Instantly.ai is a powerful tool for automated cold email outreach and lead generation. However, depending on pricing, features, or specific business needs, it may not be the best fit for everyone. Here are the ten best alternatives with their key features, pricing, integrations, and ideal use cases.
Lemlist
Lemlist is designed for startups and medium-sized businesses looking to automate personalised email campaigns with AI-powered optimisation. It offers email warm-up features, automation, and engagement tracking to improve outreach effectiveness.
Key Features:
- AI-Powered Personalization: Automatically customises emails with text, images, and video to boost engagement.
- Automated Follow-Ups: Sends pre-defined follow-ups based on recipient behaviour to improve response rates.
- Email Warm-Up: Reduces the chances of emails landing in spam by gradually increasing sending volume.
- Team Collaboration: Enables sales teams to collaborate and track performance efficiently.
- CRM & API Integration: Connects with HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive, and Zapier for seamless lead management.
Pricing:
- Email Outreach: $69/month per user (basic outreach features)
- Sales Engagement: $99/month per user (multi-channel outreach and team collaboration)
Free Tier: No free tier exists, but a 14-day free trial is available.
Woodpecker
Woodpecker is a powerful email automation tool for small to medium-sized businesses and agencies. It offers advanced analytics, follow-up automation, and team collaboration features.
Key Features:
- Reply Detection: Automatically detects responses and stops follow-ups to avoid spamming contacts.
- Email Sequences: Allows creating multi-step outreach campaigns.
- High Deliverability: Ensures optimal email-sending practices to improve inbox placement.
- A/B Testing: Helps optimise subject lines and content to increase engagement.
- CRM & API Integration: Works with HubSpot, Pipedrive, Zoho CRM, and Zapier for streamlined contact management.
Pricing:
- Starter: $20/month per slot (6000 emails and 2000 stored prospects)
- Growth: $126/month per slot (100K emails and 40K stored prospects)
- Scale: $903/month per slot (more than 1 million emails and 400K prospects)
- Max: $6666/month per slot(unlimited emails and stored prospects)
Free Tier: No free tier, but a 7-day free trial is available.
Mailshake
Mailshake is ideal for sales teams in startups and medium-sized businesses that require multi-channel outreach.
Key Features:
- Multi-Channel Outreach: Includes email, LinkedIn, and phone call automation.
- Lead Catcher: Identifies and prioritizes engaged leads for follow-up.
- Personalized Campaigns: Enables dynamic email customization for individual recipients.
- Real-Time Tracking: Provides insights on email opens, clicks, and replies.
- CRM & API Integration: Connects with Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive, and Zapier.
Pricing:
- Starter: $25/month per month (1500 email sends per month)
- Email Outreach: $45/month per user (unlimited email sends per month with 1000+ integrations via Zapier)
- Sales Engagement: $85/month per user (unlimited email sends, multiple integrations and phone outreach)
Free Tier: No free tier, but a 30-day money-back guarantee is available.
Reply.io
Reply.io is a robust platform for AI-driven email outreach and multi-channel engagement, best suited for medium to large enterprises.
Key Features:
- AI-Powered Email Writing: Helps generate email content based on best practices.
- Multi-Channel Automation: Supports email, LinkedIn, and phone call automation.
- Built-in CRM: Allows sales teams to manage and track prospects efficiently.
- Smart Scheduling: Sends emails at optimal times to maximize responses.
- CRM & API Integration: Works with Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive, LinkedIn, and Zapier.
Pricing:
- Email Volume: $49/month per user (1 mailbox connection)
- Multi-Channel: $89/month per user (3 mailbox connections)
- Enterprise: Custom pricing for large teams
Free Tier: No free tier, but a 14-day free trial is available.
Smartlead.ai
Smartlead.ai is ideal for businesses focused on large-scale email campaigns with AI-based deliverability improvements.
Key Features:
- Unlimited Email Accounts: Allows sending from multiple domains to scale outreach.
- AI-Powered Warm-Up: Helps prevent emails from landing in spam folders.
- Advanced Email Tracking: Provides deep insights into email open and response rates.
- Dynamic Personalization: Enables high-level customization for better engagement.
- API & CRM Integration: Works with various email service providers and API access.
Pricing:
- Basic: $39/month (2000 active leads and 6000 emails per month)
- Pro: $94/month (30000 active leads, 150000 emails per month and support of GPT-4)
- Custom: $174/month onwards (12M active leads and 60M email credits)
Free Tier: No free tier, but a free trial is available.
Saleshandy
Saleshandy is an email outreach tool that helps businesses automate follow-ups, track emails, and manage email templates for increased engagement. It is best suited for small to medium-sized businesses looking to streamline their cold email campaigns.
Key Features:
- Automated Follow-Ups: Schedules automatic follow-ups for better engagement.
- Email Tracking: Provides insights into email opens and responses.
- Template Management: Allows users to create and reuse email templates.
- Team Collaboration: Enables sharing email templates and tracking results together.
- CRM & API Integration: Connects with Gmail, Outlook, and Zapier.
Pricing:
- Outreach Starter: $25/month per user(10K emails per month)
- Outreach Pro: $74/month per user (125K emails per month)
- Outreach Scale: $149/month per user (250K emails per month)
- Outreach Scale Plus: $219/month per user (350K emails per month)
Free Tier: No free tier, but a 7-day free trial is available.
GMass
GMass is a powerful email outreach tool built specifically for Gmail users. It helps users automate follow-ups, manage large email campaigns, and track responses.
Key Features:
- Seamless Gmail Integration: Works directly within Gmail for easy email outreach.
