Cold Emailing

Cold Email Software: The Challenger List [2024]

Mihaela Cicvaric

July 23, 2024

December 1, 2023

7 min. read

Mihaela Cicvaric

LAST UPDATED

July 23, 2024

READING TIME

7 min.

Whether you are an SDR, growth marketer, recruiter, or founder - having an efficient cold email outrech software is crucial to growing your business.
But how do you find the best cold email software for your needs? And which tool will give you the best value for money?
Our guide will help you find the right cold email tool for your business, without breaking your budget.

Software	Free Trial or Plan	Entry Price (yearly billed)	Warm-Up	Lead Database	Enrichment	Email	Linkedln	AI
SalesLoft	✅	on request	❌	❌	✅	✅	❌	❌
Reply.io	✅	$60/mo	❌	❌	❌	✅	❌	❌
Smartlead	✅	$33/mo	✅	❌	❌	✅	❌	❌
QuickMail	✅	$49/mo	❌	❌	❌	✅	❌	✅
SmartReach	✅	$29/mo	✅	❌	❌	✅	✅	✅
SalesBlink	✅	$25/mo	✅	❌	✅	❌	✅	✅
Breakcold	✅	$29/mo	❌	❌	❌	✅	✅	❌
Outplay	✅	$79/mo	❌	✅	❌	✅	✅	✅
Crew	✅	$16/mo	❌	❌	✅	✅	✅	❌
Buzz	❌	$99/mo	❌	✅	✅	✅	❌	❌
Uptics	✅	$390/year	✅	❌	✅	✅	❌	✅
ClosersHQ	✅	$38/mo	✅	✅	❌	✅	❌	❌

‍

The Ultimate List of Cold Email Outreach Software

1. Salesloft

Rating ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

G2 - 4.5/5 (3,745 reviews) │ Capterra - 4.3/5 (206 reviews)

Overview

Salesloft is an AI-powered revenue workflow platform that guides go-to-market teams in finding new customers, maximizing revenue, and increasing lifetime value. Its purpose is to centralize communication, manage leads, and improve sales processes.

Pricing & Functionalities

→ Free trial: No

Essentials: pricing on request	Advanced: pricing on request	Premier: pricing on request
- Pipeline Generation: Automated structured workflows, engagement analytics, and pipeline performance - Rep Coaching: Tailored rep insights, team trends, and guidance on seller development	- Includes everything from the Essentials plan, plus - Full customer lifecycle workflows: Comprehensive workflows to progress pipeline, close opportunities, and increase customer lifetime value - Conversation intelligence: Call recording, transcription, and analytics integrated into the seller workflow - Opportunity Management: Deal intelligence and pipeline visibility, from prospecting to conversion	- Includes everything from the Advanced plan, plus - Forecasting and revenue management: Automatic forecast roll-up, submission, and AI-driven next actions

‍

✅ Pros

The AI-powered platform ensures data-driven decisions and automation.
Comprehensive sales engagement tools to manage your entire sales cycle.
Seamless integrations with other tools and platforms, such as Salesforce.
Robust analytics and reporting for sales performance insights.
Account-based view.

❌ Cons

No free trial.
Poor LinkedIn automation and reporting capabilities.
Pricing might be on the higher side for smaller businesses.

Compare to lemlist

2. Reply.io

Rating ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

G2 - 4.6/5 (1,146 reviews) │ Product Hunt - 4.3/5 (162 votes)

Overview

Reply.io is a sales engagement platform designed to automate personalized cold email campaigns and follow-ups. With advancements in AI technologies, it helps you automate the communication process as much as possible while maintaining a personal touch.

Pricing & Functionalities

→ Free plan: Yes

Starter	Professional	Custom
$60/user/mo	$90/seat/mo	Pricing on request
- 1 mailbox - 1K data credits/month - Jason AI - Email sequences - Basic reports - Pipedrive and Hubspot integrations - Chrome extension - Email open, click, and reply tracking - Advanced data search	- 2 mailboxes - 1K data credits/month - Jason AI - Conversational AI assistant powered by ChatGPT - Warm-up in Mailtoaster - Everything in Starter, plus - Multichannel sequences - Advanced reports - Salesforce integration - Calls and SMS - Meetings booking - Triggers (automation) - Roles and permissions	- 4 mailboxes - Unlimited contacts - 1K data credits/month - Everything in Professional, plus - Professional network automation included - Advanced API access - SSO - CSMP - Premium support

‍

✅ Pros

Multichannel Outreach: Reply.io supports not just email, but also LinkedIn, WhatsApp, SMS, and more, allowing for diversified outreach strategies.
Advanced Automation: The platform offers robust automation features, including triggers and sequences, to streamline the outreach process.
Multi-inbox feature
CRM Integration: Reply.io integrates seamlessly with popular CRM systems, ensuring smooth data transfer and workflow continuity.
User-Friendly Interface: The platform is designed with usability in mind, making it easy for users to set up and manage campaigns.

