Key Takeaways
- SalesboxAI is best for B2B teams wanting first-party, contact-level intent data with AI-powered identity resolution, buying group detection, and built-in activation via ads and AI agents.
- Bombora is best for teams needing third-party topic-level intent (Company Surge®) across a massive B2B publisher co-op.
- 6sense is ideal for mature ABM orgs running predictive campaigns aligned to buying stages.
- ZoomInfo suits enterprise sales teams needing massive contact databases combined with intent signals.
B2B intent data has become the cornerstone of modern go-to-market strategy. In 2026, the best GTM teams don't wait for prospects to fill out forms—they use intent data to identify in-market buyers, prioritize high-fit accounts, and engage decision-makers before the competition even knows they're looking.
But not all intent data is created equal. First-party vs. third-party signals, account-level vs. contact-level resolution, topic-based vs. behavioral scoring—the differences matter enormously when it comes to pipeline impact. This guide ranks and reviews the 15 best B2B intent data providers to help you choose the right platform for your GTM strategy in 2026.
Table of Contents
- What is B2B Intent Data?
- Types of Intent Data: First-Party vs. Third-Party
- Quick Comparison Table
- 15 Top B2B Intent Data Providers
- 1. SalesboxAI
- 2. Bombora
- 3. 6sense
- 4. ZoomInfo
- 5. Demandbase
- 6. Clearbit (HubSpot)
- 7. Cognism
- 8. Apollo.io
- 9. Dealfront
- 10. UserGems
- 11. SalesIntel
- 12. UpLead
- 13. VisitorQueue
- 14. Lusha
- 15. CIENCE
- How to Choose a B2B Intent Data Provider
- Frequently Asked Questions
15 Top B2B Intent Data Providers for 2026:
- 1.SalesboxAI
- 2.Bombora
- 3.6sense
- 4.ZoomInfo
- 5.Demandbase
- 6.Clearbit (HubSpot)
- 7.Cognism
- 8.Apollo.io
- 9.Dealfront
- 10.UserGems
- 11.SalesIntel
- 12.UpLead
- 13.VisitorQueue
- 14.Lusha
- 15.CIENCE
What is B2B Intent Data?
B2B intent data reveals which companies and individuals are actively researching topics related to your product or service. It captures behavioral signals—content consumption, search activity, website visits, peer review research, and more—that indicate a prospect is "in-market" and likely to make a purchase decision.
Intent data allows GTM teams to move from reactive (waiting for inbound leads) to proactive (engaging buyers at the moment of interest). When combined with firmographic and technographic data, intent signals become a powerful engine for account prioritization, personalized outreach, and pipeline acceleration.
Types of Intent Data: First-Party vs. Third-Party
| Attribute | First-Party Intent | Third-Party Intent |
|---|---|---|
| Source | Your own website, emails, events | External publisher networks, review sites |
| Resolution | Contact-level (with identity resolution) | Usually account-level only |
| Accuracy | Very high (direct engagement) | Moderate (aggregated signals) |
| Privacy | Fully owned, GDPR-compliant | Depends on provider compliance |
| Best For | Activating known interest, retargeting | Discovering new in-market accounts |
| Example Provider | SalesboxAI | Bombora, G2 |
The most effective GTM strategies in 2026 combine both first-party and third-party intent data. First-party data tells you who is engaging with your brand; third-party data tells you who is researching your category elsewhere. Together, they create a complete picture of buyer readiness.
