Intent Data Providers: B2B Buyer's Guide (2026)

Quick answer: Intent data providers help B2B sales teams identify accounts that are actively researching solutions. The top providers in 2026 include Bombora, 6sense, Demandbase, ZoomInfo, and Autobound, each with different signal sources, coverage, and delivery methods. The key differentiator is whether a provider offers just intent signals or combines them with other buying signals like SEC filings, funding, and hiring data.

The B2B intent data market hit $1.2 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $4.8 billion by 2032, growing at 16.5% annually, according to Dataintelo's market research. Yet despite near-universal adoption — 91% of B2B marketers now use intent data to prioritize accounts — only 24% report exceptional ROI.

The gap is not the technology. It is choosing the wrong intent data provider for your specific use case, budget, and go-to-market motion. This buyer's guide breaks down the intent data landscape in 2026: what types of buyer intent data exist, how to evaluate providers, a detailed comparison of 14 leading platforms with real pricing, and a decision framework to match the right provider to your situation.

Whether you are a sales leader building a signal-based selling program or a marketing leader running account-based marketing campaigns, this guide will help you invest wisely.

What Is B2B Intent Data?

Intent data captures digital signals that indicate a company or individual is actively researching a solution in your category. Instead of guessing who might be interested, intent data tells you who is in-market right now based on observable behavior.

These behaviors include consuming content about relevant topics, visiting competitor websites, comparing products on review platforms, searching for specific keywords, and engaging with industry events. According to Forrester's 2025 Wave report, B2B intent providers are “raising the bar with rapidly advancing capabilities,” driven by AI innovations, improved identity resolution, and global expansion.

Intent data is a subset of the broader category of buying signals. While signals include everything from job changes to funding rounds to SEC filings, intent data specifically tracks research and evaluation behavior. For teams building a complete signal-based selling motion, combining intent data with other trigger events produces significantly better results than intent alone.

Types of Intent Data: First-Party, Second-Party, Third-Party, and Beyond

Not all intent data is created equal. Understanding these categories is critical to evaluating providers, because each one sources data differently and produces different types of intelligence.

First-Party Intent Data

First-party intent data comes from your own digital properties: website visits, content downloads, pricing page views, webinar registrations, and product usage patterns. You already own this data. The question is whether you are capturing and activating it effectively.

Strengths: Highest fidelity. A prospect on your pricing page is a stronger buying signal than any third-party topic surge.

Limitations: Only captures behavior on your properties. Misses the 95%+ of the buying journey that happens elsewhere.

Providers specializing in first-party intent include Dealfront (formerly Leadfeeder), Warmly, and Breeze Intelligence (formerly Clearbit, now part of HubSpot).

Second-Party Intent Data

Second-party data comes from a partner’s audience. Review platforms like G2 and TrustRadius generate second-party intent: when a prospect researches your category on their platform, they share that signal with you.

Strengths: Exceptionally high fidelity. Comparing software vendors and reading peer reviews is an unambiguous buying signal.

Limitations: Narrow scope. Only covers behavior on the partner’s platform, not the broader web.

Third-Party Intent Data

Third-party data is aggregated from large networks of publisher websites, tracking content consumption, keyword searches, and topic engagement across the open web. Providers like Bombora and Intentsify specialize here, monitoring billions of signals monthly.

Strengths: Broadest coverage. Detects accounts researching your category before they ever visit your website.

Limitations: Often account-level only (you know the company, not the person). Subject to noise and false positives from IP matching.

Bidstream Data

Bidstream data is collected through programmatic advertising exchanges. When a webpage loads an ad, metadata about the visitor — including the content they are viewing — flows through ad exchange bid requests. Some intent data providers tap this stream to infer topic interest at scale.

Strengths: Massive scale. Billions of signals daily.

Limitations: Lower accuracy than co-op or editorial data. Privacy concerns. Google's deprecation of third-party cookies and changes to ad exchanges are reducing bidstream data availability.

Contact-Level vs. Account-Level Intent

A critical distinction. Account-level intent tells you “someone at Acme Corp is researching CRM software.” Contact-level intent tells you “Sarah Chen, VP of Sales Ops at Acme Corp, is researching CRM software.” Contact-level is dramatically more actionable but harder to achieve at scale with privacy compliance.

Most third-party providers deliver account-level signals. Contact-level intent is strongest with first-party data (you know who visited your site) and second-party data (review platforms can sometimes identify individuals). For enrichment and contact-level matching, tools like Autobound’s Insights Engine combine multiple signal types with contact databases to bridge the gap.

How to Evaluate Intent Data Providers

Before comparing specific platforms, establish your evaluation framework. These five dimensions separate high-ROI implementations from expensive shelf-ware.

