Real Estate Prospecting: Email Templates That Convert

TL;DR / Direct Answer

If Lemlist isn’t quite fitting your agency’s cold email strategy, there’s no shortage of alternatives in 2025. Platforms like Instantly.ai, Smartlead, Apollo, Reply.io, Mailshake, Saleshandy, Mixmax, and Persana provide advanced features, large B2B databases, automation, and deliverability solutions. Choosing the right tool can help agencies scale outreach, increase replies, and improve ROI without breaking the bank.

Hook Introduction

Cold outreach is not a simple process. One poorly timed email, a generic subject line, or a misaligned message might send your carefully chosen lead list straight to spam—or worse, disregard it entirely. For agencies, the stakes are considerably higher. Each missed connection is more than simply a number on a spreadsheet; it represents a lost potential client, a missed income opportunity, and wasted time for your sales staff. In today's hyper-competitive B2B world, standing out in a packed inbox is no longer an option—it's required.

Lemlist has long been the go-to tool for organizations trying to automate outreach while maintaining personalization. It's praised for its capacity to create dynamic emails, warm up inboxes, and manage follow-ups effortlessly. However, as effective as Lemlist is, it is not necessarily the best fit for every agency. Some organizations are dissatisfied with its restricted database reach, while others find its cost prohibitively expensive, and many seek solutions that can scale campaigns over other media other than email.

That is where considering alternatives becomes critical. The appropriate platform can not only mimic what Lemlist does, but also increase your reach, expedite automation, and improve deliverability—all while giving insights and analytics to continuously optimize campaigns.

In this detailed guide, we'll look at the top Lemlist options for agencies in 2025, evaluating their pricing, database size, automation features, deliverability rates, integrations, and more. Whether you're a small agency looking for low-cost solutions or a large enterprise looking to scale outreach without sacrificing personalization, this guide will help you identify the tools that can boost your cold email campaigns, save time, and ultimately convert more leads at scale. By the end, you'll have a clear strategy for selecting the ideal platform for your agency's goals and process.

Key Facts / Highlights

Apollo: 275M+ contacts, 30M companies, 218M business profiles.
Reply.io: 1B+ B2B contacts with multi-channel outreach support.
Saleshandy & Persana: 700M+ professional contacts for email campaigns.
Klenty: Supports up to 75,000 emails per month with scalable plans.
Instantly.ai: Cost-effective, starting at $30/month with automation and deliverability features.
Mixmax: Seamless Gmail integration with tracking, sequences, and growth features.

What & Why – Understanding Lemlist Alternatives

What is Lemlist?

Lemlist is a popular sales engagement platform that enables businesses and agencies to perform extremely effective cold email outreach campaigns. At its foundation, Lemlist focuses on personalization, allowing users to create dynamic, personalized emails that resonate with certain prospects. From bespoke graphics and videos to personalized subject lines, Lemlist helps you stand out in crowded inboxes and increase response rates.

Beyond personalization, Lemlist provides automated follow-ups, allowing agencies to arrange email sequences that change based on recipient action. This automation guarantees that no leads are overlooked, while also saving teams numerous hours spent manually tracking responses and delivering follow-ups. Another important feature is its email deliverability capabilities, which assist preserve a positive sender reputation, prevent emails from ending up in spam bins, and optimize inbox placement over.

Regardless of its qualities, Lemlist is not a one-size-fits-all answer. Some agencies find it limited in terms of large-scale database reach, which means they may not have enough high-quality connections to power broad campaigns. Furthermore, while Lemlist excels at email, it lacks sophisticated multi-channel outreach tools like LinkedIn and social touchpoints, which are becoming increasingly vital for B2B prospecting. Finally, pricing can be an impediment for smaller businesses or teams seeking scalable solutions without large monthly expenses.

In short, Lemlist is effective for targeted email campaigns, but agencies seeking to grow campaigns across other channels, reach larger audiences, or lower costs frequently look at alternative platforms that are more suited to these goals.

Why Explore Alternatives?

Larger B2B Databases: Access millions of verified contacts.
Cost Efficiency: Some tools offer cheaper plans without losing functionality.
Automation & Multi-channel Outreach: Email, LinkedIn, calls—all in one workflow.
Analytics & Optimization: Track campaigns, adjust messaging, and maximize conversions.

Agencies looking to scale need platforms that provide robust automation, personalization, and actionable analytics while maintaining high deliverability.

Step-by-Step Framework for Choosing the Right Tool

Step 1 – Define Your Outreach Goals

Determine the number of contacts you need per month.
Define desired outreach channels (email, LinkedIn, calls).
Decide on budget per user.

