Cold emailing is a powerful way to connect with potential clients, partners, or prospects, but it can be challenging to get right.
Using the best cold email software or a cold email tool ensures you can streamline your campaigns, increasing the effectiveness of your outreach.
In fact, choosing the right cold email software can significantly impact the results of your cold email marketing efforts.
Using the right tools can make all the difference in the effectiveness of your cold email campaigns.
In this article, we’ll introduce you to five top tools for cold emails. We’ll cover their key features, pricing, and how they can help you achieve better results with your outreach efforts.
Whether you’re a sales professional, marketer, or entrepreneur, these tools can help you streamline your process and increase your success rate.
What is Cold Email Software?
Cold emailing software is a tool designed to help businesses send emails to potential customers who have not previously been contacted by them.
These platforms, also referred to as cold email software tools or cold email platforms, automate the process of finding email addresses, sending personalized emails, and tracking responses.
Some cold email tools even verify email addresses to ensure deliverability and reduce bounce rates.
This software is used to reach out to prospects, introduce products or services, and generate leads.
By using cold email marketing software, businesses can save time and effort while increasing their chances of connecting with new clients.
The cold email tool also provides analytics to help understand which emails work best, making improving future campaigns easier.
Why Use Cold Email Software?
Below, we will list the main reasons why you should use a cold emailing tool in your outreach efforts:
Save Time on Email Preparation
Cold email outreach helps you save time by letting you prepare emails in bulk. Instead of writing each email individually, you can create a template and send it to multiple recipients.
Additionally, these tools can automatically send follow-up emails if you don't get a response, ensuring you don't have to track each email manually.
Ensure Your Emails Land in Inboxes
Cold email tools help make sure your emails reach your prospects' inboxes instead of their spam folders. They can spread out email sending over time to avoid triggering spam email filters.
Plus, they allow you to personalize emails, making them appear less generic and more authentic.
Track and Improve Your Results
With cold emailing software, you can track important email marketing KPIs like opens, clicks, and replies. This removes the guesswork and helps you see what works and what doesn't.
Many tools also offer A/B testing, allowing you to experiment and find the best approach for your campaigns.
Get Started Quickly with Onboarding Resources
Cold email can be a technical subject, but most software solutions provide onboarding materials to help you get started.
These resources can guide you through setting up your campaigns and improving your reply rates, making the whole process easier and more efficient.
5 Top Tools for Cold Emails to Try Out
We have selected the five best cold email tools and discussed their features and pricing.
These tools are essential for any sales team aiming to enhance their cold outreach and sales engagement processes.
1. Hunter
Hunter is a powerful tool designed to help you find email addresses quickly and efficiently. It's ideal for building targeted email lists for your cold email campaigns.
Whether you're using a Gmail account or multiple email accounts, Hunter ensures your messages reach the right people.
Hunter.io is used by leading companies such as Adobe, Microsoft, and Salesforce. Its reliable and efficient services have made it an essential resource for top organizations in streamlining their outreach efforts.
Here’s what makes Hunter stand out:
Email Finder: You can easily search for email addresses by entering a domain or a specific name. Hunter will scour the web to find and verify email addresses.
Email Verifier: Ensure that your emails reach real people with Hunter’s verification feature. This tool checks the deliverability of each email address, reducing bounce rates and increasing your chances of a successful campaign.
Chrome Extension: Hunter’s Chrome extension lets you find email addresses while browsing the web directly from LinkedIn profiles or company websites.
API Access: API access is available for those who need to integrate Hunter’s capabilities into their own applications or CRM systems.
MailTracker Add-On: MailTracker is the best email tracking tool, which allows you to track email opens for free with MailTracker Chrome extension. This feature is available for up to 20 emails per month at no cost, giving you insights into who opened your emails in Gmail and when.
If you want to get started with MailTracker, add it to your Chrome extension for free.
Pricing
Hunter offers a free plan with 25 searches per month. Paid plans start at $49 per month for 500 searches and go up to $399 per month for 50,000 searches, catering to businesses of all sizes.
