If you’re neck-deep in B2B sales or marketing and sick of wading through vendor hype, this guide is for you. There are dozens of “go-to-market” (GTM) platforms out there, all promising to transform your pipeline, automate half your job, and make you rich beyond your wildest dreams. Reality check: most of them do a few things well, some things poorly, and almost none are a magic bullet.
We’re going to look at how Aomni stacks up against other leading B2B GTM platforms—think Apollo, 6sense, Demandbase, and ZoomInfo. I’ll break down what actually matters, where the real differences are, and what’s mostly marketing fluff.
No endless feature tables. No vague promises. Just the stuff that’ll actually help you pick a tool that works for your team (and won’t drive everyone nuts).
What Does a B2B GTM Platform Actually Do?
Let’s get clear on what we’re talking about. A B2B GTM (go-to-market) platform is basically a toolkit for sales and marketing teams trying to find, engage, and win new customers. These platforms tend to cover some or all of:
- Prospecting: Building lists of companies and contacts worth targeting.
- Intent Data: Guessing who’s “in market” based on web activity or data signals.
- Engagement: Automating emails, calls, or ads to reach those prospects.
- Insights: Giving you data on what’s working (and what’s not).
Most vendors claim to do all the above, but each has a different core strength. Some are really just data providers with a few add-ons. Some are workflow tools that try to bolt on data. A few (like Aomni) are newer and try to rethink the whole approach with AI.
The Main Players: Who’s in the Mix?
Here’s a quick rundown of the most common GTM platforms you’ll hear about:
- Aomni: AI-powered platform focused on automating research, personalization, and prospecting.
- Apollo.io: Data-first tool with built-in sequencing for sales outreach.
- ZoomInfo: The juggernaut of B2B contact/company data, now with intent and engagement features.
- 6sense: Heavy on AI-driven intent and account-based marketing (ABM).
- Demandbase: ABM-focused, especially for bigger orgs and marketing teams.
- Outreach/Salesloft: More sales engagement than GTM, but plenty of overlap.
There are dozens more, but these are the ones you’ll see on most vendor shortlists.
Feature Face-Off: Where the Real Differences Are
Let’s break down what actually matters across a few big buckets. Spoiler: it’s not how many Chrome extensions they have.
1. Data Quality & Coverage
Why it matters: If the data sucks, nothing else matters. Bad emails = bounced campaigns. Missing companies = missed pipeline.
- ZoomInfo owns the “biggest database” claim, but quality is hit-or-miss in smaller markets or outside the US. They’re best when you need sheer volume.
- Apollo has surprisingly good data for the price, but it’s not as deep for org charts or intent.
- Aomni doesn’t try to be the “biggest” but focuses on fresh, high-quality, AI-scraped info. It’s great for nuanced research, but if you need a million contacts, this isn’t your tool.
- 6sense & Demandbase don’t really compete as data providers—they buy or license their data from elsewhere.
Pro tip: Always test data with your own ideal customer profile. Most platforms let you do a trial export. Don’t trust the marketing numbers.
2. Intent & Buyer Signals
Why it matters: Prioritizing who’s actually in-market can save your team weeks of wasted outreach.
- 6sense is the leader here—tons of investment in intent modeling, but it’s not plug-and-play. You’ll need a decent volume of traffic and a marketing ops person.
- Demandbase has solid intent features, but leans more toward ad targeting than sales signals.
- ZoomInfo added intent data, but it’s not as fine-grained as 6sense. Feels a bit bolted on.
- Aomni takes a different tack: it uses AI to surface “why now” triggers (e.g., leadership changes, funding rounds) that are easier for reps to act on. It’s less about anonymous web traffic, more about real-world events.
What to ignore: Vendor intent scores are often black boxes. If you can’t see what’s driving a signal, don’t blindly trust it.
3. Workflow & Personalization
Why it matters: If your team can’t use it fast, you’ll pay for shelfware.
- Apollo shines for simple outreach workflows—sequencing, email, dialer, all in one.
- Outreach/Salesloft are the kings here, but they’re not full GTM platforms—think engagement, not data or intent.