❌ Cons

Pricing: Some users find the pricing tiers to be on the higher side, especially for smaller businesses or startups.
Occasional Delays: There have been reports of occasional delays in sending out emails or sequences, which can affect time-sensitive campaigns.
Additional paid add-ons: Their advanced features (LinkedIn automation, additional email accounts, etc.) require paid add-ons.

3. Smartlead

Rating ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

G2 - 4.8/5 (67 reviews)

Overview

SmartLead is a sales engagement platform that focuses on providing pre-qualified sales opportunities. The tool aims to streamline the lead generation process, ensuring that sales teams have quality leads ready for conversion.

It offers various features such as lead pre-qualification, prospect nurturing, sales follow-up assurance, and integration capabilities.

Pricing & Functionalities

→ Free trial: Yes

Basic	Popular	Pro
$33/user/mo	$65/seat/mo	$78/mo
- 2000 active Leads - 6000 Emails per month - Unlimited Email Warm Up - Unlimited Email Accounts - Dynamic IP Addresses - Centralized Master Inbox - Dynamic Sequences - Detailed Analytics - General Support	- 10000 active Leads - 40000 Emails per month - Unlimited Email Warm Up - Unlimited Email Accounts - Dynamic IP Addresses - Centralized Master Inbox - Dynamic Sequences - Custom CRM - Email Guide Assistance - Detailed Analytics - Active Support - Global Block List	- 30000 active Leads - 150000 Emails per month - Unlimited Email Warm Up - Unlimited Email Accounts - Dynamic IP Addresses - Centralized Master Inbox - Dynamic Sequences - Custom CRM - Email Guide Assistance - Detailed Analytics - Active Support - Global Block List - Webhooks and Integrations - API Access - Unlimited Seats - Webhooks and Integrations

‍

✅ Pros

Provides unlimited mailboxes and warmups, allowing for scalable outreach.
Features like Spintax, Rotating Inboxes, and AI Email Categorization enhance email deliverability and targeting.
Multi-channel outreach capabilities, including Email, SMS, Twitter, and WhatsApp.
AI-driven email warmups with natural conversations to improve sender reputation.
Seamless integration with popular apps and tools.

❌ Cons

Might have a learning curve for beginners.
Some features might be available only in higher-tier plans.
Limited AI capabilities compared to other platforms.

Compare to lemlist

4. QuickMail

Rating ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

G2- 4.6/5 (79 reviews) │ Capterra- 4.8/5 (25 reviews)

Overview

QuickMail is a cold outreach solution designed for teams and marketers. It aims to provide advanced metrics and superior email deliverability, ensuring that users get replies instead of spam complaints.

Pricing & Functionalities

→ Free trial: Yes

Basic Plan	Pro Plan	Expert Plan
$49/mo	$89/mo	$129/mo
- 30,000 Emails Monthly - 10,000 Active Prospects - 5 Email Addresses - Unlimited Team Members - Free AutoWarmer with MailFlow - Reply Handling, Zapier, Blacklists Monitoring - Expert Support	- 100,000 Emails Monthly - 50,000 Active Prospects - 30 Email Addresses - Unlimited Team Members - Free AutoWarmer with MailFlow - Reply Handling, Zapier, Blacklists Monitoring - HubSpot and Pipedrive Native Integration - Advanced Analytics - Expert Support	- 300,000 Emails Monthly - 100,000 Active Prospects - 80 Email Addresses - Unlimited Team Members - Free AutoWarmer with MailFlow - Reply Handling, Zapier, Blacklists Monitoring - HubSpot and Pipedrive Native Integration - Advanced Analytics, AI and Sub-Campaigns - API - Expert Support

‍

✅ Pros

Advanced features: The tool includes email account rotation and detailed reporting.
Integration with Other Tools: QuickMail offers native integrations with HubSpot and Pipedrive.
Safety Features: The software has built-in features to prevent users from getting blacklisted, such as sending limits and domain throttling.

❌ Cons

User Interface: Some users find the interface a bit outdated and not as intuitive as some other modern platforms.
Template Limitations: Some users have mentioned that the template editor could be more flexible and user-friendly.
Limited warm-up feature: The warmup feature depends on a third-party partner.

