If you’re using Outreach.io and wondering, “Why does it feel like I need a PhD to send a cold email?”, you’re not alone.
Outreach is painful. No question.
But it was built for enterprises with time, budget, and a team of admins to manage it.
Not for lean, fast-moving sales teams that actually need to hit the pipeline this month.
Here’s what most people don’t tell you:
The average team pays way too much for Outreach. Spends weeks onboarding due to its steep learning curve. And still ends up duct-taping it to multiple tools.
That’s why more sales teams are switching, because they want speed, simplicity, and something that just works out of the box.
In this article, I’ll break down the 5 best Outreach.io alternatives, including the one I personally built to fix these exact problems.
If you’re looking for a cheaper, simpler, and smarter way to do outbound in 2025, keep reading.
If you don’t want to read the whole thing, here’s the short version:
1. Salesforge
My pick (and the platform I built).
One tool to handle AI SDRs, email warm-up, deliverability, prospecting, and sequencing.
Built for speed. Runs on logic. Scales without breaking.
2. Instantly.ai
Fast, affordable, and solid for email-only outbound. Great for lean teams just starting out. Offers a free plan for budget-conscious users.
Not ideal if you want multi-channel or complex workflows.
3. Lemlist
If you want to get fancy with personalized images, videos, and creative emails, this one wins. Also provides a free plan for those looking to try basic features at no cost.
But it’s still email-only, and not built for big volume.
4. Reply.io
Solid multi-channel platform with email, calls, and social touches.
Perfect for mid-size teams.
Some performance hiccups here and there.
5. Apollo.io
Comes with a massive B2B database, plus outreach. Includes a free plan for startups or small teams wanting to test core functionalities before upgrading.
Good if you want everything under one roof, but expect to pay more as you scale.
Now that you know which tools are leading the charge in the outreach space, let’s take a deeper look at what Outreach.io is all about and why people are jumping ship.
Outreach.io is a sales platform that promises big things.
It’s supposed to help you scale, close more deals, and automate your outreach. But here’s the catch:
It’s made for big teams with big budgets.
It’s expensive, complicated, and overkill for most of us.
Outreach.io doesn’t even list its pricing—they use a custom pricing model.
You’ve got to contact their sales team for a quote, but users report that it starts at $20,000 per year.
Yeah, that’s right - $20,000 to get access to a tool that may not even be the right fit for your team.
So why are so many people switching to something else? Let’s break it down.
Outreach.io is a sales execution platform that packs a punch with automation, multi-channel outreach, and data-driven insights. As one of the leading sales engagement platforms on the market, Outreach.io is recognized as powerful sales engagement software designed to optimize and automate sales outreach for large teams.
Here’s what it’s supposed to do:
Outreach.io is considered a comprehensive sales engagement tool for large sales organizations. Seems like a dream for enterprise sales teams.
But if you’re a startup or small business, this is where it falls apart.
Let’s not beat around the bush. Outreach.io isn’t cutting it for a lot of sales teams.
Sure, it’s a poor platform, but it comes with some serious pain points that disrupt the sales process and hinder sales team productivity, leaving teams scrambling for alternatives.
Here’s why you might be looking to move on:
If you’re relying on Outreach.io to send timely emails, you’re probably pulling your hair out.
Users report frequent failures in email delivery, scheduled emails just don’t show up on time, or at all.
Unreliable email tracking further complicates understanding whether your emails are actually reaching prospects or being engaged with.
And in sales, timing is everything.
If your emails aren’t getting to your prospects, your outreach is as good as dead.
Here’s another reason teams are switching: integration nightmares.
Whether it’s syncing with Salesforce or another CRM, Outreach.io’s integrations often fail, causing disruption in workflows. These integration issues disrupt lead management, making it harder to track customer interactions and maintain accurate records.
The result? Teams are left with mismatched data and manual workarounds, killing their productivity.
Outreach.io hides its pricing behind a wall. No clear numbers. $20,000 per year is what some users have reported, but you won’t know until you’ve had a conversation.
On top of that, locked-in contracts and hidden clauses make it feel like you’re stuck once you sign. These restrictive contract terms can be especially challenging for a sales agency looking for flexibility and comprehensive, all-inclusive plans.
