As a sales pro, you know how challenging it is to manage bulk email communication with prospects. Meanwhile, dozens of other sales tasks don’t wait. They are piling up treacherously to make your routine even more stressful.
So, what can you do about it?
We recommend implementing cold email software into your workflow to speed things up, automate email sending, and reduce stress.
We created this guide to help you choose a much-needed tool, enhance your sales efficiency, and accelerate your company’s growth.
Ready to surf through the top 20 cold email platforms? Let’s go!
Outline
What is cold email software?
Cold email software is a tool for sending email campaigns to potential customers who don’t know much about your company or services yet. It allows you to reach out to many prospects simultaneously, automating follow-ups and saving time.
Cold email tools are perfect for teams of all sizes and essential for ensuring emails reach prospects’ inboxes. They significantly improve deliverability, preventing emails from landing in spam, hence boosting your chances of successful engagement.
Top 5 cold email tools compared
Features | |||||
Free plan |
Yes
|
Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Entry price |
Lower than $40/month
|
Lower than $40/month | Lower than $40/month | Lower than $40/month | Lower than $40/month |
Multichannel campaigns |
Yes
|
No | No | Yes | Yes |
CRM |
Yes
|
Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Other features |
• Email Finder
• Email Verifier
• LinkedIn Automation Tool
• Email Tracker
• Email Deliverability Check
• Email Warm-up
• Email deliverability check
|
• Lead Database • Email Verifier • Email Deliverability Tool |
• Email Finder • Email Verifier |
• Lead Finder • Email Tracker • Email Warm-up |
• Email Finder • Email Verifier • Phone number finder • LinkedIn voice message • Warm-up booster |
Integrations |
• HubSpot
• Salesforce
• Pipedrive
• Zoho CRM
• Close CRM
• Asana
• Nutshell
• Freshsales Suite
|
• HubSpot • Salesforce • Pipedrive |
• HubSpot • Salesforce • Pipedrive • Zoho CRM • Close CRM • Copper CRM |
• HubSpot • Salesforce • Pipedrive • Zoho CRM |
• HubSpot • Salesforce • Pipedrive |
Unlimited email accounts |
Yes
|
Yes |
No |
Yes |
No |
Unlimited team seats |
Yes
|
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Wondering which option to choose? Let’s review the best cold email software tools in detail.
20 best cold email software to automate your sales outreach
1. Snov.io
👍Best for: Sales teams that want an all-in-one platform combining email automation, LinkedIn outreach, and unbeatable lead generation tools.
⭐Ratings: G2: 4.6/5, Capterra: 4.5/5
💰Pricing: Free plan available. Paid plans start from $39/month.
Snov.io is your ultimate sales engagement and automation platform. It offers comprehensive tools for multichannel cold email campaigns and LinkedIn outreach, among other features. Snov.io cold email software personalizes your prospecting and boosts engagement, whether you work as a small team or grow your business.
From discovering new leads to moving them through the sales funnel, the tool facilitates the process every step of the way, helping you close more deals and surpass your quotas. Now, you can dedicate your time to other important tasks, such as building your sales strategy.
Key features:
- Multichannel Outreach
Create automated sequences with personalized follow-ups and responses, keeping your leads engaged without manual intervention.
You can also add LinkedIn actions to your campaigns to communicate with prospects both on this platform and via email. Do the A/B test of your campaigns to find the best option and check how well your sequences perform.
- Advanced personalization
Make each message unique with the help of Snov.io AI Email Writer and personalization variables.
- Email Finder and Email Verifier
Find prospects and their email addresses anywhere on the web. Then, verify emails in bulk using a 7-step verification process. Snov.io helps you reduce bounce rates dramatically and ensure your emails reach the inbox.
- LinkedIn Automation
Automate finding prospects, sending connection requests, and following up directly on LinkedIn. Snov.io runs all these actions mimicking human-like behavior to ensure account safety.
→ Learn how to send connection requests on LinkedIn that will be accepted.
- Email Warm-up and Deliverability Check
Prepare your email account for large-scale campaigns by warming it up gradually. Check your deliverability to ensure your emails avoid spam filters and make it right to the prospect’s inbox.
