Struggling with Lemlist? Try These 5 Alternatives With More Credits, Lower Cost, & Better ROI
Lemlist is a popular choice for sales teams aiming to scale cold email campaigns, thanks to its personalized email sequences, lead generation features, and tools that support strong deliverability. However, many users have expressed that its pricing package doesn’t provide sufficient value for one’s budget.
- Although each tier includes 3 to 5 email accounts per user, the Pro plan caps usage at just 15 accounts. There is a $9 monthly fee for each additional email address. This cost adds up quickly for teams managing high-volume outreach or rotating domains.
- Running multichannel campaigns is also difficult without a larger budget. Key features like LinkedIn automation and A/B testing are locked behind higher-tier plans, limiting flexibility for lean teams.
- The credit-based system for data enrichment is another concern, with users noting that the cost can escalate fast during list-building and prospecting.
With pricing that’s hard to scale, a lead database capped at 450 million B2B contacts, and a feature-heavy interface, Lemlist may fall short for teams that prioritize affordability and ease of use.
In this post, we reviewed five cost-effective and user-friendly Lemlist alternatives, starting with Crono, our all-in-one sales automation platform.
1. Crono
All-in-one Lemlist alternative for affordable multichannel campaigns
Crono helps you manage every stage of your outreach—from lead generation and enrichment to engagement and deal tracking—from one clean, intuitive interface.
With transparent pricing, flexible prospecting credits, and multichannel outreach included in every plan, Crono removes the guesswork and constraints common in tools like Lemlist. You get full access to key capabilities without hitting usage caps or hidden fees.
Here’s what that means for your sales team:
- Scale cold emailing and LinkedIn outreach without bumping into usage caps or surprise fees.
- Improve deliverability and engagement rates with high-quality B2B contact data and AI-driven personalization.
- Run your entire outbound sales workflow without technical delays or complex setup.
If you’re looking to double meetings booked and increase sales productivity without stretching your budget, Crono delivers the tools to make it happen.
Scale cold email and LinkedIn campaigns without running into limits and hidden costs
When you’re reaching out to thousands of leads per week, the last thing you need is a platform that charges for every extra step or caps your campaign before it starts.
Being unable to track how cold email credits are used, getting charged for data enrichment even if you don’t need it… these limitations make the cost unpredictable, forcing your team to scale with caution.
Crono helps you scale smarter. With generous credits, transparent pricing, and built-in multichannel capabilities, it gives your team the freedom to grow without friction. You can:
- Send more emails and LinkedIn messages with extensive prospecting credits
- Avoid unnecessary charges with predictable enrichment costs
- Run your full outreach workflow from one platform
Send more emails and LinkedIn messages with extensive prospecting credits
Crono’s basic plan covers the key functions in Lemlist’s Starter and Pro pricing plans, allowing you to send more emails, LinkedIn messages, and cold calls at a convenient price.
Here’s what’s included:
- 500 verified email finder credits per user/month. That’s 10,000 high-quality B2B contacts for a 2-person team, without hidden enrichment fees or shared credit pools.
- 50 mobile number finder credits per user/month, allowing you to reach prospects via SMS or cold calls. In Lemlist, these draw from the same pool as email credits, which depletes your resources faster.
- 5,000 AI personalization credits to rewrite messages, generate cold email templates, and reduce manual SDR workload.
- Access to multichannel sales outreach tools (email, LinkedIn, and calls). Lemlist Starter supports email sequences only.
- Built-in deliverability features, including 3 mailboxes per user and automatic email validation. This ensures your messages land in inboxes without requiring extra tools or subscriptions.
