14 Best Platforms to Buy Email List

Okay, sales expert, so you’re ready to buy an email list and start closing deals. So was I.

Great, there’s no shortage of options and then – uh oh! Analysis paralysis, WAY too many options. 🤯

…and if you’re already annoyed and don’t care about avoiding costly mistakes I’m about to share with you…

Scroll to the TL;DR: below for the impatient readers. 

→ I get it, I skim most articles too. BUT if you keep reading, you will spend 5 minutes now to save hours and even days of wasted time later - your call.

Here’s where I’ll immediately start saving you significant time and money: I’ve personally tried out more email list platforms than I have brands of underwear.

And in case you were wondering, Nike Dri-Fit has the best briefs on the market. But I digress…

So, here’s the good news. Three email list providers stand out above the rest.

The bad news: I had to give you 14 anyway because if I just gave you three, you probably wouldn’t believe me.

And let me call out the boogieman here while I’m at it. 

EVERY platform claims they have “the best B2B database,” and makes similar promises to “97% accuracy rates” to their customers. 🙄

Which as you probably know, feels more like being gaslit by your mother-in-law than it does sound purchasing advice.

There’s a shortcut though for testing all of these platforms, if you insist…

1. Do they actually have targeted email lists for your industry?
   Reps may show you a small sample list that doesn’t necessarily reflect the bigger picture, so get into the platform itself and try it out. Big promises + urgency + low transparency = 🚩🚩🚩
   
   
2. Are there contracts/hidden fees?
   Somewhere along the way, the powers that be in the data world thought that 12 or even 24+ month contracts sounded like a good time to everybody. Well they were wrong, and it’s not fun if you’re stuck paying for something that doesn’t work.
   
   
3. Is the data really accurate?
   Always try before you buy. This can’t be understated. Anyone can provide you a list of names and email addresses that aren’t up to date. Try it first.

Back to the good news again: I’ve tested email providers extensively so you don’t have to.

And if you wish, you can almost always answer these three questions for yourself for free, before you buy, and test the leads out in a real campaign.

…or, find out the hard way like I did. Sign contracts and spend money on things that don’t work until you find what does. /sarcasm

I wasted a lot of money on trial and error with different platforms to discover that the three questions above are what I should have been asking in the first place.

And this is backed by my managing outbound marketing strategies, especially cold email, for over 200 companies, with deals ranging from $49 subscriptions to $20M business exits. Not all databases are created equal.

After sourcing more than 3 million leads across hundreds of campaigns and clients (and many embarrassing and costly mistakes), I discovered this…

Before you read anything else 👉 human-researched email lists outperform every other type of list

The data backs it up, too.

Extensive testing was completed over 11 months, with more than 2 million email leads.

This was a team effort of myself and 6 other marketing pros alongside me. There was no way I could do this alone and stay sane. 

And contrary to popular belief, you CAN love spreadsheets and be fun at dinner parties too.

We tested many providers across more than 200 client campaigns in this time period. That’s a lot of testing.

I would buy email lists from sources like Data Axle (Sale Genie) and Zoominfo which often appeared better upfront, but the results were short-lived. 

This became apparent in months 2 and 3 of a cold email campaign, when in many cases, these platforms (among many others tested as well like Lusha, Apollo, D7 Leadfinder and more) simply ran out of valid email leads for us to work with.

Human-researched leads however....

Let me interrupt myself for a second. 

If you didn’t know, there is a whole sector of people who just look things up on the internet and get paid for it. 

Sounds exhilarating doesn’t it? Try it for yourself. 

Back to the point: Human-researched leads stood out above the rest for two reasons. 

Firstly, it was a major pain in the *ss. 😤These lists were extremely time-consuming to clean up and verify emails for. Doing this manually is not for the faint of heart.

More importantly though, human-researched email lists were resulting in up to 3X higher positive response rates.

The problem? It was absolutely not scalable. 

You, nor your team, want to be doing this—it’s painstaking work that makes you rethink your career.
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1. Coldlytics - A platform for human-researched leads, with a freemium plan.
2. Zoominfo - Best large sales teams needing enterprise leads for multiple users.
3. Pitchbook - Best for investors looking for in-depth financials on private companies.
   