- Free sales CRM
Snov.io offers a robust sales CRM to help startups and small businesses automate their sales. Your team can manage deals and sales leads in a pipeline view, organize your team, and track their progress – all under one roof. Unlike most email tools, Snov.io opens the doors of its CRM absolutely free for everyone who wishes to put their sales campaigns on autopilot.
→ Learn more about how to boost your sales performance with Snov.io CRM.
- Integrations
Snov.io seamlessly integrates with 5000 leading CRMs and business applications, boosting communication efforts and streamlining sales processes. That only is Snov.io integration with Pipedrive, which offers dozens of advanced possibilities for your sales process optimization!
- Customer care & Recognition
Snov.io has been recognized as a leader in G2’s 2024 reports and earned the Easiest To Do Business With award. It holds leading positions globally, with standout achievements in Email Verification and Email Marketing across Latin America, Asia, the Americas, and EMEA.
The platform offers 24/7 customer support, so you can always contact the team to resolve any issues you face with the software.
- Snov.io Academy
Apart from tech, Snov.io empowers users to master cold campaigns with expert guidance and hands-on training through its Academy. You can enroll in the free online course and learn the skills you need to send cold emails like a pro.
Snov.io has all we need to grow fast: an easy-to-use toolset and the support ready to assist us in developing winning campaigns.
Commercial Director at Arquitetura de Vendas
2. Instantly.ai
👍Best for: Businesses and sales teams looking for rapid, scalable cold email automation with AI-driven features.
⭐Ratings: G2: 4.9/5, Capterra: 4.5/5
💰Pricing: 14-day free trial. $37/month for a basic paid plan.
Instantly.ai allows users to run multiple cold email campaigns simultaneously while maintaining proper deliverability and lead engagement. AI tools help optimize email copies and sending schedules.
Key features:
- AI-powered email sending: Optimize email send times and content using AI to ensure higher deliverability and engagement.
- Unlimited email accounts: Run multiple cold email campaigns from unlimited email accounts.
- Automated follow-ups: Set up automated follow-up sequences to keep engaging prospects in the pipeline without manual effort.
- Email Warm-up Tool: Warm up new email accounts gradually to improve deliverability.
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3. Hunter.io
👍Best for: Teams focused on lead generation and advanced email-finding capabilities.
⭐Ratings: G2: 4.4/5, Capterra: 4.6/5
💰Pricing: Free plan available. $49/month for a basic paid plan.
Hunter.io is mainly known for its email finder tools, which help businesses quickly locate the email addresses of their prospects. The software also streamlines email discovery, verification, and sending, enabling teams to boost lead generation while maintaining high email deliverability through its verification system.
Key features:
- Bulk Email Finder: Scale up your cold campaigns with bulk email search, making it easier to contact leads in larger volumes.
- Email Verifier: Reduce bounce rates and improve deliverability with the built-in email verification tool.
- Campaigns: Create and automate cold email campaigns directly in Hunter.io to follow up on your leads timely.
4. Saleshandy
👍Best for: Small to medium-sized businesses looking for a cold email tool with tracking and automation features.
⭐Ratings: G2: 4.6/5, Capterra: 4.5/5
💰Pricing: 7-day free trial. $36/month for a basic paid plan.
Saleshandy helps businesses automate their interactions with prospects and track performance. It simplifies cold email campaigns with customizable email templates, automated follow-ups, and detailed tracking for opens and clicks. It also integrates with major email providers so you can manage cold campaigns directly from your inbox.
Key features:
- Email tracking: Get real-time notifications when cold emails are opened or clicked, so you can prioritize follow-ups.
- Automated follow-ups: Set up follow-ups sequences to be sent automatically based on recipient behavior.
- Campaign analytics: Analyze the success of your cold email campaigns with in-depth reporting on open rates, click-through rates, and replies.
5. Lemlist
👍Best for: Teams seeking versatile channels with strong personalization options for emails, LinkedIn, and more.
⭐Ratings: G2: 4.5/5, Capterra: 4.6/5
💰Pricing: Free plan available. $39/month for a basic paid plan.