Compare to lemlist

5. SmartReach

Rating ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

G2- 4.8/5 (31 reviews) │ Capterra- 4.7/5 (25 reviews)

Overview

Smartreach is an AI-powered sales engagement platform designed for sales teams to consistently achieve their targets. It offers features to automate and optimize key touchpoints throughout the sales cycle, such as multichannel outreach, shared inbox, AI content, cold emailing, and email deliverability.

Pricing & Functionalities

→ Free trial: Yes

Email outreach	Sales Engagement	Agency	Enterprise
$29/seat/mo	$49/mo	Price on request	Pricing on request
- Unlimited Email Campaigns and Follow-ups - AI assistance for Content - Email accounts from any provider - Email Validation - Email Deliverability Suite - A/B Testing - Spam Test Reports - Spintax - HubSpot / Pipedrive / Zoho CRM - Easy integration with email finder tools - Zapier and Workflow Automation - Shared Inbox: 15 Days History - 20 LinkedIn Email Finder monthly Credits per seat	- Email Outreach features, plus - Unlimited Multichannel Campaigns - Outreach via Linkedin, WhatsApp, Calling, SMS, Email - Shared Inbox: Full History, Reply Sentiments and Lead Allocations - Salesforce / HubSpot / Pipedrive / Zoho CRM - Advanced integrations and workflow automation - Security - 2FA - 30 LinkedIn Email Finder monthly Credits per seat	- Sales Engagement features, plus - Single Login to Manage Multiple Clients - API and Webhook Support - Security - Enforce 2FA, Audit Trail and Soc-2 Audit Report - Customizable Roles and Permissions - Dedicated Success Manager - Live call and screen share support - LinkedIn Email Finder monthly Credits	- Sales Engagement Features, plus - Security - SSO - Support - Priority Query Resolution - 50K API Request

‍

✅ Pros

Omnichannel Sequences: Automate sequences using multiple channels like Email, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, Calling, and Text.
End-to-End LinkedIn Automation: Complete automation of LinkedIn outreach sequence, including viewing profiles, sending connection requests, messages, and Inmails.
Shared Inbox: Allows specified team members to read and reply to emails, promoting collaboration.
AI Content: Provides tools to create engaging content.

❌ Cons

User Interface: Some users have mentioned that the interface can be a bit clunky and not as intuitive as they'd like.
Pricing: For small businesses or individual users, SmartReach might be considered a bit pricey compared to some other tools in the market.
Initial Setup: The initial setup and onboarding process can be a bit complex, especially for those new to cold email software.
Customer Support: While many find their support helpful, a few users have mentioned delays in response times or not getting adequate solutions to their issues.
Limited Templates: The platform could benefit from a wider variety of pre-designed email templates for different industries and use cases.

‍

6. SalesBlink

Rating ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

G2- 4.5/5 (121 reviews) │ Capterra- 4.7/5 (115 reviews)

Overview

SalesBlink is a multichannel sales automation platform that aims to help users get booked with meetings. It offers tools for automating email outreach, improving email deliverability, and scheduling meetings.

The platform is designed to enhance outreach efforts, allowing users to connect with leads through various channels and automate their prospecting routine.

Pricing & Functionalities

→ Free trial: Yes

Growth	Scale	Business
$25/mo	$79/mo	$149/mo
- Send 6000 Emails Monthly - Unlimited Email Sending Accounts - BlinkGPT Basic - Unlimited Email WarmUp Basic - Email Sender Rotation - Automated Follow-Ups - Find 100 Leads	- Everything in the Growth plan, plus - Send 100,000 Emails Monthly - Unlimited Team Members - Unlimited Email WarmUp Pro - BlinkGPT Pro - Meeting Scheduler - Find 1000 Leads	- Everything in the Scale plan, plus - Send 200,000 Emails Monthly - Outreach Tasks - Team Reports - Find 2500 Leads - Priority Support

‍

✅ Pros

Omnichannel Outreach: Engage leads on multiple platforms.
BlinkGPT: AI-powered tool for generating email content and sequences.
Email WarmUp: Ensures emails land in the primary inbox.
Meeting Scheduler: Simplifies the process of booking meetings with prospects.
Lead Enrichment: Find email & phone numbers of potential customers.

❌ Cons

User Interface: Some users have mentioned that the interface can be a bit clunky or not as intuitive as they would like.
Integration Limitations: While SalesBlink offers integrations, it might not seamlessly integrate with all CRMs or tools that some businesses use.
Pricing: For small businesses or startups, the pricing might be a bit on the higher side when compared to other tools offering similar features.

Compare to lemlist

‍

7. Breakcold

Rating ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

G2- 4.7/5 (105 reviews) │ Product Hunt - 4.3/5 (58 votes)

Overview

Breakcold is a Social Selling Software and Sales CRM combined into one platform.

