Cold emails will still be a big deal in 2024. In fact, email marketing in general is the number one form of communication used by retailers that consumers notice.
That’s where tools like Instantly AI come in – they’re there to make sending cold emails a lot easier and more effective.
But, here’s the thing: no tool is perfect for everything.
Just like shopping for the right pair of shoes, you’ve got to find the email tool that fits your needs right.
We’re going to check out some other options besides Instantly AI.
Let’s see what’s cool about them, what might not be so great, and see if there’s one that might work better for you.
What is Instantly AI?
Instantly AI is a cold email software that helps scale outreach campaigns. It does this by providing unlimited email sending accounts, unlimited warm-up, and AI features.
The tool is dedicated to increasing leads, meetings, and deals for its users. The platform offers a variety of features, such as:
- a B2B lead database,
- email validation,
- bulk domain testing,
- and a unified inbox for managing responses and closing deals.
Additionally, it provides campaign analytics, cold email templates, strategies, and a private community for learning and support.
Why should you look for Instantly alternatives?
Instantly AI, while used by many people, does have some serious limitations.
Those include:
#1 Deliverability issues
You start sending cold emails, hoping for the best, and initially, things look great.
But then, suddenly, your emails are taking a nosedive straight into the spam folder.
Some users report exactly this kind of trouble with Instantly.
Their email open rates dropped, in some cases even from 60% to 25%.
That’s a huge deal for anyone relying on cold email campaigns to make connections.
If your emails aren’t getting through, you’ve got to wonder if there’s a better tool out there that sends those emails to the main inbox – where they belong.
#2 Doubtful support
When you’re trying to set up unlimited email accounts or schedule follow-up messages, you’d hope for some solid backup from customer support.
But it seems some Instantly users are hitting a wall – getting standard advice that doesn’t help, especially when they’re stuck.
If your cold email software isn’t backed by a team that gets your needs, it might be time to switch to a service that’s more in tune with what you’re after.
#3 Limited features
Features are a big deal – like being able to blacklist certain contacts or sift through your campaign data without a hassle.
But it sounds like Instantly’s got some gaps there.
And if you’re running cold email campaigns, those gaps can be more than a little annoying.
If the tool’s features aren’t making life easier, why not look for one that does?
#4 Questionable pricing
Budget’s always on our mind, right?
If you’re running a small shop, you want to make every penny count.
Hearing that some features of Instantly could be cheaper with other providers might make you pause.
There are cold email tools out there that might give you more value for your money – worth a look if you’re counting costs.
#5 Long processing time
Now, about waiting – say you need to fix something with your cold emails.
With Instantly, you might be waiting weeks just to warm up your emails again.
In business, time is money, and waiting around isn’t ideal.
If Instantly’s making you wait, you might want to find a cold email platform that lets you move quicker.
8 best Instantly AI alternatives
So if the above cons of Instantly could be potential deal breakers for you, we’ve got some exciting alternatives to use instead of it:
#1 Woodpecker
Woodpecker is something to talk about. It’s our absolute real gem for your cold email campaigns.
What’s awesome about Woodpecker is how it instantly streamlines the process of sending personalized messages.
With this solution, we basically keep your sender reputation solid. All thanks to our integrated reputation management functions.
Plus, we let you manage follow-up messages and multiple domains without breaking a sweat. It’s like the multi-tool for your email marketing toolkit – highly robust and reliable.
Key features we offer:
- Automated follow-ups with personalized messages
- A/B testing to fine-tune your campaign
- Easy integration and account onboarding
- Condition-based campaigns and manual tasks
- Email Deliverability Monitor
- Timezone detection for sending emails at the perfect moment
- AI tools for creating personalized videos to prospects
We also have 3 products tailored to your different needs:
- Woodpecker Cold Email,
- Woodpecker Sales Assistant,
- and Woodpecker Agency.
Benefits
This tool is fantastic for integrated reputation management. It makes your emails more likely to hit the inbox instead of getting lost in the spam folder. Plus, you can manage multiple domains without a hitch. Packed with resources like ebooks, videos and more. Also offers AI features for generating personalized videos.
Pricing
Flexible and scalable, starting from as little as $39 per month.
#2 Snov.io
Do you need to get your hands on more leads? Have a look at Snov.io. It’s a pretty straightforward tool that helps with sourcing contacts and launching cold email campaigns. It’s not just about sending emails – it also keeps an eye on them, so you know who’s engaging. It doesn’t shout about integrated reputation management, but it’s handy for growing your contacts list.
Key features
- Email tracking
- Email scheduling
- Domain search for finding leads
Benefits
It’s a powerhouse for digging up more leads and keeping an eye on who’s actually reading your emails.
Cons
Can be a bit limited in features.
Pricing
They have a free trial plan with basic features. Paid plans increase in features and lead limits.
#3 Saleshandy
Moving on to Saleshandy, it’s a nifty tool that offers features like email scheduling and tracking your emails. The platform is designed for sending out those personalized messages and gives you the intel on how they’re performing. It’s not as flashy as some. However, it does the job, especially when it comes to follow-ups.