Users have had trouble canceling and have been overcharged, making the whole process feel like a money grab.
Look what Carter has to say in his Outreach review:
This one is a dealbreaker for many. Outreach.io’s customer support is practically non-existent.
Slow responses, unhelpful answers, and indifference when you need help fast. When your outreach is at risk, you need support that has your back. Slow support responses can leave customer facing teams unable to resolve client issues promptly, impacting sales and customer satisfaction.
Instead, with Outreach, it often feels like you’re left hanging.
Here’s the last pain point: sequence management.
Outreach.io’s system for managing campaigns is overly complex and time-consuming.
Customizing your email sequences should be simple, but it takes too many steps, leading to frustration and lost time. The complexity of managing sequences can disrupt established sales processes and reduce efficiency.
I know that Outreach.io isn’t the right fit for everyone, which is why I evaluated the top alternatives based on real-world needs, key factors that matter most to sales teams, and how well each platform supports different sales strategies.
A top priority for any sales tool is email deliverability.
I evaluated how each alternative keeps your emails out of spam and into your prospect’s inbox.
Some tools use advanced techniques to optimize deliverability, meaning your emails get read, and you get more replies. Effective email automation also plays a key role in maintaining high deliverability rates by managing send times, follow-ups, and engagement sequences.
You need to personalize your outreach. Simple as that. I looked at how customizable each alternative is.
The best alternatives allow you to tailor emails, sequences, and workflows to your needs. They also make it easy to personalize outreach for each prospect, ensuring your communication stands out.
More flexibility means better personalization and stronger connections with your prospects.
Outreach.io’s pricing is high, and it’s not the best fit for smaller teams or businesses looking to maximize their budget.
I dug into the pricing of each alternative and found tools that offer more for less.
Some of these alternatives provide better value while still offering advanced features for sales teams. Additionally, certain options have pricing and features specifically tailored for mid market organizations, making them a strong fit for medium-sized businesses.
Sales teams don't have time to waste learning complicated tools.
I tested how easy each platform was to use, especially for those new to sales automation.
Some alternatives are far more user-friendly with clear instructions, allowing you to quickly set up and start running effective campaigns.
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Let's face it, you need reliable support.
The best alternatives to Outreach.io offer fast, effective customer service, so you're not left hanging when you run into problems.
Good support keeps your outreach running smoothly, making it easier to solve issues quickly and keep things moving.
By focusing on deliverability, personalization, pricing, ease of use, and support.
I found a handful of alternatives that are better suited to the needs of small to mid-sized sales teams, and ultimately, the ones that could replace Outreach.io without the headache.
Now that you know the major pain points with Outreach.io, let's dive into the 5 best alternatives that actually deliver on their promises, without the price tag and complexity.
If you’re a sales rep or a B2B founder considering Outreach for your cold email outreach, it’s important to take a closer look before committing. Outreach is evaluated here as a sales outreach solution, focusing on its ability to automate and optimize reaching out to prospects.
Here’s how Outreach stacks up based on five critical factors that are essential for evaluating a cold email outreach tool.
Outreach’s customer support is a major pain point, with slow response times and unhelpful staff, leaving users to deal with issues largely on their own.
While Outreach offers some useful features, its drawbacks in email deliverability, customer support, and pricing make it a challenging choice for many users.
For those considering Outreach, it’s important to weigh these factors and explore alternatives that might better meet your needs.
If you’re tired of manual cold emailing and looking for a more efficient solution, Salesforge.ai might be just what you need.
It’s designed to enhance your cold outreach and automation, making it easier to connect with potential customers and improve your sales pipeline. Salesforge.ai also supports streamlined lead generation through automation and integration, helping you accelerate sales and manage leads more effectively.
Salesforge.ai is crafted to elevate your cold outreach with advanced AI-driven features. It leverages sales intelligence to optimize outreach strategies, providing data-driven insights for more effective prospecting and targeting.
It simplifies the process of reaching out to potential leads, ensuring your messages reach the inbox and avoid the spam folder.
