ZoomInfo Review 2023: Exploring the Benefits and Drawbacks

This article is for you… 

If you are a service-based business owner or a lead generation agency looking to improve your Sales process, you’ve come to the right place! For your convenience, I’ve put together a thorough ZoomInfo review.

I am here to provide you with an in-depth ZoomInfo review based on my experiences and the feedback of hundreds of other users on various review sites.

Here’s what you can expect from this ZoomInfo review:

– A bird’s eye view of what ZoomInfo is. 

– ZoomInfo’s finest and worst features: Let’s look at what this tool can achieve and where it can fall short.

– An in-depth review of ZoomInfo’s pricing structure: How much does it cost, and what do you get for your money?

– Some of the lesser-known features of ZoomInfo.

– ZoomInfo in comparison to an alternative: In case you require an alternative.

Take a seat, pour yourself a cup of coffee, and let’s explore ZoomInfo together.

Eventually, you’ll have all the necessary information to decide if ZoomInfo fits your business.

Let’s get started, shall we?

So, What is ZoomInfo? 

ZoomInfo helps sales reps to connect with potential customers. 

It has a lot of information about different companies, like what they do, how big they are, and where they’re located. 

This information is collected from different sources in a large database. Users can use this information to find and reach new leads with personalized messages.

With over 15 million active companies and over 20 million daily updates, the database is accessible through a simple search interface that allows users to search by company name, industry, or location. 

In addition, ZoomInfo offers an intent-based search function that enables users to locate businesses that have shown interest in a specific product or service, along with a comprehensive organizational chart and detailed contact information for essential personnel within a company.

Let’s now take a closer look at the advantages and disadvantages of ZoomInfo to help you determine if this tool aligns with your needs.

ZoomInfo Review: Top 5 Features Users Like the Most

Large Company Database:

ZoomInfo’s large company database is one of its most popular features. 

With comprehensive details on a company’s industry, size, and location, finding potential prospects becomes much easier. 

Here are some points to consider:

• ZoomInfo has a database of over 15 million active companies.
• It is updated daily with more than 20 million updates per day, ensuring that the information provided is accurate and up-to-date.
• The company database is accessible through a simple search interface that allows users to search by company name, industry, or location.
• Users can save search criteria and receive alerts when new companies that match their criteria are added to the database.
• The large database also makes it possible to research the competition and identify industry trends.

Detailed Contact Information:

With ZoomInfo’s detailed contact information, sales and marketing teams can reach the right people quickly and easily.

Here are some key points to consider:

• ZoomInfo gives consumers direct dial phone numbers, email addresses, and job titles for company decision-makers and key individuals.
• Users can search for contact information by company name or the individual’s name.
• Users can also save contact information to their address book or export it to their CRM.

Organizational Chart:

With ZoomInfo’s organizational chart feature, users gain access to a visual depiction of a company’s hierarchy, showcasing executives’ direct reports.

 Here are some points to consider:

• The organizational chart helps users to identify key decision-makers and influencers within an organization, making it easier to target the right people with sales and marketing efforts.
• The interactive chart can be customized to show specific departments or teams.
• The feature allows users to quickly understand a company’s hierarchy and identify gaps in their understanding of the organization.

Intent-Based Searches:

ZoomInfo’s intent-based search function helps customers identify businesses interested in a specific product or service.

Here are some points to consider:

• The intent-based search feature uses machine learning algorithms to identify companies actively searching for a specific product or service.
• The feature allows users to target their efforts more effectively and identify prospects that are more likely to convert.
• Users can set up alerts to receive notifications when a company’s intent matches their search criteria.

Integration with CRM:

ZoomInfo’s integration with CRM systems makes it easy to transfer data and keep contact records up-to-date. 

Here are some points to consider:

• The integration allows users to update their CRM with new contact information from ZoomInfo automatically.
• Users can also export contact information from ZoomInfo to their CRM system with a single click.
• The integration helps sales and marketing teams manage their pipeline more effectively and focus on the most promising leads.

Now that we’ve discussed what users loved the most, let’s switch gears and look at ZoomInfo’s cons.

ZoomInfo Review: Top 5 Features Users Dislike

Here are the top five worst features of ZoomInfo that many users have reported.

