Where and how to buy quality leads for your business

Buying leads for your business is a significant investment. Get it right, and you’ll fill your pipeline, drive more conversions, and boost your ROI. Get it wrong, and you’ll waste your budget, hurt your email deliverability, and damage your reputation.

Still, buying business leads isn’t always a choice — at times, it’s a necessity. Maybe your pipeline has dried up. You’re entering a new market. Or you’re scaling fast and can’t rely on organic growth alone. Whatever the case, success with buying leads hinges on getting 4 things right:

1. Choosing the right vendor or source
2. Vetting the vendor or source’s ability to meet your goals
3. Picking the right lead-buying platform
4. Understanding what makes that platform work

We’ve done the legwork to help you avoid mistakes when buying leads so you can acquire new, high-value customers faster. Read on to discover where and how to buy business leads that convert.

Where to buy B2B leads: Comparing agencies, data platforms, freelancers, and industry-specific directories

There are 4 primary sources businesses explore when buying B2B leads: 

1. Agencies
2. Data platforms
3. Freelancers
4. Industry-specific directories

Let’s break each of them down.

Agencies

The right agency provides verified, manually built, sales-ready prospects. But such agencies are rare. The wrong ones generate leads without regard for quality. Some sell recycled lists that don’t match your ideal client profile (ICP) and lead to a bone-dry pipeline. It’s a common complaint across Reddit and LinkedIn. One bad agency and you're stuck with cold leads that never convert.

Source

A case in point is X3 Marketing, a Colorado-based digital agency. They came to us after spending a year with a vendor that produced several unqualified leads and zero appointments. X3 operated in a highly competitive niche and needed a custom approach to attract its ICP (local companies in construction, restoration, HVAC, roofing, and related fields). 

As such, we launched a face-to-face outreach campaign targeting local businesses in Colorado. The result? Over 17,000 leads, 115 appointments, and 20 closed-won deals in 14 months. 

Data platforms

Data platforms provide access to an extensive database of business contacts and firmographic information. They allow you to filter by industry, company size, employee count, and job title. This way, you build lead lists that match your ICP.

However, data platforms provide only contact information, such as email addresses, names, and phone numbers. They don’t provide qualified leads. There’s no warm-up or nurturing. So if you don’t have an in-house team to nurture leads and follow up, you won’t get far.

And then there’s data decay. Email addresses go stale fast — 28% become invalid each year, according to ZeroBounce. Plus, many platforms inflate their accuracy stats, so take them with a grain of salt. The smart move is to mitigate this by using multiple data sources to cross-verify and enrich your lists. Just know that this task requires time and internal sales resources.

📚 Related post: Outbound appointment setting: What works in 2024 and beyond 

Freelancers

Some freelancers are former agency or in-house professionals who know their craft. Others are dabblers posing as experts after taking one BDR course or watching a few YouTube videos. As with any provider, results depend on who you hire. But the worst results are from freelancers selling cheap leads. One Reddit user shared how they paid for 100 leads and they were all fake.

Source

So if a freelancer promises high-quality leads at 50 cents per lead, we’d advise you to run for the hills. That said, good freelancers exist, and here’s how to find them:

• Leverage your network. Get recommendations from your contacts. A LinkedIn post can yield suggestions, but you’ll still need to sift through responses to find the right fit.
• Ask in-house BDRs. Some in-house business development representatives (BDRs) may be open to freelance projects. Vet their experience and results, and inquire if they're interested or can recommend someone.
• Use a targeted LinkedIn search. Search for keywords like “prospect list building,” “lead generation,” or “list building” on LinkedIn's Services Marketplace or the usual search bar. Filter candidates by location, services, or industry. Evaluate their profiles for past projects, endorsements, and recommendations before reaching out.

Industry-specific directories

Industry directories are like data platforms. They offer curated lists of companies within specific sectors or regions and quick access to organized lists. 

Some directories, like Crunchbase, also offer decent filtering options. You can filter by location, industry, company size, financials, tech stack, and more. You then extract key details such as company names, contact info, and social media profiles.

The primary limitation of directories vs. data platforms is the limited depth of information. Directory data may also be less frequently updated and is more likely to be outdated. You can tackle both problems by enriching your data with tools like Apollo and Hunter. Directories worth checking include:

• Latka for SaaS companies
• UpCity and Clutch for service providers
• BuyBoard for schools, cities, counties, and nonprofits
• RFP Delivery for manufacturing companies
• Crunchbase for startups, emerging companies, established private companies, and public companies
• Thomasnet for business in the manufacturing and industrial sectors

Key factors to consider when deciding which option to choose

Buying leads isn’t just about where you get them — it’s about how well the source aligns with your goals, budget, and internal capabilities. Below are four factors to help you pick the best lead source for your needs. 