- Free Plan: 25 Monthly Searches, 50 Monthly Verifications
- Starter Plan: $49/month - 500 Monthly Searches, 1,000 Monthly Verifications
- Growth Plan: $149/month - 5,000 Monthly Searches, 10,000 Monthly Verifications
- Business Plan: $499/month - 50,000 Monthly Searches, 100,000 Monthly Verifications
Note: All plans include unlimited seats and the ability to upgrade or downgrade at any time.
Maximize your cold email outreach with Hunter and make sure your messages reach the right people every time. Visit Hunter.io to get started today for free.
2. ContactOut
ContactOut is an excellent tool designed to help you find personal and professional email addresses for your cold email campaigns.
It's particularly useful for recruiters, sales teams, and marketers looking to connect with potential leads quickly and efficiently.
Here’s what makes ContactOut a valuable asset for your outreach efforts:
Key Features
Email Finder: ContactOut allows you to discover both personal and professional email addresses, ensuring you have multiple avenues to reach your prospects.
LinkedIn Integration: With ContactOut’s Chrome extension, you can find email addresses directly from LinkedIn profiles. This feature makes it easy to gather contact information while you’re browsing LinkedIn.
Phone Numbers: In addition to email addresses, ContactOut provides access to phone numbers, giving you even more ways to connect with your leads.
Contact Search Engine: You can use ContactOut’s search engine to find contact details across a wide range of industries and professions. This powerful feature allows you to build comprehensive and targeted email lists.
Export Contacts: You can easily export your gathered contacts to CSV or sync them with your CRM to streamline your workflow and keep your data organized.
Accuracy and Verification: ContactOut prides itself on the accuracy of its data, helping to ensure that your emails reach the right people and reducing the chances of bounce rates.
Pricing
- Free Plan: 4 emails/day - 2 phone numbers/day, Works on standard LinkedIn only
- Sales Plan: $99/month - 500 work emails, 50 phone numbers, Works on Sales Navigator, Salesforce & HubSpot integration
- Recruiter Plan: Contact for Pricing - 1,000 personal emails, 50 phone numbers, Works on LinkedIn Recruiter Pro & all versions of LinkedIn, Salesforce & HubSpot integration
- Team/API Plan: Team discounts available, API Access, Custom data enrichment, Bulk contact files
Note: For the Recruiter and Team/API plans, users are encouraged to contact sales for more information and to get started.
3. Lemlist
Lemlist is a dynamic tool designed to enhance your cold outreach by focusing on personalization and automation.
It's suitable for sales teams, marketers, and entrepreneurs looking to boost their email engagement rates. Here’s what makes Lemlist a top choice for cold emailing:
Key Features
Email Personalization: Lemlist allows you to add personalized images, videos, and text to your emails, making your messages stand out and feel more personal to the recipient.
Automated Follow-ups: You can set up automated follow-up sequences to ensure consistent communication with your prospects. This helps you stay top-of-mind without manual intervention.
Email Deliverability: Lemlist offers tools and best practices to improve your email deliverability rates, ensuring that your messages reach the inbox and not the spam folder.
Campaign Management: Lemlist allows you to manage your cold email campaigns easily with Lemlist’s user-friendly dashboard. Track the performance of your emails, including open rates, click-through rates, and reply rates.
A/B Testing: This feature allows you to experiment with different email content and subject lines using A/B testing to determine what resonates best with your audience.
Team Collaboration: You will collaborate with your team by sharing campaigns and insights, making it easier to coordinate your outreach efforts.
Pricing
Lemlist offers a free trial for new users to test out its features.
- Email Starter: $39/month per user/1 sending email
- Email Pro: $69/month per user / 3 sending emails
- Multichannel Expert: $99/month per user / 5 sending emails
- Outreach Scale: $159/month per user / 15 sending emails
4. Instantly
Instantly is an innovative tool designed to optimize your cold email campaigns with powerful automation and deliverability features.
It's suitable for sales professionals, marketers, and entrepreneurs aiming to enhance their outreach efficiency and effectiveness. Here’s what makes Instantly.ai a great choice for cold emailing:
Key Features
Email Automation: Instantly.ai allows you to set up automated email sequences, ensuring that your cold emails are sent out consistently and at optimal times. This helps maintain steady communication with your prospects.
Personalization: You can customize your emails with dynamic fields to create personalized messages that resonate with each recipient, increasing the likelihood of a response.
