Apollo alternatives for cold email: where to send when Apollo's seats get expensive
Apollo is a contact database first. As a sending tool it is priced per seat, with 5 IMAP/SMTP mailboxes per Professional seat and 15 on Organization, and warm-up for extra mailboxes paid in credits. At 5,000 emails a day from SMTP mailboxes that is $1,666 a month in seats. The options below send the same volume for less; some also replace the data. We make Outreach2day and list it first.
- Warm-up and sending included
- $2.50 a mailbox, 12 minimum
- Month-to-month billing
Apollo at a glance
- Entry price
- $65 per seat a month (Basic); free plan with 75 credits
- Priced by
- Per seat a month plus a credit allowance per seat; credits pay for data, warm-up, domains and mailboxes
- Warm-up
- On paid plans: 1 mailbox per seat included, extra mailboxes 200 credits each per 30 days
- Mailboxes sold
- Domains for 1,500 credits a year; mailboxes for 300 (Apollo SMTP), 800 (Google) or 1,500 (Microsoft) credits a month; non-refundable
- MCP server
- Official server at mcp.apollo.io on all plans including Free; enrichment spends credits
- Trustpilot
- 3.1 / 5 from 1,356 reviews
Apollo and 6 alternatives side by side
Entry price, the full monthly setup at 5,000 cold emails a day, warm-up, LinkedIn and other channels, API and MCP. Each cell links its source.
- Entry price
- $47 a month (Growth, 5,000 emails) source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
- 5,000 a day, full setup
- $727.33 source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
- Warm-up
- IncludedYes source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
- LinkedIn, calls, SMS
- Partly, or at extra costAdd-on or partial source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
- API
- IncludedYes source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
- MCP server
- IncludedYes source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
Smartlead
- Entry price
- $39 a month (Base, 6,000 sends) source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
- 5,000 a day, full setup
- $717.33 source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
- Warm-up
- IncludedYes source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
- LinkedIn, calls, SMS
- Partly, or at extra costAdd-on or partial source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
- API
- Partly, or at extra costAdd-on or partial source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
- MCP server
- IncludedYes source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
- Entry price
- $41 a month (Starter, 6,000 emails) source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
- 5,000 a day, full setup
- $732.33 source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
- Warm-up
- IncludedYes source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
- LinkedIn, calls, SMS
- Partly, or at extra costAdd-on or partial source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
- API
- IncludedYes source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
- MCP server
- IncludedYes source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
Snov.io
- Entry price
- $39 a month (Starter, 5,000 recipients) source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
- 5,000 a day, full setup
- $732.33 source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
- Warm-up
- IncludedYes source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
- LinkedIn, calls, SMS
- Partly, or at extra costAdd-on or partial source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
- API
- IncludedYes source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
- MCP server
- IncludedYes source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
- Entry price
- $59 per user a month (Email Volume, 1,000 active contacts) source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
- 5,000 a day, full setup
- $1,042.33 source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
- Warm-up
- IncludedYes source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
- LinkedIn, calls, SMS
- IncludedYes source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
- API
- IncludedYes source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
- MCP server
- IncludedYes source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
Apollo
- Entry price
- $65 per seat a month (Basic); free plan with 75 credits source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
- 5,000 a day, full setup
- $2,209.33 source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
- Warm-up
- Partly, or at extra costAdd-on or partial source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
- LinkedIn, calls, SMS
- Partly, or at extra costAdd-on or partial source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
- API
- IncludedYes source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
- MCP server
- IncludedYes source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
List prices from Instantly's pricing page, Smartlead's pricing page, Saleshandy's pricing page, Snov.io's pricing page, Reply.io's pricing page and Apollo's pricing page, checked . Taxes and card fees excluded.
Full monthly cost at three volumes
Each sequencer's plan for the volume with the same mailboxes and domains, next to Outreach2day all-in.
