I’ve been using Instantly for months now, and honestly? The costs are killing my budget.
Here’s what drove me crazy: To access basic features like email verification, I had to pay extra. Plus, managing multiple clients meant buying separate workspaces at $77.6 each. That’s insane!
The interface felt clunky too. I spent more time figuring out where things were than actually sending emails.
So I tested 10 instantly alternatives that could do the job better—without burning a hole in my pocket. I spent weeks comparing features, testing deliverability, and checking real user reviews.
In this guide, you’ll discover the best alternatives with honest pros and cons. I’ll show you feature comparisons, real pricing breakdowns, and help you pick the perfect tool for your needs.
Let’s find your instantly alternatives that actually work.
Top 3 Instantly Alternatives at a Glance
| Tool | Starting Price | Key Differentiator | Best For | G2 Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saleshandy | $25/month | Unlimited clients & email accounts | Agencies & Startups | 4.6/5 ⭐ |
| Smartlead | $32.50/month | Unlimited email accounts with warmup | Solopreneurs | 4.7/5 ⭐ |
| Lemlist | $69/month | Multichannel outreach (Email + LinkedIn) | Multi-channel teams | 4.5/5 ⭐ |
10 Best Instantly Alternatives 2025
1. Saleshandy
Quick Verdict
Saleshandy is my top pick for instantly alternatives. I tested it for two weeks, and the unlimited client management blew my mind. You get everything Instantly offers but at a fraction of the cost.
For agencies, this is a game-changer. No more paying per workspace—just add unlimited clients and team members.
Pricing Breakdown
Annual Billing:
- Outreach Starter: $25/month ($300/year) – Save $132
- Outreach Pro: $74/month ($888/year) – Save $300
- Outreach Scale: $149/month ($1,788/year) – Save $600
What You Save vs Instantly: For 8 clients, Instantly costs $7,449.6/year. Saleshandy? Just $888/year with Outreach Pro. That’s an $6,561 saving!
Key Features
- Unlimited client management from one dashboard
- 700M+ B2B lead database (4X bigger than Instantly)
- Built-in email verification with 10,000 credits monthly
- Automated email warmup for better deliverability
- Unified inbox with auto-categorized replies
Pros
- Add unlimited email accounts without extra charges
- Super intuitive interface—took me 10 minutes to launch my first campaign
- Unused lead finder credits roll over to next month
- Native integrations with Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive
- White labeling available for agencies
- Excellent customer support with live chat
Cons
- Only 7-day free trial (wish it was longer)
- Mobile app could use improvements
User Review
“Saleshandy has been a game changer for our agency. We manage 12 clients now, and the cost is still less than what we paid for 3 clients on Instantly. The deliverability is top-notch, and their support team actually responds within minutes!”
— Verified G2 Review, January 2025
2. Smartlead.ai
Quick Verdict
Smartlead is perfect if you need unlimited email accounts right from the start. I connected 15 email accounts in my first week, and the warmup feature worked flawlessly.
The deliverability features are strong. But be warned—the platform can be buggy, and you’ll pay extra for email verification.
Pricing Breakdown
Annual Billing:
- Basic Plan: $32.50/month ($390/year)
- Pro Plan: $78.30/month ($939.60/year)
- Custom Plan: $174/month (monthly billing only)
Hidden Costs:
- Email verification: Starting at $15/month extra
- Client management: $29/client/month
Key Features
- Unlimited email accounts on all plans
- SmartDelivery with dynamic IP rotation
- Unlimited email warmup included
- Master inbox for centralized replies
- Advanced A/B testing with manual distribution
Pros
- Unlimited mailbox connections from day one
- Strong integrations with HubSpot, Clay, and Listkit
- Mobile app available for on-the-go management
- Good analytics and reporting
- Native API access on Pro plan
Cons
- Platform has occasional glitches and bugs
- Email verification costs extra (not included)
- Adding clients costs $29/month each
- UI feels outdated compared to competitors
User Review
“Smartlead’s deliverability is excellent, but I’ve experienced bugs that affected my campaigns. Support blamed everything on external factors. The price seemed good until I added verification credits—then it got expensive fast.”
