Buying B2B Leads: The Complete Guide for the DACH Region

Can You Buy B2B Leads?

Yes — and it's one of the fastest ways to get verified business contacts. But not every provider delivers the same quality. This guide covers what to look out for.

Provider Models Compared

Subscription Models (Monthly Costs)

Providers like Dealfront, Cognism or Apollo.io work with monthly subscriptions. Typical costs: €200–1,000 per month. You get access to a database and can search for contacts using filters.

Advantages: Large data pool, CRM integration, intent data Disadvantages: High ongoing costs, often global data instead of DACH focus, contract commitment

Pay-per-Lead (One-time Payment)

With the pay-per-lead model, you only pay for the leads you actually receive. No monthly fees, no subscription. The DACH B2B Lead Generator works on this principle — from €29 for 100 verified contacts.

Advantages: Calculable costs, no subscription, no contract Disadvantages: No permanent database access

Lead Agencies / Manual Research

Specialized agencies research leads manually to your specifications. Quality is often high, but prices are €5–20 per lead with delivery times of days to weeks.

Quality Criteria for Purchased Leads

Not every lead is worth the same. Watch for these factors:

1. Email verification: Were email addresses verified via SMTP check? Without verification, 20–30% of your emails will bounce.
2. Freshness: When was the data last updated? Business data becomes outdated fast — 25% per year.
3. Data source: Where does the data come from? Public sources (legal notices, commercial registers) are GDPR-compliant. Dubious databases are not.
4. Enrichment depth: Just company name + email? Or also decision-maker name, position, phone, LinkedIn?
5. Quality scoring: Is there a lead quality rating? (e.g., traffic light system: Green/Yellow/Red)

Price Comparison: What Do B2B Leads Cost?

| Provider | Model | Price | DACH Focus | |----------|-------|-------|------------| | DACH B2B Lead Generator | One-time | from €0.18/lead | Yes | | Dealfront | Subscription | from €199/month | Yes | | Cognism | Subscription | from €300/month | No (global) | | Apollo.io | Subscription | from $49/month | No (global) | | Lusha | Subscription | from $36/month | No (global) |

5 Mistakes to Avoid When Buying Leads

1. Don't buy unverified data — Bounce rates above 10% permanently damage your email reputation.
2. Don't filter too broadly — 1,000 unspecific leads are worth less than 100 targeted ones.
3. Don't ignore GDPR — Ask about data sources. When in doubt: stay away.
4. Don't blindly go for volume — Quality beats quantity. Always.
5. Don't buy outdated lists — Insist on fresh data, ideally generated on-demand.

Conclusion

Buying B2B leads is a legitimate and efficient strategy — if you choose the right provider. For the DACH region, we recommend a pay-per-lead model with verified data from public sources, without subscription obligations.