Top 12 Instantly.ai Alternatives

Top 12 Instantly.ai Alternatives

It’s hard to imagine a single B2B business that doesn’t use some type of outreach automation software in 2024. After all, manually communicating with your potential and existing customers is simply not feasible any longer. 

Modern outreach tools empower businesses to create automated, multi-step campaigns at scale, with some of the top platforms also offering AI personalization, multichannel communication, native contact databases, email warmups, and the list goes on and on. 

Even though there’s no shortage of outreach tools on the market, only a small percentage are truly functional enough for businesses to trust one of their most important processes. 

One of those examples is Instantly, a lightweight yet reliable outreach tool that solely focuses on email communication. In fact, we recently did a detailed review of Instantly for those who want to check it out.   

Whether you’re deciding on which tool to equip your team with, or you’re an existing Instantly user looking to jump ship—this article will cover the best 12 alternatives, to help you determine if there’s perhaps a better fit. 

How to find the best Instantly alternative?

Among the top outreach automation providers, each has its pros and cons, as well as its unique value proposition, so choosing the right one will entirely depend on your exact business needs and pain points. 

However, there are a few things you should definitely consider when choosing which software to commit to: 

  • AI features → many sales and marketing outreach suites have incorporated some form of AI in their products, most often related to personalization at scale, which tailors each message with the right data, value proposition, CTA, and so on, even in the context of thousands of emails at a time. That’s just the tip of the iceberg though, keep an eye out for some of the more advanced AI features like inbound lead generation
  • Multichannel outreach → emails are undoubtedly the most effective business communication channel, but supplementing your outreach campaigns with LinkedIn touches, WhatsApp messages, and cloud calls has the potential to drive even more engagement with a wider audience of potential prospects and clients. 
  • Email deliverability → given the growing compliance policies of the top email providers like Gmail, Yahoo, and Outlook, businesses engaging in high-volume email campaigns have to pay extra attention to email deliverability to avoid triggering spam filters and ending up blacklisted, so make sure your outreach platform takes care of this as well. 
  • Feature consolidation → very few of the leading outreach tools are simply…outreach tools any longer. In order to stay competitive, the top providers have been increasingly adding new features to their products like native contact databases, inbound lead generation, email scraping, and so on. Find an outreach suite that also includes some extra tools that you would otherwise pay for with separate tools, keeping as many processes under one roof as possible. 

The best Instantly alternatives for your business in 2024 

While Instantly is a decent outreach platform, it does have its drawbacks such as no multichannel outreach, limited AI features, and integration complications just to name a few. 

Without further ado, in no particular order, let’s dive into the 12 best Instantly alternatives for you to consider to supercharge your sales and marketing efforts: 

Reply.io 

Reply.io as an instantly alternative

G2: 4.6/5 ⭐️ (1.3k) | Capterra: 4.6/5 ⭐ (96) 

Reply.io is an all-in-one, AI-powered sales automation platform that offers a native 100M+ lead database, multichannel outreach sequences, AI SDR agents that personalize entire campaigns AND handle responses, an AI Chatbot to capture and qualify inbound leads, and premium email deliverability features—everything you need to find, engage, and close targeted prospects.

Without a doubt, you will definitely get more bang for your buck with Reply.io compared to Instantly, and if you’re a sales or lead generation agency, look no further as we also have dedicated agency plans with all the necessary tools to manage multiple clients. 

Features:

  • B2B contact database with extensive search filters for targeted prospecting 
  • Multichannel, AI-powered outreach campaigns 
  • AI personalization based on prospect and company data   
  • AI response handling and booking meetings on your behalf 
  • AI Chatbot with avatars to capture, qualify, and nurture inbound leads 
  • Email deliverability setup and monitoring with Google Postmaster integration
  • Powerful analytics on campaign and sales team performance 

Pros:

  • Consolidated sale suite, with automated features covering the entire sales process 
  • Unmatched AI features including intelligent response handling, one of its kind 
  • Seamless data flow among the lead database, inbound chat, and outreach campaigns 
  • Neat and user-friendly UI and UX, along with simplified onboarding 
  • Email deliverability team at your assistance to ensure your emails reach their inboxes 

Cons:

  • Slight learning curve to effectively set up all AI features
  • While it offers numerous native integrations, some tools may require additional setup

Pricing: Free plan and free 14-day trial available; paid plans start at $49/user/month. 

Best for: SMBs, startups, sales teams, business development teams, PR & partnership teams, and sales and lead generation agencies.