- Mail Merge with Google Sheets: Sends personalized mass emails with Google Sheets integration.
- Automated Follow-Ups: Schedules follow-ups to increase response rates.
- Advanced Email Tracking: Monitors opens, clicks, and replies in real-time.
- CRM & API Integration: Connects with Google Sheets, Gmail API, and third-party tools via Zapier.
Pricing:
- Standard: $19.95/month per user
- Premium: $29.95/month per user (adds sequences and follow-ups)
- Enterprise: $49.95/month per user (team collaboration and priority support)
Free Tier: Limited free plan available.
Snov.io
Snov.io is an all-in-one platform for lead generation, email verification, and cold email outreach, perfect for startups and small businesses.
Key Features:
- Email Finder & Verifier: Helps find and verify business emails for better outreach success.
- Automated Email Drip Campaigns: Enables personalized sequences for higher engagement.
- Lead Database & CRM: Stores and manages leads for efficient follow-ups.
- Integration with Popular CRMs: Works with HubSpot, Pipedrive, and Salesforce.
- API & Zapier Integration: Offers automation with third-party tools.
Pricing:
- Starter: $30/month (1,000 emails, 5,000 contacts)
- Pro: $75/month (5,000 emails, 20,000 contacts)
- Custom: Tailored plans based on specific needs
Free Tier: Free plan available with limited email verification and outreach features.
Outreach.io
Outreach.io is a sales engagement platform designed for enterprise-level sales teams, offering advanced automation and AI-driven analytics.
Key Features:
- AI-Powered Sales Insights: Provides data-driven recommendations for outreach improvement.
- Multi-Channel Engagement: Supports email, LinkedIn, phone calls, and text messaging.
- Automated Sequences & Workflows: Streamlines outbound sales processes.
- Enterprise-Grade Security: Ensures data protection and compliance with industry standards.
- CRM & API Integration: Works with Salesforce, HubSpot, and Microsoft Dynamics.
Pricing:
- Custom Pricing: Tailored solutions based on team size and requirements.
Free Tier: No free tier is available.
QuickMail
QuickMail is a cold email platform that helps teams manage large-scale email outreach campaigns while ensuring high deliverability.
Key Features:
- Email Warm-Up Tool: Improves email reputation to prevent spam filters.
- Unlimited Email Accounts: Allows sending from multiple domains and addresses.
- Automated Follow-Ups: Ensures continued engagement with leads.
- Detailed Performance Analytics: Tracks open rates, responses, and email deliverability.
- CRM & API Integration: Works with Gmail, Outlook, SMTP providers, and Zapier.
Pricing:
- Basic Plan: $49/month (30K emails monthly and 10K active prospects)
- Pro Plan: $89/month (100K emails monthly and 50K active prospects)
- Expert Plan: $129/month (300K emails monthly and 100K active prospects)
Free Tier: 14 days free trial available.
Quick Comparison
| Tool | Best For | Key Features | Pricing (Per Month) | Free Trial |
| Lemlist | Startups & SMBs | AI-Powered Email Personalization | $69 – $99 | 14 days |
| Woodpecker | Small to Medium Businesses | Reply Detection & A/B Testing | $33 – $66 | 7 days |
| Mailshake | Sales Teams | Multi-Channel Outreach | $20 – $6666 | 30 days |
| Reply.io | Medium to Large Enterprises | AI-Powered Email Writing | $49 – Custom | 14 days |
| Smartlead.ai | High-Volume Email Campaigns | Unlimited Email Accounts | $39 – $174 | Yes |
| Saleshandy | Small Teams & Individuals | Email Tracking & Follow-Ups | $25 – $219 | 14 days |
| GMass | Gmail Users | Google Sheets Integration | $19.95 – $49.95 | Limited Free |
| Snov.io | Startups & Lead Generation | Email Finder & Verifier | $30 – Custom | Yes |
| Outreach.io | Large Sales Teams & Enterprises | AI-Powered Sales Insights | Custom Pricing | No |
| QuickMail | Cold Email at Scale | Unlimited Email Accounts | $49 – $129 | 14 days |
Conclusion
Choosing the right Instantly.ai alternative depends on your business needs, budget, and required features. Whether you need AI-driven optimization, multi-channel outreach, or high-volume scalability, there is an option that suits your requirements. Try out a few and determine the best fit for your email outreach campaigns.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the best Instantly.ai alternative for small businesses?
For small businesses, Lemlist and Woodpecker are excellent choices. Lemlist offers AI-powered personalization and email warm-up features, while Woodpecker provides advanced analytics and follow-up automation. Both tools are affordable and cater to startups and small teams.
Which tool is best for high-volume email campaigns?
Smartlead.ai is ideal for high-volume email campaigns, offering unlimited email accounts and AI-powered warm-up features to ensure deliverability. It also provides advanced tracking and dynamic personalization for large-scale outreach.
Are there any free alternatives to Instantly.ai?
Yes, Snov.io and GMass offer free tiers with limited features. Snov.io provides email verification and outreach tools, while GMass integrates seamlessly with Gmail for basic email campaigns. Both are great for testing before committing to a paid plan.
Which tool is best for multi-channel outreach?
Mailshake and Reply.io are the top choices for multi-channel outreach. Mailshake supports email, LinkedIn, and phone call automation, while Reply.io offers AI-driven email writing and multi-channel engagement, including LinkedIn and phone calls.
What is the most affordable Instantly.ai alternative?
GMass and Woodpecker are among the most affordable options. Both tools provide excellent value for budget-conscious users.