Required outcome (leads or appointments)

Start by clarifying your goal: Do you want a lead list of potential contacts or qualified appointments for your account executives (AEs)? 

Building a quality lead database is relatively easy. But turning leads into booked appointments is a different beast. This is especially difficult for products with a high average contract value (ACV) or those with lengthy sales cycles. 

According to Gartner, the buying journey involves 6–10 stakeholders on average. Securing meetings with these stakeholders is harder than ever. 

Our co-founder, Michael Maximoff, says,

In other words, building a reliable B2B appointment setting process takes time, experimentation, and expertise. If you lack the in-house expertise but want rapid results, you're better off working with a specialized appointment setting agency. Freelancers aren’t ideal here because appointment setting at scale isn't a solo act; it requires a team. 

For example, when working with a US-based video production agency, we assigned a lead researcher, copywriter, sales development representative (SDR), and an account manager. The result was 72 appointments booked and about $60,000 in closed-won deals in the first 3 months of collaboration. That level of performance wouldn’t have been possible without specialists owning each part of the process.

📚 Related post: How to set appointments in sales: Guide for sales reps

The amount of control you want

If you want maximum control over lead database creation, buy your leads from a data platform or an industry directory. With your ICP criteria in hand, you can apply the advanced filters on these platforms and build a list of best-fit prospects.

Some platforms like Cognism include intent data and sales event triggers, enabling you to prioritize prospects ready to buy. You can then seamlessly export these curated lists into your CRM or as CSV files to launch your outreach campaigns.

If you prefer a more hands-off approach, engaging an agency or freelancer is suitable. Good vendors will interview you for essential inputs, such as your ICP. But they’ll manage the rest of the process, delivering high-quality leads without requiring your direct involvement. 

Budget

When budgeting for lead generation, look beyond up-front costs and consider total value.

Yes, freelancers are typically cheaper than agencies, but experienced ones still command $1,500/month or more. Agencies typically start at $3,000/month, but you’re paying for expertise, tools, and a team that works in sync.

Data platforms and directories look affordable at first glance. But remember, you’ll also need:

• Trained team members to use the tools
• Tools for enrichment and outreach
• Pay for salaries, PTO, and management time

Here’s a summary of the cost for each lead-buying platform.

📚 Related post: B2B lead generation pricing models explained 

Access to complementary pipeline building services

B2B lead lists aren’t the only thing you’ll need to hit your revenue goals. A vendor that offers complementary services helps you avoid juggling multiple providers and working in silos.

At Belkins, for instance, we don’t just hand you a lead list. We help with:

• Cold email outreach
• Cold calling
• LinkedIn outreach
• Account-based marketing (ABM)
• Email deliverability
• HubSpot CRM consulting

The 5 best platforms to buy business leads

We’ve tested about 23 sales prospecting tools over the years and selected platforms based on our experience and feedback from the sales community. Here are 5 B2B lead list providers we recommend.

LinkedIn Sales Navigator

LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network, with 1.2 billion profiles and 69 million companies. The LinkedIn Sales Navigator gives you access to that data. No other platform matches the vastness of this database. That’s why 90% of outreach campaigns begin with lead research via Sales Navigator. It’s a reliable tool for finding prospect information and identifying key decision-makers.

However, its high cost can put it out of reach for some SMBs. Below are 3 of its key features:

• Advanced search and filters. Sales Navigator offers over 20 unique filters for narrowing your ICP search. We also use it to filter out inactive accounts, find people who engage with or post about problems our clients solve, and follow relevant LinkedIn groups.
• InMail messaging. InMail lets you message people outside your first-degree network. Sales Navigator provides 50 InMail credits per month. Although 50 is a limited number, LinkedIn refunds your credits when your message gets a response.
• Sales insights and alerts. After saving your search criteria, you can get real-time alerts on job changes, company updates, and prospect activity, which helps you engage prospects at the right time. You’ll also be notified when new profiles match your filters.

Pricing

LinkedIn Sales Navigator offers 3 pricing plans:

• Core — $99.99/user/month (includes a 1-month free trial)
• Advanced — $149.99/user/month (includes a 1-month free trial)
• Advanced plus — custom pricing

Opting for annual billing can reduce costs by 20%.

Apollo

Apollo is an all-in-one sales platform for finding and engaging leads, enriching data, automating outreach, and managing deals. We use Apollo primarily for data enrichment. It has over 210 million contacts and 35 million companies. Combining it with our Sales Navigator data helps us build a more accurate lead database. 