- Aomni is all about automating the painful parts of personalization. It’ll suggest talking points, summarize research, and even generate custom emails. If your reps are stuck rewriting the same intro 50 times, this is a huge time saver.
- 6sense/Demandbase focus more on top-of-funnel (ads, web personalization) than direct rep workflows.
Watch out for: Clunky UIs and endless required fields will kill adoption. Get your team to test-drive before you buy.
4. Integrations
Why it matters: The best GTM platform is the one that talks to your CRM (and whatever else you use).
- ZoomInfo integrates with everything, but expect to pay extra for deep syncs.
- Aomni offers modern, flexible integrations—API-first, with easy Salesforce and HubSpot hooks.
- Apollo covers the basics, but deeper integrations (like two-way CRM sync) can be flaky.
- 6sense/Demandbase are built for enterprise martech stacks—great if you have a team to manage integrations, overkill if you don’t.
Pro tip: Ask about API limits and sync frequency. “Real-time” often means “once a day” unless you pay premium.
5. Pricing & Contracts
Why it matters: Some platforms make you sign multi-year contracts before you’ve even kicked the tires.
- ZoomInfo/6sense/Demandbase: Expect big contracts, with pricing hidden behind a demo. Negotiation is the norm; sticker shock is common.
- Apollo: Transparent, freemium pricing. Good for SMBs and teams trying to avoid a hard sell.
- Aomni: More flexible, month-to-month options. You won’t be locked in, but you’ll pay more per seat than Apollo.
What to ignore: “Unlimited” plans are rarely unlimited—there’s usually a fair use policy in the fine print.
Real-World Pros & Cons
Here’s the straight talk on what you'll actually notice after a few months with these platforms:
Aomni
What works: - Fast, actionable research—reps spend less time Googling. - AI-generated insights and personalization are actually usable (not just a gimmick). - Modern, clean UI.
Watch out for: - Not a giant database—great for deep dives, not for mass prospecting. - Still maturing; occasional rough edges if you’re pushing the limits.
Apollo
What works: - Cheap, easy to use, and gets the job done for simple outbound. - Good-enough data for most SMBs.
Watch out for: - Data gets stale; expect some bounces. - More manual work for research and personalization.
ZoomInfo
What works: - Huge database, good for brute-force targeting. - Deep integrations—if you can afford them.
Watch out for: - Expensive, long contracts. - Data quality varies a lot by region and industry.
6sense/Demandbase
What works: - Best for big orgs doing sophisticated ABM. - Powerful intent and orchestration features.
Watch out for: - Steep learning curve, setup takes serious resources. - Overkill (and overpriced) for most startups and mid-market teams.
What’s Hype, What’s Real, and What Actually Matters
Let’s cut through a few common marketing claims:
- AI everywhere: Most platforms are adding “AI” to everything. Most of it is lipstick on a spreadsheet. Aomni’s AI is actually core to the product; elsewhere, it’s usually basic automation.
- Intent signals: Useful, but only if you know what’s behind them. Don’t chase intent for its own sake—use it to prioritize, not replace, good outreach.
- All-in-one: No platform does everything well. Figure out your non-negotiables (e.g., data quality vs. automation vs. ABM) and pick accordingly.
- Seamless integrations: Never as seamless as they say. Budget time for setup—and some inevitable headaches.
Making the Right Choice (for Your Team, Not the Demo)
Here’s how I’d approach it:
- Start with your reps’ workflow: What’s actually slowing them down? (Research, finding emails, personalizing, tracking engagement?)
- Test real data: Export sample lists and run a campaign. Don’t just take the vendor’s word.
- Get buy-in: Make sure your team will actually use the product. If they hate the UI, it’ll gather dust.
- Watch for hidden costs: Ask about API access, integrations, and overage fees.
- Keep it simple: Don’t overengineer things—pick the tool that solves your biggest bottleneck first. You can always add more later.
Final Thoughts
There’s no perfect GTM platform. The best stack is the one your team actually uses—and actually helps you find and close deals. If you’re choosing between Aomni and the big names, think about what you really need: speed, depth, volume, or fancy dashboards. Try before you buy, keep it simple, and don’t be afraid to switch if something isn’t working. Iterate, don’t overthink it. That’s how you win.