The best email list provider FOR YOU comes down to one of three distinct choices as a result.
And before you skip to the other 14 I’ve short-listed for you, there’s a critical insight you should know about 👀

The best email list provider for you comes down three buckets.

And don’t overthink this as you can technically be in multiple buckets, but one of the three will be most relevant.
You are in one of three buckets:

1. You work with small businesses. Think local start ups all the way to established $20M companies. Use Coldlytics.
2. You work with big businesses. We’re talking $20M+ revenue, public companies, and Fortune 500 companies. Use Zoominfo.
3. You’re doing M&A, and private company financials are most important. Use Pitchbook.

If you’re in the first bucket, like I was, you need highly targeted lists of small business leads that are probably very specific. 

💆‍♀️ Take a moment. Everything you need is coming to you now.

Close your eyes for a moment. I want you to imagine the ideal email list for your business.

Your eyes aren’t closed if you’re reading this. I see you.
Now, in the comfort of your chair you feel beneath you, imagine your ideal email list came to your screen easily, with little effort. It simply appears. Exhale.

As you ease into your peaceful vision, you see your list more clearly now. 

Inhale 😌

Your body relaxes further into your chair. You see leads. You see new opportunities.

It has direct contact information. Just right. It has verified email addresses. The feeling inside is almost… perfect. Exhale.

Let’s keep going. 

Now you see further across the list, it also has direct phone numbers. A rush of excitement rises quickly through your body. The things you thought only dreams were made of are coming true before your eyes.

You notice the warmth of your chair and the onset of excitement rises in your chest. As your heart beats faster you realize: this is the spreadsheet of all spreadsheets. The holy grail.

The feeling is almost too much, isn’t it?

You’re eagerness to start turning these into closed deals is overwhelming.

Visions of dollars flood your mind. You can see new deposits in your bank account.

This is it, you’ve done it. 

The highest converting email list is yours, and you’ve converted it with ease.

Collecting yourself with a slower and deeper breath than before, you realize you’re on the cusp of something very exciting.

With another deep inhale, feel your chest rise, and slowly let out your breath through your nose. 

There is no urgency here, because there are simply no contracts and no tricks.

Just the dream list without any of its previous flaws. ✨

As you sit in front of your screen, it dawns on you that this is not a dream, but it is your reality. 

It has always been here (technically since 2021), but now, this has become your new reality. 

Your new vision. Your new truth. A paradigm shift.

Are you ready to say goodbye to your email list woes and accept that the answer is finally in front of you?

I can almost feel the tension through your screen, the question begging “but how much will you charge?”.

Exhale again, this is a safe space. No need to clench your wallet tightly.

You will receive 25 leads, just like the ones you’ve envisioned, every single month. 

We won’t charge you for it. Indeed, it’s free. 25 leads, for free.

And when you need more, pay as little as just $0.59 cents per lead, filling your pipeline with thousands of ideal opportunities.

Open your eyes now—for those of you who were participating.

Meet the comfort of a familiar database-like interface at your fingertips, with human researchers at the helm, ready to manually find and verify your leads on demand.

But Matt, the question begs, how long must such a great list take? The answer: just 24 hours.

Yes, just 24 hours, thanks to the scale of our team and the sweat on our brow.

This means you have the best human-researchers in the world at your fingertips, and you don’t even have to speak to a single person. 🎉

And not only is there a freemium plan, but you don’t even have to enter a credit card to try it.

So if you’re planning to buy an email list, be sure you’re getting plenty of actionable information in the process.

Here are some of the more common data points we provide people with every day:

• Full Name
• Direct Email
• Address
• Direct Dial (mobile or direct phone number to the contact)
• Company Name
• Job Title
• Company Age
• Company Revenue
• Company Headcount
• Social Profiles
• Google Reviews
• Ad Pixels in Use
• GBP Link
• GBP Claimed?
• Technologies Used
• Page Speed
• And many more

Try Coldlytics for free here.

Since my top three platforms earlier weren't enough, here’s the 14 best platforms to buy email lists from:

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Capterra Rating: 5/5

G2 Rating: 5/5

By using a system powered by human-research, that not only leverages but goes well beyond the reaches of AI with manual effort, no other B2B email list provider offers the targeting and quality of Coldlytics. You’ll have access to advanced parameters such as tech usage, page speed, and which platforms they’re advertising with. In other words, you’ll get more data than you’ve been familiar with from other email list providers, and the lists are fresher too.

