Finding a distributor in a new country usually means combining four kinds of source: directories where companies list themselves, trade records that show who already imports your kind of product, government services that make introductions, and tools that build a list from scratch.
This guide compares eleven tools across those four kinds, with what each one costs and what it cannot do, as each vendor publishes it. Pick by the market you are entering, not by the size of the database.
Updated 23 October 2026 · 11 tools · prices and features as each vendor published them, checked 23 October 2026
We make Kuration, and it is on this list. It is described the same way as every other tool: what it does, what it costs, and its limits.
Reaching the right person at a distributor you have already found
Core US$119.99/month or US$1,079.88/year; Advanced US$159.99/month or US$1,799.88/year; Advanced Plus by quote.
Free trial for eligible members; payment details required.
How we chose
It finds distributors, not just companies
Each tool lets you single out distributors, importers or wholesalers: by a supplier-type filter, by shipment records, or by introductions.
It says where it works
Coverage is stated by the vendor: a region (Europe, North America, India), a list of customs countries, or any country.
Its price is public, or it says it isn’t
Published prices are quoted as published. Where a vendor only gives quotes, the guide says so.
Every fact comes from the vendor
Figures, prices and limits are taken from each vendor’s own website and help pages, on the date shown under each tool.
1.Kuration AI
Custom B2B database
Best for: Distributors in any country, including ones that are not listed in a directory
Builds your own list of the companies that buy, distribute or import a physical product, in any country, from the places they actually show up (licence registers, trade-show exhibitor lists, dealer locators, maps, PDFs and directories), then finds the person who decides at each one.
Kuration is the one tool here that does not start from its own database. You describe the distributor you want, for example cosmetics importers that carry Korean or European skincare brands in Saudi Arabia, and it reads the registers, exhibitor lists, dealer locators and maps where those companies show up, then finds the person who decides at each.
What it does well
Finds companies that are not in contact databases: registers, exhibitor lists, dealer locators, maps and PDFs, in any language.
Finds the decision-maker at each company and reaches them by email, LinkedIn and WhatsApp from the same workspace.
API on every plan, Free included; CRM sync (HubSpot, Zoho, Salesforce, Attio) and MCP from Starter.
Limits it documents
Free plan exports up to 25 rows per list, for 1 user.
Starter includes 1 email inbox and 1 each of LinkedIn, WhatsApp and Sales Navigator.
Credit-based: searches and enrichments use credits (Starter: 2,500 a month).
Coverage
Any country and any language: each source is read on the day you ask, rather than taken from a pre-built index.
Price
Free $0; Starter from $49/month; Pro from $149/month; Scale from $499/month; Enterprise on request. Annual billing is 20% less.
Free option
Free plan with 1,500 credits a month, no card. Your first list is free: 20 companies with contacts.
Best for: Finding importers from shipment records, with contacts attached
An export-import data platform: shipment records searchable by company, product or HS code, with contacts for the importers it finds.
Trade data answers a different question from a directory: who already imports a product, how often and from whom. That makes it a strong way to find distributors who handle a competing brand.
What it does well
Search shipments by company, product or HS code, with dashboards on buyers, suppliers, ports and prices.
Turn importers found in shipment data into outreach lists with phone, email and LinkedIn contacts.
Buyer and supplier alerts when new shipments appear.
Limits it documents
Startup excludes premium countries such as Brazil, Turkey, Indonesia, Egypt and Nigeria.
Verified contacts are capped per plan: 150 (Startup), 450 (SME), 1,000 (Corporate).
Most countries update monthly; some take 45 to 60 days.
Coverage
200 countries on the SME and Corporate plans (182 on Startup), from detailed, mirror and statistical customs databases.
Best for: U.S. exporters who want introductions to interested partners
The trade-promotion arm of the U.S. Department of Commerce: International Partner Search lists up to five interested distributors abroad, and Gold Key books meetings with them.
What it does well
Up to five partners or distributors that have already said they are interested in your product.
Introductions and meetings arranged by staff at U.S. embassies and consulates.
Gold Key can be bought in parts, from $225 per appointment.
Limits it documents
For export-ready U.S. companies only, with goods of U.S. origin or at least 51% U.S. content.
Up to five partners per search; more cost extra.
Travel, translation and other direct costs are extra.
Coverage
Trade experts in more than 80 countries; International Partner Search is not offered in China.
Price
International Partner Search $2,500 (with virtual introductions $3,300); Gold Key $3,250 per market.
europages (Europe), wlw (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) and Thomasnet (North America) are free for buyers and let you filter by supplier type. Check the coverage limits: each only accepts companies from its own region.
If you need to know who already imports your product, use trade records
Volza, Export Genius, ImportGenius and Panjiva search shipments by HS code. Before you buy, check that your target country has detailed customs records on your plan, not only mirror or statistical data.
If the distributors you want are not in a directory
Kuration builds the list from where those companies show up in that country: licence registers, trade-show exhibitor lists, dealer locators and maps, in the local language.
If you are a U.S. exporter and want introductions
The U.S. Commercial Service’s International Partner Search lists up to five interested partners, and Gold Key arranges the meetings. Both are for export-ready U.S. companies with U.S.-origin goods.
Then find the person who decides
A company name is not a meeting. LinkedIn Sales Navigator finds people at companies you already know; Kuration finds the decision-maker as part of the list.
Questions
What is the best tool to find distributors?
It depends on the market. Free directories such as europages (Europe), wlw (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) and Thomasnet (North America) cover companies that list themselves. Trade-data platforms such as Volza, Export Genius, ImportGenius and Panjiva show which companies already import a product. Kuration builds a list from registers, exhibitor lists, dealer locators and maps in any country, and finds the decision-maker at each distributor.
How can I find distributors in another country for free?
europages, wlw and Thomasnet are free for buyers, and Kompass’s public directory is free to search. Export Genius has a free plan with limited searches, and Kuration’s first list is free: 20 companies with contacts. Trade shows are another free source: the exhibitor list of a show in your category names the distributors that exhibit there.
How do I find importers of my product?
Trade-data platforms list the importers on customs and shipment records by HS code: Volza, Export Genius, ImportGenius, Panjiva and Tendata. Check which countries have detailed records on the plan you choose, and how often each country is updated.
Can a government agency help me find distributors?
In the U.S., the Commercial Service’s International Partner Search ($2,500) lists up to five interested partners, and Gold Key ($3,250) arranges meetings with them. Both are for export-ready U.S. companies. Many countries run their own export-promotion agency, so check what yours offers.