Deliverability Optimization: Instantly.ai provides tools and insights to improve your email deliverability, helping your emails reach the inbox rather than the spam folder. This includes warm-up tools to prepare new email accounts for large-scale sending.
Advanced Analytics: You can track the performance of your email campaigns with detailed analytics. Monitor open rates, click-through rates, and reply rates to refine your approach and improve your results.
A/B Testing: You can test different subject lines, email content, and send times to determine what works best for your audience. Use the insights gained to optimize future campaigns.
Team Collaboration: You will be able to share campaigns and insights with your team, making it easy to collaborate and coordinate your outreach efforts effectively.
Pricing
Instantly offers a free trial so you can explore its features before committing.
- Growth Plan: $37/month - Unlimited Email Accounts, Email Warmup
- Hypergrowth Plan: $97/month - Unlimited Email Accounts, Email Warmup
- Light Speed Plan: $358/month - 500,000 Emails Monthly
5. Reply
Reply is a comprehensive tool designed to streamline your cold outreach campaigns through advanced automation and personalization.
It’s suitable for sales teams, marketers, and entrepreneurs looking to increase their outreach efficiency and success rates. Here’s what makes Reply.io a top-notch tool for cold emailing:
Key Features
Email Automation: Reply.io allows you to create automated email sequences that ensure timely follow-ups and consistent communication with your prospects, enhancing your chances of getting a response.
Personalization: You can add personalized elements to your emails, such as custom fields and dynamic content, to make your messages more relevant and engaging for each recipient.
Multichannel Outreach: Reply.io goes beyond email, offering the ability to integrate LinkedIn messages, SMS, and phone calls into your outreach strategy. This feature enables you to connect with prospects across multiple channels, increasing your chances of engaging them effectively.
AI-Powered Email Writing: You can leverage AI to generate high-quality email content, saving time and ensuring your messages are compelling and effective.
Analytics and Reporting: Track the performance of your email campaigns with detailed analytics, including open rates, click-through rates, and reply rates. Use these insights to optimize your email strategy.
A/B Testing: This feature allows you to test different versions of your emails to see what resonates best with your audience. Refine your approach based on data-driven results.
CRM Integration: You can seamlessly integrate Reply.io with your existing CRM system to manage contacts, track interactions, and streamline your workflow.
Pricing
Reply.io offers a free trial for new users to explore its features. Additionally, there's an indication that switching to an annual billing option can save up to 17%.
- Email Volume for scaling outreach: Starts from $59/month, includes 1000 active contacts per month.
- Multichannel for all-in-one prospecting: Starts from $99 per user/month and includes a 14-day free trial.
- Agency for outreach on behalf of clients: Starts from $166/month, billed annually, with the option to contact sales.
Key Features to Look for in Cold Email Tools
When selecting a cold email tool for your outreach efforts, it’s essential to choose one that aligns with your goals and operational needs.
While many tools offer basic features such as email automation and tracking, the most effective cold email software includes advanced functionalities that help you maximize the success of your campaigns.
Here are some key features to look for when choosing a cold email tool:
Email Personalization
One of the most critical factors in cold emailing is personalization. The ability to tailor your emails to each recipient can significantly increase your open and response rates.
Look for a cold email tool that allows you to personalize not only the body of the email but also subject lines and attachments like images or videos.
Advanced tools can pull in dynamic data such as the recipient's name, company, or location, making the email feel more tailored and less like a generic blast.
Automation & Scheduling
Cold emailing requires consistency and timely follow-ups, which can be difficult to manage manually, especially when dealing with large lists.
Automation features help you set up email sequences that are sent out based on predefined triggers or time intervals.
Scheduling tools are equally crucial, allowing you to send emails at optimal times when your audience is most likely to engage.
The best tools also offer automated follow-up sequences, ensuring you maintain contact with prospects without needing to manually monitor the campaign.
Deliverability Optimization
Deliverability is a major concern in cold email outreach. Even the most compelling email won't make an impact if it lands in the spam folder.
A good cold email tool should provide features to improve email deliverability, such as spam score checking, email warm-up, and domain authentication (DKIM, SPF, and DMARC settings).
These features ensure that your emails are sent in a way that avoids spam filters and maximizes inbox placement.