Key features
- Email scheduling
- Document tracking
- Mail merge with automated follow-ups
Benefits
It’s pretty good for sending out bulk personalized messages and seeing what happens after you hit ‘send’.
Cons
Their analytics might not be as deep as you’d like, and sometimes the interface gets a bit buggy.
Pricing
There’s a free trial, and then there are paid plans with different prices, e.g. $99 per month, $199 per month, $299 per month and others.
#4 Apollo.io
Apollo.io is all about making connections that count. It’s got a system to help with scoring leads and automating your outreach. You can say it’s a jack-of-all-trades with its wide array of features. It doesn’t specialize in integrated reputation management, but it’s pretty solid for finding and managing more leads.
Key features
- Lead scoring
- Sales sequence automation
- Email and call task creation
Benefits
Their integrated system means you can find leads and immediately plug them into your email sequences.
Cons
It can be overwhelming with all its features, and some say it’s a bit pricey.
Pricing
They offer a free starter plan. Then pricing goes up based on the number of credits and features you want, starting from $49 per user per month.
#5 Reply
Reply has a focus on injecting personalization into your cold email campaign and even links up with LinkedIn to broaden your campaign’s reach. It’s all about smartly automating those follow-ups and making sure your messages hit home. Reply is more about the messaging magic and less about managing multiple domains.
Key features
- Email finder and verifier
- LinkedIn automation
- Smart personalization for cold emails
Benefits
Great for personalized messages and integrating your LinkedIn outreach with your email campaigns.
Cons
The analytics can sometimes be less intuitive to understand at a glance.
Pricing
Starts with a free trial, and then there’s a range of plans depending on how many contacts you have – starting from $60 per user per month.
#6 Hunter
Hunter specializes in streamlining cold email outreach for businesses of all sizes. Its key feature is automating email campaigns. The tool stands out with its ability to manage multiple email accounts, giving you high email deliverability and the inclusion of custom attributes for personalizing emails.
Key features
- Automated cold email campaigns
- Email scheduling and follow-up management
- High deliverability with options for multiple accounts
- Customizable templates for emails
Benefits
The CRM integration and Zapier automation make it a versatile tool for various business sizes and types.
Cons
While Hunter offers comprehensive features, it may require a learning curve to fully use its advanced tracking and customization options.
Pricing
Hunter.io offers a free plan with basic features and a premium plan that includes additional functionalities like email account rotation and tracking clicks – starting from around $36 per month.
#7 Yesware
Yesware is a sales email software designed to improve email outreach for sales teams. It integrates seamlessly with Gmail and Outlook. This makes it easy to use within existing email platforms. Yesware’s primary focus is on email tracking and analytics. As such, it gives sales teams insights into which emails are effective and which ones need improvement.
Key features
- Integration with Gmail and Outlook for easy access within the email inbox
- Email tracking to monitor opens, clicks, and attachment views
- Template creation for email outreach
- Attachment tracking to see which content engages recipients
Benefits
Yesware is beneficial for sales teams looking to optimize their email outreach.
Cons
For teams looking for a more lightweight solution, Yesware might offer more features than necessary. Also, the depth of analytics and tracking might require a learning curve for some users to fully take advantage of the solution.
Pricing
Yesware offers a free version with basic functionalities and a range of paid plans that provide more advanced features like multi-channel campaigns, meeting scheduler, and Salesforce integration. The pricing for paid plans varies based on the scale of the sales team and the specific features required. Paid plans start at $15 per seat per month.
#8 Quickmail
Lastly, Quickmail is your go-to for keeping up with follow-ups without getting your hands dirty. It’s good for managing your prospects and integrates nicely with a whole bunch of other tools. Quickmail is direct – it helps with sending those cold emails and managing the responses. But – it’s not the loudest in the room when it comes to its potential.
Key features
- Auto follow-ups
- Prospect list management
- Integration with tons of other tools
Benefits
It’s all about making follow-ups a breeze and keeping your prospect lists tidy.
Cons
Setting up can take a bit of time, and there’s a learning curve to get the best out of it.
Pricing
Starts at $49 per month.
Why Woodpecker is the best Instantly AI alternative?
While all these alternatives seem very exciting to try out, after all we recommend our solution the most – Woodpecker.
Why?
Let’s zero in on how Woodpecker might edge out Instantly AI in the game of cold emailing and outreach:
User interface
Firstly, Woodpecker offers a very user-friendly interface. You can jump in and get started without scratching your head, even if you’re not a tech wizard.
Instantly AI might pack a punch with unlimited email sending accounts and its own perks. But it’s Woodpecker that takes pride in its ease of use and intuitive design on top of the limit-free accounts. This could be a game changer for many users, including you.
Personalized approach
Woodpecker also gets big points for its personalized approach to email automation. We make your messages land right where they should – the main inbox. And it’s not just about sending emails. Woodpecker’s personalization and follow-up strategy are built to engage, not just reach out.
Deliverability protection
Then there’s deliverability protection, which Woodpecker includes in all its products. This isn’t just about warming up email accounts – it’s a comprehensive shield with features like Warm-up & Recovery, Deliverability Monitor, and Bounce Shield – all to make your outreach efforts not hit a wall.