All B2B contact lists are built after a user’s purchase, meaning you’ll get the most up-to-date email list possible, including leads that simply aren’t in other platforms. Each list is researched by our team and is turned around in under 24 hours. With a 100% accuracy guarantee, you’ll never have to worry about bonuses or invalid emails again - or we refund it to your account.

Coldlytics also lets you Browse Millions of Companies by Technology and Location.

Pros

• Collaboration with Zerobounce ensures that email addresses are valid.
• Data is sourced and verified by a human.
• Credits are refunded for any bounced or inaccurate emails.
• Lead lists are always unique and put together after requested.
• Email list data includes contact information for decision-makers rather than low-level employees or office inboxes.
• Highest possible user reviews on both G2 and Capterra.

Cons

• Leads are provided for primarily English-speaking countries only (US, Canada, UK, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand).
• Leads can take up to 24 hours to be delivered.

Pricing

Coldlytics starts on a Freemium plan with 25 leads per month. No credit card required. The Lite Plan costs $49/month for 50 leads. And as you scale up, leads become progressively cheaper, as little as $0.59 per lead on the Pro Plan. Any unused credits roll over to the next month, and you get additional bonus credits when you first subscribe.

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Capterra Rating: 4.1/5

G2 Rating: 4.4/5

ZoomInfo is a top player in the data provider industry, known for its extensive database, reliable lead information, and buyer intent insights. It’s a powerful tool designed to support business growth and marketing efforts.

Their platform includes SalesOS, MarketingOS, OperationsOS, and TalentOS—offering a comprehensive, all-in-one data solution. However, their opaque pricing structure (often cited as expensive) and complex setup process make it a more suitable choice for larger organizations with the resources to maximize its potential.

Pros

• Offers an extensive dataset, including firmographics, technographics, and more.
• Utilizes AI to analyze data, predict prospect needs, and determine the best engagement timing.
• Known for industry-leading data accuracy.
• Provides high-quality intent data to pinpoint leads who are ready to convert.

Cons

• Frequently receives low customer service ratings, including a 3.8 on Capterra.
• More cost-effective for larger businesses, as pricing can be prohibitive for smaller teams.
• Requires a more involved setup process compared to plug-and-play alternatives.

Pricing

Pricing details are only available through their sales team, though many users report that the software comes with a steep price tag.

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Capterra Rating: 3.8/5

G2 Rating: 4.5/5

PitchBook provides incredible financial and investment data on an ultra-deep level. Get data about investors, private equity deals, M&A activity, limited partner asset allocation, and even key financial and debt information about the companies you’d like to target. 

For certain types of professionals, PitchBook is the gold standard for purchasing advanced company intel. However, many agencies may prefer a simpler solution with a smaller learning curve and lower costs.

Pros

• Chrome extension allows access to data as you browse.
• Integration with Excel and Powerpoint for easy transfer and presentation of financial models.
• CRM access or integration with your existing tech stack through API.
• Overall breadth of company financial data is unparalleled.

Cons

• Steep learning curve
• For companies looking to close smaller deals, PitchBook is an expensive solution.
• Some users report discrepancies in the data that require verification. 
• Datasets can take a long time to populate.

Pricing

Their pricing isn’t publicly available, however, their deep access to public and private financial data indicates a steep cost (as also reported by many users). They do offer a free trial so potential users can get a feel for what PitchBook offers.

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Capterra Rating: 4.6/5

G2 Rating: 4.7/5

UpLead’s biggest selling point is their strong worldwide database that allows you to access B2B email lists with up-to-the-minute accuracy. While their database is smaller than that of some other services (160 million), these are high-value leads from over 200 countries.

While they boast a 95%+ accuracy rate, there are still occasional issues with lead quality as lists aren’t manually reviewed before delivery.

Pros

• Advanced filtering enables searches with over 50 different criteria.
• All email addresses undergo verification.
• Seamless integration with 1,500+ platforms ensures leads are automatically added to your CRM, ESP, or sales pipeline.
• A Chrome extension lets you extract data from LinkedIn and various websites.

Cons

• While extensive, their database isn’t as large as some of the industry’s biggest players.
• Accessing enhanced data enrichment and additional features requires upgrading to higher-tier plans.