— Verified G2 Review, November 2024
For a deep dive into bugs, warmup quality, and hidden costs, check out my full Smartlead review where I document 90 days of real testing.
3. Lemlist
Quick Verdict
Lemlist impressed me with its multichannel capabilities. You can email, message on LinkedIn, and call—all from one platform.
The personalization features are next-level. But here’s the catch: it gets expensive fast, especially if you’re an agency or need multiple team members.
Pricing Breakdown
Monthly Billing:
- Email Pro: $69/month per user ($828/year)
- Multichannel Expert: $99/month per user ($1,188/year)
- Enterprise: Custom pricing (minimum 5 seats)
Annual Discount: 15-20% off when billed annually
Agency Reality Check: For 10 team members on Email Pro: $69 × 10 = $690/month or $8,280/year
Key Features
- Multichannel outreach (Email, LinkedIn, Calls, WhatsApp)
- 600M+ verified contacts in database
- Advanced personalization with images, videos, landing pages
- Built-in email warmup (Lemwarm included)
- 1,000+ email finder credits monthly
Pros
- Best-in-class personalization features
- Multichannel automation saves tons of time
- Built-in meeting scheduler
- Great template library with 100+ templates
- Strong deliverability with Lemwarm
Cons
- Per-seat pricing gets expensive quickly
- Each client needs separate workspace (costly for agencies)
- Learning curve is steeper than competitors
- No inbox placement testing
User Review
“Lemlist’s features are amazing, but the pricing killed us. We started with 5 users at $345/month. Within 3 months, we needed 10 users and were paying $690/month. Had to switch to a more affordable option.”
— Verified Capterra Review, October 2024
If you want my complete hands-on breakdown of features, deliverability, and real campaigns, you can read my full Lemlist review here.
4. Reply.io
Quick Verdict
Reply.io is a full sales engagement platform, not just an email tool. I used it for a month and loved the AI-powered features.
The analytics are deep, and the meeting scheduler works seamlessly. But if you only need email outreach, you’ll pay for features you won’t use.
Pricing Breakdown
Annual Billing:
- Email Volume: $49/month per user
- Multichannel: $89/month per user
- Agency: $166/month (unlimited clients)
Add-ons:
- AI SDR: Additional cost
- LinkedIn automation: Charged per user
- Live Data: Extra fee
Key Features
- AI-powered email generation and icebreakers
- Built-in meeting scheduler in sequences
- Pipeline tracking with detailed analytics
- Multi-channel sequences (email, calls, LinkedIn, SMS)
- Live data search for real-time prospecting
Pros
- Unlimited email warmup available
- Complete sales engagement platform
- Deep analytics and reporting
- Chrome extension for prospecting
- Strong AI capabilities
Cons
- LinkedIn automation charged separately
- Unlimited clients only on $166/month Agency plan
- Overwhelming for email-only users
- Add-ons increase final cost significantly
User Review
“Reply.io transformed our sales process. The AI features save us 2 hours daily. But we’re paying for channels we don’t use yet. If you only need email, there are cheaper options.”
— Verified G2 Review, December 2024
5. Apollo.io
Quick Verdict
Apollo.io shines as a prospecting tool but falls short on cold emailing. I found leads easily with their massive database, but building sequences felt clunky.
The interface is overwhelming. There’s so much going on that I wasted time figuring out basic tasks.
