Clearbit vs. 6sense: Which should you choose?

About Clearbit

Here's what Clearbit delivers: real-time data enrichment that transforms incomplete leads into actionable contacts. It pulls public web data to fill in the gaps — employee count, industry details, tech stack intel. The magic happens through seamless API integrations with your existing CRMs and forms, automatically populating missing fields so you can shorten those conversion-killing signup forms while enriching records in real-time.

About 6sense

6sense takes a different approach — it's hunting for anonymous buying signals across the web. Using predictive analytics, it identifies which accounts are actively in-market and when they're primed to convert. The platform combines intent data, account scoring, and campaign execution into one comprehensive ABM machine that plugs into your CRMs and marketing tools to orchestrate multi-channel outreach.

What do users say?

Users consistently praise Clearbit as a powerhouse for lead enrichment — especially its seamless Gmail integration and rock-solid Salesforce compatibility. The data quality gets high marks, and users love how quickly they can surface direct contact information for decision-makers and build targeted prospect lists. But here's where it gets tricky: customer support response times can be inconsistent, data accuracy occasionally falters, and pricing transparency issues crop up — particularly for European contact coverage.

The 6sense story is more complicated. Users report that the intent data often misses the mark — prospects frequently deny researching the topics 6sense claims they were exploring. Many describe the data as unreliable, with some calling it "snake oil." Those anonymous signals? Often too vague to be actionable. That said, users agree 6sense can help with account prioritization and prospecting guidance — just don't mention the actual intent data when you reach out.

Comparison

Clearbit

• Clearbit excels at high-quality data enrichment with developer-friendly APIs and seamless HubSpot integration. The platform's form-shortening capabilities can boost conversion rates, and you get real-time global data coverage that actually works.
• The limitations? Feature scope stays narrow — you're getting data enrichment without built-in outreach or analytics capabilities. Pricing escalates quickly with volume, and you'll need additional tools for comprehensive sales workflows.

6sense

• 6sense brings advanced predictive analytics and comprehensive ABM capabilities to the table. It combines intent data with account scoring and campaign execution in one platform, delivering strong sales-marketing alignment features with AI-driven insights for high-intent account identification.
• The downsides hit hard: expensive and complex implementation that demands significant time investment and dedicated resources. Contact data coverage falls short compared to dedicated databases, and data refresh delays can kill your rapid response capabilities.

Clearbit works best for growth-oriented teams, SMBs, and companies already locked into HubSpot who need high-quality data enrichment without implementation headaches. It's perfect for inbound marketers focused on improving lead quality and conversion rates through form shortening and real-time enrichment. 6sense targets enterprise and high-growth mid-market companies with dedicated ABM strategies, longer sales cycles, and the resources to implement and maintain a complex platform.

Here's the gap both tools leave open: contact-based marketing campaigns. Neither tool is designed for comprehensive contact databases, though both provide some contact data as part of their broader offerings. Companies often supplement these platforms with dedicated contact databases like ZoomInfo or Apollo for direct outreach campaigns, email marketing, and lead generation — adding costs and complexity to your marketing tech stack.

Do you need account-based marketing, or something else?

Here's the revelation that's flipping ABM on its head: your funnel isn't about anonymous accounts. It's about the EXACT decision-makers and influencers within those accounts.

That's what makes contact-based marketing (CBM) a breakthrough. Instead of chasing broad account intent signals, contact-based marketing pinpoints the exact people engaging with your content in real-time — even when they don't convert.

How does this solve the traditional tension of intent-based marketing? It clears up the ambiguity.

With contact-level data, you can reveal high-priority leads by identifying the individuals behind key touchpoints. Deliver hyper-targeted ads based on specific contact behaviors. Bridge the gap between marketing and sales alignment with actionable, lead-level insights that actually convert.