Lemlist is known for its multichannel approach to cold outreach. The tool allows users to reach prospects not only through cold email but also via LinkedIn and phone calls. The platform offers personalization options, including custom text, images, and videos.
Key features:
- Multichannel outreach: Automate email, phone, and LinkedIn efforts, ensuring you’re hitting prospects on the platforms they prefer.
- Personalization at scale: Customize text, images, and videos, boosting engagement rates.
- Email Verifier: Lower bounce rates and improve deliverability, ensuring your emails land in the inbox.
6. Mailshake
👍Best for: Sales teams and small businesses looking for an easy-to-use tool for cold email and social media campaigns.
⭐Ratings: G2: 4.7/5, Capterra: 4.6/5
💰Pricing: No free trial. $29/month for a basic paid plan.
Mailshake is cold email software known for its simplicity in setting up email sequences and programming follow-ups. The software also integrates LinkedIn, allowing users to use Mailshake for multichannel sales engagement.
Key features:
- Email and social sequences: Automate email and LinkedIn outreach for a multichannel strategy.
- Customizable templates: Choose among pre-built email samples you can personalize to boost engagement with minimal effort.
- A/B testing tools: Test subject lines and other email elements to find what works best and increase conversions.
- Lead Catcher: Automatically capture and organize leads based on their replies or other actions, making prioritization and follow-up easier.
7. Reply.io
👍Best for: Sales and marketing teams looking for multichannel outreach with AI-driven insights.
⭐Ratings: G2: 4.6/5, Capterra: 4.6/5
💰Pricing: 14-day free trial. $59/month for a basic paid plan.
Reply.io is a sales engagement platform that automates cold emails, LinkedIn campaigns, and communication on other channels. Its AI-powered suggestions and analytic tools help you adjust and optimize your strategy. The platform also integrates with CRM systems.
Key features:
- Multichannel sequences: Automate sales across email, LinkedIn, phone, and social media engagement, ensuring no touchpoint is missed.
- AI-powered email writing: The built-in AI helps you craft and optimize your email content for better response rates.
- Advanced analytics: Track such performance metrics as open rates, replies, and conversions to continuously improve your campaigns.
8. Apollo.io
👍Best for: Sales teams and businesses looking for an all-in-one platform that includes cold emailing, lead generation, and CRM tools.
⭐Ratings: G2: 4.8/5, Capterra: 4.6/5
💰Pricing: Free plan available. $59/month for a basic paid plan.
Apollo.io combines cold email software with lead generation and CRM features. Its database allows businesses to find and engage with new prospects through automated cold campaigns. The platform provides email and LinkedIn integration so you can reach leads across multiple touchpoints. In addition, it offers analytics and reporting, helping teams analyze their results.
Key features:
- Lead generation database: Access a vast repository of prospects to ensure you’re reaching the right people.
- Automated sequences: Set up and automate multi-step cold email sequences to engage prospects over time and ensure consistent follow-ups.
- LinkedIn integration: Combine cold email campaigns with LinkedIn to reach prospects across both channels, enhancing engagement.
- CRM integration: Seamlessly integrate Apollo with CRM systems to manage leads and cold campaigns in one unified platform.
9. Woodpecker
personalize client communication.
⭐Ratings: G2: 4.2/5, Capterra: 4.5/5
💰Pricing: 7-day free trial. $29/month for a basic paid plan.
Woodpecker is designed to automate cold email campaigns and ensure they reach prospects’ inboxes, avoiding spam rates. Automatic follow-ups, A/B testing, and various sending options help businesses contact prospects at the right time.
Key features:
- Automated follow-ups: Schedule personalized follow-up emails based on recipient behavior to keep your campaigns always relevant. Test different email content types to optimize campaign performance.
- Bounce detection: See and handle bounced emails, ensuring your cold outreach campaigns maintain high deliverability.
- Team collaboration: Share email sequences, templates, and campaign results with your team for a consistent and coordinated communication strategy.
10. MailChimp
👍Best for: Businesses looking for a versatile platform that combines cold email software with broader marketing automation.
⭐Ratings: G2: 4.4/5, Capterra: 4.5/5
💰Pricing: Free for one month. $20/month for a basic paid plan.