Pricing Breakdown
Annual Billing:
- Free Plan: $0 (limited features)
- Basic: $49/month per user ($588/year)
- Professional: $79/month per user ($948/year)
- Organization: $119/month per user ($1,428/year)
Export Limits: Annual export credits are limited—you’ll hit caps quickly
Key Features
- 275M contacts and 73M companies database
- Signal-based prospecting for high-intent leads
- Automated LinkedIn tasks and cold calling
- Conversation intelligence software
- Chrome extension for prospecting
Pros
- Massive B2B database with accurate data
- Free Chrome extension included
- All-in-one sales platform
- Good for entire sales cycle management
- Strong scoring and signals feature
Cons
- Cold emailing features are basic
- Interface is cluttered and confusing
- Export credits are heavily limited
- Not suitable for agencies
- Learning curve is steep
User Review
“Apollo is fantastic for finding leads. But when it came to cold emailing, I felt limited. The sequence builder is messy, and I couldn’t scale campaigns like I wanted to.”
— Verified G2 Review, November 2024
If you’re deciding between prospecting-first vs email-first tools, I’ve compared both in my detailed Instantly vs Apollo guide.
6. Woodpecker.co
Quick Verdict
Woodpecker offers solid cold email automation with unlimited email accounts. I appreciate the clean interface and condition-based campaigns.
But here’s the problem: you pay per prospect contacted, not per email sent. This pay-as-you-go model can get confusing.
Pricing Breakdown
Annual Billing:
- Cold Email: $20/month (500 prospects)
- Agency: $33/month per workspace
- Custom: Contact for pricing
Pay-as-you-go: You adjust prospect limits, and pricing scales accordingly
Hidden Costs:
- API access: $20/month extra
- Integrations: $20/month extra
- White labeling: $27/month per client + $5/month
Key Features
- Unlimited email accounts on all plans
- Adaptive sending prevents account blocks
- A/B testing up to 5 versions
- Centralized inbox with auto-categorization
- Condition-based campaigns
Pros
- Easy-to-navigate interface
- Unlimited email verification via Bouncer
- Flexible daily sending limits
- Good deliverability features
- Straightforward setup process
Cons
- API and integrations cost extra $20/month
- Customer support response time is slow (20+ minutes)
- Agency features require additional fees per client
- Limited compared to multichannel platforms
User Review
“Woodpecker works well for basic cold email. But when I needed integrations, I had to pay an extra $20/month. And their support took forever to respond to my questions.”
— Verified G2 Review, October 2024
7. QuickMail.com
Quick Verdict
QuickMail focuses on deliverability first. I tested it for two weeks, and my emails reached inboxes consistently.
The interface is simple and does the job. But here’s the catch: you’re limited by email accounts and prospects, not just sending volume. This pricing model confused me at first.
Pricing Breakdown
Single Plans (Annual Billing):
- Basic: $49/month (5 email accounts, 10,000 prospects, 30,000 emails/month)
- Pro: $89/month (20 email accounts, 50,000 prospects, 100,000 emails/month)
- Expert: $129/month (50 email accounts, unlimited prospects, unlimited emails)
Agency Plans:
- Agency Basic: $399/month (5 free workspaces)
- Agency Pro: $599/month
- Agency Expert: $799/month
Extra workspace: $49/month each
Key Features
- Deliverability AI automatically adjusts sending patterns
- Inbox rotation across multiple email accounts
- Auto reply handling with sentiment detection
- MailFlow warm-up included for free
- Multichannel outreach (Email + LinkedIn + Calls)
Pros
- Excellent deliverability features
- Free built-in email warmup
- Unlimited team members included
- Strong analytics and reporting
- Native HubSpot and Pipedrive integrations
Cons
- Limited email accounts on lower plans
- Agency clients cost extra ($49 each)
- Can’t connect unlimited emails like Instantly
- Lacks native CRM beyond HubSpot/Pipedrive
User Review
“QuickMail’s deliverability is world-class. We switched from Salesloft after major email issues, and since moving to QuickMail, not a single problem. Our first meetings booked increased significantly.”
— Verified G2 Review, January 2025
If warmup quality is your biggest concern, I’ve also tested and ranked the best email warmup tools separately based on real inbox placement results.
8. MailShake.com
Quick Verdict
MailShake works well for basic cold email automation. I liked the simple setup—launched my first campaign in 5 minutes.