It's designed to help businesses interact with their B2B contacts across multiple channels, including Email, LinkedIn, and Twitter, with the aim of increasing revenues and building stronger B2B relationships.

Pricing & Functionalities

Free Plan	Breakcold CRM	Breakcold+
Yes	$29 per user/month	$49 per user/mo
- Sent from Breakcold on emails and messages sent - Ideal to build a free LinkedIn Engagement List - Access to all features but limited to 20 contacts	- Social Selling CRM features: • Company News Aggregation • Like and Comment LI/Twitter Posts • LinkedIn Posts and Tweets Tracking • Quick LinkedIn and Twitter DMs + Emails • Prospecting Feed • Prospecting Feed Pipeline - Sales CRM features: • Reminders with activity history • Team Engagement • Sales Pipeline • Unlimited Contacts with Custom Fields • Manage CRM from LinkedIn - Other features: • 3 slots (1 slot = 1 LinkedIn/or/Twitter/or/Email) • Unlimited Users • Zapier Integration + Webhooks + API Access	- Includes everything in Breakcold CRM, plus - Campaigns Analytics - Custom Domain Tracking - Email Assistant - The sequence stops after the reply - Email Verifier (Unlimited) - Performance tracking (open rate etc) - Cold Email Campaigns - Email Rotation

‍

✅ Pros

Multi-Channel Engagement: Engage with B2B contacts via Email, LinkedIn, and Twitter from a single platform.
Prospecting Feed: Consolidates LinkedIn and Twitter posts of prospects, allowing users to engage without switching between multiple tabs.
Sales Pipeline Management: Offers an easy-to-use sales pipeline tool that adapts based on where prospects are in the sales journey.
CRM Integration with LinkedIn: Manage CRM directly from LinkedIn using their Google Chrome extension.

❌ Cons

Learning curve: Transitioning from traditional CRMs might pose a slight learning curve due to Breakcold's modern approach, necessitating additional onboarding resources.
Takes time: The app slows down when dealing with a lot of data.
Integration issues: Breakcold's integration with LinkedIn needs the use of an extension to sync connections which sometimes leads to glitches.

Compare to lemlist

8. Outplay

Rating ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

G2- 4.5/5 (246 reviews) │ Capterra- 4.7/5 (70 reviews)

Overview

Outplay is a multi-channel sales engagement platform designed to help sales teams engage with their B2B contacts across various channels, including Email, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Its primary purpose is to increase revenue and strengthen B2B relationships.‍

Pricing & Functionalities

Free Plan	Growth	Enterprise
Yes	$79 per user/mo	Custom price
- Automated Email Sequences - Send 50 emails/day - Identify Hot Leads - Email Templates - Email Open, Reply and Click Tracking - Sequence Library - Manage Opportunities	- 20 Email + Phone Credits/Mo - Advanced Lead Filters - Send 1000 emails/day - A/B Testing - Basic Dialer - Website Tracking	- 50 Email + Phone Credits/Mo - Advanced Dialer - Outbound Chat - Team and Team Assets - Roles and Permissions - Account Manager

‍

✅ Pros

Multi-Channel Engagement: Allows sales teams to engage with B2B contacts across Email, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
Seamless CRM Integration: Offers bi-directional integrations with a wide range of CRMs.
Automated Outreach: Provides tools for automating outreach and follow-ups across multiple channels.
Conversation Intelligence: AI-powered tools to make every sales interaction count.
User-Friendly: Designed for fast-scaling SMBs, making it easy for salespeople to adapt and use.

❌ Cons

Initial Setup: While the platform is user-friendly, the initial setup and onboarding might require some time and effort.
Support Issues: While many find their support helpful, there have been occasional mentions of delayed responses or resolution times.

Compare to lemlist

9. Crew

Rating ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

G2- 4.2/5 (52 reviews) │ Capterra- 4.7/5 (37 reviews)

Overview

Crew is an all-in-one recruiting CRM designed for modern teams. It aims to speed up hiring processes, from sourcing to interviewing to closing, ensuring that teams can hire the best talent efficiently.

Pricing & Functionalities

→ Free plan: No

Interviewer	Recruiter	Hiring Manager
Free	$66	$16/month
- Productivity features	- Sourcing and Nurturing - Hiring - Assessment and Collaboration - Productivity - Analytics	- Hiring - Assessment and Collaboration - Productivity - Restricted analytics

‍

✅ Pros

Integration with Job Boards: The software can integrate with popular job boards, streamlining the process of finding and reaching out to potential candidates.
Analytics and Reporting: Crew offers detailed analytics on email campaigns, helping recruiters understand what's working and what's not.
Automated Follow-ups: The platform can automate follow-up emails, ensuring that potential candidates are engaged at the right intervals.
User-friendly Interface: Crew's interface is intuitive, making it easy for recruiters to set up and manage campaigns.