Mailchimp is an email marketing platform offering tools for both cold outreach and broader marketing campaigns. While it’s commonly used for marketing emails, you can also try its cold email tool.
Key features:
- Email campaigns: Set up and automate cold email sequences with customizable templates and AI recommendations.
- Audience segmentation: Easily segment your audience based on behavior, preferences, or demographics, ensuring your cold emails are targeted and relevant.
- Analytics: Track open rates, clicks, and other engagement metrics to optimize cold campaigns and refine your strategy.
- Multichannel marketing: Integrate your cold email efforts with other marketing channels, including social media, SMS, ads, and landing pages.
11. Yesware
👍Best for: Sales teams looking for cold email software combined with advanced tracking and analytics.
⭐Ratings: G2: 4.4/5, Capterra: 4.3/5
💰Pricing: Free plan available. $19/month per seat for a basic paid plan.
Yesware is a convenient choice if you want to boost email campaign performance without switching between platforms. It integrates with Gmail and Outlook so that you can launch your campaigns right from your inbox. With this software, you can create email templates, automate follow-ups, and analyze the effectiveness of your communication efforts on autopilot.
Key features:
- Campaigns & follow-ups: Automate email sequences and follow-ups to smooth your interactions with prospects without manual effort.
- Email tracking tools: Get notifications when your emails are opened, clicked, or replied to in real time. Use these actionable insights to optimize your communication strategy.
- Template library: Save and reuse customizable email samples, ensuring consistency and saving time across bulk campaigns.
12. QuickMail
👍Best for: Small businesses and teams looking for simple, scalable cold email software with decent automation.
⭐Ratings: G2: 4.7/5, Capterra: 4.7/5
💰Pricing: 14-day free trial. $49/month for a basic paid plan.
QuickMail suits small businesses and sales teams wanting to quickly grow their cold outreach strategy. Users can set up email sequences, automate follow-ups, and monitor campaign performance without complicated workflows.
Key features:
- Automated email sequences: Easily set up cold email sequences and follow-ups to engage prospects over time.
- Team collaboration: Share email templates and campaign insights across your team to ensure transparency.
- Deliverability AI tools: Monitor email placement and improve sender reputation, ensuring your cold emails land in inboxes, not spam folders.
13. Outreach
👍Best for: Big corporations looking for a comprehensive, enterprise-level solution.
⭐Ratings: G2: 4.3/5, Capterra: 4.4/5
💰Pricing: Custom based on team size and feature requirements.
Outreach is cold email software built for large teams that want to scale their cold communication with prospects multichannelly. Its detailed analytics help businesses optimize their sales campaign performance and improve engagement rates.
Key features:
- Multichannel campaigns: Combine cold emails with LinkedIn and phone for a cohesive multi-touch strategy.
- Personalization tools: Tailor messages to every lead on your list to receive more email opens and reponses.
- Automation workflows: Reduce manual effort and boost efficiency with autopiloted follow-ups and task reminders.
- Analytics: Study detailed campaign reports to increase response rates and optimize interactions with prospects in general.
14. Close CRM
👍Best for: Growing teams and small businesses that wish to combine CRM and cold email software under one roof.
⭐Ratings: G2: 4.7/5, Capterra: 4.6/5
💰Pricing: 14-day free trial. $59/month for a basic paid plan.
Close is a sales CRM that helps sales teams manage leads, automate follow-ups, and track the performance of their cold campaigns. You can create sequences that include cold emails, phone calls, and SMS, ensuring a comprehensive approach to engaging prospects.
Key features:
- CRM with embedded cold email automation: Manage leads and automate cold email sequences from a single platform, saving time and improving efficiency.
- Multichannel sequences: Combine cold emails with LinkedIn outreach, phone calls, and SMS to create a well-rounded communication strategy.
- Sales funnel reports: Analyze the performance of your cold email campaigns to refine your approach and tactics.
- Customizable email templates: Use pre-built or customizable email templates to personalize your cold campaigns in bulk more efficiently.
15. Clay
👍Best for: Sales teams looking for a data-driven tool to automate and personalize their cold outreach.
⭐Ratings: G2: 4.9/5, Capterra: 4.4/5
Pricing: Free plan available. $149/month for a basic paid plan.
