Best Instantly Alternatives for Cold Email Outreach

Instantly has become a go-to cold email platform for agencies and sales teams, mainly because of its unlimited email accounts and solid deliverability features. But it's not perfect for everyone. Maybe you've hit the contact limits on the Growth plan, you're frustrated by the credit system for the lead database, or you just want to explore what else is out there.

I've tested most of the major cold email tools on the market. Here's my breakdown of the best Instantly alternatives, with actual pricing and honest opinions on where each tool shines—and where it falls short.

Why People Look for Instantly Alternatives

Before we dive in, let's be clear about what Instantly does well. It offers unlimited email accounts and warmup on all plans, a unified inbox for managing replies, and a built-in B2B lead database with 450M+ contacts. The Growth plan starts at $30/month (annual) for 1,000 contacts and 5,000 emails/month.

But here's where users typically hit walls:

• Contact limits feel tight: The entry plan only gives you 1,000 contacts. The Hypergrowth plan at $77.6/month (annual) bumps that to 25,000, but that's a big jump.
• Lead database is a separate cost: Instantly's SuperSearch lead finder requires its own subscription, starting around $42/month.
• Advanced features locked behind higher tiers: A/B testing, subsequences, and deliverability scores aren't available until you upgrade.
• No built-in CRM: You'll need to integrate with external tools or pay for their CRM add-on.

If any of these are deal-breakers, here are your best options.

1. Smartlead – Best for High-Volume Agencies

Smartlead is probably the closest direct competitor to Instantly, and it's the tool I'd recommend first if you're running an agency or sending at serious scale.

Pricing

Smartlead's Basic Plan starts at $39/month and includes 2,000 active leads and 6,000 emails per month. The Pro Plan runs $79/month (annual) with 30,000 leads and 150,000 emails. Both plans include unlimited email accounts and warmup.

What's Good

• Unlimited mailboxes and warmup on all plans: Just like Instantly, you can scale without paying per inbox.
• Strong deliverability features: Dynamic IP addresses, AI-powered warmup, and blacklist monitoring.
• White-label client portal: Perfect for agencies managing multiple clients ($29/client/month add-on).
• Master inbox: Consolidates all replies in one place with AI intent categorization.

What Sucks

• No built-in lead database: You'll need to bring your own leads or use a third-party tool.
• Add-ons stack up: Email verification, dedicated servers, and client management all cost extra. A realistic agency setup can run $200+/month.
• Steeper learning curve: The interface isn't as polished as Instantly's, and some users report occasional bugs.

The Verdict

Smartlead is a beast for agencies doing high-volume outreach. If you're sending 1,000+ emails daily and need white-label features, it's worth the complexity. But if you're a solo founder or small team, the feature bloat might be overkill.

Try Smartlead free for 14 days →

2. Lemlist – Best for Personalization and Multichannel

Lemlist takes a different approach than Instantly. Where Instantly focuses on volume, Lemlist emphasizes creative personalization—think custom images, personalized videos, and multichannel sequences that span email, LinkedIn, and calls.

Pricing

The Email Pro plan costs $69/user/month (or $55 annually) and includes unlimited email campaigns, 3 sending addresses, 1,000 lead finder credits, and access to a 450M+ lead database. The Multichannel Expert plan is $99/user/month and adds LinkedIn automation, cold calling, and landing pages.

What's Good

• Best-in-class personalization: Dynamic images, custom landing pages, and video personalization that actually stand out.
• Built-in lead database: 450M+ contacts included with all paid plans.
• Multichannel sequences: Combine email, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, and calls in one workflow.
• Lemwarm included: Email warmup is baked into every plan at no extra cost.

What Sucks

• Limited sending addresses: Only 3 email accounts on Email Pro, 5 on Multichannel Expert. Additional addresses cost $9/month each.
• Per-seat pricing: Costs multiply quickly as your team grows.
• Credits expire monthly: Unlike tools with rollover, unused lead finder credits disappear at month-end.
• Lower daily send limits: Not built for the same volume as Instantly or Smartlead.