All of this comes in at €69/user/month—compared to Lemlist’s Pro plan at $79/user/month, which still shares credit across features and doesn’t disclose AI credit limits.
|
Feature
|
Crono Pro (Multichannel)
|
Lemlist Starter (Email only)
|
Lemlist Pro (Multichannel)
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
Email credits |
500/user/month |
200 emails OR 50 phone nos |
300 emails OR 75 phone nos |
|
Mobile number finder |
50 credits/user |
50 phone nos OR 200 emaillls |
75 phone nos OR 300 emails |
|
Mailboxes per user |
3 |
3 sending emails per user |
5 sending emails per user |
|
AI writing credit |
5.000 |
Credit cost undisclosed |
Credit cost undisclosed |
|
Email validation |
✅ Unlimited |
❌ Unavailable |
❌ Unavailable |
|
Cost |
€69/user/month |
$55/user/month |
$79/user/month |
Avoid unnecessary charges with predictable enrichment costs
Lemlist charges 5 credits for email finds, 2 for LinkedIn data, and 20 for phone numbers. And since all credits draw from the same shared pool, resource planning becomes tricky.
In Crono, you’ll only use 1 credit per verified result, no matter how many data providers are queried behind the scenes. And AI credit usage is just as transparent.
Whether you’re rewriting a subject line or generating an entire multi-step sequence, Crono shows you the exact credit cost before execution. That means no surprise deductions and a more predictable lead per dollar spent.
Lastly, when you buy credits in bulk, you’ll save more cost per credit and also retain unused credits beyond the billing cycle. That way, Crono gives you the flexibility to scale on your own terms
Grow efficiently with one platform for complete sales outreach
Lemlist locks key features like multichannel outreach behind higher-tier plans. Other platforms require separate tools for lead sourcing, enrichment, and email verification.
Crono simplifies it all. From one user-friendly interface and the basic plan, you’ll get:
- Lead sourcing through LinkedIn’s database, with over 1 billion B2B contacts
- Data enrichment across 10 verified providers
- Email, LinkedIn, and Cold call automation
- Unlimited email validation
No third-party add-ons. No upgrade traps.
Ready to scale your outbound outreach without overspending? Book a demo now, or read on to learn how Crono improves deliverability with AI-driven automation.
Increase deliverability with advanced B2B data quality and AI-powered automation
Writing personalized, thoughtful emails that land in the spam folder is frustrating. Crono addresses this by providing you with higher-quality data and AI-driven sales automation tools.
Where Lemlist relies on a database limited to 450 million B2B companies, Crono connects directly to LinkedIn’s live ecosystem of over 1 billion professionals.
That means you’re always sourcing from the most current, accurate data. And you can build highly relevant prospect lists from the start.
But it doesn’t stop there.
Here are four more Crono features that maximize inbox placement:
1. Waterfall enrichment across 10+ providers ensures contact accuracy
Crono uses a waterfall approach that queries over 10 data providers— 8 in Lemlist, to find and verify contact information.
The system intelligently browses through these providers until it finds accurate emails and phone numbers, and you’re only charged a single credit regardless of how many providers were needed.
This multi-layered verification reduces bounces and invalid contacts that could damage your sender’s reputation.
2. AI-powered personalization breaks through inbox clutter
Generic templates are spam magnets. Crono’s AI uses extensive profile insight to generate highly personalized email and LinkedIn icebreakers..
3. Create flexible multi-channel sequences that feel natural
Build outreach strategies with steps across LinkedIn, email, and calls, with conditional logic that adapts based on prospect actions.
For example, if a LinkedIn connection isn’t accepted within your specified timeframe, Crono can automatically pivot to cold email outreach instead.
This process ensures a coordinated approach that feels like thoughtful follow-up rather than automated spam.
4. A/B test email and LinkedIn sequences—available on every pricing plan
While Lemlist restricts A/B testing LinkedIn sequence to higher-priced plans, Crono includes this critical optimization feature across all pricing tiers.
You can test different subject lines, custom variables, message bodies, and sequences. Crono’s detailed analytics show which versions perform best so you can continuously improve your approach.
Before Crono, Odda struggled to identify decision-makers efficiently as they relied on referrals, word-of-mouth, and manual outreach.
With Crono’s LinkedIn automation features, they increased their sales team’s effectiveness by 37% through safer, more personalized LinkedIn outreach.