Step 2 – Evaluate Database Size

Apollo: 275M+ contacts, 30M companies.
Reply.io: 1B+ B2B contacts.
Saleshandy & Persana: 700M+ professional contacts.
Instantly.ai: 450M+ contacts with affordable plans.

Step 3 – Compare Pricing Plans

Apollo: Free – $119/month.
Klenty: $54–$99/month.
Mailshake: Free – $85/month.
Reply.io: $53.10 – $89.10/month.
Instantly.ai: Starts at $30/month.
Mixmax: Free – $69/month + enterprise quote.
Persana: Economical alternative (pricing varies).

Step 4 – Check Automation & Multi-channel Features

Schedule follow-ups automatically.
Integrate with CRM systems like HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive.
Support LinkedIn, social outreach, and email simultaneously.

Step 5 – Analyze Deliverability & Analytics

Track open rates, click rates, reply rates.
Use A/B testing for subject lines and email content.
Monitor bounce rates to improve sender reputation.

Real Examples & Case Studies

Understanding how these tools perform in real-world scenarios can help agencies make informed decisions. Here’s a closer look at how top Lemlist alternatives have helped businesses scale their cold outreach, improve efficiency, and increase conversions.

Apollo: One SaaS company used Apollo's multi-channel automation to increase response rates by 35%. By integrating email outreach with LinkedIn touchpoints and automatic follow-ups, the team was able to connect prospects across several channels, ensuring that no leads fell through the cracks. The end result was a more consistent pipeline with greater overall response rates.
Klenty: Using Klenty's tailored sequences, several agencies increased their monthly campaign volume to 75,000 emails. By automating follow-ups while maintaining tailored messaging, these teams managed to reach a larger audience without sacrificing personalization. This technique not only reduced time but also boosted engagement, demonstrating that high-volume marketing can still be personalized.
Instantly.ai:automation tools helped solo marketers and small teams save 10+ hours each week. Users can focus on creating higher-quality communications and nurturing leads by automating monotonous chores like as follow-ups, list management, and scheduling. What was the outcome? Lead conversions increased, proving that with the appropriate tools, even small teams can scale efficiently.
Reply.io: Mid-sized sales teams increased engagement by 25% by utilizing Reply.io's AI-assisted email ideas. Teams may use smart personalization and behavior-triggered sequences to send the correct message at the right time, resulting in more opens, clicks, and replies. This instance demonstrates how AI can improve decision-making in email outreach and lead to improved outcomes.
Saleshandy: Remote teams managing leads across multiple time zones saw a significant improvement in response times by using Saleshandy’s automated follow-ups. With sequences customized for different time zones, the agency ensured that prospects received emails at optimal engagement windows, increasing the likelihood of replies and conversions.

Key Takeaway: These case studies underscore a critical point: selecting the right cold outreach platform is not just about features—it’s about efficiency, deliverability, and results. Whether it’s automating sequences, expanding reach, or using AI to optimize messaging, the right tool can turn your cold outreach into a well-oiled, conversion-driving machine.

Sales Engagement Tools Comparison Table

Tool	Database Size	Pricing (per user/month)	Key Features	Best For
Instantly.ai	450M+ contacts	Starts at $30	Automation, deliverability, scaling	Agencies, SMBs
Smartlead	N/A	Contact for pricing	Multi-channel outreach, analytics	Growth-focused agencies
Lemlist	N/A	Free – $59	Personalized campaigns, email warm-up	Personalization-first
Apollo	275M+ contacts, 30M companies	Free – $119	CRM integrations, multi-channel	Large-scale outreach
Reply.io	1B+ B2B contacts	$53.10 – $89.10 + custom	AI suggestions, email + LinkedIn sequences	Multi-channel campaigns
Mailshake	N/A	Free – $85	Easy-to-use interface, email sequences	Small teams & agencies
Saleshandy	700M+ contacts, 60M+ companies	Starts at $25	Automated follow-ups, analytics	Enterprise & SMBs
Mixmax	N/A	Free – $69 + enterprise quote	Gmail integration, tracking, sequences	Gmail-centric teams
Persana	700M+ contacts	Economical alternative	Scalable database, cost-efficient	Cost-conscious agencies

Detailed Breakdown of Each Alternative

1. Instantly.ai

Database: 450M+ contacts.
Pricing: Starting at $30/month.
Why Agencies Love It: High deliverability, simple automation, multi-channel campaigns.
Pros: Affordable, easy setup, scalable.
Cons: Limited CRM integrations compared to enterprise tools.

2. Smartlead

Pricing: Contact for details.
Why Agencies Love It: Multi-channel outreach with deep analytics.
Pros: AI-powered personalization, detailed reporting.
Cons: Pricing not transparent, can be complex for beginners.