The Verdict

Lemlist is ideal if your strategy is quality over quantity. It's perfect for smaller campaigns where personalization actually moves the needle—think ABM, recruiting, or high-ticket B2B sales. But if you're trying to blast 10,000 emails a day, look elsewhere.

Try Lemlist free for 14 days →

3. Reply.io – Best for Multichannel Sales Teams

Reply.io is a full sales engagement platform that goes beyond cold email. It's built for teams that want to combine email, LinkedIn, calls, and SMS in a single workflow—with an AI assistant (Jason AI) to help automate responses.

Pricing

The Email Volume plan starts at $59/month for 1,000 active contacts with unlimited mailboxes and email warmup. The Starter plan is $49/user/month with 1 mailbox, while the Professional plan runs $89/user/month with multichannel automation and 5 mailboxes.

What's Good

• True multichannel: Email, LinkedIn, calls, SMS, and WhatsApp all in one platform.
• Jason AI: An AI SDR that can handle responses and book meetings automatically.
• Unlimited email warmup: Included with all plans.
• 1B+ contact database: Built-in B2B data for prospecting.

What Sucks

• Complex for beginners: The feature set is overwhelming if you're new to sales automation.
• No email verification: You'll need a third-party tool or buy credits within Reply.
• Pricing has increased: Some users have complained about price hikes for existing customers.
• Advanced deliverability only on higher tiers: Dedicated IPs and advanced features require the most expensive plans.

The Verdict

Reply.io is powerful for established sales teams that need multichannel outreach and don't mind a learning curve. It's not the best choice for beginners or small teams just starting with cold email.

Try Reply.io free for 14 days →

4. Woodpecker – Best for Simplicity and Budget-Conscious Teams

Woodpecker is one of the OG cold email tools, and it's stayed lean while others have bloated with features. If you want something that just works without a ton of complexity, Woodpecker is worth a look.

Pricing

Plans start at $20/month for 500 contacted prospects. Pricing scales based on prospects, not emails—so you pay for who you reach out to, not how many follow-ups you send. Agency plans start at $33/month.

What's Good

• Unlimited email accounts: Connect as many inboxes as you need without extra charges.
• Free email warmup and verification: Built-in catch-all verification at no extra cost.
• Clean, simple interface: Easy to learn and use, even for beginners.
• Pay per prospect: Unlimited follow-ups are included, so you're not penalized for nurturing leads.

What Sucks

• No built-in lead database: You need to bring your own contacts.
• LinkedIn requires third-party integration: You'll need Dux-Soup or similar for LinkedIn automation.
• Basic analytics: Reporting isn't as robust as competitors.
• Manual prospect uploads: You can only add 25-50 contacts at a time in some views.

The Verdict

Woodpecker is great for small businesses and startups who want a no-frills cold email tool at a fair price. If you need advanced multichannel features or a built-in lead database, you'll need to look elsewhere.

5. Other Alternatives Worth Mentioning

Saleshandy

Starts at $25/month with unlimited email accounts and 2,000 active prospects. Good value for budget-conscious teams, though the interface isn't as polished.

Mailshake

Simple to use but lacks inbox rotation and built-in warmup. Better for small teams doing light outbound.

Apollo.io

More of a sales intelligence platform than a cold email tool, but it includes email sequencing. The free tier is generous for prospecting data.

Quick Comparison Table

Which Instantly Alternative Should You Choose?

Here's my take:

• Running an agency with multiple clients? Go with Smartlead. The white-label features and unlimited inboxes make it worth the complexity.
• Want creative personalization for smaller campaigns? Lemlist is your best bet for standing out in crowded inboxes.
• Need true multichannel with calls and LinkedIn? Reply.io has the most complete feature set, if you can handle the learning curve.
• Just want simple, affordable cold email? Woodpecker gets the job done without overcomplicating things.
• Happy with Instantly but want better lead data? Consider pairing it with a dedicated tool like Findymail for email verification or Clay for enrichment.

For more on cold email pricing, check out our breakdown of Instantly pricing to see exactly what you're getting at each tier.