Pricing

A 7-day free trial allows you to download up to five leads to evaluate search parameters and data quality. Paid plans start at $99 for 170 leads, while the $199/month plan provides 400 leads. The $199/month tier is required to unlock data enrichment, technographic insights, advanced filtering, and other premium features.

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Capterra Rating: 4.1/5

G2 Rating: 4.5/5

RocketReach offers one of the most extensive contact databases, granting access to a global network of 700 million professionals. Their AI-driven data verification and enrichment ensure highly accurate leads while also enhancing existing databases with missing information.

By delivering both high-quality and high-volume leads, RocketReach empowers sales teams to close more deals efficiently. However, reports of unwanted auto-renewals and challenges with refund requests have led to some customer service concerns.

Pros

• Automatically updated lists ensure access to fresh, accurate data.
• Chrome and Edge extensions allow for instant lead data discovery.
• Intent data helps identify buyers actively searching within your industry.
• Built-in email-sending capabilities with a daily limit of 500 emails.
  

Cons

• Users frequently report incomplete or missing data.
• Numerous complaints about automatic renewals and difficulties in canceling or obtaining refunds.
• Phone number data is only available with the Pro plan and higher.
• No free trial available.

Pricing

RocketReach does not offer a free trial. The entry-level plan costs $48/month, providing 1,200 exports per year (email addresses only). Higher-tier plans are priced at $108/month and $249/month, with the top plan allowing up to 10,000 exports annually.

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Capterra Rating: 4.6/5

G2 Rating: 4.4/5

As a cloud-based solution for purchasing email lists, Hunter rates as a tremendously effective platform. With one of the higher-rated services on this list, Hunter is known for its incredible ease of use and included cold email-sending platform. It includes email verification, which means you get incredibly accurate B2B email leads.

Their customer service also rates as top-tier, even going so far as to respond to negative comments on review sites with helpful strategies. Hunter also boasts one of the largest B2B databases in the world and AI-assisted data enrichment.

Pros

• Its all-in-one platform means you don’t have to go find another cold outreach platform.
• Each of their paid plans fully unlocks all of their features.
• The Domain Search feature allows you to specifically find email addresses for professionals from specific companies that you may be targeting.
• Easy-to-use interface means a smaller learning curve.

Cons

• Some advanced features that many services on this list provide are missing.
• Many users report that finding specific emails for newer companies is less effective.

Pricing

On their free plan, you can get 50 emails per month—enough to test their service to see if it’s right for you. Their cheapest paid plan is $34/month which gives you 12k email addresses per year. For larger operations, you can scale up to 120k email verifications per year. All of their plans (except the free version) give you access to build email campaigns for cold outreach.

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Capterra Rating: 4.5/5

G2 Rating: 4/5

With a database of 150 million+ and a 97% accuracy rate, there’s a reason that Skrapp has 5 million users. With its ability to export large quantities of leads at a time, it’s fast and easy to put together an email list of your ideal B2B prospects.

Skrapp’s service works mostly with LinkedIn, which is both a benefit and a downside. Some users prefer to be able to grab leads from other sources, but Skrapp’s incredible LinkedIn extension and data access make it a great tool for finding and enriching B2B email leads.

Pros

• Offers one of the more robust free services, allowing you to get 100 new email addresses per month.
• Native integrations with Salesforce, Outreach, HubSpot, Pipedrive, and many others. 
• Very inexpensive leads—its top plan gives you 20k leads for $140/month.
• Most consider this a very user-friendly platform.

Cons

• Chat, email, and call support are only available on their “Seeker” plan and above.
• Only received 4 stars from G2, although its rating on Capterra is a respectable 4.5.
• Skrapp works primarily with LinkedIn, which is seen as a limitation to some users.

Pricing

Skrapp offers a free service where you can get up to 100 email for free each month. Their most inexpensive paid plan is $30/month for 1k emails, and you also get access to their LinkedIn tools and Chrome extension. As you expand, you’ll get access to more emails as well as a dedicated Account Manager and more extensive support options

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Capterra Rating: 4.5/5

G2 Rating: 4.5/5

ContactOut provides sales and marketing teams with access to a vast database of over 300 million leads, claiming to offer the most accurate contact data available. Trusted by more than 76% of Fortune 500 companies, it’s a go-to solution for professionals seeking a straightforward yet powerful lead-generation tool.

