Buying a company database in Slovakia: nine questions before you order

A company list is quick to buy, but mistakes only show during the campaign: bounced emails, companies that no longer exist, complaints. The nine questions below help you compare offers before you order, whether you buy from us or from someone else.

1. Where does each record come from?

The identity of a company (business name, IČO, address, legal form) should come from a register. In Slovakia the basis is the Register of Legal Entities, whose open data is available under the CC BY 4.0 licence. Contacts come from other sources: company websites, chamber directories, business directories or map data. A good offer states the contact source for every record.

Directories and portals may be protected by the database maker’s right under the Slovak Copyright Act (Act No. 185/2015 Coll.). Ask how the seller deals with such sources.

2. How old is the data?

Companies are set up, wound up and change their contacts. Ask for the source date of contacts and the date of the register extract for identities. The date a seller last updated its website is not the date of the data.

3. What is the coverage for your selection?

The total number of companies in a database does not tell you how many have a phone number or email address in your industry and region. Ask for figures for your actual selection: how many companies, how many with phone, email and website. If you need two fields at once, ask for the intersection; it cannot be calculated from the totals.

4. Is the origin of email addresses documented?

Under § 116(3) of Act No. 452/2021 Coll. on electronic communications, direct marketing by email requires prior demonstrable consent. Paragraph 15 makes an exception for direct marketing addressed to the published contact details of a sole trader or a legal entity. If an email address in the list has no documented source, you cannot tell whether it was published.

Check offers of “emails with consent”: who gave consent, to whom and when. Consent given to another company does not transfer to you.

5. Are shared addresses excluded?

Accounting firms, property managers and hosting companies often list their own address for dozens of clients. Such an address does not belong to the company you want to reach. Ask whether the seller excludes addresses shared by several companies; we do not supply addresses shared by three or more companies.

6. How are sole traders marked?

Data about sole traders is personal data. If you use it for marketing, you are a controller under the GDPR: you need a legal basis (usually legitimate interests under Art. 6(1)(f)), you must inform the data subject under Art. 14 and respect their objection to direct marketing under Art. 21(2). The list should include the legal form so that you can tell sole traders apart.

7. Is there a sample file?

A sample file shows the structure: separator, character encoding, the format of IČO and postcode. Test the import into your system before you buy. A sample with fictitious companies says nothing about the quality of the real data, but it saves surprises at import.

8. What is the price per usable record?

Divide the price by the number of records with the field you actually need. A cheap list with low email coverage can turn out more expensive than a pricier list with good coverage.

9. What may you do with the file?

For a one-off export, check whether you may use the data repeatedly, share it with an agency or load it into several systems. Reselling the data is usually excluded. The terms should be in writing.

Five warning signs

1. “100% of companies with email” or similarly high nationwide coverage.
2. “Verified contacts with consent” without proof of consent.
3. No data date or contact source.
4. The seller does not state its identity and address.
5. A price per thousand records without saying which fields the records contain.

Our export is shown on the export and sample file page; sources and methodology are described on the data sources and methodology page. Outreach rules are covered in the article B2B outreach by email and phone in Slovakia.

Frequently asked questions

Is buying a company database legal in Slovakia?

Buying and selling company data from public sources is legal. What matters is where the data comes from, whether the seller has respected the terms of its sources, and how you handle the data yourself. Data about sole traders is personal data and the GDPR applies.

May I email businesses from a purchased database?

You may email the published contact details of businesses if the message identifies the sender and offers a simple, free way to opt out (§ 116(15) of Act No. 452/2021 Coll.). That is why the database should state for every email address where it was published.

What is the price per usable record?

The total price divided by the number of records that contain the field you actually need (for example email). A list for €300 with 10,000 companies, 2,000 of them with email, costs 15 cents per usable record, not 3 cents.

How do I spot an unreliable offer?

Be wary of promises such as “100% of companies with email” or “verified contacts with consent” without proof, missing data dates and sellers who do not state who they are.

As of 25 October 2026. Wording of the act according to Slov-Lex (version in force from 18 August 2026). This article is general information and does not replace legal advice in a specific case.