| Setup | 1,000 a day (40 mailboxes) | 5,000 a day (200 mailboxes) | 10,000 a day (400 mailboxes) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apollo + Outreach2day mailboxesKeep the sequencer, buy the mailboxes from us | $465.67
| $2,209.33
| $4,299.67
|
| Instantly + Outreach2day mailboxesKeep the sequencer, buy the mailboxes from us | $205.67
| $727.33
| $1,357.67
|
| Smartlead + Outreach2day mailboxesKeep the sequencer, buy the mailboxes from us | $202.67
| $717.33
| $1,314.67
|
| Saleshandy + Outreach2day mailboxesKeep the sequencer, buy the mailboxes from us | $207.67
| $732.33
| $1,385.67
|
| Snov.io + Outreach2day mailboxesKeep the sequencer, buy the mailboxes from us | $207.67
| $732.33
| $1,455.67
|
| Reply.io + Outreach2day mailboxesKeep the sequencer, buy the mailboxes from us | $287.67
| $1,042.33
| $2,085.67
|
| Outreach2day all-inMailboxes, warm-up and the sequencer in one bill | $108.67
| $543.33
| $1,086.67
|
Apollo + Outreach2day mailboxes
Keep the sequencer, buy the mailboxes from us
- 1,000 a day (40 mailboxes)
$465.67
- Apollo Organization, 3 seats: $357 source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
- 40 Outreach2day mailboxes at $2.50: $100
- 8 domains at $13 a year: $8.67
- 5,000 a day (200 mailboxes)
$2,209.33
- Apollo Organization, 14 seats: $1,666 source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
- 200 Outreach2day mailboxes at $2.50: $500
- 40 domains at $13 a year: $43.33
- 10,000 a day (400 mailboxes)
$4,299.67
- Apollo Organization, 27 seats: $3,213 source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
- 400 Outreach2day mailboxes at $2.50: $1,000
- 80 domains at $13 a year: $86.67
Instantly + Outreach2day mailboxes
Keep the sequencer, buy the mailboxes from us
- 1,000 a day (40 mailboxes)
$205.67
- Instantly Hypergrowth: $97 source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
- 40 Outreach2day mailboxes at $2.50: $100
- 8 domains at $13 a year: $8.67
- 5,000 a day (200 mailboxes)
$727.33
- Instantly Hypergrowth + 1 Outbound add-on: $184 source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
- 200 Outreach2day mailboxes at $2.50: $500
- 40 domains at $13 a year: $43.33
- 10,000 a day (400 mailboxes)
$1,357.67
- Instantly Hypergrowth + 2 Outbound add-ons: $271 source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
- 400 Outreach2day mailboxes at $2.50: $1,000
- 80 domains at $13 a year: $86.67
Smartlead + Outreach2day mailboxes
Keep the sequencer, buy the mailboxes from us
- 1,000 a day (40 mailboxes)
$202.67
- Smartlead Pro: $94 source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
- 40 Outreach2day mailboxes at $2.50: $100
- 8 domains at $13 a year: $8.67
- 5,000 a day (200 mailboxes)
$717.33
- Smartlead Unlimited Smart: $174 source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
- 200 Outreach2day mailboxes at $2.50: $500
- 40 domains at $13 a year: $43.33
- 10,000 a day (400 mailboxes)
$1,314.67
- Smartlead Smart, 240K step: $228 source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
- 400 Outreach2day mailboxes at $2.50: $1,000
- 80 domains at $13 a year: $86.67
Saleshandy + Outreach2day mailboxes
Keep the sequencer, buy the mailboxes from us
- 1,000 a day (40 mailboxes)
$207.67
- Saleshandy Pro: $99 source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
- 40 Outreach2day mailboxes at $2.50: $100
- 8 domains at $13 a year: $8.67
- 5,000 a day (200 mailboxes)
$732.33
- Saleshandy Scale 200K: $189 source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
- 200 Outreach2day mailboxes at $2.50: $500
- 40 domains at $13 a year: $43.33
- 10,000 a day (400 mailboxes)
$1,385.67
- Saleshandy Scale 300K: $299 source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
- 400 Outreach2day mailboxes at $2.50: $1,000