Clay combines automation with advanced data enrichment to create highly personalized cold email campaigns. The tool’s ability to pull data from multiple sources allows you to tailor your emails based on detailed prospect information. As a result, your business can boost engagement and response rates.
Key features:
- Data enrichment: Automatically gather and add detailed prospect data from various sources to create emails that resonate with your audience.
- Cold email automation: Set up cold email sequences with personalized follow-ups to engage prospects consistently.
- LinkedIn integration: Combine LinkedIn messages with cold email campaigns for a multichannel approach to interacting with potential customers.
- Custom triggers: Use advanced triggers to automate campaigns based on prospect activity, ensuring timely and relevant follow-ups.
16. Klenty
👍Best for: Sales teams and businesses looking for cold email software with advanced sales engagement and multichannel campaigns.
⭐Ratings: G2: 4.6/5, Capterra: 4.6/5
💰Pricing: 14-day free trial. $60/month for a basic plan (paid minimum per quarter).
Klenty is another platform for sales engagement that allows you to mix your email outreach with LinkedIn and phone interactions. Your team can set up automated cold email sequences, track engagement, and schedule follow-ups in the multichannel sales environment. Besides, the software integrates seamlessly with popular CRM systems so you can manage sales leads and all touchpoints efficiently.
Key features:
- Multichannel outreach: Combine cold email outreach with LinkedIn and cold calling to create a more comprehensive engagement strategy.
- AI Writer: Create personalized sales emails, call scripts, and LinkedIn messages in seconds.
- Email tracking and analytics: Track key metrics like opens, clicks, and replies and analyze the performance of your cold email campaigns to optimize results.
17. GMass
👍Best for: Users seeking a simple and affordable cold email solution integrated directly into Gmail.
⭐Ratings: G2: 4.8/5, Capterra: 4.8/5
💰Pricing: Free Chrome extension. $25/month for a basic paid plan.
GMass is email software for sending personalized bulk emails, scheduling follow-ups, and tracking campaign performance — all in your Gmail inbox. It offers pretty simple functionality, which makes it a good solution for startups who can’t invest in sophisticated, costly tools.
Key features:
- Gmail integration: Send personalized cold email campaigns directly from your Gmail account.
- Auto follow-ups: Schedule automated follow-ups based on recipient behavior, ensuring your outreach stays on track.
- Analytics: Track opens, clicks, and replies to monitor the success of your campaigns and improve their elements for better performance.
18. SmartReach.io
👍Best for: Teams and individuals looking for affordable cold email software with strong automation and LinkedIn integration.
⭐Ratings: G2: 4.6/5, Capterra: 4.7/5
💰Pricing: 14-day free trial. $29/month for a basic paid plan.
SmartReach.io is known for its multichannel engagement, with features like email sequencing, automatic follow-ups, and personalized templates. This email software helps improve the effectiveness of cold campaigns and suits teams that dislike the complexity of larger platforms.
Key features:
- Cold email automation: Set up automated sequences with personalized follow-ups to keep your cold outreach efforts consistent.
- LinkedIn integration: Combine email and LinkedIn outreach to engage prospects across multiple platforms.
- Personalization & templates: Use customizable templates to create tailored outreach that resonates with your prospects.
19. Outplay
👍Best for: Team of any size that relies on cold outreach and lead generation and wants to enhance their sales process.
⭐Ratings: G2: 4.5/5, Capterra: 4.7/5
💰Pricing: 7-day free trial. $49/month for a basic paid plan.
Outplay combines multichannel outreach with automation. With CRM and inbox integrations, email, and reporting, teams can manage, adjust, and optimize their campaigns from a single dashboard.
Key features:
- Automation: Automate your cold email sequences and follow-ups to focus on high-priority leads while maintaining consistent engagement.
- Analytics: Gain insights into campaign performance with detailed reporting and optimize campaigns in real-time.
- CRM Integrations: Sync with CRMs and inboxes in both directions to smoothly track leads and manage your performance from one place.
20. Mixmax
👍Best for: Sales teams looking to scale personalized outreach across multiple channels.