B2B Intent Data Providers: Quick Comparison
| Provider | Best For | Standout Feature | Pricing |
|---|---|---|---|
| SalesboxAI | First-party intent + AI activation | Contact-level identity resolution + AI agents | Custom |
| Bombora | Third-party topic intent | Company Surge® across 5K+ topics | Custom |
| 6sense | Predictive ABM | Buying-stage prediction engine | Free tier / Custom |
| ZoomInfo | Enterprise sales + enrichment | Massive contact DB + intent signals | Custom |
| Demandbase | ABM orchestration | Multi-channel ABM + intent scoring | Custom |
| Clearbit | Real-time enrichment | Reveal API + visitor deanonymization | Custom |
| Cognism | EMEA-focused sales | GDPR-compliant mobile-verified data | Custom |
| Apollo.io | SDR-led outbound | Prospecting + sequencing + intent | Free / $49+/mo |
| Dealfront | SMB visitor identification | IP-to-firmographic matching | Custom |
| UserGems | Job change signals | Champion tracking + CRM alerts | Custom |
| SalesIntel | Human-verified data | Research-on-demand + Bombora intent | Custom |
| UpLead | Lean GTM teams | 95% data accuracy guarantee | $99/mo |
| VisitorQueue | Anonymous visitor tracking | Unlimited users + visitor data | $39/mo |
| Lusha | Quick contact access | Chrome extension + intent filters | Free / $49+/mo |
| CIENCE | Managed outbound + intent | GO Intent + SDR-as-a-Service | Custom |
15 Top B2B Intent Data Providers of 2026
SalesboxAI
Best for first-party intent data with AI-powered activation
SalesboxAI Intent is a first-party intent data platform powered by contact-level website identity resolution. Unlike traditional third-party intent providers that only tell you which companies are showing interest, SalesboxAI identifies the actual individuals visiting your website—resolving anonymous traffic into named contacts with verified email addresses, job titles, and company information.
What truly sets SalesboxAI apart is that intent data isn't an isolated signal—it's connected to a full GTM activation engine. Once a high-intent contact is identified, SalesboxAI's AI agents can automatically engage them via email, web chat, or WhatsApp, while SalesboxAI Ads can retarget them with programmatic display and CTV campaigns.
Key Features
- Contact-Level Identity Resolution: Resolves anonymous website visitors into named contacts—not just company-level data. Know exactly who is on your site, what pages they viewed, and how engaged they are.
- First-Party Intent Signals: Captures high-fidelity behavioral data directly from your owned properties—website visits, content engagement, page depth, session frequency, and return visit patterns.
- Buying Group Detection: Automatically identifies multiple stakeholders from the same account visiting your site, mapping them to the buying group for account-level orchestration.
- Engagement Scoring: AI-powered scoring that combines page-level intent, visit frequency, content depth, and firmographic fit to rank leads by purchase readiness.
- Built-In Activation: Unlike standalone intent tools, SalesboxAI connects intent signals directly to AI agents for automated outreach and programmatic ads for retargeting—no manual handoff required.
- Real-Time Alerts: Get instant Slack or email notifications when high-value accounts are on your site, enabling sales teams to act within minutes.
- Privacy-First Architecture: GDPR and CCPA compliant, built on first-party data with transparent consent management.
Pros:
- • Contact-level resolution (not just account-level)
- • First-party data you own and control
- • Built-in activation via AI agents + programmatic ads
- • Buying group identification across accounts
- • Real-time alerts for sales team action
- • GDPR and CCPA compliant by design
Cons:
- • Requires sufficient website traffic for maximum value
- • Best suited for mid-market and enterprise B2B
- • Premium positioning, not a low-cost point solution
Pricing: Custom, based on website traffic volume and activation channels.
Best For: B2B companies that want to own their intent data, identify exactly who is visiting their website, and activate those signals instantly through AI-powered outreach and programmatic advertising. Ideal for demand generation, ABM, and sales teams that prioritize pipeline over vanity metrics.
Bombora
Best for third-party topic-level intent at scale
Bombora operates the largest B2B intent data co-op, aggregating content consumption signals across 5,000+ premium B2B publisher websites. Their Company Surge® methodology identifies when a company is consuming significantly more content on a specific topic than its historical baseline—a reliable indicator of active research and buying intent.
Pros:
- • Largest B2B publisher co-op for third-party intent
- • 12,000+ intent topics for precise targeting
- • Integrates with most major sales/marketing platforms
- • Transparent, consent-based data collection
Cons:
- • Account-level only—no contact-level resolution
- • No built-in activation (requires separate tools)
- • Signal accuracy varies by topic and region
Best For: Marketing and sales teams that need broad third-party intent signals to fuel ABM campaigns, content syndication targeting, and account prioritization.
6sense
Best for predictive ABM and buying-stage intelligence
6sense combines intent data with AI-driven predictive analytics to map accounts to buying stages—from Awareness through Decision. Their Revenue AI platform unifies first-party and third-party signals, anonymous web visitor identification, and predictive models to surface accounts most likely to convert.