Save time and manage your entire sales workflow without technical delays or complex setup
Bugs that keep sequences running after you’ve stopped them.
Complex UIs that make it hard to get anything done. Tools that won’t let you update or add conditionals unless you restart the whole campaign.
These platform-induced limitations limit outbound momentum fast.
In Crono, every feature is built to help your team launch and scale outreach without setup delays or technical workarounds. For instance, campaign flows are fully editable, even after launch.
That way, you can adjust sequences on the fly and keep your workflow fast and focused.
Additionally, Crono automatically disables campaigns the moment you cancel them, avoiding embarrassing misfires.
Here are more features designed to accelerate your outbound workflow:
- Build lists and engage faster with Crono’s LinkedIn Web extension
- Update messaging at scale by rewriting entire sequences with AI in just a few clicks
- Follow up at the right moment using instant notifications from Crono’s real-time Live Feed
- Stay organized and accountable with a dedicated sales task management tool that keeps outbound activity on track
Build lists and engage faster with Crono’s LinkedIn Web extension
Unlike most LinkedIn lead scraping extensions, Crono takes a more reliable and compliant approach by integrating directly with LinkedIn Sales Navigator.
That means you can build lists and apply all of Sales Navigator’s advanced filters directly inside Crono.
Even better, there’s no need to scrape leads and then manually import them into your campaign builder. With Crono, you can add contacts or companies to your pre-built sequences in just a few clicks while browsing profiles.
This action also updates your CRM instantly without any manual input. It’s faster, safer, and built for how modern sales teams actually work.
Additionally, you can extract leads who have engaged with posts relevant to your ICP.
And send LinkedIn messages faster without copy-pasting templates.
Rewrite all templates in a sequence at once with AI
This feature allows you to repurpose and personalize existing sequences at scale instead of manually editing each template individually.
That way, SDRs can craft targeted messages faster. You also have the option to rewrite individual templates within a sequence using AI if you prefer a more manual approach
Follow up at the right moment using instant notifications from Crono’s real-time Live Feed
Crono’s Live feed provides real-time updates of contact interactions and the performance of outreach sequences in one place.
When prospects reply to messages, open emails, or accept LinkedIn invites, you’ll receive notifications on the feed.
That way, it’s easy for SDRs to track interactions as they happen and engage prospects when interest is high.
Track outbound sales efforts with a dedicated sales task management tool
Crono’s task manager gives sales teams a central place to track, assign, and complete repetitive tasks, so nothing falls through the cracks. It allows reps to:
- View completed and upcoming tasks linked to strategies or specific contacts.
- See a chronological arrangement of all tasks, based on scheduled steps and wait times, so you always know what’s next.
- Create and schedule follow-up tasks based on prospect interactions so the entire team is aligned on the next steps.
Reps can also tweak, pause, or reschedule tasks to quickly adjust their sales strategy based on real-time prospect engagement data.
Before using Crono, Better Days Recruitment spent excessive time sending emails and managing administrative work. With Crono’s unified interface and real-time tracking, they cut non-revenue activities and increased their close rate by 25%. Read their story.
Crono's key features:
- Automated multichannel sequences
- Lead generation and lead management
- Waterfall data enrichment and AI-driven data validation
- Detailed sales performance analytics
- Team collaboration and oversight tools
- Pipeline and deal management
Pros:
- More budget-friendly data enrichment cost (1 credit per task)
- Fully automated multichannel sequence available on every plan
- Native integration with LinkedIn [+ Web Extension]
- Database with over 1 billion contacts included
Cons:
Teams not using Sales Navigator may not fully benefit from Crono’s capabilities.
2. Instantly AI
Instantly AI is an affordable Lemlist alternative for solo users or small teams nurturing a targeted list of contacts. Depending on your pricing plan, Instantly AI supports contact uploads from 1,000 to 25,000 and allows between 5,000 and 100,000 monthly email sends.
Pricing plans range from $37 to $358/month, with all plans including unlimited account warmup and validation.