⭐Ratings: G2: 4.6/5, Capterra: 4.6/5
💰Pricing: Free plan available. $34/month for a basic paid plan.
Mixmax is a cold email solution that helps you reach more prospects, ensuring higher engagement and conversion rates. The tool allows sales teams to launch impactful multitouch campaigns using other channels as well. Meanwhile, its integrations with favorite CRMs and tools ensure your sales deals move forward smoothly.
Key features:
- Multichannel sequences: Build multichannel campaigns using AI to personalize emails, calls, SMS, LinkedIn interactions, and tasks.
- AI Smart Send: Use AI technology to deliver emails at the optimal time, when prospects are most likely to engage.
- Templates & AI Compose: Access a library of expert email templates that can be personalized with AI for faster operation.
- Engaging Content: Boost your cold email reply rates with interactive features like polls, surveys, CTA buttons, and embedded calendars.
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How to choose the best cold email software
Picking the best cold outreach tools for your company depends on your team size and goals. Yet there are criteria both large sales teams and small businesses should consider to ramp up their email performance:
Deliverability check
Your software may look impeccable, but all your efforts are wasted if your emails have a low inbox placement. Therefore, look for the cold email tool that keeps emails away from the spam folder.
As an option, choose a solution that includes features like email warm-up. It will prepare your account for bulk sending and keep your email deliverability high.
Automation features
Cold email platforms with automation features make your sales routine easier. You don’t need to craft and send follow-ups to mass prospects manually. For startups, such services help to keep all communication manageable. For bigger teams, automated processes mean higher efficiency, which results in more closed deals with less time and effort.
Personalization capabilities
Nobody likes to get emails that feel like they’ve been written by a machine. Personalization makes a difference whether you’re sending just a few or hundreds of emails. Look for platforms that let you easily customize emails, no matter how many messages you send out. Personalization at scale will help you save time and stand out among competitors.
Integration with CRM and other tools
What’s the need to choose a separate service for cold email sending and then look for other sales enablement functions elsewhere? If possible, grab the solution that would include all necessary sales automation features under one roof. Already use a CRM? Find the platform that would integrate with your CRM and other tools you’re accustomed to.
Email verification and list management
What’s the use of sending emails that bounce back or go to the wrong people? To avoid these scenarios, good list management and email verification are essential. It doesn’t matter the size of your team — nobody has time for bad data. Therefore, a tool that helps to keep your email list clean should be of utmost priority.
Ease of use
Not all of us are tech experts. So, the more intuitive your software is, the better. You don’t want to waste months learning how to use it, do you? For small businesses with no dedicated IT-savvy person on board, complex onboarding may become a real pain in the neck. But let’s be honest: even huge sales teams appreciate tools that don’t require a lot of training.
Analytics and reporting
Knowing what’s working and what isn’t matters a lot for your growth. The best cold email tools will give you detailed reports on a variety of metrics — open rates, click-through rates, unsubscribes, etc. If you are a small team, you can use this to tweak your campaigns. Bigger teams, however, would need more sophisticated reports to track many different campaigns simultaneously.
Compliance and security
Nowadays, email security is a must! So, you’d better look for a service that would protect your business and customer data. By choosing tools that comply with GDPR and similar laws, you’ll keep private information safe and sound.
Support and customer service
When things go wrong — and it might happen — you want to know there’s someone who can help. Qualified customer service can be a lifesaver, especially if you’re working solo. Seems like a nuance, but finding the email service that would resolve all your issues 24/7 is just precious.
Cost and scalability
Finally, you should keep an eye on the pricing policy. That’s especially true for startups whose budgets might be rather tight to afford big, complex cold emailing platforms. Meanwhile, bigger sales teams need to ensure they’re getting value that scales with their outreach efforts. As your business grows, your software should grow in functionality, too, offering more advanced features.
Wrapping up
Every business that does email outreach needs cold email software to stay competitive. High-grade cold emailing tools can completely transform how you reach prospects, nurture leads, and close deals.
In this article, we’ve provided plenty of excellent options available today. If you are still unsure which one to choose for your sales goals, try the Snov.io free plan. The software will charm you with its versatile functionality and user-friendly sales CRM. Get on board and change the way you reach out to sales leads!