- 80 domains at $13 a year: $86.67
Snov.io + Outreach2day mailboxes
Keep the sequencer, buy the mailboxes from us
- 1,000 a day (40 mailboxes)
$207.67
- Snov.io Pro S: $99 source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
- 40 Outreach2day mailboxes at $2.50: $100
- 8 domains at $13 a year: $8.67
- 5,000 a day (200 mailboxes)
$732.33
- Snov.io Pro M: $189 source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
- 200 Outreach2day mailboxes at $2.50: $500
- 40 domains at $13 a year: $43.33
- 10,000 a day (400 mailboxes)
$1,455.67
- Snov.io Pro L: $369 source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
- 400 Outreach2day mailboxes at $2.50: $1,000
- 80 domains at $13 a year: $86.67
Reply.io + Outreach2day mailboxes
Keep the sequencer, buy the mailboxes from us
- 1,000 a day (40 mailboxes)
$287.67
- Reply.io Email Volume 10,000: $179 source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
- 40 Outreach2day mailboxes at $2.50: $100
- 8 domains at $13 a year: $8.67
- 5,000 a day (200 mailboxes)
$1,042.33
- Reply.io Email Volume 50,000: $499 source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
- 200 Outreach2day mailboxes at $2.50: $500
- 40 domains at $13 a year: $43.33
- 10,000 a day (400 mailboxes)
$2,085.67
- Reply.io Email Volume 100,000: $999 source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
- 400 Outreach2day mailboxes at $2.50: $1,000
- 80 domains at $13 a year: $86.67
Outreach2day all-in
Mailboxes, warm-up and the sequencer in one bill
- 1,000 a day (40 mailboxes)
$108.67
- 40 mailboxes at $2.50, warm-up and sequencer included: $100
- 8 domains at $13 a year: $8.67
- 5,000 a day (200 mailboxes)
$543.33
- 200 mailboxes at $2.50, warm-up and sequencer included: $500
- 40 domains at $13 a year: $43.33
- 10,000 a day (400 mailboxes)
$1,086.67
- 400 mailboxes at $2.50, warm-up and sequencer included: $1,000
- 80 domains at $13 a year: $86.67
25 cold emails per mailbox a day and 5 mailboxes per domain: 1,000 a day = 40 mailboxes, 8 domains, 22,000 emails a month; 5,000 a day = 200 mailboxes, 40 domains, 110,000 emails a month; 10,000 a day = 400 mailboxes, 80 domains, 220,000 emails a month (22 sending days). Monthly list prices on monthly billing; .com domains at $13 a year spread over 12 months.
Why each one is a Apollo alternative
1. Outreach2day: sending from lists you already have
Keep Apollo for prospecting on one seat and send from Outreach2day: SMTP/IMAP mailboxes at $2.50 with warm-up, campaigns with follow-up steps, a send window, stop on reply and a replies inbox. 200 mailboxes and 40 domains cost $543 a month in total. We have no contact database; import the CSV you export from Apollo.
2. Instantly: unlimited mailboxes with its own database
Instantly connects unlimited mailboxes with warm-up for $97 to $271 a month at our volumes, and sells a 450M+ contact database (SuperSearch) on a separate Credits plan.
3. Smartlead: volume sending with verified emails included
Smartlead's Unlimited plans include verified prospect emails (50,000 on Smart) with unlimited mailboxes and warm-up, from $174 a month.
4. Saleshandy: a database and sequencer in one plan
The closest all-in-one swap: Lead Finder credits for 852M+ contacts in every plan, unlimited mailboxes with warm-up, and Scale 200K at $189 for 200,000 emails.
5. Snov.io: data, sending and a CRM with unlimited seats
Snov.io pairs a lead database and verifier with campaigns and a CRM, with unlimited seats and senders: 50,000 recipients a month for $189.
6. Reply.io: multichannel sequences with data search
Reply.io adds LinkedIn, calls and SMS steps and a 1-billion-contact data search; priced by active contacts, $499 for 50,000 a month.
Apollo itself
Each line links to the vendor's page it comes from.