1. Data Freshness and Signal Velocity

Intent data is perishable. A topic surge from 90 days ago is background noise. According to UserGems’ research, vendors who act on buying signals within 48 hours see 4x higher conversion rates than those who wait. Ask providers: How frequently are signals updated? Daily? Weekly? Real-time?

2. Signal Sourcing Methodology

Where do the signals come from? Cooperative publisher networks (Bombora’s Data Co-op of 5,000+ B2B sites), proprietary website tracking (Dealfront), editorial content consumption (TechTarget), review platform behavior (G2, TrustRadius), or a blend? The sourcing method determines signal quality, coverage, and compliance posture.

3. Resolution Level

Account-level vs. contact-level. This is the single biggest differentiator for sales teams. Account-level intent tells you which company is researching. Contact-level tells you which person. Most providers deliver account-level; some (6sense, SalesIntel, Warmly) attempt contact-level attribution.

4. Integration Depth

Intent data is only valuable if it reaches your reps and campaigns in real time. Native CRM and sales engagement integrations — Salesforce, HubSpot, Outreach, Salesloft — along with API access and marketing automation connectors are non-negotiable for most teams.

5. Pricing Model and Transparency

Annual contracts range from under $1,000 (Apollo.io) to $200,000+ (6sense enterprise). Understanding whether you pay per seat, per account, per topic, or per signal is critical to predicting actual cost. Watch for hidden fees: API access, premium topic add-ons, implementation services, and credit-based usage with monthly expiration.

14 Intent Data Providers Compared (2026)

This comparison is organized by provider category, with real pricing benchmarks sourced from vendor sites, third-party pricing databases (Vendr, TrustRadius, Capterra), and analyst reports. For a deep-dive on each individual provider, see our companion post: 15 Best Intent Data Providers Compared.

Pure-Play Third-Party Intent Data

Bombora — The industry standard. Bombora pioneered B2B intent data with its cooperative data model, collecting consent-based signals from 5,000+ premium B2B publisher websites. When a company’s employees consume content at rates above baseline, Bombora flags a “Company Surge” signal. Named a Leader in Forrester’s 2025 Wave.

• Pricing: $25,000–$100,000/year depending on topic count and data volume
• Resolution: Account-level only
• Best for: Mid-market and enterprise teams feeding intent into existing ABM stacks

Intentsify — Received the highest overall score for Current Offering in The Forrester Wave Q1 2025. Its “Precision Intent” technology calibrates models specifically to each customer’s products rather than generic topics. Also offers managed activation services (advertising, content syndication).

• Pricing: Mid-five-figures/year (not publicly listed); CPM/CPL fees for activation
• Resolution: Account-level with buying-group attribution via Orbit identity graph
• Best for: Teams wanting intent data + managed activation in one package

Full-Stack ABM Platforms with Intent

6sense — A full ABM platform using proprietary intent data, predictive AI, and multichannel orchestration. Claims to analyze 500+ billion intent signals monthly. Named a Leader in The Forrester Wave Q1 2025 and the Gartner Magic Quadrant for ABM for five consecutive years.

• Pricing: Free tier available (50 credits/month). Paid plans $60,000–$300,000+/year
• Resolution: Account-level with contact-level attribution in higher tiers
• Best for: Enterprise ABM teams wanting predictive scoring + activation in one platform

Demandbase — The other leading full-stack ABM platform, tracking 500+ billion signals monthly across 300,000+ intent keywords. Pioneered “ABX” (Account-Based Experience) with advertising, web personalization, and sales intelligence bundled. Named a Gartner ABM Magic Quadrant Leader in 2025.

• Pricing: Modular, starting $18,000–$32,000/year for small businesses. Enterprise deployments reach six figures
• Resolution: Account-level with “highly accurate identity resolution” (Forrester)
• Best for: Enterprise marketing running multi-stakeholder ABM plays with advertising

Review-Based Second-Party Intent

G2 Buyer Intent — Captures second-party intent from the world’s largest B2B software review platform (12+ million annual buyers). When a prospect views your profile, compares competitors, or browses your category, G2 flags it.

• Pricing: Core starts ~$10,000–$15,000/year. Buyer Intent add-on: $40,000–$50,000 at list (negotiable down to ~$8,000–$10,000)
• Resolution: Account-level (uses third-party matching for company identification)
• Best for: SaaS companies wanting to know who is evaluating their category

TrustRadius — Provides review-based intent data serving 12 million tech buyers annually. Acquired by HG Insights in June 2025, adding technographic and market intelligence.

• Pricing: Custom (bundled with review management packages)
• Resolution: Account-level with product, competitor, and category intent signals
• Best for: Technology vendors investing in review management alongside intent

Sales Intelligence Platforms with Intent

ZoomInfo — Bundles intent data as part of its broader sales intelligence platform via the “Buying Signals” feature. The value is intent signals attached to one of the largest B2B contact databases. Named a Leader in Gartner’s 2024 ABM Magic Quadrant.