With a single click, users can seamlessly add contacts to an email campaign for instant prospecting. Its intuitive interface ensures a smooth learning curve, allowing new users to get up and running in just minutes.

Pros

• A continuous free trial provides ongoing access to new leads.
• The Chrome extension makes it easy to find lead information directly on LinkedIn.
• Intuitive, user-friendly interface for seamless navigation.

Cons

• Third-party integrations and API access are only included in the highest-tier plan.
• Despite claims of accuracy, many users report incomplete or outdated data.
• Personal emails and phone numbers are often unreliable.
• Bulk data enrichment requires manual entry of contact details.

Pricing

ContactOut’s free plan allows users to access five emails and phone numbers per day. The $49/month plan offers 300 exports per month and includes email campaign features. For $99/month, users get unlimited phone numbers and emails with a 600-export monthly limit. Full access to features, including API and third-party integrations, requires a custom enterprise plan.

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Capterra Rating: 3.8/5

G2 Rating: 4.3/5

Trusted by over 1 million business professionals worldwide, Seamless is one of the most widely used B2B data provider platforms. With a database of more than 1.3 billion contacts and seamless integrations with leading CRMs, it effortlessly integrates into most B2B workflows.

However, it ranks lower than some competitors, earning a 3.8 out of 5 stars on Capterra.

Pros

• Chrome extension captures contact details from company websites, LinkedIn, and other sources.
• Provides extensive contact data, including buyer intent, job changes, and AI-powered insights.
• Uses AI to generate personalized pitches, helping boost conversions with minimal effort.
• Clean, intuitive interface makes it easy to learn and navigate.

Cons

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• Frequent upsell prompts within the dashboard can become frustrating.
• Many users report confusion over contract terms and cancellation policies.
• Contact lists appear to have more inactive email addresses than other comparable services.

Pricing

Seamless offers a free tier with 50 credits, allowing users to test lead quality and integrations. To unlock full features, users must upgrade to the Pro or Enterprise plans, both of which require contacting sales for custom pricing. While official pricing isn’t disclosed, many users note that it is relatively affordable compared to competitors.

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Capterra Rating: 4.5

G2 Rating: 4.4

Kaspr is a European-based service that allows you to buy email lists through gathering contact data from over 150 sources. Their main offering is a LinkedIn Chrome Extension that gathers data from over 200 million profiles. 

Along with their B2B email addresses, you also get access to a limited number of direct email and phone credits, which are a great add-on for sales teams interested in individual prospecting.

Pros

• In addition to B2B email addresses, you can access direct emails and phone numbers for additional prospecting opportunities.
• No onboarding is necessary because of the simplicity of the tool.
• Unused credits roll over each month.

Cons

• Focuses on the European market, which is great for some companies, but offers fewer options for the U.S. market.
• It’s better for 1-to-1 prospecting rather than bulk delivery of emails.
• Limited API access at the Starter tier.
• Many complaints about data being outdated.

Pricing

With their free offering, you can access 15 email credits, 5 phone credits, and 5 direct email credits. When you upgrade to the Starter tier (for €45/month), you get access to Sales Navigator and some API access. On the highest levels (€79/month+), you can get access to intent data, Salesforce enrichment, and unlimited API access.

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Capterra Rating: 4.1/5

G2 Rating: 4.6/5

As a provider of unlimited B2B leads, Lead411 offers a vast database of over 450 million contacts globally. Their growth intent data helps you identify companies poised for expansion, making it easier to target prospects likely to invest in services that support their growth.

Lead411 stands out by including phone numbers with every lead—a rare feature among data providers. Their generous free trial offers 50 leads, giving you ample opportunity to evaluate the quality and accuracy of their data firsthand.

Pros

• Provides real-time company updates for organizations you’re targeting.
• Lead scoring helps prioritize the warmest, most promising leads.
• Custom triggers enable highly targeted lead searches.
• Chrome extension allows for easy lead data lookup across the web.
• Data enrichment feature updates and enhances the leads in your CRM.

Cons

• Certain features, like buyer intent signals, are only available with annual plans.
• More expensive compared to other alternatives.
• The user interface, especially the filtering options, can be challenging to navigate.