| Feature | Apollo |
|---|---|
| Priced by | Per seat a month plus a credit allowance per seat; credits pay for data, warm-up, domains and mailboxes source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab) |
| Mailboxes sold | IncludedDomains for 1,500 credits a year; mailboxes for 300 (Apollo SMTP), 800 (Google) or 1,500 (Microsoft) credits a month; non-refundable source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab) |
| Your own mailboxes | Basic: 1 mailbox per user; Professional: unlimited Google and Microsoft plus 5 IMAP/SMTP per user; Organization: 15 IMAP/SMTP per user source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab) |
| Sending limits | Recommends 50 to 100 emails per mailbox a day and 10 to 20 an hour, starting at 50 source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab) |
| Warm-up | Partly, or at extra costOn paid plans: 1 mailbox per seat included, extra mailboxes 200 credits each per 30 days source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab) |
| LinkedIn, calls, SMS | Partly, or at extra costEmail plus a built-in dialer on credits and a LinkedIn integration; no LinkedIn automation listed source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab) |
| Refunds | No refunds for unused time on downgrades; domains and mailboxes non-refundable source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab) |
| Trial | Included14-day trial of Basic or Professional once per account, then the free plan source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab) |
Priced by
- Apollo
- Per seat a month plus a credit allowance per seat; credits pay for data, warm-up, domains and mailboxes source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
Mailboxes sold
- Apollo
- IncludedDomains for 1,500 credits a year; mailboxes for 300 (Apollo SMTP), 800 (Google) or 1,500 (Microsoft) credits a month; non-refundable source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
Your own mailboxes
- Apollo
- Basic: 1 mailbox per user; Professional: unlimited Google and Microsoft plus 5 IMAP/SMTP per user; Organization: 15 IMAP/SMTP per user source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
Sending limits
- Apollo
- Recommends 50 to 100 emails per mailbox a day and 10 to 20 an hour, starting at 50 source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
Warm-up
- Apollo
- Partly, or at extra costOn paid plans: 1 mailbox per seat included, extra mailboxes 200 credits each per 30 days source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
LinkedIn, calls, SMS
- Apollo
- Partly, or at extra costEmail plus a built-in dialer on credits and a LinkedIn integration; no LinkedIn automation listed source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
Refunds
- Apollo
- No refunds for unused time on downgrades; domains and mailboxes non-refundable source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
Trial
- Apollo
- Included14-day trial of Basic or Professional once per account, then the free plan source (opens the vendor's page in a new tab)
Choosing
Why Apollo gets expensive as a sender
Apollo's seats carry the mailboxes. Professional links unlimited Google and Microsoft mailboxes per user, but only 5 IMAP/SMTP ones; Organization raises that to 15 and is billed annually with 3 seats minimum. Warm-up covers 1 mailbox per seat, and each extra one costs 200 credits every 30 days.
So the bill follows the mailbox count. A tool priced by volume with unlimited mailboxes breaks that link, and that is the case for splitting prospecting and sending.
If Apollo's data is why you are there
Keep the seats that prospect and move only the sending. Export contacts from Apollo as CSV and import them into the sequencer; Outreach2day takes up to 10,000 rows per import, and extra columns become variables.
The Instantly vs Apollo page prices the two side by side, and the Apollo MCP comparison covers its server.
Outreach2day as a Apollo alternative
We make Outreach2day and list it first. Where it fits and where it does not.
It fits if
- You run 1,000+ mailboxes: we quote a volume price below every vendor list price in our comparisons, warm-up and sending included
- You prospect in Apollo and want sending priced per mailbox, without seats
- You send email-only campaigns from many SMTP mailboxes
- You want warm-up included for every mailbox
It does not fit if
- You want a contact database in the same tool
- You need a dialer or deals pipeline
- You need Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 mailboxes
Apollo alternatives: questions
What is the best Apollo alternative for cold email?
For sending at volume from lists you have, Outreach2day: mailboxes, warm-up and sequencer for $543 a month at 5,000 emails a day. For data and sending in one plan, Saleshandy or Snov.io.
Is there a cheaper alternative to Apollo?
For sending, yes: every option here costs less than Apollo's per-seat setup at 5,000 emails a day, and Outreach2day all-in is the lowest at every volume we priced. For contact data alone, Apollo's free and Basic plans are inexpensive.
How many mailboxes can I connect to Apollo?
Basic: 1 per user. Professional: unlimited Google and Microsoft plus 5 IMAP/SMTP per user. Organization: 15 IMAP/SMTP per user.
Which Apollo alternatives have a contact database?
Saleshandy, Snov.io and Reply.io include one; Instantly sells one on a separate plan; Smartlead includes verified emails on Unlimited plans.
Deliverability call
Talk to our deliverability team
Book a call with the people who run our mailbox infrastructure. We look at your current setup and tell you what to change. Running 1,000+ mailboxes? We also quote a volume price below every vendor list price in our comparisons, warm-up and sending included.
- Review your domains, DNS records and current inbox placement
- Size the setup: domains, mailboxes per domain and daily volume per mailbox
- Plan warm-up and the move from your current provider or sequencer
- 1,000+ mailboxes: a volume price per mailbox for your setup
Free call
See open times in your time zone and book on this page.
Or open the booking pageLoading available times…
Open the booking page insteadMore on Apollo
- Instantly vs ApolloTwo sequencers side by side
- Apollo MCP server comparedWhat its MCP tools cover, next to ours
- Cold Email Agencies: How to Run Infrastructure per ClientBlog
- Mailboxes for Cold Email: A Buyer's ChecklistBlog
- Reply.io alternatives
- lemlist alternatives
- Snov.io alternatives
- GMass alternatives
- Smartlead alternatives
Sources
Each vendor's own pages. Vendors change prices and plans; if something here is out of date, write to support@outreach2day.com and we will fix it.