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Apollo.io

Apollo as an instantly alternative

G2: 4.6/5 ⭐️ (1.3k) | Capterra: 4.6/5 ⭐ (96) 

Even though it comes with a native contact database and campaign management features, Apollo.io’s main selling point is its sales intelligence, so if you’re looking for a more standalone platform entirely focused on outreach, this probably won’t be the best option for your team. 

Because it ‘wears many hats’, Apollo.io does not offer unlimited inboxes, extra outreach channels such as LinkedIn, SMS, and WhatsApp, or any impressive AI features besides the common email writer. Also, its email deliverability features leave more to desire.  

Features:

  • Native contact database with numerous search filters  
  • Automated email and call outreach sequences 
  • Contact and account enrichment
  • Inbound lead generation features such as lead scoring 

Pros:

  • Covers several different sales processes under one roof 
  • Sales coaching for sales reps and teams available 
  • Responsive customer support 

Cons:

  • Limited integration options with existing tool stacks 
  • Overwhelming UI, especially for beginners
  • Email deliverability issues often reported by users 

Pricing: Free plans available; paid plans start at $49 per month for basic features.

Best for: Businesses looking for sales intelligence features rather than a dedicated outreach tool. 

P.S. Here’s how Apollo.io compares to Reply.io in the battle of features! 

Lemlist 

lemlist as an instantly alternative

G2: 4.5/5 ⭐️ (250) | Capterra: 4.6/5 ⭐ (380) 

Lemlist is a multichannel outreach tool that focuses on personalizing emails using custom text variables, as well as dynamic images and landing pages to raise engagement. The platform fits sales and marketing teams that want to automate cold outreach and follow-up processes mainly via email and LinkedIn. While offering robust personalization, the interface can be somewhat clunky at times, and the few advanced AI features are only offered for the higher-tiered plans.

Features:

  • Multichannel prospecting including LinkedIn
  • AI personalization features
  • Lemwarm—built-in email warm-up tool 
  • Outreach sequences with advanced conditions 

Pros:

  • Great personalization options 
  • AI-powered sequence setup 

Cons:

  • The more in-demand features only available to premium plans 
  • Users often report that their customer support is slow and unresponsive 
  • Steep learning curve for workflow setup
  • UI is often described as clunky and unintuitive

Pricing: Free plan available, paid plans start at $32/user/month, with advanced features in higher plans.

Best for: Companies that wish to focus on personalized, multi-channel outreach, without needing any advanced AI features like response handling and inbound lead generation.

Snov.io

snov.io as an instantly alternative

G2: 4.6/5 ⭐️ (423) | Capterra: 4.5/5 ⭐ (211) 

Snov.io is another sales automation platform that focuses on generating leads and closing deals. While it has email scraping and verifying features, the lack of a native contact database means that sales teams will have to prospect elsewhere. Snov.io offers multichannel outreach sequences and sufficient email deliverability, though the learning curve for new users may be steep. 

Features:

  • Email finder Chrome extension 
  • Automated multichannel sequences 
  • Drip campaign builder
  • LinkedIn prospecting

Pros:

  • Robust email finding and verification features
  • Simple yet efficient campaign automation capabilities
  • Several native sales CRM features 

Cons:

  • Limited email customization features compared to competitors
  • UI is quite clunky and outdated
  • Email deliverability concerns among users 

Pricing: Free trial available, paid plans start at $30/month, or $75/month for those wishing to leverage all features like unlimited email warmup and dynamic content personalization. 

Best for: SMBs looking for affordable and integrated email outreach and CRM solutions.

ZoomInfo Sales 

zoominfo as an instantly alternative

G2: 4.4/5 ⭐️ (8.5k) | Capterra: 4.1/5 ⭐ (289) 

ZoomInfo Sales is a sales intelligence platform primarily focused on lead generation and data enrichment. It has a very big database of contact information and the ability to enrich leads with detailed information like job roles, company sizes, buyer intent, and more. However, its features regarding mass outreach at scale are pretty weak in comparison to specialized platforms.

Features:

  • Extensive contact database with advanced filters
  • Data enrichment and lead scoring
  • CRM integrations
  • Email automation and sequencing
  • Intent data and buyer signals

Pros:

  • Huge contact database with verified data and extensive filters
  • Strong data enrichment and lead insights
  • Marketing and operations tools available for a cohesive suite 

Cons:

  • Very expensive pricing, especially for smaller teams
  • Outreach features are quite basic compared to competitors
  • Data accuracy issues occasionally reported
  • May be overwhelming for small sales teams  

Pricing: No public information available, research shows an average pricing of $250/user/month. 