Salesforge.ai is packed with features designed to enhance your cold outreach efforts:
Look what Roman H. has to say in his review:
Here’s how you can create unique emails from any mailbox. Join the 15-minute email masterclass now! 🔥
Salesforge.ai offers two main pricing plans to suit different business needs:
With its AI-driven capabilities, seamless integrations, and flexible pricing plans, Salesforge.ai simplifies and enhances your email campaigns, ensuring that you connect effectively with potential customers and maximize your sales potential.
Here's a detailed comparison based on key evaluation metrics.
Salesforge.ai delivers true sales engagement through its integrated features, providing a comprehensive and scalable solution for fast-growing teams.
Email Deliverability: Salesforge.ai outperforms Outreach with its advanced AI, ensuring high deliverability rates, while Outreach struggles with emails frequently landing in spam.
Ease of Use: Both platforms are relatively user-friendly, but Salesforge.ai’s smoother and more intuitive interface makes it easier to navigate and manage tasks effectively.
Pricing and Value: Salesforge.ai offers better value with competitive pricing and robust features, while Outreach’s higher costs and hidden fees make it less appealing.
Personalization Capabilities: Salesforge.ai excels in personalization, leveraging AI to create highly engaging and tailored emails, whereas Outreach's options are limited and less user-friendly.
Customer Support: Salesforge.ai provides more responsive and reliable customer support, addressing issues promptly, whereas Outreach’s support is often slow and unhelpful.
Salesforge.ai stands out as the superior choice compared to Outreach, especially in areas like email deliverability, personalization, and customer support.
Its advanced AI features, ease of use, and cost-effectiveness make it an ideal solution for businesses aiming to enhance their cold email outreach.
Whether you're a small business or a large enterprise, Salesforge.ai offers the right mix of features and affordability to help you achieve your sales goals more effectively.
Instantly.ai is designed to support outbound sales efforts, making it a powerful tool for teams focused on proactive lead generation and multi-channel outreach.
In this section, we’ll explore why Instantly.ai stands out as a superior alternative to Outreach, particularly in the area of email deliverability.
Instantly.ai is a powerful platform designed to automate and streamline your cold email outreach.
It offers advanced features that help ensure your emails reach the right audience and generate the responses you want.
Whether you’re facing challenges with lead generation or managing multiple email accounts, Instantly.ai provides the tools you need to succeed. Instantly.ai also helps move prospects efficiently through the sales funnel by automating outreach and follow-ups.
Instantly.ai is packed with features that make it an excellent choice for improving your cold email outreach:
Instantly.ai offers three main pricing plans to cater to different needs:
Here’s a detailed comparison based on key evaluation metrics. Instantly.ai also excels at managing and optimizing outreach campaigns, making it a strong choice for businesses focused on effective lead generation and sales strategies:
Email Deliverability: Instantly.ai performs well in email deliverability, with users generally satisfied with how their emails reach inboxes. Outreach, on the other hand, struggles with frequent spam issues, making Instantly.ai the better option in this category.
Ease of Use: Both Instantly.ai and Outreach offer a relatively user-friendly experience, but Instantly.ai’s intuitive interface and straightforward navigation give it a slight edge in making tasks easier to manage.
Pricing and Value: Instantly.ai stands out with its competitive pricing and features, offering better value for money compared to Outreach, which has higher costs and additional hidden fees that make it less appealing.
Personalization Capabilities: Instantly.ai provides advanced features that allow for more tailored and engaging email campaigns.
Outreach’s personalization options are more limited, making Instantly.ai the stronger choice for businesses focused on personalization.
Customer Support: Instantly.ai is highly regarded for its responsive and helpful customer support, addressing user concerns promptly.
Outreach, however, falls short in this area, with many users reporting slow and unhelpful support experiences.
Instantly.ai emerges as the superior choice, particularly in email deliverability, pricing, personalization, and customer support.
Its user-friendly interface and strong value proposition make it a great option for businesses looking to optimize their cold email outreach.
As a strong alternative to Outreach, Reply.io shines with its multichannel outreach capabilities. Reply.io enables users to run coordinated multi channel campaigns across email, LinkedIn, SMS, and more. Let’s explore what makes Reply.io stand out.
Reply.io enables you to connect with prospects across various channels, ensuring higher engagement and better results. In addition, Reply.io supports account management, helping you organize and track client interactions.
