So, you’re on the hunt for better B2B leads and keep hearing about tools like Storeleads, Apollo, ZoomInfo, and a dozen others. But all the marketing pages look the same, and every tool claims to be “the most accurate” or “the fastest path to pipeline.” You know there’s more to it than buzzwords, and you’re right. This guide is for B2B marketers, sales ops folks, founders, and anyone tired of wasting money on tools that don’t actually fill the pipeline.
Here’s a straight-shooting, step-by-step way to compare Storeleads with other B2B go-to-market (GTM) lead generation tools—so you don’t get burned.
Step 1: Get Clear on What You Actually Need
Before you compare anything, nail down your real use case. Most B2B GTM tools look similar on the surface, but they solve different problems. Don’t get distracted by features you’ll never use.
Ask yourself: - Are you selling to ecommerce businesses, SaaS, agencies, or something else? - Do you need contact info, company data, tech stack details, or all of the above? - How important is data freshness? (Some tools update weekly, others monthly or less.) - Will you be integrating this with your CRM, or just exporting lists? - What’s your budget, really? Don’t forget to factor in hidden costs like API access or extra seats.
Pro tip: Write these needs down. You’ll be surprised how many tools are overkill (or just plain wrong) for what you want.
Step 2: Line Up the “Contenders” (Don’t Just Google “Best B2B Lead Tools”)
There are at least a dozen “top” tools, but most fall into a few buckets:
- Storeleads: Focused on ecommerce store data—think Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, etc. Great if you’re targeting online retailers.
- Apollo.io: A general B2B contact and company database, strong for outbound sales, not ecommerce-specific.
- ZoomInfo: The enterprise giant. Huge database, lots of integrations, expensive.
- Clearbit: Good for enrichment and integrations, often more developer-focused.
- Cognism, UpLead, Lusha, Lead411, etc.: Variations on the contact/company database theme, each with their own quirks.
What to ignore:
Most “review” sites rank tools based on affiliate payouts, not actual utility. Don’t trust them blindly.
Step 3: Compare Data Depth and Accuracy (Not Just “Number of Records”)
Everybody brags about having millions of leads. The real question is: are they the right leads, and are they up to date?
For each tool, dig into: - Coverage: Does it have the companies you care about? (Ecommerce? SaaS? Local businesses?) - Detail: Does it give you what you need—emails, phone numbers, tech stack, social profiles, etc.? - Recency: How often is the database updated? Can you see when a record was last checked? - Accuracy: What % of emails bounce? Do job titles match up with LinkedIn? - Unique data: Storeleads, for example, tracks store launch dates, platform migrations, installed apps, and revenue estimates—stuff you just won’t find in a generic B2B database.
How to check:
Most tools offer a free trial or sample export. Don’t skip this. Pull a segment of your actual target market and gut-check the data. Is it legit, or full of junk?
Step 4: Test Search, Filters, and Export—The Stuff You’ll Use Every Day
You don’t want to spend hours wrestling with clunky UIs or exporting data you can’t use.
Key things to try: - Search Filters: Can you zero in on your ICP (ideal customer profile) fast? For Storeleads, this means filtering by platform, category, installed apps, location, and more. - Bulk Export: Are there limits? Do you get raw CSVs, or are there hoops to jump through? - Integrations: Does it connect with your CRM (Salesforce, HubSpot, etc.) or workflow tools? Or will you be stuck with endless CSV uploads? - Automation: Some tools let you set up alerts or auto-export new leads as they appear. Handy if you want to “set it and forget it.”
Red flags:
Some platforms heavily restrict the number of leads you can export, or hide the “good” data behind expensive upgrades. Make sure you know exactly what you’re getting for your money.
Step 5: Dig Into Pricing—And Watch for Hidden Costs
Most B2B GTM tools put their “starting at” price front and center, but real costs can balloon fast.
Look for: - Seat licenses: Is the price per user? Are there minimums? - Export/API limits: Is there a cap on how much data you can actually use? - Annual contracts: Can you pay monthly, or are you locked in for a year? - Data enrichment/add-on fees: Some charge extra to get direct emails, phone numbers, or company financials.
Storeleads is generally more transparent than most, but always check the fine print. If a salesperson won’t give you a sample export or dodges questions about pricing, that’s a warning sign.
Step 6: Get Real About Support and “Extras”
This is less sexy than features, but it matters when stuff breaks.
Check for: - Responsiveness: Do they answer support emails? Is there live chat? - Documentation: Is there a help center, or will you be Googling for every answer? - Community/user base: Active forums or Slack groups can be a lifesaver.
Bonus:
Some tools offer enrichment APIs, Chrome extensions, or real-time alerts—nice to have if you’re technical, but not worth paying extra for if you’ll never use them.
Step 7: Try to Break It—Pilot With Real-World Use Cases
Don’t just do a demo with a sales rep. Actually use the tool as you would in your day-to-day.
- Can you pull a list of your target accounts in under five minutes?
- Is the exported data actually usable, or do you have to clean it up every time?
- Does it fit smoothly into your workflow, or are you constantly copy-pasting?
- How easy is it to hand off searches to other team members?
Reality check:
Most tools look good in a demo, but you’ll find the cracks once you try to use them for real. Test-drive before you buy.
What Works, What Doesn’t, and What to Ignore
What works: - Tools like Storeleads are fantastic if you’re targeting ecommerce, especially Shopify or WooCommerce merchants. - Generic B2B databases (ZoomInfo, Apollo) are better for broad market outreach—think SaaS, agencies, or manufacturing. - Filtering, integrations, and export options matter more than “number of records.”
What doesn’t: - Buying a massive contact database and never touching it again. Data goes stale fast. - Overpaying for features you don’t use (e.g., advanced enrichment APIs if you just want CSVs). - Trusting tools that don’t give you a real trial or sample export.
Ignore: - Gimmicky features (“AI-powered intent scoring” that’s just a guess). - Review site rankings—they’re mostly pay-to-play. - Vanity metrics (like “over 100 million companies!” when you only care about 500).
TL;DR: Keep It Simple and Iterate
You don’t need the “best” tool—you need the one that fits your workflow and pulls in leads you can actually use. Start small, test with real data, and upgrade only when you hit a wall. Most of all, don’t let shiny dashboards distract you from what you’re really after: a steady flow of qualified leads that make your sales team’s lives easier.
Try, tweak, and move fast. The best B2B GTM stack is the one you’ll actually use.