Pros:
- • Buying-stage prediction across the full funnel
- • Combines first-party + third-party + Bombora data
- • Built-in orchestration for ads and outbound
- • Free tier available for smaller teams
Cons:
- • Complex setup requiring dedicated admin
- • Enterprise pricing can be very steep
- • Heavy platform—overkill for lean teams
Best For: Mature ABM organizations with dedicated ops teams that want predictive intelligence to align marketing, sales, and ads around buying stages.
ZoomInfo
Best for enterprise sales teams needing contact data + intent
ZoomInfo is the gold standard for B2B contact and company data, and their intent data offering layers behavioral signals on top of their massive database. With access to 100M+ business contacts, ZoomInfo combines firmographic, technographic, and intent data to help enterprise teams identify and prioritize high-fit, in-market accounts.
Pros:
- • Largest B2B contact database available
- • Real-time intent signals combined with enrichment
- • Deep integrations with Salesforce, HubSpot, Outreach
- • Advanced search and filtering capabilities
Cons:
- • Premium enterprise pricing
- • Intent data is add-on, not core
- • Data quality inconsistent outside North America
Best For: Enterprise sales and RevOps teams running high-volume outbound that need both contact enrichment and intent signals in a single platform.
Demandbase
Best for large ABM orgs with multi-channel orchestration
Demandbase One is an end-to-end ABM platform that combines intent data, account identification, advertising, and sales intelligence. Their proprietary intent data is sourced from a network of B2B sites and combined with Bombora data, giving broad topic coverage alongside their own behavioral scoring.
Pros:
- • Full ABM suite: ads, intent, sales intelligence
- • Account-level behavioral scoring
- • Multi-channel campaign orchestration
- • Strong Salesforce integration
Cons:
- • Complex and expensive for smaller teams
- • Steep learning curve
- • Account-level only—no contact resolution
Best For: Large enterprises running mature ABM programs that need a unified platform for intent, ads, and sales intelligence.
Clearbit (HubSpot)
Best for real-time enrichment and anonymous visitor intelligence
Now part of HubSpot, Clearbit specializes in real-time data enrichment and anonymous visitor identification. Their Reveal product deanonymizes website traffic at the company level, while their enrichment APIs instantly append firmographic data to form submissions and CRM records.
Pros:
- • Real-time enrichment API (sub-second)
- • Deep HubSpot native integration
- • Clean, developer-friendly data model
- • Website visitor deanonymization
Cons:
- • Company-level visitor ID only (no contact resolution)
- • Limited intent signal depth vs. Bombora/6sense
- • Becoming HubSpot-centric, limiting for non-HubSpot users
Best For: HubSpot-centric growth teams that need real-time lead enrichment and basic website visitor identification.
Cognism
Best for GDPR-compliant sales data with mobile-first outreach
Cognism excels in the European market with phone-verified mobile numbers and strict GDPR compliance. They license Bombora intent data and layer it on top of their own verified contact database, making it easy for sales teams to combine intent signals with direct-dial outreach.
Pros:
- • Best-in-class EMEA data coverage
- • Phone-verified mobile numbers (Diamond Data®)
- • Bombora intent data included
- • Strong GDPR/CCPA compliance
Cons:
- • Weaker North American coverage vs. ZoomInfo
- • Intent data is licensed (Bombora), not proprietary
- • Limited activation features beyond data export
Best For: Sales teams targeting EMEA markets that need compliant, mobile-first contact data combined with intent signals.
Apollo.io
Best for SDR teams combining intent with outbound sequencing
Apollo.io is an all-in-one sales intelligence and engagement platform with a generous free tier. It combines a 275M+ contact database with intent signals, email sequencing, and a dialer—making it particularly attractive for SDR/BDR teams that want prospecting, intent, and outreach in a single tool.
Pros:
- • Generous free tier with core features
- • Prospecting + sequencing + intent in one platform
- • Large and growing contact database
- • Affordable paid plans starting at $49/mo
Cons:
- • Intent signals are less sophisticated than Bombora/6sense
- • Data quality can be inconsistent
- • Enterprise features are limited
Best For: SDR/BDR teams and startups that want an affordable, all-in-one platform for prospecting, intent signals, and outbound sequencing.