• Pricing: $15,000–$40,000/year. Intent is an add-on, not included in base plans
• Resolution: Account-level intent paired with verified contact data
• Best for: Teams already using ZoomInfo for contacts who want to add intent signals

Cognism — The leading option for European-focused teams, with GDPR compliance embedded throughout. Intent data sourced primarily from Bombora (approx. 70%) supplemented by proprietary signals. Scrubs against 15 major Do Not Call lists.

• Pricing: $15,000–$100,000+/year depending on plan tier and user count
• Resolution: Account-level (Bombora-sourced) plus Cognism’s own verified contacts
• Best for: B2B teams selling into EU/UK markets where GDPR compliance is critical

Apollo.io — The most accessible entry point. Free tier available; paid plans from $49/user/month. Intent data powered by Bombora partnership alongside proprietary signals (job changes, technographic triggers). Database spans 210+ million contacts.

• Pricing: Free plan available. Paid: $49–$119/user/month (billed annually)
• Resolution: Account-level intent with contact search
• Best for: Startups and SMBs wanting intent bundled into affordable prospecting

First-Party Website Intent

Dealfront (formerly Leadfeeder) — Specializes in first-party website visitor identification using IP resolution. Captures which companies visit your site, which pages they view, and how long they stay. Strong European compliance posture.

• Pricing: Free plan (100 companies/month). Paid from $99/month (annual billing)
• Resolution: Account-level (identifies company, not individual)
• Best for: SMBs wanting affordable first-party intent from website traffic

Warmly — Combines website visitor de-anonymization with AI-powered sales orchestration. Rather than just identifying visitors, it triggers automated outbound sequences based on visitor behavior.

• Pricing: Free (500 visitors/month). Paid from $10,000–$22,000/year
• Resolution: Person-level de-anonymization (US strongest)
• Best for: Mid-market teams wanting intent detection + automated activation

Breeze Intelligence (formerly Clearbit) — Now part of HubSpot. Provides data enrichment and website visitor identification natively within HubSpot’s CRM. Accesses 200+ million buyer and company profiles.

• Pricing: From $45/month (100 credits, annual). Credits expire monthly
• Resolution: Account-level visitor identification plus contact enrichment
• Best for: HubSpot-native teams wanting intent without adding another vendor

Signal Intelligence Platforms

Autobound — Rather than tracking topic-level content consumption alone, Autobound’s Signal Engine monitors 350+ signal types across 250M+ contacts and 21M+ company domains: job changes, SEC filings, hiring velocity, LinkedIn posts, Reddit mentions, funding rounds, technographic shifts, and more. The Insights Engine then uses AI to transform raw signals into context-rich, actionable intelligence — not just “this account is surging” but why they are likely to buy and exactly what to say.

• Pricing: Free trial available. Plans at autobound.ai/pricing. Signal data also available for platform licensing via API, GCS/S3 push, or flat file
• Resolution: Contact-level. Individual-level signal attribution tied to verified contacts
• Best for: Sales teams wanting actionable, multi-signal intelligence (not just topic surges); data platforms wanting to license signal data

SalesIntel — Differentiates through human-verified contacts (95% claimed accuracy, refreshed every 90 days) combined with Bombora-powered intent data. “Research on Demand” service tracks down specific contacts within hours.

• Pricing: Competitive with ZoomInfo (not publicly listed). Unlimited email/phone access
• Resolution: Account-level intent with verified contact data overlay
• Best for: Phone-heavy outbound teams where direct dial accuracy is critical

Intent Data Providers: Pricing Comparison Table

The table below summarizes annual pricing ranges, primary data type, and resolution level for quick side-by-side comparison.

Which Intent Data Provider Is Right for You?

With 14+ options, the real question is which 1–3 providers to evaluate. Here is a decision framework based on common scenarios.

Startups and SMBs ($0–$10K/year budget)

Start with Apollo.io for affordable intent bundled with B2B prospecting tools, and add Dealfront to capture first-party website intent. Total cost: under $10,000/year. Layer in Autobound’s free trial for broader signal coverage including job changes, funding events, and SEC filings.

Mid-Market Teams ($25K–$75K/year budget)

Evaluate Bombora or Intentsify for third-party intent data feeding your existing sales engagement tools (Outreach, Salesloft). Combine with Autobound’s Signal Engine for broader signal types that pure intent providers miss — hiring velocity, competitive intelligence, financial indicators.

Enterprise ABM Programs ($75K+ budget)

Evaluate 6sense and Demandbase head-to-head. Choose 6sense if you value predictive AI scoring; choose Demandbase if you need advertising and web personalization built in. Layer with G2 Buyer Intent or TrustRadius for second-party review signals.