Outdated and inaccurate data:

ZoomInfo’s data is notoriously outdated and inaccurate, which can be frustrating for businesses that rely on this information for sales and marketing efforts. 

While the platform claims to have a comprehensive database of contacts and companies, the lack of frequent updates means the data is often outdated or simply incorrect. 

Here are some of the issues users have experienced:

• Contacts with incorrect job titles or roles
• Companies listed as still active despite going out of business
• Incomplete or outdated contact information
• Duplicate entries for the same company or contact

Not suitable for small businesses:

ZoomInfo may not be your best option if you’re a small business owner. 

The platform is designed for larger companies with over 5,000 employees, and the data is less comprehensive for smaller firms. 

This means that you may not be able to find the contacts or companies you need, and the information you do find may be inaccurate or outdated.

Source: GetApp

Unethical business practices:

ZoomInfo has been criticized for its misleading contract language, which can lead to unexpected fees and auto-renewals. 

The company has also been known to push for more payment even when users no longer log in.

 Here are some of the issues users have experienced:

• Auto-renewal clauses buried in contracts
• Unexpected fees for additional features
• Difficulty canceling subscriptions
• Pushy sales tactics

Disappointing Customer Care:

If you’re experiencing issues with ZoomInfo, don’t expect much help from customer service. 

Many users have reported non-responsive sales reps and a general unwillingness to address concerns. 

Here are some of the issues users have experienced:

• Slow response times
• Unwillingness to offer refunds or cancel subscriptions
• Difficulty getting in touch with customer service

Expensive pricing:

ZoomInfo is one of the most expensive options for business contact data, and the unexpected evergreen clauses in contracts make it difficult to cancel. 

The auto-renewals can also lead to higher bills than expected. Here are some of the issues users have experienced:

• Unexpected fees for additional features
• Evergreen clauses in contracts that make it difficult to cancel
• Auto-renewals that lead to higher bills than expected

👉  You might be interested in knowing the best contact finder tools.

How Much Does ZoomInfo Cost? 

Let’s talk about ZoomInfo, or as I like to call it, “ZOOM-Expensive.” 

Zoominfo officially has not disclosed its pricing on its website. But after researching different channels and talking to their sales reps, I’ve figured out estimated pricing.

But trust me, you might want to sit down for this one.

• First Package: $15,000 annually.
• Next Package: $40,000 annually. 
• Highest Package: $ 100,000 annually.

ZoomInfo pricing details: 

The first package is their entry-level plan, which costs $15,000 annually. 

It’s limited to only 3 users and 5,000 credits. That’s like buying a candy bar for $100,000. Ridiculous, right?

If you need more users or credits, the next package costs around $40,000 annually for up to 10 users with 30,000 credits. 

So you’ll need to pay more than double the price to access more users and a few more credits.

Now, if you’re feeling extra fancy and want to go all out, the highest-tier package costs a whopping $100,000 annually. 

It includes 50 users and 100,000 credits. 

That’s like buying a sports car for your sales team, but it’s just a data tool instead of a car.

But here’s the thing!

ZoomInfo’s pricing is just too expensive for local businesses and small-medium marketing agencies like ours. 

Here are three reasons why you should skip ZoomInfo altogether:

• It’s just not worth the cost. There are alternative options that offer similar functions and cost less than half the price of ZoomInfo. Don’t waste your hard-earned money on something that’s not worth it.

• For small-medium businesses, the number of users and credits provided by ZoomInfo is excessive. You don’t need 50 users or 100,000 credits. It’s overkill.

• Let’s face it, ZoomInfo’s pricing is just not practical. We’d rather invest our money in something that will provide better value for our business.

So, save money and skip ZoomInfo if you’re a small-medium business or agency. Trust me, and you won’t regret it.

ZoomInfo Review of its Lesser-Known Features

Some of the lesser-known features of ZoomInfo: 

Lead Builder: 

ZoomInfo’s Lead Builder is a formidable feature empowering sales and marketing professionals to precisely discover and target fresh prospects.

It includes: 

• Advanced search criteria: Users can utilize the Lead Builder feature to find prospects by using complex search logic and different parameters such as job title, company size, geography, industry, and more.
• Contact information: Lead Builder provides detailed contact information for each prospect, including email addresses, phone numbers, and social media profiles.
• Direct dial contacts: The tool can generate direct dial contact information for leads, making it easier to connect with prospects quickly and efficiently.
• List quality: The lists generated by the Lead Builder tool are renowned for their exceptional quality, comprising precise and up-to-date information.