The feature set is solid for email-only outreach. But there’s no free trial, and you pay upfront. That bothered me since I couldn’t test before committing.
Pricing Breakdown
Annual Billing:
- Starter: $25/month (Limited features, 5,000 recipients per campaign)
- Email Outreach: $45/month (Advanced features, CRM integrations)
- Sales Engagement: $85/month (Phone dialer, 5 email addresses, multichannel)
Monthly billing costs more: $29, $59, and $99 respectively
Data Finder: $49-$249/month extra (1,000-12,500 credits)
Key Features
- A/B testing for email variations
- Power phone dialer with unlimited North America minutes
- Lead Catcher automatically qualifies hot/warm/cold leads
- Mail merge for personalized bulk emails
- List cleaning with 5,000 verification credits
Pros
- Very simple and easy to use
- Strong customer support
- Good deliverability rates
- Decent personalization features
- Chrome extension included
Cons
- No free trial available—must pay upfront
- No refund policy (only cancellation)
- Limited features compared to competitors
- Cannot pause campaigns once started
- Data quality can be inconsistent
User Review
“MailShake has completely streamlined our outreach. What used to take days now takes minutes. But I wish there was a free trial. Having to pay $29 upfront to test it felt risky.”
— Verified Capterra Review, December 2024
9. Snov.io
Quick Verdict
Snov.io started as an email finder but evolved into a full cold email platform. I used it for three weeks and loved finding leads directly on LinkedIn.
The credit system is flexible—you can split credits between finding and verifying emails. But the LinkedIn automation costs extra $69/month, which adds up fast.
Pricing Breakdown
Annual Billing (25% discount):
- Trial: FREE (50 credits, 100 recipients, 1 warmup)
- Starter: $30/month (1,000 credits, 5,000 recipients, 3 warmups)
- Pro: $75/month (5,000 credits, 10,000 recipients, unlimited warmups)
- Pro 20K: $149/month (20,000 credits, 30,000 recipients)
- Pro 50K: $249/month (50,000 credits, 100,000 recipients)
Add-on:
- LinkedIn Automation: $69/month per slot
Key Features
- Email finder with B2B database
- Built-in email verifier to reduce bounces
- Drip campaigns with unlimited follow-ups
- Sales CRM included in all plans
- Chrome extension for LinkedIn prospecting
Pros
- Unused credits roll over to next month
- Unlimited email accounts and team members
- Strong email finder accuracy
- Affordable entry-level pricing
- Free plan available to test features
Cons
- Email verification credits not included
- UI could be more intuitive
- LinkedIn automation is an expensive add-on
- Lower plans lack advanced features
User Review
“Snov.io makes finding and verifying leads easy. The email verification tool really helps reduce bounce rates. But I wish the UI was more modern and easier to navigate.”
— Verified G2 Review, October 2024
10. Hunter.io
Quick Verdict
Hunter.io is the OG email finder tool—been around since 2015. I tested it and the email accuracy impressed me (their verification is top-notch).
But here’s the reality: Hunter is best for finding emails, not cold email automation. The campaign features are basic compared to dedicated cold email tools.
Pricing Breakdown
Annual Billing (30% discount):
- Free: $0 (25 searches, 50 verifications, 500 recipients/month)
- Starter: $34/month (500 searches, 1,000 verifications, 2,500 recipients)
- Growth: $69/month (2,500 searches, 5,000 verifications, 15,000 recipients)
- Scale: $209/month (25,000 searches, 50,000 verifications, 150,000 recipients)
Additional Costs:
- Extra email account: $10/month each
- Credit overages: $0.10 per extra search
Key Features
- Domain search finds all emails at a company
- Email finder locates specific person’s email
- Email verifier with 95%+ accuracy
- Browser extension for LinkedIn and web
- Cold email campaigns with tracking
Pros
- Industry-leading email verification accuracy
- Massive database (4M+ users trust it)
- Free plan available permanently
- Clean, simple user interface
- Great for prospecting and lead generation
Cons
- Cold email features are basic
- Credit limits can be restrictive
- No multichannel capabilities
- Limited automation compared to competitors
- Best as email finder, not cold email platform
User Review
“Hunter.io has been a game-changer for finding accurate email addresses. The verification is spot-on. But for actual cold email campaigns, I needed a more robust tool with better automation.”