Best for: Large sales teams and enterprises looking for a comprehensive sales intelligence platform with a focus on intent data rather than AI-driven, multichannel outreach.

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Saleshandy 

saleshandy as an instantly alternative

G2: 4.6/5 ⭐️ (615) | Capterra: 4.5/5 ⭐ (125) 

Saleshandy is an outreach tool that solely focuses on email communication. While it has a fairly decent bundle of features like email tracking, email warmup, and a robust lead database, the platform lacks some of the more advanced features found on other outreach platforms, such as multichannel outreach and AI-driven personalization at scale.

Features:

  • Automated email sequences with follow-ups 
  • Email tracking (opens, clicks)
  • Templates and A/B testing
  • Campaign scheduling
  • Email deliverability insights

Pros:

  • Strong email tracking and analytics 
  • Quite affordable compared to other competitors
  • Simple interface for managing outreach campaigns

Cons:

  • Limited multichannel outreach options (no LinkedIn, SMS, calls, or WhatsApp)
  • Deliverability concerns with larger email campaigns
  • No advanced AI features for personalization or response handling

Pricing: Free trial available; paid plans start at $25/month. 

Best for: Solopreneurs and small teams looking for a simple, affordable, and user-friendly cold email tool without any additional features.

Close

close as an instantly alternative

G2: 4.7/5 ⭐️ (1.3k) | Capterra: 4.7/5 ⭐ (160) 

Close is not a traditional outreach platform but rather a sales CRM for managing your sales pipeline, with some limited but sufficient outreach capabilities. It’s quite user-friendly and contains numerous useful features and automations, but when it comes to outreach, it doesn’t offer any advanced email personalization or multi-channel capabilities.

Features:

  • Sales CRM features like pipeline management, on top of outreach automation 
  • Built-in email sequences with email tracking and automated follow-ups
  • Seamlessly integrated with many other software solutions 

Pros:

  • Combines CRM and outreach in one platform
  • Easy-to-use interface with virtually no learning curve 
  • Pretty strong cold email and call automation features

Cons:

  • Lacks advanced personalization for cold emails 
  • Limited multichannel outreach (no LinkedIn, SMS, WhatsApp)
  • While designed for SMBs, pricing can be steep for small teams 
  • Some users report complications with customer support queries 

Pricing: Free trial available; paid plans start at $49/user/month. 

Best for: SMBs and startups that need a CRM focused on managing the sales pipeline, rather than a standalone outreach platform like Instantly.

SmartLead 

smartlead as an instantly alternative

G2: 4.7/5 ⭐️ (205) | Capterra: 4.8/5 ⭐ (4) 

SmartLead is an email outreach tool that improves cold email deliverability by using features such as inbox rotation and warm-up. It is highly focused on email deliverability but misses some of the more rounded features around campaign management that other platforms do offer.

Features:

  • Email automation sequences
  • Unified master inbox for easy management 
  • Inbox rotation and warm-up features for deliverability 
  • Mobile app for communicating on-the-go 

Pros:

  • Numerous features aimed at improving email deliverability
  • Easy-to-use, almost gamified sequence builder
  • Powerful API integration capabilities 

Cons:

  • Limited communication channels (no LinkedIn, SMS, or calls)
  • Lack of detailed reporting and analytics to analyze campaign performance 
  • Limited AI personalization features to create meaningful outreach at scale 

Pricing: No free plan; paid plans start at $39/month

Best for: Large teams and agencies managing multiple outreach campaigns simultaneously, requiring white-label solutions and multi-channel automation. 

P.S. Want to dive deep into how Smartlead stacks up against Instantly? We’ve got you covered! Check out the full comparison of Instantly vs. Smartlead right here.

Woodpecker 

woodpecker as an instantly alternative

G2: 4.2/5 ⭐️ (60) | Capterra: 4.7/5 ⭐ (35) 

Woodpecker is a powerful email automation tool that allows businesses to set up complex email campaigns in seconds. This tool has countless features related to email outreach and deliverability, so if emails are the only channel your team uses to communicate with prospects—Woodpecker is a great choice. However, should you need additional channels like calls and LinkedIn, this might not be the one. 

Features:

  • Powerful email sequences with personalization features
  • Email tracking and reporting 
  • Native email validation, ensuring low bounce rates 
  • Premium deliverability tools like inbox rotation and automated warm-up 

Pros:

  • Strong email deliverability
  • Very easy to create email campaigns
  • Small businesses can use this tool for both sales and marketing teams 

Cons:

  • Only email, no LinkedIn or calls available for sales outreach 
  • No lead generation or inbound features to keep multiple sales processes under one roof
  • Analytics and reporting features are very basic

Pricing: No free plan; paid plans start at $29/month 

Best for: Small to mid-sized B2B teams looking for simple email outreach automation for both sales and marketing teams.