Outreach2day
Instantly
- instantly.ai/llms.txt
- instantly.ai/terms
- instantly.ai/pricing
- help.instantly.ai/en/articles/7917050-add-on-pricing
- instantly.ai/pricing.md
- help.instantly.ai/en/articles/10273259-instantly-plans-overview
- help.instantly.ai/en/articles/6222224-how-to-connect-your-email-accounts-to-instantly
- help.instantly.ai/en/articles/6248612-account-and-campaign-limits
- help.instantly.ai/en/articles/7920548-email-outreach-plans-comparison
- help.instantly.ai/en/articles/10432807-api-v2
- help.instantly.ai/en/articles/12980002-instantly-mcp-model-context-protocol
- help.instantly.ai/en/articles/13941298-instantly-free-trial
- help.instantly.ai/en/articles/9361043-done-for-you-google-email-setup
- outreach2day.com/blog/export-mailboxes-to-instantly-smartlead
- trustpilot.com/review/instantly.ai
Smartlead
- smartlead.ai/llms.txt
- smartlead.ai/new-terms-and-conditions
- smartlead.ai/pricing
- smartlead.ai/pricing.md
- helpcenter.smartlead.ai/en/articles/446-how-to-connect-your-mailbox-to-smartlead
- helpcenter.smartlead.ai/en/articles/147-all-you-need-to-know-about-secondary-sending-domains-for-cold-email-campaigns
- helpcenter.smartlead.ai/en/articles/300-smartlead-mcp-server
- helpcenter.smartlead.ai/en/articles/224-refund-policy
- helpcenter.smartlead.ai/en/articles/151-what-are-the-limitations-in-the-free-trial
- helpcenter.smartlead.ai/en/articles/256-smartsenders-faqs-and-troubleshooting-everything-you-need-to-know
- outreach2day.com/blog/export-mailboxes-to-instantly-smartlead
- trustpilot.com/review/smartlead.ai
Saleshandy
- saleshandy.com/llms.txt
- saleshandy.com/terms
- saleshandy.com/pricing.md
- docs.saleshandy.com/en/articles/16451272-saleshandy-platform-plan-pricing-2026
- saleshandy.com/pricing
- docs.saleshandy.com/en/articles/14756541-azure-email-infrastructure-in-saleshandy
- docs.saleshandy.com/en/articles/6970059-what-is-the-daily-sending-limit
- docs.saleshandy.com/en/articles/9453303-multichannel-frequently-asked-questions-f-a-q-s
- docs.saleshandy.com/en/articles/13367892-saleshandy-mcp-model-context-protocol
- saleshandy.com/email-infrastructure
- outreach2day.com/ai-info
- trustpilot.com/review/saleshandy.com
Snov.io
Reply.io
- reply.io/pricing
- reply.io/terms-of-service
- reply.io/reply-io-pricing.txt
- support.reply.io/en/articles/100799-existing-limits-in-reply
- support.reply.io/en/articles/15479772-pre-warmed-domains-mailboxes
- support.reply.io/en/articles/12955018-connecting-reply-mcp-to-your-ai-model
- outreach2day.com/ai-info
- trustpilot.com/review/reply.io
Apollo
- apollo.io/llms.txt
- apollo.io/terms
- apollo.io/pricing
- knowledge.apollo.io/hc/en-us/articles/26772718460045-Use-Email-Warmup-to-Improve-Deliverability
- knowledge.apollo.io/hc/en-us/articles/33476090833549-Generate-a-Domain-and-Mailbox-to-Reach-Prospects
- knowledge.apollo.io/hc/en-us/articles/4409127806093-Link-Your-Mailbox-to-Apollo
- knowledge.apollo.io/hc/en-us/articles/4409233349005-Configure-Email-Sending-Limits
- docs.apollo.io/docs/developer-faqs.md
- knowledge.apollo.io/hc/en-us/articles/45119679436557-Use-Apollo-MCP-with-AI-Tools-to-Run-Your-GTM-Workflow
- knowledge.apollo.io/hc/en-us/articles/5288168088205-Access-a-Free-Trial-of-Apollo
- trustpilot.com/review/apollo.io
First cold emails on day 14, full volume on day 21
Add domains, create mailboxes and turn on warm-up. You see every mailbox's warm-up numbers from day one.