As B2B marketers double down on Account-Based Marketing (ABM), the tools they choose are more important than ever. In a crowded landscape of platforms promising intent data, segmentation, orchestration, and personalization, two platforms stand out: Clay and 6sense.
Both offer robust capabilities for modern go-to-market (GTM) teams, but their approach to ABM differs. While 6sense provides a powerful, pre-configured platform with built-in intent data and orchestration tools, Clay offers unmatched flexibility, modularity, and data ownership for teams that want to build ABM their way.
In this in-depth comparison, we’ll examine key categories like segmentation, buyer intent, orchestration, pricing, and implementation. We’ll also explore how Clay offers a more agile, cost-effective solution for RevOps, growth marketers, and tech-savvy teams looking to drive pipeline without getting locked into someone else’s playbook.
| Category | Clay | 6sense |
|---|---|---|
| Approach | Modular, customizable workflows | Pre-packaged, rigid playbooks |
| Buyer Intent | Build your own triggers (e.g., hiring, funding, tech changes) | Proprietary intent data from partners like Bombora, G2 |
| Segmentation | Dynamic ICP scoring using any attribute (firmographic, custom) | Standard scoring model with some customization |
| Account Journeys | Build your own lifecycle logic with CRM + external data | Pre-built journey stages: unaware → engaged → in-market |
| Contact Prioritization | Custom logic per persona, signal strength, and channel | Built-in scoring, limited override options |
| Orchestration | Send leads to any tool (HubSpot, Outreach, LinkedIn, etc.) | Orchestration engine: ads, email, sales touchpoints |
| Tech Integration | API-first, works with anything | Works best with Salesforce/Marketo stack |
| Pricing | Pay-as-you-go per row/action | High annual commitment (6-figure contracts typical) |
| Implementation Time | Days to build something usable | Weeks to months to deploy fully |
| Team Required | RevOps + growth marketers (tech-friendly) | ABM strategists + marketing ops |
One of the main frustrations teams have with traditional ABM platforms is rigidity. 6sense delivers a robust, full-featured platform, but it comes with pre-defined workflows, playbooks, and assumptions. If your GTM team is evolving fast or working in a non-traditional market, this can be limiting.
Clay flips the script by giving you the tools to build your own logic. Want to trigger a campaign when a company raises funding and installs a new tech stack? Easy. Need to build workflows that adapt dynamically to intent signals or the buying stage? Clay lets you do it—all within a clean UI and without needing a developer.
6sense’s proprietary intent data is powerful, but it’s still a black box. You can’t always verify where the data is coming from or how it’s scored. Clay takes a different approach: you define your own intent triggers using real-time data from sources like:
With Clay, intent becomes transparent and tailored to your strategy, not a static number you can’t explain.
Clay is API-first and works with just about any tool. Whether you use HubSpot, Salesforce, Outreach, Lemlist, or a fully custom CRM, Clay adapts to your stack. You can push enriched leads to email sequences, Slack alerts, ad platforms, and more—with workflows you control.
Compare that with 6sense, which shines brightest when integrated with Salesforce and Marketo. If you're not running that stack, you'll likely need workarounds—or costly implementation support.
For agile GTM teams, especially those experimenting with AI-driven workflows, Clay's flexibility is a game-changer.
While 6sense delivers beautiful dashboards and predictive analytics, Clay focuses on execution. Who’s in-market is great to know, but what matters is what you do next.
With Clay, you can:
Clay lets you build automated, event-driven ABM—not just observe activity.
One of the biggest differentiators? Cost and time to value.
For lean teams or those experimenting with AI orchestration, Clay is the obvious choice.
A B2B SaaS company wants to target mid-market CTOs in cybersecurity. Using Clay, they:
This approach leads to high-intent conversations in weeks, not months.
6sense is a platform. Clay is an engine.
If you want to control your data, customize your triggers, and launch ABM campaigns your way, Clay is the better choice—faster, cheaper, and more flexible.
With tools like TripleSession, Trellus, and AI HubSpot Workflows, FullFunnel helps growth teams integrate Clay into a full-stack AI-enabled sales motion.
At FullFunnel, we help B2B teams design custom AI-powered workflows using Clay, GPT, and other tools to scale outreach and pipeline generation—without losing personalization.
Download our Clay vs. 6sense ABM Comparison Guide (PDF) to see side-by-side features, pricing, and implementation insights.
Talk to our team or check out our ABM Enablement Services to get started with building your own scalable, AI-powered go-to-market motion.