Apollo is relatively affordable. According to G2, about 68% of Apollo’s users are small businesses. Below are 3 of its sales prospecting features:

• Advanced search filters. Its filtering options include industry, location, revenue, funding stage, technologies used, stack, year founded, number of employees by department, and more. It also supports Boolean search. 
• Email outreach. Apollo includes a built-in email sender and AI email assistant that crafts emails based on Apollo’s information about a prospect and your offer. It also recommends variables for personalizing your outreach.
• Buying intent. It has over 1,600 intent topics to help you identify companies showing buying intent on the solutions relevant to your offer. This lets you find prospects who are actively seeking your solution and contact them promptly.

Pricing

Apollo offers 4 pricing tiers:

• Free
• Basic — $59/user/month
• Professional — $99/user/month
• Organisation — $149/user/month (minimum 3 users, billed annually)

Choosing the annual plan reduces costs by 20%.

Hunter Discover

Hunter Discover is an email outreach platform for users to prospect emails and launch personalized campaigns accurately.

Like Apollo, we use it to enrich our CRM data and uncover email addresses of decision-makers. Its Email Finder and Domain Search features are especially effective in uncovering hard-to-find emails. They helped us generate $10M in revenue and a 500% ROI for one of our clients. They also save us up to 25 hours a month per team member.

Hunter Discover is a freemium tool. You can use basic filters for free, but insights like hiring or funding updates require a paid plan. Here are 3 Hunter features we most often use:

• Email Finder. Input a prospect’s full name and company domain, and Hunter’s Email Finder returns the most likely email address with a confidence score. It retrieves all contact information from public sources and links to where the data was captured.
• Domain Search. Not sure who to contact in a company? Enter the company or domain name in Hunter’s Domain Search, and it’ll provide a list of employees, their job titles, and email addresses.
• Email Verifier. We use Hunter’s Email Verifier to validate email addresses before launching outreach campaigns. This helps us ensure high deliverability and maintain our sender reputation.

Pricing

Hunter offers 4 pricing tiers:

• Free
• Starter — $49/user/month
• Growth — $149/user/month
• Scale — $299/user/month 

Choosing an annual plan saves you 30%.

ZoomInfo Sales

ZoomInfo Sales is 1 of 7 products on the ZoomInfo go-to-market platform. It helps sales teams manage and speed up pipeline activities, from building lead lists and tracking website visitors to monitoring intent data and analyzing sales conversations.

The platform has a vast database of over 174 million company profiles, 600 million contact profiles, 150 million verified email addresses, and 70 million phone numbers. However, its data is most accurate for U.S. companies. Users often report lower accuracy for businesses in the EMEA region. Key features of ZoomInfo Sales:

• Buyer intent analytics. ZoomInfo’s intent engine monitors online searches across 90% of internet-connected devices in the U.S. and ties them to companies. It then alerts you when businesses are actively researching solutions like yours.
• Data enrichment. If you use ZoomInfo as your CRM, it keeps your lead database clean by automatically deleting outdated or incorrect information. You can also receive alerts of updated contacts or company profiles.
• Website visitor tracking. ZoomInfo’s WebSights help you convert anonymous website visitors into qualified leads. It reveals their company details, engagement patterns, and buying intent, so you can gauge their sales readiness and follow up.

Pricing: ZoomInfo’s custom pricing is available on request. 

Cognism

Cognism is a B2B sales and data intelligence platform known for its global coverage and strong EMEA focus. With over 200 million European contacts, Cognism claims to provide “the most complete B2B data you can find in Europe.” Many users agree.

Users praise its mobile number accuracy, mainly due to Diamond Data, a premium feature that offers manually verified phone numbers. Key features of Cognism are:

• Proprietary data collection and verification engine (Orion). Orion collects and verifies data from the internet, stitching together 60–200 data points per company. To ensure accuracy, it prioritizes official sources like press releases, company websites, and annual reports over third-party data. It also uses multiple AI agents to filter noise and flag inconsistencies.
• Manually verified mobile numbers. Cognism’s mobile number accuracy sets it apart. Michael Iannuzzi, Director of Marketing & Sales Development at Salesloft, says it “defeated all the other lead generation providers by a huge amount. Its database had an 80% accuracy rate and the highest coverage of mobile numbers.” 
• Signal data. Cognism's Signal Data provides real-time insights to help sales teams engage prospects at the optimal moment. It includes hiring trends, funding alerts, technographics, news signals, and intent data, enabling personalized outreach and improved conversion rates.

Pricing: Cognism provides custom pricing upon request. 

What makes an excellent lead-buying platform?