— Verified G2 Review, November 2024
Decision Framework
How to Choose the Right Instantly Alternative
Picking the right tool depends on your specific needs. Here’s how I recommend you decide:
Ask yourself these key questions:
- What’s my budget? If cost is tight, start with Saleshandy ($25/month) or Snov.io ($30/month).
- Am I an agency? Choose Saleshandy for unlimited clients at no extra cost. Avoid Lemlist and Instantly—they charge per client.
- Do I need multichannel? Go with Lemlist ($69/month) or Reply.io ($89/month) for LinkedIn and calls.
- Is deliverability my top priority? Pick QuickMail or Smartlead—both focus heavily on inbox placement.
- Am I just finding emails? Use Hunter.io for prospecting, then pair it with Saleshandy for outreach.
Use Case Scenarios:
For Solopreneurs: Smartlead ($32.50/month) offers unlimited email accounts and strong deliverability from day one.
For Startups: Saleshandy ($25/month) gives you room to grow without breaking the bank. Unlimited emails and clients.
For Agencies: Saleshandy ($74/month Pro plan) beats everyone—manage unlimited clients without extra workspace fees.
For Enterprises: Reply.io ($166/month Agency) or Lemlist Enterprise if you need multichannel at scale.
Conclusion
After testing 10 instantly alternatives, here’s my final verdict:
Top 3 Picks:
- Saleshandy – Best overall value. Unlimited clients, unlimited emails, and affordable. Perfect for agencies and startups.
- Smartlead – Best for deliverability. If inbox placement matters most, this is your tool.
- Lemlist – Best for multichannel. Email + LinkedIn + Calls in one platform (but expensive).
My recommendation? Try Saleshandy first. It offers a 7-day free trial, so you can test it risk-free.
If Saleshandy doesn’t fit, move to Smartlead for deliverability or Lemlist for multichannel needs.
Remember: The best tool is the one you’ll actually use. Start with a free trial, test your campaigns, and see what works for your workflow.
Stop overpaying for Instantly. Switch to a better alternative today!
FAQs
Can I migrate from Instantly easily?
Yes, migrating is straightforward. Export your prospect lists from Instantly as CSV files. Then import them into your new tool. Most platforms support CSV imports.
For email accounts, simply reconnect them via SMTP or OAuth. The process takes 10-15 minutes per account. If you need help, customer support teams usually assist with migration for free.
Which is cheapest for agencies?
Saleshandy is the cheapest for agencies at $74/month (Outreach Pro). You get unlimited clients, unlimited team members, and unlimited email accounts.
Compare that to Instantly ($77.6/month per client) or Lemlist ($69/month per user). Saleshandy saves agencies thousands annually.
Do these tools have free trials?
Most offer free trials:
- Saleshandy: 7 days
- Smartlead: 14 days
- Lemlist: 14 days
- QuickMail: 14 days
- Woodpecker: 7 days
- Snov.io: Free plan (limited features)
- Hunter.io: Free plan (25 searches/month)
What’s the best for deliverability?
Smartlead and QuickMail are the best for deliverability. Both focus heavily on inbox placement with features like:
- Unlimited email warmup
- Dynamic IP rotation
- Adaptive sending patterns
- Spam monitoring
Saleshandy also offers strong deliverability with sequence scoring and automated warmup.
Which has the best UI?
Saleshandy has the best UI—clean, intuitive, and easy to navigate. I launched campaigns faster with Saleshandy than any other tool.
Lemlist also has a good UI but with a steeper learning curve due to more features. Smartlead’s UI feels a bit outdated but functional.