If you’re a B2B sales, marketing, or RevOps leader, you’ve probably been pitched a dozen “go-to-market” (GTM) platforms this year alone. The promise: more pipeline, less hassle. The reality: a lot of overlap, buzzwords, and tools that tend to overpromise and underdeliver.
Let’s get real about what actually matters in B2B GTM software—and whether Browse is worth your time compared to the usual suspects.
Why Picking the Right GTM Software Actually Matters
Your GTM stack is the backbone of your revenue motion. Get it wrong and you’ll have teams stuck in spreadsheets, chasing stale leads, or drowning in notifications. The right software should help you:
- Find and prioritize real targets (not just fill your CRM with noise)
- Uncover actual buying signals, not vanity metrics
- Orchestrate outreach without making reps jump through hoops
- Give you insight into what’s working (and, crucially, what isn’t)
There’s no magic bullet. But if you know what to look for, you can avoid a lot of headaches—and wasted budget.
The Key Features That Actually Matter
With every vendor claiming “AI-powered” everything and “seamless integrations,” it’s easy to get lost. Here’s what actually counts:
1. Real, Actionable Data
What to look for: - Access to up-to-date company and contact info - Actual buying signals (not just pageviews) - Clear intent data—who’s researching your category, not just visiting your website
Red flags: - Vendors who can’t explain where their data comes from - “Intent” signals that just mean someone downloaded an eBook three years ago
Browse’s take:
Browse pulls from multiple sources (including proprietary web tracking and third-party intent providers), and exposes the data clearly. You get a timeline of accounts’ real activity, not just a list of names.
Competitor notes:
6sense and Demandbase also have strong intent data, but often bundle it with a bunch of features you might not need (and a price tag to match). Apollo and ZoomInfo have tons of data, but quality varies—expect a lot of cleaning.
2. Fast, Useful Account Prioritization
What to look for: - Clear scoring or ranking of accounts, based on real engagement and fit - The ability to adjust what “good” looks like for your business
Red flags: - Black-box scoring you can’t tweak - Overly complex models that only a data scientist could love
Browse’s take:
Browse offers a straightforward “opportunity score” you can adjust by weighting signals and firmographics. Not rocket science, but you’ll actually use it.
Competitor notes:
6sense has the most advanced predictive models, but you’ll need someone technical to get the most out of it. Demandbase is customizable, but can be overwhelming. Simpler tools like Apollo don’t really help with prioritization—they’re mostly data dumps.
3. Sales-Ready Workflows (Without the Fluff)
What to look for: - Pushes the right accounts and contacts to your reps, in their tools (not just another dashboard) - Lets you set up simple playbooks, sequences, or triggers - Easy handoff between marketing and sales
Red flags: - Endless customization required just to get started - Workflows that require a week of training to understand
Browse’s take:
Browse pushes “ready to work” lists into your CRM or outreach tool. The UI is spartan, but reps aren’t forced to learn a new language just to start calling.
Competitor notes:
6sense and Demandbase are powerful, but can feel like overkill for lean teams. Apollo and ZoomInfo offer basic sequences, but less intelligence about when to reach out.
4. Integrations That Actually Work
What to look for: - Native integrations with your CRM (Salesforce, HubSpot, etc.) - Real-time sync—no more “CSV hell” - Compatibility with other tools you actually use (Slack, Salesloft, Outreach)
Red flags: - “Coming soon” integrations (that never come) - Manual data exports as the only option
Browse’s take:
Browse doesn’t have the deepest integration catalog, but the basics work reliably. Salesforce and HubSpot are covered, plus Outreach for sales engagement. No Zapier gimmicks—just the stuff most B2B teams need.
Competitor notes:
6sense and Demandbase have broad integrations, but implementation can drag on. Apollo and ZoomInfo are a mixed bag; sometimes things break or get out of sync.
5. Reporting That Doesn’t Require a PhD
What to look for: - Simple, clear dashboards showing what’s working - Attribution that actually makes sense (not just “influenced pipeline” hand-waving) - Exportable reports for sharing with the team
Red flags: - Reports buried under layers of menus - Attribution models so complex you never trust the numbers
Browse’s take:
Browse keeps it simple: which accounts are moving forward, which reps are acting on signals, and what’s converting. Not the prettiest charts, but you’ll know what’s actually happening.
Competitor notes:
6sense and Demandbase have impressive dashboards, but there’s a learning curve. Apollo and ZoomInfo offer basic reporting—fine for simple needs, but don’t expect deep insights.
6. Transparent Pricing (and a Free Trial That’s Actually Useful)
What to look for: - Clear pricing tiers, without mandatory “call us” demos - A free trial or pilot with real data—not a sandbox with fake leads
Red flags: - Opaque pricing or “custom quote” required - Free trials that don’t let you export or integrate anything
Browse’s take:
Browse puts pricing on the website and offers a real free trial with live data. No arm-twisting to talk to sales before you can try it.
Competitor notes:
6sense and Demandbase are notorious for hiding pricing and pushing enterprise contracts. Apollo and ZoomInfo are more transparent, but you’ll get upsold fast.
What You Can Probably Ignore
Not every “cutting-edge” feature is worth your time. Here’s what often gets hyped but rarely delivers:
- AI-generated outreach: Usually generic. Reps still need to personalize.
- Super granular intent signals: If you need 50 filters to find a lead, you probably don’t have product-market fit.
- Gamified dashboards: Fun for a week. Then you just want the numbers.
Focus on features that help your team do the work, not just check a box for your boss.
How Browse Really Stacks Up
Here’s the no-spin bottom line:
Browse is best for teams who want: - Clean, actionable intent data without a ton of setup - Simple, adjustable scoring - Basic but reliable integrations - A price that won’t make your CFO faint
Where Browse falls short: - Not as feature-rich as 6sense or Demandbase (no advanced AI, no mega-workflows) - Fewer integrations than legacy players - Reporting is functional, not flashy
The sweet spot:
Browse is a good fit if you’re a small-to-midsize B2B team, or just don’t want to spend months (and a small fortune) rolling out a GTM platform. If you need enterprise-grade complexity, look elsewhere. But for most, simpler is better.
Keep It Simple and Iterate
Don’t let shiny features distract you. Start with what your team actually needs—real data, clear signals, and workflows that slot into your daily process. Tools like Browse won’t solve everything, but they can help you move faster without a lot of baggage.
Pick something, get going, and adjust as you learn. GTM software isn’t a silver bullet; it’s just a tool. Use it to simplify, not complicate.