QuickMail 

quickmail as an instantly alternative

G2: 4.7/5 ⭐️ (98) | Capterra: 4.7/5 ⭐ (26) 

QuickMail is a lightweight outreach tool that focuses entirely on email communication. It empowers users to manage complex, high-volume email sequences, and track campaign performance, but also lacks multichannel and AI capabilities that have become so in-demand for modern sales teams. However, it’s definitely a great option for small teams focused solely on email outreach.

Features:

  • Automated email sequences with A/B testing
  • AI features for email deliverability + Inbox rotation
  • Dedicated product/features for lead generation agencies 

Pros:

  • Strong focus on email deliverability
  • Easy to manage email campaigns and multi-step sequences
  • Affordable for small teams

Cons:

  • Lacks multichannel outreach features (no LinkedIn, calls, SMS) 
  • Very limited analytics and reporting for outreach campaigns 
  • UI may feel quite outdated at times  

Pricing: No free plan; paid plans start at $49/month 

Best for: Small businesses or teams looking for a simple and affordable cold email automation tool.

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Outreach.io 

outreach.io as an instantly alternative

G2: 4.3/5 ⭐️ (3.4k) | Capterra: 4.4/5 ⭐ (294) 

Outreach.io is a sales execution platform designed to automate multichannel outreach and sales pipeline management. It offers email sequences, call tasks, and LinkedIn interactions, as well as advanced analytics and reporting features. However, it’s considered to have a steep learning curve and is highly-priced, making it a more suitable option for larger sales teams that have the budget. 

Features:

  • Multichannel outreach: email, call, LinkedIn
  • Advanced automation of email and tasks
  • AI-driven sales forecasting and conversational intelligence 
  • Integration with popular CRMs
  • Reporting and analytics to optimize outreach

Pros:

  • Highly customizable sales workflows and pipeline management 
  • Strong analytics along with AI-driven insights and forecasting 
  • Seamless CRM integration with Salesforce and HubSpot

Cons:

  • High pricing for the entire suite, not suitable for small teams
  • The outreach automation is quite underwhelming, no AI features 
  • Difficult to learn for beginners and time-consuming to set up and fully optimize
  • Sometimes customer support is not very quick to respond to requests

Pricing: No public information available; the product is split into 5 separate products with separate pricing plans, so do expect to pay a huge premium to use all its features. 

Best for: Sales teams that are looking for pipeline management and revenue forecasting features on top of outreach capabilities, willing to pay a huge premium to enjoy the suite.

GetProspect 

getprospect as an instantly alternative

G2: 4.0/5 ⭐️ (38) | Capterra: 4.4/5 ⭐ (93) 

While some B2B teams use it for their cold outreach, GetProspect is primarily a lead generation tool that helps users find and verify email addresses. While it does a great job at generating leads via its native contact database, email finder, and contact enrichment features, it is quite limited when it comes to outreach automation and campaign management.

Features:

  • Email finder and verifier
  • Built-in contact database with 230 million emails 
  • Simple email campaign automation 
  • Browser extension for LinkedIn prospecting

Pros:

  • Great for finding targeted leads through its database 
  • Useful browser extension for LinkedIn email scraping 
  • Simple, clutter-free interface

Cons:

  • No multichannel outreach options
  • Limited integrations with other sales tools
  • No AI features to personalize emails at scale

Pricing: Free plan available; paid plans start at $29/month 

Best for: Sales teams focused on LinkedIn-based lead generation and prospecting who need a simple tool for building lead lists​

Gear up with the right outreach tool 

There you have it, the best Instantly AI alternatives and hence the best outreach platforms on the market for you to choose from. While all of them offer sufficient automation for your sales, marketing, or business development outreach efforts, they differ in communication channels available, additional features, pricing, and user experience. 

That’s why it’s important to take into account your greatest business needs and pain points, your budget, and honestly speaking, your personal/team preferences to determine the best tool for your business. 

Besides outreach platforms being a key player in your sales and marketing efforts, and having a direct impact on your efficiency and revenue, at the end of the day, they will also be an integral part of your team members’ everyday work, so make sure the software you choose ‘feels right’. 

On this note, we humbly invite you to give Reply.io a free spin and see if perhaps this is the best tool to equip your sales team with. Feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns, we’ll be more than happy to assist you. 

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