Buy Leads: Lights and Shadows

Buying leads is a fast way to grow your sales and find new customers, but is it always the best idea? In this blog, we’ll look at the top ten companies you can buy leads from, sharing their pros, cons, prices, and what people say about them.

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We’ll also discuss the problems with buying leads, like low-quality info, old data, and how it can hurt your brand. Finally, we’ll show how Leadflyte solves these problems with personalized, up-to-date leads made just for you. Whether you’re new to buying leads or want better results, this guide will help you understand the good and bad of buying leads.

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The Top 10 Providers to Buy Leads From: Pros, Cons, Pricing, and General Feedback

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1. ZoomInfo

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Pros:

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• Large database with millions of contacts.
• Provides deep insights into company structures.
• Easy-to-use interface and powerful search filters.

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Cons:

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• Expensive, especially for small businesses.
• Leads may lack personalization.
• Reports of outdated or inaccurate information.

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Pricing: ZoomInfo typically costs around $10,000 per year, depending on the level of access and features you need.

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General Feedback: ZoomInfo is a solid choice for generating leads, especially if you want quantity. Many businesses say that while it provides a lot of data, the qualified leads can feel generic. This means they need extra work to meet your needs.

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2. Apollo.io

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Pros:

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• Affordable compared to other platforms.
• Offers both lead generation and CRM tools.
• Good for start-ups or small businesses looking for budget-friendly lead generation strategies.

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Cons:

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• Lower data accuracy compared to premium providers.
• Limited customer support.
• Bulk data exports can result in low-quality leads.

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Pricing: Apollo.io starts at $49 per user per month, with higher prices for more credits.

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General Feedback: Apollo.io is useful for businesses that are just starting with outsourced B2B lead generation. It’s budget-friendly, but the quality of leads may not always be top-tier. The data isn’t always fresh, which can hurt your lead generation process.

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3. Salesfully

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Pros:

• Very affordable with access to millions of leads.
• Simple and easy to use.

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Cons:

• Limited filtering options.
• Leads may be outdated or incomplete.
• Doesn’t offer in-depth insights into company details.

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Pricing: Salesfully offers plans starting at $29 per month.

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General Feedback: Salesfully is a good option if you’re on a tight budget and want to try generating leads. However, the price reflects the lower quality of leads. Users often find they have to sift through a lot of irrelevant or outdated contacts, making the lead generation process less efficient.

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4. UpLead

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Pros:

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• Focus on providing verified leads.
• Real-time email verification reduces bounce rates.
• Easy-to-use interface with powerful filters.

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Cons:

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• Smaller database compared to ZoomInfo.
• More expensive for advanced features.

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Pricing: UpLead starts at $99 per month, with higher-tier plans available.

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General Feedback: UpLead is a good choice for businesses focused on getting qualified leads with verified information. While the database is smaller, users find it more reliable, which helps streamline the lead generation process.

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5. Lead411

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Pros:

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• Affordable and solid data for the price.
• Integrates with popular CRM tools.
• Includes email verification and intent data.

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Cons:

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• Smaller database.
• Some issues with outdated contact details.

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Pricing: Lead411 offers plans starting at $75 per month.

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General Feedback: Lead411 is a good choice for businesses that want a balance of affordability and data quality. However, the limited size of the database may slow down your sales team if you’re targeting a large customer base.

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6. Clearbit

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Pros:

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• Provides real-time data enrichment.
• Focuses on high-quality B2B contacts.
• Easy integration with CRM platforms like Salesforce and HubSpot.

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Cons:

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• Expensive for smaller businesses.
• Only annual subscription available
• Limited database compared to other providers.

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Pricing: Clearbit pricing starts at around $99 per month but can increase significantly based on the level of data enrichment and features you need.

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General Feedback: Clearbit is praised for its real-time data enrichment, which ensures leads are always up-to-date. However, its high price point and limited data volume can be a downside for small to mid-sized businesses.

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7. LeadFuze

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Pros:

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• Allows for unlimited lead generation.
• Includes account-based targeting.
• Offers both contact and company-level data.

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Cons:

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• Limited to US-based leads for many industries.
• Sometimes slow to update its database.

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Pricing: LeadFuze offers plans starting at $132 per month, with options to scale based on your needs.

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General Feedback: LeadFuze stands out with its account-based targeting features and the ability to automate lead generation. However, its focus on US-based companies limits its appeal for businesses looking to expand globally.

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8. Hunter.io

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‍Pros:

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• Simple, user-friendly interface.
• Excellent email verification tool.
• Affordable for businesses of all sizes.

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Cons:

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• Limited contact information beyond email addresses.
• No deep insights into company structures or lead intent.

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Pricing: Hunter.io has a free version with limited searches and paid plans starting at $49 per month.

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General Feedback: Hunter.io is great for businesses that primarily need verified email addresses for outreach. However, it doesn’t offer the depth of information or CRM integrations that other providers might, making it less useful for more detailed lead generation strategies.

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9. Lusha

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Pros:

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• Easy-to-use browser extension.
• Real-time contact information.
• Strong focus on accurate, up-to-date data.

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Cons:

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• Limited data volume in lower-tier plans.
• Expensive for larger teams needing more access.

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Pricing: Lusha offers plans starting at $29 per month for individuals, with enterprise pricing available for larger businesses.

