Clay vs Cognism:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Cognism had more branded searches than Clay among B2B contact data providers worldwide. Cognism had about 27,100 branded searches, while Clay had 2,470. Cognism made up 3.6% of all B2B contact data provider searches we track, and Clay accounted for 0.33%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about B2B contact data providers, Cognism appeared in all five answers and Clay in three. Cognism was mentioned before Clay in every answer.
Who do people search for more?
Cognism, about 11 searches for every 1 for Clay
Who does AI mention more?
Cognism, mentioned in every answer we collected
Who does AI recommend more?
Cognism, named ahead of Clay in every answer
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Top B2B contact data providers in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Cognism appeared in all five answers. Clay was mentioned in three out of five: in two of the three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. Cognism was listed before Clay in every answer.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
Apollo5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
ZoomInfo5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers- Cognism5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Lusha3 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
UpLead3 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Clay3 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about B2B contact data providers
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which B2B contact data provider should I use?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best B2B contact data providers?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best B2B contact data provider for a sales team?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“b2b contact data”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“contact data providers”
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 20, 2026.
Is Clay or Cognism more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Clay and Cognism by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all six B2B contact data providers we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for Cognism, Clay. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Apollo | ZoomInfo | Lusha | Cognism | UpLead | Clay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 26% | 36.1% | 29.5% | 5.9% | 2.2% | 0.36% |
| Nov 2025 | 32% | 30.4% | 30.4% | 5% | 1.8% | 0.37% |
| Dec 2025 | 30.3% | 35.1% | 28.7% | 3.9% | 1.7% | 0.34% |
| Jan 2026 | 30% | 34.8% | 28.4% | 4.7% | 1.7% | 0.35% |
| Feb 2026 | 30.1% | 34.9% | 28.5% | 4.7% | 1.4% | 0.35% |
| Mar 2026 | 36.4% | 35% | 23.3% | 3.8% | 1.1% | 0.29% |
| Apr 2026 | 41.1% | 32.5% | 21.7% | 3.6% | 0.87% | 0.27% |
| May 2026 | 39.3% | 30.8% | 25.2% | 3.4% | 1% | 0.31% |
| Jun 2026 | 34.6% | 33% | 26.9% | 3.6% | 1.6% | 0.26% |
| Jul 2026 | 34.9% | 33.2% | 27.1% | 3.7% | 0.89% | 0.27% |
| Aug 2026 | 39.5% | 30.7% | 25.2% | 3.4% | 0.82% | 0.38% |
| Sep 2026 | 41.8% | 26.8% | 26.7% | 3.6% | 0.72% | 0.33% |
How has the Clay and Cognism comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Cognism was ahead of Clay in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Clay’s share of searches among B2B contact data providers worldwide moved from 0.36% to 0.33%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 2.5K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Cognism’s share of searches among B2B contact data providers worldwide moved from 5.9% to 3.6%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 40.5K to 27.1K.
How did search popularity change for B2B contact data providers worldwide in September 2026?
1 change
Estimated monthly branded searches for Cognism worldwide fell 33.1% over 12 measured months, from 40.5K to 27.1K in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
4 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Clay’s and Cognism’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
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