European-Focused Teams

Cognism is the clear choice for GDPR-compliant intent with strong EU contact coverage. Dealfront complements it for website visitor identification across EU markets.

Technology Vendors

TechTarget (not listed above but covered in our full comparison) provides the highest-fidelity editorial intent for IT buyer committees. Combine with G2 or TrustRadius for review-based signals.

HubSpot-Native Teams

Breeze Intelligence provides the tightest native integration. For broader coverage, supplement with Bombora or Apollo.

Making Intent Data Deliver ROI

Buying intent data is the easy part. The 76% of teams that fail to get exceptional ROI typically share common failure patterns. Here is what separates the top performers.

Layer multiple signal types. No single intent source is sufficient. Combine first-party (website visits), second-party (G2/TrustRadius), and third-party (Bombora/6sense topic surges) to build composite buying propensity. Add non-intent signals — job changes, funding events, hiring velocity — for the fullest picture. Research from Landbase shows that organizations using layered intent signals report 47% better conversion rates and 43% larger deal sizes.

Set aggressive decay windows. Weight signals from the last 7–14 days most heavily. Apply decay functions to anything older than 30 days. Stale intent data is worse than no data because it creates false confidence.

Act within 48 hours on Tier 1 signals. According to Growth List research, contacting a lead within the first five minutes makes you 21x more likely to convert vs. reaching out after 30 minutes. Intent data has a half-life measured in days, not weeks.

Personalize based on the signal, not just the account. “I noticed your company is in-market for CRM software” is table stakes. The intent signal tells you what they are researching — use it to craft messaging that speaks to their specific evaluation criteria. For signal-specific messaging frameworks, see our guides to cold email templates and AI sales email tactics.

Measure signal-to-pipeline, not signal volume. Track what percentage of intent-flagged accounts enter your pipeline within 30/60/90 days. If your intent data generates lots of signals but few convert, the issue is likely signal quality, activation speed, or messaging, not data volume. For how to structure these metrics within a broader outbound motion, see our 2026 outbound sales playbook.

Frequently Asked Questions About Intent Data Providers

What is the difference between intent data and buyer signals?

Intent data is a subset of buyer signals. Intent data specifically tracks research and evaluation behavior — topics researched, content consumed, vendors compared. Buyer signals are broader and include trigger events like job changes, funding announcements, SEC filings, hiring spikes, and competitive displacement indicators. The most effective sales teams combine both: intent data to identify who is in-market, and trigger signals to understand why and when to reach out.

How much does intent data cost?

Pricing spans four tiers. Entry-level tools (Apollo.io, Dealfront free tier) start under $1,000/year. Mid-range platforms (Warmly, Cognism starter, G2 negotiated) run $10,000–$50,000/year. Enterprise solutions (Bombora, 6sense, Demandbase) range from $50,000 to $300,000+/year. Custom/CPL-based models (DemandScience, Intentsify activation) vary by campaign scope.

Is account-level or contact-level intent data better?

Contact-level is dramatically more actionable for sales teams, because it identifies the person doing the research, not just the company. However, contact-level data is harder to obtain at scale with privacy compliance. Most third-party intent providers deliver account-level only. For teams that need contact-level intelligence, combining account-level intent data with an enrichment layer (like Autobound’s Insights Engine or other enrichment platforms) bridges the gap.

Which intent data provider does Forrester rate highest?

In The Forrester Wave: Intent Data Providers for B2B, Q1 2025, five providers were named Leaders: Intentsify (highest overall score for Current Offering), 6sense, Bombora, Informa TechTarget, and Demandbase. Intentsify earned the highest possible score across 12 of 21 evaluation criteria.

Can I use intent data with my existing CRM and sales tools?

Yes. Most intent data providers offer native integrations with major CRMs (Salesforce, HubSpot) and sales engagement platforms (Outreach, Salesloft). For teams using automation platforms like Clay or n8n, Autobound’s Embedded API provides programmatic access to Autobound's signal database that can be integrated into any workflow.

The Bottom Line

The intent data provider landscape in 2026 is simultaneously maturing and fragmenting. Enterprise platforms like 6sense and Demandbase are bundling more activation capabilities. Dedicated intent providers like Bombora and Intentsify are deepening signal quality and managed services. And a new generation of tools (Apollo, Warmly, Autobound) is making signal intelligence accessible to teams of every size.

Do not start by picking a vendor. Start by answering three questions: What types of buying signals would most change how your team prioritizes accounts? How will those signals reach your reps and campaigns in real time? And what is the realistic annual budget you can commit?

Those answers will narrow 14 options down to 2–3 legitimate contenders. And increasingly, the teams winning are those who go beyond traditional topic-level intent to embrace the full spectrum of buying signals — combining intent data with job changes, funding events, hiring patterns, SEC filings, and competitive intelligence for a complete picture of buyer readiness.