❌ Cons

Limited Customization: The email templates and outreach sequences might have limited customization options, which could be a drawback for some users.
Pricing: Depending on the size of the organization and the number of recruiters using the tool, Crew's pricing might be considered steep.
Integration Limitations: While Crew integrates with some job boards, it might not cover all platforms, limiting its utility for some recruiters.

Compare to lemlist

10. Buzz

Rating ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

G2- 4.7/5 (98 reviews) │ Capterra - 3.7/5 (7 reviews)

Overview

Buzz.ai is a sales engagement platform designed for revenue teams. It's described as the world's first all-in-one sales engagement platform that allows sales teams to engage more prospects and close more deals without software exhaustion.

The platform combines data sourcing, automation, and lead management to engage, manage, and close ideal clients.

Pricing & Functionalities

→ Free trial: No

Basic	Growth	Scale	Unlimited
$99/mo	$129/mo	$179/mo	$299/mo
- 250 Buzz Credits - Social and Email Automation Tools - Buzz Video - Unified Multichannel Inbox - AI Magic Campaigns - Buzz Prospect Finder (+696M) - Buzz Pipeline and 2-way Sync - Webhooks and Zapier - Native CRM Integrations - Prospect and Activity Reporting - Built-in Chat Support	- 500 Buzz Credits - Full AI Feature Suite - AI Sentiment Detection - AI Generative Replies - AI Campaign Copy - AI Magic Campaigns - 250 Emails/day - Manual Task - Unified Inbox with Notes and Tasks - Team Reporting	- 1000 Buzz Credits - Buzz Dialer and SMS - Omnichannel Magic Campaigns - Up to 500 Calling Minutes - Up to 500 Text Messages Minutes - Unified Inbox With Calls and SMS - Call Task Reminders - Direct Dial Capabilities - Local Phone Numbers	- 2500 Buzz Credits - Unlimited Data Enrichment - Up to 5,000 Calling Minutes - Up to 5,000 SMS - Up to 5,000 Generated Replies - Up to 5,000 Sentiment Detections - Up to 5,000 Campaign Copy - Up to 100 Magic Campaigns

‍

✅ Pros

All-in-One Platform: Buzz.ai offers a comprehensive solution that combines various sales engagement tools into one platform.
Data Enrichment: Provides real-time data enrichment to get accurate lead data.
Multi-Channel Outreach: Supports both social and email outreach, allowing synchronized multi-channel campaigns.
Pipeline Management: Offers an internal, fully customizable pipeline and also supports native CRM integration.
Detailed Analytics: Provides insights on email opens, link clicks, and other metrics to help users make informed sales decisions.

❌ Cons

Integration with LinkedIn and HubSpot isn't very seamless.
The organizing of the campaigns and the resources can be better.
Unclear statistics.

Compare to lemlist

11. Uptics

Rating ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Capterra- 4.4/5 (59 reviews) │ G2 - 4.5/5 (45 reviews)

Overview

uptics is an all-in-one sales automation CRM designed to prospect, nurture leads, and engage customers 24/7.

It aims to boost productivity, save on subscriptions, and help businesses achieve their revenue goals.

Pricing & Functionalities

Free plan Prospect	Engage	Convert
1 user/250 contacts/1 email inbox	$390 per year	$590 per year
- Unlimited Email Sequences - Unlimited Email Warming - Advanced Email Verification - Multi-Inbox Sending - Centralized Email Inbox - AI-Powered AB Testing - Sentiment Analysis - Spintax and Dynamic Content - Bounce Protection - Email Finder and Domain Search - AI Email Writing Assistant - Email Provider Send Matching - AI Reply Automation - Timezone Send Matching - 3 Advanced Cold Email Courses	- All Prospect features, plus - Power Dialer and SMS - Call Recording and Dispositions - Task Management - Log Notes, Emails, and Calls - Social Selling Tasks - Advance Sequence Controls - Live Chat Support - 3 Advanced Cold Email Courses!	- All Engage features, plus - Unlimited Sales CRM - Deals and Pipelines - Sales Automation - Workflow Automations - UpChat AI - Sales Hub - RampUp - Learning Center - Premium Support - 3 Advanced Cold Email Courses

‍

✅ Pros

Comprehensive All-In-One Solution: Uptics combines CRM, cold email, power dialer, lead list, email verification, learning management, email warming, team chat, AI, and automation into one platform.
AI Sales Assistant: Provides AI-driven insights and assistance to enhance sales strategies.
Email Warming Flamethrower: Ensures that your emails land in the recipient's inbox and not the spam folder.
Course & Learning Epicenter: Offers courses to help sales teams improve their skills and strategies.
Trusted by Many: The platform is trusted by over 3000+ businesses, indicating its reliability and effectiveness.