Dealfront (formerly Leadfeeder)
Best for SMBs identifying anonymous website visitors
Dealfront (the merger of Leadfeeder and Echobot) uses IP-to-company matching to identify which businesses visit your website. It's a straightforward, easy-to-deploy solution for mid-market teams that want basic website visitor identification without enterprise complexity.
Pros:
- • Simple setup and fast time to value
- • Strong European company data
- • Affordable for SMBs
- • CRM integrations with Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive
Cons:
- • Company-level only—no contact identification
- • IP-matching accuracy declining with remote work
- • Limited intent depth (page views only)
Best For: SMBs and mid-market teams that need a quick, affordable way to see which companies are visiting their website.
UserGems
Best for capturing pipeline from job changes and champion tracking
UserGems takes a unique approach to intent by tracking job changes of your past customers, champions, and engaged contacts. When a known advocate moves to a new company, UserGems alerts your team—creating a warm, high-conversion pipeline opportunity.
Pros:
- • Unique "relationship intent" via job change tracking
- • High conversion rates from warm signals
- • Automated CRM alerts and workflows
- • Complements traditional intent providers
Cons:
- • Not a traditional intent provider (no topic/keyword intent)
- • Requires an existing customer base for maximum value
- • Best as a complement, not a standalone solution
Best For: B2B companies with an established customer base that want to leverage existing relationships when champions change jobs.
SalesIntel
Best for human-verified data with Bombora intent integration
SalesIntel differentiates through human-verified contact data (95%+ accuracy) combined with licensed Bombora intent signals. Their "Research-on-Demand" service lets you request specific contacts that aren't in their database, making it ideal for niche targeting.
Pros:
- • Human-verified data with 95%+ accuracy
- • Research-on-demand for niche contacts
- • Bombora intent data included
- • Technographic data coverage
Cons:
- • Smaller database than ZoomInfo or Apollo
- • Intent data is licensed (Bombora), not proprietary
- • Limited automation and sequencing capabilities
Best For: RevOps teams that prioritize data accuracy and need human-verified contacts combined with intent signals for targeted outbound.
UpLead
Best for startups and lean GTM teams on a budget
UpLead offers a verified B2B contact database with intent data filters at an accessible price point. Their 95% data accuracy guarantee and real-time email verification make it a reliable choice for teams that can't afford bad data. Intent filtering helps prioritize accounts showing buying signals.
Pros:
- • Affordable starting at $99/month
- • 95% data accuracy guarantee
- • Real-time email verification
- • Intent data filters included
Cons:
- • Smaller database than enterprise competitors
- • Basic intent signals (not as deep as Bombora/6sense)
- • Limited advanced features and integrations
Best For: Startups and small teams that need affordable, verified contact data with basic intent filtering to prioritize outreach.
VisitorQueue
Best for affordable anonymous website visitor identification
VisitorQueue is a budget-friendly website visitor identification tool that reveals which companies are browsing your site. Starting at just $39/month with unlimited users, it's one of the most accessible entry points into intent-based marketing.
Pros:
- • Very affordable ($39/month)
- • Unlimited users included
- • Easy setup with script-based tracking
- • Firmographic data on visitors
Cons:
- • Company-level identification only
- • Limited intent depth beyond page visits
- • Fewer integrations than larger platforms
Best For: Small businesses and startups that want a low-cost way to identify anonymous website visitors and prioritize follow-up.
Lusha
Best for quick contact access with intent-based filtering
Lusha is a sales intelligence platform known for its Chrome extension that surfaces contact details while browsing LinkedIn or company websites. Their intent data layer lets sales reps filter prospects by buying signals, helping prioritize outreach to accounts showing active research behavior.
Pros:
- • Intuitive Chrome extension for quick access
- • Free tier available
- • Intent filters for account prioritization
- • ISO 27701 certified for privacy
Cons:
- • Intent data is relatively basic
- • Smaller database than ZoomInfo or Apollo
- • Limited automation and workflow capabilities
Best For: Individual sales reps and small teams that need fast, on-demand access to contact data with basic intent prioritization.
CIENCE
Best for managed outbound services powered by intent data
CIENCE combines its GO Intent data platform with managed SDR services, offering a unique blend of technology and human outreach. Their GO Intent product identifies in-market accounts, while their managed services team handles the outbound execution—making it ideal for teams that want to outsource intent-driven prospecting.