We’ve identified 5 essential factors for evaluating lead-buying platforms. But a salient question is whether you can get by with just one platform. The answer is no, especially if you want the best results. 

Ruslana Dubchak, former head of lead research at Belkins, explains:

But efficiency alone isn’t enough. Your platform has also got to be effective. Using multiple tools helps you enrich your data and cross-verify accuracy. That means better deliverability, stronger domain reputation, and less time wasted chasing ghost prospects.

Data depth and accuracy

No lead-buying platform is 100% accurate. But the best ones go to great lengths to ensure their data is high quality, reliable, and up to date. They use rigorous collection and verification systems and regularly refresh their databases to combat data decay. 

But as we noted earlier, many providers exaggerate their accuracy. So don’t take their word for it. Always verify their claims using third-party reviews.

Extensive integration capabilities

You likely already have a tech stack that includes a CRM, email automation software, lead-nurturing tools, and whatnot. Your lead gen platform should plug into this setup seamlessly to avoid disrupting workflows or creating data silos. When everything works together, your lead generation, qualification, and nurturing efforts become more accurate and efficient.

At Belkins, for example, we use HubSpot CRM as our single source of truth. That means every tool we use must integrate with it. LinkedIn Sales Navigator connects directly to HubSpot, as do Apollo, Hunter, and our other B2B sales tools. 

If a key tool doesn’t integrate natively with your CRM, check whether it offers an open API or if you can integrate it with no-code platforms like Zapier.

Advanced filtering and segmentation

Robust filtering and segmentation tools let you build hypertargeted lead lists that align with your ICP. The more advanced the filtering options, the better your chances of reaching the right prospects.

Take Apollo, for example. It offers over 65 data attributes you can filter by, including firmographics, technographics, and buyer intent signals. These make it easy to identify the best-fit accounts.

Data privacy compliance and security

Your lead-buying platform must comply with data protection laws. They include:

• General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
• California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)
• Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA)

Violating these regulations can lead to hefty fines and damage your brand’s sender reputation. Understand the privacy laws relevant to your location and confirm your provider is fully compliant.

The best platforms are transparent about their data practices. Their website typically outlines how they source leads, obtain consent, and prevent data breaches, as well as the regulations they follow. But be sure to check third-party reviews for real user experiences.

For more tips on how to make your emails compliant, watch our webinar below. 

Positive reputation and reviews

Before committing to a lead-buying platform, check third-party review sites. Pay close attention to feedback about data accuracy, support quality, price transparency, and the other requirements discussed above.

G2 is a common starting point, but there's growing skepticism about its credibility because some vendors reportedly pay for reviews. 

According to Wynter’s 2025 CMO Buying Behavior Study, 12% of marketing leaders now trust Reddit more for honest, unfiltered feedback.

Here’s how our recommended platforms perform against the criteria for a top-tier lead-buying platform.

The best agencies to buy leads from

Our co-founder, Michael Maximoff, wrote an article on the best B2B lead generation companies based on his industry knowledge, connections in the B2B sales space, and conversations with prospects. Below are the top 3 agencies on Michael's list.

Belkins

• G2: 4.8/5 (89 reviews).
• Clutch: 4.9/5 (223 reviews).
• Industry focus: Includes healthcare, manufacturing, SaaS, and financial services
• Notable clients: Cisco, Berkeley College, GE HealthCare, Sekisui, and Citcon
• Headquarters: Dover, DE, U.S.A.

About: Belkins is a lead generation and appointment setting agency for growth-stage, midmarket, and enterprise companies. Founded in 2017, we have generated over 4.7 million leads and scheduled more than 200,000 appointments for over 1,000 clients across 50+ industries. Our 200+ team members excel at fueling our clients’ sales pipelines with qualified leads primed for conversion. Here’s a quick look at some of the qualities that set us apart:

• Granular lead research. Belkins is the only outsourced lead generation company that employs lead research specialists to manually verify every lead. The result? A steady stream of high-quality, sales-ready leads. 
• Continuous adaptation to market shifts. Most agencies are still clinging to pre-2023 playbooks. Not us. We know what worked before the recession doesn’t cut it in today’s market. That’s why we constantly evolve our strategies to fit the market. Many of our 2024 and 2025 clients came to us after being burned by previous vendors. With Belkins, they saw measurable results, often surpassing our agreed KPIs. 
  Our team is constantly testing new approaches, iterating on what works, and exchanging insights with other top-performing sales practitioners. We also host webinars and podcasts featuring other top-tier experts to ensure we stay ahead of the curve.
• Bespoke strategies. We don’t do cookie-cutter solutions. Every client gets a custom go-to-market (GTM) strategy tailored to their needs, challenges, and target audience. We dive deep into your industry, learn your terminology, and understand your positioning so we can speak the same language as your prospects. That way, we can act as an extension of your in-house team, not just another vendor.