❌ Cons

The UI could be better
Lack of integrations
Lack of multichannel capabilities
The learning curve for new users

Compare to lemlist

12. ClosersHQ

Rating ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

G2 - 4.9/5 (4 reviews)

Overview

ClosersHQ is a multi-channel sales engagement solution designed for sales teams sending high-volume emails. It provides tools and components to create and automate outbound sales and cold emailing campaigns.‍

Pricing & Functionalities

Free Plan	Starter	Team	Popular
Yes	$38/mo	$99/mo	$150
- 100 prospects contacted - Unlimited emails sent per month - 100 account credits - Automated sequences - Spintax - Sender variables - Hyper-personalization - Prospect management - Campaign scheduling - Invite team - Account analytics - Live feed	- Everything from free plan, plus - Unlimited prospects contacted - Unlimited emails sent per month - 10000 account credits	- Everything from Starter, plus - 100,000 account credits - Plus A/B testing, block list - Integrations - API access	- Everything from Team, plus - 1,000,000 account credits

‍

✅ Pros

Features like sender rotation allow campaigns to be launched with multiple sender email accounts.
Offers hyper-personalization, allowing content personalization with customer data, sender variables, and spintax.
Provides a complete campaign personalization kit, including prospect properties, sender variables, and spintax for unique email content.

❌ Cons

Some of the users reported that the UX/UI could be smoother.

Compare to lemlist

Need more cold email outreach tools alternatives?

Do you think one of these tools will not get the job done for you?
We listed 13 of the best cold email outreach software. These will get your message into your prospects' inboxes through email warm-up, lead enrichment, or AI writing assistant.
If you're sending a smaller volume of cold emails and looking to stay budget-conscious, choosing a tool with basic outreach capabilities is better.

How to Choose Your Cold Email Outreac Software: 10-step Checklist

Before diving into the ultimate list of the best cold email software, it’s important to take a strategic approach, taking into account your specific needs, budget, and objectives.

Here's a checklist of things to do when choosing your best cold email software:

[ ] Define your outreach goals

Clarify what you hope to achieve with your cold email campaigns. Whether it's lead generation, partnership establishment, or direct sales, your goals will influence which features are must-haves.

[ ] Determine your cold email sending volumes

Consider how many emails you'll send monthly or weekly. Some software excels for high-volume campaigns, while others are more suited for smaller, more targeted outreach.

[ ] List non-negotiable features & functionalities

Depending on your outreach goals, make a list of must-have features and functionalities. This can vary from anything that helps you achieve the benefits listed in the checklist above (e.g., AI-powered sequences, email warm-ups, specific integrations, etc.)

[ ] Set your budget

While it's tempting to go for a premium tool, there are cost-effective options with robust features. Sometimes, a lower-cost tool combined with another supplementary tool might offer the best value.

[ ] Define your skill level

Think about the people who are going to use this tool the most and their expertise levels. The software should have an intuitive interface, ensuring a minimal learning curve for your team or upcoming members.

[ ] Think about your scalability

The chosen software should accommodate your growth, so you won't have to switch platforms as your company expands.

[ ] List down important regulations

This will help you ensure your new software adheres to not only basic regulations such as the CAN-SPAM Act and GDPR but also regulations specific to your industry.

[ ] Determine the needed level of customer support

We advise you to choose software with responsive customer support, ensuring quick resolutions to any potential issues.

[ ] Define if you want a free trial or not

Most cold email software offers trial periods, but not all of them. We advise you to use free trials to test the platform, ensuring it aligns with your needs and expectations.

[ ] Sync with the rest of your outreach team

Gather feedback about the highly requested features from your outreach team. Their hands-on experience can provide insights into any features and functionalities that might be necessary.