Data Cleaning/Enrichment: 

Keeping contact and account data clean and up-to-date is critical for successful sales and marketing efforts. ZoomInfo provides users with several data cleaning and enrichment options to ensure their data is accurate and up-to-date.

It includes:

• Automatic Refresh of Data: ZoomInfo ensures that contact and company data remain constantly updated, granting users access to the most current and relevant information.
• Data hygiene: ZoomInfo aids users in maintaining clean lists and records by providing features for duplicate management and data hygiene.
• Data enrichment: At the contact, lead, and/or account level, the tool can append records, offering valuable additional information to enhance sales and marketing teams’ ability to effectively target and engage with prospects.

Data Segmentation/Filtering: 

With ZoomInfo’s robust data segmentation and filtering capabilities, users can effortlessly explore their data and generate highly targeted lists for their sales and marketing campaigns.

It includes:

• Tags: Through the organizational structure, users can easily pinpoint specific records, allowing them to create groups, flag items that demand additional attention, and perform various other organizational tasks with ease
• Filters and segmentation: By allowing users to filter contacts and segment leads, ZoomInfo simplifies examining data and creating lists. This feature enables users to precisely target specific groups of prospects, enhancing their lead generation efforts.
• Ideal customer targeting: ZoomInfo can identify and define ideal customer characteristics, enabling users to target and discover new prospects based on these specific traits.

So, Here’s What We Have Covered So Far in this ZoomInfo Review?

In this ZoomInfo review, we have discussed the pros and cons of using ZoomInfo and its pricing. We have also highlighted the key factors to consider for a ZoomInfo alternative.

ZoomInfo Pros:

• A large company database
• Detailed contact information
• Organizational charts
• Intent-based searches
• Integration with CRM systems

ZoomInfo Cons:

• Outdated and inaccurate data
• Unsuitability for small businesses
• Unethical business practices
• Poor customer service
• Expensive pricing

ZoomInfo Pricing:

• Expensive, with entry-level at $15,000 annually for only 3 users and 5,000 credits.

However, there are several alternatives to ZoomInfo that businesses can consider. 

When choosing a ZoomInfo alternative, it’s essential to consider the following factors:

• Suitability for SMBs
• Better customer support
• No shady sales tactics
• Affordability

By taking these factors into account, businesses can find a suitable alternative to ZoomInfo that meets their specific needs and budget. You may also check the detailed review of the top 10 Zoominfo alternatives here.

Leadzilla #1 Alternative to ZoomInfo with affordable pricing and great customer service

Zoominfo has two prominent issues that customers often encounter: The pricing of Zoominfo and shady business contracts and practices. Consequently, it may be worthwhile to explore alternative options.

What’s the best alternative, then?

In conclusion, while Zoominfo may not be the perfect fit for every business due to its unique needs, a great alternative can meet your requirements with flying colors—Leadzilla. Let’s take a look at why Leadzilla is the superior choice:

💥 Simple Learning Curve: Say goodbye to technical headaches! Leadzilla offers an intuitive interface that even a tech novice can navigate effortlessly.

💥 Lightning-Fast Support: Need assistance? Leadzilla’s 24/7 chat support is here to save the day, with an average response time of fewer than 15 minutes.

💥 Accuracy at its Finest: Leadzilla delivers top-notch leads that will bring incredible results.

💥 Value Without the Limb Loss: Bid farewell to exorbitant costs! Leadzilla offers a straightforward pricing structure that won’t drain your bank account like its counterpart, Moz Local.

💥 No Shady Business: Unlike Zoominfo, Leadzilla doesn’t tie you down with convoluted contracts and shady clauses.

I trust that I’ve shed some light on the wonders of Leadzilla for your lead-generation endeavors. If you’re ready to embark on an exciting journey with the ultimate email generation tool, look no further!

Click to unveil all the impressive features of Leadzilla, or dive right in and kick-start your risk-free trial by simply providing your email. As a bonus, you’ll receive 20 free credits to get started within a mere 30 seconds. Harness the ability of Leadzilla and supercharge your lead generation efforts now.

Let’s make greatness happen!