Client voice:

Pricing: Belkins offers custom packages for our lead research service.

Revit

• G2: N/A
• Clutch: 5/5 (5 reviews)
• Industry focus: IT, marketing, business consulting, and tech recruitment
• Notable clients: Scademy, BAROS International, Umbrelly, Hustler Marketing
• Headquarters: Sheridan, WY, U.S.A.

Revit is a lead generation and appointment setting agency for startups and small businesses. It’s “founded on the principle that high-quality lead generation services with low-commitment terms should be readily accessible.” This agency helps businesses with lean budgets without the hurdle of pricey, long-term contracts. 

Revit is known for its pay-per-appointment pricing model, where you only pay for leads that result in sales-ready meetings. Below is a quick look at 2 of its strengths:

• Agility. Startups evolve fast. Your ICP might shift. Messaging evolves. New data can flip your priorities overnight. You don’t have time to wait weeks for changes to roll out. Customers praise Revit for its ability to quickly use feedback, pivot strategy, and adapt targeting. They move swiftly to ensure your pipeline stays aligned with your growth goals, no matter how often they move.
• Broad experience. The Revit team includes an SDR, lead research manager, and tech & delivery lead. Their combined experience spans 50+ industries. This niche expertise, combined with their experience across various verticals, ensures your project receives the nuanced attention it needs.

Pricing: Starts at $2,600/month for a 3-month pilot.

Outbound Consulting

• G2: N/A
• Clutch: N/A
• Industry focus: Software, marketing, construction, and business consulting
• Notable clients: Great Place to Work, Blue Goose Solutions, and Bold Retail
• Headquarters: Fully remote

Outbound Consulting is a lead generation and appointment setting agency focused on SMB growth. Most businesses turn to them because they lack in-house expertise for outbound campaigns and their referral or inbound channels aren’t generating enough leads to keep the pipeline full.

They’ve helped over 2,000 businesses land deals with dream clients like Bank of America, Bloomberg, Virgin, Intuit, and J.P. Morgan.

Key advantages:

• Proven track record. With over a decade of experience, Outbound Consulting has generated more than $125 million in client revenue. They've supported over 2,000 businesses, and 85% of their clients reportedly close new deals within 90 days of working with them.
• Broad experience. Outbound Consulting’s experience spans 25+ industries over a decade. Plus, they previously served venture-backed businesses before focusing exclusively on SMBs. This breadth of knowledge makes them effective in solving common outbound challenges.

Pricing: Outbound Consulting offers custom pricing.

How to make sure you get a good list of leads

Define your ICP and buyer persona 

A good lead is someone who fits your ICP. So without a clear ICP, you won’t know what qualifies as a good lead. This makes it impossible to assess the quality of leads from vendors. If you offer multiple products or services, create a distinct ICP for each. 

Not sure where to begin? Watch this video where Belkins’ VP of Sales Brian Hicks explains how to build a strong ICP:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SX4aIDgr7tc 

Think ROI, not cost 

Anecdotal evidence suggests some businesses still chase cheap, “high-quality” leads. Let’s be clear: That combination doesn’t exist. Pursuing it only exposes you to scams and wasted spend.

Source

A good lead generation agency aims for a low cost per lead (CPL), but high-quality leads rarely come cheap. So instead of fixating on price, focus on ROI. Take Sekisui Products LLC, for instance. They invested thousands and got millions.

Work with a vendor who knows your industry

Industry-savvy vendors bring a level of nuance that inexperienced ones can’t. These nuances can make or break your outreach, especially if you decide to outsource your appointment setting. So don’t settle for generic social proof. Ask for case studies from companies like yours to ensure the vendor understands your industry.

At Belkins, we’ve worked with 1,000+ clients across 50+ industries, from SaaS and professional services to manufacturing and medical. Our broad exposure helps us anticipate challenges, build better lists, and craft strategies that convert.

📚 Related post: How to fix 5 issues to improve your B2B lead generation quality 

Is buying leads worth it?

Buying leads can be a double-edged sword — you can either surpass all revenue targets by closing deals in bulk or suffer from inefficient prospecting, wasted resources, and minimal returns. It’s up to you to strategize and execute your plans with the right outlook to taste success in every attempt.

Bookmark this exhaustive guide on how to buy leads and create a foolproof system for buying this data online.

Looking for experts to dig deep and curate leads with the highest precision? Our experts at Belkins can do the job for you. Connect with our team to learn more about our meticulous process for finding and vetting leads. Book a call with us today.