Mihaela Cicvaric

Content Marketing Manager @ lempire | Sharing everything you need to get replies to your cold emails

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	G2 Rating	Price	Best for	Standout feature	Con
SmartWinnr	4.9 star star star star star	$30/mo $75/mo $2,999/mo	Large, distributed sales teams	AI evaluation precision, gamified KPIs	Lack of tracking system
Performio	4.6 star star star star star-half	Not publicly available	Sales operations and finance teams	Powerful configurability	Limited training resources and complex to navigate
Varicent	4.4 star star star star star-half	Not publicly available	Mid-market and enterprise businesses	Comprehensive incentive management	Potentially high cost and steep learning curve
QuotaPath	4.7 star star star star star-half	$15/user/mo $40/user/mo Enterprise: custom price	Complex sales structures and businesses of all sizes	Complex sales structures and businesses of all sizes	Steep learning curve
Anaplan	4.6 star star star star star-half	Not publicly available	Collaborative teams	Connected planning	Complexity and steep learning curve
Xactly	4.6 star star star star star-half	Not publicly available	Companies with complex sales structures	Complex incentive compensation management (ICM) with high efficiency and accuracy	Complexity for smaller teams and potentially high costs
Qobra	4.7 star star star star star-half	Not publicly available	Companies who want to automate commission calculations and payouts	Simplicity and ease of use	Lack of features like redirection
ElevateHQ	4.7 star star star star star-half	$30/user/mo $35/user/mo Custom: upon request	Businesses that need a comprehensive and user-friendly sales compensation management software	Ease of use and adoption	Lack of ability to configure the product based on user needs
Everstage	4.8 star star star star star-half	Not publicly available	Companies with modern sales culture and businesses who want real-time insights	A built-in dispute management and real-time visibility	Users say it works slowly, customer support is slow
Sales Cookie	4.9 star star star star star	$30/user/mo $50/user/mo	Smaller sales teams	Powerful automation	Lesser user base and average user interface
Spiff	4.7 star star star star star-half	Not publicly available	Companies with scalable needs	Automated Commission Calculations	Lack of filtering by date, no mobile app

ERP vs. CRM

ERP

CRM

Summary

Backbone of a business's internal operations.

Backbone of customer-centric interactions and operations.

Goal

To centralize and streamline core business processes in a company.

To increase customer experience, satisfaction and loyalty, and boost sales.

Focus

Internal operations and processes across departments (finance, accounting, inventory, supply chain, HR, and sales).

All interactions with leads and customers.

Manages

Internal business data like financial data, inventory levels, production details, supply chain, HR info.

All customer data like contact info, purchase history, communication history, customer preferences and more.

Users

Finance, accounting, operations, supply chain, and HR departments.

Customer-facing teams like sales, marketing, and customer service.

Benefits

Streamlines operations, improves data accuracy, enhances decision-making, boosts collaboration, increases productivity.

Improves customer relationships, increases sales, strengthens customer service, personalizes marketing campaigns, provides insights.

Price

$150 per user per year on average.

$10 to $30 per user per month on average.

PRM Tool	Rating	Feature	Pro	Con	Mobile App	Integrations	Free Plan	Pricing
Airtable	4.65 star star star star star-half	Org-wide alignment	User-friendly layout and database	Suboptimal as a personal CRM	square-check	Lack of tracking system	square-check	Team: $20/month Business: $45/month
Dex	4.7 star star star star star-half	Social Media Integration	Easy contact data collection	No marketing/sales features	square-check	Lack of tracking system	square-xmark 7-day trial	$12/month
Notion	4.75 star star star star star-half	Block Functions	High customization capability	Not a dedicated CRM	square-check	Limited	square-check	Plus: €7.50/month Business: €14/month
Monica	N/A	Open-source	Open-source flexibility	Requires extensive manual input	square-xmark	Limited	square-check Self-hosted	$9/month or $90/year
Hippo App	3.1 star star star	Simple iOS app	Ideal for non-tech-savvy users	iPhone only	square-check iOS only	Limited	square-xmark 1-month trial	$1.49/month or $14.99/month
Contacts+	3.6 star star star star-half	Smart Contact Management	Feature-rich and flexible	Reported bugs	square-check	Rich	square-xmark 7-day trial	Premium: $13.99/month Teams: $17.99/month
Folk	4.4 star star star star star-half	Customizable Interface	Customizable for teamwork	Pricey for personal use	square-check	Rich	square-xmark	Standard: $24/member Premium: $39/member
Close	4.7 star star star star star-half	Integrated Calling	Integrated Calling	Too sales-oriented & pricey	square-check	Rich	square-xmark 14-day trial	Startup: $59/user/month Professional: $329/user/month
Covve App	4.8 star star star star star	Business Card Scanning	Business Card Scanning	Mobile only	square-check	Limited	square-check	$9.99/month
Nimble	4.45 star star star star star-half	160+ app integrations	Comprehensive integrations	No free app version	square-check	Rich	square-xmark 14-day trial	$29.90/month or $24.90/month (billed annually)