Scalability
What’s more, Woodpecker isn’t just for solo flyers. It scales up neatly for agencies too. As such, they can manage campaigns for multiple clients from one place.
At Woodpecker, it’s our goal to ensure streamlined management for scale. Something like this is fundamental for agencies juggling multiple campaigns.
Reliability
And let’s not forget the trust factor. Over 13,000 professionals have put their faith in Woodpecker. This speaks volumes.
You’ll find testimonials from CEOs and founders who’ve seen a dramatic impact on their lead generation thanks to Woodpecker’s tools.
In a nutshell, Instantly AI might be a fair choice. But Woodpecker clinches the lead with its ease of use, personal touch in automation, comprehensive deliverability protection, and proven track record – especially for agencies. If your aim is not just to reach out but to genuinely connect and convert, Woodpecker could be the ally you’re looking for – try it today for free.
Key takeaways
- Instantly AI offers features aimed at enhancing lead generation and deal-closing through unlimited email accounts, warm-ups, and AI functionalities.
- Issues with Instantly AI include deliverability problems, with some users experiencing a big drop in open rates. Support is another area of dissatisfaction. The software’s feature set and pricing model have also been called into question, with users reporting gaps in functionality and better value offered by competitors.
- Among the alternatives, Woodpecker stands out as the top choice. It’s highly regarded for its user-friendly interface, effective email personalization, and robust deliverability protection. Woodpecker’s features cater to both individual users and agencies. Over 13,000 professionals have endorsed Woodpecker.
- Other notable alternatives include Snov.io, Saleshandy, Apollo.io, Reply, Hunter, Yesware and Quickmail.
Conclusion
While Instantly AI brings a lot to the table for cold email campaigns, certain drawbacks may lead users to seek alternatives.
Tools like Woodpecker rise to the forefront and offer a blend of user-friendly interfaces, personalized automation, and deliverability protection.
In the end, selecting a platform isn’t just about reaching out – it’s about making meaningful connections and achieving tangible results.
FAQ
What are unlimited email accounts, and how do they benefit cold email marketing?
Unlimited email accounts offer the flexibility to create as many email addresses as needed for your marketing campaigns. This is particularly beneficial for cold email marketing, as it allows businesses to segment their outreach campaigns, tailor messages to specific target audiences, and manage sending reputations more effectively. By utilizing multiple accounts, companies can also mitigate risks associated with spam, fraud, and abuse, ensuring their messages reach the inbox.
How does a cold email tool enhance personalized content and ads?
A cold email tool is designed to streamline the process of sending personalized outreach campaigns. It enables marketers to customize content and ads based on the recipient’s interests, engagement, and site statistics. This personalization is achieved by analyzing data and cookies to deliver content that resonates with the target audience. As a result, businesses can see improved engagement rates and a higher return on investment from their email marketing efforts.
Why is it important to use cookies and data for sending accounts in cold emailing?
Using cookies and data allows for a more targeted and efficient approach to cold emailing. By collecting information on user behavior, preferences, and engagement, businesses can tailor their outreach messages to better meet the needs and interests of their audience. This data-driven strategy helps in optimizing email campaigns for higher open and response rates, ensuring that the content is age-appropriate if relevant, and helps protect against spam and fraud by personalizing the email content.
How can email accounts target audience engagement and site statistics for better outreach campaigns?
Email accounts can be leveraged to gather insights into audience engagement and site statistics by tracking how recipients interact with emails and your website. This information allows marketers to refine their outreach campaigns, ensuring that the content is relevant and engaging for the target audience. By understanding the preferences and behaviors of their audience, businesses can adjust their strategies to increase the effectiveness of their campaigns, leading to better engagement and conversion rates.
What role does email validation play in protecting against spam fraud and maintaining a sending reputation?
Email validation is crucial in protecting against spam fraud and maintaining a good sending reputation. It ensures that the email addresses on your lead lists are accurate and active, reducing bounce rates and the risk of being flagged as spam. By cleaning your email lists regularly, you can improve deliverability, protect your domain’s reputation, and ensure that your outreach efforts reach the intended recipients, enhancing the overall success of your cold email campaigns.
How does a new tool for cold outreach instantly improve engagement and site statistics today?
A new tool for cold outreach can instantly improve engagement and site statistics by offering advanced features for personalization, automation, and analytics. These tools help businesses deliver messages that are highly relevant to their audience, track the performance of their campaigns in real-time, and adjust strategies based on actionable insights. By making outreach efforts more efficient and effective, businesses can see immediate improvements in audience engagement, website traffic, and ultimately, conversion rates.
In managing your privacy settings, how can you ensure that your cold email marketing campaigns are age-appropriate and comply with regulations?
Managing your privacy settings is essential to ensuring that your cold email marketing campaigns are age-appropriate and comply with regulations such as GDPR. Businesses should implement strict data protection measures, obtain consent where necessary, and use data responsibly to tailor content. By being transparent about how you use cookies and data for personalization and adhering to privacy laws, you can build trust with your audience, protect against legal issues, and ensure that your campaigns are both effective and compliant.