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General Feedback: Lusha is highly regarded for its accuracy and ease of use, especially for teams needing quick, real-time contact information. However, smaller plans offer limited data, and expanding your access can get expensive.

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10. Cognism

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Pros:

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• Focus on GDPR-compliant leads.
• Real-time data verification.
• Excellent for sales teams targeting Europe and the US.

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Cons:

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• High pricing compared to competitors.
• Smaller database than giants like ZoomInfo.

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Pricing: Cognism offers custom pricing based on your business needs, but plans typically start at around $1,000 per month.

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General Feedback: Cognism is a great choice for businesses needing GDPR-compliant leads, especially those targeting the European market. The real-time data verification helps improve outreach accuracy, though the high price can be a barrier for small companies.

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The Downsides of Buying Leads: What to Watch Out For

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While buying leads from the providers above can help fill your pipeline quickly, there are some drawbacks to be aware of:

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1. Low Lead Quality

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Providers like Apollo.io and Salesfully often struggle with delivering high-quality, up-to-date leads. Leads provided by these databases can be outdated (like inactive email addresses),or they might belong to people who are not in your industry and are not interested in the products or services you are selling. These leads waste your sales team’s timem and your money.

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2. Lack of Personalization

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Many traditional lead generation companies provide large lists of leads that aren’t tailored to your needs. These generic lists can hurt your lead generation strategy. Customers are more selective than ever, with 75% only responding to businesses that offer personalized communication. However, when you purchase a list of leads, personalization becomes a challenge because:

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• They don't show any buying signals, so it's likely that they are not currently facing the problem that your products or services address.
• The data you receive is often minimal, typically just a name, email, or phone number.
• Without giving context, your sales team struggles with personalized cold outreach and is left with little guidance, leading to wasted opportunities before they can tailor their outreach effectively.

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3. Overused Databases

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When you use databases like ZoomInfo or Apollo.io, there’s a good chance your competitors are contacting the same people. This leads to “lead fatigue,” where prospects are getting hit by multiple companies offering the same products or services, which lowers your chances of success.

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4. Risk to Brand Reputation

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Reaching out to low-quality leads can hurt your brand’s reputation. Imagine you're focused on your work when you're suddenly interrupted by a call from a company you've never heard of, or you start receiving emails pressuring you into a sales conversation. How would you feel about them? For most people, unsolicited outreach comes across as spammy, unprofessional, desperate, and downright annoying. If you target people who aren’t interested, it can make your company look bad and unprofessional.

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5. Low Deliverability

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Internet service providers and blacklist companies are constantly cracking down on these tactics. They deploy spam traps, like honeypot email addresses, designed to catch senders who buy lead lists. If one of these ends up in your outreach, you could be marked as spam. Those purchased leads are also likely to flag your emails as spam. After all, when you receive unsolicited, generic emails from a company you didn’t sign up for, what’s your first move? You probably delete them and hit the spam button.

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5. High Costs

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Some of the bigger lead providers, like ZoomInfo, are very expensive but don’t guarantee great results. Thos that are low-cost, may appear to be a great deal, but if you’ve ever thought, “this seems too good to be true,” that’s because it usually is!

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While the cost-per-lead may be low, the cost-per-conversion is anything but. On average, out of 1,000 cheap leads, only 2-3 turn into paying customers. That means you end up spending valuable time on leads that go nowhere. So, ask yourself—how much is your time, or your sales team's time, really worth? This can make your strategy risky, especially for smaller businesses that don’t have big budgets.

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How Leadflyte Solves These Problems

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Leadflyte can help you avoid the common pitfalls of buying leads and deliver better results than other lead generation companies.

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1. Hyper-Personalized Leads

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Instead of giving you a generic list, we work with you to understand your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP). This allows us to deliver qualified leads that match your exact needs, improving your chances of making a sale. Leadflyte also helps your sales team set up the best outreach system and provides guidance to maximize your strategy.

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2. Manually Reviewed Data

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Every lead we provide is manually reviewed by our team to ensure it’s accurate and up-to-date. This helps avoid problems like outdated info or irrelevant contacts, which can hurt your lead generation strategy.

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3. Real-Time Updates

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Unlike many databases that go stale, our data is always fresh. We provide real-time updates to make sure your sales team is contacting valid leads who are more likely to be interested in your products or services.

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4. Avoid Overused Databases

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Because we create custom lead lists for every client, you won’t be reaching out to the same people as your competitors. This makes your outreach stand out and improves your chances of closing deals.

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5. Affordable Pricing

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While premium lead providers like ZoomInfo charge thousands of dollars per year, Leadflyte offers flexible and affordable options based on your specific needs. You only pay for what you use, making our service a cost-effective solution for improving your lead generation process.

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Conclusion: Should You Buy Leads?

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Buying leads can be a useful way to grow your business, but it’s important to choose the right provider and be aware of the limitations. Providers like ZoomInfo and Apollo.io offer large databases, but they come with challenges like low-quality data, lack of personalization, and high costs. Leadflyte is here to help you overcome these problems with hyper-personalized, manually reviewed, and real-time updated leads.

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If you’re tired of working with old-fashioned databases and want qualified leads that truly match your needs, you should contact Leadflyte and learn more about how we can help your business grow.

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