Pros:
- • Combined technology + managed services model
- • GO Intent platform with proprietary data
- • SDR-as-a-Service for execution
- • Multi-channel outreach (email, phone, social)
Cons:
- • Higher cost due to managed services component
- • Less control over outreach quality and messaging
- • Results depend heavily on service team quality
Best For: Companies that want to outsource intent-driven outbound prospecting and prefer a managed service approach over building an internal SDR team.
How to Choose a B2B Intent Data Provider
Selecting the right intent data provider depends on your specific GTM strategy, team size, budget, and technical maturity. Here are the key factors to evaluate:
- 1. First-Party vs. Third-Party Data: Do you need to identify visitors on your website (first-party) or discover accounts researching your category elsewhere (third-party)? The best strategies use both. SalesboxAI excels at first-party; Bombora leads in third-party.
- 2. Account-Level vs. Contact-Level Resolution: Most providers only tell you which company is showing intent. SalesboxAI is one of the few that resolves intent to the individual contact level—a massive advantage for sales teams.
- 3. Built-In Activation: Can you act on the signals directly, or do you need separate tools for outreach, ads, and nurture? Platforms like SalesboxAI and 6sense include activation; others like Bombora require integration with your existing stack.
- 4. Integration Ecosystem: Ensure the provider integrates with your CRM (Salesforce, HubSpot), MAP (Marketo, Pardot), and sales engagement tools (Outreach, SalesLoft).
- 5. Data Coverage & Accuracy: Evaluate the provider's coverage for your target geographies, industries, and company sizes. Ask for accuracy metrics and data freshness guarantees.
- 6. Compliance & Privacy: With GDPR, CCPA, and evolving privacy regulations, ensure your provider's data collection methods are transparent and compliant. First-party data providers like SalesboxAI inherently have an advantage here.
- 7. Total Cost of Ownership: Consider not just the platform cost, but the additional tools needed for activation, the ops resources required for setup, and the ongoing management overhead.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between first-party and third-party intent data?
First-party intent data comes from your own digital properties—website visits, email engagement, content downloads, and event attendance. It's high-accuracy and tells you who is engaging with your brand. Third-party intent data is collected from external publisher networks and review sites, revealing which companies are researching topics related to your solution across the web. SalesboxAI specializes in first-party intent with contact-level identity resolution; Bombora is the leading third-party provider.
What is contact-level intent data?
Most intent data providers operate at the account level—they tell you "Company X is researching CRM software" but not which individual at that company is doing the research. Contact-level intent data resolves this gap by identifying the specific person showing intent. SalesboxAI's identity resolution technology can match anonymous website visitors to verified contacts, giving sales teams a named lead to pursue rather than an anonymous company signal.
How do B2B intent data providers collect their data?
Collection methods vary by provider. First-party providers like SalesboxAI use website tracking pixels, cookies, and identity resolution technology on your owned properties. Third-party providers like Bombora aggregate content consumption data from publisher co-ops. Others like 6sense and ZoomInfo combine multiple sources including web scraping, reverse IP lookup, content consumption tracking, and partnerships with data providers.
How accurate is B2B intent data?
Accuracy varies significantly. First-party intent data (from your own website) is generally the most accurate because it captures direct engagement. Third-party data accuracy depends on the provider's methodology, co-op size, and signal aggregation approach. The key is to evaluate providers based on signal-to-noise ratio—how often the intent signals actually correlate with real buying behavior and pipeline outcomes.
Can I use multiple intent data providers together?
Yes, and many GTM teams do exactly this. A common strategy is to combine first-party intent (like SalesboxAI) for identifying engaged website visitors with third-party intent (like Bombora) for discovering accounts researching your category elsewhere. This "surround sound" approach gives you the most complete picture of buyer intent across both your owned properties and the broader web.
What is the best free intent data tool?
Apollo.io and Lusha both offer free tiers with basic intent filtering. 6sense also has a free tier for smaller teams. However, free plans typically have limited intent signal depth and data access. For production-grade intent data that drives real pipeline, most teams invest in paid solutions like SalesboxAI, Bombora, or ZoomInfo.
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Alex Roy RajanCEO & Founder at SalesboxAI | B2B GTM & AI Marketing Expert
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