A/B Testing
To continuously improve the performance of your campaigns, you’ll want a tool that supports A/B testing.
This feature allows you to test different versions of your emails—whether it’s subject lines, body content, or even the timing of the send—and see which variations lead to better open, click, and reply rates.
A/B testing provides valuable insights that can help you refine your messaging and improve the overall effectiveness of your cold email outreach.
Email Tracking & Analytics
Cold email tools that provide detailed tracking and analytics help you measure the success of your campaigns.
Basic metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and reply rates are essential for understanding how your emails are performing.
More advanced tools may offer insights into bounce rates, unsubscribe rates, and the best times to send emails.
The ability to see who has opened your email, how many times they’ve clicked on a link, and whether they replied allows you to adjust your strategy in real time.
Hunter’s MailTracker add-on, for example, offers email tracking for free, providing valuable insights on who is engaging with your emails in Gmail.
CRM Integration
For businesses that rely on CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software to track leads and manage customer interactions, choosing a cold email tool that integrates seamlessly with your CRM is crucial.
This allows for the smooth transfer of contact data between systems, eliminating the need for manual data entry and ensuring that your outreach efforts are in sync with the rest of your sales and marketing activities.
Contact Management & List Segmentation
Managing your contact list is an essential part of any cold email campaign.
Look for a tool that allows you to organize your contacts efficiently and segment them into targeted lists based on criteria like industry, location, or previous interactions.
List segmentation enables you to send more relevant, targeted messages to different groups of contacts, improving the chances of engagement.
Additionally, some tools provide features for automatic email validation and verification, ensuring that you’re sending emails to valid addresses, which can help reduce bounce rates.
Scalability
As your business grows, so will your cold email campaigns.
It’s essential to choose a tool that can scale with you, allowing for increased email volumes, more team members, and additional features as your needs evolve.
GDPR and Compliance
Finally, it's essential to consider compliance with privacy laws such as GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation).
The best cold email tools offer features that ensure you are compliant with global data privacy regulations. multiple channels
This includes providing opt-out options, maintaining data security, and allowing you to manage consent from your contacts.
Having these features in place not only keeps you compliant but also builds trust with your prospects.
How to Choose the Best Tool for Cold Emails
Selecting the right cold email software for your campaigns is crucial for maximizing your outreach success.
It can significantly impact your cold email success, so take the time to evaluate your options carefully.
Here are some steps to help you make the best choice:
Assess Your Budget
Determine how much you’re willing to invest in a cold email tool. Consider both your immediate and long-term needs to find a plan that fits your budget.
Identify Your Needs
Make a list of the features you need most.
Are you looking for advanced personalization, email automationtools, or analytics? Prioritize these features based on your goals.
Test the Tools
Take advantage of free trials or free plans to test each tool. This hands-on experience will help you understand how the tool works and whether it meets your needs.
Read Reviews and Case Studies
Look at user reviews and case studies to see how others have benefited from the tool. This can provide insights into its effectiveness and any potential drawbacks.
Evaluate Support and Resources:
Ensure the tool offers good customer support and has resources like tutorials, webinars, and a knowledge base to help you get the most out of it.
If you need an all-in-one tool, try Hunter for free. It has a free plan and offers an add-on with MailTracker, allowing you to verify, track, and manage your emails effortlessly.
Want to Track 20 Emails/Month for Free?
If you're looking to gain more control over your email outreach, MailTracker is a powerful tool that can make a big difference.
Add MailTracker to Chrome, the add-on from Hunter, which allows you to track essential details like who sees your emails, how many times they open them, and when.
This kind of insight is crucial for optimizing your follow-up strategy and improving overall engagement.
With real-time notifications, you can act quickly, knowing exactly when a prospect engages with your email—perfect for timely follow-ups that can boost your response rate.
Additionally, MailTracker provides data to help you analyze the best times to send your emails, so you can schedule your outreach when recipients are most likely to engage.
Whether you're managing a small-scale outreach or a larger campaign, tracking these metrics helps you adjust your approach and increase the likelihood of success.
And the best part? You can track up to 20 emails per month for free to test it out before committing to a paid plan.
Get started today with MailTracker and take the guesswork out of your cold email campaigns!