3. Lemlist

Pricing: Free – $59/month.
Why Agencies Love It: Personalized email campaigns and email warm-up for deliverability.
Pros: Strong personalization features.
Cons: Smaller contact database, less ideal for scaling.

4. Apollo

Database: 275M+ contacts, 30M companies.
Pricing: Free – $119/month.
Why Agencies Love It: Large B2B database, CRM integration, multi-channel campaigns.
Pros: Scalable, robust analytics, good automation.
Cons: Slightly expensive at higher tiers.

5. Reply.io

Database: 1B+ B2B contacts.
Pricing: $53.10 – $89.10/month.
Why Agencies Love It: AI-assisted email suggestions, sequences across email and LinkedIn.
Pros: Multi-channel, AI-powered, robust reporting.
Cons: Slight learning curve for beginners.

6. Mailshake

Pricing: Free – $85/month.
Why Agencies Love It: Simple email sequences and automation, user-friendly interface.
Pros: Affordable, intuitive design.
Cons: Limited advanced analytics.

7. Saleshandy

Database: 700M+ contacts from 60M+ companies.
Pricing: Starts at $25/month.
Why Agencies Love It: Email tracking, automated follow-ups, high deliverability.
Pros: Large database, cost-effective, scalable.
Cons: UI may be basic for advanced users.

8. Mixmax

Pricing: Free – $69/month + enterprise quote.
Why Agencies Love It: Gmail integration, email tracking, and sequences.
Pros: Excellent Gmail features, tracking, automation.
Cons: Limited beyond Gmail; not ideal for multi-channel agencies.

9. Persana

Database: 700M contacts.
Pricing: More economical than Lemlist (exact price varies).
Why Agencies Love It: Cost-effective, large contact database.
Pros: Affordable, scalable, simple automation.
Cons: Limited public pricing info, fewer integrations.

Common Pitfalls & Fixes

Overloading Email Sends: Schedule sequences to avoid spam filters.
Ignoring Personalization: Use dynamic fields and AI suggestions.
Skipping Analytics: Regularly track opens, clicks, and replies.
Poor Subject Lines: Test variations for higher engagement.
Weak CRM Integration: Choose tools with native or Zapier integrations.

Methodology – How We Know

We consulted numerous relevant data sources to present an accurate and reliable summary of the best Lemlist alternatives. This includes official pricing sites, verifiable database sizes, and extensive feature lists for all platforms in 2025. By citing these sources, we assured that the information supplied was recent, exact, and accurately reflected each tool's true capabilities.

reflected each tool's true capabilities. Our research process involves a thorough analysis of the platforms based on numerous key aspects important to agencies and marketers. These include automation capabilities, email deliverability, multi-channel support, price structures, and integration choices. We examined each tool's ability to help users scale campaigns, maintain high response rates, and optimize outreach procedures efficiently.

In addition to secondary research, we used firsthand testing and expertise from working with both small and medium-sized agencies. This enabled us to evaluate usability, workflow efficiency, and practical performance in real-world settings. By integrating quantitative data with practical insights, we were able to assess not just what the platforms provide, but also how effectively they operate in everyday outreach campaigns.

It is important to note some limitations. Certain platforms, such as Persana or Smartlead, have variable pricing that can change depending on features, team size, or contract length. Additionally, while we did our best to include the most accurate data, real-world results may vary based on campaign complexity, target audience, and other factors outside the platform’s control.

Overall, this methodology ensures that our analysis is thorough, transparent, and actionable, giving agencies and marketers a clear understanding of which Lemlist alternatives are truly effective for scaling cold email outreach in 2025.

Summary & Next Action

Summary & Next Action For organizations wishing to grow cold outreach efficiently, some systems stand out owing to their strong combination of database size, deliverability, and automation features. Instantly.ai, Apollo, Reply.io, and Saleshandy have proven especially useful for medium to large agencies that require access to millions of contacts and wish to retain high response rates while automating complex sequences. Their powerful capabilities enable teams to personalize at scale, track engagement, and improve campaigns with minimal manual effort, making them suitable for large-scale outreach.

On the other hand, more cost-effective alternatives such as Persana and Mixmax are well-suited for small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) or solo marketers who may not need massive databases but still want automation and deliverability features. These platforms offer flexibility and affordability, allowing smaller teams to run professional cold email campaigns without stretching their budgets.

Understanding your individual requirements is critical for selecting the proper tool. Begin by evaluating your predicted email volume, campaign objectives, budget limits, and must-have features such as multi-channel support or AI-assisted recommendations. Next, test two or three platforms using free trials or demo accounts to see which one best fits your workflow, team size, and outreach approach. By using a data-driven and hands-on approach, agencies can guarantee that their investment in a platform maximizes productivity, increases deliverability, and eventually turns leads into customers.