This versatility makes it a go-to tool for sales and marketing professionals looking to enhance their outreach effectiveness.
Reply.io offers a range of features that make it ideal for multichannel outreach:
Reply.io offers several pricing plans tailored to different business needs:
Here's a detailed comparison based on key evaluation metrics:
With superior multichannel outreach capabilities, advanced AI-powered sales assistants, and comprehensive deliverability tools, Reply.io stands out as an excellent choice for cold email outreach
Switching to Reply.io can significantly improve your multi-channel outreach, helping you connect more effectively with prospects and achieve better sales results.
In this section, we’ll explore how Lemlist stands out as a better alternative to Outreach, particularly in terms of personalization and deliverability.
Lemlist supports linkedin outreach as part of its multi-channel strategy, making it a strong choice for businesses looking to connect with prospects on LinkedIn as well as through email.
Lemlist is a powerful outbound marketing platform designed to optimize your cold email campaigns.
It focuses on building lead lists with verified contacts, automating email drip campaigns, and personalizing emails to boost engagement.
Additionally, Lemlist excels in multi-channel outreach, allowing you to send personalized LinkedIn messages to prospects, making it a versatile tool for any comprehensive marketing strategy.
Lemlist offers a range of features that make it an excellent choice for personalized cold email outreach:
Lemlist offers several pricing plans to cater to different business needs:
Here’s a detailed comparison based on key evaluation metrics:
With its superior email deliverability, advanced personalization options, and responsive customer support, Lemlist emerges as a strong contender for cold email outreach.
Lemlist also integrates with LinkedIn Sales Navigator, allowing users to enhance lead sourcing and streamline outreach directly from the platform.
Switching to Lemlist can significantly boost your email deliverability and personalization, helping you engage more effectively with prospects and drive better results in your sales efforts.
Let’s dive into how Apollo.io serves as a more comprehensive alternative to Outreach, especially for those seeking a complete solution for cold email outreach.
Apollo.io integrates seamlessly with Salesforce Sales Cloud, allowing advanced contact management and ensuring compatibility with one of the leading CRM platforms.
Apollo.io is a powerful sales platform designed to optimize your sales and marketing efforts. It is specifically built to support sales and marketing teams in their outreach efforts.
It brings together various tools to help you efficiently find, contact, and manage potential leads.
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Popular among sales development representatives (SDRs), agencies, and businesses aiming to scale their outreach.
Apollo.io offers a vast contact database, advanced search filters, and automated workflows to simplify lead generation and management.
Apollo.io provides several standout features that make it a valuable asset for sales teams:
Apollo.io is suitable for a wide range of users, including sales teams at large enterprises and small business owners looking to scale their outreach efficiently.
Apollo.io offers a variety of pricing plans to accommodate different business needs:
Here's how Apollo.io compares based on key evaluation metrics:
Apollo.io is also well-suited for marketing teams looking to enhance lead generation and outreach.
Each platform has its strengths, but Apollo.io consistently proves to be the better choice across these key factors.
For more insights, check out this detailed guide on Apollo.io pricing.
If you’ve made it this far, one thing’s clear: you’re not the problem; your tool is.
This article has reviewed several other sales engagement platforms as alternatives to Outreach.io, comparing their features, pricing, and support to help you find the best fit.
Outreach.io isn’t a bad platform.
It just wasn’t built for fast-moving founders, lean sales teams, or anyone who doesn’t have a full-time RevOps person running the show.
You want to send emails. You want them to land in the inbox. You want replies.
And you want it done in less time, with fewer tech headaches, and without spending $20k just to figure it out.
I get it. I was there.
That’s exactly why I built Salesforge because I was tired of duct-taping five tools together, tired of waiting on support tickets, and tired of watching my emails land in spam for no reason.
So if you’re still debating which Outreach.io alternative is best for you, here’s what I’d tell you as a founder, not a marketer:
But if you’re looking for speedsimplicitysales results without the stress?
Try Salesforge. It’s what I use. It’s what I built for people like us.
And once you start using it, you’ll wonder why you ever tolerated the chaos of Outreach in the first place.
Let’s fix your outreach for good.
👉 Start your free trial of Salesforge.ai and scale smarter.