However, lead generation and CRM integration come at an additional cost:
- Lead generation: $37.90/month for 1,000 verified leads, $169.30/month for 10,000
- CRM integration: $37 to $76/month, depending on your tier
Key features:
- Advanced email sequencing
- Email warmup and validation
- Slack + CRM integrations
- Bulk contact uploads
Pros:
- Connect and warm up unlimited accounts from any email provider
- Pay only for verified leads, reducing wasted spend
Cons:
- Not suitable for teams needing LinkedIn or phone outreach
- True monthly cost can be hard to estimate due to separate billing for leads and CRM
Pricing:
- Sending and warmup: $37 – $358/month
- Lead generation: $37 – $169/month
- CRM: $37 – $76/month
3. Mailshake
Mailshake is an ideal Lemlist alternative for sales teams looking for a low-cost entry point into email outreach with optional upgrades for LinkedIn automation. The Starter plan at $25/month includes unlimited email warmup, contact uploads, and automated email sequences.
Upgrading to the Sales Engagement plan ($85/month) unlocks LinkedIn automation, allowing users to automate connection requests, messages, and profile views. Mailshake also includes an AI-powered email writer and basic lead generation features.
Key features:
- Email and LinkedIn sales automation
- AI-powered email writing
- Lead generation tools
Pros:
- Quick to set up and start using
- Highly rated customer support
- Very affordable starter plan
Cons:
- Limited analytics and reporting depth
- Smaller contact database (100 million vs. other tools with broader reach)
Pricing:
- Starter: $25/month
- Email Outreach: $45/month
- Sales Engagement: $85/month
4. Apollo
Apollo is a Lemlist alternative, perfect for sales teams needing a high volume of outreach at an affordable entry cost. The entry plan comes in at $49/user/month with 60,000 credits for each user. It also has a free plan with 2 sequences and 1,200 email credits—perfect for solo users.
Key features:
- Multi-channel outreach
- Data enrichment
- Deal management
- AI-assisted sales process automation
- Call assistant
Pros:
- It is affordably priced, with a free plan sufficient for solo users
- Comprehensive database with over 275 million contacts and 30 million companies.
- Supports multi-channel campaigns
Cons:
- LinkedIn outreaches can’t be automated
- It can be complex for beginners to navigate
Pricing:
- Free Plan: $0/month
- Basic: $49/user/month
- Professional: $79/user/month
- Organization: $119/user/month
5. Klenty
Klenty is the ideal Lemlist alternative for teams looking to automate outbound workflows and delegate repetitive tasks using AI, at a competitive price. Its AI agent can write emails and execute workflows on autopilot, allowing reps more time to focus on building relationships with prospects.
The Sales Engagement plan starts at $54/user/month (billed annually), allowing up to 15,000 contacts and 75,000 emails per month. However, key capabilities like CRM integration and LinkedIn steps in sequences are restricted to higher-tier plans.
Key features:
- LinkedIn automation
- Cold calling capabilities
- Intent-based outreach workflows
- AI-powered prospect research
- Calendar and meeting integrations
Pros:
- 14-day free trial with full access to all Sales Engagement features
- Built-in AI agent for email and workflow automation
Cons:
- Limited contact database compared to other platforms
- Complex UI due to the breadth of available features
Pricing:
- Starter: $54/user/month
- Growth: $70/user/month
- Plus: $99/user/month
Choose The Most Flexible & Cost-effective Lemlist Alternative
Lemlist can handle basic email outreach, but when your team needs more control, scale, and value, Crono stands out as the smarter choice for modern sales teams.
- Transparent pricing. No expiring credits or surprise deductions.
- Flexible campaign logic: Edit conditionals mid-flight, update sequences after launch, and keep your workflows flowing—without starting over.
- Safer LinkedIn automation: Native integration with Sales Navigator, no scraping, and built-in safety limits help you personalize at scale without risking your account.
- Unified workflow: Run prospecting, enrichment, and engagement in one place. No need to juggle tabs or tools.
Ready to send more emails, LinkedIn messages, and cold calls? Explore Crono today.