	Capterra Rating	Free Trial	Free Plan	Starting Price (excluding the free plan)	Maximum Price (for the most expensive plan)	Best for
HubSpot CRM	4.5 star star star star star-half	square-check 14-day	square-check	€15/month/seat billed annually	€792/month/3 seats billed annually + €45/month for each extra seat	Versatility and free plan
Salesforce CRM	4.2 star star star star	square-check 30-day	square-xmark But it offers reduced price to authorised nonprofit organisations	€25/user/month	€500/user/month billed annually (includes Einstein AI)	Best overall operational CRM
Zoho CRM	4.3 star star star star star-half	square-xmark	square-check Limited to 3 users	Comprehensive incentive management	€52/user/month billed annually	Small-medium businesses and automation
Pipedrive	4.5 star star star star star-half	square-check 14-day	square-xmark	€14/seat/month billed annually	€99/seat/month billed annually	Sales teams and ease of use
Agile CRM	4.1 star star star star	square-xmark	square-check Limited 10 users	$9.99/user/month billed annually	$64.99/user/month billed annually	Free plan for very small teams up to 10

CRM goal	Increase the sales conversion rate for qualified leads from marketing automation campaigns by 10% in the next 6 months.
SMART Breakdown	1. Specific: It targets a specific area (conversion rate) for a defined segment (qualified leads from marketing automation).	2. Measurable: The desired increase (10%) is a clear metric, and the timeframe (6 months) allows for progress tracking.	3. Achievable: A 10% increase is possible based on historical data and potential improvements.	4. Relevant: Boosting sales from marketing efforts aligns with overall business objectives.	5. Time-bound: The 6-month timeframe creates urgency and a clear target date.
Actions	Step 1: Refine lead qualification criteria to ensure high-quality leads are nurtured through marketing automation.	Step 2: Personalize marketing automation campaigns based on lead demographics, interests, and behavior.	Step 3: Develop targeted landing pages with clear calls to action for qualified leads.	Step 4: Implement lead scoring to prioritize high-potential leads for sales follow-up.	Step 5: Track and analyze campaign performance to identify areas for optimization.
Outcomes	Increased sales and revenue	Improved marketing automation ROI	Marketing and sales alignment	Data-driven marketing optimization

Table

CDP Software

CRM Software

Approach

Data-centric

Customer-centric

Focus

Interactions across various channels and touchpoints, both online and offline.

Sales, marketing, and customer service interactions.

Functionality

Automatically collects, organizes, tags, and makes data available in real-time.

Helps businesses track customer interactions, sales pipelines, prospects, and service requests.

Goals

Personalized customer experiences across all channels.

Better customer relationships, streamlined processes, and improved profitability.

Benefits

Data integration, management, and accessibility, allowing for detailed analysis and segmentation.

Better communication within teams and with customers by organizing information about customer interactions and history.

Data Handling

Handles both identified and anonymous data, stitches together various data points.

Deals primarily with identified customer data.

Use Cases

Personalized marketing campaigns, targeted advertising, content customization across multiple channels.

Managing campaigns and leads, enhancing customer service, providing better customer support, increasing customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Examples

Insider, Bloomreach, Salesforce Marketing Cloud CDP

HubSpot, Salesforce Sales Cloud Lightning Professional, and Zoho CRM

CRM

Free plan

Best feature

Best for

Con

1. HubSpot CRM

square-check

Sales automation

Sales teams

Up to 1,000 contacts

2. Insightly

square-check

Custom fields

Basic needs

Not enough info about the free plan

3. Agile CRM

square-check

Deal and sales pipeline tracking

Small teams

Up to 10 users

4. Zoho CRM

square-check

Lead and contact management

Businesses of all sizes

Limited to 3 users

5. ClickUp

square-check

Unlimited tasks and unlimited members

Personal use

Up to 100MB storage

6. EngageBay

square-check

Live chat

Small and midsize enterprises

Up to 1,000 branded emails per month

7. Bitrix24

square-check

Unlimited users and 5 scrum teams

Big teams

Up to 5GB of cloud storage

8. FreshSales

square-check

Easy to use and simple setup

Beginners

Up to 3 users

9. Mailchimp

square-check

Very beginner friendly

Marketing teams

Send up to 500 branded emails per month

Type of Affiliate Marketing

Unattached

Related

Involved

Format

Paid advertising

Social media or YouTube channels

Dedicated website or blog

Focus

Quick income

Your niche

Your audience

Engagement with your audience

square-xmark

square-check

Very close connection with your audience

Pro

Little effort

Higher credibility thanks to your niche

Long-lasting and scalable

Con

Paid ads cost a lot

Potential for bias since you don’t use the thing you promote

Require time, effort, and dedication

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12. ClosersHQ

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