can cover core enrichment and workflow needs that these platforms address differently. Cognism specializes in high-quality B2B contact data, firmographic details, and intent signals, with strong GDPR/CCPA compliance and multi-market depth-areas where Derrick complements rather than replaces it by providing native enrichment and AI-driven scoring within Google Sheets. Octopus CRM focuses on LinkedIn-centric automation and basic CRM tasks; Derrick offers broader data enrichment (50+ attributes), real-time email validation, AI summaries, and extensive integrations, making it a strong backbone for prospecting workflows but not a full-scale replacement for a dedicated LinkedIn automation tool. In practice, many teams benefit from pairing Derrick with Cognism for data quality and compliance, and with Octopus CRM for LinkedIn automation, rather than trying to replace all specialized capabilities with a single solution.
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-oneOctopus CRM vs Derrick - solo duel
Drop the third-party context and see how Octopus CRM 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