Pricing

Lead411 offers a 7-day free trial with up to 50 contact exports. After the trial, the $99/month plan includes 200 exports per month, a Chrome extension, email automation, and more. To access all features, you’ll need to upgrade to the Enterprise Limited package, which requires custom pricing. Buyer intent signals are only available on the annual plan.

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Capterra Rating: 4.8/5

G2 Rating: 4.6/5

Promoted as a comprehensive sales platform, Apollo.io serves as an all-in-one solution for your go-to-market strategy. Offering a full-featured CRM, email automation, pipeline tracking, and more, Apollo.io streamlines the process of purchasing and marketing to leads in one unified platform.

While its extensive features are a major advantage, they can also be overwhelming, with a steep learning curve. If you’re seeking a simpler tool, you may want to consider other options. However, if you need an all-in-one marketing and prospecting platform, Apollo.io could be the perfect fit for you.

Pros

• Access to 275 million contacts across 73 million companies.
• Promises 97.5% data accuracy, one of the highest in the industry.
• All marketing and sales features are included in the pricing, offering great value.
• Chrome extension quickly finds email addresses.
• Feature-rich platform enables seamless lead searching and prospecting from one place.

Cons

• Many users report subpar customer service experiences.
• The platform’s extensive features come with a higher learning curve.
• Data on smaller companies may be limited or less comprehensive.

Pricing

The free tier offers 120 export credits per year with no time limitations, plus access to filters, automation sequences, and the Chrome extension. The Basic plan costs $49/month, providing advanced data enrichment and access to key features. The $119/month plan unlocks additional platform capabilities, including up to 12 buying intent filters per contact.

Capterra Rating: 4.3/5

G2 Rating: 4.4/5

As a leading business intelligence and B2B data provider, SalesIntel focuses on providing deep insights. Along with the basics, they also provide buyer intent data, technographics, website visitor intelligence, and other advanced data points. 

They have one of the smaller databases on this list, but their advanced data makes each lead more valuable for your B2B outreach. 

Pros

• New AdsIntel feature allows you to build, launch, and track ad campaigns across Facebook, Google, and more.
• Provides advanced firmographic, technographic, and buyer intent data.
• Top-notch support with fast responses.

Cons

• Database of contacts is limited to high-value contacts.
• Many of their advanced features are available only as add-ons.
• Many users are dissatisfied with the user interface.

Pricing

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For one price, you get access to unlimited email export and enrichment credits. This pricing is only available upon request (although some users report around $69 per user or $199 per team per month). Many of their advanced features are available as an add-on, such as advanced intent data and their ABM suite. 

14. Lusha

Capterra Rating: 4.0/5G2 Rating: 4.3/5

As one of the top-rated solutions on this list (with over 1,400 reviews on G2), Lusha has served more than 1 million customers. Its feature-packed platform offers a user-friendly solution for sales teams and marketers to easily find leads and start email outreach.

What sets Lusha apart is its Chrome extension, which lets you gather data directly from LinkedIn or company websites. With job change alerts and advanced buying intent signals, you can stay ahead of leads that are most likely to convert. However, while their entry-level packages seem affordable, unlocking the full range of features can be pricey.

Pros

• Send emails directly from Lusha’s platform for a streamlined workflow.
• Robust API enables seamless integration and automation of the lead process.
• Chrome extension allows you to gather contact and company data from any website, including LinkedIn and company sites.
• Enriches existing contact data in your CRM for more comprehensive insights.
• Intent signals track behavioral cues to assess a company's likelihood of making a purchase.

Cons

• Some users find the cost of accessing premium features to be relatively high.
• Unused credits don’t roll over from month to month.
• The top-tier package offers fewer than 1,000 phone numbers annually, with any higher volume requiring direct coordination with the sales team.

Pricing

The free plan includes 50 emails and five phone numbers to get started. Paid plans start at $59/month per user, offering 3,840 emails and 960 phone numbers. For higher volumes, custom pricing is required.

What Industries Can You Buy Email Lists For?

Here are a list of some of the common niches that you can purchase B2B email lists for:

Nightclubs Industry Email Lists

Engineering Industry Email Lists

Carpet Cleaning Industry Email Lists

Rail Road Industry Email Lists

Chain Stores Industry Email Lists

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